The new Henry Audio DA 256 DAC is designed to decoded digital music with verve.
A few years ago, I was contacted by a Norwegian electronics engineer who had set himself the task of developing an affordable Digital-to-Analog Convertor for audiophiles who wanted to get the most out of streaming digital music.
Borge Strand-Bergesen is a modest person with a dream to deliver the kind of listening experience that brings a big smile to your face and might send a shiver down your spine or bring a tear to your eye. Digital audio can tend to make music sound dry and even clinical. It’s not the format that’s at fault, but not all DACs are created equal. The very best DACs can get your feet tapping as uncontrollably as an all-analog system.
Strand-Bergesen’s goal is ambitious but he has just announced the launch of the new Henry Audio DA 256. The quiet Norwegian thinks he might just have achieved his dream of producing an affordable DAC that can outgun some of the ultra-high-end models on the market.
Housed in a minimalistic silver and wood case, the new Henry Audio DA 256 has an understated look with Scandinavian styling. Inside the box, Strand-Bergesen feels he has produced something that is exceptionally easy to use with plenty of listening enjoyment.
At the rear of the DA 256 are the connections for all the source inputs and the RCA outputs for … [+]
For maximum flexibility, the DA 256 has a compact footprint, so it doesn’t take up too much space alongside all the other pieces of audio kit enthusiasts have. All the device’s connections are tucked away at the rear which includes ports for virtually any type of input device, whether that be computers, streamers, CD drives or a TV. There is a choice of USB, digital coax SPDIF and optical TOSLink digital inputs.
Helpfully, the DA 256 can automatically select the current live source that’s streaming audio and play it back until the source is either stopped or muted. It all works without the need for any input selection buttons, just a discrete LED to indicate which source is active.
A single USB-C connector on the front of the unit has been included to make it easier to share and demo the DA 256 with friends or when listening on the go without disturbing the permanent setup of connections at the back of the unit.
Power And Time
Of course, no one buys a DAC of this type just for its looks or ease of use. And this is where the story behind the new DA 256 gets a little more interesting. Henry Audio has always focused its design efforts on the most critical aspects of the digital audio playback process which is mostly down to power supply and clocking.
While the DA 256 can function using the power from its USB host device, there is also the option to bypass that by using an external power supply with an input voltage ranging from 8 to 16V DC. This ability to upgrade to an external power source—like the ones that Naim and Cyrus Audio users have enjoyed for years—is designed to boost the audio quality to a higher level.
At the front of the Henry Audio DA 256 is a USB-C input for quick connections if needed without … [+]
Inside the DAC, the power is regulated and decoupled using technology originally developed for ultra-high-performance military instrumentation. The DA 256 also includes two ultra-precise oscillators manufactured by Golledge; these handle the clocking references for all digital sources.
Working in tandem with Strand-Bergesen’s hardware is Henry Audio’s custom-developed software and firmware. A built-in watchdog system ensures the DA 256’s low-jitter precision clock stays aligned with the incoming digital audio signals, automatically optimizing performance for any connected device. And that is the process in a DAC that can make the difference between a good sound and a premium one.
Pricing and Availability:
The Henry Audio DA 256 is available to preorder from henryaudio.com and is priced at $1,350 including shipping.
Tech Specs:
- Asynchronous USB Audio powered by Golledge crystal oscillators
- at 22.5792 and 24.576MHz.
- Sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192kbps.
- Outputs: RCA (phono) stereo.
- DAC: Asahi Kasei AKM4430 DAC.
- MCU: Atmel AVR32 general-purpose MCU programmed in open-source C.
- ASIO driver for Windows programmed in open-source C
- Low-noise 3.3V ADP151 LDOs powered from USB.
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 114.4 x 32.8 x 119mm.
- System: The DA 256 works with all modern computers but may not work well on computers with processors below the performance of a Core 2-duo / 2GHz CPU. USB Audio Class 2 drivers may not work on Windows XP.
