{"product_id":"merason-dac-1-mk-ii-silber","title":"Merason DAC 1 Mk II D\/A Converter, Silver","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Merason DAC 1 Mk II is a fully balanced reference D\/A converter that turns digital sources into music with the utmost resolution and naturalness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's the polished step up from the Reuss and has been a favourite of the trade press for years. Handbuilt in Switzerland — with a choice of gold-plated or pure-silver RCA jacks.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhy the DAC 1 Mk II?\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnically, it shares the Reuss's DNA: two Burr-Brown 1794A chips (one per channel), a discrete I\/V stage, fully balanced Class A output, every input galvanically isolated, twelve dedicated linear power supplies. The difference lies in the fine-tuning — a tighter frequency response (±0.3 dB), less distortion (\u0026lt; 0.01 %), and more signal-to-noise ratio (\u0026gt; 120 dB). You hear this as even more calm, resolution, and body. It's no accident that Part-Time Audiophile recommended it in its 2024 Buyer's Guide, and pt.audio awarded it a \"Highly recommended\" in early 2024.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat you hear\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA soundstage that puts you right in the middle of the concert, and a resolution that reveals the finest shadings — without ever becoming hard or analytical. The DAC 1 Mk II stays honest rather than flattering; it's the converter that's no longer the bottleneck in a good system.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho is the DAC 1 Mk II for?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the genuinely good system that deserves the right converter. Straight talk: it too is a pure D\/A converter — no volume control, no remote, no DSD (PCM up to 192 kHz\/24-bit). You need an amplifier or preamp with a line-level input. And honestly: visually and in construction, it resembles the more affordable Reuss — if you don't need that last bit, the Reuss already serves you superbly. If you want it, you get it here.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eStandard or pure-silver RCA?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eStandard means gold-plated RCA output jacks — the classic DAC 1 Mk II. For a surcharge (+CHF 363), the RCA jacks are available in pure silver, for a marginally lower contact resistance. Honestly, not a night-and-day difference, but the final polish for completists. We'll advise you on whether it's worth it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor most systems, the DAC 1 Mk II is already reference level — beyond it lies only the DAC 2 or the Mountain, for those who want the absolute last word without compromise. Listen to it at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil on your own system.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTechnical data\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e D\/A converter, fully balanced\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConverter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2× Burr-Brown 1794A, discrete I\/V stage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChannels:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4 independent, Class A output\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInputs:\u003c\/strong\u003e USB (Amanero), AES\/EBU, Toslink (optical), S\/PDIF coaxial (RCA)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInput formats:\u003c\/strong\u003e PCM up to 192 kHz \/ 24-bit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOutputs:\u003c\/strong\u003e XLR balanced max. 3 V RMS, RCA unbalanced max. 1.5 V RMS (standard gold-plated, pure silver optional)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency response:\u003c\/strong\u003e 20 Hz – 20 kHz ± 0.3 dB\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistortion (THD+N):\u003c\/strong\u003e \u0026lt; 0.01 %\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignal-to-noise ratio:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u0026gt; 120 dB\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePower supply:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12 separate linear power supplies, 230 V \/ 50–60 Hz, approx. 30 W\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions (W × H × D):\u003c\/strong\u003e 45 × 10 × 29 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5.5 kg\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Silver (standard or with pure-silver RCA jacks)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Made in Switzerland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncluded:\u003c\/strong\u003e Merason DAC 1 Mk II D\/A converter (Silver), power cable, instruction manual\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow does the DAC 1 Mk II differ from the Reuss and the DAC 2?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Reuss is the entry point into the same converter philosophy; the DAC 1 Mk II follows up with better measurements and more fine-tuning — the trade press's reference favourite. The DAC 2 takes it a step further with true dual-mono construction and Class A operation without feedback.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat does the pure-silver RCA jack add?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eInstead of the standard gold-plated jacks, the RCA output carries jacks made of pure silver with a marginally lower contact resistance. This is the final polish for purists — no huge leap, but the option to take this detail along too.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDo I need a preamplifier, and does it play DSD?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou need an amplifier or preamp with a line-level input, since the DAC 1 Mk II has a fixed output level without volume control. It doesn't play DSD — it's designed for PCM up to 192 kHz\/24-bit, which covers the vast majority of sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhy buy the Merason DAC 1 Mk II from HD Zürisee?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBecause a reference converter needs a system on the same level. As an authorized Merason dealer in Wädenswil, we demonstrate the DAC 1 Mk II on your own components, advise on sources and cabling, deliver, and install. Call us (044 680 22 00), write to us, or use WhatsApp (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/41765342200\"\u003e076 534 22 00\u003c\/a\u003e, text only, no calls).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the DAC 1 Mk II to show what it can do, it needs a clean source and a system on the same level: \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/streamer\"\u003eStreamers\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/cd-player\"\u003eCD players\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/vorverstarker\"\u003ePreamplifiers\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/kabel\"\u003eCables\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/merason\"\u003eMerason\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Merason","offers":[{"title":"Standard","offer_id":53101818151248,"sku":null,"price":7933.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true},{"title":"mit Reinsilber-Cinch-Buchse","offer_id":53101819691344,"sku":null,"price":8296.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/3262\/8048\/files\/merason-dac-1-mk-ii-d-a-wandler-silber-frontansicht.png?v=1786524014","url":"https:\/\/hdzuerisee.ch\/en-ch\/products\/merason-dac-1-mk-ii-silber","provider":"HD Zürisee AG","version":"1.0","type":"link"}