AQUA FORMULA DAC

Italian manufacturer Aqua Acoustic Quality has released its Formula DAC, which uses a hand-made discrete R2R resistor ladder DAC instead of an ‘off-the-shelf’ oversampling delta-sigma DAC.

Aqua calls its R2R ladder DAC an ‘Optologic’ DAC and the Formula DAC is the first DAC made by Aqua to use it. According to the company all digital circuitry, including the clock, the FPGA and the four branches of the R2R ladder converter, is completely isolated from the analogue section through the use of galvanic and magnetic isolation. ‘ One result of this total isolation is the highest tonal contrast and naturalness never heard before from digital sources,’ said Bill McLean of McLeans Smarter Home Entertainment, which distributes Aqua Acoustic Quality in Australia, ‘ but it’s also because the Formula DAC uses no digital filters or any other compensation, and the maniacal attention to detail that’s paid to each sub circuit.’

The analog and digital power supplies of the Aqua Formula DAC are purely discrete, with extensive use made of BJTs, MOSFETs, JFETs and ultra-fast diodes. There are no capacitors in the signal path at all, and all capacitors used in the Formula are tantalum, solid-polymer OS-CON or double-metallised MJP types except for just six electrolytic capacitors. The two output stages (one single-ended, one transformer-coupled balanced) use discrete BJTs and JFETs with metal-film resistors. Aqua rates the frequency response of the Formula at 20Hz to 22kHz ±0.5dB and THD at less than 0.016%. Natively supported sample rates are up to 24-bit/384kHz (Computer Audio) and up to 24-bit/192kHz (SPDIF). It measures 450×380×100mm (WHD) and weighs 9kg. The case is made from grey power-coated Nextel and the satin-finished aluminium front panel is available in either silver or black.

For further information, please contact McLeans Smarter Home Entertainment on 1300 995 448 or visit the website at www.mcleans.info