WAVEQUEST DISC TRANSPORT
In the age of streamers, there are people which still love the simplicity of playing a physical disc. It is simple, it's fun, it requires no computer/server/storage solutions and complicated software setups. It's a direct musical experience still giving value to your disc music collection. So if we're doing this, let's try to do it perfect.
What would you want from your transport?
Some will like it to be big and heavy. Some will want it an aestethically work of art. Some will like it exotic. Some will like it exclusive and expensive. Some will notice only the music coming out. So what's that Wavequest has to offer?
Stellar performance on regular cd audio?
Yes.
When playing from the disc directly, as most players do, vibration, spinning speed errors, noise, non-correctable in real-time reading errors lead to less-then-perfect sound.
But by moving the information recorded onto the disc into a solid-state memory, a new paradigm is created. The memory itself becomes the music source, free from the inherent flaws of an electromechanical playback system. Audio streams are created directly from a large memory using a very clean and stable master clock, ensuring that the output jitter is kept to a minimum.
How about the high-resolution files that are currently available? Can Wavequest read them?
Yes.
The files can be recorded onto a dvd in wav format and the transport will play them as regular tracks.
Is the output bit-perfect output in every situation?
Yes.
No matter the disc type or file format, the decoded audio data is not altered in any way. The digital audio paths are preserving the original information without any extra processing.
Is there an I2S output?
Yes.
Rockna Audio together with PS Audio, one of our technology partners, implemented the transmission of I2S audio signals over a fully-differential high-speed HDMI physical connection. Beside avoiding the s/pdif encoding/decoding the I2S interface allows associated data rates higher than 192k of sampled material to be transmitted. Currently Wavequest can output via I2S up to 384k sample rate with 32 bit precision.
Is Wavequest a small computer?
Yes and No.
Certainly it's not a computer in a traditional way. There is no processor running Linux/Windows or other OSes. It's more like a computer with hardware and operating system dedicated for audio. It's structure is given by a set of complex state-machines hardware encoded into a high-complexity chip called FPGA - the acronym for Field Programmable Gate Array. The unique property of FPGAs is that you can modify their internal structure by software. This means that a software upgrade can lead actually to a hardware upgrade - keeping the product free from obsolescence.
Finally, to find out what Wavequest transport is and how does it perform in the areas mentioned, we invite you to listen and discover.
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Disc type: CD-A, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R
- File formats recognized for dvd: wav
- S/PDIF (coaxial) : 44.1 - 192 KHz / 24 bit
- AES/EBU : 44.1 - 192 KHz /24 bit
- I2S : 44.1 - 384 KHz /32 bit
- I2S compatible DACs : Rockna Wavequest Dac, PS Audio Perfectwave Dac, RAKK Dac
- Optical toslink : 44.1 - 96 KHz / 24 bit
- SDRAM buffer: 256 Mb (approx. 3 minutes on CD-A)
- Impedance matched signal traces for digital audio paths
- 16 character led alphanumeric display (can be turned off)
- Slim metal remote control
- Dual linear power supply
- Dimensions : 280x370x60 mm
- Weight : 4.2 Kg (in shipping carton)
