Bargain Modified USB Headphone DAC

[RocketScientist]

For anyone interested, I published a full set of measurements (including jitter, linearity, maximum output, headphone output impedance, etc.) on the $29 Behringer UCA202 USB DAC (PCM27xx based) and it fared better than I would have guessed. But the headphone output was a serious weak area.

$5 worth of parts and some soldering made a dramatic improvement. I measured the improved headphone section and it no longer needs many excuses. I mainly did it just to show what can be done inexpensively. I might own a Benchmark DAC1 but I still love a good bargain!

If anyone is interested in more info, please let me know?

Unmodified Behringer UCA202 Measurements

Modified Behringer UCA202 Measurements

[ra7]

Nice writeup on Behringer. My M-audio transit died recently. Thinking of getting this one.

[RocketScientist]

Originally Posted by ra7

Nice writeup on Behringer. My M-audio transit died recently. Thinking of getting this one.

Thanks. I have a Transit as well. The A/D and D/A in the Transit is higher quality but the combined headphone/line out jack doesn't work well with most headphones. It also requires special drivers while the Behringer does not.

I haven't published the results yet, but I did a comparison between the M-Audio Transit, Behringer UCA202, E-Mu 0202, and the NuForce uDAC-2 as pictured below: