Topic: Q about UA-5 Re:nickspicks.com

[trippingjonny]

hey for all that read the article on nickspicks.com about modding the UA-5.

i was thinking that i might want to give this a try because i really liek the A/D converters in that box but im using it as my soundcard for my PC do u think its possible to place 2 switches on the unit to restore/break those 2 signal paths? i was thinking that u could jsut remove that resistor place on in line with the switch and use those contact points for your send/return for the switch.  it is digital data so i dont know what a switch might do to it . my knowledge of elctroincs stops at the a/d converter  

[fozzy]

oade says don't do it because it can introduce noise or other sheilding problems.  too lazy to find the link.

[kev B]

A digi-mod UA-5 will do everything it was originally designed for except serve as a playback soundcard. Therefore, you can still use it to do transfers, record, etc.

[dklein]

You can add the switch - it has been done and I don't think there was any issue with the digital signal.   Try to keep the leads as short as you can.  I think it's a DPDT switch than can open one circuit while closing the other.

In fact, I think you could even leave the resistor in place and only put a switch on the jumper.  As long as you don't try to run the s/pdif out at the same time you have a computer hooked up (keep the switch open), it should work fine.

Not sure what would happen if you had the switch closed - you can test it by manually making the jump on your open UA-5 before doing anything else.