Very surprising sometimes metamorphosis in the audio market. For example, NuForce, which earned a name with devices of different levels, was sold by the creator, and instead of it three others were opened. The developer of the most top-end and expensive devices was called NuPrime, on the one hand, preserving continuity, and on the other - emphasizing the new status. It's about NuPrime and their top-end DAC model with an amplifier for DAC-10H headphones that we'll talk today.
When creating this combine, the company set three goals. First, it should swing any headphones. Secondly - it's good to play everything, from the quietest moments of symphonic classics to deafening explosions in soundtracks. And, third, he must do this with maximum naturalness and naturalness. To do this, NuPrime took a number of steps.
The preamplifier for volume control uses a special resistance switch, which allows you to adjust the volume in 99 steps in increments of 0.5 dB, while in the signal path there is always a strictly one resistor. In addition, the DAC-10H remembers the volume level set for each input, which will allow you to avoid sudden deafness from the sharply increased volume (in general, the latter is given a lot of attention in the design of the device, but about it below).
The same attention was paid to the other components: the DAC, which uses all the advantages of the ESS Saber 9018K2M, the mass of inputs and outputs, support for maximum resolution, a powerful headphone amplifier - all this is there. Naturally, the price tag corresponds to all the possibilities of the device, will have to pay the amount of about $ 2,000, but the recent years in the hi-end market is almost the normal price for the top segment. By the way, NuPrime has a DAC model cheaper, having received the DAC-9 index, and also those who want to save can buy DAC-10 in the version without an amplifier for headphones (if, for example, you do not listen to them).
Specifications
- DAC: ES9018K2M
- Frequency range: 10 Hz - 80 kHz
- Maximum USB Resolution: 384 kHz / 24 bit
- Maximum S / PDIF resolution: up to 192 kHz / 24 bit
- DSD: up to DSD256
- Maximum power: 320 mW per channel @ 600Ω on the balanced output, 160 mW per channel @ 600Ω on the normal output
- Channel separation: > 93 dB
- Total harmonic distortion + noise: <0.0003%
- Dynamic range: > 115 dB @ 600Ω
- Inputs: 1 × USB, 2 × coaxial S / PDIF, 2 × optical S / PDIF, 2 × RCA analog line inputs
- Outputs: coaxial S / PDIF, 1 × RCA linear, 1 × XLR balanced, 6.3 mm TRS headphone, 4-pin XLR balanced headphone
- Dimensions: 59 mm × 215.4 mm × 382 mm
- Weight: 4.8 kg
- Power consumption: <2W in stand-by, <14W at operation
Packing and delivery kit
As well as it is necessary top models, DAC-10H is delivered in the hefty box from a white cardboard with a reclining lid. Inside, securely fixed with soft inserts from all sides, is the DAC itself (noticeably smaller than you expect after looking at the box), a power cord and a funny hexagonal remote control. Remote - metal and fairly large, but very convenient. The main disadvantage is that if you shake it, the buttons are no worse than maracas, apparently, emphasizing the musicality of the device.
Also in the set put different instructions and guarantors, but these audiophiles do not read the first, and the second is neglected.
Design and management
For the case DAC-10H in NuPrime have chosen a very unusual shape, it is flat and narrow, but very noticeably extended in depth. I do not know why such a layout was chosen, maybe, so that the two devices of the company can be put side by side on a standard shelf for wide audio equipment. Since I'm 100% using this combine as a desktop device next to the laptop, for me the form factor does not matter at all. The device boasts a massive aluminum casing with an interesting angled front panel. On its edges are symmetrically housed two headphone jacks. Between them - dotted LED indicators, on the left - showing the selected source of the signal, on the right - the figures showing the volume, sampling frequency and so on.
Below is a block of control buttons, I will tell about them from left to right. The first allows you to select the preamp gain, this choice affects both the line outputs and the headphone output. Then go the input selection buttons, separated by the power button. Next - the volume buttons, separated by a separate button that clears the sound. Finally, the last one in this row is the gain selection button for the headphone outputs. As you can see, it is possible to adjust two KUs at once, this allows you to more accurately choose for yourself a comfortable volume level. The device does its best to protect the user from possible concussion, therefore at any change related to loudness (choice of gains, switching on, switching mute), volume increases gradually, giving you a couple of seconds for reaction.
On the rear panel are all the inputs and interfaces, which are many. There are two optical and two coaxial inputs, USB, and a couple of line inputs. Immediately placed and the line outputs, RCA and XLR. In addition, the rear is a power connector, a fuse and a common power switch, which allows you to completely disconnect the device. Also, there is a special control output, allowing you to turn the power on and off on NuPrime, if you use it with this DAC.
In general, the design of this combine is solid, but with its own special style, the DAC-10H clearly gives the impression of a solid and reliable device.
Sound
The following equipment was used to listen to the device:
- MacBook Pro Retina Late 2013 as a source
- Audirvana Plus as a player
- Headphones ZMF Omni, AudioZenith PMx2, Kennerton Odin, VA Audio H-1 and others.
