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Brand New – Closed Box - available in Black - Silver - RedWe are authorised dealers of SPL, among the finest audio gear and musical instruments.Note 1: Free shipping within EU. For specific shipping rates outside Europe please message us.Note 2: This product is sent factory direct, please allow 10 days for shipping.Director Mk2The director sets the tone.The central unit of the HiFi system is the preamplifier. With remote source selection and volume control, tape monitor path, retro-look-VU-meters, premium DA-converter and the all superior VOLTAiR technology, the Director Mk2 caters for musical blockbusters.Milled from solidThe massive 45mm volume control knob milled from aluminum is a haptic highlight. Its mass together with the motorized Alps RK27 “Big Blue” potentiometer enhances the “spoon in the honey” feeling even further.The red marker LED ensures good visibility of the volume parameter even in darkened environments.Remote controlThe volume control can be remotely controlled with any infrared remote control.The Director Mk2 learns to communicate with it with the simple push of a button.Learning made easyThis video explains how you can use any infrared remote control to remotely control the volume and the source selection.“With its 120 Voltair technology, SPL offers a perfect nest for one of the best DA converter chips currently available. This results in excellent dynamic characteristics, but especially in a highly precise, finely staggered sound stage.”Nick MavridisFair AudioSource of joyUp to ten (10!) stereo sources can be connected to the Director Mk2. Six of them are for analog and four for digital input signals.The source selection is shown in the dot matrix LED display: IN 1 through IN 6 for the analog inputs.AES, USB, COAX, OPTIC for the digital inputs, where the detected sample rate is displayed after about two seconds. For example U768 = USB input with 768 kHz sampling rate.The source selection can also be operated remotely if the rotary switch is set to the “Remote” position.The Director Mk2 offers two pairs of balanced inputs with XLR connectors and four standard inputs with gold-plated RCA connectors.On the digital side there are four additional inputs. PCM audio is received in S/P-DIF format via coaxial Cinch, optical Toslink and balanced XLR (AES). Both PCM audio and DSD audio can be converted via USB.Well informedThe DAC automatically picks up the sampling rate and resolution of the digital playback source. No matter if a streamer, computer or CD player is connected. No further settings on the Director Mk2 are necessary.The detected sampling rate is shown in the dot matrix LED display. For example, U768 is an acronym for the source “USB” with a sampling rate of 768 kHz.DAC768v2 – the SPL reference DAC in the newest revision!The highly acclaimed AKM AK4493 SEQ VELVETSOUNDTM premium DAC chip is used as the converter chip in the digital/analog converter within the latest version of the SPL DAC “DAC768v2”, which thanks to its architecture reproduces the finest sound details. It impresses with even lower distortion characteristics and a wider dynamic range than its predecessor. It converts PCM audio with a resolution of 32 bits and a sampling rate of up to 768 kHz, which is equivalent to 16 times CD resolution. Direct Stream Digital is also supported up to a resolution of DSD4 or DSD256. The DAC768v2 features the newest version of the Spartan FPGA – Spartan 7. In contrast to the smaller SPL DAC “DAC768xs”, it not only offers an AES/EBU digital input, but also the new, optimized SPL SLP120 with VOLTAiR technology.The SLP120 (Super Low-Pass)The analog output of the DAC chip must be filtered by a low pass filter. In contrast to all other DACs in the world, the low pass filters here are built using VOLTAiR technology, which provides a plus in dynamics and headroom and sound. The filter specially optimized for the new SPL DAC768v2 is called SLP120 (Super Low-Pass).The DAC768v2 inside the Director Mk2 is equipped with the SLP120 – an analog “Super Low-Pass” filter with VOLTAiR technology.DAC768v2 – what's new:1. AK 4493 SEQThe DAC768v2 is equipped with the latest generation of the premium DAC chip – the AK 4493 SEQ – from Asahi Kasei (previously AK 4490).The AK 4493 SEQ not only supports the playback of PCM signals at up to 768 kHz and DSD signals up to DSD512 – this 32-bit stereo DAC with “VELVETSOUND™ technology” impresses with even lower distortion characteristics and a wider dynamic range than its predecessor.2. Spartan 7The DAC768v2 features the newest version of the Spartan FPGA – Spartan 7 (previously Spartan 6).3. The newest generation of the SPL low-pass filter “SLP120”The DAC768v2 comes with a completely new tuned low-pass filter, which perfectly matches the sonic strengths of the new converter chip. It ofers an even better representation of the stereo image as well as a three-dimensionality we never experienced from any other DAC before.
This is a buyer’s market for this category right now: at US$3,602, the asking price sits above your recent-used median of US$3,000 and even above the 75th percentile of US$3,202, so it reads ambitious rather than a bargain. It’s also close to current new pricing in the low-to-mid US$3,600s and below some retail asks around US$4,666, which means it’s not wildly out of line, but it is priced near new territory for a used piece.
That said, the unit itself is well-regarded: this is a serious DAC/preamplifier with wide format support, very low measured distortion, and the kind of clean, studio-leaning presentation SPL is known for. The upside is strongest if the listing includes original packaging, remote, and a clean service history, because at this price you want a near-mint example that saves you the tax-and-wait penalty of buying new.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
SPL, or Sound Performance Lab, is a German audio innovator founded in 1983 by recording engineer and music producer Hermann Gier. Beginning as a modest garage operation, the company quickly expanded its scope, evolving from experimental prototypes into a respected force in professional audio. Its heritage reflects a relentless pursuit of sonic excellence, rooted in hands-on listening and boundary-pushing engineering that has defined its trajectory for over four decades.
SPL focuses on high-end studio and hi-fi gear, excelling in categories like preamplifiers, compressors, equalizers, monitoring controllers, and headphone amplifiers such as the acclaimed Phonitor. Signature technologies like discrete operational amplifiers and the patented 120V rail system deliver unparalleled dynamic range and clarity, powering tools from the groundbreaking Transient Designer to mastering processors. While primarily pro-oriented for music production, film, and broadcasting, select products bridge into discerning hi-fi applications.
In the market, SPL occupies a premium niche as a boutique leader among audio professionals and serious enthusiasts, prized for innovative design, exceptional transparency, and reliability. Far from mass-market fare, its gear earns cult status in studios worldwide, backed by TEC Awards and endorsements from sound engineers who demand the best. For the knowledgeable hi-fi buyer, SPL represents uncompromised German precision that elevates any signal chain.
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