James evaluations the D&A Alpha PRO, a desktop built-in ES9039MSPRO DAC and 6W-capable, discreet-engineered balanced headphone amplifier. It’s presently priced at $699.
Disclaimer: This pattern was despatched to me in alternate for my sincere opinion. Headfonics is an unbiased web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I thank DIGI & AESTH and Shenzhen Audio for his or her help.
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This text follows our present scoring pointers, which you’ll be able to learn right here in additional element.
D&A Alpha PRO Overview
Abstract
The D&A Alpha PRO stands out as a desktop DAC and amp with robust technicalities in its efficiency and an eye catching design. The low output impedance, ample output energy, and balanced tuning work exceptionally nicely with varied gears, sounding very refined and managed.
Professionals
Wonderful output energy offering versatility in pairing with demanding headphones.
Near zero output impedance.
Futuristic design.
Cons
No distant management.
Could be nicer if there are switchable filters.
Digi & Aesth (D&A) is a brand new model that simply emerged from Shenzhen’s famend high-tech R&D district, Nanshan, with their debut desktop built-in DAC and headphone amplifier, the Alpha Professional.
Curiously, the design showcases a sci-fi aesthetic with LED visualization results and seems to focus on decrease impedance designs, notably for planar headphones, due to its low output impedance structure.
On this overview, I’ll look into the synergy with much less delicate headphones and examine it with a number of the competitors, together with the FiiO K17 and HIFIMAN EF500. In case you crave each fascinating aesthetics and spectacular sound efficiency in your planars, you then undoubtedly shouldn’t miss this!
Options
Decoding
The D&A Alpha PRO makes use of ESS’s SABRE ES9039MSPPRO decoding chipsets, that are additionally used within the HiBy R6Pro MAX.
The DAC has an 8-channel configuration and is assembled right into a 4-channel, absolutely balanced design with their Sigma DAC Topology. This permits the Alpha PRO to help decoding as much as DSD512 natively and PCM 768kHz/32-bit.
The multi-channel DAC enhances the SNR, helps obtain decrease output impedance, and boosts dynamic vary.
There are additionally three VCXO Femto-clocks for enhanced jitter management. In response to D&A, they’ve additionally adopted a second PLL clock within the design, together with shielding over main elements and a 4-ply PCB applied for separated digital and analog sections.
In brief, the Alpha PRO achieves a dynamic vary of 133dB and -124dB THD+N efficiency, which is commendable.
Amplification
The Alpha PRO makes use of a totally balanced discrete amping (FBDA) structure and consists of a complete of 32 matched transistors throughout its 4 amping channels.
The design staff had particular objectives in thoughts when creating this amplifier, which is to accommodate sure hard-to-tame, much less delicate, current-hungry gears. The output impedance is impressively low, at under 0.1Ω, whereas delivering 6000mW per channel on a 32Ω load.
Along with this, there’s notable consideration to element. For instance, the Nisshinbo Micro System NJU72315 quantity management chipset is noticed for low dynamic compression efficiency.
With RCA enter, you may bypass the DAC perform and join the Alpha PRO with one other decoder. This presents good flexibility, permitting it to perform as a preamp and pair with different DACs which have completely different traits.
I’ll define some observations within the sound part under. Nevertheless, if you have already got robust decoders however lack matching amplifiers for delicate planars, you may wish to contemplate the Alpha PRO.
Design
With a screwed-on acrylic entrance panel and a lightweight present harking back to the Nothing Telephone, the D&A Alpha PRO seems to be very future-proof and feels extremely cool if you dim the room lighting.
You possibly can cycle via completely different lighting modes with only a click on, and the default mode incorporates a bar-shaped space that dances with the output depth, resembling a futuristic VU meter.
Along with the 2 bars talked about, the quantity knob can also be illuminated, together with indicators for supply, acquire, and enter system. The acquire button is thoughtfully programmed to cycle via low-mid-high and high-mid-low acquire settings.
The CNC-machined aluminum casing has a easy end and ornamental traces, with legs beneath that improve shock-proof efficiency.
The general construct is strong, and that is simply one of many coolest designs I’ve seen within the desktop audiophile realm, apart from these with extra-territorial-like lighting such because the Hugo M Scaler from Chord Electronics.
I/O
The Alpha PRO has a clear design that includes XLR, 6.3mm, and 4.4mm balanced outputs. As talked about, you may cycle between enter gears by urgent the button on the entrance panel.
On the again, you’ll discover XLR analogue output, RCA Line In/Out, Digital Coaxial/Optical enter, USB-C enter, and it additionally doubles as a BT receiver, with a protruding Bluetooth antenna on the again.
