The emerging brand Digi & Aesth (D&A) has introduced its inaugural D & A Alpha Pro DAC/headphone amplifier. This product exemplifies the fusion of practical industrial design and the sophistication of acoustic aesthetics, making the D&A Alpha Pro a remarkable feat of engineering as well as a work of art. The Alpha Pro is meticulously designed around the ESS Technology’s premier ES9039MSPRO DAC chip, featuring hardware MQA decoding and complete separation of digital and analog processing.
The latest product effectively reduces jitter through 32-bit noise reduction and features its proprietary “Zero-Jitter Clock” architecture.
The SIGMA DAC topology employs the summation of the differential signal across eight channels of the DAC chip, directing it to each of the device’s two channels. This design decreases the output impedance by a factor of four and lowers the noise level by 75%.
As a result, it achieves an exceptional dynamic range of 133 dB and a THD+N of -124 dB.
The D&A Alpha Pro DAC employs three clock oscillators with femtosecond accuracy—two dedicated to the local USB clock and one VCXO for the second phase of the PLL clock—minimizing jitter to 15 picoseconds, which is ten times lower than traditional solutions. This results in improved clarity in the positioning of sound sources on stage, enhanced detail, and a more natural audio experience.
Additionally, the digital and analog modules are distinctly separated by a 4-layer isolated PCB that features independent ground planes.
The implementation of shielded blocks along with star-shaped power supply routing guarantees no crosstalk occurs between the digital circuitry and the DAC conversion.
Crucial signal lines are encapsulated within shielding layers, creating electromagnetic “Faraday cages”.
This design guarantees accurate delay matching, while the star-shaped ground topology successfully isolates the digital control, high-speed data, analog audio, and power domains.
The D&A Alpha Pro DAC/headphone amplifier incorporates 32 individual transistors distributed over four channels. The 4C-FBDA circuit is designed to maintain an output impedance of under 0.1 ohms, while the total harmonic distortion (THD) remains at a mere 0.0001%. It efficiently supports headphones with impedances ranging from 160 to 600 ohms, providing up to 6 watts per channel when connected to a load with a nominal impedance of 32 ohms.
The D&A Alpha Pro external DAC and headphone amplifier is now available for a recommended retail price of $699.
