The Analog DAC. The Most Technologically Advanced DAC in the World!

Transcription

1 The Analog DAC The Most Technologically Advanced DAC in the World! 80 bit Digital processing Femto Second Clock Technology 384 khz. Discrete Ladder DACs Optional Analog Volume Control Separate Analog Power Supplies Modular Inputs With Advanced High Resolution I2S Technology Internet Controllable From Your Mobile Device Simple To Use and Integrate Sound Quality That Challenges the Best Analog Sources

2 Sounds like an Analog Source! Lets face it. What music lovers really care about more than anything else is the naturalness of reproduced sound. Despite limited dynamics and distortion, analog sources are still loved and respected. Digital has just never met the challenge - until now. "a 'reach-out-and-touch-it' quality, creating the illusion of someone standing in front of me singing." Vade Forrester, The Absolute Sound, January 2014 "With a DAC like the MSB, you get a sense of someone hitting Play on a big reel of widetrack analog tape, after being fed by live mikes in a room." Jon Iverson, Stereophile, April 2014 We started the development of this product with just one simple very focused goal. We started with the name. The Analog DAC. Lets take everything we know about digital audio and evaluate every aspect of the technology as it relates to the characteristics of analog sound. Lets build a DAC from the ground up to be as analog-like as possible. Lets ignore all other features and requirements and just focus. Not only Analog sounding, but analog in function - simple to use.

3 So we picked bits of technology from our advanced DAC designs and integrated them together. The Analog DAC is the breakthrough product that resulted. Unlike our DAC IV line, it is not as upgradable. The Analog DAC offers the integration of our most advanced clock, digital filtering and ladder DAC technology in a simple but incredibly advanced package. In our many years of experience building DACs we noticed that the most common feature to change is the input formats. The Analog DAC has adapted a revolutionary concept. It is equipped with three high resolution I2S input bays. Input modules such as USB2, MSB ProI2S, and standard AES/EBU and S/PDIF

4 inputs can be selected by you and plugged in as needed. You can mix and match, and change inputs as new formats are developed. The second area of rapid change is the user interface. Again we provide a general purpose RS-232 and CAN BUS interface module that can accommodate a range of internet based control options, and can be changed and updated as needed, without ever taking the cover off the DAC. Speaking of cover, there is none. Another innovation designed to get the most analog-like sound is the unique packaging of this DAC. Individual pockets are milled from a solid plate and the DAC components are potting into the plate for perfect temperature uniformity and long life, as well as unprecedented isolation. As most audiophiles have learned, part of good analog sound is good power supplies. Again we designed fully analog linear power supplies with many isolated transformers providing every part of the DAC with clean power. "It was a pleasure to measure such a good-performing product as MSB's Analog DAC. And I loved the top-mounted volume control, the display, and the ergonomics. It is rare to encounter an audio component so well thought out and so well engineered." John Atkinson, Stereophile, April 2014 Finally, to maximize the analog qualities of this DAC we integrated a high quality analog stepped attenuator for volume control. To accommodate other analog sources we also incorporated our analog inputs and switching, eliminating the need for a preamp in most systems. "This volume control stage is exceptionally transparent, and only extraordinary preamplifiers will prove comparable. The addition of this optional extra is clearly very good value for money." Chris Bryant, HiFi Critic, December 2013 But the most irritating part of most digital products is the plethora of digital controls. Although incredibly advanced, the Analog DAC is super simple to use. It has one button and one knob. Press the button to change inputs and turn the knob to change volume. Simple. Need a few more features? The MSB remote provides some favorites like mute and phase invert. Want even more control. Every conceivable setting is available via the internet from your mobile device. You can have it all. Simple to use. Incredibly advanced with a stunning faithfulness to analog sound.

5 Control Options* Control Option One - Standard Remote included. The remote offers the following basic features: Volume control Mute Input switching (*not availible without volume option) Control Option Two - Optional Aluminum Remote (standard with MSB Transports). This remote offers an expanded feature set:

6 Volume control Mute Input switching Phase Invert Reclocking on/off (for use with video) Display on/off (*not availible without volume option) Control Option Three - Optional Control Interface. The versatile control port allows control modules to be plugged in for direct connection to a system controller via RS-232 or Direct access via the internet. Several additional features are available only by this method. The complete feature set is: Volume control Mute Input switching Phase Invert Reclocking on/off (for use with video) Display brightness Digital Filter Selection Ground Connect (default is isolated) Technical settings such as level and dither (*this option works with or without volume option) Power Supply Options The Analog DAC requires an outboard power supply. It's available with two power supply options. The Basic Desktop supply is really not basic at all. It is a fully linear supply with two transformers. One is for digital processing and one for the analog circuits. It is housed in a sturdy aluminum enclosure. It is included with each Analog DAC.

7 An upgraded power base is also available and is shown in all the DAC photos. This thin but solid base contains 5 transformers for complete isolation of digital processing, clocks and analog DAC modules. It is machined out of a solid plate of aluminum and provides shielding and vibration control. It also contains a 12 V power trigger for remote operation. Both are voltage switchable and have a power switch.

8 The Analog DAC can also be operated from any of the DAC IV power bases. This can be useful when combined with an MSB Transport. The DAC IV power base can power both a DAC and a Transport.