description
High-End D A Converter with streaming capabilities (Certified Roon Endpoint) and Powerful headphone- pre- amplifier.
Although the chassis is minimalistic in terms of looks, the electronics and control are state of the art.
The DAC212SEII is the next iteration of the DAC212SE but now with added streaming capabilities and double headphone connectors. This new model adds LAN connectivity while only sacrificing one Coaxial input compared to the previous DAC212SE. Further enhancements include Certified Roon Endpoint, DLNA and UPnP streaming possibilities.
Double balanced design
Our exemplary design featuring double balanced signal paths, abundant use of local power regulation coupled with high quality power supply capacitors results in huge and deep soundstaging while maintaining pinpoint placement of each individual instrument or musician.
The PCB was designed using the most advanced technologies which allowed us to separate power supply layers in differential pairs, high and low current traces are paired and separated from each other. This makes it possible to reduce distortion below the 0.001% barrier.
Floating ground
In most audio designs a common ground return path is used to combine multiple circuits or stages. This common ground return path is connected to the chassis and connects the ground to earth. In such situations, it is hard to control current loops and interferences from circuit to circuit and from the outside world in are induced by or in the shared ground lines. This not only increases the distortion it also increased the noise.
In the DAC212, the line amplifier stages float with no reference to ground. To accomplish this, the internal interface from the DAC to the voltage gain stages is truly balanced. This makes the circuits more immune from ground loops and interference; and increases headroom while it decreases noise and distortion.
Equal impedance differential design
To take independence from a common ground even further, the line amplifier stages are configured in an "equal impedance differential" setup. Here the output of a buffer serves as ground point to provide the zero-voltage reference instead of the common stages being driven direct-coupled. The input circuitry literally floats above ground. No ground noise can possibly enter the line amplifier stage anywhere. This insures high common-mode rejection of hum, noise and other distortions. Internally, balanced lines always pair as differential pairs and low-pass filter stages are configured differentially with equal impedance legs for positive and negative.
Anti-vibration design
The lifestyle solid aluminum chassis is carefully milled into separate chambers for analog, digital and power supply. The cover and bottom plate work together as a clamshell holding the 6 layer PCB tightly in between them thereby preventing any vibration to reach the critical electronics. To further reduce outside interference the stainless steel feet incorporate Sorbotane to absorb any surface vibrations.
Powerful low impedance output stage
The output stage of the DAC212SEII is very powerful and capable of delivering 4000mW of pure power. Ranking it among the most powerful headphone amplifiers available. This power combined with the low impedance allows the DAC212SEII to drive almost any headphone or power amplifier directly.
specifications
Type: Solid-state high-resolution PCM, DXD, and DSD‑capable digital-to-analogue converter/preamplifier
Digital Inputs: one AES/EBU, one coaxial, one Toslink, one HDMI for I2S (PS audio compatible),
one RJ45 network connection, one USB (audio)
Analogue Output: One balanced (via XLR connectors), two 6.3mm headphone jacks. (headphone jacks can be switched to double stereo or one balanced output)
Gain setting: +6dB with independent selection for XLR/headphone outputs with automatic switching
DAC Resolution/Supported Digital Formats: All PCM from 44.1kHz to 384kHz with word lengths up to 32-bit, DSD64 (2.8224MHz) to DSD512
Frequency Response: DC - 50kHz (± 0.1dB);
DC - 90kHz -3dB
Distortion (THD + Noise): 0.00035% @ 100kOhm
Output Power: 4000mW/32 Ohms + 6dB gain (XLR and if balanced headphone mode is used)
User Interface: IR remote control
Dimensions: (H×W×D): 212 × 212 × 50mm
Weight: 2.7kg
reviews
The DAC212SEII preamplifier section was quite noticeably able to throw out the most exact, three-dimensional spatial information and cues on many recordings that were offered up to it. It did come quite close to that proverbial, unassisted, “straight wire with gain”. Be aware that many enthusiasts (myself included), as well as designers, have an ongoing debate as to whether inserting a high-quality preamp from the DAC outputs will offer users a more superior sound quality. (My opinion on this has changed somewhat, since using the DiDiT12SEII). With previously explored products, I did find that adding a really good preamp increased my enjoyment of the DAC under inspection. However, in this case, the DiDiT DAC212SEII happened to be an exception to the rule.
