Channel Islands VDA-2 and VAC-1 combo.
This is one awesome combo. I have auditioned many DACs and this one was the reference in my system for years. To me, it sounds better than DACs costing way more. Made in California.
Ships in original boxes. Includes upgraded silver power cord (MSRP $99), original power cords, and a glass toslink cable. Ships in original boxes
List price of this package was over $897 - It was $599 for the VDA-2, $199 for the VAC-2, and $99 for the power cable.
Features
Our new VDA•2 takes Digital to Analog audio conversion to a new level. Traditional DAC designs use brick-wall digital filters, usually followed by more analog filtering to reduce sampling noise, but cause signal degradation in the process. Another approach has been to use no filtering at all, but this adds noise to the analog signal. Both of these designs have their strengths and weaknesses, but neither tends to be a good trade-off. Our design uses only a mild “slow roll-off” digital filter and first order analog filter to tame the sampling noise. This architecture has reduced filtering artifacts compared to brick-wall types, and lower sampling noise than filterless types, resulting in a more “analog” sound.
Digital input signals are accepted by Toslink optical or coaxial SPDIF, then fed to the CS8416 24 bit/192k low jitter input receiver, then to the Burr Brown PCM1794 balanced/current output DAC. Our unique output stage is a fully discrete/zero feedback design and uses only a single transistor per output to insure the purity of the audio signal. Circuit board is high quality 2 oz. copper with lead-free silver solder construction.
Input selection and digital domain phase are selected by convenient front panel switches, and an LED indicates “LOCK” when a valid signal is being received.
Our VAC•1 is the perfect upgrade for our source components. The upgrade yields improved bass definition, dynamics and noise performance. Available in 120v and 240v input voltage (selectable by solder-in jumpers). IEC type AC socket for use with aftermarket power cords. AC input and output cables included.