Audio Note DAC2.1x Balanced Digital to Analogue Convertor

The DAC2.1x Balanced comes in a full sized case and is quite a step beyond the Signature version shown above. The cost is also a fair hike but the changes are very significant. It keeps the 2.1 Signature architecture or choke smoothed valve rectified power supply but features a special output stage. An ECC82 triode output stage is used, and instead of output capacitors it features much more costly transformer coupling. As the product name suggests, this then provides balanced XLR outputs as well as conventional single ended phono sockets.

The removal of the output capacitors provides a more expressive dynamic presentation over the lower models which goes to show the inherent colourations of even the best capacitors in this application. There is remarkable increase in solidity to the sound, with another layer of hash removed to give a real feeling of being one more step closer to the musicians. It is available with either a silver aluminium fascia or black acrylic fascia.