SPL / Mercury Model 1730（Black）

DA converter boasting an extremely high dynamic range.

■ DA converter
Color: Black

Mercury is the first stereo DA converter to use SPL's unique 120V technology.
It is equipped with two AES / EBU inputs, two optical inputs, two coaxial inputs, and a USB input for a total of seven digital inputs. In addition, AES input 2 supports Dual-Wire mode.
Each digital source can be switched instantly with a switch on the front panel.

DAC with DLP120
While designing converters, SPL strongly felt that many of the innovative technologies in recent years were biased toward the digital side. When the developer's background was digital technology, analog design was like looking at a recipe book. With over 30 years of experience in analog technology, SPL believes this recipe book has room for improvement.

The output of the DAC-IC (AK4490) is an analog signal that requires low-pass filter processing. This analog circuit normally operates at the same voltage as the DAC-IC (for example, 5V). Given that this voltage limits the dynamic range and S / N, this is a major bottleneck.

Mercury uses SPL's proprietary 120V technology instead of general technology. And the newly designed DLP120 module uses two of these 120V technologies. The name of DLP comes from "Dual Low Pass". These two analog filters are different and will be expanded to an extremely high dynamic range through a PCM or DSD filter depending on the type of digital signal.

Velvet Sound DA Converter
AKM's AK4490-Velvet Sound? Chip is used for Mercury's DA converter.
It supports up to 32-bit / 768kHz for PCM digital signals and DSD256 for DSD signals.

Full analog volume control
Mercury's stereo output has a FIX OUT output with a fixed reference level and a VAR OUT output with variable levels. Therefore, Mercury can also be used as a state-of-the-art monitor controller.
The volume control of Mercury's VAR output is a full analog design. Most of the products of other companies use a part of the converter chip function to adjust the volume by digital processing. The disadvantage of digital volume control is that the original bit resolution can only be obtained at 0 dB (maximum).

The volume control uses the ALPS RK27 Big Blue potentiometer.

■ Main features
Stereo DA converter using SPL's original 120V technology
7 digital inputs available
Full analog volume control
Supports 32-bit / 768kHz PCM and DSD256

■ Technical specifications
Analog Analog
Max. Output Level: + 32,5 dBu
Reference Levels: 0 dBFS = 14 dBu, 15 dBu, 16 dBu, 18 dBu, 20 dBu, 22 dBu, 24 dBu
Dynamic Range: 127,5 dB (analog); 120 dB (digital), 119 dB (measured +24 dBu / 0 dBFS)
Output Impedance: 100 Ohms (bal.)
Noise (A-weighted): -95 dBu
THD & N (at + 20dBu): -101 dB

Digital
Dynamic Range: 120 dBu
THD & N: -112 dB

Power Consumption:
0.7 Amp, 230V / 50Hz, 17 Watt, 32 VA
0.14 Amp, 115V / 60Hz, 17 Watt, 32 VA

Fuses:
230V / 50Hz: 0,5 Amp
115V / 60Hz: 1 Amp

Dimensions
Standard EIA 19 Inch Housing / 1U: 482 x 44 x 300 mm / ca. 19 "x 1.73" x 11.8 "(front panel excl.)
Weight: 4,8 kg / 11 lb