CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — Accustic Arts DRIVE IV

The DRIVE IV is a CD transport from Accustic Arts, a German manufacturer whose main production principles centre on precision and accuracy, with every product manufactured in-house at its own German factory. Working exclusively as a dedicated top-loading transport for CD, CD-R and CD-RW discs, the DRIVE IV is built to an absolute reference standard with no compromises anywhere in its design.

Key specs that matter

CD positioning uses an exceptionally precise clamper with an integrated magnet guaranteeing ideal pressing and smooth running, with exact positioning achieved via a magnetic puck made of chromed brass. Two separate, generously dimensioned and magnetically shielded transformers - produced specifically for the DRIVE IV and made in Germany like all Accustic Arts transformers - provide a perfectly clean voltage feed. Individual drive components requiring power, including motor control, laser control, digital signal processing, display control and display heating, each receive their own dedicated, generously sized power supply unit, preventing the laser control's power signal from negatively influencing digital signal processing, for instance. High reservoir capacity ensures each power unit functions correctly. The digital output stage delivers extremely low jitter. Housing construction uses massive, resonance-optimised 10mm-thick aluminium plates combined with chrome-plated brass turned parts, with an ultra-stable, acoustically damped slide cover preventing interfering pressure waves from reaching the disc during read. The laser beam itself is protected inside the CD bay by a solid aluminium drive cover finished with a special light-absorbing Nextel paint, achieving 100% absorption of any diffused light present. All components are individually selected for narrow tolerances and the highest possible quality classification, with a number manually measured and matched together. A high-quality aluminium remote control with matching brushed and anodised housing is included.

Sound and use context

Expect the ultimate sound experience when this transport is combined with other Accustic Arts components - the brand's design philosophy specifically prioritises minimising every possible mechanical vibration path, from disc clamping through power supply isolation to laser-beam shielding, reflecting careful production, elaborate testing and innumerable listening sessions behind the final design.

Pairing

Given this is a dedicated transport without any built-in DAC, pairing with a capable external converter is essential to realise the DRIVE IV's full potential, and Accustic Arts' own matching electronics are specifically engineered to complement this transport's particular signal characteristics.

Alternatives

Accustic Arts' PLAYER IV combines the same celebrated CD-Pro8 transport mechanism with a built-in 32-bit/384kHz upsampling DAC and USB input for computer-based digital sources, worth considering instead if a comprehensive all-in-one disc player and DAC solution better suits a specific system than this dedicated transport-only approach.