CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — Canor Audio Gaia C2

The Gaia C2 from Canor of Presov, Slovakia is a tube digital-to-analogue converter with a built-in CD drive, so it works both as a disc player and as a DAC for external digital sources. A tray-loading, high-precision mechanism handles the discs, while four digital inputs let a streamer, computer or transport use the internal converter. The analogue stage is valve-based and the layout is dual mono throughout.

Key specs that matter

Two Texas Instruments PCM1792A converters are fitted in dual mono, one per channel, working at 24 bit. Discs play at 16 bit and 44.1 kHz, coax, Toslink and AES/EBU handle up to 24 bit and 192 kHz, and the USB-B input also takes DSD64, DSD128 and DSD256. Two digital filters are offered, named Natural and Dynamic. The tube line-up is two 6922 (E88CC), two 12AX7LPS and one 6CA4EH. Output voltage at 0 dBFS is 2 Vrms from the RCA pair and 4 Vrms from the XLR pair, and output impedance is under 110 ohm. Response covers 20 Hz to 20 kHz within -1.0 dB. Via XLR, THD is under 0.0007% at 1 kHz and under 0.001% across 20 Hz to 20 kHz at 0 dBFS. Signal to noise is above 110 dB A-weighted, with channel separation better than -118 dB at 10 kHz. The chassis measures 435 x 176 x 484 mm and weighs 18 kg.

Engineering and use context

Multi-level galvanic isolation separates the S/PDIF inputs and the I2S bus from the converters. The digital sections use a four-layer board layout that keeps signal paths short, and the I2S lines feeding the DACs are kept short too. The anode supply for the output stage is rectified by a double vacuum diode and passes through five stages of filtering and stabilisation. The tube stage uses Mundorf capacitors, and passive filters are built symmetrically. Canor keeps the signal path symmetrical from converter to output, and vacuum-impregnates the transformer core and seals it in anti-vibration compound inside a shielded housing. The circuit boards use the company's CMT technology. A large dot-matrix display shows the unit's status. Besides its analogue outputs, the Gaia C2 has a coaxial and an optical digital output, so the drive can also serve as a transport for another converter. Power requirement is 230 V, 50 Hz and 70 VA.

Pairing

The 4 Vrms balanced output suits an amplifier or preamplifier with XLR inputs, while the RCA pair covers unbalanced gear. With four digital inputs on board, a network streamer or television can share the converter with the disc drive, so no extra converter box is required. Black and silver finishes are offered.

Alternatives

The Canor CD 2.10 from the Performance Line is another tube D/A converter with a CD player, based on an AK4490 32-bit converter.