Some words about the upcoming D/A converters under the Niimbus brand.
The cases will be as those from HPA US 4 /4+.
There will also be the prominent large illuminated volume knob.
A big point we thought about was to implement a display or not.
If yes, it would have been a black/white OLED display.
Finally we voted against a display out of the following reason:
The past showed that our gear lasts for at least 15 – 20 years of hassle free operation.
We cannot guarantee that for any display. What, if a display fails which is essential for operation after let´s say 12 years and we are unable to supply a spare part because its not produced anymore.
Shall we say to the customer: Sorry, put your DAC in the bin?
That’s not our way to deal and so we will employ some buttons to control the DACs.
The DACs will have “analog” generated supply voltages coming from two oversized toroidal transformers. Also there will be Nichicon capacitors in the power supply as well as mains voltage filters to keep high frequency noises away.
The digital architecture from both models will be the same.
Some PCM inputs, balanced, unbalanced, optical. One or two UBS inputs capable of at least 384 kHz sample rate and, yes, DSD. Most of you know that I am an admitted DSD hater because that format is good for nothing and most time the files are at least cheating if not fraud. But, give them people what they desire …
The activated input is then connected to a 32 bit resampling unit with over 170 dB theoretical dynamic range, The clock supply for the resampling is taken from our well introduced Femto-Clock from Lake People DAT RS 05. We will have 4 x D/A converter (32 Bit types) per channel to smooth the conversion process.
This is what we learned during the development from our DAC V800 to V850. An enhanced clock supply counts, as well as a converter array.
The lower positioned Niimbus DAC will have a digital 32 bit volume attenuator and re-engineered fully balanced analog output paths.
The higher positioned Niimbus DAC will have some additional analog inputs (1 x balanced, 2 x unbalanced) to use it as a combined analog and digital pre-amp.
Because of the analog inputs, the volume control is also analog and taken from HPA US 4+ (256 steps with reed relays).
The analog output signals will end in a balanced output (XLR) and an unbalanced output (RCA) which again can be used simultaneously due to independent drivers. Of course we will have the intelligent and low impedance adjustable output voltage know from DAC V800/V850, but with dip-switches on the back and not inside.
We hope to release the prototypes during the high-end show in Munich in May 2019.
Suggested prices are 3500 EUR/USD for the lower positioned DAC and 5000 EUR/USD for the higher positioned DAC (EUR prices including VAT, USD prices excluding VAT).
Cheers, Fried
