# OPPO Unveils Highly Functional DAC and Network Streamer: Sonica DAC



## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

OPPO Digital is back at it again, introducing yet another piece of Hi-Fi equipment aimed directly at the discerning enthusiast world. Late last week the company officially released details and images of its new Sonica DAC, which is now available for purchase on the company’s website.

Sonica DAC is a component for audiophiles that want the convenience of streaming networked audio, but yearn for the performance of a high-quality DAC. Its network functionality relies on OPPO’s Sonica app (iOS and Android) to stream music from various handheld and portable devices, in addition to music stored on a computer or NAS drive. For higher fidelity sound, users can tap the power of the component’s flagship ESS ES9038PRO SABRE DAC using commonly found inputs. Sonica DAC can also function as a Hi-Res audio player by decoding files contained on USB hard drives and thumb drives.

Sonica’s network capabilities are grounded by wired Ethernet and built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n and ac standards) options, but also include the convenience of Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth streaming. Using the free Sonica app, owners can navigate device-based music libraries and directly control playback. For non-wireless digital audio, OPPO endowed the backside of Sonica DAC with coaxial and optical digital inputs, along with a front panel USB port. Owners can also tap an Auxiliary input to take advantage of traditional analog sources. Analog sources can be shared with OPPO’s Sonica Wi-Fi speakers in single or multi-room configurations.

Of course, a highly functional DAC like Sonica wouldn’t be complete without Hi-Res audio playback. Onboard decoding can handle audio files up to 24-bit/192 kHz from formats such as FLAC, WAV, and Apple Lossless, as well as DSD files at 64x sample rate. 










Sonica DAC offers both XLR and RCA audio output connections. OPPO says the audio path is fully balanced from the DAC processing chip straight to the XLR jacks; the RCA output signal is also converted from the balanced output. This kind of design enables better common-mode noise rejection and offers a pure signal. A toroidal linear power supply delivers clean power to the audio circuitry.

If you’re in the market for a cutting-edge networked streaming component, Sonica DAC offers quite a bit of bang for the buck and wide ranging performance. Visit http://www.oppodigital.com/sonica-dac/ for more information.

_Image Credits: OPPO Digital_


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