Innuos PhoenixDAC Board

Output Module for STREAM3

The PhoenixDAC Board is the flagship integrated DAC option for the STREAM3, and the configuration most customers end up with when they want an all-in-one digital front end. It was co-designed with Dr. Sean Jacobs — the same designer behind the ARC6-CX power supply that defines the STREAM3's sound character — which means the DAC stage and the power supply it draws from were developed together as a matched system rather than bolted together after the fact.

The architecture steps up significantly from the PerformanceDAC Board. Dual mono AKM DAC chips rather than a single chip — each channel gets its own dedicated converter, which eliminates crosstalk between left and right at the source. Clocking is handled by an OCXO (oven-controlled crystal oscillator) plus two FemtoClocks dedicated to the audio path. The OCXO maintains extreme frequency stability regardless of temperature; the FemtoClocks provide the ultra-low jitter timing that the DAC chips need for accurate digital-to-analogue conversion. The digital and analogue stages run on independent power supplies throughout.

Output is via gold-plated RCA and XLR — both simultaneously available. Run balanced into a preamplifier or integrated amplifier and you have a genuinely high-end signal path without a separate DAC on the shelf.

Our Experience

We've spent significant time with the STREAM3 and PhoenixDAC Board in-house. After a break-in period the upper midrange settles into a balanced, highly resolving presentation — lively and dynamic rather than polite or softened. Detail retrieval competes with standalone DACs well above the module's price. It pairs best with warmer downstream components; pair it with something analytical and the combination can become forward. But in the right system, it's a genuinely special all-in-one.

Compatibility

• STREAM3: compatible
• STREAM1: not compatible — chassis and power supply constraints; PerformanceDAC Board is the STREAM1 DAC option
• ZEN Next-Gen / ZENith Next-Gen: not compatible

Specifications

• DAC Chips: Dual mono AKM — one per channel
• Clocking: OCXO clock plus two FemtoClocks for audio
• Power Supply: Independent supplies for digital and analogue stages; co-designed with Dr. Sean Jacobs
• Outputs: Gold-plated RCA and XLR analogue (both available simultaneously)
• PCM Support: Up to 32bit/768kHz
• DSD Support: Native DSD
• Installation: Factory-fitted at time of purchase or retrofitted later

If you're deciding between the PhoenixDAC Board and running an external DAC via the PhoenixUSB Board, that's worth a conversation. The answer depends on what DAC you'd be comparing it against. Get in touch.