Arcam Delta Black Box 3 Digital to Analogue Converter

Here we have a piece of Hi-Fi audio history from former British company Arcam. In the early eighties digital music was first introduced in the form of the compact disc player and towards the end of the decade the Delta Black Box became the first available separate digital to analogue converter (DAC). Our example is a Mk3 version which as far as our audio memories go was the first in the series to use the Bitstream converters which came into fashion at the time. It is in good fully working condition with a few signs of wear, as is to be expected – please see photographs. It will be supplied in original factory packaging with manual, mains cable, digital & optical interconnect cables plus our usual three month warranty.
Arcam Said….
The Arcam Delta Black Box 3 is an affordable stand-alone Bit­stream digital to analogue converter system for compact disc players. It offers an elegantly simple and cost effective way of improving the sound quality of any CD player fitted with a co-axial or optical digital output socket conforming to the Philips/Sony format.
The Black Box 3 is also compatible with DAT, and will automatically switch between the DAT sampling rate of 48 kHz, and the CD sampling rate of 44.1 kHz.
The Black Box 3 is, of course, ideally suited to partner the Delta 170 CD transport. Naturally, the Delta Black Box 3 is the perfect addition to our existing Delta range, which it not only complements in stylish good looks, but also in ease of operation.
The Black Box 3 contains all the components necessary to convert the digital output from a CD player into the finest quality audio. Enthusiasts will know that it is the design and execution of the Digital to Analogue converter that is primarily responsible for determining the ultimate sound quality of CD.
And now for the first time, Arcam have introduced a separate decoder employing the Bitstream process. Using four 1 bit 256 times over­sampling digital to analogue converters operating in full differential mode, the result is cleaner, clearer and altogether more musical.
Fundamental to this improvement is the use of our exclusive “Black Chip”, a digital processing integrated circuit designed and built to our own exacting specifications. The “Black Chip” is able to carry out the functions of some 25 conventional IC’s. This gives considerable improvements in power consumption, digitally radiated noise (and therefore sound quality) reliability and cost.
Features:
Digital input conforming to IEC 958 Philips/Sony format
Phase-locked loop master oscillator
Data processing in semi-custom integrated circuit
Four 1 bit 256 times oversampling Bitstream DACs
Specifications:
Frequency Response +/- 0.1 dB 10 Hz – 10 kHz, -0.4 dB at 20 kHz
Channel Balance: +/- 0.2dB
Channel Phase Balance: +/- 0.5 deg.
Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.005 % at 1 kHz 0dB.
Signal to noise ratio: 104 dB CCIR/ARM weighted
Dynamic Range: 96 dB
Channel Separation 100 dB at 1 kHz
Main Output Level: 2.2 Vrms at MSB (0 dB) (CD level)
Output Impedance: 22 ohms
Minimum Load Impedance: 5 kOhms
Auxiliary Output Level: 0.8 Vrms at MSB (0 dB) (CD level)
Output Impedance: 500 ohms
Minimum Load Impedance: 10 kOhms
Power Supply: 240V AC, 50 to 60 Hz
Maximum Power Consumption: 15 VA
Dimensions: 430 (W) x 265 (D) x 64 (H) mm
Weight: 3.5 kg