Denon’s new DCD-A110 was carefully designed to exceed the high standards of our predecessor SACD players. Boasting a limited-edition silver graphite color, heavy cabinet, cast-iron feet, and Denon’s own patented Advanced S.V.H. CD mechanism, the DCD-A110 is specially crafted for the most dedicated fans. Designed and engineered with aspiration in mind, the DCD-A110 is as elegant to look at as it is to listen to with a special 110-year inlay logo to celebrate this milestone anniversary.
Features
Intel Inside – Ultra Al 32 Processing
Intel’s latest Field Programmable Gate Array, the Cyclone 10, is on board to support the massive data computation required to support Ultra AL32 processing. This processor exceeds the already high performance of current AL32 processing.
Quad DAC Configuration
The DCD-A110 introduces a new Quad DAC configuration for a more powerful and better spatial expression of the sound stage. Each DAC converts the large amount of data coming from the Ultra AL32 processing for both left and right signal dispatch. This allows the current output bundling to achieve the best sound, and also surpass the operating frequency limit of the DACs, for an outstanding audio performance. This improves the low noise level, improving S/N ratio by 4dB to 6dB depending on the sampling frequency of the content (6dB for PCM and 4dB for DSD), as well as the Total Harmonic Distortion accordingly. Lastly, the DCD-A110 does not use a traditional OP-Amp’s Post Filter Circuit. It is equipped with full discrete filter stage with carefully selected custom tuned audio parts selected by the Denon sound master to achieve outstanding audio performance and an expansive sound stage.
DAC Master Clock Design
Because accuracy is the key to performance, the DCD-A110 is equipped with two clock oscillators, one for each sampling frequency (44.1-kHz and 48-kHz), that can be switched between the frequencies to thoroughly suppress jitter. The high-quality clock is the reference for the four-audio DAC operation and ensures that the digital audio circuitry performs at its maximum potential.
To supply a cleaner master clock directly to the DACs, the DCD-A110 is equipped with tri-state buffer type multiplexers. The Master clock signal supplied from the crystal oscillator passes through the buffer circuit only once to the DAC, impacting the jitter of only 18 fs (femto second = 1015 second).
Advanced S.V.H. Mechanism, Denon’s Original Disc Drive Design
The DCD-A110’s disc drive is equipped with the Advanced S.V.H. (Suppress Vibration Hybrid) Mechanism inherited from Denon’s high-end models. Signal paths have been shortened to an absolute minimum and circuits have been miniaturized to ensure that excess current and noise will not occur. The various parts are made with different materials such as a copper plate for the top panel to strengthen rigidity, diecast aluminium for the disc tray, and 2mm thick steel for the mechanism brackets. Improvements in high-mass, vibration-resistant properties and the dispersal of resonation points contribute to a high level of vibration resistance. In addition, the mechanism’s low centre of gravity suppresses any vibration occurring inside the mechanism due to disc rotation, and the mechanism structure also effectively suppresses external vibration. By eliminating unwanted vibration, servo-related operations are minimized, and by also minimizing unnecessary controls and current consumption, digital signals can be read from the disc with optimum accuracy under stable conditions.
Circuitry with Minimized Signal Paths
DCD-A110 circuits have been thoroughly designed to adhere closely to the “simple & straight” design philosophy. Circuit patterns have been reworked from the ground up to make the signal paths as short as possible and ensure that the original sound is faithfully reproduced across the sonic spectrum. As a result, interference between circuits and between left and right channels as well as adverse influences on audio signals are minimized, producing clean, highly transparent sound.
Direct Mechanical Ground Construction
The integrity of musical signals deteriorates when they are subject to internal vibration caused by disc rotation or the power transformer or to airborne vibration caused by sound pressure from the speakers. To guard against such influences, Denon engineers designed a vibration suppression structure called “Direct Mechanical Ground Construction”. In this design, the power transformers – themselves a source of vibration – have been placed close to the feet of the DCD-A110 where unwanted vibration is funneled directly to the ground and prevented from affecting nearby circuitry. Also, by placing the drive mechanism – the part with the greatest mass – low in the centre of the chassis, the low centre of gravity effectively absorbs internal vibration caused by disc rotation and also protects the mechanism from external vibration. To further shut out external vibration, the 1.2mm thick main chassis has been reinforced with two 1.6mm thick steel plates to produce a highly rigid three-layer structure with sufficient vibration-resistant mass.
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