In Professional Audio magazine you will find a review (in German) about our Mastering DA converter SPL Mercury. Carlos Jünemann has tested the device and awarded it with the title ‘outstanding’. As always, we provide you with a short English summary:
“Already after unpacking the device a clear thought came directly to my mind: this is a professional quality product made in Germany.”
“Top-class analog technology meets DA conversion. The result is the perfect partner for monitoring digital sources in a mastering or digital mixing studio.”
Operation:
“The practical application of the SPL Mercury is almost 100 percent ‘barrier-free‘. On the front panel there are seven selector switches for digital source selection, which switch through via relay and mutually exclude each other. This makes it possible to quickly switch between different signals and, for example, make comparisons to reference tracks that are not attached to the computer.”
Sound:
“There’s not much to say about the sound of the SPL Mercury: it is outstanding. Especially the very good spatial depth and the differentiated bass foundation has to be emphasized.”
“Compared to many mid-class converters, the Mercury simply sounds much more vivid, detailed, almost ‘analog’. It sounds as if there is no conversion in play, but rather a high-quality analog mixing console. In short: a sound quality worthy of a mastering studio.”
120V Technology:
“The 120V Technology allows about twice the dynamic range of most other audio devices.”
“The 120V technology is also consistently applied within the analog low-pass filter stage of the converter, whereby the dynamics are also fully maintained here.”
Conclusion:
“SPL’s Mercury convinces with its excellent sound characteristics as well as its simple operation. For about 2.500 euros, you get an absolutely professional top-of-the-range device, which is not only suitable for mastering but also as a playback converter for mixing sessions at the computer workstation and which raises the sound transparency and the associated decision-making ability to a higher level. This professional tool offers straightforward top quality in the finest optics.”
Find the complete review in the current edition (May 2020) of the magazine.