Aqua Acoustic La Scala HD dac

€2800

Combine the latest cutting edge technology with time proven innovation.
"La Scala" will make you love your digital collection without regretting the analog sound. Transparency, musicality, brightness, timbre and spatial coherence, proper scanning time of each musical note and harmonic richness to excite, as with listening to the analog master.

The components with extraordinary attributes of quality, reliability and durability, as well as sonic (capacitors: axial snap-in and 105 ° long life, metal film resistors and film low noise 1% and 0.1%, etc..). Every single component has been chosen and selected after extensive listening tests.

The intense design work and cure to detail is full gratified at every listening.

Specifications:

• Digital inputs:
3 coaxial S / PDIF (2 RCA & 1 BNC) 75 ohms
1 AES / EBU balanced 110 ohms
• High resolution asynchronous High-Speed USB port with resolution up to 24bit and 192KHz streamed into the DAC. A Xcore microcontroller is interfaced directly in I2S protocol conversion board bypassing the digital receiver
• galvanic isolation between digital section and analog
• Digital decoding is done by our exclusive circuit DFD (direct from decoder) without any digital alteration (upsampling, oversampling, digital filters, etc..)
• digital phase selector on front panel
• transformers current / voltage conversion (I / V)
• NOS ECC82 TELEFUNKEN valves analog stage in pure class A without feedback and led polarization
• tube anode supply circuit made with "virtual battery"
• the strands are fed and stabilized by a specific voltage regulator with power rising gradually to lengthen the life of the valves
• D to A conversion made by 4 Burr Brown PCM1704-K with 24-bit resolution and power MOSFET operated by constant current generators made J-FET and BJT
• aluminum anti-resonant cabinet with Nextel and aluminum front panel with a thickness of 10 mm

Aqua Acoustic

Struss R500 Amplifier

€34500

The Struss R500 amplifier does not possess its own features. Instead, it reinforces exactly what it is given and gives out everything that the speakers can cope with. The technical solutions used are owned by the company and are registered with the numerous patents. The amplified channel constitutes a fully balanced system supplied with two electrolytic compensators with a total capacity of 176 000 uF and two toroidal transformers with a capacity of 2.0 kW (2.8 kW peak), each  magnetically and electrostatically shielded. It is the tradition of this company not no include any bipolar transistor in the entire amplified system.

The surreal design is not a matter of chance. The beauty of its compact design is combined with the graphics of one of the most successful post-war Polish artists, the author of many prominent surrealistic works of the contemporary art.
The launch of the new R500 Struss amplifier by the Struss Amplifiers Company proves that the most powerful amplifier in the world (2 monoblocks) can be designed and produced in Poland.

Technical parameters:

Power RMS / Music: 2 x 500 W / 8 Ω, 2 x 1000 W / 4 Ω (DIN 4550)
Minimum load: 0.5 Ω (momentary)
Distortions THD - 8 Ω: 0.05% with a power of 1 W, 0.025% of the power of 480 W - 8 Ω load
Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 500 kHz + / - 0.05 dB / 1 W / 8 Ω
S / N ratio: 145 dB (IHF - A)
Dynamic Range: 140 dB
Inputs: 4 x Universal - RCA, XLR (balanced), separated CD - RCA voltage output for external devices
Security system: advanced against short-circuiting of the speakers and the appearance of the output voltage
Indication of "peak": approaching the maximum output
Transformers: 2 x toroidal, magnetically and electrostatically isolated, power 2000 VA each
Remote control: RC5 code (volume)
Power consumption: 200 VA - 3 000 VA (peak)
Work in Class A: 2 x 50 W
Net weight: 54 kg
Dimensions: 530.3 x 153 x 430 mm
The amplifier meets all the requirements and standards applicable in the EU
Manufacturer Warranty: 36 months

Struss

Totaldac REFERENCE-D1

PSU

€6500

REFERENCE-D1 is the high end product of Totaldac. Most components have been improved from the REFERENCE-A1 DAC, the resistors, the power supplies, the output stage, the FPGA etc... and it has many different inputs and outputs. The embedded digital volume control allows to interconnect the DAC between a drive or a computer and a power amplifier.

-192KHz asynchronous Xmos USB, optical, RCA and AES-EBU digital inputs, selectable from a remote control.
-44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, 96KHz, 176.4KHz and 192KHz, 16 to 24 bit formats supported on the coaxial and AES-EBU inputs.
-44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, 96KHz and 192KHz, 16 to 24 bit formats supported on the USB input.
-44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz and 96KHz, 16 to 24 bit formats supported on the optical input.

