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Technical information
DSD64 playback
(DAC-10 DSD)
:
In our dedicated DSD (Direct Stream Digital) module, the USB interfaced DSD Left and Right
channel bitstream data is passed through 1bit driver gates and applied to a high precision,
double differential FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filter and then a passive analogue filter. This
removes any DSD noise shaping high frequency carrier present in the signal and pink noise
above 30kHz. Retrieved pure audio is then amplified by vacuum tube triodes. Use of this
technique provides the purest possible representation of the DSD stream as music.
Our DSD playback module is free of digital processing and completely separate from the PCM
circuitry.
SPDIF playback:
SPDIF bi-phase signal is interfaced to a high frequency, high input impedance triode valve
configured in balanced digital mode and precisely matched to our selected SPDIF receiver in
balanced digital mode. This method gives the benefit of the DAC-10 / DAC-10 DSD being highly
immune to the sometimes-poor electrical signal quality from SPDIF transports and/or digital
coax interconnects, which can influence the sound.
A better transport will improve the overall sound. However, the DAC-10 / DAC-10 DSD will
sound exceptionally superior with even the most basic SPDIF signal sources and digital
interconnects.
PCM USB Audio playback:
High-end asynchronous USB audio is I2S interfaced to the PCM decoding stage with two mono
converters (L&R). The stage is free of any post filtering and coupled I/V to two mono vacuum
tube triode analogue output stages.
Power supply:
Power supplies are independent for digital and analogue and Left and Right channels. All
power supplies are inductor (choke) loaded, series resistor-less and bespoke designed.
Vacuum tube analogue output stage:
The DAC-10 / DAC-10 DSD vacuum tube triode analogue output stage is point to point
engineered to operate as:
1.
PCM stage differential audio signal coupling (transformer-less).
