Light Harmonic claims the Da Vinci 384K USB digital-to-analog converter is the "world's first true bit-perfect 384K asynchronous DAC using USB 2.0 technology"-- one with a unique design to match.
"Like Leonardo Da Vinci, the famed Renaissance artist, architect and engineer, the Da Vinci DAC embodies superb digital artistry, innovative product architecture, precision engineering and a passion for perfection," the (ever so slightly) excitable copy from the company continues.
The unusual, starship-esque design apparently also serves a function-- Light Harmonic says the 6-piece 28kg aluminium chassis enhances stability while boosting RF and EMI shielding.
"Bit-Perfect" sound comes from a design free from up-sampling, oversampling and all digital signal processing, ensuring all the user hears is the raw file.
Instead it employs Automatic LSB Correction (corrects digital signals in their least significant bits), 3-L Buffering (a buffer able to completely decouple speeds fluctuations in the source) and 3 "highly precise" -166dB phase-error clocks (one for 44.1K, 88.2K, 176.4K and 352.8K music sampling frequencies, one for 48K, 96K, 192K and 384K frequencies, and a 3rd for the USB interface).
Further features include a sample rate of up to 384kHz, 32bit resolution, dedicated digital power and a proprietary Duet Engine doubling original sample rates without digital upsampling, over-sampling or noise shaping.
A pure analog low-pass filter automatically selects the corner frequency for each sample rate.
The Da Vinci DAC ships in 3 different colours-- anodised black silver, titanium and rose gold.
