Topic: Parts for doing a poorly mod on UA5

[illconditioned]

I should also comment that you might just be better off selling the UA5 and buying another unit. I gave up modding the UA5 because I found the ADC stage was *broken*.  I measured distortion up to 1% near 0dB (anything between -10 and 0dB had high distortion).

I was wondering if this was measured on a stock unit or modded and if modded who's mod?  The other two advantages to the UA-5 are the matrix on the fly and  three outputs, opti, coax and analog


updated to add the Little Box is now sold out.

I measured that distortion on both a modded and an unmodded unit.  I believe there is (some) design flaw in the UA5.  This was back when I was big into modding.  I figured, wow, I can make a really great unit by swapping some chips.  After measuring that distortion I sold off the two units I had, and moved on.  Lessons learned: check any gear before relying on it.  Computers especially, lots of problems you would never guess.  The other lesson is don't always assume upgrading will help.  If I were you I would stick with the stock UA5.  Upgrade the mics next.  Maybe borrow a pair of mics if anyone will lend them to you.  Then, get an all-in-one or pre + analaog flash recorder.

  Richard

[Todd R]

The first littlebox production run has sold out, but there will be more available in mid-Oct.

The LB is a preamp only though, no digi out -- though it does have phantom power.  So you'd need to run the iriver analog in, not digital in, which can be done.  The R09 might be better on analog inputs than the iriver, plus it is 24bit, which are some of it's advantages.  Still, I'd bet littlebox (analog) > iriver would sound better than UA5(digital) > iriver based on what I've heard from the LB, and what I've heard from the UA5.  Obviously, at this point you get into the realm of opinions.  FWIW, I've done and posted a comp of the LB to a Lunatec V3, as has Chuck, and Chuck also ran the Naiant pre analog into an iriver, so it might be worth digging up those comps.