SOTM DX DAC

The awkwardly named SOtM is from Korea. It really is an asynchronous convertor that adapts 44.1 and 48k sample rates and their multiples all the way up to 192kHz, with up to 24bit resolution, so this convertor ticks all the boxes. It comes with a USB driver disc for Windows (XP/SP3, Vista/SP2, 7), or will operate with Mac OS-X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) forth.

The little SOtM is USB powered but has an outboard power supply alternative that alternatively will run it from batteries as opposed to the computer's power supply. The batteries are charged in the mains.

S/PDIF outputs have been in balanced AES/EBU type via an XLR socket, unbalanced form via electric output by means of a phono socket as usual and - unusually - via an optical TOSLINK option as well.

On high quality convertors TOSLINK and its own need for receiver and a transmitter - possible sources of jitter - is not common.

SOUND QUALITY

This two unit affair also reveals the significance of taking power. The tambourine begins and stops nicely, the strings sound not dirty, perhaps somewhat less present than I have heard on the Weiss playing through FireWire, however a truly exceptional nicely-built sound having a stable soundstage that is good. I would put it equal minus the extra USB power supply to the Halide Bridge, but not as good with the upgrade. It doesn't quite have the airiness of the Halide, but appears to do the transients superbly.

SOTM DX DAC photo
Tags: SOTM, DAC, DAC SOTM