The Acute CD player is Tim de Paravicini's first foray into digital territory. While it starts life as an Arcam player, it utilizes nothing of the original machine except the transport and the excellent Wolfson, 24/96 upsampling DAC. Everything beyond the DAC (except the display) is of Tim de Paravicini's design, including the filters and the output stage. One thing that makes the player unusual is the fact that the filters are analog, not digital. Another is the transformer-coupled tube output stage. A third is the fact that it has enough gain to drive a power amplifier directly, with the front-panel volume control (also analog).

The Acute CD player offers both true balanced and single-ended analog outputs, and both coaxial and optical digital outputs.

Positive Feedback Review of the EAR Acute

About Tim de Paravcini, Engineer of EAR Electronics