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DACs — D&A (Digi & Aesth) Alpha PRO
Description, images, technical data and specifications
D&A (Digi & Aesth) Alpha PRO
Image source — © D&A (Digi & Aesth)
The Alpha PRO combines a DAC, a preamplifier and a headphone amplifier, and it comes from D&A, or Digi & Aesth, a brand from the Nanshan district of Shenzhen, China, founded in 2024 and public since 2025, whose name joins digital with aesthetics. It is the brand's first all-in-one unit and positioned above the Alpha, priced at USD 699 or EUR 690, with a two-year warranty.
Key specs that matter
An ESS ES9039MSPRO chip handles conversion with MQA decoding, fed by an XMOS XU-316 USB receiver, with a Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth chip and an NJU72315 analogue volume control. USB accepts PCM up to 32 bit and 768 kHz and native DSD512, while coaxial and optical inputs handle 24 bit and 192 kHz and DSD64 over DoP. Bluetooth supports SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC at 24 bit and 96 kHz, and an analogue RCA line input is provided. The XLR line output delivers 5.2 V RMS and the RCA output 2.5 V RMS, both with 100 ohm output impedance. THD+N is 0.00006% on XLR, 0.00007% on RCA and 0.0001% on the headphone output, and signal to noise ratio is 133 dB, 128 dB and 125 dB respectively. Headphone outputs are 4-pin XLR, 4.4 mm and 6.35 mm, with output impedance below 0.1 ohm, and balanced power reaches 6000 mW into 32 ohm and 700 mW into 300 ohm, while the 6.35 mm socket gives 3000 mW into 32 ohm. The unit measures 225 x 55 x 199.3 mm and weighs 1.76 kg.
Engineering and use context
D&A's SIGMA scheme runs eight differential streams per channel inside the DAC, and the filter is minimum phase only. Three femtosecond oscillators with a dual PLL form the clock, with jitter of about 15 ps. The headphone amplifier is a 4C-FBDA balanced discrete design with 32 transistors, eight per leg of each channel. Dual discrete regulated linear supplies provide separate rails for the DAC and the headphone amplifier. The analogue input passes through the analogue volume control, so a turntable with a phono stage or a cassette deck can use the unit as a true analogue preamplifier. Three operating modes, DAC, preamplifier and headphone amplifier, are selectable, and LED indicators show the gain setting. Consumption is below 50 W in operation and below 0.5 W in standby.
Pairing
The XLR output drives power amplifiers or active monitors directly, and the balanced headphone outputs have power for low-sensitivity planar headphones.
Alternatives
The D&A Alpha is the entry DAC of the brand with dual ES9039Q2M chips at USD 399.
Key specs that matter
An ESS ES9039MSPRO chip handles conversion with MQA decoding, fed by an XMOS XU-316 USB receiver, with a Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth chip and an NJU72315 analogue volume control. USB accepts PCM up to 32 bit and 768 kHz and native DSD512, while coaxial and optical inputs handle 24 bit and 192 kHz and DSD64 over DoP. Bluetooth supports SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC at 24 bit and 96 kHz, and an analogue RCA line input is provided. The XLR line output delivers 5.2 V RMS and the RCA output 2.5 V RMS, both with 100 ohm output impedance. THD+N is 0.00006% on XLR, 0.00007% on RCA and 0.0001% on the headphone output, and signal to noise ratio is 133 dB, 128 dB and 125 dB respectively. Headphone outputs are 4-pin XLR, 4.4 mm and 6.35 mm, with output impedance below 0.1 ohm, and balanced power reaches 6000 mW into 32 ohm and 700 mW into 300 ohm, while the 6.35 mm socket gives 3000 mW into 32 ohm. The unit measures 225 x 55 x 199.3 mm and weighs 1.76 kg.
Engineering and use context
D&A's SIGMA scheme runs eight differential streams per channel inside the DAC, and the filter is minimum phase only. Three femtosecond oscillators with a dual PLL form the clock, with jitter of about 15 ps. The headphone amplifier is a 4C-FBDA balanced discrete design with 32 transistors, eight per leg of each channel. Dual discrete regulated linear supplies provide separate rails for the DAC and the headphone amplifier. The analogue input passes through the analogue volume control, so a turntable with a phono stage or a cassette deck can use the unit as a true analogue preamplifier. Three operating modes, DAC, preamplifier and headphone amplifier, are selectable, and LED indicators show the gain setting. Consumption is below 50 W in operation and below 0.5 W in standby.
Pairing
The XLR output drives power amplifiers or active monitors directly, and the balanced headphone outputs have power for low-sensitivity planar headphones.
Alternatives
The D&A Alpha is the entry DAC of the brand with dual ES9039Q2M chips at USD 399.
Specifications
Model name
Alpha PRO
Conversion type
N/A
Engine
N/A
DSD compatability
Yes
Parameters
up to PCM 32/768 and DSD512
Frequency response low +/- 3dB (Hz)
N/A
Frequency response high +/- 3dB (Hz)
N/A
Gain (dBu)
N/A
Output Level (balanced) (V)
N/A
Output Level (single-ended) (V)
N/A
Input Impedance (balanced) (Ω)
N/A
Input Impedance (single-ended) (Ω)
N/A
Output Impedance (balanced) (Ω)
100
Output Impedance (single-ended) (Ω)
N/A
Analog outputs
N/A
Signal to Noise Ratio (dB)
133
Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (% at 22 kHz)
0.00006
Dimensions (mm)
225 x 199.3 x 55
Weight (kg)
1.76
Official link