Close-up of the Silmic Caps (part 1)
At the heart of the iDAC2 is a brand spanking new, ground-up analogue stage, designed to give optimal line output from the Burr-Brown DSD/DXD native DAC Chip used. To support this analogue stage two special audio grade Elna Japan Silmic II (the highest available grade and likely the best audio grade electrolytic capacitor money can buy) are fitted. Heck, these are used in the uber AMR machines.
The Analogue stage also uses a discrete, Class A buffer that combines a N-Channel J-Fet and a PNP bi-polar transistor that allows this buffer to handle even 600 Ohm loads. While in the end not applied in the upcoming Pro range, this buffer was originally designed and tested for inclusion in the Pro range, before it was decided that something more radical would be used in the Pro line.
All this analogue circuitry is directly below the two Silmic capacitors, this “3D” Arrangement of circuitry making sure the capacitors providing the “backup power” for the Class A buffer are as close as possible to the circuit they supply.
Next time, Part 2.
