ЦАПы — Fezz Audio Fezz Equinox

The Equinox is a D/A processor using a vacuum tube in its analogue section from Fezz Audio of Poland, built under licence from Lampizator and designed by Lampizator founder Lukasz Fikus. It was announced in November 2024 at USD 2,995 and is presented as the only licensed Lampizator tube converter and the least expensive product to carry the Lampizator name. The standard version described here has single-ended outputs only, and European pricing ranges from about EUR 2,400 to EUR 3,500 depending on finish and output option.

Key specs that matter

Fezz chose a Burr Brown PCM1794 from Texas Instruments, run without oversampling, and the analogue output stage uses one 12AU7, also sold as ECC82. Digital inputs are one USB Type B, one coaxial S/PDIF and two optical Toslink ports. An Asahi Kasei AKM4118 receiver takes the S/PDIF streams at 32 kHz to 192 kHz with 16 to 24 bit words, while USB accepts up to 384 kHz and 32 bit. There is one stereo pair of RCA outputs. Total harmonic distortion is quoted below 0.05 percent, and the unit draws about 9 W. Its enclosure is 355 x 380 x 95 mm and the launch figures give a weight of 8 kg. Finishes at launch were Black Ice and Sunlight, a champagne tone.

Engineering and use context

Fezz grew out of Toroidy, a Polish maker of toroidal transformers, and the Equinox takes its mains supply from a Supreme class toroidal power transformer developed by Fezz and Toroidy engineers. A glass panel on the top slides open to expose the tube socket, so the 12AU7 can be swapped for other types of the same family without tools or removing covers. A rear signal ground switch lets the owner lift or connect the signal earth when a hum loop appears with other mains-powered components. The 12AU7 stage is the only valve in the signal path, fed directly from the non-oversampling converter. Fezz gives two years of warranty on the unit and 90 days on the tube, and it is designed and assembled in Poland.

Pairing

The USB port connects directly to a computer or network streamer with a USB output, and the optical and coaxial inputs take CD transports, televisions or streamers with S/PDIF. With only RCA outputs, it feeds any high-level input of a stereo amplifier or control amplifier over unbalanced cables, and Fezz tube amplifiers share both the finishes and the connection format.

Alternatives

The Fezz Equinox Prestige Balanced adds a second 12AU7 and XLR outputs alongside the RCA pair while keeping the same PCM1794 converter, inputs and case size.