PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC/Stereo Preamplifier

Description

What happens when you take a highly respected, cutting edge DAC, like our own NuWave DSD, and connect it to your power amplifier through an analog preamp? Audio nirvana.
It turns out that a great analog preamp preserves a DAC’s magic. Together, DAC and preamp form a new class of product whose sum is greater than its parts.

Stellar Gain Cell DAC. A redefined and improved NuWave DSD and a Gain Cell analog preamplifier in one chassis.

Think of the Stellar Gain Cell DAC as a complete analog control center with an exceptional performing DAC at its heart.

All the features and functions you’d ever want in a DAC are right here in Stellar. Pure DSD, asynchronous USB, Digital Lens technology, I²S to connect to our best transport, balanced throughout, analog volume control. Replace your preamplifier, your DAC—or both—and be stunned at the level of improvement when the full and rich tapestry of music surprises and delights your senses.

In the more than forty years of PS Audio’s design innovations and breakthrough products, Stellar’s groundbreaking level of performance as our gateway standalone DAC and preamplifier is unmatched for price and performance by their standalone competitors. Taken together, we’re willing to bet you’ve never heard anything quite this good at anywhere even remotely close to this price.

SPECIFICATIONS

General
Unit Weight: 6.2 kg
Unit Dimensions (W x D x H mm): 432 x 310 x 80
Shipping Weight 8 kg

Power requirements
Input Power: Model specific 100VAC, 120VAC, or 230VAC 50 or 60Hz
Power Consumption: 20W
Mains Power Input: IEC C14
Fuses: 100V T250V-2.0AH (2A Slow Blow)
120V T250V-1.6AH (1.6A Slow Blow)
230V T250V-1.0AH (1.0A Slow Blow)

Analog inputs
RCA: 3 stereo pair
XLR: 1 stereo pair

Digtial audio inputs
I2S: 1 PCM (384KHz max) DSD64 DSD128
Compatible with DirectStream Transport SACD handshake for DSD playback
Coax: 2 PCM (192KHz max)
Optical: 1 PCM (96KHz max)
USB: PCM (384KHz max)
DSD64 (DoP) DSD128 (DoP)
Format: PCM, DSD

Analog Audio Outputs
RCA: (Analog Unbalanced) 1 stereo pair
XLR: (Analog Balanced) 1 stereo pair
Headphones: One 1/4″ headphone connector front panel

Analog Performance
Gain: 12dB +/-0.5dB
Maximum output: 20 Vrms
Sensitivity: 5.3Vrms
Input Impedance: 47KΩ single ended RCA
100KΩ Balanced XLR
Output Impedance: 100Ω single ended RCA
200Ω balanced XLR
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz +0/- 0.25dB
10Hz – 100KHz +0.1/-3.0dB
Noise: 20-20KHz 110dB (max output)
Channel separation: 1KHz >90dB
Input separation: 1KHz >90dB
THD&IM: 1KHz < 0.025%
20-20KHz < 0.05%

Headphone performance
Output power @1% THD: 300Ω 300mW
16Ω 3.25W
S/N Ratio 1kHz: >95dB (max output)
Noise: <-80dBV
THD & IM 1Vrms out: 300Ω <0.05%
16Ω <0.06%
Output impedance:

Features
Volume Control: 0-100 (1/2 and 1dB steps, 80dB total range)
Balance Control: 24dB each direction in 1/2dB steps
Home Theater Mode: Assignable to any analog input
Adjustable (in setup) to any level
Polarity (phase) Control: Digital sources only
Filter Control: 3 selectable digital filters (PCM digital sources only)
Trigger output: (3.5mm 5-15VDC) 2
Remote Control: Yes. Infra Red