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DIGITAL |
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Source components play a significant part in determining how your system sounds. The old adage “garbage in, garbage out” definitely applies when you’re considering a digital source. The very best digital playback possible will likely come from the Bryston Digital player, Roon Mucleus or NAIM streamers. We also offer excellent DACs (digital-to-analogue converters) and music servers which offer the added convenience of storing all of your music in one place. |
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Digital music delivery is a very important topic these days as digital music can be available through various media including streaming services. We can help you understand the technologies and options that are best for you. We would be happy to demonstrate the differences in various digital sources, so stop by and make sure you’re getting the best possible sound from your digital music collection. |
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Have a look at the pictures and logos listed below and you will know that you can find many of the best brands in the world. |
Bryston
Digital
Bryston
The Bryston BDA-3 is a fantastic DAC (digital to analog converter) that is packed with the perfect mix of features making it an essential part of your digital audio chain. Use diverse audio sources such as Bryston’s BDP digital music players, computers, music servers, and CD players to get the most accurate and superb sounding digital playback currently. The BDA-3 is a magnificent DAC best suited for systems where high performance is desired and expected.
The BDA-3 delivers superb sonic performance through re-sampling and re-clocking of the digital input signal. With the exception of user-selectable up-sampling, the BDA-3 doesn’t convert anything to another format or re-sample at a non-native rate. The BDA-3, in addition to PCM playback capable of 384kHz/32 bit resolution, is fully DSD enabled. The BDA-3 can decode up to DSD-256, through asynchronous USB inputs, and accepts SACD input via HDMI. The BDA-3 incorporates 10 separate inputs which include four 2-channel HDMI, asynchronous USB, AES/EBU, TOSLINK, and digital coax.
Naim
Digital
Naim
With its world-class performance, the versatile and upgradable Naim NDX 2 shows us the current state of the art. A host of features such as high-res UPnPTM streaming, AirPlay, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth (aptX HD), Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Roon compatibility, vTuner internet radio, and multi-room streaming as well as digital and USB inputs provide all the connectivity you could wish for.
The main focus in developing the NDX 2 network player was and always is its performance. Along with Naim’s custom-made streaming platform, Naim implemented an upgraded DAC and discrete analogue stages. These and many other improvements over its acclaimed predecessor make the NDX 2 a sonic force to be reckoned with, offering highly immersive and a musically engaging audio quality.
The new ND5 XS 2 uses Naim’s innovative new streaming platform with an expanded feature set. High-res UPnP™ streaming, AirPlay, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth (apt X HD), Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Roon compatibility, internet radio, and multiroom streaming—alongside digital and USB inputs for conventional connections—make this versatile player the ideal partner for one of Naim’s integrated amplifiers.
Carefully selected and matched parts, an oversized toroidal transformer, decoupled PCB boards: the ND5 XS 2 benefits from classic Naim engineering and specific attention to detail to ensure that it delivers natural, engaging sound quality from all sources.
The streaming section of the ND5 XS 2 uses the latest Naim network card featuring low-noise, high-speed low-voltage differential signalling (LVDS) to route the digital audio signal. The higher speed is capable of decoding all HD audio formats at up to 32 bits/384 kHz or DSD128. Rather than the source acting as the digital timing master, Naim’s new streaming board turns things around and allows the DAC clock to control the flow of audio data. The data is integer-over-sampled in a SHARC DSP to an incredible 40-bit accuracy before it’s fed to the PCM1791A Burr-Brown digital-to-analogue converter.
Developing a new streaming platform was one of the biggest projects Naim has ever taken on. Naim engineers across all disciplines—electronic, industrial, acoustic, and mechanical—worked for three years to create a system that could make the most of online services such as TIDAL and Spotify while adding future-proof flexibility through Chromecast built-in. Supporting faster data rates with dual-band Wi-Fi and the latest 802.11ac protocol, this robust platform was designed for the highest performance on every level.
Bluesound
Digital
Bluesound
Multi-room Music. The Hi-Res Way.
Bluesound was the first and most award-winning wireless hi-res multiroom system to let users play music in any and every room of their home. Choose music from your favorite streaming service or from a music library connected to your home network. Control where, at what volume, and when music plays with a free BluOS app for your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. Getting the kind of crisp and detailed sound that only an audiophile-grade system can deliver has never been easier. That’s Living HiFi.
