There are audio designers and there are dreamers, and DA&T’s chief designer Mr Zhang(张永能) is a big dreamer. The DA&T DSP Active Speaker System is the realisation of his dream to design the ultimate speaker system. Being a fan of DA&T, I had no hesitation in bringing in the full “no-going-back” combination of four Xi-51 main speakers and two Xi-82 subwoofers without an audition – the only dealer outside of their home country to do so. My faith was duly repaid by a most enthralling musical experience.
My first impression was one of surprise – surprised at how small the Xi-51 main speakers were. I wondered if DA&T had made a mistake in the delivery. Surprise soon turned to delight – with just two Xi-51 main speakers connected, the system produced astonishing deep and dynamic bass that belied its size. More importantly, it satisfied my three criteria regarding music reproduction:
1. The ability to reproduce realistic vocals and musical instruments
2. The ability to reproduce the unique techniques of the performers
3. The ability to reproduce the interplay between the performers to express the deeper meaning of the music
Very few music systems could fulfil my first two criteria. Until the arrival of the DA&T DSP Active Speaker System, only one system(my own Daniel Hertz M7 and M12 system) could fulfil all three criteria. Hooking up the two Xi-82 subwoofers further improved the system on all three aspects. Listening to music over the system was a magical moment that surpassed the usual hi-fi effects enjoyment to an indulgence in the intimate date with my music, where I did not want to switch off the music and go home.
Active speaker systems have always played second fiddle in traditional stereo. The DA&T DSP Active Speaker System breaks that barrier and competes with the best in the world. I am blessed to own such a world-class speaker system. I wish you the same.
Features
D.D.S.
DA&T’s unique Direct Digital System(D.D.S.) technology is the fruit of the company’s research to overcome fundamental deficiencies inherent in traditional analog designs to achieve the best music realism. D.D.S. processes the audio signal end-to-end in the digital domain, thereby preserving its integrity and eliminating analog ground interference and cross-talk. D.D.S. also features a precise state-of-the-art 32-bit digital volume control with 190dB dynamic range to eliminate the distortion introduced by traditional analog volume controls and precision errors of typical 16-bit digital volume controls.
DSP Control
The DA&T Active Speaker System is controlled via a digital signal processor(DSP) to overcome the physical limitations of speaker drivers and passive crossovers and optimise system performance.
1. The DSP optimises each speaker driver to achieve smooth frequency response.
2. The DSP corrects the phase difference at the crossover frequency to ensure coherence between the mid-bass driver and the tweeter.
3. The DSP performs bass management to overcome distortion issues due to driver over-extension, and ensure coherence between the Xi-51 main speakers and Xi-82 subwoofers.
Minimum Analog Path
As analog signals are prone to distortion, attenuation and interference, the DA&T Active Speaker System is designed for minimum analog path to preserve the audio signal. First, the DAC is directly adjacent to the amplifier to minimise the distortion to the DAC output signal. Second, the amplifier directly drives the speaker driver for maximum efficiency. Last, the speaker cable in each speaker is only 30cm long to ensure maximum signal transfer.
Curved Wood Cabinet
The DA&T Active Speaker System cabinet is constructed of handmade curved wood with bamboo veneer for its elegance, strength and excellent sound qualities. The workmanship is of the highest quality and difficulty.
Flexible Configuration
The DA&T DSP Active Speaker System can be configured to support any number of Xi-51 main speakers and Xi-82 subwoofers to suit your desires and listening space. Each speaker is fully self-contained with independent power supply and amplifier, synchronised via a high-resolution 384kHz/32-bit coaxial link to ensure system coherence.
