Diamond DAC IV
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“For the first time in 30 years I can listen to Jacques BREL which was impossible since CDs replaced my LPs. Thank you for this.”
Stefan - Diamond DAC IV owner, France

“48h of burning in... and it is getting harder and harder to leave the room. (Do hear the remastered King Crimson “In the Court of King Crimson”!) Kudos!!!”
Bernd - Diamond DAC IV owner, Germany (with hourly updates)

Simplicity

The Diamond DAC IV was designed in a way that it can be used as the last component in your system before the amplifiers.  With the added convenience of having multiple digital inputs and one or more Analog inputs you can easily eliminate your preamp. You may connect your turntable through the analog input and all your digital sources directly to the DAC IV.   The Analog Output is volume controlled (if the optional Volume Control is installed).  

About the DAC

The Diamond DAC IV is the result of wild abandon in the engineering budget. MSB has had several good years of sales and we decided to invest the proceeds in finding out just how precise a DAC could be made, and whether it would be noticeable or if other system limitations would mask the improvements. The project was surprisingly successful and the outcome most gratifying. By 2007 we had a concept that was theoretically going to exceed the accuracy of our outstanding Signature DACs. In mid 2008 our first rough prototype indeed provided clear sonic improvements over the very high precision Signature DAC. In 2009 the final design was finished and the results were outstanding. Not only has the DAC still been the limiting factor, but it has been a significant limiting factor. (For more information on How DACs Work!   see this simple but accurate explanation.)

Now the Diamond DAC IV is not just a better DAC, it is a whole new DAC. It includes new DSP code and new DAC modules as well as additional shielding, as the already low noise design required additional shielding as the DAC precision increased.

Let's compare the Diamond DAC to the industry standard Signature DAC.

• 2 More Bits of Resolution -- You might think one more bit of resolution is just a little thing, but it actually doubles the size of the DAC. Our standard Platinum DAC has two 23 bit sign-magnitude DACs per DAC module resulting in 24 true bits of resolution. With two modules used per channel the DAC is actually 25 bits. The signature DAC contains Four 22 bit DACs per module resulting in a true 24 bits and improved accuracy. With two modules per channel it also provides 25 bits. The Diamond DAC contains EIGHT 24 bit DACs per module for a true 26 bit resolution. With two modules per channel the Diamond provides 27 bits per channel with greatly improved accuracy.
  
• New Data Format -- The Diamond DAC has a new internal data format which results in a lower digital noise feedthrough.
• Hand Shielding -- So here is the story with shielding. As electrical noise is minimized magnetic and temperature effects begin to dominate. The Diamond performance has reached a place where the remaining noise is magnetic in nature. Stray magnetic fields are unpredictable. Fortunately an amazing nickel alloy exists with which shunts magnetic fields about a hundred times more effectively than steel. The Diamond DAC modules themselves are made of this material, and shields are installed in the power supply, over the critical clocks, and around the volume controls. Then we set the unit up to our measurement system and begin the process of optimization. Each unit is a little different, so we work out what shields should be put where to get the best possible result. Remember that this material shunts magnetic fields so more is not always better. Just the right size shield must be put in just the right place. The result is stunning, with noise reductions of 10 or 15 dB!
• Ten Times Greater Resistor Accuracy -- A precision resistor is defined as a 1% resistor, meaning its actual value falls within 1% of the nominal value. In our Diamond DAC modules, we have precise resistors made especially for us by a high-tech aerospace supplier, that are orders of magnitude more accurate. This DAC will never be mass produced and will never be affordable, but for those who want and can afford the best, MSB has set a new benchmark of performance. And on top of all that, these resistors are completely microphonic resistant (They are not sensitive to vibration).
• Half the Output Impedance The Diamond DAC has an output impedance of 250 ohms, half that of the Signature DAC. Half the impedance means twice the output current and twice the noise immunity.
• Greater Reliability and Temperature Insensitivity -- The Diamond DAC Motherboard, volume controls and DAC modules are coated with a low dielectric conformal coating that makes them impervious to surface contamination, moisture effects, ionic contamination and reduces sensitivity to vibration.
• Clock Optimization -- The Diamond DAC is the first MSB DAC to make full use of the new differential clocking method employed in the DAC IV. As a result, no other MSB DAC modules will work in the Diamond DAC and the Diamond DAC modules cannot be used in older MSB DACs. This method results in lower jitter and higher sample rate capability.

About the Sound

The Diamond DAC IV takes your listening experience to a new high.   The lower noise and distortion allow the dynamics to come to life with more room for the music.   The top end is much more open and the bass response is more musical and more resolving.  It may be hard for owners of the Platinum Signature DACs to believe that their Platinum can get much better, but it can.  All we can say is listening is believing.

