SW1X Audio Design

Digital to Analogue Converters

SW1X DAC I

Performance Level 1 D to A Converter. This DAC is considered to be one of the most musical and purist NOS R2R DAC ever made. We are proud to offer the DAC I at its full glory with choke filtered and valve rectified power supply. This is a high performance entry level solution to a musical, organic & analogue sounding digital setup- just add an analogue sounding digital transport and re-experience your collection of music.

 

SW1X DAC II

SW1X Audio Design™ DAC II Performance Level 2. DAC II comes equipped with more sophisticated power supplies and powerful 6N6P/6N30P/5687/E182CC valve output stage with 6X5GT (or 5Y3) valve rectification. The DAC II has a similar analogue & musical character akin to DAC I but with a step up in low level musical refinement and presentation on another level. The circuit design is pure and elegantly simple with only one decoupling capacitor per channel in the signal path. Everything from input to output, including the mains inlet, the whole signal path is wired with specially selected SW1X copper conductors & dielectric- the same ones that are employed in our Genesis and Opus cables. The DAC II is currently available in STD, SPX or Balanced versions.

 

SW1X DAC II Balanced Special

SW1X Audio Design™ DAC II Balanced Performance Level 3 D to A Converter The Balanced Special version is a top of the line & very special DAC II: it is the fusion of the DAC II Balanced and the DAC IV Special. This version shares the digital side of the DAC II Balanced, employes an active I/V conversions stage and borrows the 6V6 power tube output stage from the DAC IV. The 6V6 power tube output stage is de-coupled by a signal output transformer (OPT) de-coupled power tube output stage driven by the active I/V conversion stage for an even more dynamic bite.

 

SW1X DAC III STD/SPX

Re-experience the legendary classic NOS R2R DAC powered by valves at its full glory, re-incarnated by SW1X Audio Design™. DAC III builds upon the refinement of the SW1X DAC II and adds additional level of organic & analogue envelope to the sound. The sonic character becomes indistinguishable from analogue playback when combined with analogue sounding digital transport. Available in either STD/SPX or in Balanced versions. The Balanced versions of the DAC III is equipped with signal output transformers (OTPs) providing true balanced and single ended ouputs.

 

SW1X DAC IV

DAC IV is a further development in musical scale & refinement of the already magical sounding DAC III powered by Power Output Valves and Directly Heated Diodes (DHD) in the power supply. The DHD Valve power supplies are 2 x choke filtered and quasi dual mono in design. Accomodating everything in one chassis without interference of magnetic fields proved to be a real challenge but having everything housed in one chassis with much shorter signal paths turned out to be very rewarding in the end.

 

SW1X DAC V

Similar to the DAC III Balanced & the DAC IV, DAC V is Signal Output Transformer (OPT) de-coupled yet is amplified by Directly Heated Triodes and powered by Directly Heated Valve Rectified Quasi Dual Mono Power Supply. Signal Output Transformer (OPT) de-coupling of the Directly Heated Valve Output Stage is the closest approximation to a truely “invisibly” sounding DAC.

 

SW1X DAC X

DAC X is our Statement Level X Digital to Analogue Converter. Statement Level X represents the pinnacle of SW1X engineering and DAC X is a culmination of all our know how and technology from our DAC product line up (DAC I-V) in one chassis. It is the most musical, organic & natural sounding DAC we have designed to date. The musical performance of the DAC X re-defines what was thought is possible from a digital playback. When partnered with a matching VDT digital source, its analogue character is indistinguashable from the best RTR and Vinyl playback.

