At the online platform What Hi-Fi you can find a review about our Premium DAC with VOLTAiR technology SPL Diamond. You can read the complete review online and a summary here on our blog.
“We first came across the brand when we tested its rather excellent Phonitor xe analogue headphone amplifier just over a year ago. That product left a great impression on us with its useful range of features, lovely build and natural sound quality. So, when the new SPL Diamond DAC became available, we jumped at the chance in the hope of a similar dose of goodness. In the event, we’re glad we did.”
Design:
“There is a welcome aura of functionality about the Diamond. It is a well-specified premium digital-to-analogue converter with plenty of inputs – USB (type B), coax x 2, optical x 2 and AES/EBU – and an impressive file compatibility that tops out at 32-bit/768kHz for PCM and DSD256.”
“The Diamond is a beautifully built product. It feels reassuringly solid; the front panel dials and switches work with precision and give the impression that they will continue to do so for years. We suspect that SPL’s experience in the professional arena, where reliability and durability are essential, has filtered through here.”
“Take a look inside and it is hard not to be impressed by the care taken in the Diamond’s circuit layout. It is pleasingly neat and arranged with obvious care.”
“Perhaps most unusually, the Diamond’s internal circuitry operates at +/- 60 volts DC, which is between two to four times more than conventional rivals. The claimed advantages of operating at this higher voltage are a wider dynamic range, higher output capability and reduced distortion levels.”
Sound:
“It has a clean, balanced and detailed presentation.”
“We listen to Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.4 In D Major and the SPL captures the grandeur and scale of the piece well. There is plenty of authority to the presentation and a sonic solidity that isn’t so common. We can hear deep into the recording, and the DAC has a lovely sense of control, keeping a firm grip on the various instrumental stands and arranging them with care. Detail resolution is good, as is the way this converter captures the timbre of each instrument. It renders a tonally rich sound that avoids the bland greyness of some rivals.”
“We’re also pleased with the Diamond’s stereo imaging. It presents a wide and expansive soundstage, populating it with nicely focused and precisely located instruments. There is a good sense of depth and the imaging stays stable even when the piece becomes demanding.”
Conclusion:
“The SPL Diamond is a fine DAC that’s a pleasure to use and listen to.”
“The Diamond is certainly a product that deserves a place on the shortlist and reinforces our positive impression of the SPL brand. It makes us even keener to hear some of the other products in the range.“
