Dense Launches Kickstarter Campaign for Adapt Compact USB-C Audio DAC

Another week and more audio products are pitched on crowdfunding platforms. Some products have new or clearly differentiated arguments - sometimes so new or different that it's hard to believe! - while others are simply well-designed or products that have to rely on better quality and technical arguments that consumer's will find hard to understand or believe. The latter is the reason why we decided to write about the new Dense Audio USB audio DAC, called Adapt. This is a product designed by an experienced team, who have ventured into creating a new company and launch a product "that could set a new standard and be used for a long time in this fast-changing world."

For over half a century, Rotel has been manufacturing award winning hi-fi components that set new levels of audio performance within and often above its class. That tradition continues with the latest introduction of three new stereo components as part of the 15 Series. These include the new RA-1572 Integrated Amplifier, RC-1572 Stereo PreAmplifier, and RCD-1572 CD Player, all designed with upgraded connectivity options.

OPPO Digital announced that the new Sonica DAC is ready for release. Sonica DAC can be used as a an asynchronous USB DAC with any computer, as a high resolution media player, or even as a network streamer playing content from DLNA servers and via AirPlay and Bluetooth. It features an ES9038PRO 32-bit HyperStream DAC, the audio circuitry is powered by a massive toroidal power transformer, and the audio output path is fully balanced.

miniDSP introduced the DDRC-24, a USB DAC+DSP Digital Room Correction processor powered by Dirac Live, featuring Toslink, analog inputs and up to 4 processed outputs for 2.0, 2.1, or 2-way active speaker configurations. With the smallest Dirac Live hardware processor miniDSP is making room correction even easier and more affordable, perfect for tuning hi-fi listening rooms, subwoofer integration, tuning mobile applications and adjusting monitors in recording studios.

Prism Sound launched Callia, a PCM and DSD capable DAC, digital pre-amplifier and headphone amp, leveraging the company’s know-how with top sound quality solutions for professional recording environments, now in a format adapted for the home. Offering the very best in digital music reproduction, the compact Callia is a state-of-the-art unit designed with exceptional attention to detail for music lovers and audio enthusiasts.

CEntrance’s campaign to launch its DACportable USB DAC on crowdfunding website Indiegogo received an amazing response and quickly surpassed its funding goal. The DACportable is a battery operated, powerful, palm-sized USB DAC designed to convert the average audio of any smartphone, tablet or computer into a high-quality, high-resolution, listening experience.

French wireless electronics specialist Parrot updated its Philippe Starck- designed Zik wireless headphones, introducing the third generation with new colors, an improved design, wireless charging, hi-fi quality in USB, and smart noise canceling. Strange is the fact that the Zik 3 still relies on Bluetooth 3.0.

Promised to start shipping in June, Alo Audio’s new Continental dual mono headphone amp with USB DAC was already the talk of the show at the Headphonium section of The Show Newport. Alo Audio will not be alone with the idea of designing an hybrid tube/solid-state “transportable” headphone amp and USB DAC but it certainly did it with an interesting design.