Stellar Gain Cell DAC

Stellar Gain Cell DAC

$3,395

The Stellar GainCell DAC combines the benefits of an exceptional analog preamplifier and a full-featured DAC. It’s affordable excellence.

Local pickup or $11 flat rate shipping within Australia

Design

The idea of building a no-loss analog preamplifier with its own built-in cutting edge DAC was the basis of the Stellar GainCell design imperative. At this instrument’s heart is the analog GainCell. Rather than using additional sonically-degrading elements inserted in the signal path to control volume, the GainCell eliminates this problem without additional circuitry in the signal path by varying its gain in response to front panel controls. Based on industry leading Sabre32 bit Hyperstream architecture, Stellar DAC features a fully balanced Class A analog output stage with multiple power supplies, independent jitter-reduced inputs, DSD, I2S, and asynchronous USB.

Application

The Stellar GainCell DAC is a full function analog preamplifier featuring a state of the art built in Digital to Analog Converter inside. It is all you need as the basis of a reference quality music system. Add a power amplifier and a pair of loudspeakers and you’ll be reveling in sonic bliss within moments. Connect a computer, CD player, or digital source to any of Stellar’s multiple digital inputs, or a Stellar Phono Preamplifier to its analog ins, and you’ve just built one of the highest value music systems in the world.

Physical

Unit Weight 13.5 lbs [6.1 kg]
Unit Dimensions 17” x 12” x 3”
Shipping Weight 17 lbs [7.7 kg]
Shipping Dimensions 23”x 18” x 9”

Power requirements

Input Power Model specific 100VAC, 120VAC, or 230VAC 50 or 60Hz
Power Consumption 20W
Mains Power Input IEC C14
Fuses 100V T250V-2.0AH (2A Slow Blow)
120V T250V-1.6AH (1.6A Slow Blow)
230V T250V-1.0AH (1.0A Slow Blow)
Accessories included US (NEMA 5-15P) (all versions)
Schuko (CEE7/7) (230V version)
UK (BS1363) (230V version)

Analog inputs

RCA
XLR
3 stereo pair
1 stereo pair

Digital audio inputs

I2S 1 PCM (384KHz max)
DSD64 DSD128
Compatible with DirectStream Transport SACD handshake for DSD playback
Coax 2 PCM (192KHz max)
Optical 1 PCM (96KHz max)
USB PCM (384KHz max)
DSD64 (DoP) DSD128 (DoP)
Format PCM, DSD

Analog Audio Outputs

RCA
XLR
Headphones
(Analog Unbalanced) 1 stereo pair
(Analog Balanced) 1 stereo pair
One 1/4″ headphone connector front panel

Analog Performance

Gain
Maximum output
Sensitivity
12dB +/-0.5dB
20 Vrms
5.3Vrms
Input Impedance 47KΩ single ended RCA
100KΩ Balanced XLR
Output Impedance 100Ω single ended RCA
200Ω balanced XLR
Frequency Response 20Hz – 20KHz +0/- 0.25dB
10Hz – 100KHz +0.1/-3.0dB
Noise 20-20KHz <-90dBV
S/N Ratio 1KHz >110dB (max output)
Channel separation 1KHz >90dB
Input separation 1KHz >90dB
THD&IM 1KHz < 0.025%
20-20KHz < 0.05%

Headphone performance

Output power @1% THD 300Ω 300mW
16Ω 3.25W
S/N Ratio 1kHz
Noise
>95dB (max output)
<-80dBV
THD & IM 1Vrms out 300Ω <0.05%
16Ω <0.06%
Output impedance <4 Ω

Features

Volume Control 0-100 (1/2 and 1dB steps, 80dB total range)
Balance Control 24dB each direction in 1/2dB steps
Home Theater Mode Assignable to any analog input
Adjustable (in setup) to any level
Polarity (phase) Control Digital sources only
Filter Control 3 selectable digital filters (PCM digital sources only)
Trigger output (3.5mm 5-15VDC) 2
Remote Control Yes. Infra Red

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