On this evaluation, I’m taking the D&A Alpha Professional desktop DAC/AMP for a spin. The unit prices $699 USD and may be purchased from Shenzhen Audio.
Disclaimer: Neither D&A nor Shenzhen Audio is expounded to Headfonia. They despatched me the Alpha Professional to be featured and reviewed on Headfonia.com.
D&A
The audio model D&A was based in 2024, but it surely solely appeared to the broader public in 2025. Not a lot is thought in regards to the firm apart from that its enigmatic identify stands for “DIGI&AESTH”. It’s stated of their PR copy that they specialise in high-end audio gear, significantly in digital-to-analog converters.
Because the second half of the model identify implies, D&A pays particular consideration to the looks of its gear, and its core philosophy is “Future Design,” which “harmoniously fuses modernist aesthetics with classic parts”. That is evident of their first product, which stands out from the same old anodized aluminum bunch I’m used to seeing from Topping and SMSL.
D&A Alpha Professional
On paper, the D&A Alpha Professional doesn’t stand out a lot from the same old measurement-centric designs I’m used to seeing from the same old Chinese language audio electronics manufacturers we all know and love. After truly seeing the unit within the advertising and marketing supplies, I used to be stunned that D&A have truly made the Alpha Professional stand out by way of appears to be like.
The Alpha Professional additionally does a few attention-grabbing issues beneath the hood. Whereas the DAC itself is an ES9039MS Professional single-chip affair with fairly well-performing, if a bit pedestrian, OPA1612 outputs, the clocking system has been improved. D&A declare {that a} second PLL circuit is used to scrub up the inputs of any jitter. Galvanic isolation is absent, but it surely’s not usually we get it at this value level.
On the subject of powering the factor, D&A have gone with the trusted twin SMPSU modules, which give working voltages that then get regulated all the way down to what’s wanted by the digital and analog circuits. The cherry on the facility provide cake is the truth that there’s no less than one discrete linear provide, which is often reserved for a lot higher-tier items.
Judging by the absence of a distant and show, the Alpha Professional is supposed for desktops. It may be used as a standalone all-in-one or perhaps a devoted DAC and analog pre-amp. The DAC quantity management is left alone in favor of analog attenuation. A NJU73215 chip makes use of a precision resistor array to show the amount down and is managed by an actual potentiometer for that buttery knob-feel.
Options
- DAC – ES9039MS Professional, OPA1612 outputs
- Amplifier – discrete class-AB, 4-channel balanced
- Quantity management – NJU72315 chip-based
- Inputs: Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C, Toslink, SPDIF, RCA
- Outputs: 4-pin XLR, 4.4mm, 3.5mm SE, RCA, and XLR for line-out
- Bluetooth codecs: aptX Adaptive, aptX, LDAC, LHDC/HWA, AAC, SBC
- PCM knowledge fee: as much as 32-bit 768 kHz
- DSD knowledge fee: as much as Native DSD512
- SNR: XLR -133dBA (practically immeasurable), RCA – 128dB, HP out – 125dB.
- THD+N: XLR -0.00006% (practically immeasurable), RCA – 0.00007%, HP out – 0.0001%
- Max output energy: 4W@16ohms, 6W@32ohms, 1.4W@150ohms, 700mW@300ohms, 350mW@600ohms
- Line-out voltage: XLR – 5.2Vrms, RCA – 2.5Vrms
- Output impedance: close to 0Ω headphone-out; 100Ω line-out
- Energy draw: <50W
- Dimensions: 225 x 199 x 55mm
- Weight: 1.76kg
Design, Construct & Haptics
Even earlier than turning the Alpha Professional on, the very first thing that got here to thoughts was that I’ve seen this design language someplace earlier than. Uncooked aluminium, glass, vivid LEDs – that’s proper, the Nothing Telephone! I’m not accusing anybody of something, however the inspiration appears fairly clear to me.
Upon turning the Alpha Professional on, it lights up like a Christmas tree with LEDs galore. There’s the same old like indicator lights for energy, achieve degree, output, and enter. The amount knob additionally has a hoop LED round it which signifies the present quantity degree. It additionally has an opaque white plastic line that reveals the amount place with out the lights on.
It’s useful as a result of the amount management makes use of a potentiometer as a substitute of an encoder.
The LED scheme has three modes that may be toggled by short-pressing the facility button. First, there’s the grumpy outdated man mode, which solely retains the naked minimal lit – indicators and the amount knob, when you flip it. I’ll admit that it’s the one I stored to for many of my listening.
Urgent the facility button toggles a “respiration” LED mode the place they progressively change their brightness. It’s a enjoyable gimmick, however I may actually inform the decrease brightness has fairly noticeable PWM flicker. The following mode has essentially the most potential because it makes the bar LEDs gentle up like VU meters relying on how loud the sign is.
Sadly, it doesn’t work too nicely because the enter is just too delicate, so that they keep at max for more often than not.
The final LED mode is simply all the pieces on with no flickering. At first, it wowed me, and I assumed that some avid gamers may recognize it, however with time, it proved to be too distracting. There’s no technique to change LED brightness, so that they’re at full blast on a regular basis. In the event you’re one of many individuals who put tape on the indicator LEDs, this isn’t a product for you.
In on a regular basis use, the Alpha Professional is sort of neat because it doesn’t depend on a show to point out the related data. Certain, it’s extra restricted as you possibly can’t toggle by a dozen output filter choices, however I all the time desire buttons to limitless menus. One factor, it’s essential memorize the indicator positions as a result of the LEDs are so vivid, it’s fairly exhausting to make out the label that’s subsequent to them, even throughout the day.
The entire buttons are good to make use of and have a reassuring click on as soon as pressed. The amount management is a pleasing shock within the age of encoders. It makes use of a correct potentiometer to alter the amount, which in flip controls a devoted chip-based attenuator. The entire connectors are good high quality, even when the XLRs are made by Zwee as a substitute of Neutrik.
As all the time, I’ve to complain that the SPDIF enter is utilizing RCA as a substitute of BNC
The half on sound continues on the second web page. Use the jumps under to go there.
