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老烧们应该都知道Audio Alchemy这个牌子吧,我是无意中知道的,这个牌子的产品邈似在国外评价很不错,我知道白版跟校长以前也用过这个牌子的产品。。。
这次雅格美推出的是三合一体机以及配套的分体电源(DDP-1+PS-5),具体的信息如下,供烧友参看。。话说不在沉默中爆发,便在沉默中消失,是爆发还是没落后消失,让我们拭目以待吧。。。
Upgradeable All-Analog Preamp with 32/384 DAC, Headphone Amp, and LCD Display
Audio Alchemy's DDP-1 is the preamp for now and for the future, with built-in DAC and headphone amp. The DDP-1 combines the powerful yet practical aesthetic of the original highly acclaimed and wildly popular Audio Alchemy product line, but with modern capabilities, superior sound quality and a sleek, elegant design. The circuits were the effort of a team led by the legendary Peter Madnick. The team includes Richard Liddell, Keith Allsop, Cedric Meza, Eric Hernes and Bascom King.
Inside the sleek machined aluminum chassis are three core components: an all-analog preamplifier, a 32-bit/384 kHz DAC, and a headphone amp. On its own, the DDP-1 delivers exceptional sound quality. Add the Audio Alchemy PS-5 upgrade power supply, and the performance goes from great to truly world-class. And just as you would expect from Audio Alchemy, all of this greatness is delivered at a remarkably affordable price.
Listening to a system that included the Audio Alchemy DDP-1 and DPA-1 power amp, Chris Martens in a March 31, 2015 post for The Absolute Sound reports, "The result was astoundingly good, highly expressive, full-bodied sound..."
To Upsample or Not to Upsample
The digital section of the DDP-1 incorporates a 32/384 DAC with seven digital inputs: USB, AES/EBU, two RCA coaxial, two Toslink optical and, for the best possible sound quality, an I2S connection for use with the Audio Alchemy DMP-1 digital music player. You can select from multiple output filter profiles and you can also select the output resolution. So, whether to upsample or not is your choice. A multistage phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit reduces jitter to the picosecond level, so the sound has more of that smooth, analog quality we all love.
"The DDP-1 uses a pair of professional-grade AKM DACs, one per channel," reports Peter Madnick. "The DACs are set up in a special filterless configuration because we have our own DSP filters."
Discrete FET Driver and Four-gang ALPS Pot
The DDP-1’s preamp section uses fully discrete JFET circuitry with MOSFET outputs. For wider frequency response and flat phase response, the circuit is DC coupled with no coupling capacitors that would reduce bass or affect imaging.
A high-precision, four-gang ALPS potentiometer provides precise, transparent control of volume. ALPS has been known for making some of the best, and perhaps the best, potentiometers for audio components. A high-quality pot delivers the best ratio of performance and cost of any volume control method. The pot is four-gang because one section is devoted to each phase of each channel. Less-expensive designs use a double-gang pot and control the volume single-ended (one section per channel), then invert the plus (+) phase with an op amp to create a quasi-balanced output. Audio Alchemy created the balanced output straight from the DAC and keep it balanced all the way to the output jacks.
An optical sensor on the volume knob tracks the knob’s motion, so it can work with the DDP-1’s advanced, multiprocessor-driven control system. The motor on the four-gang pot allows the unit to work with a remote control, but without sacrificing audio quality in any way. This pot has a great feel. It's smooth, with just the right about of physical resistance required for precise adjustment.
Superb Headphone Stage
Audio Alchemy used Sennheiser HD800 and Audeze LCD-X headphones when developing and testing the DDP-1's superb headphone circuit. "The amp is based on an integrated circuit that we noticed was used in some very highly regarded audio products," said Peter. "We got in some samples, tested them, and found the performance outstanding, actually better than some fully discrete circuits." The output of this amp is one-watt at 32 ohms, enough to drive even the most insensitive headphones to high levels.
Inputs and Outputs
XLR and RCA analog inputs and outputs are provided, along with input trim and balance controls. The headphone amp feeds a 1/4-inch front output jack, and offers enough gain to drive even exotic, low-sensitivity planar-magnetic headphones.
Output Filter Options
The DDP-1 offers three output filter options: minimum group delay, minimum phase, maximally flat and transient perfect. "From a technical standpoint, none of them is best overall," Peter tells us. "Each one simply prioritizes a particular aspect of performance. It’s just a matter of listening to them and picking the one you like best. Audio Alchemy pioneered this feature in the DTI-PRO back in the 1990s, and the minimum group delay filter was the favorite of most customers, followed by minimum phase."
According to Peter, "Technically what those do is, minimum group delay minimizes the variance in phase at different frequencies, while minimum phase minimizes the overall phase shift. Maximally flat provides the flattest possible frequency response, while transient perfect delivers the sharpest and quickest transients. But you don’t need to know any of that, because it’s easy to hear the difference, and which one you choose is a matter of taste."
