ROCKNA Wavedream Reference Signature (XLR Version) - NEW!

PLEASE CHECK AVAILABILITY BEFORE CONFIRMING YOUR PURCHASE! Our stock can change any minute – we sell through various sales channels.Brand New! – Closed Box. We are authorised dealers of the finest audio gear and musical instruments.Note 1: Free shipping within EU. If outside EU, please message us for specific shipping price to your particular location. The price you see is only a generic estimation for “outside EU”.Note 2: This product is custom ordered, please check availability and/or eventual shipping delay.Note 3: This product is factory prepared for 220V. If you need a different voltage setup, please message us to check availability.Note 4: We sell without taxes anywhere outside Europe and to valid VAT ID companies inside Europe. Please ask us your price without Tax in those cases.Note 5: We can quote any kind of bundle with our products at the most convenient prices. Just ask for it.ROCKNA WAVEDREAM REFERENCE SIGNATURE DAC – (XLR Version)10 years ago, we launched the Wavedream DAC, a device that has defined our identity and left a mark on the discerned audiophile. The Wavedream Reference is more than an evolution of our DAC, it elevates the story of our company and team because it pushes the limits of custom digital to analog conversion through proper engineering, performance, design and sound quality. As a culmination of years of experience and with so many technological advancements, the Reference warranted a complete makeover of the Rockna brand, it is just that special.Each relevant component or subsystem of the Reference is defined by Rockna proprietary hardware and custom software. We accepted no limitations from off-the-shelf solutions like DAC chips, OEM streaming modules or signal op-amps. As always, we stayed true to our philosophy of presenting products with a high degree of originality and elegant technical solutions.HARDWARE ARCHITECTUREAt the heart of the Wavedream Reference is our custom architecture, crafted for the highest level of precision and ultimate refinement in audio reproduction. Our DAC is built upon a highly optimized and efficient AMD/ZYNQ chip for master control/network renderer and 4 FPGAs, one for each phase of the discrete conversion system. The machine runs a Rockna custom tailored Linux system which takes care of everything except audio processing - which is executed by the dedicated hardware blocks.To achieve an elegant internal layout, we designed a 10-layer central core board for the digital front-end processing and the network renderer. A completely new dedicated low noise supply board was developed, as well as new conversion boards placed in a symmetrical configuration, two for each channel. Compared to the classic Wavedream, the design was optimized by shortening the clock and data signal paths and by using higher quality board-to-board connectors. Therefore, signal integrity was significantly improved. Furthermore, the toroid transformers and the display are shielded internally using a copper cage. The analog stages following the D/A conversion modules are hidden on the back of the left and right boards.The Rockna philosophy for an exceptional DAC is mastering the art of connecting mixed-signal technologies in such a way that the output preserves all the fine nuances of the original recording. Many think the secret is proper digital processing, but that is just one piece of the puzzle. When moving the audio information from digital to analog domain, the clock system plays a critical role in giving a sense of realism, analog sound and creating audio 3D imagery. Most D/A converters take the easy route by relying on the ASRC (acronym for asynchronous sample rate converter) built in the chips they use. While the ASRC may have a sound signature in itself, the quality of the ASRC implemented in DAC chips is affected by cost and silicon real-estate, thus being prone to sound quality degradation.In the Wavedream Reference we developed one of the most advanced, ASRC-free digital PLL clock solutions which gives the DAC the ability to perform like an analogic source, with a natural sense pf pace and rhythm. Another key element is that digital signals physically travel as high-speed analog signals and they must be treated accordingly. Bits are bits on an abstract level but on pcb traces, connectors, cables they are a succession of high-speed rectangular analog signals which are not perfect: they have rise-time, fall time and they could be plagued by ringing, spikes, reflections, crosstalk, phase noise(jitter) etc. This is