Innuos SPDIF Board

Output Module for STREAM1, STREAM3, ZEN Next-Gen, and ZENith Next-Gen

Not every DAC has USB. Plenty of excellent digital processors, preamplifiers, and integrated amplifiers accept only S/PDIF inputs — coaxial, optical, or AES/EBU. The SPDIF Board gives any STREAM or ZEN Next-Gen server all three, from a single module with its own optimized independent power supply.

It's a focused piece of engineering: the right output type, cleanly implemented, for the systems that need it. The independent power supply keeps noise from the host chassis out of the digital output stage, and gold-plated connectors throughout. PCM up to 24bit/192kHz covers everything up to high-resolution streaming and local files — the limit of what S/PDIF as a protocol can carry at any interface, so there's no headroom left on the table for the format.

Who It's For

Three situations make the SPDIF Board the obvious call. First: you have a DAC with coaxial or AES inputs that you prefer to USB, either because the DAC's USB implementation is weak or because you've simply found the S/PDIF inputs sound better in your system. Second: you're connecting to a digital processor or surround preamp that has no USB input. Third: you want to feed a second component — a headphone DAC, a recording device — via the optical output while using a different module output as your primary path. The SPDIF Board is the practical solution when USB isn't the answer.

Compatibility

• STREAM1: compatible
• STREAM3: compatible
• ZEN Next-Gen: compatible
• ZENith Next-Gen: compatible

Specifications

• Outputs: AES/EBU (XLR), Coaxial S/PDIF (RCA), Optical S/PDIF (TOSLINK)
• PCM Support: Up to 24bit/192kHz
• Power Supply: Optimized independent supply for ultra-low noise
• Connectors: Gold-plated
• Installation: Factory-fitted at time of purchase or retrofitted later

If you're unsure whether your DAC's coaxial input or AES input will sound better than its USB input with an Innuos source, that's worth a conversation. We've compared both in a number of systems and can give you an honest read.