 

Digital Sources

SW1X VDT I Valve Digital Transport Player & Music Streamer

VDT I – Valve Digital Transport is a radically different approach to a modern digital source. In order to achieve maximum analogue, musical & organic sound character unheard of digital source, VDT employs minimum quantity of transistors and maximum quantity of valves. Even the CPU (hardware and OS)- playback control part is reduced to an absolute minimum. This is done on purpose in order to have maximum musicality, highest possible quality of power supplies and to minimise all possible time domain distortions within the digital domain. All our digital sources and music streamers are designed to be UPnP & DLNA ready- just connect & discover the device wirelessly on your network & control the playback of your music media via touch screen or another device. Last but not least, they are designed to be ideal partners to our DAC products, maximising their musicality and analogue character.

 

SW1X VDT II Valve Digital Transport Player & Music Streamer

VDT II – Valve Digital Transport is a radically different approach to a modern digital source. In order to achieve maximum analogue, musical & organic sound character unheard of digital source, VDT employs minimum quantity of transistors and maximum quantity of valves. Even the CPU (hardware and OS)- playback control part is reduced to an absolute minimum. This is done on purpose in order to have maximum musicality, highest possible quality of power supplies and to minimise all possible time domain distortions within the digital domain. All our digital sources and music streamers are designed to be UPnP & DLNA ready- just connect & discover the device wirelessly on your network & control the playback of your music media via touch screen or another device. Last but not least, they are designed to be ideal partners to our DAC products, maximising their musicality and analogue character.

 

SW1X VDT III Valve Digital Transport Player & Music Streamer

VDT III – Valve Digital Transport is a radically different approach to a modern digital source. In order to achieve maximum analogue, musical & organic sound character unheard of digital source, VDT employs minimum quantity of transistors and maximum quantity of valves. Even the CPU (hardware and OS)- playback control part is reduced to an absolute minimum. This is done on purpose in order to have maximum musicality, highest possible quality of power supplies and to minimise all possible time domain distortions within the digital domain. All our digital sources and music streamers are designed to be UPnP & DLNA ready- just connect & discover the device wirelessly on your network & control the playback of your music media via touch screen or another device. Last but not least, they are designed to be ideal partners to our DAC products, maximising their musicality and analogue character.

 

SW1X VDT IV Valve Digital Transport Player & Music Streamer

VDT IV – Valve Digital Transport is a radically different approach to a modern digital source. Essentially, it follows the same approach of a CD based digital transport just comes without a CD pick up mechanim but with a mini computer that accesses a media storage drive instead. In order to achieve maximum analogue, musical & organic sound character unheard of digital source, VDT employs minimum quantity of transistors and maximum quantity of valves.

 

SW1X VDT V Valve Digital Transport Player & Music Streamer

VDT V is our flagship Digital Source. Its analogue sound character re-defines how a digital source is supposed to sound. It goes one step further and takes the analoge sounding character of the VDT IV to the maximum employing even higher quantity of valves- 3 more in the CPU power supplies and 9 in total to be exact. Designed to be ideal partners to our DAC products, the VDT V maximises their musicality and analogue character. All our digital sources and music streamers are designed to be UPnP & DLNA ready- just connect & discover the device wirelessly on your network & control the playback of your music media via touch screen or another device.

 

DAC Player & Streamer

SW1X CDP I Complete DAC Player

CDP is short for Complete DAC Player. Similar to a CD Player, CDP is a SW1X DAC with a VDT Digital Player/Streamer housed in one chassis. This is a harmonically matched solution for those who are looking to miximise the musical and analogue characteristics of SW1X digital source without the hassle of mismatch stemming from multiple chassis products. Everything is designed to be UPnP & DLNA ready- just connect & discover the device on your network & control the playback of your music media via touch screen or another device.

 

SW1X CDP II Complete DAC Player

CDP II = DAC II + VDT I/2 Transport & Streamer CDP is short for Complete DAC Player. Similar to a CD Player, CDP is a SPX version of a SW1X DAC with a VDT Digital Player/Streamer housed in one chassis. This is a harmonically matched solution for those who are looking to miximise the musical and analogue characteristics of SW1X digital source without the hassle of mismatch stemming from multiple chassis products. Everything is designed to be UPnP & DLNA ready- just connect & discover the device on your network & control the playback of your music media via touch screen or another device.

 

SW1X CDP III Complete DAC Player

CDP III = DAC III + VDT I/2 Transport & Streamer CDP is short for Complete DAC Player. Similar to a CD Player, CDP is a SPX version of a SW1X DAC with a VDT Digital Player/Streamer housed in one chassis. This is a harmonically matched solution for those who are looking to miximise the musical and analogue characteristics of SW1X digital source without the hassle of mismatch stemming from multiple chassis products. Everything is designed to be UPnP & DLNA ready- just connect & discover the device on your network & control the playback of your music media via touch screen or another device.

 

Integrated Amplifiers

SW1X AMP I “Genie”

AMP I is essentially a 2 gain stage Power Amplifier coupled with a High Quality Pre-amplifier. EL84 power pentodes are known for their energetic and musical qualities being a very popular tubes due to their usage in the guitar amplifers and radious in the 1960s. The Triode Connected EL84 maintains that musical & energetic sound character plus adds the refinement and drive of our higher performance amplifier range. Available in different output stage topologies and versions: PSE and the Push Pull (PP) version with integrated Phono (LPX) or DAC (DX) options and different power output transformer options.

 

SW1X AMP II “Electra”

AMP II is a Pure Class A, Single Ended Amplifier. It is essentially a 2 gain stage Power Amplifier coupled with a High Quality Pre-amplifier. It therefore is not only extremely transparent but also very musical and powerful sounding Intergated Amplifier. The Triode Connected 6V6G Power Valves offer the same level of scale and holography as the Directly Heated Triodes without being DHT. Available in different versions: Special and the Classic version with different power output transformer options (Permalloy or SHiB and UHiB) and all Copper or Copper/Silver windings

 

SW1X AMP II “Trident”

AMP II Trident is a Pure Class A, Parallel Single Ended Amplifier. Similar to Electra, Trident is essentially a 2 gain stage Power Amplifier however with Parallel Single Ended 6V6GT power output stage coupled with a High Quality Pre-amplifier. Available in different versions: Special and the Classic version with different power output transformer options (Permalloy or SHiB and UHiB) and all Copper or Copper/Silver windings

 

SW1X AMP III “Trinity”

45 DHT Integrated Amplifier AMP III is a 2 gain stage Power Amplifier coupled with a High Quality Pre-amplifier using our in house designed and in house made stepped attenuator volume control. The Directly Heated 45 Triodes at the output are well known for their superbly refined & magical sound signature. They are driven by 6SJ7 valves to produce the classic energetic & emotionally involving sound. AMP III is extremely refined sounding & musical and also in the same powerful sounding Integrated Amplifier, especially when combined with high sensitivity speakers

 

SW1X AMP IV “Aura”

2A3 DHT Integrated Amplifier AMP IV is a Pure Class A Amplifier coupled with a High Quality Pre-amplifier using our in house designed and in house made stepped attenuator volume control. The Directly Heated 2A3 Triodes at the output are well known for their linear & full bodied sound signature. They are driven by 6SN7 valves to produce the classic energetic & emotionally involving sound. AMP IV is not only extremely musical but also powerful and in the same time refined sounding Integrated Amplifier.

 

SW1X AMP V “Titan”

300B DHT Integrated Amplifier AMP V is a 3 gain stage Power Amplifier coupled with a High Quality Pre-amplifier using our in house designed and in house made stepped attenuator volume control. It is not only extremely musical but also powerful and in the same time refined sounding Integrated Amplifier. The Directly Heated 300B Triodes at the output need no introduction. They are driven by equally powerful 6N6P/5687/E182CC driver tubes or by popular 6SN7 input/driver tubes to produce seemsless linear and balanced sound. Available in different versions: Special and the limited Signature version with different power output transformer options (Permalloy or SHiB and UHiB) and all Copper or Copper/Silver windings

 

Stereo Power Amplifiers

SW1X SPA V "Zenith"

