New reference: strikes a chord
High-performance Hi-Fi and home cinema
product purveyors, Chord Electronic, has expanded its top-of-the-range
Reference line with the addition of an advanced, fully featured network music player,
the DSX1000. Available in the UK now, the DSX1000 has a UK SRP of $11,25 in
standard finish and $11,75 nickel-plated.
The new DSX1000 is a high-performance
digital network streamer that at its heart, boasts Chord Electronics’
world-renowned proprietary DAC technology. The latest-generation Field
Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) architecture found inside the DSX1000 is the
same advanced technology used in the highly acclaimed QBD76 HDSD DAC and the
Red Reference MK III CD-player, giving the DSX1000 a significant sonic
advantage over ordinary network players with off-the-shelf DAC chips.
The
new DSX1000 is a high-performance digital network streamer that at its heart
The FPGA handles all the digital data
decoding clocking, WTA filtering and the 5th generation Pulse Array DAC.
Improvements to the Pulse Array DAC have been further complimented with an
enhanced power supply design and layout, giving the very best
digital-to-analogue conversion available. The DSX1000’s streaming engine is
directly coupled into Chord Electronics’ own DAC technology, which carefully
re-clocks all data, removing many of the jitter issues that can affect other
products where the DAC is coupled into the main streaming chip.
The DSX1000 features UPnP/DLNA access and
control and is capable of transforming the sound of MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, ALAC
and FLAC files, with 24-bit/192kHz support where available, and follows the
success of Chord Electronics’ debut streamer, the Chordette Index. Key features
include an inbuilt analogue volume control circuit, as used in Chord
Electronics’ $37,500 CPA8000 Reference preamp, which gives highly accurate
volume adjustment without the problems and low-level distortions associated
with digital volume controls normally found in streaming products.
The
DSX10000 has a full-color 3.5-inch TFT front-panel display showing album
artwork
The player also boasts both
volume-controlled and line-level analogue outputs which feature both balance
XLR and RCA Phono connections. The network connection is via a fixed-wired
Ethernet port due to the bandwidth limitations of Wi-Fi for 24/192kHz support
(Ethernet-over-mains connections can also be used if required).
The DSX10000 has a full-color 3.5-inch TFT
front-panel display showing album artwork, set up option etc. and conventional
control is via a unique front-panel cursor button that illuminates depending on
the button pressed. Remote control is also available.
The unit can also be enjoyed using many of
the UPnP apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Chord Electronics is
also offering a custom version of SongBook for the DSX1000, which will be
available to download from iTunes soon. An Android version may also be
available later on.
As with all Chord products, the DSX1000 is
carefully made by hand in Kent with an advanced chassis and casework machined
from aircraft-grade aluminum. The unit’s top-plate has been carefully machined
to reveal the technology beneath and an elegant internal lighting system
compliments the aesthetic.
New twist on al fresco audio
Launched last year at the Gadget Show
Live’s Excel Christmas extravaganza, Damson’s latest, the Twist, is a Bluetooth
wireless speaker that constitutes a breakthrough in compact style and audio
quality. Painstakingly created to satisfy contemporary consumers’ high
standards in convenient life-friendly design, the Twist achieves a blend of
style and performance by using ‘Incisor Diffusion Technology’ originally
developed by the US Navy, using a resonator that turns the surface it is
sitting on into a de facto speaker, and subsequently delivering a rich sound
and depth of bass that would be otherwise impossible from a unit of its size.
Perfect for use with any Bluetooth device,
including all smartphones and tablets, the Twist is ideal for busy music lovers
with a need for convenience. All you have to do is ‘Twist, pair and play’: turn
it on by twisting the top half of its stylish, cylindrical shape against the
lower half. Turn it to ‘BT’ (Bluetooth), pair it with a smartphone or tablet
and the music will flow forth.
Measuring just 56 x 74mm, the Twist will
fit into any bag, as well as a very large percentage of coat pockets! This
makes it equally ideal for both home and business users, adding sonic depth and
power to TVs, computer games or business presentations.
Twist also has a 3.5mm audio input for
wired connection, and a 3.5mm output allowing owners to daisy chain two or more
Twists. With a wireless range of around 10 meters, enjoying the Twist anywhere
in the house – or outside in the garden is simplicity itself. Charge the
Twist’s battery using the supplied cable and it will deliver high-quality
wireless audio for a good four hours, or nine hours if using a wired
connection.
Twist
also has a 3.5mm audio input for wired connection, and a 3.5mm output allowing
owners to daisy chain two or more Twists
Incredibly solid, beautiful on the eye,
technologically innovative, great sounding and available in a range of four
stunning finishes – the Twist represents a new step forward in lifestyle audio.
Offering a premium experience at an eminently reasonable price of $119.99 there
is simply no reason not to ‘Twist, pair and play’.
