Rostec Engineering Administration: Christianehøj 43, 2860 Søborg, Denmark - Email rostec@rostec.dk - Phone +45 3967 6438
ROSTEC DA8 D/A Converter High Performance 8 channel 192 kHz 24 bit D/A Converter
Electrical and mechanical specifications Digital to Analog interface. * 8 balanced analog line outputs at the back panel, D-SUB 25 female, TASCAM STANDARD. * 4 transformer balanced AES3/SPDIF inputs (8 channels) at the back panel, D-SUB 25, YAMAHA STANDARD. * 1 USB 2.0 Digital interface, TYPE B connector. * The USB connection is compatible with Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later. Windows 10 is supported. * AD Resolution: 24 bits. * Sampling frequencies: 44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 96k, 176.4k, 192k. * AES latency: down to 0.5 mSec, depending on sampling frequency * USB latency: down to 1.5 mSec. This is highly dependent on the host computer speed and sampling frequency! * Inter-channel Gain Mismatch: 0.1 dB. * Linearity inside passband (passband ripple): 0.05 dB. * Sample Rate Conversion of AES/SPDIF: Distortion/residual artefacts -140 dB. Ratio 16:1 to 1:16, smooth glide and autodetect. * Frequency response: 2nd order analog anti-aliasing filters at 1 Hz - 60 kHz -3 dB. Brick-wall digital filters at 0.5 x Fs * THD+N: 0.00039 % ( -108 dB ) at 1 kHz * THD: 0.00015 % ( -116 dB ) at 1 kHz (see detailed FFT distortion analysis in the manual). * Crosstalk between adjacent channels: -105 dB, 20 Hz - 20 kHz. * Noise: 118 dB RMS, A weighted, 10 Hz - 22 kHz measurement bandwidth. * Analog output level: +18 dBu +/- 0.2 dB (EBU standard), switchable to +10 dBu +/- 0.2 dB (for vintage mixing consoles, equipment etc). * Analog output buffers internal headroom: + 28 dBu. * Hum residue from analog power supply, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th harmonic: less than -136 dB referenced to 0dBFS. Clock system: * Word clock input:: BNC, unbalanced, unterminated (1.5 kohm), min. 0.2 Vpp, max. 10 Vpp. * Word clock output: BNC, unbalanced, impedance 75 ohm, 5 Vpp no load, 2.5 Vpp into 75 ohm. * Internal AES GRADE 2 crystal oscillator. * Temperature stability: +/-2 ppm from 0 degC to +70 degC. * Ageing: 2 ppm per year. * Word clock frequencies: 44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 98k, 176.4k, 192k. * Internal crystal oscillator jitter: 2 ps rms. * Word clock output jitter: 50 ps rms. * AES/USB internal data jitter: 18 ps rms. * Clock input capture range: +/- 80 ppm. * Lock time approx: 0.2 - 0.4 sec. Power supply: * Linear analog, passively cooled, high power, very low noise. * Thermally and overload protected. * Mains voltage: Nominal 230 VAC, range 180 - 264 VAC 50-60 Hz (115 VAC version available by request). * Power consumption: 15 Watts. General: * Sturdy steel casing, magnetically and electrically screened. Size 210 mm x 210 mm x 42 mm. * Analog and digital circuits are magnetically and electrically isolated by internal metal screening and separate ground systems. * All digital inputs and outputs are ESD protected to 23 kV 15 A surge (IEC61000-4-2 and IEC61000-4-5). * All analog outputs are ESD protected to 2000V, human body model.
DA8 is a truly high performance 192 kHz 24 bit D/A converter in a half size 19”magnetically shielded metal enclosure. It features High-End true class A analog circuits with the same transfer characteristics as vacuum tubes, and state of the art Digital to Analog Conversion with impressive specifications and exquisite sonic performance. It connects directly to your favourite DAW via a bit-perfect and class-compliant USB interface. At the same time it features AES3 transformer balanced inputs aimed at professional studio/broadcast equipment. DA8 is compatible with Mac OS X and Windows 10, and the AES3 inputs accepts S/PDIF from various HI-FI equipment. Further, it has built-in hardware Sample Rate Conversion with better than 140 dB accuracy. The user interface is straight forward and intuitive with at clear “What You See Is What You Get” readout on a bright OLED display.