300B DHT Power Amplifier SPA V is a 3 gain stage Stereo Power Amplifier without input switch and volume control. Therefore it is ideally paired with our PRE III or PRE IV Line Pre-amplifier. The Directly Heated 300B Triodes at the output need no introduction. They are driven either by popular 6J5/6SN7 input/driver tubes or with the powerful 6V6 to produce seemsless linear and balanced sound. Available in different versions: Standard, Special and the limited Classic or Signature versions with different power output transformer options (M6, SHiB and UHiB) and all Copper or Copper/Silver windings

 

Mono Power Amplifiers

SW1X MPA III “Oracle”

45 DHT Mono Power Amplifier MPA III is a Pure Class A, Zero Negative Feedback, Directly Heated Triode, Fully Valve Rectified, Single Ended, 3 Gain Stage, Interstage Transformer coupled, Mono Power Amplifier. The Directly Heated 45 Triodes at the output are well known for their superbly refined & magical sound signature. The 45 valves are de-coupled by Interstage transformers and driven by 6V6 power valves to enhance the refined sound of the 45 triodes with powerful & grungy character of the 6V6. Combined with the finest Materials & Components, MPA III is extremely refined & musical sounding, especially when combined with high sensitivity speakers

 

SW1X MPA IV “Aurora”

2A3 DHT Valve Mono Power Amplifier MPA IV is a Pure Class A, Zero Negative Feedback, Directly Heated Triode, Fully Valve Rectified, Single Ended, 3 Gain Stage, Interstage Transformer coupled, Mono Power Amplifier. The 2A3 Triodes in combination with 6V6 triode connected driver tubes provide a perfect balance between grunty power delivery & refined sound signature. The output valves are de-coupled by Interstage transformers and driven by 6V6 power valves to enhance the sophisticated sound of the 2A3 triodes with powerful & grungy character of the 6V6. Combined with the finest Materials & Components, MPA IV is refined & musical sounding, especially when combined with high sensitivity speakers

 

SW1X MPA V "Hercules"

300B DHT Valve Mono Power Amplifier Hercules is a Pure Class A, Zero Negative Feedback, Directly Heated Triode, Fully Valve Rectified, Single Ended, 3 Gain Stage, Interstage Transformer coupled, Mono Power Amplifier. The 300B Triodes in combination with 6V6 triode connected driver tubes offer the presentation of the famous 300B valves yet with a powerful & full bodied sound. The output valves are de-coupled by Interstage Transformers and driven by 6V6 power valves to enhance the sound of the 300B triodes with powerful & grungy character of the 6V6. Combined with the finest Materials & Components, MPA V is refined & musical sounding, especially when combined with high sensitivity speakers

 

Line Pre-Amplifiers

SW1X PRE I Line

The PRE I is a pure class A, Output Transfomerless (OTL) line pre-amplifier with Power Valve Output Stage. Employing El84 power tubes at the output makes the PRE I a smaller brother to the SW1X PRE II Pre-amplifier. It is great enhancement to any tube power amplifier and ideal partner to our DAC I and II STD/SPX and LPU I Phono products, reducing their output impedance further and enhancing their sound with fullness and authority. With a help of of a PRE I, any source becomes unleashed to drive subsequent power amplifiers to its full potential.

 

SW1X PRE II Line & Phono

The PRE II is a pure class A, Output Transfomerless (OTL) line pre-amplifier with Power Valve Output Stage. Employing 6V6 power tubes at the output makes the PRE II a smaller brother to the SW1X PRE IV pre-amplifier. It is great enhancement to any tube power amplifier and ideal partner to our DAC I, II and III STD/SPX and LPU I & II Phono products, reducing their output impedance further and enhancing their sound with fullness and authority. With a help of of a PRE II, any source becomes unleashed to drive subsequent power amplifiers to its full potential.

