Audio Analogue AADac D/A Converter, Black

The Audio Analogue AADac is a D/A converter with a switchable preamp stage that converts digital signals into analog signals and, if you like, handles the volume itself.

Two operating modes, one enclosure: either it delivers a fixed level to your amplifier, or it regulates the level itself and goes straight to the power amp. A full-featured headphone output sits up front, and space for the optional Bluetooth module waits at the back. The black finish keeps a visibly low profile in a rack.

Why the AADac?

The heart is a Sabre ES9038 with seven selectable digital filters – from the linear-phase classic to brickwall, switchable during operation. The digital and analog sections have their own power supplies, the output stage is fully balanced and built from discrete components, delivering 3.35 volts on both XLR and RCA. On the input side, the USB port accepts up to 32 bit/384 kHz and native DSD512, AES/EBU and the two coaxial inputs up to 24 bit/192 kHz, Toslink up to 24 bit/96 kHz. Hardly anyone needs more connection options than that.

What you hear

Tuscan restraint instead of digital harshness. 124 dB of dynamic range and –108 dB of distortion are, at first, just numbers; audibly, they become a deep black background from which details emerge that weren't there before. Spaces gain depth, voices gain body. And when you switch back and forth between the filters, you genuinely hear differences – small, but there. Anyone who thinks that's just imagination probably hasn't taken the time to switch calmly and listen.

Who is the AADac for?

For digital chains where the converter plays the lead role – and especially for setups with a separate power amp, because in preamp mode the AADac handles the preamp duties too. Anyone who listens a lot over headphones is also well served here. Straight talk: it can't do analog sources, high-level inputs are completely absent. A turntable, tuner or cassette deck still needs an amplifier with matching inputs. And it doesn't do network streaming – Bluetooth is a convenience, not a streamer replacement.

Our verdict

More versatile than "D/A converter" suggests, and precisely for that reason worth a moment's setup. Important: in DAC mode the output sits fixed at maximum – connect it to a power amp without switching first, and you're in for an unintentionally loud surprise. Switch first, then turn up the volume. Which operating mode suits your system is something we're happy to discuss: HD Zürisee, Wädenswil – +41 44 680 22 00, WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls), shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Technical data

• Device type: D/A converter with switchable preamp, Pure-AA series
• Converter: Sabre ES9038, 7 selectable digital filters
• Digital inputs: USB-B (up to 32 bit/384 kHz, native DSD512), 2 × coaxial S/PDIF (up to 24 bit/192 kHz), Toslink (up to 24 bit/96 kHz), AES/EBU (up to 24 bit/192 kHz)
• Bluetooth: optional aptX module (up to 16 bit/48 kHz), 2.4 GHz antenna
• Analog outputs: balanced XLR, unbalanced RCA (usable simultaneously)
• Output level: switchable – DAC mode fixed at 3.35 V RMS, preamp mode adjustable including channel balance
• Headphone output: yes, 6.35 mm jack on the front (unbalanced)
• Network: not available (no LAN, no Wi-Fi)
• Dynamic range (A-weighted): 124 dB
• Total harmonic distortion (THD+N): –108 dB
• Output noise (A-weighted): 2.1 µV
• Channels: 2
• Finish: Black
• Warranty: up to 5 years (Audio Analogue)
• Dimensions (W×H×D): 220 × 100 × 390 mm
• Weight: 5.5 kg
• Included: AADac, aluminum remote control with batteries, power cable, USB cable, 2.4 GHz antenna, user manual with warranty card

Frequently asked questions

Why use a separate D/A converter?

Because converting digital to analog is the most sonically delicate step in a digital chain. A dedicated converter with its own power supply and its own enclosure operates with less interference than a chip sitting somewhere between the transformer and the power stage inside an amplifier. That's audible especially in quiet passages.

What's the difference between DAC mode and preamp mode?

In DAC mode, the AADac outputs a fixed level of 3.35 volts – your preamp or integrated amplifier then handles the volume. In preamp mode, it controls volume and channel balance itself and can drive a power amp directly. You switch between modes via the SET button or the remote control.

Can I connect headphones to the AADac?

Yes, via the 6.35 mm jack on the front. Behind it sits its own headphone amplifier that can also drive more demanding models. Plug in headphones, and the AADac activates the volume control automatically, setting it to zero for safety. It doesn't offer a balanced headphone jack.

Is the AADac a streamer?

No. The AADac has neither a LAN nor a Wi-Fi connection and can't access music services or network shares on its own. It always needs a source feeding it data – a streamer, a computer or a CD transport. The optional Bluetooth module does stream from your phone, but it doesn't replace a network player.

Why buy the AADac from HD Zürisee?

Because there's a gap between a spec sheet and your living room worth discussing: which source, which amplification, which mode. Our experienced team in Wädenswil has been doing exactly that for decades, we're an authorized dealer, and our own technician takes care of installation and service.

Goes well with

Even the best converter stays silent without a source: matching sources sit among the Streamers & Network Players and the CD Players & CD Transports, the power behind it among the Power Amplifiers. For headphone listening, take a look at the Headphones, and for the rest of the range visit the Audio Analogue world.