why Rockna has perfected radio-frequency techniques to mitigate these issues which have the potential to ruin the pursued analog sound.HYBRID POWER SUPPLYThe complexity of the Reference power supply is shown in the adjacent diagram. We had to perfectly balance the efficiency, internal real estate and the need for ultra low noise required for the DAC performance. Over 20 power-related circuits drive over 90.000 uF of capacitance. The audio grade toroid transformers are hidden under a thick copper sheet which acts as a shield.DAC modulesFor the D/A conversion stage we developed a evolved version of the mighty DAC modules used in the classic Wavedream DAC. The modules themselves are complex pieces of technology, sharing a discrete sign-magnitude hybrid ladder topology, driven by a complex algorithm which is embedded into their own FPGA. They can sustain sample rates up to a few MHz and the output of the DAC modules is un-buffered, allowing maximum transparency and natural sound reproduction.ANALOG STAGEThe last stage of the signal path is the analog output stage. It’s contribution to the final sound is of extreme importance. Designed from the scratch to work with the new conversion modules, the output stage is totally discrete and acts as a high-speed buffer, while keeping the circuit simple enough to achieve full transparency. We combined JFET & bipolar devices into a class A design, with a low closed-loop output impedance and very low noise, as a perfect match for the overall performance of the machine.DIGITAL FILTERSThe internal FPGA up-samples any material to a fixed rate of 16x. The DAC modules will decode the digital stream with a rate of 768Khz, or 705.6Khz, respectively, according to input sample rate. We found this rate to be optimal for analog performance of the DAC modules. Behind this simple multiplication factor lies significant processing power. The digital filters are made with the combined effort of multiple DSP blocks working in parallel.After lots of mathematical simulations and careful listening tests, we have created a custom Parks-McClellan up-sampling filter. There are three variations available : linear, minimum and hybrid phase. They are highly optimized filters, offering stunning performance with a large number of taps, offering excellent filtering capabilities, and they are different in regard of impulse response. For the linear phase, the ringing energy (Gibb’s overshoot) is equally split before and after impulse. Minimum phase type shows all this energy after impulse, while our special hybrid phase filter has a combined response between linear and minimum, exhibiting very low overshoot before the impulse.NETWORK RENDERERThe network renderer built inside Reference is unique not only because is our proprietary approach, but because it is seamlessly integrated into the DAC digital front-end. There is no separate “streamer section” or extra board, which removes the need for a dedicated external connection and unnecessary obstacles into the digital signal path. Natively integrated inside the Rockna ZYNQ SoC, the renderer can truly shine, allowing perfect sonic performance when selected.POWERFUL CONTROLClean user interface and simplicity in use is a part of the Reference experience. Our team put a lot of effort in designing a proper user interface. There are three options to control the device: the front-panel touchscreen display, the classic infra-red remote and the Reference mobile apps, available for iOS and Android.Remote controlIn addition to the touch control display, the machine can be controlled using a classic remote control and mobile apps for Android and iOS.The remote is metal-made with illuminated keys and movement sensors.SPECIFICATIONSHardwareAMD ZynQ SoC with custom Rockna firmwareR2R discrete DAC modules RD-0 MK2 x 428-bit FPGA driven individual switch/bitClock manager Femtovox 2-LPN versionMirrored clock distributionUltralow-noise and fine-tuned power supplyLocal regulation on critical nodesDiscrete regulation for analog stagesVery large capacitor bufferCopper shielded audio grade transformersCritical paths with tight impedance controlHardware FPGA upsamplingProprietary Digital-PLL topology, ASRC-freeFully discrete output stage, signature version32-bit ultrafine volume controlLAN, USB, I2S, SPDIF, AES/EBU, Toslink inputsRCA and XLR outputsTHD -102 dB (-3 dB); DNR 139 dBMAX. OUTPUT 3.5V RMS (RCA) 7V RMS (XLR)Full aluminum chassis, matt black or matt silverDimensions: 450 x 390 x 105 mm, 10 kgSoftwareRockna custom Linux kernelRoon bridge, Upnp, OpenHomeAirplay, HQPNAA, Spotify Connect