The
NCD2 player uses Philips CD Pro 2 transport, one of the
best CD modules currently available, inserted in a particular,
semi-rigid system composed of a steel and wood mass suspended on
anti-vibration mounting pads.
The
conversion unit develops around the top-of-the-line Analog Devices
converter, the AD1955, in dual mono configuration, and an
upsampling circuit that raises the resolution of digital data,
based on an Analog Devices AD1896 integrated circuit. The entire
digital signal conversion system is mounted on an independent
printed circuit board that can be easily removed and replaced in
case of technological updates, without having to change the entire
player.
Thanks
to the high sampling frequency, it was possible to use a first
order analog filter made up of a metal film resistor and an
exceptionally high quality silver mica capacitor.
The
analog output stage is a discrete components design. Even for the
critical current to voltage conversion it has been used a single
stage discrete topology. The individual active components are
selected individually.
For
the digital and the control circuits and for the signal handling
circuits, the power supply, starting from two toroidal
transformers, is completely independent. A particular system has
been adopted for filtering the power supply of the conversion and
the analog units; a system that significantly reduces reciprocal
noise between the various circuits. Consequently, the sound
obtained is harmonically richer and the sound fade-out more
natural.
The
passive components used include high quality parts such as
electrolytic capacitors, with extremely low internal impedance,
polypropylene capacitors and low-noise metal film resistors. Each
individual component has been chosen according to the real sound
quality, determined through numerous listening tests.
|