After months of hard work, we are here on the very end of the year to share what we have accomplished with our new product, the DAC8 Stereo!
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Connectivity
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We received many questions about a possibility of a a second optical input, so we decided to make it a last-minute addition. The full set of DAC8 Stereo inputs now is:
- USB
- 2x optical (TOSLINK)
- 2x coaxial (SPDIF)
- 1x AES/EBU (compatible with SPDIF voltage levels)
- Ethernet and Wi-Fi (through Raspberry Pi 4)
The unit also features a trigger output (pulsed/continuous) to turn on your amplifier. Together with the auto on&off functions of the DAC8 Stereo, you don't need to worry about powering your gear anymore, just play the music and the magic happens.
Each of the DAC8 Stereo's analog outputs is available on 2 XLR connectors, which you may find useful for connecting a powered subwoofer or a second amplifier with a separate pair of speakers.
However, you will not find an unbalanced outputs on the product. We keep staying away from those since they are prone to hum and interference pickup due to using ground conductor as a signal path. To those who already didn't do so, we highly recommend switching to balanced analog connections that will save you a lot of headaches.
Analog performance
The PRO series Sabre DAC chips have 8 analog output channels. While the vast majority of D/A converters on the market have the chip's legs connected together, turning 8 channels into 2, which are then followed by an analog I/V stages, the DAC8 Stereo features a separate high-performance analog stage for each of the 8 outputs. Thanks to this approach, not only the noise of Sabre outputs, but also the noise of each of these stages gets averaged and reduced. The other benefits include reduced output impedance (to just 50 ohms), increased drive capability and increased noise immunity.
The DAC8 Stereo's outputs only have 1.2 microvolts of residual noise, which translates to a dynamic range of almost 131dB or 21.75 bits.
At the moment, we are unable to provide an exact SINAD number since it is beyond capabilities of the Rohde & Schwarz audio analyzer we use. However, it is well over 120dB and we hope it is going to make the AudioScienceReview's pink panther very very happy!
Mechanical design
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As well as our other product, the 8-channel DAC8 PRO, the DAC8 Stereo comes in a solid enclosure made from AW6082 aluminium alloy. The products also share cooling with a heatsink directly mounted under the whole area of the DAC board that dissipates heat evenly to the enclosure.
Each 10mm (0.4") thick front panel starts its life as a part of a large and heavy sheet. After being laser-cut, it receives our signature, hand-made brushed finish. Then it is precisely CNC machined and anodized, while the last step is laser marking. All the production takes place locally, either in Prague or at our suppliers in nearby parts of Bohemia. The front plate is available in silver (natural anodized) or black (black anodized).
And yes, there is a new knob! In-house designed and made to fit the overall design of the product better than the off-the-shelf one we used before. Thanks to a new way of attachment, it provides a rock-solid feel without wobble.
Enjoy your End of Year celebrations!
Pavel, Okto Research
