D1.5 SACD/CD Player/Transport

D1.5

Despite advances in high-resolution file-replay, the optical disc remains the reference standard for digital music replay. Those who have predicted the imminent demise of CD and who already danced on the grave of SACD might want to take a look at the rude health of the vinyl LP, a format long ago consigned by many to the dustbin of audio history. In fact, there have never been so many CD and SACD titles (or formats) available – and they have never been so affordable, making them the most consistent and stable digital source currently available – and one that is constantly evolving as superior materials and manufacturing techniques continue to improve performance. They are a source that’s going to be with us for years to come, making a high-performance optical disc player central to any high-end audio system. But the key to that statement is the term “high-performance”. At a time when many CD players are little more than an off-the-shelf transport option, bolted onto a multi-input DAC, the reputation of optical disc replay has suffered significantly.

"Like a fine Swiss watch, CH Precision's D1.5 Player/ Transport gets the timing right.”

JIM AUSTIN, EDITOR - STEREOPHILE

D1.5 SACD/CD Player/Transport

The heart of any disc player is the transport mechanism itself. But what do you do if current mechs simply aren’t up to the job? If you are CH Precision, you build your own! The critical mechanical parts of our proprietary Mechanically Optimized Reading System (MORSe) are built entirely in-house. The carefully selected optical pick-up and motor are precisely mounted on a massive brass sled that weighs almost 1kg (2.2lbs). This high-mass lowers the mechanical resonance frequency of the module several orders of magnitude lower than in most other transports, while ensuring an ideal counter-weight to the torque of the spinning disc.

The complete module is isolated from the rest of the chassis using four alpha-gel isolators, fine-tuned to filter vibrations all the way down to AC mains frequencies. This prevents vibrations generated by the spinning of the disc from reaching sensitive electronic boards, as well as low frequency vibrations originating in the power supply or chassis disturbing the accurate tracking of the laser mechanism.

The disc clamp is made of lightweight PEEK polymer, which provides optimal grip and dimensional stability, ensuring slip-free transmission from the direct drive motor to the disc.
The chassis holding this crucial sub-system is a 2 kg rigid aluminum structure, directly coupled to the heavy base of the D1.5. This makes an ideal mechanical ground reference for the rotating parts that, along with our updated mechanical grounding system effectively eliminates mechanical interference.
Built around the massive MORSe mechanism, the D1.5 is a configurable CD/SACD player/transport, the card-cage output architecture allowing owners to optimize the output topology to suit their system requirements, whether they need a player, transport or prefer to have both in a single unit.

The digital output board (CH-Link HD, S/PDIF, AES/EBU and TosLink) is supplied as standard. The CH-Link HD connection allows digital output of high-definition material, including DSD direct to the C1 DAC or I1 Integrated Amplifier. In the case of CD replay, the D1.5 allows users to choose between the raw MQA (44.1kHz/16bit) output and an MQB output.

It is also possible to fit a pair of dedicated, mono DAC boards, utilizing our proprietary PEtER spline filter algorithm, to create a reference player capable of SACD, CD and MQA CD replay. The Clock Sync board allows the D1.5 player/transport to be slaved to either a DAC master clock or the T1 Reference clock for optimum performance. Finally, the D1.5’s performance can be further upgraded with the use of an X1 external power supply.

All replay, output and user interface functionality is accessible via the CH concentric control on the front panel, or remotely, via the CH Control App. The large AMOLED screen can be color configured to reflect different source/output formats, while the color itself and brightness can be adjusted to offer a perfect match with other units in the system. This flexibility when it comes to configuration or application, along with its ease of operation, make the D1.5 not just the highest performance but also the most adaptable, upgradable and future proof optical disc replay solution available.

D1.5 SACD/CD Player/Transport

Supported discs

CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MQA-CD: stereo PCM 16 bits, 44.1kHz (redbook)
SACD: single layer and hybrid stereo, DSD 1bit, 2.8224MHz (scarletbook)

User control

Dual concentric rotary knob with push function (control knob)
Infrared remote control
Ethernet control (CH-Control app, home automation, etc.)