- Entries in lossless format
In general, here you can just take and write a lot of good epithets, the DAC-10H really has a very pleasant and musical pitch, avoiding extremes like excessive micro-detail and sharpness, or, conversely, blurring and loss of detail for the sake of "fusion". As promised by the developers, the amplifier easily manages even with a tight load in the face of isodines, moreover - with isodynamic models this combine is coping particularly well. In general, the DAC-10H already falls into that segment, where the difference in "level" is minimal, and everything starts to rest on the banal and subjective taste. Separately, here is a good headphone amplifier, it clearly does not fall into the category of something made "for change," as often happens in multi-purpose combine harvesters. It is built on unknown re-labeled microcircuits and shows really nice results. Even a pity that NuPrime does not release it as a separate device.
The bass is fast, naturally, deep enough and biting, with a wonderful study of the textures and the separation of instruments. If you start to carp, you can blame a bit for the high fading rate on deep bass, but fortunately, normal music very rarely crawls into this range area, so to deal with this problem, you need to listen to either quite frank slag or test tracks. Really high-quality music combined with decent headphones with this amplifier can stun by force of head, rumbling and rumbling, if necessary, and if necessary - can convey the smallest nuances of flying strings of double bass.
Medium frequencies are neatly balanced in order to avoid strong accentuation of micro components, pulling dirt and writing flaws to the fore, but they are quite detailed for reliable transmission of real microns of music and emotions. The device copes well with the transfer of vocals, especially female, faithfully conveys the nature of instruments and very decently builds an imaginary scene, both in depth and width. Again, if you find fault, then on the very edges of an imaginary scene, the instruments are closer to each other than they should, but this, like everything related to the stage - is subjective, and is somewhere almost on the verge of audibility. In general, the DAC-10H is not for those who like filing, dissolving music for individual components, this "tsapous" offers a solid and unified musical cloth in which all instruments interact with each other.
The upper frequencies are given a softer drop than I like, but in principle I prefer an easy accent on HF, so in fact the "top" of this combine should be liked by most listeners, they are not sharp, but very detailed, there is airiness, and an excellent study of attenuation, helping the perception of volume. Well-designed and attacks on high-frequency, thanks to this percussion pleasantly pleases realism and detail.
Compatibility
DAC-10H works very well with almost any load, and this applies to the tightest and most sensitive models, thanks for that, a good volume control scheme and double adjustment of the gain factors are needed. The only exception is that due to the rather high output impedance of the amplifier (about 4Ω at the 6.3 mm output), the combine can change the handwriting of low-impedance multi-driver IEMs. Fortunately, more and more modern models come with crossovers that are not subject to this influence. Without any problems, the combine manages the standard HiFiMan HE-6 headphones, for their 50Ω, the DAC-10H delivers more than 3 watts of power per channel on the balanced output, which is more than enough even for this model.
The genre device is actually universal, with minor reservations, of which I wrote above. Critical to the quality of the record is somewhere on 8 points out of 10.
As usual, a few examples
Rebecca Pidgeon - Spanish Harlem . The composition has long and reliably settled in various selections of audiophile records and test tracks thanks to an interesting combination of a rich sensual voice and a quiet but qualitatively prescribed bass. Naturally, to play like this should not be enough for all systems, but the DAC-10H paired with Audio Zenith PMx2 with this excellent job.
Zodiac - Unreachable Eldorado . Do you remember the same group of "Zodiacs" that brought alien sounds of exciting space electronics to the USSR? Music, forever associated with television screensavers, filling for lack of advertising air time and morning runs of "Sportloto". Not so long ago, the musicians of this band outplayed their hits in a more modern style for the album Pacific Time. Fortunately, the authors approached the remake with a taste and a sense of proportion (after all, their music is always appreciated) and instead of another bunking slag of the format "Radio Disco 80", a fairly modern album turned out more like a skilled stylization for those times. The track I've chosen contains a lot of nice percussion and even nice guitar solos. In combination with the ZMF, the Omni DAC-10H is very bodily and vigorously playing this space music, adding to it an easy shade of earthiness, which it needs.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Blue Rondo à la Turk . Dave Brubeck and non-standard musical dimensions are inseparably connected with each other. "Rondo in Turkish" - one of the most striking examples of the unusual composer talent of Dave, performed in the size of 9/8, it bewitches and falls in love with itself from the very first notes. Of course, for such tracks, an exceptionally technical path is needed, however, without overdoing this technicality. Therefore, the DAC-10H in combination with Kennerton Odin came in handy for him.
conclusions
NuPrime presented a very good strong line of devices of the highest level, and the DAC-10H is designed to play it as a central "hub" that receives all digital signals and carries out their further processing and output. Well implemented DAC, supplemented with a quality amplifier for headphones is one of those devices that are bought for a long time and serve for many years. If desired, the DAC-10H can be supplemented with a NuPrime power amplifier and get excellent sound for a full-size speaker system.
The article is based on materials .
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