 

SW1X PRE III Line & Phono

The PRE III is a pure class A, zero negative feedback (global or local) line pre-amplifier with a signal output transformer (OPT) de-coupled valve output stage. Signal OPT of highest quality not only increases transparency (superior to any kind of capacitors) but also lowers the output impedance of the line pre-amplifier further close to 4 Ohms, capable of driving any load of power amplifier input. That virtually unlimited driving capability of PRE III (as well as the DHT version PRE IV) line pre-amplifier acts as a supercharger to a source (DAC Phono, Tape or Radio). It is a great enhancement to any tube power amplifier, driving a sources (DAC or Phono), which has a weaker small signal (high output impedance) tube based output stage. With a help of of a PRE III, any source becomes unleashed to drive subsequent power amplifiers to its full potential.

 

SW1X PRE IV Line

The PRE IV is a signal output transformer (OPT) de-coupled 6V6 tube output stage based, zero negative feedback (zero NFB global or local), line pre-amplifier design. It is a further development of the PRE III power line stage pre-amplifier. The difference in line stage design to power amps is that our goal is the preservation of the signal integrity while minimizing the output impedance and not really signal amplification and reduction of output impedance. Consequently, PRE IV offers the sound akin of DHT tubes plus has very powerful output to drive any power amp, with output impedance below 10 Ohms. The sound is mature, large & holographic with scale, authority and a lot dynamic bite but above everything very transparent comparable to a great passive volume control. It is a great enhancement to any tube power amplifier, driving a sources (DAC or Phono), which has a weaker small signal, indirectly heated tube based output stage.

 

Phono Pre-Amplifiers

SW1X LPU I Phono

The phono pre-amplifier is based on a classic all valve circuit design used to master vinyl recordings and master tapes. It is a two gain stage design consisting of 2 (one for each channel) pentode valves on the input and one double triode valve on the output. The input stage utilises lush sounding EF86 valves in pentode mode, which are loaded by active RIAA equalization network (series resistor-less, dynamics preserving), driving the powerful 6N6P or 5687 double triode on the output stage.

 

SW1X LPU II Phono

The LPU II is the fuller size & higher gain model of the LPU I. The sound of LPU II is characterised by a lush yet lively and bold presentation that makes vinyl playback stand out above anything else. Acoustic instruments and human voices sound completely naturally with accurate dense timbres, lacking of any mechanical signature.

 

SW1X LPU III Balanced Phono

The LPU III Balanced is a Signal Output Transfomer (OPT) de-coupled model of the LPU III. Just like with all our Balanced versions, highest Quality Signal OPTs further improve transparency & dynamics. The classic RIAA circuit is made of specially selected materials & components out of production and only available in limited quantities.

 

SW1X LPU IV Phono

SW1X Audio Design™ LPU IV Performance Level 4 6F6 Valve Phono Pre-Amplifier In addition to Signal Output Transfomer (OPT) de-coupled Balanced design as employed in the LPU III, the circuit design of the LPU IV Phono is basen upon larger octal base valves. Instead of 2 gain stages of the LPU I, II and III, LPU IV Phono is a 3 gain stage design. The input stage of the LPU IV employs the 6SJ7- the octal version of the superb sounding EF86. The interstage/driver is based on the musical and well known 6SN7 double triode. The output stage is now based on the 6F6 (predecessor to 6V6 as in DAC IV and PRE IV) power valves. This makes the LPU IV a larger & bolder sounding Phono relative to the already vivid and bold sounding LPU III. Just like with all our Balanced versions, highest Quality Signal OPTs further improve transparency & dynamics.

 

Loudspeakers

SW1X MTR 963 Monitor Speakers

Are you looking for musical, articulate and most coherent loudspeakers to match a low power Single Ended, Class A, Valve Amplifier? If the answer is yes then you found the solution. The main design goal was to create musically uncompromised, super coherent sounding speakers to harmonically match amplifiers, especially the ones that are designed to be Single Ended and to operate in Class A.