-RCA, XLR analog output and 3.3Vrms max 32ohm to 600ohm headphone amplifier.
-digital volume control, adjusted by a remote control and an OLED display.
-adjustable 3.5Vrms max output level.
-phase polarity selected by remote control.
-display switch off by remote control or automatic.
-R2R DAC technology using VishayPG foil naked (VAR) 0.01% resistors, 100 resistors per stereo channel.
-class A, low impedance, discrete transistor output stage.
-supplied with rubber feet and metal cone feet, easy to swap.
-external power supply to minimize the noise on the embedded preamp. Not yet visible on the photo.
-aluminium and polycarbonate enclosure.
-controlled quantity of raw material, limited weight for the shipping, easy manipulation, 4kg unpacked.
-low power consumption, 10W on average.

-First shipping in 2012 february.

Available options.

-dual DAC option, using 2 DACs per channel for a 100% balanced DAC. Only for a DAC without active crossover. Improves the XLR output but leaves the RCA and headphone outputs unchanged - €1200

-Adjustable 18dB/oct high pass filter to attenuate sub bass to solve a room accoustics problem or to protect the loudspeakers or to remove sub bass when listening with a headphone or to remove the recording offset or to preserve neigbours or children at night. - €200

-110V-120V power option.

-BNC coaxial digital input.

-REFERENCE-D2 and REFERENCE-D3 ,69 bits 2 way and 3 way crossovers including a digital preamp for the main volume control and also for the relative level between bass, midrange and treble.- D2 €8000, D3 €9400

Zanden Audio Model 6000 Integrated Amplifier

Zanden Audio introduced its first integrated power amplifier, the Model 6000. It includes a full-function remote control for volume, source selection, muting and absolute polarity inversion. These functions are accessible also via a rotary knob and switches on the unit itself.

The preamplifier section offers 3 inputs plus unity gain in a home theater or as a power amplifier with separate preamplifier. The model 6000 utilizes 4 x KT-120 in push/pull to achieve 100 watts per channel. The 1st and 2nd voltage gain stages use 4 x 12AU7A, one per stage per channel. Zanden eschews paralleling output tubes and direct-couples the 2nd and 3rd stages of the output circuit, which operates fully balanced.

A number of unique noise absorption and shielding techniques are used throughout including Asahi-Kasei Fibers Corporation’s Pulshut RF noise absorption material.

Jeff Rowland Aeris dac inside - Part 2

Close - starting to the right of the circuit board

Power from PSU comes here

Fairchild MOSFET's

Linear Technology Regulators

An old USB receiver from TI - TAS1020B

From TI "This product is not recommended for new designs"
Why not use 24/192 Cypress USB receiver instead of the old TAS1020B?

Xilinx Spartan FPGA/DSP, Two gold crystal clocks above the Spartan.

Under Spartan there are three chips.

Left - AD1895:  192 kHZ Asynchronous Sample Rate Converter
Middle - Xilinx Flash for the Spartan FPGA chip
Right - AKM 4113 24/192 S/PDIF receiver

Going to the left of the circuit board
At the top - One AD1853 delta sigma 24/192 dac chip.

Under the dac chip there are two Lundahl LL1588 transformers

LL 1588

Jeff Rowland Aeris dac inside - Part 1

$9800

Chord Red Reference Mk III CD Player

The latest update to our full sized CD player range now takes the Red Reference to Mk III status. This update makes a major technological change to the disc loading mechanism to incorporate a geared motor drive. The door will now open or close seamlessly at the touch of a button. Additionally the latest USB technology has been added to provide a true asynchronous 192KHz input allowing use of the internal DAC to playback high resolution music stored on a computer. 
As before the stunning looks and state of the art design remain. The ground breaking DAC technology gives the most accurate reproduction of compact disc or stored media that can be obtained. 
With internal 176.4KHz upsampling data transfer, selectable RAM buffer clock retiming and now 18000 tap length filtering the RED Reference Mk III earns its reference status in the Chord range.


