SIGN MAGNITUDE LADDER DAC SPECIFICATIONS DAC III Users Manual Rev 2 (11/05) INPUTS: COAXIAL, TOSLINK, BALANCED AES/EBU, 2 MSB NETWORK AND A BALANCED ANALOG INPUT RCA OUTPUTS: OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: BALANCED OUTPUT: 3.6V RMS (10Vpp) 50 OHMS AT 0dB 7.
DAC III Users Manual Unique Product - a Preamp or a DAC? This product has the option to be 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.
Unique Technology - the past and the future Over 10 years ago early DACs were all 16 bit ladder DACs, with a precision laser-trimmed resistor creating the appropriate analog level for each of the bits. The DACs worked well and sounded good. They were quite expensive as very accurate resistors were required. Then along came the “single bit” DACs. Rather than using a resistor to create an analog level, pulse width modulation was used.
Brown DF1704, which at the time was the best Digital Filter on the market. Our new Digital Filter is built to our specifications and standards, and is designed to get the most out of the Platinum DAC modules. This new Digital Filter is available as an user installable upgrade for the Platinum DAC, Platinum DAC Plus, Platinum DAC II, as well as the Reference CD Station II. This filter is standard equipment in our Platinum DAC III and Reference CD Station III.
DAC chips, but in combination with our high resolution 24 bit Second Generation, or Signature DACs the problem is very apparent. The sound becomes muddy, veiled and un-involving when using any off the shelf digital filter. To counter this problem the MSB 16x Digital Filter does it’s filtering in one filter stage that raises the sampling rate by 16. FIR filters operate by multiplying each sample in the data by a set of filter coefficients and then summing the result.
source and the analog audio. You will not normally notice this delay unless video is synchronized to the audio. For this reason the 48 kHz sampling rate (which is 99% video) only operates in Low Latency Mode with no clock replacement. While using the on-board clock some very long musical performances greater than one hour with no silences, pauses or track skips may cause a buffer overflow when using a standard transport. This will sound like a small CD skip.
precaution is faithfully observed. The firmware update process takes about 20-30 seconds and you MUST NOT INTERRUPT THE POWER TO THE PLATINUM while the new firmware is loading. You must wait for the message after the Firmware Update before interrupting your Platinums power. If the power to the Platinum is interrupted during a firmware update you will have to return your 16x Digital Filter Board to MSB for reprogramming. MSB will charge you a small fee for this service.
Front Panel Controls Frequency and Volume Display – The actual sampling frequency of the incoming signal is displayed. This is not the normal display of the frequency reported by the decoder, which, for example, would always read 44.1 kHz even if the transport was playing at 44.3 kHz. The MSB frequency counter displays actual frequency so don’t be surprised if some lower cost DVD transports fail to produce an accurate playback speed. The volume is displayed whenever the volume is adjusted.
remove the volume modules from the DAC III so they will not interfere with the operation of the MVC. Rear Panel Details Analog Input – A balanced analog input is provided. It is passed through to both the single ended and balanced outputs when selected. (As well as the volume control if installed). This input is ideal for adding an vinyl input to your system. Minimum input impedance is 600 ohms. For an RCA input, use an RCA to XLR conversion connector.
Analog Outputs Balanced – The balanced audio outputs are the preferred output format for those customers with a balanced system. As the PLATINUM is fully balanced, both the inverted and non-inverted outputs are generated directly by separate DACs and sent to the balanced outputs without filtering, buffering or any analog circuits that could color the music. The balanced outputs provide a 20 Vpp at 0 dB (7.5 V RMS).
Input Board Volume Modules Digital Filter Board With Volume Modules Installed (above) DAC Modules Change the fuse - Remove the cover of the Platinum. Now the power supply must be separated from the DAC. Each side panel is attached to both the top DAC part and the lower Power supply part. Remove the screws from the lower Power supply part. There are also screws between the two parts along the back edge. On newer units, the circuit board has two notches along the back edge.
Removal or Installation of the volume modules - The volume modules can be plugged in, or unplugged from the Platinum mother board. They are held in place with two plastic snaps which can be released by pinching together. The boards are automatically detected, so when unplugged the DAC will output the same level signal as it would with them plugged in at 0 dB. The volume knob will now select the input and the remote volume buttons will have no effect.
