Description

Belcanto E1X DC1

Belcanto E1X DC1 Dac Control Preamp marks entry into our Advanced Integrated Platform technology that is directly descendant from the BLACK system architecture. The DC1 combines our HDR-II and AMiP control/processor technologies to provide unparalleled DAC, streamer, and phono stage performance into a single chassis that is designed for music lovers who want an uncomplicated, uncompromised, and exhilarating home audio experience. The E1X sonic characteristic emphasizes profound and compelling musical expression.

The E1X Advanced Integrated Platform (AIP) pulls design elements from the award-winning Black System that optimizes both analog and digital system performance. Each input travels an expertly placed circuit path that provides noise rejection and signal optimization along with advanced custom time optimized filters that reduce sonic blur and increase clarity and dynamic impact.

Belcanto E1X DC1 DAC/Control Preamplifier utilizes Bel Canto’s proprietary technologies that include our advanced HDR-II (High Dynamic Range) DAC core and the AMiP (Asynchronous Multi Input Platform) Control/Processor. Our advanced design provides uncompromised sound from any source. Whether you’re streaming music through Ethernet or USB, using the full suite of digital inputs for spinning a CD, the line level inputs for a reel-to-reel tape deck or listening to vinyl via the internal MM/MC software controlled analog phono stage, you’ll experience the full potential from all source components.

Rendering high levels of definition and musicality. It is the culmination of more than 20 years of audio DAC design evolution. With the HDR-II Core we have improved the dynamic range, analog output stage design and digital filters while reducing spurious signal generation and jitter related errors. Our new HDR-II Core has demonstrated that we can increase the resolution of musical detail, and improve listenability and perceived quality of the recorded music. This is in contrast where ‘transparent’ and ‘revealing’ often means ‘bright’. The HDR-II Core presents the original music with high levels of clarity and emotion. Our HDR-II Core starts with a deliberate and careful choice of DAC technology. This choice defines the ultimate achievable performance and is defined by several key specifications. Our research has directed us to the best DAC technology, confirmed through extensive testing and listening.

Bel Canto chooses the most refined CMOS digital to analog processor to provide superior dynamic range through extremely low noise, distortion and jitter sensitivity. The analog output section takes best advantage of the underlying CMOS technology to achieve the highest levels of analog purity and uncompromised performance. This Advanced Segment Technology DAC combines both multi-bit and multi-bit delta-sigma technology to deliver superb performance with a dynamic range of 132dB and transparent linear-phase digital filters. The CMOS analog conversion operates in a Constant Voltage, Class A Differential Current mode for minimal distortion and best analog performance. Through detailed FFT analysis we characterize DAC performance over the complete dynamic range, ensuring that the DAC analog outputs behave in a true analog fashion. As with the best analog circuitry our DAC technology exhibits diminishing levels of distortion and spurious signals at lower output levels where most of the audio signals live. Our HDR-II Core analog behavior is contrasted in the following figures with an increasingly popular DAC technology that looks good on paper but does not deliver true analog purity over the audio dynamic range.

A critical advantage of our HDR-II Core architecture is how the Class A Differential Current Mode output from our DAC operates in concert with our custom balanced analog section to best preserve the original dynamics of the recording. The large constant-bias differential currents impose pure Class A operation to every part of the analog output stages, every precision resistor, film capacitor and amplification device is biased with constant current and voltage. This constant bias keeps all components in thermal stasis and insures that all the original signal dynamics are retained. Through careful parts choices, architectural considerations and design details, refined over numerous generations, Bel Canto’s HDR-II Core has been optimized to render pure, dynamic analog signal quality from all music sources.

Phono

Our analog dual stage phono architecture consists of an ultra-low noise input RIAA amplifier with precision filter components and fixed 40dB gain. This is followed by a digitally controlled analog variable gain stage to adapt the RIAA gain for a broad range of MM and MC cartridges. Input loading is controlled from the menu so that you can load your MC cartridge with the optimum impedance. This new phono architecture is optimized for accurate, low noise RIAA filter operation and compatibility with many cartridges.

Headphone Output

The Headphone output is driven from a dedicated 112dB dynamic range DAC through a high current output buffer stage. It can drive 32-ohm phones to high level and provide excellent headphone sonic detail and performance.

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Price from £7000

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