SPL Director
Preamplifier and DAC converter by SPL, featuring AKM technology, VOLTAiR 120 V technology and ten analogue and digital inputs, for a precise and versatile hi-fi system core.
Description
The SPL Director combines two essential functions of a hi-fi system in a single unit: the preamplifier and the digital-to-analogue converter. Designed by German manufacturer SPL, it forms the control and conversion hub of a system, capable of receiving both analogue and digital sources and reproducing them with a high degree of processing precision.
Its technical distinctiveness lies in VOLTAiR 120 V technology, an internal operating voltage significantly higher than that of conventional circuits. This elevated voltage provides substantial headroom and limits distortion, which translates into a more relaxed reproduction on loud passages and greater clarity of nuance when listening. Digital-to-analogue conversion is entrusted to an AKM chip, capable of processing PCM up to 32-bit / 768 kHz as well as the DSD format, thereby covering almost all current high-resolution digital sources. On output, a Super Low-Pass analogue filter refines the signal before amplification.
The Director has ten stereo inputs in total, making it a convergence point for a complex system:
This connectivity versatility allows a turntable, CD or SACD player, balanced professional sources and digital sources (computer, transport, tuner) to be connected simultaneously without multiplying additional units.
This preamplifier DAC is aimed at a demanding user who wishes to centralise several analogue and digital sources around a single, professional-grade unit, without compromise on conversion quality or on the headroom of the preamplification stage. It naturally finds its place in a high-end system, where it drives a separate power amplifier.
Technical specifications
| Type | Preamplifier / DAC |
| Analogue inputs | 6 (2 XLR + 4 RCA) |
| Digital inputs | 4 (AES/EBU, USB, coaxial, optical) |
| Converter (DAC) | AKM, PCM up to 32-bit / 768 kHz, DSD |
| Technology | VOLTAiR 120 V |
| Output filter | Super Low-Pass analogue |
What to check before buying used
With VOLTAiR technology, check that the high internal voltages have not prematurely aged the dedicated capacitors and regulators, a sensitive point on units that have seen heavy use. Test each digital input separately: a locking fault or crackling on AES/EBU, USB or coaxial often points to an internal clock issue. Also check the volume potentiometer and input switches for crackling or poor contacts, common on preamplifiers that have been handled for several years.
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