Musical Fidelity V-DAC II
Compact Musical Fidelity DAC fitted with a Burr-Brown DSD1796 converter, with coaxial, optical and asynchronous USB inputs, to improve the digital output of a computer or CD player.
Description
The V-DAC II is a digital-to-analogue converter from Musical Fidelity, designed to turn a digital stream into an analogue audio signal of better quality than that delivered by most built-in outputs of a computer or CD player. It sits between the digital source and an amplifier, replacing the internal converter of the source device.
The heart of the DAC is a Burr-Brown DSD1796 chip, paired with an SRC4392 asynchronous sample rate converter that handles signal upsampling. This architecture results in distortion measured at 0.002% and channel separation of −105 dB, two figures that reflect a clean signal with little interference between the left and right channels.
On the connectivity side, the V-DAC II offers a coaxial RCA input and an optical input, both compatible up to 24-bit / 192 kHz, as well as an asynchronous USB input limited to 24-bit / 96 kHz. This range allows it to be connected to a CD player or digital tuner via coaxial or optical, as well as to a computer via USB.
This DAC is aimed at those wishing to get better sound from an existing digital source, particularly from a computer or CD player whose internal conversion leaves something to be desired, without having to invest in a full audiophile player.
Technical specifications
| Converter (DAC) | Burr-Brown DSD1796 + SRC4392 sample rate converter |
| Digital inputs | Coaxial and optical (24-bit / 192 kHz), asynchronous USB (24-bit / 96 kHz) |
| Distortion | 0.002% |
| Channel separation | −105 dB |
What to check before buying used
Check that both digital inputs (coaxial and optical) work properly, as well as the USB input, as some units suffer from dropouts or intermittent cuts on one particular port. Test that the unit is recognised under different operating systems, as an older DAC may require a specific driver that can no longer be found. A hum or hiss at the analogue output often points to a tired external power supply or an ageing capacitor, so listen through headphones before buying.
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