Chord DAVE DAC, Headphone Amp & Preamplifier

Description

DAVE

The current flagship DAC from Chord Electronics, and the most advanced DAC they have ever made, DAVE is a true reference-level product, loaded with the latest-generation FPGA technology.

DAVE stands for "Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis". It is absolutely truthful in the extreme, a standard that other DACs on the market aspire to reach.

DAVE features the very best conversion technology available, using proprietary techniques which DAVE the most advanced DAC/preamp amplifier available.

Three-in-one

Besides an exceptional DAC, the unit is also a reference-level headphone amplifier and digital preamplifier, distilling twenty years of Chord research, development and advanced engineering into one device.

FPGA

At its heart lies a new version of the advanced Spartan 6 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) with x1000 times the processing power of the traditional mass-produced chip DAC. The FPGA within DAVE is loaded with over a million lines of code to confront complex timing issues head-on, with speed and precision.

Superb timing

The FPGA’s extraordinary capability enables a number of key sonic benefits, including significantly improved timing and the best noise-shaper performance of any known DAC. This technology delivers music with unmatched reality and musicality, with an unrivalled timing response. The device’s lossless digital volume control outputs the signal direct to your power amplifier for the purest experience.

Solid design

DAVE has a full-sized LCD display, showing input, sample frequency, volume and set-up configurations options, within Chord’s famous porthole design. On its fascia, DAVE also features a rotary encoder with a large stainless steel controller and ball buttons, enabling direct interactivity in addition to the supplied remote control.

Features

• Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz, flat within +/-0.1dB (HF filter off)
• Tap length filter: 164,000
• THD + N: 127.5dB (AWT)
• Channel separation: >125dB @ 1KHz
• Dynamic range: 127.5dB (AWT)
• Sample frequencies: 44.1Khz – 768Khz (16–32bit) and DSD64 to DSD512 native DSD + DoP (input dependant)

Digital inputs

• 4x 75ω S/PDIF BNC Coax: 44.1kHz – 384kHz
• 1x AES XLR: 44.1kHz – 96kHz
• 2x Fibre Optic TOSLINK: 44.1kHz – 96kHz
• 1x USB Type B: 44.1kHz – 768kHz (16 – 32bit), PCM & DSD

Analogue outputs

• 1x Stereo Pair, Unbalanced RCA
• 1x Stereo Pair, Balanced XLR
• 1x ¾" TRS Jack Headphone Output

More information

• https://chordelectronics.co.uk/product/dave/

Additional information

Brand

Chord Electronics

Born out of the uncompromising world of avionics, Chord Electronics focus upon two main objectives - creating the world’s finest sounding hi-fi and pushing the boundaries of innovation.

The company makes visually unique and sonically stunning designs with a timeless appeal, and have designed a whole product ecosystem with a beautiful industrial aesthetic to suit any environment. Chord products are a talking point in any location, from showroom to yacht, home to studio.