DAVE is the most advanced DAC we have ever made. It features the very best conversion technology available, using proprietary techniques never seen before, making DAVE the most advanced DAC/preamp amplifier in the world. DAVE stands for ‘Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis’, a moniker that best reflects the product’s capability; a device so advanced and with so few compromises, that it is truthful in the extreme. DAVE, which is also a reference-level headphone amplifier and digital preamp, distils over twenty years of Chord Electronics’ research, development and advanced engineering into one device. At its heart lies the advanced Spartan 6 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) with 1,000x the processing power of a traditional mass-produced chip DAC. DAVE’s FPGA is loaded with over a million lines of code to confront complex timing issues head-on, with speed and precision. The FPGA’s extraordinary capability enables a number of key sonic benefits, including significantly improved timing and the best noise-shaper performance of any known DAC. DAVE’s technology delivers music with unmatched reality and musicality, with an unrivalled timing response. The device’s lossless digital volume control outputs the signal direct to your power amplifier for the purest experience. DAVE has a large LC display, showing input, sample frequency, volume and set-up configurations options, within our famous porthole design. On its fascia, DAVE also features a rotary encoder with a large stainless steel controller and ball buttons, enabling direct interactivity in addition to the supplied remote control.
FPGA chipset:
Greater resolution, power and efficiency with unique custom-coded, 164,000 tap-length WTA filters. The reference-level flagship DAC.
Dual data BNC 75 Ω input:
DAVE can interface with the Hugo M Scaler for full benefit 705/768 kHz upscaling (only achieved with Dual BNC Chord Electronics DACs)
USB Galvanic isolation:
Prevents potential noise from sources entering the DAC
Up to 768 kHz (DSD up to 512):
Capable of high-resolution digital file playback
Fixed or variable output:
Choose between digital preamp DAC mode or pure DAC mode. Allows integration with either a power amplifier or pre/integrated amplifier
User-selectable screen display plus remote:
Offers visibility over sample rate, volume, input and filters. Full remote control over input selection, volume, crossfeed and filters.
Wide-range input/output flexibility:
With fully balanced XLR outputs, single-ended RCA phono, dual data BNC coax and two types of headphone outputs, DAVE allows for complete flexibility in any scenario