The Digital “sound” that vinyl lovers seem to abhor and musical transients were displayed in an exemplary fashion. More interestingly, “single note” violin swipe transients never spit out from the loudspeaker as some digital program material can do. Smoothness and clarity of tone was never the exception to the rule here as one reaches his ideal volume settings.
I like the DAC212SEII immensely as it is has shown to be a wonderful and beautifully natural performer in its own right! In certain respects, it has some qualities to its sound replication that some other products may have missed in their fundamental design process!
Howard Milstein for the Sound Advocate
The more I listened the more this DAC grew on me, largely because it is so revealing yet also musically coherent. Some products manage the musicality side of things with subtle tweaks to the frequency response, but that always gets in the way of fine detail and ultimately tends to favour certain types of music. More neutral DACs have the opposite problem, they struggle to present music in a coherent and engaging fashion because the timing isn’t quite right. The DiDiT really does seem to do everything rather well, revealing that the Doug MacLeod release Break the Chain sounds better than Fiona Boyes’ Professin’ The Blues even though both were recorded by the same engineer for Reference Recordings. There are always variables with that sort of thing and taste of course. But taste shouldn’t be dictated by audio equipment, it should be something that it reveals and this does that rather well.
It also does image scale with some aplomb. I put on Sly and Robbie’s A Dub Experience [Island], a release that I’ve often enjoyed on vinyl but have never been overly impressed with on digital. It seems that I had failed to play it on a good enough system. On the DiDiT it is massive in all respects with phasey effects thrown out left and right of the speakers and very tight timing underpinned by beautifully muscular bass. There is an electric sense of immediacy that makes for maximum thrill power.
Putting on more and more tracks convinced me that this is one of the most open, well separated, and transparent digital systems I’ve enjoyed in a long time.
Jason Kennedy for HiFi+
Spatial differentiation also helps in tonal differentiation. The DiDiT shows incredibly, simply shockingly natural imaging. Maybe not entirely within the bodies, which are not very large and have no tangible, three-dimensional textures, but within the sound stage itself.
The Dutch DAC plays with an incredibly cultural sound and it has never, in my system had a sharp or even underlined treble. While the sound of the CD-35 HF Edition player goes in the direction of the sound of an analogue tape recorder, the sound of Mytek is an example of excellent decoding of hi-res PCM files, then I would compare the sound of the tested device (DAC212SEII) to the sound of DSD files.
The sound of the DiDiT DAC212SEII converter consists of many elements that usually do not appear together, because they are mutually exclusive. This creates a unique whole. This sound is incredibly resolving and differentiating, and at the same time one that is not overly detailed. The space offered by this device is insane, with our attention directed to the depth of the stage, not in front of it. The information from the foreground is therefore not tangible – resolving and with great dynamics - yes, but not "here and now".
Wojciech Pacuta for High Fidelity
This naturally leads him to be also one of the best digital pre that I know, always controlled and measured, without real "steps" of volume or fogging to listen. Revealing, ie not as veiled as the M2Tech Young III , but very musical, ie not as dry and hyper-detailed as several Auralic .
The analysis and the impressions of listening can therefore only confirm how good, if not excellent, I was lucky enough to find in the DAC212, that is, what is reported in our previous articles.
The DiDiT couple is in synthesis "too much" in many ways: too many, in fact. Too small, too well sounded, too inexpensive to be considered "truly" Hi-End. Especially if you can read the irony.
Giuseppe Castelli for Remusic
Google translated version here
downloads
Whitepaper balanced design
