ACCUPHASE DP-450 MDS COMPACT DISC PLAYER

Product Details & Specifications: 

The newest masterpiece from the world renowned engineers and designers at Accupahse, the DP-450 is designed with a high-rigidity, high-precision drive optimized for CD reproduction, along with a super-quiet and smooth disc loading mechanism to ensure pure signal readout of the highest quality. In the processor section, the MDS type D/A converter utilizes four DAC chips driven in parallel, and the filter amplifier features the newly developed ANCC (Accuphase Noise and Distortion Cancelling Circuit).   To minimize any noise or vibrations, the CD transport section and digital processor are kept completely separate. In addition to a USB input, coaxial and optical connectors are provided for digital input and transport output. High quality Japanese construction and highly advanced digital technology fully reveal the potential of the CD medium and provide a listening experience that opens up new emotional depths even with familiar music sources.

• Highly rigid and precise CD drive unaffected by external vibrations The highly rigid CD drive employs a stiff construction that not only minimizes vibrations from the internal rotation but also absorbs any external vibrations, whether large or small. The rigid mechanism base is fully integrated with the massive and highly rigid chassis, resulting in a strong frame structure with elaborate and sophisticated construction.
• Floating type traverse mechanism (laser pickup unit) Mechanical isolation between the traverse mechanism and the CD drive is provided by silicone type viscous dampers whose shape and material composition have been carefully optimized.
• Large bridge cover The massive bridge cover which also comprises the magnetic chucking mechanism for the disc is firmly mounted on the mechanism base, forming a strong integrated structure. To ensure quiet operation, a special design is implemented to reduce wind noise due to the air flow caused by the rotating disc. 
• Non-resonant design If there is overlap between the rotation frequency of the spindle motor that turns the disc for playback and the resonance frequency of the viscous dampers that support the traverse mechanism, the risk of pickup dropouts increases and sound quality may deteriorate. It is therefore crucial to design the player components in such a way that resonance points within this frequency band are avoided. As a result of numerous listening tests and a series of careful vibration measurements, Accuphase engineers were able to achieve optimum isolation between the traverse mechanism and the CD drive itself. Contact sections of individual metal parts employ a sophisticated frame construction that further contributes to keeping resonances in the pickup vicinity to an absolute minimum. 
• Low center of gravity.
• High-quality disc tray extruded from an aluminum block, plus super-quiet and smooth disc loading mechanism.
• MDS type D/A converter MDS (Multiple Delta Sigma) is a revolutionary approach that employs several delta-sigma type D/A converters connected in parallel, for drastically improved performance. The same digital signal is supplied to each converter, and the output of the converters is summed before being sent to subsequent stages. In the DP-450, four converter circuits are used in parallel. This improves overall performance by a factor of about 2 (=√4) as compared to a single converter circuit. Because the performance improvement afforded by the MDS principle is independent of signal frequency and signal level, output signal noise at very low levels is also successfully minimized, a feat that is very difficult to achieve with conventional delta-sigma converters.
• Four high-performance AK4490EQ delta-sigma D/A converter chips made by Asahi Kasei Microdevices.
• Filter amplifier with ANCC topology 
• ANCC (Accuphase Noise and Distortion Cancelling Circuit) is a newly developed topology that improves performance by canceling noise and distortion components arising in an amplifier through subtraction at a following stage. THD is minimized, and noise performance is improved to the level of the canceling amplifier. Gain distribution is optimized through measures such as increasing the gain in the filter circuit's input stage, thereby elevating performance to a level that rivals the technology of higher-ranked models. 
• The ANCC uses a low-noise OP amp (input converted noise voltage density 1.5 nV/ √Hz) which results in 30% better performance as compared to conventional circuitry. 
• SA9227A chip from Savitech for USB input realizes support for DSD256.
• Power supply optimized for performance and sound quality The power transformer has separate windings for supplying the analog and digital sections. A strengthened reference power supply for the D/A converter ensures stability and minimizes noise. Both in terms of performance and sound quality, the results are outstanding. 
• Display can show sampling frequency and number of quantization bits Besides showing track numbers and elapsed playing time, the display can also indicate the sampling frequency and the number of quantization bits when using the external input and during CD playback. 
• Digital level control allows adjustment down to –60 dB The level control employs the digital principle for optimum accuracy and minimal degradation of sound quality. Integration of the level control function in the D/A converter prevents noise and provides a wide adjustment range down to –60 dB. 
• Digital inputs and outputs for COAXIAL, OPTICAL, and USB (input only) Harnessing the high performance of the built-in processing section, data from other digital equipment can be supplied to the DP-450 via the digital inputs and played back with high sound quality. 
• High Carbon cast iron insulator feet with superior damping characteristics further enhance sound quality.
• Analog outputs provide a choice of line level and balanced types for shutting out external noise interference.
• Fully digital circuitry for mechanism control.
• Phase selector for balanced output.