Learning Center: Connecting Your UDAC

How to Connect Your HeadRoom Ultra Balanced DAC [UDAC]

Connecting HeadRoom UDAC to a computer via digital USB

Any computer can make an excellent audiophile music source. The easiest and most common way to get a high quality signal out of your computer is via digital USB output. (If you have 'optical' digital output on your Apple/MAC computer, skip to next section.) Simply plug a USB cable into your computer, and plug the smaller USB 'mini-B' connector into the back of the UDAC, and switch the digital input selector switch on the front panel to ‘USB’. In most cases your computer will instantly recognize the UDAC, but you may need to restart your audio player application if it is already running when you plug in the connection. If the computer still does not recognize the UDAC, you'll need to go into your control panel/audio devices or system preferences/sound output and select ‘USB Audio Codec’ as your default audio output device.

Connecting HeadRoom UDAC via Optical/Toslink SPDIF Connection

The most common digital connector on consumer audio equipment is a 'TOS-LINK' optical connection. Simply connect the optical digital output on your source to the optical digital input on the rear of the UDAC and select the Optical input on the front panel input selector switch. Some digital sources (like portable DVD players) use a TOS-LINK connector that looks like a 1/8" inch 'mini' plug; this connector is typically a multi-function plug that may also provide the analog line outputs from the source. Adapters & cables are available for this type of connection; please contact HeadRoom for advice.

On Apple/MAC computers, a digital optical/SPDIF connection is typically housed within the headphone jack or on a dedicated Optical-Out located on computer's side or rear panel. We suggest trying both USB and Optical connection methods to determine which sounds best. Remember to switch the UDAC's Digital Input Selector Switch to ‘Optical’.

Connecting HeadRoom UDAC to Digital Source via Coaxial/SPDIF Input

Many high-end digital sources have a 75 Ohm digital output connection, typically with a single RCA-type connector. This is the highest quality type connection for digital transmission, but you must use a 75 Ohm impedance cable or you'll introduce jitter into the signal.  Do NOT use an ordinary RCA audio interconnect as they are typically not 75 Ohm. Once connected, choose 'Coax' on the UDAC front panel input select switch.

Connecting HeadRoom UDAC Balanced Outputs to Headphone Amp/Pre-amp

 

While you can use the UDAC as a balanced source for any headphone amp or pre-amp, we think the very best thing to connect to the balanced outputs of the UDAC is the balanced inputs of our Balanced Ultra Desktop Headphone Amp (BUDA). Simply stack the UDAC on the BUDA and use a short pair (1/2 meter) of XLR interconnects to connect the balanced outputs to the balanced inputs. Voila', stunningly perfect headphone sound!

 

Connecting HeadRoom UDAC's Unbalanced Outputs to Headphone Amp/Pre-amp

 

While balanced operation is a major feature of the HeadRoom UDAC, but it also performs exceedingly well as a 'single-ended' DAC using its unbalanced RCA outputs. Simply connect the RCA Outputs of the UDAC to the inputs of your pre-amp or 'single-ended' headphone amp and enjoy the beautiful music.