Emotiva Audio New DR Stack

BIG SOUND FROM A SMALL FOOTPRINT!

Emotiva’s new DR Stack system offers audiophile design and performance in a room-friendly format…

Leading UK distributor Karma-AV is delighted to welcome Emotiva Audio’s versatile, high performing yet beautifully compact DR Stack music system to the UK.

Famous for its affordable audiophile electronics, EmotivaAudio has created the DR Stack of compact separates. It offers music lovers the benefits of a fully balanced, low-noise signal path from input to output from slender, matching, 2/3 width (267mm) components complete with steel chassis’, black anodised aluminium faceplates and fully dimmable blue OLED displays. Comprising DRP-1 preamp, DRA-1 amp, DRD-1 DAC and/or DRS-1 streamer, the DR Stack offers today’s audio fans the superior performance and connectivity of more expensive full-size components in a space-saving stack system.

The DRP-1 Differential Reference® Preamplifier features a short, fully balanced signal path, sealed relay switching, a studio-grade resistor ladder precision volume control and internal bass management at 80 hertz for easy subwoofer integration. Inputs include two pairs RCA, a stereo unbalanced PHONO input (MM or MC), and balanced XLR pair. Outputs include one pair RCA, one pair XLR and a summed XLR subwoofer output.

With a signal-to-noise ratio exceeding 115dB (ref rated output; 8 Ohms) and THD+N at under 0.008% (1 kHz; 100 watts; 8 Ohms), the DRA-1 Differential Reference® Amplifier features a Hypex NCOREx design with a fully balanced signal path delivering 100W per channel 8 ohms/130W at 4 ohms, bridgeable to 400W at 4 ohms. Pairs of RCA and XLR inputs join audiophile grade five-way speaker binding posts on the rear panel.

The specialised DRD-1 Differential Reference® DAC employs an ESS ES9038Q2M SABRE32 Reference converter (32 bit Stereo) with selectable digital filters, allied to active low-noise OPA1656 and OPA1678 analogue signal path electronics. It offers a very high performance ComtrueCT7601 USB-C interface supporting sample rates up to 768k, DoP up to DoP256, and Native DSD up to DSD512 with appropriate drivers. The DRD-1 features a fully balanced differential analogue signal path, both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) outputs, a fixed output level, HDMI-ARC for high quality stereo from the TV, and the Comtrue USB-C bridge from computer or streamer.

For a matching music streaming alternative to the DRD-1, the DRS-1 Differential Reference® Streamer/DAC integrates Emotiva’s balanced signal path engineering with a lifetime license for the Volumio Premium control platform. Its ESS ES9038Q2M SABRE32 Reference DAC, combined with high-speed, low-distortion MC33078 and OPA1656 op-amps provide the ideal design environment for native, lossless, high-resolution streaming from Qobuz Connect, TIDAL Connect, Spotify Connect, as well as internet radio via Volumio, and for playing music files from local hard drive, thumb drive, or NAS. Users can also send music directly from phone, computer, or tablet via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Via Volumio, up six rooms/devices can be synced and controlled for whole-home music. Balanced analogue XLR and RCA outputs are offered (with variable level controlled by Volumio), alongside Toslink and Coax digital audio outputs, Ethernet and Wi-Fi network connections, twin USB A ports and HDMI output, through which configuration, track info, or Manifest UI can be displayed on TV or monitor.

All DR Stack components are equipped with 12V trigger in/outs while the DRD-1 and DRP-1 are supplied with an identical all metal, full function remote control.