Time Domain Integrity
The C10 Statement DAC begins from a conviction that defines CH Precision’s digital work: music is not perceived as an abstract spectrum, but as a sequence of events unfolding in time. Attacks, decays, harmonic bloom, spatial cues, and silence all depend on exact temporal relationships. Preserve those relationships, and instruments retain identity, body, and position in space. Disturb them, even subtly, and the illusion begins to weaken.
That is why CH Precision approaches digital reproduction differently from manufacturers whose design priorities remain centered on conventional steady-state measurements alone. The central problem is not simply how accurately amplitude is reconstructed, but how faithfully temporal information survives the entire conversion process. The C10 was engineered to preserve the ordered flow of musical events from input to analog output.
Rather than asking the listener to choose among familiar digital compromises, the C10 is built around proprietary solutions that address time-domain error at its origin. Its architecture reflects a more recent and more rigorous understanding of how waveform reconstruction, clock stability, deterministic conversion, and power behavior shape what we ultimately hear.
The C10 Conductor—PEtER Spline Upsampling Filters and the Art of Timing
In digital systems, upsampling and reconstruction filtering are the first stages at which musical timing is potentially altered. Traditional linear-phase filters preserve amplitude response, but generate symmetrical pre- and post-ringing around transients. Minimum-phase filters remove pre-ringing, but do so by introducing phase shift and frequency-dependent delay. Both approaches leave the designer managing side effects. Both reshape time.
CH Precision did not choose among those compromises. It developed a different solution.
Within the C10 Conductor, the proprietary PEtER spline filter—Polynomial Equations to Enhance Resolution—reconstructs the waveform by enforcing smooth continuity of slope and curvature between samples. Instead of forcing the signal through a conventional brick-wall model and then coping with the consequences, PEtER begins with waveform geometry itself. Its task is not merely to interpolate additional points, but to preserve the natural temporal shape of the event as it unfolds.
This reconstruction operates across PCM signals from 44.1 kHz to 768 kHz and DSD from 2.8224 MHz to 22.5792 MHz, with 32-bit internal precision providing the computational density required for spline-based waveform reconstruction. The musical consequence is profound. By essentially eliminating both pre- and post-ringing while maintaining mathematically correct reconstruction, the C10 preserves transient definition, harmonic settling, and low-level spatial information with exceptional coherence. Rhythm retains propulsion. Harmonics lock into place with greater naturalness. Silence remains cleaner, less agitated by the time smear that conventional filtering introduces.
This is not a selectable voicing option. It is the foundation of the C10’s behavior.
The C10 Master DAC—Determinstic R2R Conversion
Within the C10 Master DAC chassis, the C10 Statement DAC extends CH Precision’s deterministic philosophy into the conversion stage itself. Rather than relying on the delta-sigma architectures that dominate contemporary digital audio—with their extreme oversampling, noise shaping, and statistical averaging to approximate the desired analog output—the C10 uses a true multi-bit R-2R architecture, in which each digital code maps directly to a defined analog state. In CH Precision’s DSQ implementation, conversion occurs at full 24-bit data density at 2.8224 MHz, using eight precision DAC elements per channel in a synchronized phased array. This yields a level of deterministic data density substantially greater than that of even the most sophisticated delta-sigma DACs, allowing each switching event to be resolved explicitly in time rather than inferred statistically from a noise-shaped bitstream.
Music is not heard as an average. The ear evaluates each event as it arrives, moment by moment, by aligning transients, fundamentals, harmonics, and decay. When conversion itself becomes statistical—as in delta‑sigma systems—the waveform must be reconstructed from massive oversampling and noise‑shaped bitstreams, inevitably separating the mathematical representation from the instantaneous musical event. When those elements are rendered explicitly and coherently, music sounds more complete, more stable, and more believable.
At the center of the C10 is CH Precision’s DSQ Phased Array architecture, in which multiple precision R-2R conversion elements operate in parallel under the control of the same ultra-stable timebase. The key is not merely multiplicity, but synchronization. Every switching event is phase-aligned and algorithmically controlled so that summation increases precision without introducing time-domain blur.
These converter arrays are fabricated and mounted on a common substrate, ensuring shared thermal behavior, consistent geometry, and tightly controlled electrical conditions. This architecture delivers lower error, improved linearity, and greater low-level resolution while preserving the temporal explicitness that gives deterministic conversion its musical authority.
Here, CH Precision’s engineering discipline becomes audible. Harmonic structures settle with greater density and ease. Spatial images hold their position more convincingly. Microdynamic nuance emerges without edge, glare, or synthetic emphasis.
