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Did I miss a thing? Hello? Still awake? Yessir. The analog input. Tied directly to the class D stage it shares its traits without being influenced by the D/A converter. Bass again was pleasantly taut and quick but tonally slim in the first octave. Mids and highs were cleanly resolved and in the positive sense neutral and even. Soundstaging tracked the digital inputs - perfectly adequate for a compact machine but in the grand scheme more a convenience feature for completion’s sake. Nobody would buy the DACmini PX for its analog input alone.

Conclusion. The Centrance DACMini PX is a very attractive and complete solution for those with challenged real estate who want a clean integrated, head amp and DAC that support an analog source. Real assets are a high-quality converter that plays it clean, articulate, quick and dynamic and a first-rate headphone stage. The class D power stage is a size up from typical desktop fare and, with small compromises in low bass and stage depth, should cut a good figure also in the living room.


The DACmini easily slips into a laptop bag to accompany mobile folks so they’re prepared for any potential ‘tone situation’. Particularly for those who produce or mix on a notebook the Centrance will make a lot of sense. I wouldn’t go after it just for the integrated amp function. Whilst clearly superior to earlier examples of the breed, today there are competitors more capable on low bass and depth perspective. Those not in need of speaker drive can always eye the DACmini CX. It’s the equal sans class D output stage.

Psych profile tapped digitally driving speakers:
  • A broadly neutral response which merely in the low bass gets somewhat lean. Clean mids, a well resolved non-peaky slightly silken treble. The vocal range tends to just the facts rather than deep color.
  • Micro and macro dynamics are slightly above average for the price and particularly sudden voltage swings are well tracked. Overall this machine plays it quick, bouncy and positively vital.
  • Soundstaging is more broad than deep. The vertical spread sports excellent image localization however which nails each position. Depth is limited.

DAC solo:
  • Neutral top to bottom, no emphasis, deep bass rendered fully unlike the class D output stage.
  • Exemplary micro and macrodynamics.
  • Compared to the amp the DAC pure has significantly improved 3-D staging which also improves the depth dimension and increases image plasticity.
Headphone amp:
  • Combines the DAC traits with a congenial class A sound.
  • Versus the speaker amp the low pass in particular is more extended and robust but remains just as quick.
  • The midband gets richer in color and detail.
  • In the treble the class A & D stages overlap – well resolved and articulate but not sharp.
  • At normal levels the headphone output is dead quiet.
Facts:
  • Concept: Combo DAC, class A head amp and class D integrated
  • Dimensions and weight: 42 x 164 x 164mm H x W x D, 1.7kg
  • Trim: Black
  • I/O ports: digital – 1 x USB, coax and Toslink each; analog – RCA in and out, speaker terminals
  • Output power: 2 x 25 watts
  • Power consumption: 6 watts
  • Other: 96kHz limit for USB, 192kHz for both S/PDIF ports, always 24 bits, driverless, optimized ASIO driver for Windows downloadable
  • Warranty: 2 years
redaktion @ fairaudio.de
Centrance website