DAC 4.1 Limited Edition Triple C-Core

$2,650.00$3,100.00

Triple C-Core, 5687 line stage output board, R-2R DAC. Our most popular DAC since 2011.

SKU: L4DAC41 Categories: ,

Description

The ANK Audiokits DAC 4.1 has been our most popular DAC since 2011. For the ultimate in digital reproduction the DAC 4.1 offers velvet smooth operation with no digital artifacts or treble edge. Following the Audio Note tradition of Non Oversampling Resistor Ladder Architecture (R-2R) pure digital to analog conversion method, it hardwires digital information directly to output voltage. And with triple C-Core transformers digital reproduction never sounded so good!

DAC 4.1 features include

  • Triple C-Core Output Transformers.
  • Pre-assembled Digital DAC board with Toroidal Input Transformers and Elna Cerafine capacitors.
  • Enhanced M2 Power Supply uses high quality RubyCon Electrolytics and Panasonic FC Caps on filament position.
  • 5687 Driver Board with Audio Note Tantalum Resistors, Mundorf Silver Gold Oil Film Capacitors, and Elna Cerafine
    Bypass Caps.
  • Support for XLR, RCA (SPDIF) and optional USB input and both RCA and XLR Balanced Outputs.
  • Optional USB input board.

The latest version of the DAC 4.1 boasts numerous features and supports up to 24/96khz sampling and data widths. The DAC also has the M2 tube rectified and regulated power supply for ultimate smoothness. To complete the pure digital to analog design of the DAC 4.1 the digital board has no analog filtering (analog filtering has been totally removed). If you are looking for digital sound reproduction with no digital artifacts and smooth as velvet output with no fatigue then the DAC 4.1 is the kit for you!

IMG_5090

Triple C-Core output transformers

The huge Triple C-Core output transformers are mounted at the front of the DAC 4.1 chassis and are some of the latest in C-Core techonology. These transformers are manufactured to exacting specifications allowing us to take the DAC 4.1 to an amazing level of sonics. Increased definition, authority and high end information allow piano and vocals to strike right in the heart! Matched with the Triple C-Core output transformers this DAC provides an audiophile experience reserved for but a few.

ANK Audio Kits DAC 4.1 Limited Edition Triple C-Core - Triple C-Core output transformers

I/V transformers

Our I/V transformers were specially designed by Audio Note Engineering to provide an affordable yet highly effective transformer for the DAC 4.1. I/V Transformers are used to maximize the energy transfer during the Current-to-Voltage phase of the conversion resulting in increased dynamics.

ANK Audio Kits DAC 4.1 Limited Edition Triple C-Core - I/V transformers

Signature 5687 output board

Our venerable 5687 output board packed with Audio Note Tantalum 1 watt resistors and Mundorf Silver Gold Oil Film Capacitors – simple, clean and with a remarkable sonic purity.

There are many 5687 tubes available from re-manufactured to classic 50’s NOS. Our signature board extracts every last bit of detail from your digital source material! In fact you will be amazed it is digital – it sounds that natural and organic.

ANK Audio Kits DAC 4.1 Limited Edition Triple C-Core

Tube rectified & tube regulated M2 power supply

The M2 power supply in the DAC 4.1 is an enhanced PCB version of the original M2 power supply taken from Audio Note UK’s finished products line. It uses a mains transformer and choke combination with a 6X5 for tube rectification and an ECL82 for regulation. This latest version uses vertical heatsinks, Mundorf supreme film capacitors, Rubycon electrolytics and TAKMAN 1W resistors. We have found this combination has superb performance and reliability. In addition there we have a dedicated digital power supply PCB to ensure the sensitive digital circuits are fed with a smooth and quiet power supply.

