Although Canor spol. sro from Presov (Slovakia) is better known for its tube audio, digital circuitry is also no stranger to it – DAC version 2.10 was a confirmation of this. The tube features of the dac are emphasized in its full name – Precision Tube DAC. The device is assembled according to the “double mono” ideology, with separate channels based on a 32-bit ESS9038Q2M converter from ESS Technology Inc.
This is a “pure” DAC, without any streaming or even player add-ons. It handles PCM up to 32 bits at 768 kHz (via USB 2. 0 with Audio Class 2 support and asynchronous data transfer from a computer). With optical and coaxial S/PDIF interfaces, as well as AES/EBU, Canor DAC 2.10 understands native PCM up to 24 bit / 192 kHz. DSD up to 512 is also supported.
The icing on the cake here is MQA hardware decoding. In addition, the owner has eight digital filters at his disposal, the work of which can be meticulously and leisurely compared by ear. The warm, lively sound of the DAC 2.10 is provided by Electro-Harmonix’s 6922EH quad-triode tube output stage. The output signal can be obtained from both unbalanced RCA connectors and balanced XLR.
DAC control is available on the front panel and is duplicated by a remote control, and the operating modes can be judged by a 3.5-inch TFT display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels. The display, by the way, can be dimmed if desired. The novelty is available with a black or silver front panel.
In Europe, the Canor DAC 2.10 Precision Tube DAC was priced at €3,500.
