Soulnote D-2 ver2 Digital to Analogue Converter
The D-2 ver.2 DAC is the replacement model for the original D-2. As with the A-2 ver.2 integrated amplifier this new DAC has had a visual redesign and now looks very much like the flagship Series 3.
Connectivity hasn’t changed with this new model, the D-2 ver. 2 offers 5 digital inputs with USB-B, 2 x AES/EBU and 2 x RCA. There are both RCA and XLR analogue outputs, there is also a word clock input – Soulnote make a Clock Generator, called the X-3 which serves as a great upgrade for the D-2
There is also switches on the rear to choose between FIR oversampling and a non-oversampling mode (PCM only), there is also a mono/stereo switch on the rear as well, you can double up with 2 and run a pair in dual mono mode.
The D-2 utilises 4 ESS ES9038Pro chips in its design (2 per channel) to ensure it delivers the best possible performance.
The presentation is vivid and vibrant, but there is a real sweetness and allure to the music, you get a wonderful sense of air and space around everything and it seems to make everything sound real and almost tactile when are sat listening to it, partnered with A-2 ver 2 it makes for a seriously strong combination.
Upgradeable to a dual mono DAC – You can select operation modes between standard Stereo, Mono Left Channel and Mono Right Channel on the D-2 ver. . In MONO mode, the ES9038PROs in the opposite channel are disabled, thus doubling the power margin and making channel separation practically infinite.
