T+A PSD 3100 HV Digital Streaming Preamp

PSD 3100HV

The preamp streaming DAC

The PSD 3100 HV was designed to combine the performance of our best preamps and converters with the convenience of a multi source player. Starting with professional digital inputs via FM, FM-HD, DAB+ radio playback, Bluetooth and Connect services to streaming from local and global Internet and network sources, the PSD 3100 HV converts everything digital directly into the highest quality analogue signals, making it the consistent audiophile solution for everyone those whose music collection has left the CD age behind. The PSD 3100 HV is the universal control center for a high-end system to which only the appropriate power amplifiers or active loudspeakers have to be connected. At the same time, it embodies our uncompromising scientific approach: the best playback quality without harmful interactions between the different analogue and digital assemblies is only possible in a multifunctional device through the combination of unique technologies and decades of experience.

Streaming and Sources

At the heart of the PSD 3100 HV is a network board designed from an audiophile point of view, whose task is to process incoming WLAN, LAN and USB master mode signals and access high-quality streaming services such as Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer. For local applications, the new third-generation T+A streaming client streams PCM data up to a quality of 192/32 (HD) and DSD files up to a resolution of DSD 256 directly from the network.

In addition to exceptionally high playback quality, the focus of the streaming client is on ease of use: The free airable service manages streaming services and Internet radio stations, which means that the entire administration can be automated in the background.

The PSD 3100 HV overcomes the long-standing contradiction between the transmission of mobile data and playback quality through the consistent use of high-quality and convenient connection standards, which can even transmit uncompressed Flac files without loss of quality.

In addition to the Internet radio access integrated in the streaming client, the PSD 3100 HV enables three other radio services: FM, FM-HD and DAB+. Their extraordinarily high sound quality is guaranteed by the digital intermediate frequency, demodulation and stereo decoder output stage used, while the high sensitivity enables the PSD to receive and cleanly process even weak signals: Only the intelligent combination of all these properties allows the most classic of all signal sources to be connected to the cable as well as on antennas sound excellent.

Preamp & Outputs

The PSD 3100 HV is also a first-class preamplifier thanks to a Class A preamplifier built discretely in HV technology, the relay-controlled volume control with balance and loudness function, tone control that can be switched off, and the state-of-the-art double mono output stages used. Its high-quality XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs provide the signal bridge to power amplifiers and powered speakers, while headphones can be connected via a balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn headphone output. So that any headphone can be controlled effortlessly, the output draws its signal from a special high-performance headphone amplifier, which not only sounds excellent, but is also very stable in terms of voltage and current.

digital inputs

The digital connecting board of the PSD 3100 HV maps the complete range of all modern digital sources: professional AES/EBU, BNC as well as optical and coaxial SP/DIF inputs are available as well as two HDMI inputs and one HDMI output. They all allow the connection of any external sources - such as set-top boxes, drives and players. The IPA-LINK socket is intended for connecting our reference SACD drive PDT 3100 HV and transmits its data in full resolution. The USB B (device mode) input based on the Thesycon chip enables processing from the PC to DSD 512 and PCM 768 by the subsequent converter modules.

Path Separation Technology

We believe in unadulterated sound reproduction, because only this conveys the artist's intention without adding or subtracting anything. The converters play a crucial role here, because they are intended to reproduce the original analogue music from the digital data as closely as possible to the original. That's why we developed our revolutionary path separation technology, which does not process PCM and DSD signals together, but processes each signal type via its own converter. PCM formats are converted with our double differential quadruple converter up to 32bit/768 kSps and DSD formats with the unique T+A True 1Bit DSD D/A converter up to DSD 512 (24.6 MHz). .

Converters & Filters

The PSD 3100 HV should stand out even with critical passages and the smallest details with its amazing resolution, dynamics, linearity and freedom from distortion. That is why the PCM quadruple converter developed by T+A consists of a doubly symmetrical circuit with eight 32-bit BurrBrown converters. This is the only way that non-linearities can be compensated to an above-average extent, while the already minimal residual noise is reduced by a further 6 dB. Despite this performance, the PCM converter is able to be adapted to individual sound preferences thanks to its 56-bit signal processor. Four filter types designed by T+A are available for this purpose, which have an optimal time behavior and no pre- or post-oscillation in the analogue signal.

