What's so great about the UA5?

[BJ]

Has anyone ever seen a THD spec for this device? Or is this all subjective?

well...i have my THC spec(ulative copmarison) for this device....

[Brian Skalinder]

Has anyone ever seen a THD spec for this device? Or is this all subjective?

Of course it's subjective.  And knowing its THD spec won't take the subjectivity out of the discussion, nor tell you how it sounds.  Personally, I'm more interested in how it sounds to my ears rather than some number(s) on a piece of paper.

[jpschust]

I do not believe there is a published THD spec sheet

[urobouros]

Woo-hoo!!  I just placed my order for my digimod UA-5 from Oade!!!  I can't believe I actually talked the wife into it.  I'm waiting for her to tell me she spent some crazy amount of money herself.  Of course, now I have to do a little extra for Xmas.  It's a small price to pay for a UA-5!! 

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Woo-hoo!!  I just placed my order for my digimod UA-5 from Oade!!! 

Nice!

[Tim]

Has anyone ever seen a THD spec for this device? Or is this all subjective?

Of course it's subjective.  And knowing its THD spec won't take the subjectivity out of the discussion, nor tell you how it sounds.  Personally, I'm more interested in how it sounds to my ears rather than some number(s) on a piece of paper.

THANK YOU!!!

perhaps we can put this to rest finally.

[hexyjones]

Has anyone ever seen a THD spec for this device? Or is this all subjective?

Of course it's subjective.  And knowing its THD spec won't take the subjectivity out of the discussion, nor tell you how it sounds.  Personally, I'm more interested in how it sounds to my ears rather than some number(s) on a piece of paper.

THANK YOU!!!

perhaps we can put this to rest finally.

Well - I think its nice to be able to compare equipment without having actually purchase it and use it...

[Brian Skalinder]

Well - I think its nice to be able to compare equipment without having actually purchase it and use it...

But that's exactly my point - you simply cannot compare equipment based on specs, THD or any other.  Knowing the THD spec for the UA5, modified or otherwise, will not tell you how it sounds.  The only way to find out how it sounds is to listen.

There are plenty of people using the UA5, and a few of us have even put together some comparisons of the UA5 v. other gear.  Download or post an ISO for some recordings using the mics + UA5 flavor you want to hear - I bet someone here runs it or has some recordings and it will give you some idea of how it sounds.  Though obviously not as good an idea as a head-to-head comparison with a set of gear you know well.  But it'll tell you a heckuva lot more about how it sounds than the specs do.

[Tim]

you can download samples and give it a listen yourself or trade for ua5 shows if you don't have highspeed...

I've used a ua5 a few times and don't own one, friends have let me play around with them.

comparing specs without listening to the gear is not a good idea, specs are skewed by all manufacturers (some worse than others)...

Trust Your Ears

[hexyjones]

Well - I think its nice to be able to compare equipment without having actually purchase it and use it...

But that's exactly my point - you simply cannot compare equipment based on specs, THD or any other.  Knowing the THD spec for the UA5, modified or otherwise, will not tell you how it sounds.  The only way to find out how it sounds is to listen.

There are plenty of people using the UA5, and a few of us have even put together some comparisons of the UA5 v. other gear.  Download or post an ISO for some recordings using the mics + UA5 flavor you want to hear - I bet someone here runs it or has some recordings and it will give you some idea of how it sounds.  Though obviously not as good an idea as a head-to-head comparison with a set of gear you know well.  But it'll tell you a heckuva lot more about how it sounds than the specs do.

Do you think you could hear the difference between .1% THD and .01% THD?

Sorry - I spent too much time in High-end Audio sales....to me, just knowing something is better will make it sound better...

[sarcasm]Dont make me move my Shun Mook Disc!!![/sarcasm] (that's a joke only few will get...)

[Tim]

Sorry - I spent too much time in High-end Audio sales....

I could have guessed that without you telling me.

to me, just knowing something is better will make it sound better...

So you let specs skew what you think you are hearing? Listen to the gear and decide with your ears... iI would never believe manufacturers specs over my ears .

[jpschust]

and by the way THD specs aint gonna tell you half of the story.  Theoretically mic plots are supposed to tell us a lot, and they tell us some, but how much do manufacturers manipulate those plots for their own gains?  Take all the spec sheet stuff you read with a serious grain of salt.  More like a horse lick.

[drewloo]

Sorry - I spent too much time in High-end Audio sales....to me, just knowing something is better will make it sound better...

OK, I have the product for you:   I just modified my UA-5 to have 0.0000000000000000000000000420% THD.  It's for sale for $1400 or trade for an a optimod V3.   

[hexyjones]

Sorry - I spent too much time in High-end Audio sales....to me, just knowing something is better will make it sound better...

OK, I have the product for you:   I just modified my UA-5 to have 0.0000000000000000000000000420% THD.  It's for sale for $1400 or trade for an a optimod V3.   

Very funny - you obviously know the high-end market...!

I forgot how kooky those guys are...I just sold a pair of speaker wires that I had laying around the house...400.00! - Shit I almost threw them away...even crazy-er...the wires listed for like 2300 new!!! (FM Acoustics Forcelines - Nice, but too bulky and I dont like spade termination)

[eman]

Check this one out if you haven't already- its kind of old but still relevant. Some funny shit about high end audio and what people are willing to pay for.
http://s88932719.onlinehome.us/audio_bs.htm

I've had a UA5 for a couple of months. I'd like it better if it had meters because the JB3 meters really suck. Also, the level knobs are hard to use. They don't seem to be very good quality and it is hard to get a good balance between channels. With cables plugged in, it is hard to get your fingers in to fing the knobs. One input pot is already down for the count on a unit that's been used less than a dozen times. I have decided to go back to my trusty DMIC20.

I did some testing back and forth between the UA5 (plain digimod) and DMIC20 and they have very distinct sounds to them but I guess my ears are not golden enough to say one was better than the other.