AAVIK C-380 PREAMP with PHONO and PCM/DSD DAC- Open Box

The Aavik C-380 RIAA section is based on a discreet, floating, balanced, ultra-low noise, bipolar input circuit. By nature, the topology of a moving coil cartridge is a floating, balanced signal generator. We have kept this floating, balanced circuit topology throughout the phono stage. The floating input circuitry allows us to use ultra-low noise, bipolar transistors. By paralleling several transistor pairs, we have created a dead-quiet input section. The Aavik C-380 phono stage has a 62 dB gain, and the cartridge loading is adjustable from 50 ohm to 10 kOhm.

The phono section of the Aavik C-380 will let you explore the amazing details and musical depths of your vinyl collection!

The Aavik C-380 is equipped with two DACs: one for PCM digital formats and one for DSD formats.

The Aavik C-380 PCM DAC section is designed around 5 digital inputs, which all excel in performance. The DAC performs without any digital signature, which makes any music sound “analog”. The digital circuits are created with the best high frequency skills tools available and great care was embedded in the PCB design. We made a lot of effort to ensure we have a 100% equal treatment of the differential signals, with time-aligned, ultra-short, 4-layer PCB traces. The DAC’s circuits are fitted with ultra-low jitter onboard clocks in order to minimize timing errors in the digital-to-analog conversion. In the Aavik C-380 all DAC circuits are isolated with 13 onboard, separate low-noise, high-PSSR voltage regulators each feeding only one stage of the signal handling. The digital signals from the 5 digital inputs are routed to an ASRC, where they are resampled and re-clocked to 200 kHz/24 bit PCM, feeding current output DAC chips. The current-to-voltage conversion is performed with a differential floating topology with virtual GND. This isolates the signal path from the potential GND noise and signal induced GND modulation.

The Aavik C-380 DSD DAC section features a very simplistic gain structure with only one gain stage and a purely passive LC type analog filter, made from shielded coils and the highest quality capacitors available. The passive 6th order filter is placed at 60 kHz where it effectively removes all switching artefacts without adding excess noise in the audio-band. A pure and unique method of making the D to A conversion without passing the signal through any type of DAC chipset and software based noise shaping.

The USB input is galvanically isolated to avoid noise pollution from the host. This isolates the signal path from the potential GND noise and signal induced GND modulation.

The Aavik C-380 line stage uses a unique, inverted, virtual GND amplifier topology, which preserves the finest musical details on a dark, quiet, black background. The line stage has  two inputs with 9 dB gain and one line input with 6 dB gain.

The volume control is realized with microprocessor-controlled resistor-ladder (R2R) circuit inside the feedback loop of a virtual GND amplification stage. The volume control regulates from -80 dB to 0 dB in approx. 1 dB steps.

The Aavik C-380 design is deeply rooted in the Scandinavian design tradition, with simplistic functionality and minimalistic looks. It is made from solid bars of anodized aluminum, which gives it a stunning matte dark gunmetal finish. On the front panel of the Aavik C-380 you will find small LED lights indicating your current volume/gain/source/cartridge settings and three chromed push buttons on the top panel. Adjusting the Aavik C-380 settings is easy and intuitive, as all settings are controlled with the three buttons and the big solid rotating knob centered on the front.