Apogee Mini-DAC & Headphone Amplifier

[Blighty]

Inputs:

o 2 x AES-EBU on 9 pin D-Type (breakout cable to two female XLR-3 required) handling sample rates: 44.1k-192k single-wide and 88.2
k-192k double-wide.
o S/PDIF optical on TOS-LINK 44.1/48k
o S/PDIF coaxial on RCA 44/1-192k
o ADAT 44/1-48k
o ADAT/SMUX II for 88/2/96k
o ADAT/SMUX IV for 176.4/192k
o USB at 44.1/48k

Outputs:

o 2 x XLR (pin 2 - hot) for pro-audio stereo
o 1/8" jack for consumer-level stereo (standard 1/8" to RCA cable
required) also able to drive headphone's
o 1/4" jack headphone
o USB

Specs:

o Output level xlr's: 24dBu max (internally or externally adjustable)
ultra low impedance, high current drive balanced outputs.
o Output 1/8": +10dBV max (fixed or externally adjustable)
o Headphone out: 300mW into 30 ohm
o Sample rates: 44.1/48-88.2/96-176/192 . All +/- 10%
o Max word length: 24bit
o Frequency response: 10-20k +/- 0.2 dB at 44.1kHz)
o THD+N: -107 dB
o Dynamic range: 119 dB weighted
o Inter channel crosstalk: -125 dB
o Power consumption: 5W max.
o Power source: 6-14 V DC. International (90-240V) power adapter included

Runs about $849USD.

http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/prod_minidac.html

[Nisbeth]

Cool! I think I'll be able to afford one of those in a week with about three Thursdays

/U.

[jpelg]

That's actually lower than I expected. Apogee tends to have pretty expensive (>US$1000) stuff. At that price it will compete well in the pro market at least.

[aos]

It's a professional device, I saw a post about it on Headwize a while ago if memory serves me well. It looks like it has just about any connection you may ever need - short of IEEE1394 for DVD-A and SACD. I'm a bit skeptical on some of the specs, 125dB channel separation and 119dB dynamic range is what DAC chips claim and often manufacturers just claim that the whole device has the same numbers - but this is rather hard to achieve in practice at the output of the DAC. In relative terms I don't think the price is out of line though I agree I'm not likely to ever buy one either, even though I'd really like to open that case and see what's inside...

[daniel422]

I'm right there with you aos. And I'd like to know how they do 24/192 on one SPDIF line. I didn't think SPDIF supported rates that high -- usually two AES/EBUs are used (I see the provision for that).
It looks awesome, though. Anybody used one yet around here?

[maczrool]

Actually, there are S/PDIF transmitter/receiver sets that go up to 24-bit, 192 kHz now. All the big players in audio ICs make them now.

The Apogee looks tempting, but 5 Watts power consumption is not battery-friendly. You have to stick with one of aos' units or one of ours when they come out.

Stu

[aos]

Stu is right, there are receivers now that can handle 192kHz though I don't think they're that common yet - only manufacturers I know of are
AKM, Cirrus and Burr-Brown, and I am only aware that AKM has 192kHz models. But I also haven't seen an official word that SPDIF - which as daniel422 said supported only up to 96kHz - has been updated to handle 192kHz. And even if that were the case, which source outputs 192kHz on its coax or optical digital out? I don't doubt they can handle it but the feature has no practical use.

This DAC looks portable as in that you can carry it around. It's still too large and power hungry to be used away from an AC socket. But I believe its intended use is for professionals who need to carry it around to do their work. Or serving as a versatile DAC sitting on your home entertaintment system shelf.

[maczrool]

AKM 192K Rec: AK4117
AKM 192K Trans: AK4103

B.B. 192 K Rec: None yet, but who cares!
B.B. 192K Trans: DIT4192

Crystal 192 Rec: CS8416
Crystal 192 Trans: CS8406

Stu

It must be a really , really good amp...It goes to 11

[Gluegun]

Awww yeaaa!! Crank it to 11!!!