Budget DAC Review: behringer UMC204HD

[in_awe]

Amir was measuring the Behringer's performance as a DAC. If you are using it to drive headphones, there are some additional considerations. How well implemented is that headphone amp functionality? How well can it drive the headphones that you use?

I'd avoid the older models that are limited to 48 kHz. I have an old Behringer UCA202 DAC that is limited to 44.1/48 kHz. It does not use async mode for USB audio output. Performance is mediocre at best.

Thank you for the clarification. So, the unit could potentially have a great DAC but a poor/noisy amp? All the Behringer specs say is that it has "Powerful Phones output with Level control".

Both of the main headphones I use are around 60 Ohms impedence. Would that be considered hard to drive? I know my cell phone can drive them, at least at the low volume levels that I generally listen at. I looked up more information on impedence as it relates to headphones. According to what I read, the impedence of the amp is important too and it should have significantly lower impedence than your headphones. The Behringer specs don't list that though.

 

[Jinjuku]

You'll be fine @ 60 ohm

 

[amirm]

I just bought the Sony mdrv6 and when I get home will test and report back.

 

[amirm]

Thank you for the clarification. So, the unit could potentially have a great DAC but a poor/noisy amp? All the Behringer specs say is that it has "Powerful Phones output with Level control".

Both of the main headphones I use are around 60 Ohms impedence. Would that be considered hard to drive? I know my cell phone can drive them, at least at the low volume levels that I generally listen at. I looked up more information on impedence as it relates to headphones. According to what I read, the impedence of the amp is important too and it should have significantly lower impedence than your headphones. The Behringer specs don't list that though.

As promised, here is the test of the headphone output of Behringer: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/behringer-umc-204hd-headphone-review.2013/

I say it is disappointing and not a recommended product for headphone listening. I will test other products and report back.

 

[Old Listener]

As promised, here is the test of the headphone output of Behringer: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/behringer-umc-204hd-headphone-review.2013/

I say it is disappointing and not a recommended product for headphone listening. I will test other products and report back.

I noticed that you set the input impedence to 300 ohms. The OP said that his headphones had an impedence of about 60 ohms. The Behringer might fare better with that impedence.

 

[amirm]

That is the lowest setting in my analyzer right now. Later I will create an external fixture in the future to emulate headphone loads.

For my subjective tests I obviously used the headphone so that data is good and agrees with the measurements.

 

[Old Listener]

There and Back with the Behringer DAC

I bought the Behringer UMC204HD a few weeks ago. When it arrived, I tried out its features and outputs. Here's what I found:

- I was never able to get adequate sound levels with the DAC output going into Audioengine HD6 powered speakers. I've used these speakers with a variety of DACs including a TC Electronics speaker controller and never had such a problem.

- The DAC was supposed to be UAC2 compatible. The Win 10 PCs I connected the Behringer DAC to had UAC2 drivers but I didn't get consistent results on either PC until I installed the Behringer driver. Then I was able to get output using DirectSound and WASAPI exclusive mode with consistent operation.

- I was able to get sound from the balanced outputs. The volume control worked and the mix control seemed to have an effect but I didn't have any analog audio input to test the mixing function.

- I was able to get sound from the unbalanced A (1 and 2) outputs but the volume control had no effect.

- I was never able to get sound from the unbalanced B (3 and 4) outputs at all. I tried toggling the Monitor A/B button but that didn't solve the problem.

- The manual has images of front and rear panels of several Behringer DAC models with buttons, inputs and outputs labeled. A sentence or two is provided to explain the purpose of each labeled item. I found no information to tell me whether the behavior that I saw was normal.

The active crossover in my main system has balanced XLR inputs. The Behringer's output might have been sufficient to drive the active crossover but I intend to replace the speakers in that system (and the crossover) in a few months. I do not know whether the powered speakers that I acquire will require unbalanced (consumer level input) or balanced (pro level input) connections. In addition, I often reconfigure the audio in home office and main listening room every year or two. I need DACs that can be used in either room with whatever gear I connect them to.

After I had tried out the Behringer DAC, I was pretty sure that it would not be satisfactory for me. I did not know whether it was defective or not. I did not want to return the DAC, get another copy and find out that it performed in the same way. I got an RMA specifying the cause as "doesn't meet my needs" and paid the cost of shipping back to the seller. I then bought an Audioengine D3 usb DAC for $ 60. Archimago got good test results for the D3 DAC. That DAC works well in home office and main systems. It can drive the active crossover or the Audioengine HD6 speakers easily and I have no problem with the sound quality.

I'm not trying to start an argument about the merits of the Behringer DAC. I'm simply reporting my experience.