Technical Specifications


HARMONIC DISTORTION:< -107 dB (1kHz, 24-Bit @ 44.1KHz Sample Frequency):
SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO:> 120dB
CHANNEL SEPARATION:> 125dB @ 1KHz (> 100dB @ 22KHz)
DYNAMIC RANGE:122dB


SWITCHABLE DIGITAL INPUTS:1 x AES Balanced XLR Input
1 x Plastic Optical Fibre (TOSLink):
DIGITAL OUTPUTS:1 x BNC coax
1 x Plastic Optical Fibre (TOSLink)
2 x AES Balanced XLR (Can be configured for dual data 176.4KHz)
ANALOGUE OUTPUTS:2 X RCA Phono, 2 X BALANCED XLR


SWITCHABLE RAM BUFFER:Position 1 – No Buffering
Position 2 – Minimum Buffering
Position 3 – Maximum Buffering


WORD CLOCK INPUT:44.1KHz Word Clock Synchronisation via BNC input
SAMPLE FREQUENCIES:32KHz – 176.4KHz


OUTPUT MAX:6V rms. Balanced. 3V rms. unbalanced
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE:75Ω (short circuit protected)
POWER SUPPLY:Universal Input High Frequency Supply operates from 65V to 265V AC


DIMENSIONS IN MM:420 x 140 x 325mm (Width x Height x Depth)


WEIGHT:14Kg


Manual

Naim ND5 XS streaming player

The ND5 XS fits into the line-up below the NDX, selling for around £1925 when it hits the shops next month, and is designed to complement the other models in Naim's slimline XS series.

It's also the first Naim network player able to handle 192kHz/24-bit content natively, and the company is rolling out an upgrade program for existing Uniti products and the NDX, enabling 192/24 on those products, and bringing the promise of AirPlay capability early in 2012.

As well as having both wired and wireless networking for the streaming of content from the internet, including internet radio, or from local network sources such as NAS drives or computers, the ND5 XS also has three digital inputs for external sources, and a front panel USB socket for memory devices or direct digital connection of iPods or iPhones.

As well as its 24-bit/192kHz capability, the ND5 XS can handle music in a wide range of formats, including WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AAC, WMA, Ogg Vorbis and MP3 formats.

The ND5 XS uses digital buffering with fixed sampling rates for zero jitter, while the proprietary 16 times oversampling and digital filter uses SHARC 40-bit floating point digital signal processing. This feeds Burr Brown PCM1791A digital to analogue conversion, running at 768kHz.

There are seperate power supplies for the digital, analogue, DSP and clock sections of the player, with the large toroidal transformer having separate outputs for each section

Optical connection is used between the various sections of the player, seen left in a typical XS system here at the show, to ensure complete galvanic isolation.

Like the NDX, the new model can also be upgraded with the addition of the XPS or 555PS power supplies, or the Naim DAC, while a dedicated slimline power supply in a matching case, the XP5 XS is on the way next year.

Selling for around £1500, this is will be an entry-level version of the XPS.

And also in common with the NDX, the new model can be fitted with an optional radio tuner module, giving FM/DAB reception.

The ND5 XS can be controlled using the front-panel controls or the remote handset supplied, or using the free n-Stream app on iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.

Talon Phoenix with Soulution

Lansche Audio No.8.1 with SimAudio

Eggleston Savoy Signature with Krell

Artos speakers with EAR

Wilson speakers with Boulder, Wadia, Loit and Continuum

Ascendo speakers with Burmester

New Rondo series - 101 and 102

Avalon speakers with Rowland, Audio Analogue, NBS and Emm Labs

Vivid speakers with Siltech C1 and D'Agostino amps

ARC 250 with Sonus Faber

Silvercore MC Pro Step up transformer

The MC Pro is Silvercore’s flagship Step up transformer, made with the greatest attention to detail possible. It uses 99.99% pure silver wire custom drawn to their specification and large amorphous toroidal cores resulting in a primary winding with an incredibly low 0.1 Ohm DC resistance. The response of the transformers is extremely flat meaning there’s no need for loading resistors which will result in a very dynamic sound quality.

The transformer is available as fully balanced (with XLR connectors for use with balanced wired tonearms) or single ended with RCA (phono) sockets.

The case features stainless steel panels and is available with white Delrin, black acrylic or wood side pieces (Zebrano is the standard wood finish, but others are available to order)
Silvercore MC Pro step up transformer with white Delrin or Black acrylic enclosure: £3,200

Silvercore MC Pro step up transformer with Zebrano wood enclosure; £3,430