The original V-DAC was a major hit with music lovers, delivering warm, detailed sound that easily rivaled D-to-A converters costing much more. But not everyone loved its utilitarian looks. So Musical Fidelity gave this budget DAC champ a face-lift, and added some new goodies under the hood to make it an even better value. The V-DAC II will breathe new life into the sound coming from your computer, network music streamer, CD, or DVD player. Simply connect it in line between your source component and your amp or receiver, and you'll enjoy added depth, clarity, and focus with your favorite tunes.
The first thing Musical Fidelity did was give the V-DAC II a classy brushed-metal exterior with thicker, machined aluminum end caps for added sturdiness and a handsome, high-tech look. Then, they upgraded its USB input to handle high-res 96kHz/24-bit music files for ultra high-fidelity computer audio. The V-DAC II's USB connection also employs asynchronous re-clocking technology. This advanced circuitry precisely controls the timing of your computer's USB output for vanishingly low levels of jitter — errors in the timing of the data stream that can make music sound harsh and edgy, and smear subtle details. Finally, Musical Fidelity improved on the original V-DAC's already low distortion numbers, and increased stereo separation to deliver even more realistic sound.
The V-DAC II gives you three ways to connect your digital source components to your home audio system:
coaxial digital input is ideal for connecting a CD or DVD player, Logitech Squeezebox™ Touch, Sonos® ZonePlayer™ 90, or any other digital audio component with coax out, and taking advantage of the V-DAC II's high-performance processor for better sound.
optical digital input is ready to take on a set-top box, HDTV, game console, or other digital sources with optical digital output, and feed a high-quality audio signal into your stereo system.
Type B USB jack feeds the output of your computer into the V-DAC II's high-resolution digital-to-analog converter, bypassing your computer's sound card to yield much higher quality sound with stored music files and Internet radio.
A pair of gold-plated RCA outputs lets you connect the V-DAC II to your home audio system's amp or receiver, or a pair of powered speakers for a high-end, compact desktop stereo.
AV Guide Review Although it doesn’t look terribly impressive, the Musical Fidelity V-DAC II delivers exactly what audiophiles want—better sound from computer audio. Sure, it has limitations such as only one pair of fixed-level single-ended analog outputs and support for a maximum throughput of 96/24 via USB (although the V-DAC II supports 192/24 via its S/DIF inputs and upsamples all digital sources to 192/24 for internal processing). But if you are looking for a no-frills DAC with high-end sonics for a very real-world price, the Musical Fidelity V-DAC delivers the goods.
Technical Data:
192kHz/24-bit upsampling DAC
asynchronous USB technology
reduced timing jitter, better sound with sources up to 96kHz/24-bit resolution
3 digital audio inputs — optical, coaxial, and USB (Type B)
line-level stereo RCA audio output
built-in driver for USB connection
signal-to-noise ratio: 117dB (A weighted)
frequency response: 20-20,000Hz (+0, -0.1dB)
THD: 0.004% (20-20,000Hz)
low-jitter design reduces timing errors for improved clarity and detail
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