$995.00
Affordable Reference Class DAC & Headphone Amp Designed For Studio Professionals
With its AES and XLR outputs and decoding capability of PCM 384K & DSD256, the NuPrime DAC-9H is a reference-class DAC designed for studio professionals. With four digital and one analog stereo inputs, the DAC-9 is a full-featured DAC and preamp ideally suited for high-end systems. The DAC-9H differs from DAC-9 with additional balanced 4.4mm ‘Pentaconn’ socket and 3.5mm standard stereo headphone outputs that support Single Ended Unbalanced, Fully Balanced and Active Balanced Ground Driving headphone amplifier.
State Of The Art Balanced Headphone Amplifier
The DAC-9H headphone amplifier is capable of driving the most demanding headphones, be it through the balanced 4.4mm ‘Pentaconn’ socket or the 3.5mm standard stereo socket. The ‘Pentaconn’ socket (manufactured by Nippon Dics Co.) is the new unified standard for balanced headphone connection which headphone and cable manufacturers are using in their new and future products. Audiophile quality components and a fully balanced layout ensures minimal crosstalk and maximum channel separation.
Supplying up to 1.2W of output power, the circuitry supports Single Ended Unbalanced, Fully Balanced and Active Balanced Ground Driving. Besides offering a high level of transparency through both types of connection, each offers a slightly different flavor.
Through the 4.4mm ‘Pentaconn’ socket balanced output, listeners will appreciate the pristine background with the absence of noise. The soundstage is wide and possess a strong presence with a full and extended bass.
Through the 3.5mm socket low impedance output, the sound is clearly outlined and has a sense of naturalness. The midrange performance is a prominent highlight and imaging is solidly focused.
A Reference LE Class Preamp
To meet the requirement of customers who want to eliminate extra components in their system, a high-end preamp capable of driving the power amplifier directly is an essential part of the design. The DAC-9 includes features borrowed from traditional high-end preamps:
The Heart
As the heart of an audio system, the DAC-9 supports an extensive number of inputs and formats. Utilizing one of the world’s best performing 32-bit audio DACs, the AK4490, EQ is only a first step for designing the ultimate DAC. State-of-the-art solutions, readily available to all vendors, along with the experience and proprietary know-how in creating many Editor’s Choice and Product of The Year award-winning products elevate the NuPrime DAC-9 well above the competition.
Several notable features: