Non Oversampling DAC with Tube Output
dac1 reference
Description
With the ever-expanding market of digital audio, both files and online streaming services, more and more people are discovering the world of digital audio. Furthermore, in the past few years many of the most demanding music lovers and audiophiles have discovered the unique sound of non-oversampling DACs to make the most of their digital audio sources.
The biggest challenge for any DAC is the sound and not the ‘’numbers’’. Digital by default sounds very different when compared to analog and we at Lab12 have spent countless hours striving for the perfect voicing that resembles the very best qualities of analog. We couldn’t be more proud of our newest creation Dac1 reference.


In this new DAC, which is based on the same core and philosophy as the successful and multi- awarded Lab12 Dac1 Special Edition, we pushed the limits even more in all stages, such as power supply stages, digital inputs crucial paths and receivers, jitter reduction etc, in order to reach the closest approach to the original analog sound.
Dac1 reference uses eight multibit Philips DAC chips in a complex parallel configuration right after an efficient layout digital receiver stage, allied with two dual triodes tubes in output stage. Each and every part has been selected for its sonic value that brings identifiable and coherent benefits to the final sound you will hear. The result is one of a kind emotional and transparent sonic performance.
As all Lab12 products, Dac1 reference also comes with two colour choices of glass blasting anodizing finish.