Audio Note M-2 Power (3)

Key Elements

Specifications

Output Tubes 2 x 5687
Rectification Tube ECL82
Rectifier Tube 6X5
Inputs (any 2 switchable) 1. Standard 75 Ohm RCA (S/PDIF)
2. 110-ohm AES/EBU (XLR) S/PDIF
3. USB (optional board)
Outputs Single Ended Stereo RCAs
& Balanced Stereo XLRs.
Output level 2.5V RMS both channels
Output impedance 13 Ohms
Width 38.1 cm
Height 14.6 cm
Depth 40.6 cm
Weight 14 Kilos
Chassis 3mm Aluminum with Black Powder Coat

Parts Compliment includes:

  • 2 x Triple C-Core Output Transformers
  • 2 x I/V Transformers
  • Torriodal Digital Transformer
  • Signature Digital PCB (pre-assembled)
  • TAKMAN 1W Resistors (power supply PCB)
  • Audio Note 1W Resistors (gain stage)
  • Mundorf Silver Gold Oil Film Caps*
  • Elna Cerafine Bypass Caps (gain stage)
  • PTFE Silver Plated Hookup Wire
  • Audio Note Silver RCA’s
    *Enquire if you prefer Audio Note Copper caps

DAC 4.1x C-Core

  • 2 x Triple C-Core Output Transformers
  • 2 x I/V Transformers
  • Torriodal Digital Transformer
  • Dac 5.1 Digital board with Audio Note 1/2W tantalum resistors (pre-assembled)
  • Audio Note Tantalum 1W Resistors (power supply PCB)
  • Audio Note 1W Resistors (gain stage)
  • Audio Note Copper oil Film Caps 0.22 & 0.47 (gain stage)
  • Elna Cerafine Bypass Caps (gain stage)
  • Audio Note Non Magnetic Tantalum 1W Resistors (gain stage PCB)
  • Audio Note Kasaii electrolytics (gain stage)
  • Audio Note Silver RCA’s

Testimonials

Check out our HI-RES Gallery 

Just a note to let you know the DAC (built by ANK finished products builder DigitalPete) arrived about an hour ago. I just wanted to let you know the workmanship looks stunning. The layout is absolutely neat and everything looks polished. It is obvious you take great pride in your work. Out of the box on first listen I could tell this is a special piece of audio gear. It has detail and dynamics in spades. After a number of hours of playing time the warmth and presence became more apparent. It has that one character that I love and call “concert hall” sound, the acoustic space of the musical performance.

Bill Scoby

I finally finished the DAC 4.1 LE and installed it Friday evening. After the initial test CD check all looked OK so I connected the balanced outputs to my preamp. All Right! Music is coming out of my speakers on the first try. Then I struggled to come up with words to describe the quality of that music. I have been at this “hobby” for about 30 years and can honestly say I have never experienced an improvement this profound. I simply didn’t know that digital playback could sound like this. I’ve been chasing the elusive perfect sound and found vinyl playback to offer the most engaging balance of qualities… until now.

Don’t get me wrong. I won’t be selling my turntable any time soon, but Redbook CD has no business sounding this good. If this DAC actually gets better as it burns in I can’t imagine being any happier with the sound. It is so close to perfect now; sweet and musical, but not soft or euphonic. I’m literally hearing lots of detail that was absent before. It truly is like hearing the music for the first time. It’s that different. Another reviewer mentioned that you should not listen to an Audio Note DAC if you can’t afford to own one. I couldn’t agree more.
Don’t torture yourself.

Kurt

I have finish the assembling of my DAC4.1 kit and I’m very satisfied of it. All what I anticipate from this kit meet all my expectations. The timbres, the soundstage, the drive, the bass have reach level I have never met with any others dacs I’ve listen to in the past.
I’m really happy of it!

Sylvian

There is something musically magical about this DAC4.1, as I listen through my music collection I’m amazed of some nuances or subtle passages which were never revealed before now convincingly present. Never heard so many variations of cymbals or timbre as I do now.

The DAC really rewards musicians/album producers/sound engineers who put a lot of effort in the recorded material. On the flip side, a poor recording can drag your HiFi system to a mediocre stereo system.
With a little over 100 hours burn-in the DAC is still showing indications that it’s still musically improving and based on the quality of the components I suspect this will be on-going till about 500-800 burn-in hours. I praise the Audionote Team for engineering this world class product and I’m proud to say I own one !!!

Bob Levesque

The acoustics of the venue are so apparent – singers or instruments away from microphones sound real as the subtle details are provided with clarity,not lost in the louder sounds. Yes, the sound staging is superb plus all the other virtues that professional reviewers describe paragraph after paragraph. The DAC 4.1LE is very quiet and when my home is also quiet, I love to seize the opportunity to play music with broad dynamic range, so I don’t have to strain to hear micro details when listening at reasonable levels of volume.

Mark Dyrbye