Download Audio Research DAC8 audio converter
Transcript
Audio Reseqrch DAC 8 digitol converter B,rn,n.Hugh s Like alAudio Fesearch products, the DAC B requires a hefty burn,I at ts best ARC reckon on at least 600 hours. pllor to be ng fuly rln n. the DAC 8 rnay sound a shade t ght ancl unbend ng - ike per od llefore soufd ng nce upon a t me, buy ng an outboard DAC was simply an em nent y sens b e way to upgrade an o der CD p ayer that was starting to sound a ltlle laded. After al, buyng a new DAC promises to rejuvenate the sound of your ht- fi system. upgrading your entire siver disc colect on at a stroke. So - why not? Cedany thal's the ure lor CD paying audroph les. Therefore n one sense, the DAC 8 wrl stand or fal by the eve of rmprovement it de lvers over af exist ng player's interna d g ta to ana ogue conveder But. access to other sources of d gital mus c s another reason to cons der buy ng a DAC 8 n-rore on th s later. y but nonetheless fee a wee b t st tf. However, with extended use the trebe opens-lp and grows sweeter Overa l. the sound wi I becorne fleer and more re]axed, with r-ro loss of def n tton or resolulion. a brand new pair of shoes that fit pedect Fodunately, oLrr Tevew DAC 8 had seen prevous actof ancl prompty produced mpressive results. We were immed ate y impressed by the bolcl, big bonecl sound of the DAC B which de ivered massive presence, powe( and sca e. Of course, thls s down to lhe quaity of the sound produced. But there's ar"rother reason. Shrewdly, ARC has gven the DAC B's analogue outputs significanty hgher gain than usua. So, expect to hear an increase n volume of at east 2 or 3dB. {probaby more), cornpared to most CD p ayers. When compar ng the DAC I against your existing CD player, thrs means you'l need to reduce alnp ifier voume wth the forrfer to compensate for this extra gain. But, lntr guingly, even when vo ume leve s are reduced for the DAC 8, the sublect ve mpression st ll seems to be one of increasecl power and greater drve. Va the DAC B, mus c seerns to have extra presence and immed acy leve s hftffi+ 33 AUDIO RESEARCH DAC 8 DIGITAI- CONVERTER "The DAC 8's state-of-the'q'rt digital performance is the result of a low-jitter Dual Mqster Clocls, which Produces superior D/A conuersion. But it's more than a one trich pony, and ARC haue talzen great care to ensure the DAC 8 does full justice to a wide range of digital source options." I does full justice to a wide range of digltal source options. Those of us partnering the DAC B with a CD player/transporl wlll probably connect using the conventional S/PDIF intedace But, a USB 2.0 HS input, optimised for six different sampling rates, is also provided These rates are 44.1, 48,88.2,96, 176.4, and 192kHz, makjng the DAC 8 compatible with a wide variety oJ sources. While S/PDIF remains the input of choice to' 'igc qJal ly auoio. rhe DAC B p om soundinq 'bigger' and more dimensional, with increased dynam c range and enhanced impact and attack. Curiously perhaps, this makes it posslb,le to listen at slightly reduced volume levels. Because the sound has greater drive, lt seems to fill the room more effortlessly. As a result, you don't have to play ihings excesslvely loudly to create a big room-fil ing sound. The mus c projects with greater ease - just like good analogue. While the DAC 8 produces tremendous weight and security, its musical presentatlon is subtle and finely shaded, with plenty of delicacy However, there's nothing effete or fragile about the sound; it's always soLid and authoritative. Tonally, the results are smooth and reflned, with a nlcely open, highly detailed, top-end. Subjeciively, the internal separation between voices and instruments is extremely good too. This produces an enhanced sense of space and depth, wlth increased dimensionality, plus the impress on of a wider deeper soundstage, and less of ihat dynamic 'flatness' that can mar CD reproduction. lmpressive stuffl But while the sonic improvement delivered by the DAc B overyour player's interna DAC s important, the versatility of the product is an equally strong selling point. With CD sales in dec ine due to download ng, many listeners want a product that allows access to music ln ditferent digita formats The DAC BS state-of-the ad digital pedormance is the result of a low-jitter Dual lvlaster Clock which produces superior D/A conversion. But it's rnore than a one trick pony, and ARC have taken great care to ensure the DAc ses comparable high-grade peformance from USB based digital sources. As a result, Audlo Research claims the DAC B will provlde superior sonic resuts, regardless of the digital input chosen. Moreovet unlike AFC'S DAC 7, the DAC I lets vou listen to digitaL music at its original sampLing rate, ensuring 'bit-perfect' low jitter resuts. Because PC and [,4AC systems do not properly support sampling rates over 96kHz, ARC'S special ASIO drivers ensure USB sources stay sonlcally transparent at all sampling frequencies. Four 24bl digital to-analogue converters are emploved, with each channe having dual converters running in mono mode. AFC claims this lowers the noise floor and lncrease dynamic range. Two low jitter - one for 44.1 . 