The German company Lake People electronic GmbH has unveiled Chronos, a DAC amplifier for smartphones, which will be released under the Violectric brand. It is a piece measuring only 44.5 x 24 x 10 mm.
The aluminum body, milled from a monolithic billet, is complemented by glass front and back panels. The front also serves as a display. The background for signal information indicates PCM or DSD operation – green or blue, respectively. On the side are a pair of volume buttons.
The new product receives the signal and power (only 220 mA) via USB-C, and the kit contains all the necessary adapters – USB (Micro and Type-C) and Apple Lightning for operation from a computer (no drivers are needed) or a smartphone. On the opposite end there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
The built-in Violectric Chronos DAC handles digital signal resolutions up to PCM 32 bit / 384 kHz and DSD up to DSD256. Add to this the manufacturer’s promised dynamic range of 130 dB and compatibility with headphones with impedance from 32 to 600 ohms. In this case, the power changes from 30 to 5 mW in the channel.
The Chronos is slated to go on sale at the end of July 2021. The recommended retail price of the ampflifier in Europe is 200 euros.