Our T+A True 1Bit DSD converter is also absolutely unique because it broke with a paradigm: Ordinary converters process DSD signals by converting them into PCM and playing them back via PCM mode. In our opinion, this means that the native quality of DSD recordings is lost. That's why we developed the True 1-Bit DSD Converter, which does not convert the DSD data but converts it natively and thus fully preserves the audio advantages of a bitstream.

Technical specifications

preamp

Frequency Response +0 /-3dB: 0.5Hz - 300kHz

Noise/noise ratio: 108 / 112 dB

Distortion factor | Intermodulation | Channel Separation: <0.001% | <0.001% | > 108dB

Input sensitivity nominal high level (Cinch): 250 mVeff ... 9 Veff / 24 kOhm

Analog output RCA | XLR: nom 1 Veff, max 9.5 Veff / 20 Ohm | nom 1.45 Vrms, max 19.6 Vrms / 40 ohms

Headphone output: 4.4 mm Pentaconn (6 ohms)

digital inputs

1 x AES-EBU 32...192 kHz / 16-24 bit
4 x S/P-DIF: 1 x standard coax
1 x high-quality BNC 32...192 kHz / 16-24 bit,
2 x optical TOS-Link 32...192 kHz / 16-24 bit
1 x USB DAC: Device mode with max. 768 kSps (PCM) and DSD 512*, supports asynchronous data transfer.
*DSD 512 only from a Windows PC with installed driver or from a Linux PC with kernel 4.4 or higher.
2 x USB master mode for USB mass storage devices (stick or HDD)
2 x HDMI IN, 1 x HDMI OUT with ARC
1 x IPA (LVDS)

network connection

LAN: Fast Ethernet 10/100/1000 Base-T,
WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n

D/A converter

PCM: Double differential quadruple converter with four 32-bit sigma-delta D/A converters per channel. 705.6 / 768 ksps conversion rate

DSD: T+A True 1Bit DSD D/A converter, up to DSD 512 (24.5 MHz), native bitstream

Upsampling (PCM): T+A signal processor - synchronous upsampling with 4 selectable oversampling algorithms. FIR short, FIR long, Bezier/IIR, Bezier

Analog filter: 3rd order phase-linear Bessel filter, switchable with 60
or 120 kHz cut-off frequency

Frequency response: PCM 44.1 ksps: 2 Hz - 20 kHz
PCM 48kSps: 2Hz - 22kHz / DSD 64: 2Hz - 44kHz
PCM 96kSps: 2Hz - 40kHz / DSD 128: 2Hz - 60kHz
PCM 192kSps: 2Hz - 80kHz / DSD 256: 2Hz - 80kHz
PCM 384kSps: 2Hz - 100kHz / DSD 512: 2Hz - 100kHz
PCM 768kSps: 2Hz - 120kHz

Distortion factor: < 0.001%

Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >117dB

Channel Separation: >110dB

streaming client

3rd generation streaming client module with quad core processor

tuner

Internet Radio: Airable Internet Radio Service (> 11000 stations worldwide)

FM, FM HD: 87.5 - 108MHz; sensitivity 1 µV; S/N > 65dBA

DAB, DAB+: 168-240MHz (Band III); Sensitivity 2.0 µV, S/N > 96 dB

Features: RDS/RDBS, station name (PS), program type (PTY), radio text (RT), time

Bluetooth

Bluetooth Standard: A2DP (Audio), AVRCP 1.4 (Control) / aptX® HD, SBC, AAC

Connection / Accessories / Dimensions

Mains connection: 2 x 110-120 V or 220-240 V, 50-60 Hz.
Operation: 30W digital / 40W analog

Standby: <0.5W

Dimensions (W x H x D) / Weight: 17 x 46 x 46 cm / 26 kg

Accessories: 2x power cord, remote control F 3100, BNC adapter