Audio Video News

Digital audio specialist Antelope Audio, the company that pioneered the adoption of atomic clock generators in audio, has announced that its “mastering-grade” Amári analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog (AD/DA) converter is now shipping.

Priced at $2,995, the converter is built around the fourth generation of company’s signature 64-bit clock technology with jitter management and boasts 24-bit/384-kHz conversion with support for up to DSD256 over PCM.

Two AK5778 chips are used for A/D conversion and four CS43198 chips per channel for D/A conversion, resulting in impressive dynamic range ratings of 128 dB (A/D) and 138 dB (D/A) with an A/D signal-to-noise ratio (plus distortion) of 112 dB. Put in sonic terms, Antelope said the architecture “allows for an enhanced stereo image, unbeatable sonic depth and organic musical detail.”

Two headphone outputs are provided, both with an output impedance that’s adjustable in 17 steps from —4.6 ohms to 85.3 ohms. Antelope calls the ability to generate a negative impedance is a “groundbreaking achievement [that] provides a headphone membrane weight compensation for a listening experience like never before.”

Stereo pairs of unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR inputs and outputs are provided along with three digital inputs and outputs; AES/EBU and SPDIF connections support resolutions up to 192 kHz, while the optical (Toslink) connection supports resolutions up to 96 kHz. Bi-directional computer connectivity is supported via a USB 3.1 (Gen. 1) connection rated up to 384 kHz and two sync inputs are provided, one of which supports 10 MHz atomic clock synchronization.

Control via Amári’s software control panel is described as easy and intuitive

For more information, visit en.antelopeaudio.com.