With the CH Precision D1.5 SACD/CD Player/Transport, the company doubles down on it’s configurable, upgradable, card-cage concept.
The D1 CD/SACD player/transport was CH Precision’s first ever product. The discrete multi-channel capable machine established the Company’s now familiar, user configurable, upgradable, card-cage construction. For over a decade, along with the C1 DAC, it has set the standard for high-resolution disc replay, even though, these days the focus for many listeners has switched to high-res streaming.
Yet, with the constant development of new production techniques, materials and even formats, optical disc has never sounded so good. The emergence of Glass CD, SHM discs, UHQCD and new formats such as MQA-CD, has improved performance. Thus, disc replay has gained a renewed relevance – while millions of existing discs still offer superb performance(s). But at the same time, the quality of replay hardware has diminished significantly, undermining those advances and masking their value.
Time to revisit disc replay – Swiss style.
To match improving digital standards we have developed our own, mechanically damped, high-mass MORSe transport mechanism. We have revised the optional on-board upsampling, updating it with our proprietary PEtER spline filter algorithm. We have added MQA replay capability, while also allowing users the choice of optimized MQA digital output when connected to an external, MQA capable DAC, avoiding on-the-fly sample-rate switching.
Meet the D1.5: same face; same precision engineering and flawless finish; same versatile, configurable, upgradable character; still the foundation stone of the CH digital eco-system – but now delivering a whole new level of performance! Owners could start with a single-box D1.5 player and grow it by stages and without cost penalty. The end of the line is reached no sooner than with a nine-chassis, state-of-the-art digital front-end! Of course, they can also stop at two-boxes, three-boxes or any number of boxes up to nine – that’s ultimate upgradability.
Features and Functionality
- In-house designed and built Mechanically Optimized Reading System (MORSe) disc transport.
- Optical pick-up and motor are precision mounted on a machined brass ‘sled that weighs almost 1kg, which is in turn isolated on a sophisticated alpha-gel suspension, fine-tuned to filter vibration down to AC Mains frequencies. This prevents vibrations generated by the spinning of the disc from reaching sensitive electronic boards, as well as low frequency vibrations originating in the power supply or chassis disturbing the accurate tracking of the laser mechanism.
- Massive, ultra rigid support frame, constructed from almost 2kg of machined billet aluminum and direct coupled to the chassis base plate, with its improved four-point mechanical grounding and levelling system.
- Fully compatible with SACD, CD and MQA-CD discs.
- CH Link HD, AES/EBU, S/PDIF and TosLink digital outputs mounted as standard.
- Optional dual mono DACs and Sync IO board allow users to specify or adapt unit for uses as a transport or player, with or without external clocking.
- On-board upsampling employs state-of-the-art PEtER spline filter algorithm for CD replay.
- Users can configure digital outputs to optimize replay of MQA-CDs with an MQA capable DAC, avoiding on-the-fly sample-rate switching.
- Fully compatible with CH Precision’s C1 and C1 Mono DACs, the I1 integrated amplifier, as well as the T1 Time Reference master clock and X1 External Power Supply
Future-proofing the Past
With an almost identical form-factor and operational interface, the D1.5 continues the established CH aesthetic, fitting in perfectly with existing and future systems. However, internally it is a completely different machine, based around our own, all-new, proprietary transport mechanism.
That means that existing D1s cannot be physically upgraded to D1.5 status – but in keeping with CH Precision’s upgradable/future-proof ethos, a factory trade-in scheme and compatibility with all existing CH digital products ensures existing owners a cost-effective path to the substantially improved performance offered by the D1.5.
Availability and Pricing
Prices vary with country, but the US dollar and Euro prices are as follows:
- D1.5 SACD/CD Transport $41,000 / €34,300
- D1.5 SACD/CD Player/Transport $46,000 / €39,000
- Special Trade-in deal for existing D1 owners: Upgrades from Transport to Player/Transport for difference in list price.