CD Player/Transport Reviews

Using PCM1702 DACs operated in differential mode results in excellent linearity. The left-channel balanced-output error is shown in fig.4—it remains below +/-2dB to below -110dBFS, which is as about as good as it gets. The right channel (not shown) was identical. Not surprisingly, considering the CD12's superb linearity and low noise floor, its reproduction of an undithered 1kHz sinewave (fig.5) is essentially perfect. Three distinct voltage levels can be easily made out, and there is even a hint of the Gibbs Phenomenon "ringing" evident at the bit transitions.

Fig.4 Linn Sondek CD12, left-channel departure from linearity (2dB/vertical div.).

Fig.5 Linn Sondek CD12, waveform of undithered 1kHz sinewave at -90.31dBFS (16-bit data).