ЦАПы — Soulution Audio 360 DAC

The 360 is the digital-to-analogue converter of Soulution's 300 Series, the Swiss company's range below its 500 and 700 lines. Designed and built in Switzerland, it converts every incoming signal to DXD before conversion and includes a volume control, so it can drive a power amplifier directly or feed a preamplifier.

Key specs that matter

Digital inputs are AES/EBU (110 ohm), SPDIF (75 ohm), USB and a network input. PCM is accepted from 16 to 24 bit and 32 to 192 kHz, DXD (24-bit/384 kHz) via the network input and DSD64 and DSD128 as DoP. Frequency response is DC to 200 kHz (-3 dB), THD is below 0.0003% and spot noise below -140 dBV per root hertz. Outputs are one balanced XLR at 4 Vrms and 10 ohms and one RCA at 2 Vrms and 5 ohms, with peak output current above 0.2 A. Volume ranges from -79 to 0 dB. The chassis measures 430 x 350 x 142 mm and weighs about 10 kg.

Engineering and use context

A DSP converts all incoming data to DXD, then performs Soulution's zeroPhase processing and the LEEDH volume calculation. One PCM1792 DAC chip runs in mono mode for each channel, and its internal digital filter is bypassed so that filtering is handled by Soulution's own algorithms. The analogue reconstruction filter after the DAC is passive and built with custom high-precision parts, which keeps its behaviour stable. That stability matters because zeroPhase pre-compensates the timing errors this filter introduces, so the output phase stays linear. LEEDH processing reduces the truncation errors that normally affect digital volume controls when level is lowered. Operation uses three front-panel buttons and a rotary control, with a display showing the operating mode, and configuration settings adapt the converter to the rest of the system. Two 3.5 mm Link connections switch other Soulution units on and off. Power consumption is about 30 W in operation and under 0.5 W in standby, and the warranty is five years. The supplied remote and a set of shims for levelling the chassis complete the package.

Pairing

With its strong balanced output and volume control, the 360 can drive a power amplifier such as Soulution's 311 directly, removing the preamplifier from the chain. The network input connects a UPnP library or streamer directly, and the AES/EBU input suits CD transports with professional AES/EBU outputs.

Alternatives

Soulution's 560 DAC is the larger converter with five digital inputs and digital outputs.