Budget DAC Review and Measurements: Behringer UCA222

[Blumlein 88]

S/N S14... Date code 1406: PCM2902E
S/N S15... Date code 1506: Coolaudio v2902

Considering using this with REW as a room measurement ADC (high SNR not needed) as I already have a great mic and mic pre but with analog out only. Anyone know of any ADC measures for this puppy?

If you didn't already have the device I'd suggest going with UMIK 1.

You could do loopback measurements using REW and test it yourself. If you have another DAC of better quality then so much the better.

According to some the UCA 202 was the same hardware with a different driver and a silver case.
Jim LeSurf took a few measures of it.
http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/HFN/ADC/USBrecording.html

And NWAVGuy too.
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/behringer-uca202-review.html

 

[DDF]

NWAVGuy unfortunately only measured the D/A but it was his testing that prompted me to buy a couple to use with my ancient MSB Link Dacs in secondary systems, as a USB to SPDIF converter. Have yet to try the analog sections.

Some ADC measures here show this should be good enough for loudspeaker in room measurement tasks:
http://www.daqarta.com/dw_gguu.htm

This will let me stick with my B&K mic&pre (pry from my cold dead hands set up compared to the UMIK )

I'll check it out through the RTX6001 once I get a chance.

 

[KevinGolding2001]

Does anybody have any thoughts, opinions or test results of using the UCA202 and/or UCA222 just for the digital optical output?

I have a Benchmark DAC 1, which doesn't have a USB input. Recently I've been playing around with Raspberry Pi and Volumio for music streaming and thus far am very happy, however the Raspbarry Pi only has USB output (not coax or optical).

I understand that the Behringer uca202 and uca202 are pretty awful as DAC's from the rca outputs, but does this have an impact on the optical digital output?

All I really want is a way to turn USB digital audio into either optical or coax digital audio.

Any suggestions?
Thanks
Kevin

 

[guenthi_r]

I understand that the Behringer uca202 and uca202 are pretty awful as DAC's from the rca outputs, but does this have an impact on the optical digital output?

Thanks
Kevin

No hearable impact.
The UCA202 is a cheap and simple mobile replacement for an odd Onboard Soundcard.
It works very well for this scenario. RCA-Out is OK, Phone-Out, SPDIF and RCA-In similar.
Sure, its far from High-Fidelity, but it is not built for and it works without any issues.

If you have an party outside, it betters your mobile Laptop/Onboard Soundcard.
Dont compare this little device with actual DACs, thats not fair for such an old and cheap Soundcard.
Bought mine UCA202 for 9.- Eur and it is a robust and reliable mobile Soundcard
Not more, not less.

 

[KevinGolding2001]

Maybe my original question was not quite clear.
Does the optical output of the UCA202 go through the DAC and then through some sort of ADC? Or does it bypass all the DAC's and just get sent straight to the optical output as a bit perfect copy of the USB input?
Thanks
Kevin

 

[guenthi_r]

Maybe my original question was not quite clear.
Does the optical output of the UCA202 go through the DAC and then through some sort of ADC? Or does it bypass all the DAC's and just get sent straight to the optical output as a bit perfect copy of the USB input?
Thanks
Kevin

Sorry for misunderstanding

Yes, it is bitperfect straight from USB to SPDIF without any resampling.

 

[KevinGolding2001]

Thank your for clarifying your answer. Perhaps my question was a bit ambiguous because I'm not sure I'm using all the correct terms.

 

[Buckaroo Shanzai]

Hi everyone, I would like to share my findings of a very similar USB interface, the fun generation UA-202. It has an actual TI PCM2902C inside, a switchable RIAA amplifier/filter, and a coaxial SPDIF out. It is distributed by Thomann in Europe, and here is even a bit cheaper than the Behringer at €19.

The SPDIF output has an isolating transformer as it should. Further, three NJM2100 opamps, JUNZL branded electrolytics (generic caps from China).

I find it is quiet enough using the RCA as line level in, but using the RIAA filter a strong 1kHz + 1st...6th harmonics come through. I did not try the DAC, I need the inputs only.

Here are instructions for improving the 1kHz noise issue on the Behringer. I might try this later.

I don't have analysing equipment, but I could try an anlog loopback test. Anyone interested?

 

[pozz]

I don't have analysing equipment, but I could try an anlog loopback test. Anyone interested?

