Gato Audio DIA-250 & DIA-400 - Integrated Amplifier/DAC
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About the amplifier
General design
The Gato Audio DIA-250 and DIA-400 Class-D Integrated Amplifi ers are designed and built to a vision of combining technology, power, sonic
performance, connectivity, versatility, stunning looks and compact design. Both amplifi ers feature built-in D/A converters with electrical,
optical and USB inputs. High quality analogue input is via RCA connectors or via XLR connectors for true balanced signals. Both balanced
and unbalanced line outputs are provided. Even the least powerful DIA-250 off ers 250 watts per channel into 8 ohm loads, and the DIA-400
no less than 400 watts per channel. Both amplifi ers double their power output into 4 ohm loads. Modern Class-D technology enables
extremely high effi
ciency, thereby providing both enormous power and huge voltage swing. Besides the obvious benefi t of having this
much power, the huge voltage swing from these powerhouses gives eff ortless dynamic headroom without clipping, all in the service of
bringing you stunning musical performance.
Class-D Output Stage
The DIA-250 and DIA-400 amplifi ers off er state of the art Class-D output stages with dedicated and optimized switch mode power supplies.
The multiple stage power amplifi er is built around proven technology from International Rectifi er, optimized with a precision high frequency
oscillator and PWM modulator. A pair of precision switching MOS-FET transistors, with super low on-resistance ensures the high frequency
switching is done perfectly and with as little loss as possible. The output fi lters are made from quality PP capacitors and low DCR coils,
converting the high power PWM signals back into detailed and smooth analogue music.
Analogue Input Stage
The analogue input stage is where everything begins. It not only connects external inputs and the built-in D/A converter with the output
stage, it adapts impedances, adjusts levels and switches signals. A super-gentle embrace of the delicate analogue signals is important for
the total performance of the amplifi er. At Gato Audio we have utilized our many years of experience in “voicing” analogue amplifi ers to make
this particular stage perform at its very best. We tuned the input stage to perform with a natural and lifelike sound, aff ecting the original
signal as little as possible.
D/A Converter
The built-in D/A converter off ers real high end performance, enabled by the use of a dedicated power supply, a balanced-drive Burr-Brown
PCM1794 D/A converter, an optimized high bandwidth I/V converter, and an analogue stage with low-Q, low pass fi lters. All digital inputs are
upsampled to 24bit/192kHz. This D/A converter will upgrade any digital source - such as wired or wireless streaming from your computer or
CD drive - to a high end level of detail and musical performance.
USB Versatility
The true 24bit/192kHz digital input via the state of the art asynchronous USB circuit is especially worth highlighting. It enables the possibility
of a sonic performance vastly above that of any CD. It is the key note of making these amplifi ers a quality-enhancing connection point for
your Mac, PC or even your iPad.
Connectivity
We had our eye on versatility and connectivity when designing these new amplifi ers. The DIA-250 and DIA-400 off er not only a wide range of
digital and analogue inputs, but also line outputs, a trigger signal for external power amplifi ers, and a confi gurable home theater input. The
HT input can turn the amplifi er into a fi xed gain power amplifi er for use in a surround setup, without compromising the sonic performance.
LED Display
By choosing a large high contrast white LED dot matrix display, we gave the DIA-250 and DIA-400 a distinct appearance, easy to understand,
easy to see and operate – even at remote control distance. In addition to displaying output level and selected input, it also displays the
sample rate of the digital input – revealing the quality. The LED display is fully dimmable by the remote control.