Time as System Architecture
The C10 Statement DAC is a unified flagship architecture built from the Master DAC and the Conductor, each with its own dedicated power supply. The purpose of this separation is fundamental. High-speed digital processing, timing control, and signal routing generate electrical activity that can compromise the delicacy of the analog conversion environment if housed too closely together. By assigning these functions to separate, independently powered chassis, the C10 galvanically isolates them, eliminating cross-domain interference and preserving a quieter, more stable context for conversion and analog output.
This is how CH Precision advances from an already extraordinary converter in the C10 Reference DAC to its statement digital platform: not by replacing the underlying philosophy, but by giving that philosophy a more ideal physical and electrical environment in which to operate. The architecture becomes calmer, more isolated, and more exact. Musical consequences follow naturally—greater low-level intelligibility, more stable imaging, more convincing decay, and a stronger sense of continuity through complex passages.
Where Time Is Governed
The success of a flagship DAC is not determined by conversion alone. Upsampling, clock generation, analog output, and energy delivery must all preserve the same temporal logic.
The C10 is governed by a purpose-engineered local master clock whose stability allows internal processing to remain anchored to a coherent time reference. CH Precision’s synchronous architecture prevents short-term disturbances from incoming signals from dictating the timing of conversion. Instead, the system’s own clock remains the dominant authority, maintaining the predictability on which musical coherence depends.
Following conversion, the analog stage preserves what the digital architecture has established. Fully discrete, Class A, and DC-coupled, it is designed to maintain speed, symmetry, and stability under real musical conditions. Transients recover cleanly. Harmonic relationships remain intact as levels rise and fall. The analog stage does not editorialize; it preserves.
Power supply design is treated with the same seriousness. In CH Precision’s architecture, power is inseparable from timing. The C10’s multiple chassis and isolated supply domains reduce interaction between clocking, digital processing, and analog output, ensuring that instantaneous musical demands do not disturb the very references on which precision depends. The result is not merely lower noise, but greater temporal stability under dynamic conditions.
Together, these disciplines allow the C10 to behave less like a chain of stages and more like a single time-coherent instrument.
The C10 Statement DAC Mono:
The Architecture of Total Power Separation
For those seeking the most complete realization of the platform, CH Precision offers the C10 Mono Statement DAC: an C10 configured with a second dedicated power supply. The purpose of that addition is not redundancy, but deeper isolation. By assigning still more narrowly defined electrical responsibilities to discrete supply domains, the C10 Mono further reduces interaction between critical circuits and preserves an even calmer operating environment for timing, conversion, and analog output.
In digital reproduction, this matters because power is never merely supportive. It shapes the stability of the references on which conversion depends. When those references are better protected from fluctuation, interference, and shared demand, the system behaves with greater poise and precision. Low-level information emerges more freely. Spatial relationships become more settled. Dynamic contrasts arrive with greater ease and less strain.
The C10 Mono Statement DAC is therefore not a different philosophy, but a deeper execution of the same one. It extends CH Precision’s commitment to separation, stability, and temporal integrity to its furthest expression, advancing the flagship platform through more complete electrical autonomy.
Document and Firmware Downloads
A resource built with the same precision and care that define our instruments, the CH Precision Downloads area provides access to the most recent manuals, firmware updates, spike installation guides, and product brochures. Each document reflects our engineering culture—meticulous in detail, exact in purpose, and designed to ensure that every component performs precisely as intended.
These materials are intended to support owners and partners in configuring, maintaining, and optimising their CH systems. Should you have any questions or require further assistance, we encourage you to contact your authorised CH Precision dealer or reach out directly through our Technical Support form. Our teams are committed to providing the same standard of excellence in service that we apply to our engineering—so that every listening experience remains true to the performance we envisioned.
