The DAC Box DS from Box Design by Pro-Ject Audio is a feature-filled Digital/Analogue converter with multiple filters, an informative screen and three high-quality connection options. Now, thanks to a free upgrade from Pro-Ject, the DAC Box DS is also capable of handling the increasingly popular DSD (Direct Stream Digital) file formats.

DSD

DSD is gaining quick recognition as a viable alternative to high-resolution FLAC and WAV files that use the more common Pulse-Code Modulation method of digitising analogue audio. DSD uses Pulse-Density Modulation and sample rates up to 128 times that of CD to achieve an often more analogue sound performance than that realised with ‘traditional’ digital sources or file formats. On the DAC Box DS, DSD is handled over the USB input only; DSD playback software is available for PC, Mac and Linux systems.

Upgrading

DSD compatibility is available as a free upgrade to all existing DAC Box DS customers. Simply visit the support section of Henley Designs in the UK for a step-by-step and video guide to updating your DAC with a Windows PC (the upgrade cannot be made with non-Windows operating systems). After updating the DAC Box DS, it will be capable of handling both 64x DSD and 128x DSD sample rates.

From April 1st 2014, all new DAC Box DS in the UK will be sold with the DSD upgrade already installed.

DAC Box DS

The DAC Box DS is a Digital/Analogue Converter with optical, coaxial and USB inputs. The USB input utilises an asynchronous streaming technology to dramatically reduce jitter and computer-based distortion.

Conversion in the DAC Box DS is handled by the Burr-Brown PCM1792 DAC chip from Texas Instruments. The two filter settings (‘Steep’ and ‘Optimum Phase’) allow audiophiles to tailor the sound to their own preference.

The FREE DAC Box DS DSD upgrade is available to download now and the DAC Box DS is available for £299 (UK SRP) and will come with DSD compatibility pre-installed from April 2014.