AQUA HIFI
LinQ
NO-COMPROMISE AUDIO ENGINE
HQPlayer Core + NAA (cascade-modules). The breakthrough. LinQ knows no obsolescence.
Our focus was to create an Audio Engine for Roon with zero-setup. The ambitious vision to combine extreme Sound Quality with delight.
The Core exploits the new i.MX8 micro (ARM 64bit), with its incredible performance, low‑latency, and revolutionary power efficiency. And a customized lightweight kernel (UNIX-based).
Roon can be configured to implement of HQPlayer into a Zone. HQPlayer owns the final connection to the Audio Engine, and Roon is just passing along a stream of bits from media files / Streaming services as Qobuz and Tidal. This allows you to enjoy the benefits of HQPlayer SQ and the library management capabilities of Roon at the same time.
The Core is zero-configuration (Plug and Play). The license key of HQPlayer Embedded is pre-installed in our labs and the LinQ is ready to use.
The HQPlayer-based LinQ Core remains true to the philosophy of aqua brand, it is not aimed at digital signal processing.
La Diva
The Art of the digital domain
Uncompromised in every respect, La Diva cd transport is the culmination of aqua’s R&D in the areas of electronic and mechanical engineering.
FEATURES
• High performance proprietary ISDC (Isolated Synchronous Discrete Circuit) digital decoding and clock manager
• Custom designed discrete circuit with high-speed photocouplers for Galvanic and magnetic isolation between CD drive unit and digital output
• Ultra massive chassis construction and newly developed high-rigidity sub chassis with Nextel for CD drive unit cancels internal and external acoustic and mechanical vibrations, enabling exceptionally accurate "Red Book" RF signal
• DC disc drive motor allows to read the data accurately and minimize Jitter
• Moplen clamp to avoid flywheel masses and vibrations
• Sophisticated signal processing technology assures excellent CD Red Book signal
• High-performance multi-stage voltage regulator (high-current stage for accurate servo DISC drive rotation, tracking and focus)
• Jitter free digital interface AQlink (I2S protocol), uncompromising digital connection to our DACs
• etherCON RJ45 (AQlink) output connection to DAC, employs CAT6 cable can connect both RJ45 and professional etherCON RJ45
• Separate custom-built toroidal transformers for digital and servo motors/actuators
Formula xHD Rev. 2
The Optologic R2R conversion system
aqua believes that the more musical D/A conversion system is based on the circuit usually identified as "resistor ladder".
This technology has been substituted in the mass-market by the so-called sigma-delta converters.
The sigma-delta converter is a near-completely digital circuit and for this reason it can be can be integrated on silicon and produced at low-cost.
A quality resistor ladder DAC instead uses a circuit based on a set of high precision discrete resistors: at least 2 resistor banks, one for each stereo channel.
The Formula DAC is the first in the aqua’s production to show a proprietary D/A conversion system, that we name Optologic.
The signals sent to the resistor ladders are generated by a proprietary digital circuit, implemented inside an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).
Formula has a sign-magnitude converter structure, and this requires not two but four 24 bit resistors banks, each one made of very low tolerance discrete resistors.
In order to separate the digital section from the sensitive analog circuits, galvanic and magnetic isolations are implemented between the FPGA and the four branches of the R2R ladder converter.
This creates complete isolation of all digital circuitry - including the clock - from the analogue section, for a clean, noiseless ground plane. It also plays the main role in the differential management of the R2R ladders, achieving perfect symmetry between the counter-phase halves. The result is the highest tonal contrast and naturalness.
La Scala MKII Optologic DAC
the new Optologic Conversion System
A never ending story: upgrading to the Optologic DAC
Again, La Scala D/A converter proves that an instant classic does not mean a product whose destiny is to become obsolescent, like most of the products in the high-end world.
After the first appearance in the flagship Formula DAC, the proprietary D/A conversion system developed by Aqua is now available for La Scala MkII dac.
So, current Owners, have the opportunity to upgrade their unit in order to reach to the revolutionary Optologic D/A conversion system.
The already extraordinary sound quality of this icon is now improved in every aspect: time coherence, microdynamics, timbre, and without losing that magic atmosphere for which La Scala is widely renowned.
La Scala MkII keeps the VALVE / MOSFET hybrid circuitry, with now a pair of specially selected ECC81 tubes - a High-Frequency triode - for its extremely low noise and superb transparency.
La Voce S3 Discrete DAC
The new S3 Discrete | La Voce to the next level.
Designed to provide absolute modularity, the La Voce S3 is a pure R2R ladder - FPGA-based DAC without digital filter. It has a sign-magnitude ladder converter.
The absence of digital filtering means no processing of the input signal. The original digital samples are translated to the reproduced sound, preserving the transient shape and avoiding any ringing.
In this way we also avoid the "intersample overs" problem that is vital to faithful reproduction, considering current recording studio practices.
With our R2R conversion technology the sound is natural, fast, dynamic, and without the sense of compression characterizing others converters.
To protect the investment, owners of original La Voce can upgrade to La Voce S3 Discrete DAC. The update for the La Voce units of existing owners consists of the following hardware / firmware modifications:
• FPGA / decoding board cod. P608, high-resolution up to 384kHz PCM and DSD128
• R2R Ladder resistors board cod. P607
• USB board cod. P901 with new firmware
• hardware modification of main board P601
• hardware modification of I2S / USB board P603
