When it comes to digital music replay, sometimes small and simple is just the thing. Especially if you add in lovely listenability.
The diminutive Roon Ready Wattson Emerson ANALOG Streaming DAC has an Ethernet input on one end and a pair of single-ended RCA outputs on the other. Easy as a Sunday morning.
Here’s what I said about its sound in the review:
…the main thing I want to tell you about the Wattson Emerson ANALOG is that it makes digital music sound inviting, rich, and resolving in a manner that serves the music not the digits.
And you get all that, plus a LEEDH volume control if you so desire to use it, for under $2k making the Wattson Emerson ANALOG Streaming DAC a genuine HiFi Bargain.
Wattson Emerson ANALOG Streaming DAC
Price: $1750, + $55 Power Supply Upgrade
Company Website: Wattson Audio
North American Importer Website: phonographe.ca
Technical Specifications
Connectivity
Network input: Ethernet 100 Mbit/s
Outputs: RCA connectors
Restitution
Supported compression formats: WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, WMA
Supported encoding: PCM up to 24-bit 384kHz, DSD64
Control protocols: UPnP/DLNA, AirPlay compatibility, Roon Ready, Tidal Connect, plays with Audirvāna
Streaming services brought by the Wattson Music app: TIDAL, Qobuz, airable radios
Electronic Features
Proprietary streaming solution by engineered SA
Innovative and highly performing clock circuit and synchronization system
Ultra-low phase noise oscillators, < -135dBc/SQ(Hz) at 100Hz and < 50fs RMS jitter
Very low noise power supply (< 1µV RMS 10Hz-100kHz)
Characteristic values:
– Output level (0dB FS): 2,0V RMS
– Signal-to-noise, weighted (SNR-A): typ. 124dB
– Harmonic distortion (THD+N, 0dB FS): typ. 0,001%
Mechanical and Electrical Characteristics
Dimensions (L x P x H): 4,1 x 3,4 x 1,5in, (104 x 87 x 38mm)
Weight: 0,85lb (387g)
Power supply: 5V DC, external, medical grade
Power consumption: 1,5W (idle), 2,5W (playing)