Digital Audio Outputs

CH LINK HD

Proprietary data link supporting high-definition uncompressed audio and control. Cyphered operation for high-resolution signals (DSD). LVDS signaling for all audio signals (incl. clocks).
16bits/44.1 or 24bits/88.2kHz (CD, MQA-CD).
1bit/2.8224MHz (SACD)

AES/EBU (consumer format)

XLR connector, 2.5Vpp diff., 110Ω
16bits/44.1 or 24bits/88.2kHz (CD, MQA-CD)
24bits/44.1, 88.2, 176.4kHz or 1 bit/2.8224MHz DoP encoded (SACD)

Coaxial (S/PDIF)

RCA connector, 0.5Vpp, 75Ω
16bits/44.1 or 24bits/88.2kHz (CD, MQA-CD)
24bits/44.1, 88.2, 176.4kHz or 1 bit/2.8224MHz DoP encoded (SACD)

Optical TOSLINK (S/PDIF)

Standard TOSLINK optical connector
16bits/44.1 or 24bits/88.2kHz (CD, MQA-CD)
24bits/44.1, 88.2, 176.4kHz or 1 bit/2.8224MHz DoP encoded (SACD)

Input/Output Options

Clock Sync Board

One 10MHz input and two 10MHz outputs (on BNC connectors) for synchronisation with a 10MHz external clock like the CH Precision T1 Time reference.

Analog Out L/R Boards

Dual mono DAC boards running CH Precision’s proprietary PEtER spline filter algorithms, capable of accurately decoding native CD, SACD and MQA-CD data. Each DAC offers analog output on balanced XLR, single-ended RCA and 50Ω BNC.
DAC boards can be added to the D1.5 at any time, either when ordered or later as required.

D1.5 SACD/CD Player/Transport

Bandwidth

CD: DC – 20kHz
SACD: DC – 50kHz

Full scale analog outputs level

Balanced: 4VRMS
Single-ended: 2VRMS

Dynamic range

CD: > 96dB
SACD: > 120dB

Signal to Noise Ratio

SACD, CD: > 120dB

Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise

CD: < 0.002% SACD: < 0.0015%

Power supply

Selectable 100V, 115V or 230V AC, 47Hz to 63Hz

Power consumption

Standby: < 1W Normal operation: Max 100W

Operating conditions

Temperature: +5°C to +35°C
Humidity: 5% to 85% (no condensation)

Dimensions/Weight

Net: 440 x 440 x 133mm (W x D x H), 22kg
Gross: 800 x 600 x 300mm (W x D x H), 30kg

D1.5 SACD/CD Player/Transport

D1.5 SACD/CD Player/Transport

CH-Control App

Meet the CH-Control App – a control application that allows users direct access to every aspect of their CH system’s set up and use via any Android portable device. The software control systems used to set and monitor the operational parameters of each and every CH component offer the perfect opportunity for remote operation via a portable App.

To use the CH-Control App, all you will need is an Android device and to connect your CH components to an Ethernet network. That can be done either through the Ethernet control board fitted as standard to all CH units, or through the network streaming board that can be installed in C1.2, C1.2 Mono or I1 units. We would always recommend using a dedicated tablet and network for your music streaming and system control requirements.

Once your CH system is all hooked up, the App gives you touch screen access to every setting on every CH component, from your listening seat, a huge benefit when it comes to whole system set up or optimization for individual recordings. Either way, the CH-Control App allows you to make easier and more accurate judgements: Total control, quite literally at your fingertips.

The features of every CH product are accessible through the CH-Control App:

  • Built-in UPnP controller to stream dematerialized music, create playlists, etc.
  • Set volume level, select sources, reverse phase, mute, etc.
  • Access to all the advanced set-up parameters in every CH product.
  • Works on a standard Ethernet network.
  • The CH-Control App is available free from the Google Store.

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