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Diamond
DAC IV Specifications
preliminary

Inputs:
Coaxial (RCA and BNC), Toslink, Balanced AES/EBU, MSB Network (192k) and Balanced Analog input (<600 ohms)

RCA Outputs:
3.6V RMS (10V pp)

Balanced Outputs:
7.5V RMS (20V pp)

Output Impedance:
50 ohms at 0 dB

Volume Control:
1 dB Stepped Attenuator with 1/2 or 1/4 db steps selectable
(+9 to -69 dB)

Sampling Frequency:
1.5 MHz up to 3 MHz

Digital Filter:
by MSB Technology

Slew Rate:
>1000 V/Microsecond

Settling Time:
<90 Nanoseconds

Control Features:
Remote
Display Dim Mode
Phase Invert
Upsampling (4x)
Volume Control
Maximum Volume
Input Selection
Filter Selection Bit-Perfect Test

Upgrade Options:
Volume
USB input
iLink II Upgrade

About the Diamond 384 kHz Upsampler

The upsampling technology applied in this product is based on years of development, experimentation and speculation. It goes beyond what should matter and has really only been enabled by the continuously improving DSP technology. It offers offers several advancements:  

• It upsamples 44.1, 88.2 and 176.4 to 352.8 kHz at a resolution of 32 bits
• It upsamples 48, 96 and 192 to 384 kHz at a resolution of 32 bits
• It enables the SP/DIF inputs (coaxial and balanced) to accept inputs from the standard of 192k to 384 kHz

About the Digital Filter

The Diamond DAC IV uses a specialized version of our own Custom 32x Digital Filter. It is built to our specifications and standards, and is designed to get the most out of the Diamond DAC modules.   

The performance of this new Digital Filter is one step above the Signature filter described by one dealer as follows:

When my client described an “uncluttered” sound, I think he is describing another commonality that people notice and talk about. They say “the music is coming from dark back grounds” or, “there is silence between the notes” . It is my contention that common digital harness (in the vocal range and above up into the harmonics), results in the human perception that there is a “continuum” or “smear” across the music that is not natural. When the digital harshness is not there, then there appears to be more discrete notes and silence between them. It is also described as organic and natural, etc. I think it crosses a threshold that makes the presentation believable and the music then gives up the emotion that the musician was trying to convey. You start to notice things like the natural sound from another room. Some other indicators in this category are: Am I thinking about the equipment or am I pulled in by the music? Am I listening to a song here and there on a disc or am I listening to more cuts, maybe whole CDs? Am I listening way too long when I should be doing other things? 

The Diamond DAC IV comes with a family of digital filters for you to evaluate and best match to your system. Updates to this suite of filters will be available as time goes on.   

The Digital Filter is a 32x oversampling, single stage filter with 32-bit input resolution, 80-bit computation, and 36-bit coefficients. 

About the Clock / Jitter Control 

Jitter control devices (and inputs on most DACs) normally re-clock the input signal in attempt to lessen the jitter of that incoming signal. The Diamond DAC IV does no such re-clocking. We actually pay no attention to the clock on the input signal.  All internal clocks are generated by an extremely accurate +/- 2.5 ppm temperature compensated clock. Since the input clock is no longer related to the clock of the Platinum, an intelligent half-second buffer is used to maintain data synchronization. 

About the Diamond Attenuator 

Our Preamp philosophy is based on the belief that from the moment analog audio is created, every transition that is made degrades the quality. This is why we have used a passive attenuator within the Platinum DAC IV, to achieve the simplest, shortest possible signal path with the least possible degradation of the true music.  The Volume is controlled in 1 dB steps from +9 to -69 dB.  The Volume Control is completely bypassed when at 0 dB.  It is individually shielded to provide the lowest noise floor possible, at least 5 dB lower than the Signature Volume Module.

About the Diamond Power Base 

The Diamond DAC IV is equipped with an outboard power supply. It has twice the power rating of the Standard Power Base. This remarkable power supply has a total of 6 separate toroidal transformers! See Power Base Comparisons

The Power Base includes a positive and negative analog supply and a digital supply to run all the digital processors. But it also contains an entirely separate extra clean digital supply to run the sensitive digital clocking circuits on the DAC modules themselves. Each of these Diamond supplies is tightly regulated, filtered and shielded in the box, so no noise is introduced into the DAC chassis. Each transformer is hand shielded and extra capacitance has been added to provide a little extra punch.

The analog supplies are quite remarkable in the Diamond Supply. Rather than the high-quality rectifiers used in our other supplies, the Diamond uses super fast Silicon Carbide Schottky Diodes. These vacuum tube like devices turn on and off instantly with zero reverse recovery current.

This Power Base can also power a transport. A 12 V DC supply is included. These supplies are completely independent and their combination do not degrade performance.

An optional front panel control can also be provided. This option moves the power switch from the back panel to the front panel.

This is the Diamond Power Base. See Performance Chart