 

[Blumlein 88]

There and Back with the Behringer DAC

I bought the Behringer UMC204HD a few weeks ago. When it arrived, I tried out its features and outputs. Here's what I found:

- I was never able to get adequate sound levels with the DAC output going into Audioengine HD6 powered speakers. I've used these speakers with a variety of DACs including a TC Electronics speaker controller and never had such a problem. Some findings:

- The DAC was supposed to be UAC2 compatible. The Win 10 PCs I connected the Behringer DAC to had UAC2 drivers but I didn't get consistent results on either PC until I installed the Behringer driver. Then I was able to get output using DirectSound and WASAPI exclusive mode with consistent operation.

- I was able to get sound from the balanced outputs. The volume control worked and the mix control seemed to have an effect but I didn't have any analog audio input to test the mixing function.

- I was able to get sound from the unbalanced A (1 and 2) outputs but the volume control had no effect.

- I was never able to get sound from the unbalanced B (3 and 4) outputs at all. I tried toggling the Monitor A/B button but that didn't solve the problem.

- The manual has images of front and rear panels of several Behringer DAC models with buttons, inputs and outputs labeled. A sentence or two is provided to explain the purpose of each labeled item. I found no information to tell me whether the behavior that I saw was normal.

The active crossover in my main system has balanced XLR inputs. The Behringer's output might have been sufficient to drive the active crossover but I intend to replace the speakers in that system (and the crossover) in a few months. I do not know whether the powered speakers that I acquire will require unbalanced (consumer level input) or balanced (pro level input) connections. In addition, I often reconfigure the audio in home office and main listening room every year or two. I need DACs that can be used in either room with whatever gear I connect them to.

After I had tried out the Behringer DAC, I was pretty sure that it would not be satisfactory for me. I did not know whether it was defective or not. I did not want to return the DAC, get another copy and find out that it performed in the same way. I got an RMA specifying the cause as "doesn't meet my needs" and paid the cost of shipping back to the seller. I then bought an Audioengine D3 usb DAC for $ 60. Archimago got good test results for the D3 DAC. That DAC works well in home office and main systems. It can drive the active crossover or the Audioengine HD6 speakers easily and I have not problem with the sound quality.

I'm not trying to start an argument about the merits of the Behringer DAC. I'm simply reporting my experience.

Your report is excellent. Gain staging is an important aspect of setting up systems. The Behringer is handicapped with a low output level. That one issue keeps it from being useful in a surprisingly large number of situations.

The 204 is listed as a max output of 3 dbu. 0 dbu is .775 volts. So this would be like 1.09 volts which is definitely on the low side. There is a wide range of output voltages, but most DACs will put out at least 2 volts or a touch over +8dbu. So when looking at recording interfaces you'd like to see at least 8 dbu output. Other than the very cheapest ones you see +12 to 20 or 24 dbu. Keep in mind these are usually for balanced outputs. If using adapters for single ended connection you will lose 6 db.

 

[Wombat]

Name, you described listening through headphones. Was all your comparison listening done through headphones? If so, you are not just comparing DACs, you are also comparing the devices as head-phone amps. Differences in ability of DACs to drive head-phones is different from their ability to function as input to a preamp, power amp or powered speakers.

The ODAC itself was not intended to function as a head-phone amp. It was intended to be paired with a head-phone amp. The companion project for that head-phone amp was not finished.

You said that you matched levels. How did you do that? How small was the residual difference in level? A small difference in sound level (a fraction of a decibel,) usually produces a clear preference for the louder device.

I believe the ODAC's companion amp is the O2. I use one for headphone listening. What was unfinished?

NwAvGuy's blog on the O2: http://nwavguy.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/o2-headphone-amp.html

 

[Old Listener]

I believe the ODAC's companion amp is the O2. I use one for headphone listening. What was unfinished?

NwAvGuy's blog on the O2: http://nwavguy.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/o2-headphone-amp.html

The O2 project came before the ODAC project. In this post, NwAvGuy mentioned the ODA as a companion to the ODAC.

http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/11/objective-desktop-amp-oda-dac.html

His blog doesn't continue with posts detailing the ODA project after the last ODAC post.

 

[amirm]

Thanks for the report. I went ahead and updated the original post to say that the output level is too low. It is a competence that I took for granted but I have started to measure this and will report on it from here on.

 

[Wombat]

The O2 project came before the ODAC project. In this post, NwAvGuy mentioned the ODA as a companion to the ODAC.

http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/11/objective-desktop-amp-oda-dac.html

His blog doesn't continue with posts detailing the ODA project after the last ODAC post.

I have understood that the ODA was realised as the desktop version of the O2. https://www.storedj.com.au//mayflow...MI1rSX-em31wIVSSQrCh01mgt7EAYYASABEgJHdvD_BwE
I could be mistaken.

