In our quest to develop an audiophile system beyond mere high-quality audio reproduction, we have brought together several things. First, digital precision but with an “analog” charm, without any “digital effect” but with a wealth of detail. Secondly, this system must offer exceptional value, a guarantee of durability, new features and a design that is both stunning and timeless. This is how the “Wavelight DAC” was created, more than just a little brother to the already high-performing “Wavedream”.
The Wavelight DAC uses the latest Xilinx FPGA from the 7 series which allows us to assemble the functions of a custom high-performance R2R processor. The digital processing capabilities of the Wavelight are built with complex VHDL coding and state-of-the-art FPGA hardware. The architecture is described, in fact, by software.
By upgrading the Wavelight with new software, you are actually changing hardware. This system allows great flexibility, protection against obsolescence and allows us to improve the sound of your converter by changing its internal architecture, adding interesting new features or improving existing ones. Each digital block is custom built to Rockna Audio’s high performance standard.
For the Wavelight, we performed our own calculations and extended our testing methodology. Meticulous optimizations allowed us to obtain subtle nuances during listening sessions, so that each listener is taken into account.
Powerful and customized DSP units perform high-precision real-time calculations for studio-quality oversampling. The user can choose between 4 filtering modes: linear, minimum phase, hybrid mode and NOS.
A proprietary combination of buffers, digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) and input clock decoupling scheme allows for efficient jitter cleaning before the conversion itself. Thanks to the advanced Femtovox2 technique, the final result allows for an “analog” sound without compromise.
A high-precision discrete R2R circuit performs the conversion from the digital domain to the analog domain, driven by FPGA algorithms. The Wavelight DAC will be able to operate in pure R2R mode or in hybrid mode*. Future programs will allow switching from one mode to another at the push of a button.
With 5 digital inputs and one analog input, the device is also capable of operating as a preamplifier. To avoid data truncation, volume control inside the Wavelight is entirely analog, even though it is digitally controlled.
The analog path is entirely in discrete components. Two toroidal power transformers allow separation between analog and digital circuits. A huge filtering capacity (over 100,000 µF) conditions the power supplies.
Each Wavelight is hand-assembled in Rockna’s factory, individually tested, and subjected to our rigorous quality control process. We believe that sound should be complemented by precise fit and finish details, robust construction, and reliable, meticulous circuit design.
That’s why we use select components such as high-precision resistors and audiophile-grade decoupling capacitors. The chassis is fully constructed from solid aluminum with an anodized, finely brushed finish.
Gérard
This preamp/DAC is surprising in more ways than one; it is by far, by very far, the best converter on my system.
Comment from May 27, 2021 — Experience from May 06, 2021
