The Well-Tempered Computer, an introduction to computer audio

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Koss Striva


Headphones with build in Wi-Fi receiver.
You must register at MyKoss.com to configure the access points manually.
Using the browser you can connect to free internet radio streams including SHOUTcast.
Headphone can also be used wired.

Tap $500
Striva Pro $450
Website: Koss

Friday, April 20, 2012

Antelope Audio Rubicon

Rubicon is a 384 kHz converter, phono stage preamp and headphone amplifier with an integrated atomic clock.

  • 10M Rubidium Atomic Clock
  • 64-bit Acoustically Focused Clocking jitter management technology
  • Ultra low noise phono inputs with custom audio transformers, discrete JFET preamp design
  • 384kHz A/D & D/A converters
  • Gold-plated stepped relay volume attenuator matched to 0.05dB for all volume levels
  • Ultra-linear, dual stage headphone amps
  • De-jittered audio S/PDIF output
  • Custom USB 2.0 chip streaming up to 480 Mbits/384kHz with recording option
  • DLNA streaming capabilities through an Ethernet interface
Price: tba

Thursday, April 12, 2012

T+A MP 1260 R - DAC / NETWORK-CLIENT



Streaming Client formats MP3 , WMA, AAC, OGG-Vorbis, FLAC (192/24 via LAN) and WAV (192/24 via LAN) with gapless playback (where supported by server)
Supported media servers UPnP AV, Microsoft Windows Player 10,
(MS DRM 10),
vTuner Internet Radio Service,
DLNA compatible servers
Features Web server (remote PC web browser control),
Audio network config.,
Internet Radio Station database
(automatic update via Internet)
digital access of iPod contents
(D/A conversion in MP 1260 R)
Interfaces USB 2.0, iPod with control and display,
2 x Digitalentrances (SP/DIF)
coax + optical (TOS-Link),
16 ... 24 Bit, 24 ... 96 ks/S,
LAN, W-LAN
Audio data
Analogue outputs Stereo 2,5 Veff / 22 Ohm
Digital outputs 1 x coax
IEC 60958 (LPCM)
D/A converter 32 Bit, 352,8/384 kHz Sigma Delta
8-times oversampling
Upsampling free programmable signal processor with
4 selectable oversampling algorithms.
FIR short, FIR long, Bezier/IIR, Bezier
Analogue filters Phase linear bessel filter
with 100 kHz limit frequency
Frequency response 2 Hz - 20 kHz
Total harmonic distortion < 0.001 %
Signal / noise ratio 112 dB
Channel separation 106 dB

Website: T+A
Price: US$ 4,200

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Micromega AS-400


Integrated Class D amp (400 W, both channels / 4Ω)
Beside the conventional inputs (phono, line in) it is WI-Fi enabled (802.11n) using Airstream.
A protocol based on iTunes/AirTunes and limited to 16Bits / 44.1 kHz.

Website: Micromega
Price: $4995

Monday, April 9, 2012

Totaldac D1

R2R DAC with volume control and headphone out.
Also available with active 2 or 3 way crossover.



  • 192KHz asynchronous Xmos USB, optical, RCA and AES-EBU digital inputs, selectable from a remote control.
  • 3.3Vrms max RCA, XLR analog output and 32ohm-600ohm headphone amplifier.
  • digital volume control, adjusted by a remote control and an OLED display.
  • phase polarity selected by remote control.
  • non-oversampling FIR digital filter activated or disactivated by remote control.
Website: Totaldac
Price: €6500

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Cambridge Azur 851C

DAC/CD player/preamplifier


Inputs:
AES, SPDIF (Toslink & coax), USB

24-bit/96kHz driverless USB input
Supports 24-bit/192kHz USB input using a free Cambridge Audio driver
Unclear if this is asynchronous USB

Twin Analog Devices AD1955 current output DACs used in dual differential mode
Up-sampling (to 24-bit/384kHz) using a 32-bit Black Fin DSP

Output: XLR & RCA

Website: Cambridge Audio
Price: £1200