88.2, and 176.4k14 and the other for 48, 96, and 192kHz sampling rates. master osci lators are used The master osci lator selects the correct sampllng Jrequency automatlcally, avoiding decod ng and quantization errors. A I inputs are Galvanlcally isolated from the source to e iminate noise and jitter entering the DAC 8. The analogue output stage features a true direct coupled differential amplifler wth bandwidth in excess of 90kHz. The DAC I is a fully-balanced, zero feedback, solid state design, with a directcoupled FET output stage. The power supply ls generously regulated, with separate audio ftflffi+ 34 > i > and digital power transformers, AUDIO RESEARCH DAC 8 DIGITAL CONVERTER CD, while absolutely delighting those fundamenta ly happy with silver disc. lt plus seven stages of regulation Circuit boarcls are made from the same material used for ABC's Feference products Those using the DAC Swith computer based sources can setthesampling rate from 44.1 to 192kHz, allowing the inbuiit music seTver management sounds very cean, and tona quality bass and treble extremes. software to up/down convert digital mus c source to the selected sampling rate. This helps ensure optimum sound quality, regardless of sampling Summing up, the DAC B is truly an awesome sounding device. For Red Book frequency. CD, this is about as good as it gets - though You can a so use custom sampling rate conversion algorithms or other file formats provided by third-party suppliers, including Windows l\,4edia Player, Tunes, J Blvers l\y'edia Centre, lvledia N,4onkey, Foobar, and others Perhaps the onlv thing mlssing is a docking station for an iPod, and some sofi of USB perhaps lronically, the product comes rnost fuly into its own when used wlth sources other than Fed Book CD. But even if CD is all yol.r play, the DAC B can lle reled on to deliver impressive class-lead ng results. + wireless connection. The DAC 8's USB driver software provldes your computer with specjal highspeed audio drivers not supplied by lvlS Windows or l\4ac OS Audio Research's USB drivers are specially designed to deliver low iitter 'bit-perfect' data transfer between the server/computer, and the DAC 8, at all sampling rates TECHNICAT SPECIFICATIONS ABC drivers set up a USB interface that guarantees wide bandwidth' independent of active bulk transfers from the hard dive Via the ARC icon on your computer, you can set the DAC B to any sampling rate from 44 1 to 192kHz. This allows the music server/management software to up/down Audlo Reseqrch DAC I lnputs: S/PlDF, (RCA, BNC. XLR), TOSLINK, ond conven music to the appropriate sampling frequency. Thjs makes the DAC 8 perfect for those into downloads and computer- based hiji, gjving jt a very broad appea. But, even when used iust as USB 2.0 H5. Outputs: RCA {Unbolqnced) a stand-alone DAC for CD. the DAC B delivers excellent resulis. Best sound quality is obta ned via the balanced analogue outputs, but even the standard unbalanced outputs sound great. The DAC 8's big lmposing style of presentation ensures an lmpressively full, commanding, solld quality of sound. Bass s very welghty and fu l-bodied for CD, and th s helps create a sense of power and presence. The music a but leaps out of the speakers and bounds over to greet you lt's a very tactile (Bo XLR qnced). Dimer sion': 48cm x l3/cm x 2/cr . Hondles odd o furiher 4cm to fronl/ bqck depih Weighl:7kg Price: t4.698.00 I Distributor: Abso ute Sounds, 58 Durhom vlv d sort of presentation. Rd, London, SW20 OTW Those who usualy flnd CD a litt e reined-in and circumspect should revel in the big, bold, three dimensional soundstage produced by the DAC 8. lt really does brlng out the colour and drama in the music, especially when you utllise its balanced analogue XLB outputs. The sound has real depth and Tel: 020 8971 3909 dimensionality. ln some ways, the DAC 8ls a mix of opposites. While t delivers a bg dimensional sound that's notab e for its depth and separation, it's also surprisngy subtle and refined. Nlassed violins, for exarnple, have excellent attack and plentv of brilliance, whlle retaininq something of that 'woody' me lowness you experience in real ife. ln this respect, the DAC B sounds very 'analogue'. lt's the sofi of digital product that would find favour with those who have mixed fee ings about hstr+ 36 s smooth and natural, with good extension at U RL: www.obsoluiesounds.com Monufocturer: Audio Reseorch ilRL: www orrclioreseorch.com