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KingRex UD-01 Pro USB DAC NEW FOR 2011 The latest and greatest version of the groundbreaking UD-01 DAC: all new circuit board, revised output stage and, crucially, a custom on-board linear power supply – all for less than the cost of the original UD-01 and KingRex PSU. Although limited to 16/48 playback, this sophisticated D-A converter is the perfect first step towards audiophile-grade computer playback of a digitised CD collection. Just add a USB cable. The charm of the KingRex UD-01 has always been its unusual combination of musicality and resolution: it has a knack uncommon at this price point of nailing a recording's gestalt without digital artefacts. However, like any DAC, it's always needed a smooth, clean power supply to do its thing. Now it's in the box: a bespoke toroidal feeding Panasonic FM caps. The audible benefits are striking: it's even better than the stock UD-01 + PSU combo: in particular the DAC gains brio and clout – it's a much more exciting listen than its junior sibling, yet nothing about this converter sounds forced: treble is naturally rendered in high resolution and the mid-range is pure, transparent and never pushy. Low frequencies have new-found credibility thanks to the improved supply to the dual mono op-amps. Rather conveniently, the new all-black casework is roomy enough to accommodate some serious upgrades: see our unique Special Edition UD-01 Pro for details > Although the on-board clock is well designed to minimise the effects of input jitter, all versions of the UD-01 are sensitive to incoming power corruption on the 5V USB line respond well to upgraded USB cables and power conditioners. BUNDLE OFFERS: TURNKEY SYSTEMS: REVIEWS: “The only way I can decide whether or not something sounds good is to play a buff bag of music and hope that guitar lessons over math camp was the right call. Which is just what I did with the KingRex UD-01 PRO USB DAC. Employing a Burr-Brown PCM 2702E decoder chip, a low-pass filter, DC servo design, on-board matched, regulated, linear toroidal power supply, and gold RCA SP terminals, the KingRex works hard to justify its $350 list price. The improved power supply, by the way, is the main upgrade from the previous UD-01 model. Capable of sampling rates at 16-bit, 32, 44.1 and 48kHz, the KingRex is designed for users who just want a USB DAC connection to play great sounding standard music files and internet music without the usual audiophile rigmarole. If you happened to have read my column on the HRT Music Streamer II+, however, you know that there are several fine and very reasonably priced options for achieving this goal, the Streamer II+ and the devilsound DAC chief among them, so where does that leave the UD-01? Very nicely, indeed. as we'll see. The excellent Streamer II+, alas, has long been returned to the manufacturer, but my trusty devilsound Version 2.1 is still on hand to digitally duel this new digital-to-audio converter challenger. The contrast between the two products points out just how hard it is to find the DAC bed that feels just right. Each has an excellent presentation, but neither sounds the same. Both the devilsound and the KingRex produce a large soundstage and offer up enough musical detail to keep you happily amused, discovering new qualities hidden in your favorite music. The devilsound trumps the KingRex in producing a really wide, slightly more forward and resolving delivery of vocals and instruments when listening to most internet radio stations and high-impact music. But bigger and louder isn't always better, and there is definitely much to be said for the KingRex's more nuanced approach to bit taming. Anything that has even a bit of an edge or distortion is magnified by the devilsound, and though this is something that I had detected before, only in contrast to the KingRex did I find it objectionable. David Sanborn's saxaphone on Bowie's David Live album, for example, is unquestionably one of the best horn performances in rock n' roll this side of Bobby Keys. Direct comparison from the devilsound to the KingRex, however, shows just how unappealing saxophones that are too etched and grainy can be in hard driving rock n' roll. The UD-01 PRO's ability to soften the contours of the notes without muddying up the whole thing made for a very enjoyable listening experience, while the same performance via the devilsound gave rise to listener fatigue, not something that usually happens with one's favorite music. And, really, it's the smooth, relaxed presentation that makes the UD-01 PRO a viable choice for listeners who can't stand any semblance of digital edge in the mix. Jeremy Camp's wonderful Live Unplugged album contains all the beauty and challenges of a superb live recording. Hot mikes are necessary to define the performance and the rest of the mix, but that top end on vocals and instruments can wear you out like sitting on a hard chair next to the stage monitor if your system skews towards the sharp, dynamic, and bright. The KingRex DAC did a nice job presenting the illusion of depth and space between performers, while taming some of the excesses of the live recording. Similarly, streaming "Angels We Have Heard On High" by Philip Wesley, there was a tangible impression of space and airiness as the beautifully rendered notes of the piano decayed into the atmosphere. It's a very different sound than you get from the devilsound (which has terrific wide open pop, but tends towards graininess in some instances) or the HRT Music Streamer II+ (musical, like the KingRex, but more balanced and resolving). One important caveat when comparing these three products, however, is the fact that the devilsound v2.1 DAC has its USB and RCA cables attached. Conversely, the HRT model and the KingRex UD-01 require you to supply both USB and RCA cables, which enables you to fine tune the sound (albeit at a cost) in a way that the devilsound's design precludes. Moving from a pair of Kimber Hero interconnects to Harmonic Technology Magic Link IIs to Stereolab LS-700s, respectively, progressively widened the view of the KingRex's sonic image. The sound changed, but it was primarily in the ability to discern the details more completely. It's not as if the Stereolab interconnects suddenly made the UD-01 PRO explode like the devilsound or envelop the room like the HRT II+, but there's no doubt that soundstaging, microdynamics, and tonal variations became more pronounced in the KingRex because of the better cable being used. And it would be fair to say that pairing the UD-01 PRO with the right USB and RCA cables might make a difference in whether or not you like this DAC in your system. Naturally, this opportunity to improvise might appeal to those who love to monkey around with tweaks and cables to improve the sound. All I know is, the UD-01 PRO will appeal to those who desire a warmer, rounded sound from a DAC, or to those with systems that could benefit from these qualities. Or, if you just want a good sounding box to get music out of the computer and be done with it, this is a fine option. The more I listen to the sweetness of the KingRex's presentation of music, the more I appreciate its understated handling of digital files. The KingRex UD-01 PRO is a very musical and sensibly priced digital-to-audio converter for the right system, and an easy purchase for first-timers and veteran DAC collectors alike.” – Positive Feedback, 2010 |
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Item Audio trading as Item 2 Ltd (# 05163122): Canada House, Cyonfrydd, Welshpool, Powys SY21 9EG. UK VAT registered (# 784137216). T: 01782 621225 / F: 01782 621130