DACs — Merason Frerot

The Frerot is a non-oversampling digital to analogue converter from Merason, designed and manufactured in Switzerland, with critical assembly work carried out there. It sits alongside the Merason DAC 1 Mk II, DAC 2 and Reuss, and comes in black or silver. Merason also makes the Mountain DAC. Digital input is applied to the converters without oversampling, so the chips receive the original sample rate of the file or disc.

Key specs that matter

The Frerot converts through two Burr-Brown 1794A chips. The unit accepts PCM at 44.1 and 48 kHz with 16 or 24 bit words, and at 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz with 24 bit words, with no DSD playback. The XLR outputs reach up to 4 V RMS and the RCA outputs up to 2 V RMS. Frequency response is 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 0.2 dB, THD plus noise stays below 0.006 percent and the noise figure is better than 120 dB. The case is 22.5 cm wide, 5 cm high and 18 cm deep, and the DAC weighs 995 g with its power supply adding 200 g.

Engineering and use context

The analogue topology is fully balanced, with four independent channels, each fed by a discrete current to voltage stage and a discrete class A output stage. Ten separate power rails supply the different functional sections, and a switchmode regulator feeds the four output channels. Five digital inputs are fitted - one USB, two coaxial RCA and two Toslink optical. The USB receiver uses an Amanero board with two precision oscillators and capacitive isolation, while the coaxial and optical inputs are galvanically isolated by transformer coupling, and measures against jitter are applied throughout the design. Power comes from an included external supply with a 100 to 240 V AC input rated at 40 W, delivering 9 V DC at 12 W to the converter. Merason offers the Pow1 linear power supply as an optional upgrade. Operating conditions are an ambient temperature of 10 to 30 degrees C and humidity up to 80 percent without condensation, and the case runs about 15 K above room temperature, so a shelf with some air above it is advisable.

Pairing

Since both output types are present, the Frerot can go straight into a balanced or single-ended preamp or integrated amp. A computer or network transport can use the USB port, while a CD transport and a television or streamer can share the coaxial and optical inputs.

Alternatives

The Merason DAC 1 Mk II is another converter from the same Swiss maker positioned above the Frerot in the range.