In hifi circles, Rotel is renowned for its stereo amplifiers. But the Japanese company recognized growing demand for high-quality headphone listening experiences and the fact that more people are spending time at home or by their computers. The Rotel DX-3 Headphone Amplifier introduces a new product category with a new, modern, fully balanced design. The built-in ESS Sabre ES9028PRO DAC renders music via USB input (32-bit/384kHz), coaxial/optical (24-bit/192kHz), aptX HD Bluetooth, and legacy audio equipment via an AUX RCA input.
In hifi circles, Rotel is renowned for its stereo amplifiers. But the Japanese company recognized growing demand for high-quality headphone listening experiences and the fact that more people are spending time at home or by their computers. The Rotel DX-3 Headphone Amplifier introduces a new product category with a new, modern, fully balanced design. The built-in ESS Sabre ES9028PRO DAC renders music via USB input (32-bit/384kHz), coaxial/optical (24-bit/192kHz), aptX HD Bluetooth, and legacy audio equipment via an AUX RCA input.
Personal audio is an increasingly important product category, and Rotel understood the opportunity to create a new design that would be attractive in a wide range of applications, while meeting the highest, no-compromise quality requirements. The new Rotel DX-3 is a well-specified, high-performance headphone amplifier that also is equally effective as a pre-amplifier and stand-alone DAC, all contained in a single component.
Designed to be an ideal desktop audio solution, the Rotel DX-3 supports an array of both modern and legacy source inputs, including PC-USB (32-bit/384kHz) with DSD 4X support, coaxial and optical (24-bit/192kHz), wireless aptX HD and AAC Bluetooth, and an RCA analog connection. Inside, we find the highest-grade components, including the
ESS Sabre ES9028PRO 8-channel DAC, combined with an ultra-low-noise, in-house manufactured, custom toroidal transformer, high-current drivers, and high-quality capacitors.
The Rotel DX-3 is capable of decoding a number of different audio formats via its digital, Bluetooth, and USB inputs, including PCM, DSD, and DoP up to 32-bits and 384kHz. And the DX-3 has been fully certified for use as a Roon endpoint through USB and is fully Roon Tested to ensure the best experience for subscribers of the premium streaming service.
On the hardware side, it’s also important to highlight that the volume attenuation is controlled by a Nisshinbo NJW1195A fully differential analog controller, delivering precise steps as refined as 0.5dB. Analog and digital power supplies have been meticulously engineered and crafted, fully isolated from each other, ensuring minimal noise interference. For additional performance, the DX-3 also includes custom-engineered and critically tuned low-pass filters utilizing a full balanced, fully differential signal path, further reducing unwanted noise and distortion.
The DX-3 readily adapts to and enhances a wide selection of wired headphones, including high, medium, and low impedance models with user-selectable amplifier gain. Connectivity is supported through convenient front-panel-mounted 4.4mm balanced and 6.35mm single-ended headphone connectors. But at the same time, the DX-3 is also perfectly capable of feeding an active loudspeaker system. Rotel knows how to build an amplifier and power stage properly, so the dedicated balanced outputs have fully differential signal paths for the left and right channels, allowing the DX-3 to function as a dedicated pre-amp, offering cleaner audio signal reproduction with active-powered loudspeakers or to streaming power amps via the RCA unbalanced analog outputs. Together with the standalone DAC, this extends the flexibility of installation to directly drive external amplifiers, powered active speakers, or feeding an existing audio system.
The design and build quality are both to Rotel’s standards, with a full-color front-panel graphic display providing all user feedback, with the single, large, diamond-knurled volume attenuator. Alternatively, the DX-3 can be operated via the included aluminum extruded Rotel RR DX1 remote control.
The suggested retail pricing for the DX-3 is $1,499.00. First products will be available in silver and black finishes from March 2025.
www.rotel.com
