Techly, new anti-interference digital-analog converters

Techly

Techly continues to provide targeted and accessible solutions to solve the most common problems in the audio sector, from professional installations to do-it-yourself home systems.

This is the case of the new audio converters of the IDATA family, which allow you to convert a digital signal into its analog version, eliminating interference and disturbances in the audio chain. One of the main sources of frustration in interfacing an analog audio system with a digital medium, especially if the latter is "noisy" such as a computer or a television, is the presence of hiss and interference that ruin the listening experience and use.

The distortions mentioned are part of the category of electromagnetic interference (EMF), highlighted by the fact that, with a "traditional" analog connection, the grounding of the two devices (the computer and the plant) is short-circuited. The presence of this connection "transports" the interference from one device to another, up to the speakers or earphones outgoing.

Digital-to-analog converters, such as those offered by Techly, propose to solve this problem transforming a digital signal into analogue outside the source device, consequently reducing the interference present on the signal. The key to this process is the use of connectors developed specifically for this use: the toslink port uses a laser diode transmitting the digital signal through an optical fiber (the typical toslink cable). The use of optical fiber allows you to break the earth connection described above, eliminating most of the disturbances highlighted above.

But now let's talk in detail about the Techly offer:

The first DAC (ed. "digital to analog converter"), IDATA SPDIF-3 is an active converter that features two input ports for digital signals (toslink and coaxial) and a pair of RCA connectors for distribution of the analog output signal. On the left side of the product are the toslink connector, the coaxial connector and a status LED. The two RCA connectors and the DC jack for power supply are located on the right side.

The second DAC, codenamed IDATA SPDIF-9, offers some advantages over IDATA SPDIF-3. First, the DC jack leaves room for a standardized USB-mini connector, which makes it possible to use SPDIF-9 with the power supply included in the package or with a user-supplied alternative. The layout of the audio ports is unchanged, however the USB-mini port is now on the left side, while a 3.5mm audio jack for earphones is added to the right side.

SPDIF-9 therefore offers more flexibility, both in terms of power supply and in terms of possible configurations of the audio chain. The connectors carrying electrical signals (Coaxial, Jack and RCA) are also gold plated, which makes the connection more solid and increases the useful life of the device. The addition of the analog audio jack makes it possible to use two outputs simultaneously (the jack itself and the RCA pair). Between the two offerings, SPDIF-9 is the recommended product for professional or enthusiast use. If both digital inputs are populated, the priority is automatically assigned to the toslink connector.

From the point of view of conversion performance, SPDIF-3 and SPDIF-9 share many properties. Both accept 16bit (common audio signals) or 24bit (higher fidelity signals) digital inputs, in addition to sample rates of 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz. The wide range of sample rates allows the IDATA family to convert most commonly distributed audio signals to digital format, in addition to high fidelity signals extracted from obsolete storage media such as CDs and vinyls.

The latest converter, known as the IDATA SPDIF-8, combines the advantages of the other models in the IDATA range and adds bidirectionality to the characteristics of the homonyms “3” and “9”. If for the other models the conversion took place in a single direction, analogue to digital, for the variant "8" the conversion can take place in both directions. To this end, the selection of the conversion modes takes place with the appropriate switch, located on the "digital" side of the device. Here, too, power is supplied via a USB-micro connector.

In addition to the flexibility given by bi-directional conversion, SPDIF-8 adds support for sample rates up to 192kHz, effectively opening up the world of digital music to high level. Regarding the analog to digital conversion, the sampling frequency of the output signal is fixed at 48kHz, a common standard for digital audio recordings.

All products in the IDATA range are plug-and-play, that is they do not require drivers to work with any device that has a toslink or coaxial port. Operating temperatures range from 0 degrees to 70 degrees celsius (60 degrees for SPDIF-8), making them suitable for professional work environments. Power consumption is approximately 0.5W for SPDIF 3 and 9, while SPDIF-8 requires 1W.