T+A DAC 200

DAC 200
D/A Converter

The DAC 200

The DAC 200 is the latest member of an extended family of High-End converters and pre-amplifiers. Every aspect of its design symbolises our uncompromising commitment to science and music. The ability to reproduce DSD 1024 files and its complete galvanic separation are just two highlights which underline the potential of the DAC 200 in impressive style. The DAC 200 is designed to convert a large number of digital formats into natural-sounding analogue signals, and to pass them on via the integral headphone or analogue outputs.

Our T+A True 1-bit converter is unique, as it forms a break with a paradigm: conventional converters process DSD signals by converting them into PCM, and reproducing them using the PCM mode. But this conversion contradicts our principles, and caused us to develop the True 1-bit converter, which processes DSD files in their native form, without detrimental conversion processes, and reproduces them in totally pure form as genuine 1 Bit Stream.

Our PCM Quadruple Converter features a double symmetrical circuit design comprising the eight 32-bit Burr-Brown converters, thereby providing above-average compensation for non-linearities in the sound, and reduces the already minimal background noise by a further 6 dB. This sophistication results in amazing dynamism and linearity combined with an equally amazing freedom from distortion. Although we believe in unadulterated music reproduction, the Bezier filters - another in-house development - in the quadruple converter can be exploited by the listener to fine-tune the sound characteristics to his individual taste. The application of polynomials results in perfect timing behaviour for each of the six available filters, two of which are NOS stages.

The analogue sound quality is crucially determined by consistent separation between the digital and analogue sections. This separation, which we term the “Digital Analogue Separation System”, utilises ultra-fast digital isolators from Silicon Labs to provide galvanic separation between the analogue and digital sections. Since it is vital to maintain this separation through the entire signal chain, the mains sections for the analogue and digital signal paths are also completely separated galvanically.

Specifications

Analogue section

 Frequency response + 0 / − 3 dB

0,1 Hz – 200 kHz Signal / noise ratio 110/114 dB THD  /  Intermodulation < 0,001 % / < 0,001 % Channel separation > 108 dB Pre-amplifier outputs variable:
High level (RCA) 0...2,5 Veff / 22 Ohms, balanced (XLR) 0...5,0 Veff / 22 Ohms
fixed:
High level (RCA) 2,5 Veff / 22 Ohms, balanced (XLR) 5,0 Veff / 22 Ohms
discreetly designed Class A-HV-output stage in Double-Mono-Circuitry Volume control Gold contact relays controlled in 1 dB steps, - 90 dB to 0 dB Headphone output 4.4 mm Pentaconn, discreetly designed high performance output stage, Class A operation up to 200 mA, 6 Ohms output impedance

Analogue inputs

High level (RCA) 250 mVeff ... 4,5 Veff / 10 kOhms

Digital inputs

1 x AES-EBU 32...192 kHz / 16-24 Bit

S/P-DIF: 2 x Standard Coax, 2 x optical TOS-Link 32...192 kHz / 16-24 Bit and DoP DSD64 (0x05/0xFA Marker)

1 x BNC 32...192 kHz / 16-24 Bit

2 x USB DAC: Device-Mode 44,1 ... 768 kSps (PCM) and up to DSD1024*,
supports asynchronous data transfer. *DSD 512 and DSD 1024 with Windows PC and appropriate driver installed or Linux PC with Kernel 4.4 or higher only.

Supports DoP up to DSD 256 (0x05/0xFA Marker).

2 x HDMI IN, 1 x HDMI OUT with ARC (as an option)

D/A converter section 

PCM Double-Differential-Quadruple-Converter with four 32-Bit Sigma-Delta
D/A converter per channel, 705,6 / 768 kSps conversion rate DSD T+A-True-1Bit DSD D/A converter, up to DSD 1024 (49,2 MHz), native bitstream Upsampling T+A signal-processor – synchronous upsampling with four selectable oversampling algorithms. FIR short, FIR long, Bezier/IIR, Bezier, NOS (non-oversampling) Analogue filter Phase-linear Bessel filter 3rd order, switchable with 60 or 120 kHz cut off frequency

Mains / Accessories / Dimensions 

Mains 200 – 240 V, 50 – 60 Hz, 30 Watts Standby < 0,5 Watts Dimensions (H × W× D) 10 × 32 × 34 cm, 4 x 12.6 x 13.4 inch Accessories Remote control FM200, power cord, USB cable Weight 6,2 kg, 13.7 lbs Finishes Alu silver anodized (43), Alu schwarz anodized (42)
Technical modifications reserved