John
One company very much leaning into the high-end SACD/CD player + DAC product category is Luxman. The Japanese company has this week announced the D-07X which sits below the flagship D-10X but inherits much of its technology:
- a pair of MUS-IC BD34301EKV DAC chips (from ROHM Semiconductor Co. Ltd) that promise 130dB of SNR and are applied in a dual mono configuration;
- a low-noise clocking system comprising “two high-precision, low-jitter, ultra-low phase noise modules”;
- the LxDTM-i disc drive system whose aluminium disc tray and steel top/side plates help immunise the mechanism against unwanted vibrations.
Luxman’s new silver disc player also features a USB input that will play catch on PCM up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD up to DSD512. According to the press release, that USB input goes further than your average USB input: “In addition to conventional, “isochronous” file transfers at fixed bitrates, the USB input supports two modes of Bulk Pure Enhanced Technology® (Bulk Pet®) high-resolution audio file transfer. This optimizes data packaging and delivery to the converter, easing the processing load for both the host CPU and the device CPU. This in turn reduces the workload between reading and reproduction, enhancing playback stability and improving sound quality.”
The neighbouring coaxial and TOSLINK inputs accommodate PCM up to 24bit/192kHz. MQA decoding is also supported via the unit’s three digital inputs and the disc drawer via MQA CDs.
The analogue output stage has reportedly been developed with a keen eye for detail. The differential current outputs of the paired MUS-IC DAC chips are converted to a voltage by a new system and that voltage is then handed off to four discrete amplifier modules. The buffer stage applies a low-pass filter to strip out any unwanted high-frequency noise and minimises the unit’s output impedance.
But there’s more. The D-07X features a larger power supply than its predecessor (the D-06u), a chassis better shielded against EMI, feet that minimise shelf-borne vibrations, gold-on-brass RCA output connectors and balanced XLR output sockets from Neutrik. The IEC socket has been turned 180 degrees to better support heavier power cables.
On cosmetics, the new Luxman disc spinner’s finish is brushed aluminium – the same brushed aluminium that’s found on the supplied remote IR wand – and the fluorescent display offers a 4x zoom for greater legibility at the listening position.
Pricing says hello at US$9995 (which is US$6500 lower than the flagship D-10X).
Further information: Luxman
