DAC 1 Mk II
All the magic of the music
The Merason DAC 1 Mk II lets your music breathe. Natural, rich in detail and with a soundstage that puts you right in the middle of the concert. Pure music and Swiss precision. For people who don't just want to hear music, but feel it.
“The Merason DAC1 is a serious contender for best DAC at any price.”
Part-Time Audiophile / Dave McNair
“The Merason DAC-1 revealed more tonal fullness and grace.”
LowBeats
“The Merason DAC-1 captivates me right from the first notes.”
fairaudio
What you really hear
We built the DAC 1 Mk II so that nothing stands between you and the music. Interference and jitter? Completely shielded.
The signal remains pure and natural. The conversion is carried out with the utmost care – symmetrical, discrete, in Class A – so that the music breathes, the dynamics are palpable and every note comes alive.
The power supply is generous and separate, and each component has been selected only after extensive listening.
Everything is handmade in Switzerland, without unnecessary ballast. The result: music that moves you – natural, emotional, direct. Less technology, more feeling.
That's what makes it special.
Input signal processing: The DAC1 Mk II has one USB, one RCA, one Toslink and one AES input. The USB input is based on Amanero technology and ensures a low-jitter music signal thanks to two precise oscillators, which is then galvanically isolated by capacitive isolator components. The signals arriving at the other inputs are also galvanically isolated and de-jittered by means of transformers and capacitors. This guarantees that no external interference can affect the sensitive signal.
Digital-to-analog conversion: The task of digital-to-analog conversion is performed by two 1794A converter modules from Burr Brown. For a 5 dB improvement in dynamic range, each channel has its own device. The analog current signal is elaborately converted into a voltage signal in a discrete setup, which is buffered in Class A technology and routed to the output. The DAC1 Mk II is fully balanced, i.e. a total of four independent channels are implemented from the two converter modules to the output.
Power supply: Each functional unit has its own power supply, and in total there are twelve of them. Two output channels each are supplied by a separate linear supply with an oversized transformer.
Structure: The sound influence of components and circuit variants as well as various layouts were thoroughly tested in countless sessions by experienced listeners. This applies in particular to capacitors, voltage regulators, converter components, transistors, resistors, signal processing, I/V converters and output stages.
Made in Switzerland: The manufacture of the housing, the front panel and the control knobs and the printing, component placement, assembly, commissioning and inspection are carried out exclusively in Switzerland.
SPECIFICATIONS
Output: max. 3 V RMS (balanced), max. 1.5 V RMS (unbalanced)
Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.3 dB
THD+N: < 0.01 %.
SNR: > 120 dB
DAC: twice BurrBrown 1794A, discrete I/V stage
Power Supply: 230 V or 115V (one of them) AC / 50 to 60 Hz, 30 W.
OPERATION
Ambient temperature 10°C to 30°C, 50°F to 86°F
Humidity max. 80 %, non-condensing
During operation, the device heats up by approx. 20 K compared to the ambient temperature.
INPUT FORMAT
44.1 kHz@16 bit
44.1 kHz@24 bit
48 kHz@16 bit
48 kHz@24 bit
88.2 kHz@24 bit
96 kHz@24 bit
176.4 kHz@24 bit (USB)
192 kHz@24 bit
DIMENSIONS
Width: 45 cm, 17.7 In
Height: 10 cm, 3.9 In
Depth: 29 cm, 11.4 In
Weight: 5.5 kg, 12 lbs
