The Well-Tempered Computer

An introduction to computer audio

USB DACs

CAD 1543 MKII £725

 

DAC: 16 x TDA1543 hence a 16 bit NOS DAC

USB input with galvanic isolation

RCA out

Added 2016

Calyx Femto $ 6.000

Probably one of the first to use a femto clock.

DAC with volume control.

Claimed dynamic range of 132dB, THD of 0.0001% and RMS jitter of 500 femto seconds.

USB 24/192 max. Synchronization not specified but probably asynchronous (XMOS).

 

  • Digital Input: Two Coaxial / Two Optical / Two AES-EBU / BNC / USB
  • Sampling Rate: 44.1kHz ~ 192kHz
  • THD+N Ratio: 0.0003% @ 1kHz
  • SNR: 130 [dB] @ 1kHz
  • Channel Specification: 144 [ dB] @ 1kHz
  • Dynamic Range: 130 [dB] @ 1kHz
  • Output Level(UnBal): 6.8 [V]
  • Output Level(Bal): 2 [V]

Lots of measurements in the user manual.

Calyx DAC 24/192 - 1500.00 USD

 

D/A Converter IC ESS Technology ES9018 Sabre Reference 32-bit DAC

THD+N 0.0005% @ 1KHz, 0dBFS
SNR 125 dB, A-weighted, 2.2 Vrms
Channel Separation 140 dB @ 1KHz, 130 dB @ 20KHz

Digital Input Resolution and Sample Rate
USB : 24 bits / 44.1K, 48K, 88.2K, 96K, 176.4K, 192KHz
COAX : 32 bits / 44.1K, 48K, 88.2K, 96K, 176.4K, 192KHz

Line Output
Unbalanced stereo, RCA jacks with gold-plated contacts
Balanced stereo, XLR jacks with gold-plated contacts

Output Level 2.2 Vrms (unbalanced), 6.8 Vrms(balanced)
Output Offset 2 mV max

 

Comes with a ASIO driver for Win

It claims to do 24/192 on OSX without a driver so probably USB class 2 audio.

XMOS USB audio class 2 converter

Reviews

http://www.digital-highend.de/start/wp-content/bildupload/EN111_S.64-67.pdf

Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus £349.95

 

 

Twin Wolfson WM8740 24bit DACs used in dual differential configuration
New Anagram Technologies ATF2™ 24-bit/384kHz audio up-sampling / jitter reduction
Optional Digital Preamp mode allowing connection directly to power amp or active speakers
24-bit/96kHz driverless USB Audio 1.0

24-bit/192kHz USB Audio 2.0 with ASIO or kernel streaming modes.

USB class 2 driver for Win
Asynchronous USB transfer
Selectable digital filters - linear phase, minimum phase and steep
Balanced XLR audio output and RCA phono output
Two 24 bit digital inputs (with optical or coaxial for each)
External input for optional BT100 Bluetooth receiver - allows audio to be streamed and up-sampled from any paired Bluetooth device

Cary Audio DAC-200TS US$3,995.00

 

USB operating at Sample Frequency (Fs) from 44.1 kHz to 384 kHz, 16 bit to 32 bit, DSD 64, and DSD 128
BLUETOOTH operating at Sample Frequency (Fs) 44.1 kHz, 16 bit
AES/EBU, Coaxial, Toslink operating at Sample Frequency (Fs) from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz, 16bit to 24 bit

 

Ethernet RJ45 full remote configuration interface
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

 

You control it with an app!

Chord

Hugo $2,195.00

Mobile DAC and headphone amplifier.

Measurements on

 

Mojo € 499,00

Portable DAC

Measurements on

Classé Sigma 2200i

Integrated amplifier with USB, Airplay, DLNA.

 

  • USB audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz
  • USB (Host) charging capability 2.0 Amps
  • AirPlay supported formats AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
  • DLNA supported formats Apple lossless (ALAC), mp3, flac, wav, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, AAC
  • Frequency response 10Hz – 20kHz, -1dB into 4Ω
  • Output Power 2 x 200W rms into 8Ω 2 x 400W rms into 4Ω
  • Harmonic distortion (THD+noise) 0.018% @ 1kHz Both channels driven to 1/8th power into 4Ω
Added 2016

Clones Audio Sheva DAC €1799

Digital Inputs: AES/EBU, S/PDIF, BNC,Toslink, I2S and USB
• 2 stereo analog outputs, one on XLR one on RCA
• 100steps fine setting via rotary encoder (digital domain) control main output

Frontpanel controls:
• Dot Matrix display for display of sampling rate, input source, audio level, filter type
• Rotary encoder with push switch

Special features:
• DSD 64/128 and DXD (384KHz 24bit PCM) compatible
• Ultra-Low Phase Noise Femto Master Clock
• Power supply has separate torroidal transformers for Analog and Digital section.

Sampling rates:
• AES/EBU, COAX, OPT up to 192kHz
• USB/I2S: PCM 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, 384kHz; DSD64, DSD128

Added 2014

Copland DA 215 € 2500

 

DAC / pre-amp / headphone amp with valves ( 2 x ECC88 / 6DJ8 / 6922)

  • DAC: quad mono drive with SABRE Ultra DAC
  • USB Input (PCM): 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz, 352.8 kHz, 384 kHz (16, 24, 32 bit)
  • USB Input (DSD): 2.8 MHz, 5.6 MHz
  • COAXIAL/OPTICAL/AES /EBU Input: 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz,
    192 kHz (16, 24 bit)

 

Added 2016

CYP AU-D160 £150.00

USB DAC with analogue out (RCA), headphone out and Toslink.

 

  • Supports standard sampling rates - 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 192kHz
  • Supports Bits : 16 Bits / 24Bits
  • Power supplied by USB BUS Power
  • The Headphone, R/L and Optical ports will simultaneously support audio output
  • ASIO driver supported
  • USB Audio Class 2.0 with asynchronus mode and driver for Win
  • 500 MIPS, 8 threads, XS1-L1 processor (XMOS)
© Vincent Kars March 10, 2018