The rDAC is a versatile product that will get the best out of sources like DVD, Blu-ray and CD players that don’t have an internal DAC of the reference quality provided by Wolfson Microelectronics world class 8741.

The rDAC can also transform the sound quality of sources like set top boxes, delivering high quality radio station streams as well as popular streaming products like Logitech and Sonos.

The most important development around the rDAC concerns its use with computer audio USB outputs. Most USB DACs suffer from a high level of noise and jitter due to the computer being responsible for the timing in the playback.

The rDAC eliminates this problem as Arcam have licensed specially developed Asynchronous USB Technology from high-end audio company Data Conversion Systems (dCS). dCS has had a relationship with Arcam that goes back to the Alpha 9 version of dCS’s Ring DAC.

The dCS technology allows a precision clock to reduce the level of jitter from USB music sources and deliver an improvement in sound quality over the standard USB ‘adaptive’ system that is commonly used.

The design of precision clock circuits and general digital and analogue audio engineering are Arcam’s key strengths and the results from the rDAC are stunning with a wide range of digital audio sources.

The rDAC is housed in a compact, cast aluminum case with an external 6V power supply. It has three inputs, optical, SPDIF and USB. Arcam will introduce a wireless version of the rDAC later this year.