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I, too, have a schwarz edition of Dac200 which replaced a broken Resonessence Invicta after serving me for 7 years.

I would guess that it indicates headphone output. I set mine to variable mode so I've never seen that.

I have been using QNAP 430 Pro for about a year now. I'd like to list a couple of reasons why I like it.<br /> <br /> 1. It is very quiet. I have it sit on my desktop only 3 feet from me I can't even hear the fan.<br /> <br /> 2. QNAP comes up with new firmware update frequently about once every two months. And their support forums are quite good.<br /> <br /> 3. Rich feature sets. Actually this might turn against QNAP because it maybe too intimidating for audiophile users. As pacwin stated it, QNAP really markets these at SME businesses.<br /> <br /> 4. Reliability. It is on 24/7. It worked from day one and never failed.<br /> <br />

Thank you for clear up some of my points. I am not saying that the digital volume control knob is bad. It is too coarse. One click up it is too laud and one click dow it is too soft. It can be hard to get to the right volume. If Monitor output does indeed equal to the quality of analog out it is very nice to use that port and adjust volume with the knob. Just wish that knob can make finer adjustment.

Second day into owning the ULN-2. The sound is getting better and better. The initial stiffness is largely gone. I have a pair of custom-made pure silver TRS > XLR cable connecting between ULN-2 and Adam A7. I use MIO just to adjuect volume and yes, I use the basic setting and delete all the strips except the right most two strips. I have no idea what other strips are for and those jargon definitely looks scary to users without perior pro-audio experience, like me. Watching those bars going up and down is fun though. I managed to get ULN-2 working. The information posted here definitely helps me. From this fourm I've learned to use the "Basic Setup" template, TRS > XLR(RCA) cables are required to get the analog single out of the box, analog out is better than monitor out..., etc. ULN-2 is not a plug-and-play device like Benchmark DAC-1. The stepped attenuator on the panel is too coarse to be usful for music listening. MIO is required to adjust the volume. It also puzzled me that the required version 5 driver is not on the CD-ROM. It only contains the driver for OSX 10.2.X I can only imagine a consumer-oriented stripped down version of ULN-2, with better attenuator, conventional connectors. They surly will sell like hot cakes.

After reading rave reviews/comments here about Metric Halo's products I ordered a ULN-2 from B&H and it arrived today. It is to replace the DAC of my current desktop system, which consists of Mac Pro, Benchmark DAC-1(w/o USB) and Adam A7. Trends UD-10 USB Audio Converter connects Mac Pro to Benchmark DAC-1. It took me quite a while just to figure out how to set up ULN-2. The CD-ROM that comes with ULN-2 doesn't contain MIODriver_5.x_Universal.pkg. I have to get it from Metric Halo's web site. ULN-2 sounds much better than Trends UD-10 USB Audio Converter/Benchmark DAC-1 combo. It is more extended, more dynamic, more open, more refined... ULN-2 and the interconnect cables are not even broken-in yet. Quite happy for now!