BESTILLINGSVARE
SW1X Audio Design™ DAC IV Performance Level 4 D to A Converter
DAC IV is a further development in musical refinement of the already magical sounding DAC II or DAC III Balanced powered by Directly Heated Triodes (DHT) or triode connected Power Pentodes and Directly Heated Diodes (DHD) in the power supply. The tube power supplies are 2 x choke filtered and quasi dual mono in design- the circuit has 3 mains transformers, 6 chokes and 7 tubes in total and the power supply takes at least about 2/3 of chassis space. Accomodating everything in one chassis without interference of magnetic fields proved to be a real challenge but having everything housed in one chassis with much shorter signal paths turned out to be very rewarding in the end.
The sonic presentation of the DAC IV is a major step up relative to the DAC II and the DAC III; it is more mature, even more holographic and invisisble. In a right setup, the illusion of vocalists performing in front of us and the dynamic impact of instruments appearing so real it is sometimes scary. The only difference between analogue playback and the DAC IV when combined with analogue sounding digital transport like CDT II is that there is absence or cracks and surface noise. Signature and Special versions of the DAC IV is limited in availability and is available on custom built to order basis only.
SW1X Audio Design™ DAC IV Features:
- NOS (Non oversampling –zero digital domain filtering) design
- Specially selected and harmonically matched component & material quality based on the performance level 4 criteria
- Based on 1 x TDA1541 or 2 x PCM56
- Passive or Active I/V conversion via a single specially selected resistor or transistor
- Inductively loaded, anode follower, zero feedback, 2x 6SN7, 2 x 71A (or 300B) Directly Heated Triode Valve Output Stage
- 80 or 5U4G Directly Heated Double Diode tube rectified C2xLC (2 x choke filtered) quasi dual mono power supply
- Circuit is wired with of a specially selected copper (single strand or Litz), fine silver is optional
- Discrete Transistor, Shunt Voltage Regulated Power Supplies
- Supports 24Bit/96kHz (optional up to 192kHz or up to 48 kHz only) digital coaxial SPDIF signal input or I2S input (optional)
- 3 x orient grain M6 EI core mains transformers & 3 x chokes
Optional Extras:
a) Black Gate capacitors around TDA1541 or PCM56
b) Super HiB double C-core signal chokes on DHT tubes
c) Audio Note 2W copper, non- magnetic, tantalum film resistors on plates, cathodes, power supplies and I/V conversion
d) Inter-stage and ouput stage signal decoupling capacitor options are Audio Note 1. Copper Foil in Oil or 2. Silver Foil capacitors
e) Additional choke filtering on the DEM clock tube PSU for the TDA1541
f) Circuit is normally wired with specially selected copper but can be ordered with fine silver wiring (including power inlet)
g) 2 x HiB double C-Core mains transformers for the TDA1541 and DHT/DHD power supplies
h) Audio Note 2W silver, non-magnetic, tantalum resistors in the I/V conversion
Note: Due to SW1X Audio Design’s ongoing research and development process, specifications are subject to change without notice.
DAC IV is availble with C- and EI- cored Super HiB signal and power transformers (and chokes) as an optional extra
Specifications
Dimensions: Height (mm) 250 x Width (mm) 450 x Depth (mm) 410
Weight (kg): 20
Max Power Consumption (W): 80
Output Noise, Unweighted (mVrms): < 0.5
Output Impedance (Ohms): <200
Tube Compliment: 2 x 6SN7, 2 x 300B or 2 x 71A, 1 x 80, 1 x E180F, 1 x EAA91