CEntrance DACmini ($795)

[douede]

"AdaptiWave™ and the two-stage JitterGuard™ from Chicago pro audio firm CEntrance have crossed paths with 'philes inside kit from Bel Canto Design, Benchmark Media, Empirical Audio and Lavry. Those companies have licensed this adaptive technology written to a TAS 1020B USB controller.


While asynchronous USB is the buzz word du jour in computer audio converters, gear from these firms has garnered positive reviews which were accompanied by truly excellent jitter rejection measurements. Now comes the CEntrance DACmini from the firmware algorithm's actual authors. "

CEntrance's pricing is ultra competitive against other newcomers. While I did prefer the €699 Metrum Octave, one must add $495/579 for a Stello U3/Audiophilleo 2 + $123 for a Black Cat Veloce S/PDIF cable or equivalent to even do USB. And that still wouldn't accommodate headphones or an analog source. In fact the DACmini plus $99 Pure I-20 digital-direct iPod dock plus Veloce makes for a very fine headfi system if—as one should—the necessary iSource is already owned. No matter how I slice it, this DAC has high value written all over it. I call that realsization. It's downsizing expense and box count to do more with less whilst getting very high return on performance. It's a good thing we have just the right award for that."

Test complet: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/centrance/1.html
puis "Realsization award 2011".