Emotiva XDA-3 DAC / Preamp

When you listen to digital audio, it is the DAC that converts the ones and zeros of the digital audio stream into the analogue sound that you hear… which is why the DAC you choose has such a major impact on sound quality. When it comes to playing digital audio, the DAC is literally the heart and soul of your audio system.

If you already have an analogue audio system, then you probably think of a DAC as the source component that adds high-quality digital audio inputs to your existing system. Or, if you only have digital sources, then you may look at your DAC as the control centre of your whole system, taking the place of the preamplifier in an analogue system. Our new XDA-3 offers the features you need and the sound quality you crave to fulfil either role superbly while offering some exciting and interesting new features and capabilities you may not have even thought possible before.

The USB input on our new XDA-3 supports all of the important two-channel digital audio formats, including PCM at sample rates and bit depths up to 32/768k and both DoP and native DSD (DoP up to DoP256 and native DSD up to DSD512). The four S/PDIF digital audio inputs support sample rates up to 24/192k and are ideal for connecting devices like CD players and audio streamers. The HDMI-ARC input enables you to send digital audio directly from your TV to the XDA-3. And, unlike most other DACs, the XDA-3 also has both balanced and unbalanced analogue inputs you can use to connect analogue devices like a phono preamp.

While it is predominantly a digital product, the XDA-3 was designed from the ground up with all of the analogue features you would expect from an Emotiva Differential Reference product. The signal path for digital inputs is fully balanced and fully differential from the balanced outputs of the DAC chips to the XLR connectors on the rear panel, and the signal path for the balanced analogue inputs is fully balanced and fully differential from input to output. And, since the XDA-3 features digitally controlled analogue ladder network volume control, the analogue inputs have a fully analogue signal path and are never converted into digital. In case you were wondering, the XDA-3 has both balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs, with the unbalanced outputs being derived directly from the balanced signal via a separate balanced to single-ended converter stage.

The XDA-3 also has a long list of features you would expect in a high-end audio product intended to be used in an audiophile setting, like a high-performance headphone amplifier, a full-featured machined aluminium remote control, and a high visibility OLED graphical display.

We also want to point out that the XDA-3 is a full-sized audiophile component – designed to be right at home in any stereo or home theatre system. It includes features that you would expect to find in a stereo component, like a full-sized all-metal cabinet, with a precision low-noise internal AC power supply and a rear panel populated with full-sized input and output connectors.

We’re very proud to put our name on it…The Emotiva XDA-3 Differential Reference DAC.

XDA-3 DAC / Preamp

Topology:

The XDA-3 is a high-performance two-channel audiophile DAC with a variety of digital inputs, including a very high-performance USB input, an HDMI-ARC input, and two stereo analogue inputs. The XDA-3 features a fully balanced, fully differential analogue signal path and a true analogue ladder network volume control for superb performance as both a DAC and a preamp.

Inputs:

• 2 – Coaxial S/PDIF digital audio inputs.
• 2 – Toslink optical S/PDIF digital audio inputs.
• 1 – HDMI-ARC digital audio input
• 1 – High-performance USB digital audio input.
• 1 pair – Balanced XLR analog audio input.
• 1 pair – Unbalanced RCA analog audio input.

Outputs:

• 1 pair – Main Outputs (stereo; balanced / XLR), variable level.
• 1 pair – Main Outputs (stereo; unbalanced / RCA), variable level.
• 1 – Headphone output, 1/4” stereo, front panel

Audio Formats and Bit Rates Supported:

• Stereo PCM digital audio via USB at standard sample rates/bit depths up to 32/768k (no drivers required for Windows, Apple, and most Linux computers).
• Stereo DoP (DSD-over-PCM-over-USB) via USB at DoP64, DoP128, and DoP256 (ASIO driver or support required).
• Native DSD (DoP) via USB at DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, and DSD512 (ASIO driver and additional software support required).
• Stereo digital audio via S/PDIF (optical and electrical) at all standard sample rates and bit depths up to 24/192k.
• Stereo digital audio via HDMI-ARC (sample rates and bit depths determined by source).
• Analog audio via one pair of stereo-balanced (XLR) Inputs and one pair of stereo-unbalanced (RCA) Inputs.

Circuit Highlights:

• Digital to Analog Conversion: ESS ES9038Q2M SABRE32 Reference DAC (32-bit Stereo DAC with Hyperstream® II DAC architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator).
• Headphone Amplifier: Texas Instruments TPA6120A2 (high-power, very high fidelity, current-feedback monolithic Class A/B headphone amplifier).
• Volume Control: NJW1195A (digitally controlled analogue ladder network volume control).
• Analog Signal Path Active Electronics: OPA1656 (ultra-low-noise, low-distortion, FET-input, audio operational amplifiers).
• USB Interface: Comtrue CT7601 32-bit 768 kHz USB Audio Bridge (supports PCM up to 32/768k; DoP up to DoP256; native-DSD up to DSD512).