DAC1 MK3 – Weiss Engineering (2024)

UNCOMPROMISING

Weiss Engineering has spearheaded digital audio for over four decades, with a long row of innovations and industry-first products. All that experience has gone into creating the most accurate and transparent digital-to-analog converter imaginable. The DAC1 marks the pinnacle of our converter designs with several unique solutions, and no corners cut.

Should the DAC1’s standard digital input configuration not suit your needs, several options are available upon request.

UNIQUE DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

The DAC1 MK3 employs Weiss Engineering’s unique correlation technique. This involves utilizing two of the latest DAC chips on each audio channel, so there is a total of four DAC chips in the unit. Even if the highest quality chips are in use, this solution improves distortion and noise figures compared to using single DAC chips.

Several signal re-clocking schemes are combined for extremely high jitter attenuation, making the DAC1 virtually immune to jitter over a very wide bandwidth, down to subsonic frequencies.

DISCRETE CLASS A ANALOG

The DAC1 MK3 uses no less than eight of Weiss Engineering’s own OP1-BPs, which is likely the best operational amplifier available.

The discrete Class A outputs have a virtually zero ohms output impedance but are still able to drive large loads without stability problems. Output levels can be set between −infinity and +27dBu. The outputs are symmetrical but do not employ any sound degrading servo mechanisms. For asymmetrical operation, only one leg of the XLR connector (plus ground) is used.

DIGITAL INPUTS

In its standard configuration, the DAC1 has three stereo AES/EBU inputs on XLR connectors, and one on optical TOSLINK. The inputs are switchable from the front panel, allowing for easy switching between digital sound sources.

Each XLR input is actively routed to a corresponding XLR digital output, allowing for monitoring at multiple stages in a digital studio setup.

APPLICATIONS

The DAC1 is commonly used as the first step in a studio’s monitoring chain — feeding the studio speakers an analog output that accurately represents the audio on the digital medium.

It is also common to use the DAC1 for incorporating analog equipment into an otherwise digital signal chain when mixing or mastering audio.

DAC1 MK2 VS MK3

While the DAC1 MK3 is a superior design from a technical standpoint, some users subjectively prefer the sound of the DAC1 MK2. Therefore, we continue to offer the MK2 version. Any previous DAC1 version can be upgraded to MK3.

The output gain trimming also works differently between the two versions, with the MK3 being somewhat easier to set.

• Three AES/EBU stereo digital inputs on XLR connectors.
• One TOSLINK (optical) stereo digital input.
• The accepted sampling frequencies are 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz.
• AES/EBU signals in single wire or dual wire formats can be used.
• Upon request, any version of the DAC1 can be configured with Thunderbolt, USB, Firewire, or ST type glass fiber digital inputs.
• The USB input interface also adds DSD to PCM conversion capability.

• Two analog outputs (L/R) on XLR connectors.
• Output levels can be set between −infinity and +27 dBu.
• The outputs are symmetrical but do not have any sound degrading servo mechanisms built in. For asymmetrical operation, only one leg of the XLR connector (plus ground) is used.

The front panel has four switches for selecting which of the four digital inputs is currently active.

The DAC1 MK2 has an output level range switch (hi/lo) and two 25-turn trim potentiometers on the front for fine trimming the L/R output levels.

Both versions can be remote controlled with a wired controller connected to the unit’s 15-pin DSUB connectors. This allows for remote control of the output level and input switching.

In addition, the units can be configured to accept IR remote control for wireless adjustment of the output level.

DAC1 MK3

Frequency response: ±0.25 dB 20 Hz-20 kHz (44.1 and 48 kHz sampling frequencies), ±0.75 dB 20 kHz-40 kHz (88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz sampling frequencies).

THD+N at 1 kHz: -112 dB at -3 dBFS input level, -115 dB at 0 dBFS input level.

SNR at -40 dBFS input: 129 dB unweighted, relative to full scale output. 132 dB A-weighted, relative to full scale output.

Can a pro audio DAC beat a hi-end consumer DAC? Yes! I refer you to the Weiss DAC1-MK2.

Reha Diri

There’s no question that the performance of both digital and analogue elements in the DAC1’s signal path warrants its description as a reference converter.

Dave Foister