Musical Fidelity V90 DAC; Black

V90-DAC - Overview

Our aim with the V90-DAC was, on balance, to make the best DAC in the world without breaking the bank.

Examine any high-end DAC, and the first thing you see is massive casework. As far as we are aware, this contributes nothing to its technical or sonic performance. Take the top off, and in most cases you will find a complex layout that suggests performance. However, further analysis will show that the real work of signal handling and data conversion is done by a dozen or so components. The rest is decoration, designed to suggest competence. These observations formed the basis for the V90-DAC concept.

We wanted to build the best DAC in the world, but to sell it at a fair price. Using state-of-the-art design techniques and components, we set out to design a DAC to produce top-notch technical performance – housed in a modest, reasonably priced package.

The V90-DAC has a balance of measurements: distortion, noise, linearity, bandwidth, and phase, which in their totality are not significantly bettered by any product at any price.

If you hunt around, you may find the occasional DAC that claims to have slightly better performance than the V90-DAC in one area or another, but in totality will not exceed it. There are plenty of competitors shouting about their new, wonderful version of the emperor’s new clothes, but they offer little or nothing in real performance to back up their claims. Just lots of talk about subjective this or that, but all of it is just a matter of opinion.

The V90-DAC is a matter of fact. Its technical and sonic performance is superlative. There are better DACs but they may cost twenty or thirty times more.

Buying the V90-DAC is your personal statement of independence from overhyped claims.

V90-DAC D/A converter in brief

• Exceptional technical performance combined with value for money
• Multiple digital inputs – coax, 2 x optical and asynchronous USB
• Low output impedance
• 32bit DAC
• 24bit 192kHz re-clocking and up-sampling on all inputs
• Extended linearity
• Outstanding channel separation
• Beautiful, considered build quality

Reviews

Read the AUDIO review.

Also read the HiFi einsnull review.

Specifications

Performance
Jitter: THD(+ noise): <0.004% 20Hz to 20 kHz
Frequency Response: +0, –0.1dB, 20Hz to 20 kHz
Crosstalk: -104dB, 20Hz to 20 kHz
Signal / Noise ratio: -117dB, 20Hz to 20 kHz

Inputs
1x RCA coaxial connector SPDIF 32-bit/192 kHz (16-24 bit stereo PCM)
2x TOSLINK optical connector 32-bit/96 kHz (16-24 bit stereo PCM)
1x USB type ‘B’ connector - Asynchronous data stream at up to 24-bit/96kHz (Determined by source file/computer settings)

Outputs
1x line level RCA (phono)

General
Dimensions - WxHxD (mm): 170 x 47 x 102
Weight (unpacked / packed): 600g / 1.1 kg

Supplied Accessories
1x 12v 500mA DC power supply

RESOURCES:
Manual
Information Sheet