Displaying items by tag: converter - StereoLife Magazine

Topping has introduced the E50 II, a compact pure DAC with preamp functionality and no onboard headphone amplifier. The new model joins the company's popular E Series of budget-friendly converters and is designed for desktop systems, hi-fi setups, active speakers, separate headphone amplifiers and even more demanding studio-oriented use. It is a small device, but the feature set is unusually broad, combining a modern AKM DAC chip, balanced and single-ended outputs, high-resolution USB input, Bluetooth, app control and a sophisticated parametric EQ system.

Topping has built much of its reputation on DACs and headphone amplifiers that combine ambitious engineering with unusually strong measured performance. The DX9 Discrete takes that formula into a more premium and more distinctive direction. It is a fully balanced DAC, preamplifier and headphone amplifier in one compact chassis, but its main point of interest is not the number of functions it combines. The real story is the conversion architecture. Instead of relying on an off-the-shelf DAC chip, Topping has used its own discrete 1-bit PSRM technology, bringing one of the company's most advanced digital designs into an all-in-one component for headphones, active speakers and conventional hi-fi systems.

Matrix Audio continues to develop its M Series, the company's most advanced line of digital sources, but its latest model is not simply another product aimed only at users looking for a full, no-compromise flagship. The MS-1c is intended as a more accessible entry point into this family, retaining many of the solutions known from the MS-1, but presenting them in the form of a network player that can work both as a standalone analog source and as a digital transport for an external DAC. In practice, this makes it a device for listeners who want to build a modern system based on streaming, a local file library and high-quality digital-to-analog conversion, but do not necessarily need the most elaborate model in the catalog. "The MS-1c is a response to the needs of audiophiles who are looking for the highest-quality digital source, but also value simplicity and functionality. Inheriting solutions from our flagship MS-1, the MS-1c offers the same level of precision and musicality while remaining a more accessible solution for those building their dream hi-fi system." - said Cao Yang, CEO of Matrix Audio.

Schiit Audio has introduced the Eitr 2, a compact digital-to-digital converter designed to improve signal integrity when using computers, tablets, or smartphones as audio sources in high-performance playback systems. Building on the concept of the original Eitr released in 2017, the new version expands connectivity with AES/EBU output, introduces support for the company's Forkbeard control platform, and replaces the earlier USB interface with Schiit's proprietary Unison USB architecture. Rather than acting as a conventional converter, the Eitr 2 operates as a signal-conditioning stage between a USB source and an external DAC. Incoming USB audio is reclocked and regenerated before being transmitted through transformer-isolated AES/EBU and coaxial outputs or via optical TOSLINK, with support for PCM signals up to 24-bit/192 kHz. The inclusion of a balanced AES interface is particularly notable at this price level, as it is typically reserved for professional or higher-end consumer equipment.

Ferrum has introduced the Wandla GoldenSound Edition Gen 2, an updated version of its DAC and preamplifier platform developed in collaboration with GoldenSound. Building on the EISA award-winning Wandla architecture and the earlier GoldenSound Edition variant, the new model focuses on expanded user control over tonal balance, spatial presentation and harmonic character through redesigned versions of three key processing tools - Impact+, Tube Mode and Spatial Enhancement - all refined using Ferrum's Sweet Spot Tuning approach.

Matrix Audio has introduced the ND-1, a new digital-to-analogue converter in the company's N Series, conceived as a dedicated source component for advanced stereo systems and headphone-based desktop setups. Rather than treating the DAC as one function inside a wider all-in-one platform, Matrix Audio is positioning the ND-1 as a focused, purist design built around one core objective - high-performance digital decoding with a degree of tonal flexibility that remains relatively unusual in this category. Officially unveiled as part of the complete N Series line-up in March 2026, the ND-1 joins the NT-1 digital audio transport and the NA-1 headphone amplifier to form what Matrix describes as a premium desktop separates system.

iFi Audio is continuing to develop its compact ZEN line with the introduction of the ZEN Stream 3, a dedicated network transport designed for users who already own a DAC and want the cleanest, most stable possible digital signal to bring high-resolution streaming into an existing hi-fi system. The new model builds on the original ZEN Stream concept, but combines updated hardware with a newer streaming engine and expanded software support, while remaining firmly focused on one job only - delivering music from the network to an external DAC.

iFi Audio has introduced the GO link 2, a new version of its compact USB dongle DAC designed for users who want a quick and effective way to improve the sound quality of a laptop or smartphone without rebuilding an entire system. The idea is to retain everything that made the first generation successful while delivering a more noticeable step forward in both measured performance and day-to-day functionality. Like its predecessor, the GO link 2 bypasses the basic integrated audio stages found in most computers and mobile devices, taking over the digital-to-analogue conversion process itself so that even an ordinary notebook or phone can become a genuinely usable source for more demanding headphones.

There are now two parallel trends becoming increasingly visible in the portable audio market - a renewed interest in physical media and a growing appetite for digital conversion methods associated with a more traditional, more "analog" presentation. The FiiO DM15 R2R sits squarely at the intersection of those two ideas, combining the format of a portable CD player with an advanced R2R DAC and a feature set more commonly associated with modern network players and desktop DACs. It is aimed at listeners who do not want to give up their compact disc collections, but still expect serious output power, a balanced signal path, USB DAC functionality and high-resolution wireless transmission. At its current market positioning, the DM15 R2R enters a category in which genuinely audiophile-minded portable CD players remain relatively rare.

Canor is expanding its catalog with two new components designed to become the heart of a modern stereo system. The Verto D4S digital-to-analogue converter and Virtus I4S solid-state integrated amplifier have been conceived as a matching duo in terms of sound, functionality and industrial design, while remaining flexible enough to work in other system configurations. Both models focus on a minimalist aesthetic, refined ergonomics and circuit solutions derived from Canor's higher series. As a result, the Foundation line is no longer just an entry point into the brand's portfolio, but a fully fledged proposition for discerning listeners who want to build a system around a single, coherent concept.