audioFi.net Hi-fi news, reviews and rants
  • Reviews
    • Amplifiers
    • Digital Players/Streamers
    • Digital Processors
    • Loudspeakers
    • Accessories
    • Preamplifiers, phono stages
    • Systems
    • Turntables, cartridges
    • Headphones, headfi, desktop
  • News
  • Rants ‘n Raves
  • Hot Picks
    • Amplifiers
    • Loudspeakers
    • Preamplifiers
    • Systems
    • Turntables, cartridges, etc
  • What’s Up
  • About us
  • Home
  • News
  • ATC launches CDA2 Mk2 CD/DAC-preamp

ATC launches CDA2 Mk2 CD/DAC-preamp

January 26, 2018 1 Comment Written by The Editor

YOU’D think that in this age, no manufacturer would want to plug CD, but ATC Loudspeaker Technology, the UK outfit better known for its professional and home hi-fi speakers, keeps faith in the format with the new CDA2 Mk2 CD/DAC-preamp. Oh wait… it’s not just a CD player then, but developed to partner ATC’s latest P2 power amp and active speakers.

So, there’s USB on board to access high-resolution streaming, while the CD transport and DAC section have been upgraded from the previous model. You also get a dedicated headphone amp section, more inputs and “analogue circuits redesigned for an extremely wide and flat frequency response with very low distortion.”

As per the press release, “The Mk2’s new high resolution USB input is capable of handling PCM data up to 384kHz and also DSD64, DSD128 and DSD256 natively. Excellent jitter rejection ensures that signal integrity is maintained even with poorer quality sources and over long cable runs. Completing the Mk2’s wider digital interface, a new TEAC-supplied CD transport delivers faster play and seek times, much lower mechanical noise and improved error correction.

“The meticulously re-engineered analogue circuits optimise ATC’s implementation of a new premium 32-bit AKM DAC, selected for exceptionally low noise and distortion. Supporting the DAC, the Mk2’s power supply architecture employs no fewer than nine additional high performance voltage regulators, and local power supply decoupling has been improved from the Mk1, yielding further performance gains.

“In another refinement, both input and output gain stages have been improved by an arrangement of discrete op amps comprising six common gain blocks: two for left and right input buffering, and four to provide a ‘true’ differential output for the left and right channels. The positive and negative drivers are arranged in parallel to ensure that the signal delays and phase shifts are identical on both sides. The output stages are configured as unity gain complementary compound (Sziklai) pairs, biased in class A.

“These major design revisions combined with many marginal gains (from hand-soldering surface mount components on the legs of specific chips for instance) ensure that the CDA2 Mk2’s analogue stage exhibits exceptionally low noise and distortion across a very wide bandwidth.

“Also benefitting are twin rear-mounted analogue phono/RCA inputs and an additional aux analogue input via 3.5mm mini jack, which is equipped with high input sensitivity for improved compatibility with phones, tablets and other low output portable devices. Additionally the Mk2 benefits from a revised high performance headphone amplifier capable of driving headphones from 30-600 ohms, delivering exceptional results from the vast array of modern headphone designs. Output is via a rear panel mounted 6.35mm jack.

The CDA2 Mk2’s chassis is constructed from a combination of steel and aluminium and uses constrained layer damping to control panel resonances. The front panel is machined from an extruded section of 13mm aluminium alloy with a brushed and anodised silver finish.”

Of course, it comes with a remote control and a six-year warranty (two for the CD mechanism). Available in February, the CDA2 Mk2 will retail in the UK for £2,950.

News
ATC CDA 2 Mk2, CD player, DAC, DSD, preamp, USB
Similar posts
  • Chord Qutest DAC – engaging sonic spectacle — CHORD ELECTRONICS QUTEST digital-to-analogu [...]
  • Stoner Acoustics UDX DAC – toe-tapper, with a caveat or two — STONER ACOUSTICS UDX desktop DAC
    [...]
  • Exposure’s new flagship is the 5010 range — SAY goodbye to Exposure Electronics' flagship MCX range - it [...]
  • PS Audio’s new Sprout100 amp now available — THERE'S a new Sprout integrated amplifier from PS Audio - it [...]
  • Chord launches its ‘Qutest’ DAC — FIRST, there was the Qute, then 2Qute... and now, UK's Chord [...]
Exposure expands XM line with HP headamp
Australia’s M8audio debuts with three loudspeakers

1 Comment

  1. Cana Daniel Cana Daniel
    February 14, 2018    

    I like so much this amplifer !

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Categories

  • Recent
  • EarMen ST-Amp… for headamp thrills
    January 26, 2023
  • Review: How the MoFi StudioPhono charms vinyl fans
    January 19, 2023
  • The Naim’s the same for the latest Classic Series
    January 10, 2023
  • HiFiMan Ananda Stealth Magnet headphones – playing fast and lively
    December 29, 2022
  • An all-new S3 from Magico
    December 23, 2022

RSS 440Hz.my – Expanding music horizons

  • Gibson acquires Mesa/Boogie January 7, 2021 The Editor
  • The Pandemic, The Arts, and The Situation October 5, 2020 BRENDAN de CRUZ
  • Martin SC-13E… fret not over the higher notes January 17, 2020 The Editor
  • Sadowsky and Warwick announce licensing deal December 17, 2019 The Editor
  • Roland RP302… your family-friendly digital piano December 2, 2019 Sujesh Pavithran
  • The making of a Taylor guitar – a sustainable and ethical process November 28, 2019 Sujesh Pavithran
  • Godin Acoustic Series… keeping it premium November 18, 2019 Sujesh Pavithran
  • Eugene Lee – bringing ’em back to life November 11, 2019 NR Lohan
  • Fender announces the American Ultra series November 6, 2019 The Editor
  • Penang House of Music – still a mountain to climb October 28, 2019 RSMurthi

evolve theme by Theme4Press  •  Powered by WordPress