The very first component we received from Aries Cerat was the Kassandra Reference DAC. A 60kg DAC was unheard of until then.
The first time we heard it opened our ears and minds to a new sound. A palpable sound, soundstaging wider and deeper than we had ever known. Vocals realistic, the music pulsated through your body and left us in complete shock. It was addictive.
This was nothing like we had ever heard before and today over 8 years laters we still have not heard anything like it.
Kassandra Ref II DAC is a masterpiece and dream component that has stood the test of time. A reference source for a lifetime.
A few words from the designer, Stavros Danos
Our approach in designing the Kassandra was to go back to the drawing board. Extensive testing and research proved to us that many of the DAC designs on the market had a certain character, lack of dynamics, lack of musicality and lack of true analog-like timbre and flow. In the process of development of our reference system, we were also searching for the best available converter. Yet no converter we tested delivered the sound we expected.
Delta-Sigma DAC and Multibit architecture didn’t deliver the required realism and analogue sound present in our other SOTA products. This quickly led us to the R2R Ladder DAC architecture for the Kassandra series, and the development of our AD1865N-K digital engine.
Ladder DAC
The Kassandra Ref II is a ladder DAC. Typically a ladder DAC uses a resistor network switched by a N number of switches, N being the bit depth. It is a passive sort of speak procedure with no manipulation of the incoming data stream.
It also has no digital filter, and completely avoids the negative sonic aspects created by fitting the common Delta-Sigma or Multibit architecture.
In the case of the Kassandra we choose to use an R2R IC – the classic Analogue Devices AD1865N-K, a much praised chip which we believe is the best sounding IC ever made. The AD1865N-K has a very straight forward data handling logic, and does not process the data stream in any way. This gave us the freedom to fully exploit the IC in our converter system.
The input data is latched and directly refreshes the resistor network, with absolutely no additional complex logic or data handling/processing. This way we have full control over the resistor network to use it as part of our converter system. Our Super Clock circuit directly re-clocks and drives the “refresh” signal, so absolutely no additional jitter is induced in the conversion.
There are no less than 16 R2R converters per channel in the Kassandra Ref II working as parallel switched resistor ladder converters, cancelling the deviation of resistor values down to Zero. Paralleling R2R converters improves linearity and noise figures are improved on the same principles, along with the dynamic range and channel separation. Sonic wise, paralleling converters elevate performance to another level in all aspects significant in high end audio.
To dive deeper into the inner workings of the Kassandra, click on the button below.
Kassandra Ref Mk2 review - Matej Isak - Mono & Stereo
“Aries Cerat Kassandra MK2 DAC manages to balance the enormous musical energy flow with the delicacy and thunderous power unheard any near or even above its given price point. Let me put it relatively polite… Established DACs from long standing high-end audio brands have a lot to desire compared to the Kassandra MK2 DAC ability to render the music as it is. Period!”
Kassandra Reference Specifications
DIGITAL SECTION
IC Chip Array: 16 R2R converters per channel, complimentary current output using the top grade Analogue Devices AD1865N-K with 8 converters per bank, 16 per channel
Regulators: Eight discrete ultra-low-noise regulators for the 4 converter banks
PSU: Over engineered power supplies, power input filters.
Current to Voltage Conversion: Transformer I/V conversion with custom wideband transformers, balanced current to single ended voltage conversion.
Additional Clock: Internal Super-Clock by-passable on the fly, triple regulated supply
INPUT & OUTPUT SECTION
PSU: Over engineered power supplies, power input filters, large toroid transformer & capicitor banks
Gain Stage: Transformer loaded super tube output stage using the E280F tube. 5:1/10:1 step down transformer & double choke filtered supply
Output Range: 30Vpp output @ 0db 10Vrms (5Vrms on -6db setting)
User Selectable Output: 10v @50ohms or 5v @12ohms
Output: 2 x RCA, 2 x Balanced. True Balanced output standard.
Floating RCA output switchable (ground loop resolver)
Output Impedance: 50 ohms (balanced and SE output), 12 ohms at -6db setting
USB input: Data rates up to 24/384KHz
Jitter attenuation: Down to femtosec level
Dimensions: 540mm W x 520mm D x 165mm H
Weight: 60kg