Specifications
General
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Type: Dual-chassis digital-to-analog converter
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Options:
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Additional digital input HD board
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USB audio board
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Ethernet streaming HD board
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Clock sync board
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Upgrade path:
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Dual-mono DAC (Separate left and right power supplies, 3 chassis)
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Stereo master DAC (Separate processing unit from actual DAC, 4 chassis)
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Dual mono master DAC (5 chassis)
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Reference clock (T10)
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Color: Silver (standard), Anthracite or Champagne (option)
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Dimensions: 440 x 440 x 133 mm (W x D x H), all units (DAC, Conductor, Power Supply)
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Weight: 20kg (DAC, conductor) + 23kg (power supply)
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Operating conditions: 5°C<T<35°C, 5%<humidity<85% no condensation
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Power supply: Selectable 100V, 115V or 230V AC, 47Hz to 63Hz
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Power consumption: <0.5W standby, 120W max in operation
User interface
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Display: 800 x 480 pixels, 24 bit RGB AMOLED
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Control: 5-button interface, Infrared remote control, Android app (iOS app to be released)
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Firmware update: via USB flash drive or the Internet
Digital input
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Type:
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1x CH Link HD, 1x AES/EBU (XLR), 1x S/PDIF (RCA), 1x S/PDIF (TOSLINK) per Digital input board (1x standard)
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1x USB type B per USB input board (optional)
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1x RJ-45 on Streaming HD input board (optional)
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Sampling rate:
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CH Link HD: PCM 44.1kHz to 768kHz, DSD 2.8224MHz to 22.5792MHz
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S/PDIF, AES/EBU: PCM 44.1kHz to 192kHz, DSD 2.8224MHz (DoP format)
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Ethernet: PCM 44.1kHz to 768kHz, DSD 2.8224MHz to 22.5792MHz
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USB: PCM 44.1kHz to 384kHz, DSD 2.8224MHz to 5.6448MHz (DoP format)
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Bit depth: PCM 16 to 32 bit, DSD 1 bit
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MQA: Full MQA decoding (unfolding and rendering) at 24bit/705.6kHz or 768kHz
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File Format:
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PCM: WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, AAC and MP3
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DSD: DSF and DFF
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Services:
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Local: UpnP/DLNA, Roon ready, Audirvana compatible
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Streaming: Qobuz connect, Tidal connect, Web radio
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DAC
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Conversion type: DSQ R-2R, 24 bit / 2.8224 MHz, 8 DAC per channel
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Upsampling filter: Proprietary ultra-short, low-ringing, time-optimized, synchronous, 32-bit fixed-point PEtER algorithm
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Clocking option: clock master or synchronization to reference clock or optical disc transport
Analog Output
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Type: 1x Balanced XLR, 1x single-ended RCA per channel
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Level: High (5VRMS), Mid (2.5VRMS) or Low (1VRMS) on RCA output (twice as much on XLR output), user selectable
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Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: <0.003% (@ 20Hz-20kHz, A-weighted)
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Bandwidth: DC to 155kHz (-3dB)
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Signal-to-noise ratio (@ 20Hz-20kHz, A-weighted):
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>121dB, High output level
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>120dB, Mid output level
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>117dB, Low output level
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Noise (on XLR output):
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<9μVRMS, High output level
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<5μVRMS, Mid output level
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<3μVRMS, Low output level
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The Foundation of the Ultimate Digital Front End
As CH Precision’s flagship DAC, the C10 Statement DAC stands at the summit of the company’s digital work. It is complete in concept and uncompromising in execution. Yet it also remains part of CH Precision’s larger modular ethos. Owners of the C10 Reference DAC may advance to the C10 through the addition of the Conductor, extending an already exceptional platform into CH Precision’s statement digital model. From there, the C10 Mono Statement DAC adds a second dedicated power supply, carrying the architecture to its most complete expression.
That continuity matters. It reflects a philosophy in which advancement is additive, disciplined, and structurally meaningful. Nothing is discarded for effect. Everything is elevated through deeper precision.
The C10 Statement DAC is therefore both culmination and foundation: the fullest expression of CH Precision’s digital invention, and the basis of an ultimate front end built to preserve the temporal truth of music.
C10 Statement DAC
A New Statement in Digital
Most high-end digital audio companies still refine architectures conceived in an earlier digital era. The C10 Statement DAC was created from a different premise: that believable digital reproduction depends not merely on low noise, linearity, or frequency accuracy, but on preserving the temporal relationships by which music becomes intelligible and real. Developed within CH Precision’s culture of invention, the C10 is the company’s flagship digital-to-analog converter—a purpose-built statement in digital waveform reconstruction, deterministic conversion, and time-domain fidelity.
The C10 consists of the Master DAC and the Conductor, each with a distinct function. The Master DAC performs the conversion itself, translating digital information into an analog signal with CH Precision’s most advanced conversion architecture, while the Conductor manages the processing, timing, and system control that allow that conversion to occur under more ideal conditions. This architecture galvanically isolates the most timing-critical digital and analog domains in distinct, independently powered chassis so that processing precision, conversion integrity, and analog purity can operate in electrically separate environments. Cross-domain interference is eliminated, temporal stability is enhanced, and musical structure is preserved more completely.
The C10 Statement DAC is CH Precision’s most advanced expression of what digital can become when clocking, upsampling, conversion, analog output, and power architecture are treated as a single coherent system.