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Introduce your traditional HiFi system to the exciting world of networked music libraries, streaming audio and Internet radio. Effortlessly connect and command music wirelessly from your smartphone or tablet, and unlock high fidelity music anywhere in the home.
Access & Stream Any MusicDiscovering music has never been easier thanks to BluOS. Whether you’re streaming millions of songs from your existing music services, tuning in to your favorite Internet radio stations or listening to your music stored locally, BluOS lets you listen to your music anywhere in the home. |
Audioquest Dragonfly
Digital
Audioquest Dragonfly
USB DAC Preamp Headphone AmpFrom MP3 to MQA and High-Res: Naturally Beautiful Sound at Your Fingertips—
Whenever and Wherever You Want It
DRAGONFLYS BLACK AND RED
DragonFly Black, the most affordable model of the award-winning DragonFly family, has been praised by Darko.Audio as “the quintessential everyman hi-fi product,” while its more sophisticated sibling, DragonFly Red, combines significantly improved performance with still exceptional value. The ESS 9010 DAC chip in Black and the higher-performance 9016 chip in Red employ minimum-phase filtering for naturally detailed sound.
While DragonFly Black uses a high-quality headphone amp and analog volume control, DragonFly Red includes a more advanced ESS headphone amp and a bit-perfect digital volume control that resides on the 9016 DAC chip itself—a sophisticated implementation that gives Red a unique combination of power and grip over the music. DragonFly Black outputs 1.2 volts—enough power to successfully drive all preamplifier input circuits and a wide range of today’s efficient headphones. With its higher 2.1-volt output, DragonFly Red is compatible with a wider range of headphones, including power-hungry, low-efficiency models.
Meet Cobalt: The Most Beautiful-Sounding DragonFly Yet!
DragonFly Cobalt, our new flagship DAC, takes what music lovers around the world have come to expect from the multi-award-winning DragonFly family—naturally beautiful, seductive sound—and strips away fuzz and fog that weren't even noticeable until Cobalt removed them.
How is this possible? Like the critically acclaimed DragonFly Red, Cobalt has the robust 2.1-volt output to drive almost any headphone, uses a bit-perfect digital volume control for outstanding signal-to-noise ratio, enables seamless compatibility with Apple and Android devices, and is an exceptionally competent and affordable MQA Renderer.
AUDIOQUEST, GORDON RANKIN: A BEAUTIFUL PARTNERSHIP
Like all previous DragonFly models, Cobalt uses Gordon Rankin's precedent-setting StreamLength® asynchronous-transfer USB code. Further, in Gordon's monoClock® technology, a single ultra-low-jitter clock generated from the ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip runs the ESS chip functions as well as all microcontroller functions. This superior clock enables DragonFly Cobalt to provide greater resolution and clarity than DACs with multiple clocks.
WHY THE "SLOW ROLL...?"
Cobalt employs ESS's new flagship ES9038Q2M DAC chip. While the chips used in DragonFlys Black and Red are unbeatable for the price, the minimum-phase slow roll-off filter in the 9038 results in naturally expressive sound that is always emotionally engaging and never fatiguing—a beautiful combination of warmth and detail that we find equally exciting and soothing.
KILLING THE NOISE
In Cobalt, we've taken what we've learned from our recent research and development in noise dissipation to employ power-supply filtering specifically designed to dramatically reduce the increasingly prevalent noise from WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular signals. Successfully combating this noise is absolutely crucial to the preservation of the lowest-level musical details, particularly when it comes to high-res audio—and especially when applied to a portable-audio device such as DragonFly.
BIT-PERFECT VOLUME CONTROL AND 2.1-VOLT OUTPUT
Cobalt features the same ESS Sabre 9601 headphone amp and bit-perfect volume control that give DragonFly Red its unique combination of power and grip over the music. This solution ensures maximum fidelity, thrilling dynamic contrast, and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. The 2.1-volt output makes Cobalt and Red compatible with a wide range of headphones, including power-hungry, low-efficiency models.
FIRMWARE UPGRADEABLE
DragonFlys Black, Red, and Cobalt are firmware upgradeable via our free Desktop Device Manager. In today's fast-paced digital world, longevity in a hi-fi component is increasingly rare—at any price. AudioQuest believes that today's digital devices should evolve as technology itself evolves, thereby delivering musical pleasure for many years to come. Our Desktop Device Manager will also allow you to identify your DragonFly's serial number and software version to ensure that the device is up to date.