Topic: Opinions on UA5 A/D Converter?

[lyle]

Just wondering about the quality of the UA5 A/D converter? Someone said it was the same as the Mini-Me but sounds differrent? I am using a UA5 after a V2 for A/D conversion only.  Any comments? Thank.

[jpschust]

maybe try searching the forums, this has been discussed ad nauseum

[lyle]

I already did that before posting. Couldn't find any specific info. Maybe I missed it.

[jpschust]

one thing to note with the ua-5, you cannot bypass the pre stage of it, even with rca ins, you are still passing through the preamp circuitry

[pnobles]

i've ran a MP-2 infront of it before , so was it going in the mp2 pre and then in the ua-5 pre again?   humm...double the pleasure double the fun...

[jpschust]

yep, same as though you were running a pre in front of the mme- still passes through the pre circuitry

[lyle]

I called the Oade Bros and asked one of their guys about this. Not sure who i talked to but he said using the rca inputs I would be bypassing the mic preamps.

[jpschust]

im curious about that, because last i heard it was similar to the minime setup...

[Craig T]

rca inputs bypass the mic pre.  it is a good sounding a/d.  IMO, you'd have to go up to an ad2k/2402-96, mme, v3 to do better, especially at 24bit.  I went from v2>mod-sbm1 to v2>ua5 and was happy with the results.

Craig.

[lyle]

Craig,
So do you like the sound of the UA5 over the MOD SBM-1?

I tried the UA5 after the V2 compared to the V2 directly into my D8 and I liked the sound into the D8 much better.  The UA5 gave possibly (hard to tell) a slightly crisper high end  but lost lots of bass character punch and roundness. Bass was muddy in comparison. Any thoughts?

[Nick's Picks]

I've run V2>UA-5 a numbe of times and it kicked ass

[drumminj]

im curious about that, because last i heard it was similar to the minime setup...

I'm pretty sure the RCA's bypass the preamp.  I remember from discussions about the w-mod and p-mod UA-5s, that you'd need to run mic-in to take advantage of this.  Thus, a sbd feed normally wouldn't (assuming you'd run that through the RCAs).

Lyle, all the talk about comparing the UA-5 to the mini-me or other boxes is with the warm or presence-modded units, not the stock UA-5.

J

[Brian Skalinder]

I'm pretty sure the RCA's bypass the preamp.  I remember from discussions about the w-mod and p-mod UA-5s, that you'd need to run mic-in to take advantage of this.  Thus, a sbd feed normally wouldn't (assuming you'd run that through the RCAs).

True, the RCA's bypass the preamp.  However, the RCAs still go through a gain stage utilizing different op amps which (per Doug Oade a ways back) aren't as good as the stock op amps (or, obviously, the warm or presence mod op amps).

[drumminj]

Brian, they go through a gain stage, or just an attenuator?  I never tested it, but I didn't think you could actually amplify the line-in signal.  Pretty cool, actually.

[lyle]

Thanks.  I know all about the Oade Mods and that info. The reason I bought your UA5 was to use the A/D after the V2 and didn't need the Mods but I think part of these mods actually improves the analog input and may actually improve the sound when bypassing the mic in and usind the rca inputs. I experimented with the V2>UA5>D8 and V2>D8 and found the sound to be better IMO with just the D8. So until I hear better or I start 24bit recording I might just keep the UA5 on the side. Peace out!

[Brian Skalinder]

Brian, they go through a gain stage, or just an attenuator?  I never tested it, but I didn't think you could actually amplify the line-in signal.  Pretty cool, actually.

Good question.  I remember a note from Doug mentioning the specific op amps used through the RCA inputs, but I don't think I have the email any longer so I can't relay the specific op amp number.

Had to do a bit of research, but apparently op amps are used to amplify the differential between two input voltages and are thereby able to provide an increase in gain (positive voltage differential) or decrease in gain (negative voltage differential).

So...the answer to whether the RCAs go through a gain stage is:  yes, an op amp gain stage (wish I had the part # from Doug's email).  And I believe the op amp gain stage may be positive or negative.

but I think part of these mods actually improves the analog input and may actually improve the sound when bypassing the mic in and usind the rca inputs.

Nope, the Oade mods only upgrade the op amps through the XLR mic inputs, not the RCA inputs.

[Terps]

most of the op-amps in the ua-5 are the same p/n.

[Brian Skalinder]

My previous post was incorrect.  Wouldn't be the first time.    Specifically, about whether the Oade warm/presence mods improve the RCA inputs as well as the XLR mic inputs.  Saw this over on Oade, thanks to Lyle for posting over there and Doug for getting back to him:

The RCA inputs do benefit from the MOD, but there is still one stock Op Amp in circuit with the RCA path, still the most critical ones have been replaced. It should be easy to hear , still the best way to know !
peace...Doug

[drumminj]

Great, Lyle.  Way to ruin our fun by introducing facts rather than let us argue with each other based on speculation.  D'oh.

That is good to know, though.