Incredible value for money, high end performance for an extremely competitive pricehttp://www.audiologica.co.uk/wyred4sound/w4s_dac2.html
http://www.audiologica.co.uk/wyred4sound/w4s_dac2.html
audiologica@btinternet.com
One of the first commercially available DACs to deploy the exciting new ESS 32-bit 'Sabre Buffalo' chip that set the DIY community alight almost two years ago, Wyred 4 Sound's all-new DAC1 and DAC21 are set to redefine the capacbility of sub-£2K DACs.
The ES9018 chip at the heart of the new DAC1 and DAC2 is noted for its astonishing dynamism and resolution: whereas most low-end digital-to-analog converters suffer from what has been described as 'conservative voicing', or a subjective sense of 'digital-ness', the DAC2 promises to open up a whole new world of vividly pure musical experience.
To the DAC1's groundbreaking sonic quality, the DAC2 adds the convenience of a remote control and AES/EBU and HDMI digital inputs.
However, the DAC2 upgrade is more than window dressing: the bigger ticket price buys crucial upgrades to the power supply, including 88,000uF of Wyred 4 Sound's own ultra-low ESR capacitors and a robust 35A Schottky bridge rectifier – both deployed in the superb STP preamp.
The DAC-2 also features an all-new proprietary 24-bit asynchronous USB implementation that handles sample rates up to 192Hz using Wyred 4 Sound drivers for Mac or Windows operating systems to put the DAC2 on a level playing field with devices like the Perfect Wave and Ayre converters.
The DAC2 is also more versatile, offering HT bypass and a defeatable onboard 32-bit digital attenuator, enabling power amplifiers to be driven directly from the converter (via remote control) for maximum transparency: no preamp or extra set of interconnects required.
W4S DAC-2 Features:
ESS Reference audio (ES9018) 32 bit DAC
W4S proprietary discrete output stages for optimum sonics
ESS Time Domain Jitter Eliminator®
Automatic oversampling for precise output filtering
Fully balanced design with balanced and unbalanced outputs
Upgradable Digital, Output, and USB boards (designed for future improvements)
Oversized toroidal transformer for solid and noise-free power
88,000uF of filtering with W4S low ESR "super-cap" (same as used in the STP-SE)
VFD display for input, sample rate, volume control, and configuration viewing
Remote control with features such as balance control and phase inversion
Defeatable - 32 bit volume control
HT Bypass inputs (selectable via DC trigger)
2x Coax inputs
2x Toslink inputs
1x AES/EBU input
1x Balanced I2S input via HDMI cable (not standard HDMI cable format)
24-bit 192kHz Asynchronous USB input
Proprietary drivers for 32/64 bit Windows XP, Vista, 7 and Mac OS 10.4, 10.5 ,10.6
Factory selectable mains 115/230VAC
Compact size (8.5"W x 4.125"H x 13.5"D)
16 lbs.
Covered by a 3 YEAR WARRANTY (Original Purchaser)
http://www.audiologica.co.uk/wyred4sound/w4s_dac2.html
audiologica@btinternet.com
One of the first commercially available DACs to deploy the exciting new ESS 32-bit 'Sabre Buffalo' chip that set the DIY community alight almost two years ago, Wyred 4 Sound's all-new DAC1 and DAC21 are set to redefine the capacbility of sub-£2K DACs.
The ES9018 chip at the heart of the new DAC1 and DAC2 is noted for its astonishing dynamism and resolution: whereas most low-end digital-to-analog converters suffer from what has been described as 'conservative voicing', or a subjective sense of 'digital-ness', the DAC2 promises to open up a whole new world of vividly pure musical experience.
To the DAC1's groundbreaking sonic quality, the DAC2 adds the convenience of a remote control and AES/EBU and HDMI digital inputs.
However, the DAC2 upgrade is more than window dressing: the bigger ticket price buys crucial upgrades to the power supply, including 88,000uF of Wyred 4 Sound's own ultra-low ESR capacitors and a robust 35A Schottky bridge rectifier – both deployed in the superb STP preamp.
The DAC-2 also features an all-new proprietary 24-bit asynchronous USB implementation that handles sample rates up to 192Hz using Wyred 4 Sound drivers for Mac or Windows operating systems to put the DAC2 on a level playing field with devices like the Perfect Wave and Ayre converters.
The DAC2 is also more versatile, offering HT bypass and a defeatable onboard 32-bit digital attenuator, enabling power amplifiers to be driven directly from the converter (via remote control) for maximum transparency: no preamp or extra set of interconnects required.
W4S DAC-2 Features:
ESS Reference audio (ES9018) 32 bit DAC
W4S proprietary discrete output stages for optimum sonics
ESS Time Domain Jitter Eliminator®
Automatic oversampling for precise output filtering
Fully balanced design with balanced and unbalanced outputs
Upgradable Digital, Output, and USB boards (designed for future improvements)
Oversized toroidal transformer for solid and noise-free power
88,000uF of filtering with W4S low ESR "super-cap" (same as used in the STP-SE)
VFD display for input, sample rate, volume control, and configuration viewing
Remote control with features such as balance control and phase inversion
Defeatable - 32 bit volume control
HT Bypass inputs (selectable via DC trigger)
2x Coax inputs
2x Toslink inputs
1x AES/EBU input
1x Balanced I2S input via HDMI cable (not standard HDMI cable format)
24-bit 192kHz Asynchronous USB input
Proprietary drivers for 32/64 bit Windows XP, Vista, 7 and Mac OS 10.4, 10.5 ,10.6
Factory selectable mains 115/230VAC
Compact size (8.5"W x 4.125"H x 13.5"D)
16 lbs.
Covered by a 3 YEAR WARRANTY (Original Purchaser)