DirectStream DAC MK2
DirectStream DAC MK2
Check out Tony Cordesman’s review of the DirectStream DAC MK2 as well as a this post about Mt. Massive. These reviews have been reprinted with the permission of The Absolute Sound.
A Massive Update
- Lowered ultrasonic noise by 30dB
- Moved what ultrasonic noise remains out from 30kHz to beyond 100kHz
- Lowered audible noise by 10dB
- Added a new Digital Lens FPGA buffer
- Improved sound quality dramatically
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Design
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Application
Technology
Features
Specifications - DirectStream DAC MK2
Physical |
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Unit Weight | 21 lbs [9.53 kg] |
Unit Dimensions | 14” x 17” x 4” [ 36cm x 43cm x 10cm] |
Shipping Weight | 30 lbs [13.6 kg] |
Shipping Dimensions | 20.5”x 24” x 10” [52cm x 61cm x 25cm] |
Power requirements |
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Input Power | Model specific 100VAC, 120VAC, or 230VAC 50 or 60Hz |
Power Consumption | 25W |
Digital audio inputs |
I2S (2), Coax, XLR Balanced (2), Optical, USB |
Sample Rates |
Optical (TOSLink): PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz and 96kHz
S/PDIF and AES3: PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz and 192kHz; DoP64 Dual AES3: PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz and 352.8kHz; DoP64 and DoP128 I2S: PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, and 705.6; DoP64, DoP128, DoP256, DSD64, DSD128, and DSD256 USB: PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, and 705.6; DoP64, DoP128, DoP256, DSD64, DSD128, and DSD256 |
Analog Audio Output |
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Connector | RCA single ended or balanced, XLR balanced |
Output level high, maximum | 4 VRMS Balanced 2 VRMS Single Ended |
Output Impedance | <100Ω/<200Ω |
Frequency Response | 20-20KHz +/- 0.25dB |
THD+N @ 1KHz (full scale) | <0.1% |
Output Stage | Passive audio transformer, fed by high current, high speed analog amps producing double rate DSD |
Data Handling |
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Format | PCM or DSD |
Sample rate (PCM) | 44.1kHz, 48.0kHz, 88.2kHz, 96.0kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz; 705.6kHz |
Word length (PCM) | 16b, 18b, 20b, 24b |
Data rate (DSD) | Standard (2.8MHz) or Double (5.6MHz) DoP as well as raw DSD on I2S and USB inputs |
Input jitter reduction | effectively 100%, residual immeasurable. No input PLLs, FLLs. |
Input Processing | 225.792MHz |
Signal Processing | 56.448MHz |
Synchronous Upsampling, all inputs | 56.448MHz for 48k, 96k or 192k; 11.2896MHz for all others |
Digital Processing S/N ratio | Upsampling > 210dB, volume control and Sigma Delta Modulator: > 330dB |
Digital Volume Control | Zero loss of precision |
Analog Conversion method | low pass filter DSD256 (quad rate DSD: single bit DSD at 11.2896MHz) |
I2S Digital Input |
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Connector | HDMI |
Format | PCM or DSD. DoP on all inputs as well as raw DSD on I2S inputs |
USB Digital Input |
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Connector | USB “B” Type |
Format | PCM, DoP v1.1 (DSD over PCM), or Native DSD |
Transfer mode | Asynchronous |