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With its true class A and carefully designed analog filter circuitry, Rostec DA8 represents a sound quality that is far above what you will find in the standard digital interfaces flooding the market today. DA8 is constructed with a throughout balanced architecture, meaning that audio signals, analog as well as digital, are routed internally as balanced signals, and all analog signal switching is performed by hermetically sealed relays with gold contacts. There are no digital analog switching, no digital level adjustments, and there are no digital processing, except from the DA conversion and SRC processes. The analog circuit features balanced floating industrial output buffers, which support balanced as well as unbalanced configuration. The analog circuit has, throughout the unit, a 10 dB higher headroom than the digital converter circuit, which means that analog clipping cannot occur. Also, the power supply is pure analog for a quiet and noise-free environment. None of that severe digital noise pollution from switch mode power supplies, thank you! This highly sophisticated design gives DA8 a large dynamic range, huge headroom and ultra low noise and distortion, and the result is a beautiful relaxed, open, warm and natural sound, with an impressive amount of details and an astonishing depth and perspective. DA8 is a highly efficient tool for the Sound Engineer, who need to accurately evaluate recordings and mix downs. Professional Sound Engineers are forced to listen for hours and hours every day, and the ugly, cold, flat and lifeless sound you get from a standard digital interface, create substantial ear fatigue which severely impairs judgement. In contrast, the natural clear and open sound from DA8 (and its companion AD8) creates a healthy working environment for musicians, producers and engineers, which allows for long hours of work without tiring the ears and compromising abilities. Readings for audio enthusiasts: In the design of DA8, special care and attention has been paid to maintain the linearity of the dynamic range, all the way down to the level where the signal drowns out in the circuit noise. Maintaining the absolute linearity at the low end of the dynamic range is essential for allowing the human ear to detect the environment correctly. Back in the stone age humans were depending on their hearing to detect precisely from which direction the attack of the tiger came, and this information is mostly found in the low level parts of the sound. Many years have passed, but we still have this ability, and we use it when we listen to music and pin-point the position of the musical instrument and performers. Maintaining this in the DA conversion process is mandatory for getting the full experience of the music. In most digital interfaces, this lower portion of the audio signal is polluted with digital noise and non-harmonic ground based noise (from switch mode power supplies and digital processing), which means that the ear detects this part of the signal as sound garbage with no clear relationship to the music. The result is, that the environmental information is degraded or partly lost, and the listener loses portions of the depth and perspective details, giving the music a flat and dimensionless expression.
Features • 8 channels of Digital to Analog conversion from the DAW via USB. * 8 channels of Digital to Analog conversion from the AES inputs. * Sample Rate Conversion of the AES/SPDIF inputs (selectable) * AES inputs accept SPDIF level. SRC up-sampling provides enhanced listening experience in HI-FI applications • 192 kHz 24 bit high-end latest generation converters. • Dynamic range 118 dB (higher internally, but limited by opamp noise). * USB 2.0 class compliant bit perfect interface. • Transformer balanced 110 ohm AES inputs. * Industry leading Low Latency performance. • Easy interfacing via standard D-sub 25 and USB B connectors. • Internal low jitter Grade 2 word clock generator. • Exceptional high immunity against jitter and digital noise from computer work stations. • Word clock Input has a "sweet spot" detector, providing auto-slicing and signal clean-up. • Word clock input accept from 0.2 Volts to 10 Volts. • Electronically balanced analog industrial output buffers. • Analog JFET and BJT cascode technology with the same characteristics as vacuum tubes for exquisite sonic performance. * Analog level signal switching by hermetically sealed gold contact relays. • Analog and digital true balanced architecture throughout the unit. • Linear low noise analog power supply. • Internal magnetic and electrical screening. • Digital Inputs and outputs are ESD protected to 23 kV, IEC 61000-4-2 and 15 A surge, IEC 61000-4-5. • Sturdy steel metal casing, half size 19” 1U height. • Affordable price. High value for money.
Two units fit nicely on a 19” rack shelf