DAC II Preamp Users Manual
Rev 1 (1/03)
Unique Product - a Preamp or a DAC?
This product is a unique combination of a very high performance DAC and the ultimate passive preamp. It is intended to be used as both for the best possible sound in your system. Our preamp philosophy is based on the belief that from the moment analog audio is created, every transition that is made degrades the quality. That means that an active preamp with many stages if perfect would have no effect and any imperfection would result in degradation of the music. That is why we have used a passive preamp within the DAC II, to achieve the simplest, shortest possible signal path, with the least possible degradation of the true music.
The Preamp Upgrade
The DAC II Preamp has just one analog input and many digital inputs. It is designed to be the last component in your system before the amplifiers. With its incredibly low impedance, especially for a passive preamp, it can drive long interconnects and handle any type of amplifier input stage design with optimum performance.
Depending on how many analog sources you have in your system, you may be able to eliminate your current preamp. If you currently have only CD and vinyl in your system, you would attach your CD players digital output to the DAC II and the output of your phono preamp to the analog input. Your system is now complete, with the shortest possible signal path and the best sound you can achieve. The same idea applies to use with an SACD player. Since SACD does not come out the digital output, the analog SACD is attached to the analog input on the DAC II and the digital output for CD playback.
If you have a complex system with a preamp with many analog inputs, attach the outputs of your preamp to the input on the DAC II. Shift any digital sources over to digital inputs on the DAC II and again, you will achieve optimum results. Set your preamp to a volume that matches the DAC II output and use nothing but the DAC II volume control in your system.
Setup and Quick Start
CD or | Phono | |
Transport | ||
Preamp | ||
|
Digital | Analog |
DAC II Preamp
Analog
AMPs
The front panel is quite simple with few user controls. Set the input source to auto and start with all the other options off (No LED lit). On power up, the volume is reset to
SACD Player
Power - The Platinum comes standard with an inboard power supply. A switch on the Digital back allows the unit to be switched between 240V and 120V. Please check your setting
before plugging the unit in. Leave the Platinum powered on all the time.
Inputs - The Platinum comes standard with two MSB Network (CAT5), AES/EBU balanced, coaxial and optical digital audio inputs, as well as a balanced analog input, ranked in order of performance. Connect any digital input to any active digital audio source. The frequency of the incoming signal will be read out on the front panel and analog audio will be found on both balanced and
Outputs
Connect the balanced or
Analog
DAC II Preamp
Analog
AMPs
Burn-In
The concept of
2
