Korg's AudioGate DS-DAC USB audio playback system consists of Korg's AudioGate 3 playback software and a choice of either the sleek desktop DS-DAC-100 or DS-DAC-100m mobile interfaces. Both are USB digital-to-analog converters that allow either Windows (ASIO) or Mac (Core Audio) users to playback 1-bit DSD 2.8 MHz or 5.6 MHz audio files.
The little DS-DAC-100m has a 1/8-inch headphone jack that'll drive any set of headphones. The futuristic-looking DS-DAC-100 has both RCA and balanced XLR output jacks for connection to your stereo gear or pro studio rig respectively. Korg's AudioGate 3 audio playback and audio format conversion software allows sample rates ranging from 44.1 to 192 kHz for PCM and both 2.8224 MHz and 5.6448 MHz 1-bit. You can play back existing audio from CDs, downloads or other sources as high-quality DSD audio that sounds better than audio from standard computer DACs.
The Korg DS-DAC-100 and DS-DAC-100m sell for $599.99 and $349.99 respectively.
Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 gold and platinum records. He has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs, and more. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and loves teaching audio engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. He is a lifetime Grammy-voting member of NARAS and a contributing editor for Mix Magazine. barryrudolph.com
