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"Five Stars" - The Computer AudiophileDigital System Centerpiece – Alchemy Preamplifier with DAC and StreamerThe ELAC Alchemy DDP-2 is a new, clean-slate design that combines three components in one elegant piece of gear. It gives you the highest-quality digital-to-analog converter, preamp, and digital streamer that ELAC’s design team – led by the legendary designer Peter Madnick of Audio Alchemy and Constellation Audio fame – knows how to make. Then ELAC combined all of this in a single chassis only 1U (1.75 inches) high. The preamplifier offers maximum flexibility, while incorporating DAC and streaming functions to make the DDP-2 the centerpiece of your digital system. "The $2,499 ELAC Alchemy DDP-2 is very analog, a touch digital, full featured, and capable of great performance," raves The Computer Audiophile in a Five-Star review at audiophilestyle.com for September 17, 2019. "The DDP-2 is full featured, has three methods of navigating the product setup and input selection, offers two different I2S inputs, handles input as a Roon Ready device unique among DACs, keeps analog signals analog at all times as they traverses its circuitry, and a host of other items with which to compare it to the competition. Not only that but, its sound quality is equivalent to its feature set, design and implementation. Great all around." Every Bit as Advanced as You Would Expect from AlchemyThe DDP-2 is every bit as advanced as you would expect from a piece of gear bearing the legendary Alchemy name. It boasts dual 32-bit, 768 kHz DACs operating in digitally balanced mode. For the best performance with the digital music that you love, it offers custom-selectable DSP filter profiles, configurable up-sampling to 384 kHz, and selectable resolution enhancement upgrades of 16-bit to 24-bit, and 24-bit to 32-bit. Other performance features include home theater bypass mode, a digitally controlled analog volume control, and a headphone amplifier stage. Supports High Bit-Rate Audio Up to 768 kHzThe DDP-2’s DAC supports high bit-rate audio up to 768 kHz, DSD rates up to 4X, and it’s MQA capable. It includes DSP power sufficient to run Alchemy resolution enhancement and digital filters at all DAC sample rates, plus MQA as needed. Internal native-rate streaming is routed over I2S for significant improvement over any other external streaming connection technique. The advanced circuitry is ultra-low jitter with passive rate-dependent L-C anti-aliasing filters. The DDP-2 uses a fully discrete all-FET analog output stage with DC servo-control and balanced/unbalanced inputs/outputs. Signal routing is achieved via hermetically sealed gold-on-gold relays. The DDP-2 produces an ultra-quiet musical signal with vanishingly low amounts of noise. The signal-to-noise ratio is >110 dB, and the THD+N is < 0.01%. It uses a linear power supply for the analog stages and a switching power supply for digital stages. The distributed local voltage regulation minimizes Logic Induced Modulation. You’ve Got ConnectionsThe Alchemy DPD-2 integrates beautifully with the equipment you have now plus the gear you’ll buy in the future, thanks in part to its wide range of connections. On the digital side, it includes USB, two coaxial, 2 optical, AES/EBU, and two I2S (Alchemy mini-DIN and HDMI) inputs. But the DDP-2 doesn’t limit its outstanding performance to digital sources. It excels with your analog gear, too, providing XLR balanced and two RCA unbalanced inputs. The analog outputs consist of XLR Balanced, one RCA unbalanced out with fixed gain, and an RCA unbalanced output with variable gain. There’s a headphone output, too. Streaming, TooIn addition to a plethora of digital and analog inputs, you also get the benefits of ELAC streaming technology. Three streams are available via Ethernet, Bluetooth, or WiFi: a dedicated Roon endpoint, one as Spotify Connect or Airplay, and a DLNA/UPnP Bluetooth interface from your mobile device. Along with streaming access, an Ethernet port handles automated software updates, while the RS232 port, 12V trigger and a full set of discrete IR codes allow a complete range of command and control options. The Art of Alchemy, Completely ReinventedDesigned ground-up by the ELAC team, the new Alchemy Series gives birth to a marriage of technologies, bringing further advances to a name known for delivering performance and build quality far exceeding its price. Every component incorporates relevant, well-thought-out features and topology that are relevant to critical listeners, like discrete implementation of power supply, preamplifier, and signal processing to bring you best-in-class sound. With years of experience in award-winning analog and digital products, the Alchemy Series establishes a new standard for value in the world of high-end audio separates. From its early days right up to the present, the name Alchemy has always been associated with high performance and high value. Audio Alchemy, founded in early 90’s, built its reputation on outstanding technical performance not seen at similar price points. It researched and executed improvements of digital audio playback and was instrumental in discovering the effect of Jitter on the recording and playback of digital audio. The company also pioneered a resolution enhancement algorithm, a technology that combined a jitter reduction circuit with a Digital Signal Processor. Overview
"The ELAC Alchemy DDP-2 won't disappoint those seeking great performance and considering its reasonable price, it shouldn't disappoint anybody. " "Back to Coltrane, in 1958 a few months before recording Kind of Blue with Miles Davis, he recorded Standard Coltrane with Wilbur Harden, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. The results of this recording session can be blissful when played through a high end audio system. With the DDP-2 driving my system, the sound was wonderful, engaging, and seductive. I felt a closeness to the instruments, especially Coltrane's tenor sax, as the album rolled through on repeat. On Don't Take Your Love From Me, I could listen to the entire soundstage as one or pick out individuals such as Coltrane in the left channel, Paul Chambers' bass in the right channel, Jimmy Cobb's drums in the right channel, and Red Garland's piano centered between everyone. Of course this information can and should be heard through any competent DAC / system, but through the DDP-2 there was a nice sense of layering of the instruments that isn't often heard." "It's hard to believe this much information is contained on a recording from 1958, but it's the truth. Using the ELAC Alchemy DDP-2 enabled me to hear what I'll say is almost all of this recording." "The DDP-2 has a very analog / vinyl sound to my ears." "The $2,499 ELAC Alchemy DDP-2 is very analog, a touch digital, full featured, and capable of great performance." "In addition to solid engineering, the aforementioned detail, dynamics, and tone in tracks such as My Funny Valentine prove to me that the DDP-2 is an amazing performer and using the car world's sleeper adjective is apropos. The looks are understated but the performance is surprisingly great." "All joking aside, the DDP-2 is full featured, has three methods of navigating the product setup and input selection, offers two different I2S inputs, handles input as a Roon Ready device unique among DACs, keeps analog signals analog at all times as they traverses its circuitry, and a host of other items with which to compare it to the competition. Not only that but, its sound quality is equivalent to its feature set, design and implementation. Great all around." - The Computer Audiophile, Audiophile Style, September 17, 2019 "...the DDP-2 may just be the best value in front-end electronics on the market today! Honestly, I cannot recall a device in my over three decades writing about this industry that more clearly expresses all the attributes of an honest 'giant-killer!'" "UNRESERVEDLY RECOMMENDED!" - Greg Weaver, enjoythemusic.com, September 2019
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