 

[vinokurov]

Hi
I carefully read the entire branch and would like to ask a question implicitly related to the topic:
does anyone have any experience with Roland Rubix 22? In particular, I'm interested in the comparison with Beringer UMC204HD. I will be grateful for any opinions.

 

[amirm]

Welcome to the forum Vinokurov. No, I have not done any measurements of that unit. Maybe someone else knows something about it.

 

[crazywipe]

Hi to all!

I got the Behringer UMC 204 HD basically for my electric guitar playing. It seems to be good as a usb DAC and today I tested against the Audioquest Dragonfly RED that got a ESS Sabre D/A converter chip.
The amp is a VHF-N, the headphone is a Sennheiser HD600.

First thing, I did not know it was a Cirrus Logic dac inside the Behringer. I was pretty sure it wasn't a Sabre because the sound presentation is different than the Dragonfly. Also, I am used to Wolfson Chip and again it was different sounding. The most similar sound I was thinking: My Iphone 6... So, Cirrus Logic!

After 2 hours listening, here my thoughts:

Dragonfly has more open sound, soundstage width is better, the UMC204 seems to have a better soundstage depth, vocals are dead center and very emotive with a kinda analog taste to them. UMC204 has also better bass impact and overall PRaT, Dragonfly is a bit softer and ethereal sounding, sometimes a bit artificial to me, but the detail retrieval is Very very good. I can understand why many peoples like Sabre Dacs, but I can understand peoples who are a bit cold about them, they got a unique presentation that is very polarizing.
The UMC 204 works well with everything without any "special effect" added to the sound.

I really love to listen music on my Iphone 6 and there is no reason for me not to like the UMC204HD that has a similar Dac inside.
Honestly I like the UMC204 a bit more than the Dragonfly connected to my VHF-N amp. As a standalone device the Dragonfly is better, it can drive my Sennheiser hd600 just fine.

Cheers!

Fabio.

 

[Thomas savage]

Hi to all!

I got the Behringer UMC 204 HD basically for my electric guitar playing. It seems to be good as a usb DAC and today I tested against the Audioquest Dragonfly RED that got a ESS Sabre D/A converter chip.
The amp is a VHF-N, the headphone is a Sennheiser HD600.

First thing, I did not know it was a Cirrus Logic dac inside the Behringer. I was pretty sure it wasn't a Sabre because the sound presentation is different than the Dragonfly. Also, I am used to Wolfson Chip and again it was different sounding. The most similar sound I was thinking: My Iphone 6... So, Cirrus Logic!

After 2 hours listening, here my thoughts:

Dragonfly has more open sound, soundstage width is better, the UMC204 seems to have a better soundstage depth, vocals are dead center and very emotive with a kinda analog taste to them. UMC204 has also better bass impact and overall PRaT, Dragonfly is a bit softer and ethereal sounding, sometimes a bit artificial to me, but the detail retrieval is Very very good. I can understand why many peoples like Sabre Dacs, but I can understand peoples who are a bit cold about them, they got a unique presentation that is very polarizing.
The UMC 204 works well with everything without any "special effect" added to the sound.

I really love to listen music on my Iphone 6 and there is no reason for me not to like the UMC204HD that has a similar Dac inside.
Honestly I like the UMC204 a bit more than the Dragonfly connected to my VHF-N amp. As a standalone device the Dragonfly is better, it can drive my Sennheiser hd600 just fine.

Cheers!

Fabio.

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your thoughts

 

[amirm]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your thoughts

Ditto.

 

[crazywipe]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your thoughts

Ditto.

Thank you Guys!

 

[RayDunzl]

I bought a UMC202HD... for use with guitars. Of course, here's an opportunity to measure my preamp outputs, so...

I'm new to digitizing signals, so, 'splain this to me, Lucy:

Taking signal from my preamp out, with the gain on the 202 right at the edge of cleanliness (before harmonics rise rapidly), recording the digits in Audactity from the 202 USB out, and finding the waveform at this level, namely -3.872 dBfs:

Yields this spectrum:

Reducing the tone level slightly to -4.764dBfs...

Gives this cleaner spectrum:

I'm not understanding why the digits are still so far from full-scale (see waveform) when distortion sets in.

Could you (@amirm) perform a similar test with your 204 and see what you get?

---

The result made me happy with the preamp, the "cleaner" level, with preamp volume set at 60/151 (typical moderate level), gave nice low (low enough for me) readings for distortion.

I'll have to investigate the power harmonics, uh, one of these days... Rats nest of cables could be to blame. Noise floor of the 202 itself (cables attached to powered off preamp) is very flat around -140.

 

[amirm]

Commenting on the last part first, I too saw that high peak at 60 Hz which caused me to not want to use it for measurements.