If you could please do so and start a new thread, I would be interested.

 

[MusicM]

I'm curious, is it possible to see whether you get a PCM2902E or Coolaudio v2902 from looking at the device properties in Windows or do you have to open the device itself?
Edit: I now see that there are screws at the back, both on the Behringer UCA-202 and the Fun generation UA-202. I'm going to order one and see what I find when I open it.

 

[mshenay]

Thanks for the review. When I check now, 2.5 yrs later, this is priced 97$. I am surprised how the price increased so much.

An the issue is so many of those units aren't even worth while :/ the newer models have the noticeably worse sounding chipset vs the older models. I usually look for anything 2012 or older, and I'm thankful I bought two back in the day

 

[somebodyelse]

Thanks for the review. When I check now, 2.5 yrs later, this is priced 97$. I am surprised how the price increased so much.

That's just stupid. Much more sensible prices are available, such as:
https://www.sweetwater.com/behringer-u-control/series

Back when it had the genuine TI codec chip the 202 was good value. Since they moved to the cheaper chip with worse performance, not so much.

 

[mshenay]

An the issue is so many of those units aren't even worth while :/ the newer models have the noticeably worse sounding chipset vs the older models. I usually look for anything 2012 or older, and I'm thankful I bought two back in the day

That's just stupid. Much more sensible prices are available, such as:
https://www.sweetwater.com/behringer-u-control/series

Back when it had the genuine TI codec chip the 202 was good value. Since they moved to the cheaper chip with worse performance, not so much.

This! So much This

I wouldn't spend $30 on a new one, and I did a few years back when I was hunting for my second one.

Any one have a favorite $30 dac with RCA outs that can take the spot UCA 202 held for a while?

 

[MusicM]

Any one have a favorite $30 dac with RCA outs that can take the spot UCA 202 held for a while?

Maybee the Fungeneration UA-202 with a TI PCM2902C chip Buckaroo Shanzai mentiones earlier? Link to seller Thomann: https://www.thomann.de/gb/fun_generation_ua_202.htm I however don't know where you live, I hope this shop will deliver to your country.

 

[Monstieur]

Here is another one. I got this and the UCA202 to test on the PS5 as an optical output. I wonder what the analog outputs sound like.
LiNKFOR USB to SPDIF Coaxial RCA and 3.5mm Headphone Jack Converter

 

[krabapple]

One of the most typical uses for this isn't DAC, it's ADC -- recording an instrument to digital. So a lot of this doesn't apply.

I've used my 'vintage' (1107 date code) UCA202 to track bass guitar parts in multitrack recordings, using Audacity as the recording software. It's simple to use, works and sounds fine, and it's pretty hard to beat that price (still $30 for the UCA202, $0 for Audacity)

 

[fbfranco]

Here is another one. I got this and the UCA202 to test on the PS5 as an optical output. I wonder what the analog outputs sound like.
LiNKFOR USB to SPDIF Coaxial RCA and 3.5mm Headphone Jack Converter

Hi @Monstieur . What were your results on these 2 equipments as Optical outputs for the ps5? Any difference in performance between them as USB to SPDIF converters? Thanks!

 

[Monstieur]

Hi @Monstieur . What were your results on these 2 equipments as Optical outputs for the ps5? Any difference in performance between them as USB to SPDIF converters? Thanks!

Both work on the PS5. The SPDIF output is bit-perfect and not affected by the volume control on the PS5. This lets you bypass the low headphone volume limit.

 

[Smuckers]

I saw this, and had to join just to add in to this.

In 2010, I bought a Behringer Vamp3 for a cheap modeling practice solution, and it worked for the most part (sometimes the rotary encoders didn't register movement). It came with a UCA222, date code of 0911 (I believe 11th month of 2009, which fits). I disassembled it to show exactly what's inside, as I was curious after reading this review.


It turns out the top sticker says UCA222, and the casing is red, but the bottom has UCA202 molded in. Inside, it has an actual Burr Brown PCM2902E. While I don't call this a very good unit - it was better than onboard sound at the time. I used it for a few years, then moved onto a Scarlett 2i2, and then other units until finally settling on a Motu M4 this year (which went belly up and is currently in RMA).

It's humorous that Behringer simply stuck a label and new paint job on the same product, contradicting itself. I keep this around as an emergency unit - some sound is better than none.

 

[dasdoing]

Need a cheap optical-out. perfect