This review page is supported in part by the sponsors whose ad banners are displayed below
 
The manual tells us that headfi power specs come to 0.36 watts, 0.21, 0.11, 0.036 and 0.018w into 30Ω, 50, 100, 300 and 600 ohms respectively.


Max output voltage in low-Z mode is 2.1Vrms and 4Vrms in high. Output impedance for the 6.3mm port's chip driver is 13Ω. The multi-culti volume knob doubles as mute when pushed briefly; and input selector when pushed longer.


On the bottom of the unit are two adjustment switches for hi/lo Ω (1) and fixed/variable gain (2) for the pre-outs. Fixed 2.7Vrms mode converts the deck into a standard DAC.


Dimensions of this bonsai audio kit are 106 x 53 x 175mm per box, weight is 1kg. Windows users must install SOtM's v1.22.0 Thesycon driver to make the choice of USB transceiver XMOS' multi-core RISC processor.

The digital receiver chip for the coaxial and optical inputs is the 24/192 AKM AK4113. The actual converter chip is Cirrus Logic's flagship CS4398 outputting to the LME49720 and TPA6120A2 Texas Instruments op-amp and headphone driver respectively. The volume control is a variable Alps resistor. The power supply gets ultra low-noise regulators for the digital and analog circuits. The unit can run on USB power without external power; or the optional battery power supply.


The Korean shipment included a Korean/English manual, a driver CD/ROM, a battery charger, a short umbilical and the two components whose clam-shell tops come off by loosening the two upper bolts on the front and rear each.


The German shipment from SOtM's distributor contained the two-tier stand which combines aluminium and white semi-translucent acrylic parts.



The components 'float' on the cross members and remain supported only across their middle. The white acrylic set screw on the top brace of each tier connects solidly to lock each piece in place without marring its top.