CORDA PCSTEP - Made in Germany (Special Order Only)
Overview
The PCSTEP is a portable amplifier that, in addition to its analog input, also has a built-in USB-DAC. When connected to the USB-port of your PC it will strongly improve on the sound that is provided by a standard quality soundcard.
The amp has a discrete volume control (32 positions, two gain settings). This volume control is not a standard industrial solution but uses a concept in which the position of an analog potentiometer is measured using a low-power ADC and in which the output of this ADC is used to control electronic switches that set the volume level. The result is a very clean and detailed sound without any channel imbalances.
Specifications
- Measures: 8.9 x 6.6 x 2.2 cm
- Weight without battery: 115 gr.
- Supply voltage: 6 .. (9) .. 15 Volts DC
- Mean current uptake: 28 mA
- Discrete volume control. Typical stepsize 1.5 dB, 31 steps.
- Maximal amplification: -2 / 14 dB (low/high gain)
- Input impedance: 120 kOhm / 19 kOhm
- Output impedance: < 1 Ohm
- The unit runs from a single 9V battery, 5V USB-power, or an external regulated powersupply (upto 15V). Internally the supply voltage is doubled to increase driving capacity.
- Noise is removed by LC-filtering of the supply voltage.
- Total buffer capacity is 1700 uF to lower the effective battery impedance.
- For amplification two single OPA209 opamps are used for maximal sonic performance.(No dual or quad-opamps!)
- The USB-DAC is based on the Burr-Brown PCM2702.
- Resolution USB: 16 bit
- Sampling frequencies USB: 32, 44, 48 kHz
- The 3.5 mm sockets are silver-plated.
- Inside the signal path only metal-resistors and high-quality film-capacitors are used (polypropylene).
- The enclosure is made entirely of aluminium.
- Accessories:..2 mini-mini interconnects (goldplated)
- USB-cable
- Tool to open the amp
