Disc Players

Comparisons with the fully integrated Vivaldi One [HFN Feb '18] reveal this two-box, and slightly more affordable, solution to be very, very close indeed in performance. For example the 6V analogue output option still has a fabulously low, cable-agnostic 760mohm source impedance (560ohm for the One) and offers a variable output up to 5.88V. The A-wtd S/N ratio is some 4dB lower than the One's at 113dB, however, and low-level resolution good to ±0.1dB at –100dBFs (and ±1.2dB to –120dBFs). Distortion is fractionally higher, but still vanishingly low: down to 0.00002% at –10dBFs and no higher than 0.0002% over the top 30dB of its dynamic range through bass and midrange. At 20kHz distortion falls between 0.00015-0.0004% over the top 30dBFs [see Graph 1, below, and note the Y scale now extended down to –140dBFs from –120dBFs].

The Rossini combination does improve on the Vivaldi One with respect to digital jitter at <30psec vs. <50psec with DSD64 and at all LPCM sample rates. Uncorrelated, noise-like, jitter is also reduced in the latest Rossini DAC. The Rossini's underlying code may run on a single FPGA, rather than a pair, but it is essentially unchanged, so frequency responses still depend on your choice of digital filter. Filters 1-4 and 6 are linear phase types delivering a ruler-flat ±0.02dB response (20Hz-20kHz) with CD, albeit with variable stopband attenuation (125dB, 35dB, 12dB, 6.1dB and 120dB respectively). Filter 5 is a minimum phase type with a –0.5dB/20kHz response and 125dB stopband rejection. Filters 5 and 6 are not available to 48kHz/96kHz files but reappear with 192kHz data – the responses with Filters 1-6 reaching out to –3dB points of 78kHz, 80kHz, 48kHz, 58kHz, 28kHz and 48kHz, respectively [see Graph 2, below]. PM