Packaging & Equipment
The packaging has the identical design language because the physique unit and has enough padding when shipped in. Inside, additionally, you will see an influence twine and person manuals, and all the things equipped seems to be fairly nicely made.
Wi-fi Connectivity
The Alpha Professional is powered by the QCC5125 chipsets, Hello-Res Audio Wi-fi licensed. It could decode as much as 24-bit/96kHz on LDAC mode, and helps aptX HD, AAC, and SBC. Connection is swift inside 5-8m, and it auto reconnects to my telephone with out points.
The output high quality is kind of respectable with good dynamics and pleasurable, however you’ll hear some slight loss in dynamic vary and element retrieval over taking part in again from digital sources.
Contemplating the standard of the wi-fi connection, I could as nicely not hassle to modify to a wired connection if I’m watching movies or taking part in again lower-resolution information.
Wired Connectivity
USB-DAC
With the 16-core XU-316 XMOS USB receiver inside, the Alpha PRO helps USB decoding as much as DSD512 and PCM 768kHz, additionally full MQA decoding.
In comparison with Bluetooth connection, USB decoding delivers greater high quality, sounding extra outlined, effortlessly prolonged, and offers clearer, tighter transient responses.
Whereas the Bluetooth efficiency can also be pleasant, I’d advocate utilizing USB decoding or Coaxial for its greatest efficiency.
Sound Impressions
I’ve given it greater than per week of burn-in, and the impressions under are based mostly on pairings with the HD800s and varied planars, together with the MOONDROP COSMO, VENUS, FiiO FT7, Fosi i5, and extra.
Abstract
The D&A Alpha PRO takes an natural, neutral-to-natural tuning strategy and sounds quick and refined throughout varied gears examined. There’s a welcome hue of heat and ample energy within the bass, which additionally displays loads of agility and respectable management.
The tuning is subtly M-shaped but partaking. It might not wow you within the first few seconds of listening, however you’ll rapidly notice it’s nicely polished, outlined, and layered.
Synergy with the varied planar headphones I examined is great, particularly when it comes to transient response and dynamics, which might generally be missing with mismatched amplification.
It appears that evidently the Alpha PRO can deal with the present drain from much less delicate planars very nicely with out compromising dynamics.
Timbre
Testing with completely different gear and utilizing the Alpha PRO as a USB decoder, the output demonstrates respectable natural richness, with enough energy and air, particularly within the decrease register, and ample treble extension.
There’s a marginal tilt to the bass, which is tight, agency, and reasonably deep. It doesn’t go too far into the subs, sustaining readability and velocity, and enough air within the decay, conserving the general presentation managed and never scientific. The bass articulates swiftly into the mids with out overstressing both aspect.
The vocals have ample physique and weight to face out barely greater than the backing. The atmosphere and backing are rendered vividly, with a very good sense of management and concord between these parts.
Particularly, bass guitars and synths maintain with good density, tight imaging, and energy within the lows, layering nicely on the Alpha PRO. When the vocal line emerges, it overlays the backing with out sounding veiled within the mids, sustaining a very good degree of dynamics.
For bigger drums, the Alpha PRO captures good punchiness, sharpness, and loads of air with out peaking, recovering rapidly whereas avoiding dryness. Nevertheless, deeper and barely extra intensive bass may make it extra immersive.
Guitars sound fairly moist with brittleness that’s nicely suppressed, so it’s pleasurable listening to the overtones. A slight increase at each extremes may enhance distinction, however the inventory tuning works nicely with digital and classical music, sounding swift and well-articulated.
Total, the Alpha PRO feels outlined and managed within the sibilance zone, capturing transients whereas sustaining naturalness in tuning.
It presents stability throughout genres and responds nicely to quick present draw, sounding impactful whereas holding a good, outlined 3D picture. The acquire setting can also be efficient in authorizing the vocals with extra penetration energy, particularly with much less delicate headphones.
Staging & Dynamics
The Alpha PRO sounds pretty prolonged, with the vocals not being overly pushed, sustaining good stability and a fairly linear vitality distribution throughout its output, as if listening in an acoustically handled, lecture hall-sized room.
Nothing is exaggerated, which is nice for an extended listening session, as there’s a good sense of calmness and management. There may be enough dynamics and separation for quartets and a number of vocal traces to current themselves clearly alongside a wealthy bass line.
That mentioned, there’s respectable transient response and determination, even when matched with planars that usually sound much less dynamic, hole, or extra compressed in depth when output energy is missing or impedance is mismatched.
With streaming content material, which boosts the 2 ends extra, the Alpha PRO will get much more partaking whereas sustaining respectable dynamics.
Click on on web page 2 under for my advisable pairings and chosen comparisons.
