ARIES CERAT
Kassandra II Reference DAC

CA$42,000

Description ▴

Our approach in designing the Kassandra was to go back to the drawing board. Extensive testing and research proved to us that many of the DAC designs on the market had a certain character, lack of dynamics, lack of musicality and lack of true analog-like timbre and flow. In the process of development of our reference system, we were also searching for the best available converter. Yet no converter we tested delivered the sound we expected.

Product Specifications ▾

IC Chip Array:

16 R2R converters per channel, complimentary current output using the top grade Analogue Devices AD1865N-K  with 8 converters per bank, 16 per channel

Regulators:

Eight discrete ultra-low-noise regulators for the 4 converter banks

PSU:

Over engineered power supplies, power input filters.

Current to Voltage Conversion:

Transformer I/V conversion with custom wideband transformers, balanced current to  single ended voltage conversion.

Additional Clock:

Internal Super-Clock by-passable on the fly,  triple regulated supply

INPUT & OUTPUT SECTION

PSU:

Over engineered power supplies, power input filters, large toroid transformer & capicitor banks

Gain Stage:

Transformer loaded super tube output stage using the E280F tube.    5:1/10:1 step down transformer & double choke filtered supply

Output Range:

30Vpp output @ 0db 10Vrms (5Vrms on -6db setting)

User Selectable Output:

10v @50ohms or 5v @12ohms

Output:

2 x RCA, 2 x Balanced. True Balanced output standard.

Floating RCA output switchable (ground loop resolver)

Output Impedance:

50 ohms (balanced and SE output), 12 ohms at -6db setting

USB input:

Data rates up to 24/384KHz

Jitter attenuation:

Down to femtosec level

Dimensions:

540mm W x 520mm D x 165mm H

Weight:

60kg