The PLL anti-jitter circuit is Audio Alchemy's own design. It was designed primarily by Cedric Meza, although the entire team was involved.
Special "Loop" Design Isolates Circuits
"What’s special about the DDP-1’s physical design is that the circuits are designed in a 'loop,' which isolates them from each other," Peter reports. "This allows us to keep audio signal paths as short as possible, and facilitates cleaner, more symmetrical star grounding, with all key ground connections tied to a single point to minimize noise and effectively eliminate voltage potential between ground connections.
"The 'loop' starts with the power supply circuits on the left side of the circuit board as you’re looking at the DDP-1 from the front. At the front of the DDP-1’s circuit board are the digital audio circuits. The right side of the circuit board contains the analog audio circuits. The back of the circuit board holds the input and output jacks. Digital control circuits are on a separate circuit board right behind the front panel."
Choose Standard or Upgrade Power Supply
The DDP-1 comes standard with a power supply suitable to operate it to full specifications and sound wonderful. To exceed these levels and to reach performance competitive with products many times the cost of the DDP-1, you can add the optional PS-5 upgrade power supply. (Sold separately.)
The DDP-1’s standard supply is a 9-volt, 2.5-amp AC wall wart, which connects to a standard two-conductor coaxial power connector on the back. When you use the standard supply, all of the rectification (AC/DC conversion) and regulation is done inside the DDP-1. Power supply storage is in capacitors located at various points around the circuit board, a total of about 50,000 microfarads.
The PS-5 is a substantial upgrade compared to the standard supply. It uses a special multi-pin connector on the back of the DDP-1, and provides two separate regulated supplies. The main supply, which is used to feed the DDP-1’s analog circuitry, is fully linear, with a separate transformer, rectification and storage capacitors and regulation. This supply provides a +/- 20-volt DC feed. The second power supply is a switching-type supply that provides +12 volts DC for the DDP-1’s digital circuitry.
This design offers three main advantages. First, it moves the rectification section of the power supply outside the chassis of the DDP-1, thus reducing interference. Second, it adds an additional 20,000-microfarad capacitor bank to the DDP-1’s existing supply capacitance prior to a discrete pre-regulator stage; this helps smooth out the DC even more, and also gives the preamp better dynamics. Third, it better isolates the DDP-1’s digital DAC and control circuits from its analog preamp circuits, to minimize any interference between the digital and analog circuitry.
Finishing Touches
An IR remote control provides access to all functions, and an illuminated front LCD screen provides feedback for all control inputs. The display shows the basic information needed for day-to-day operation, plus additional information needed for less-frequent adjustments – and also updates to the operating software.
The DDP-1 is everything a digital preamp should be. Advanced, yet traditional. Versatile, yet musical. Compact, yet capable. It’s the spirit of Audio Alchemy, taken to a whole new level.
Substantial Upgrade Power Supply For Audio Alchemy DDP-1
Audio Alchemy's DDP-1 combines a preamp, 32/384 DAC, and headphone amp in one sleek chassis and features outstanding performance right out of the box. But it's easy to make the DDP-1 sound even better! To get the maximum performance from this high versatile, extremely capable component, step up to Audio Alchemy's PS-5 balanced power supply.
An Easy and Highly Effective Upgrade
The Audio Alchemy DDP-1 comes equipped with an external DC power supply. But it can be easily upgraded by replacing the stock power supply with the PS-5. The DDP-1’s standard supply is a 9-volt, 2.5-amp AC wall wart, which connects to a standard two-conductor coaxial power connector on the back. When you use the standard supply, all of the rectification (AC/DC conversion) and regulation is done inside the DDP-1. Power supply storage is in capacitors located at various points around the circuit board, a total of about 50,000 microfarads.
The PS-5 is a substantial upgrade compared to the standard supply. It uses a special multi-pin connector on the back of the DDP-1, and provides two separate regulated supplies. The main supply, which is used to feed the DDP-1’s analog circuitry, is fully linear, with a separate transformer, rectification and storage capacitors and regulation. This supply provides a +/- 20-volt DC feed. The second power supply is a switching-type supply that provides +12 volts DC for the DDP-1’s digital circuitry.
The power supply doesn't just upgrade the performance of the DDP-1, but it enhances the look as well, sitting alongside the DDP-1 and continuing its sleek design lines.
Three Big Performance Advantages
This design offers three main advantages. First, it moves the rectification section of the power supply outside the chassis of the DDP-1, thus reducing interference. Second, it adds an additional 20,000-microfarad capacitor bank to the DDP-1’s existing supply capacitance prior to a discrete pre-regulator stage; this helps smooth out the DC even more, and also gives the preamp better dynamics. Third, it better isolates the DDP-1’s digital DAC and control circuits from its analog preamp circuits, to minimize any interference between the digital and analog circuitry. |
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