Acoustic Research UA1 USB DAC with Headphone Amplifier
Content of the box
- UA1 High Fidelity HD USB DAC with headphone amplifier
- USB cable
- Software CD (Acoustic Research UA1 Installation CD)
- Quick Start Guide
System requirements
Windows Operating Requirements
- Intel Core i3 or better
- Windows 7 or Windows 8 (32-bit or 64-bit)
- An available USB 2.0 port
- Internet Connection
Mac Operating Requirements
- Mac with Intel processor
- Mac OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or above (10.9 or above required for integer mode playback)
- An available USB 2.0 port
- Internet Connection
* The latest software can be downloaded from www.acoustic-research.com.
General controls
* Optical output supports up to 96 kHz
Driver installation
Windows 7 or Windows 8 (32-bit or 64-bit)
- Installation through CD (CD/BD/DVD drive required)
- Connect the HD USB HD DAC to an available USB 2.0/3.0 port with the supplied USB cable
- Insert the Acoustic Research UA1 Installation CD into the CD/DVD/BD Drive
- Browse CD content with Windows Explorer
- Double-click the Windows folder to browse the content
- Run XMOS-Stereo-USB-Audio-Class2-Driver-300C(v2.19.0).exe
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation
- Installation through internet download (Internet connection required)
- Connect the HD USB DAC to an available USB 2.0/3.0 port with the supplied USB cable
- Visit the Acoustic Research website http://www.acoustic-research.com
- Enter UA1 in the search bar to find the UA1 product information
- Under the product information, click Downloads
- Click the river for Windows 7/Windows 8 (32-bit or 64-bit) to download the driver.
- Run the downloaded driver
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation
Mac OS X 10.6.8 or above
- Connect the HD USB DAC to an available USB 2.0/3.0 port with the supplied USB cable.
- The HD USB DAC is natively supported by Mac OS X 10.6.8 or above. No installation is required.
Default Audio Device in Windows and Mac OS X
By default, UA1 is an auxiliary audio device in Windows. To enable music playback through UA1, please select UA1 as the output device in the music playback application. We recommend setting UA1 as the auxiliary device for the best music playback fidelity.
Software installation and configuration (Windows)
- Installation through CD (CD/BD/DVD drive required)
- Insert the Acoustic Research UA1 Installation CD into the CD/DVD/BD Drive
- Browse CD content with Windows Explorer
- Double-click the Windows folder to browse the content
- Run MediaCenter190117.exe
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation
- Installation through internet download (Internet connection required)
- Visit the JRiver website http://www.jriver.com/download.html
- Download the latest Windows version of JRiver Media Center
- Run the downloaded file
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation
- Activating the software (Internet connection required)
The required license key can be found on the envelope of the CD
Configuring JRiver Media Center to utilize the HD USB DAC in Windows
- Make sure the UA1 HD USB DAC is connected and the driver has been installed. Run JRiver Media Center
- Click Tools and select Options…
- Under Audio Device, select XMOS USB Audio [WASAPI] or XMOS USB Audio ST 300C [ASIO]
- Under Settings…, click DSP & output format…
- In Output Format, select 192,000 Hz Output for Input Greater than 192,000 Hz
- Close the DSP Studio window and click OK to save the configurations
For customer service, please contact the local distributors or visit our website at www.acoustic-research.com
Software installation and configuration (Mac OS X)
- Installation through CD (CD/BD/DVD drive required)
- Insert the Acoustic Research UA1 Installation CD into the CD/DVD/BD Drive
- Browse CD content with Finder
- Double-click the folder Mac to browse the content
- Double-click the file MediaCenter190118.dmg
- In the Media Center 19 window, drag the Media Center 19 icon to the Applications folder to install the software.
- Installation through internet download (Internet connection required)
- Visit the JRiver website http://www.jriver.com/download.html
- Download the latest Mac version of JRiver Media Center
- Run the downloaded file
- In the Media Center 19 window, drag the Media Center 19 icon to the Applications folder to install the software.
- Activating the software (Internet connection required)
The required license key can be found on the envelope of the CD
Configuring JRiver Media Center to utilize the HD USB DAC in Mac OS X
- Make sure the UA1 HD USB DAC is connected and run JRiver Media Center
- Click Tools and select Options…
- Under Audio Device, select Acoustic Research AR-UA1 [Core Audio]
- Under Settings…, click DSP & output format…
- In Output Format, select 192,000 Hz Output for Input Greater than 192,000 Hz
- Close the DSP Studio window and click OK to save the configurations
For more manuals by Acoustic Research, visit ManualsLibraryy
Acoustic Research UA1 USB DAC with Headphone Amplifier- FAQs
Q1. What is the Acoustic Research UA1 used for?
It is a USB DAC with a built-in headphone amplifier that improves sound quality from computers, tablets, or phones.
Q2. How do I connect the UA1 to my device?
Simply plug the UA1 into your device’s USB port using the provided cable, then connect your headphones.
Q3. Do I need drivers for the UA1?
On most systems, it works as a plug-and-play device. Some Windows versions may require driver installation.
Q4. What headphones are compatible with the UA1?
It supports most 3.5mm jack headphones and can drive both low and high-impedance models.
Q5. How do I adjust the volume on the UA1?
Use the physical volume knob on the UA1 for precise control over headphone output.
Q6. Does the UA1 support high-resolution audio?
Yes, it supports high-resolution playback, enhancing clarity and detail compared to standard audio outputs.
Q7. Can the UA1 work with smartphones?
Yes, it can connect to many Android and iOS devices via USB OTG or Lightning adapters (if supported).
Q8. Does the UA1 require external power?
No, it is USB-powered and draws power directly from the connected device.