Aavik U-180 Uniti Amp + DAC

Technologies and Components

The uncompromising integration.
With the Aavik U-series we have combined a integrated amplifier and a DAC into one module. By doing so, we have successfully responded to the demands of the high-end audio lovers who want to minimize the space that is required for separate audio components but making no compromise on the ultimate quality of high-end music reproduction.

Aavik has expanded its highly regarded series of seperate audio components, the Aavik I and D-180 / 280 / 580 with this new Aavik  U-180, 280 and 580 range, which successfully combines the integrated ampifier and DAC , into a signle module. The result is deeply impressive & the successful integration of these seperate components into a single unit has been achieved. Aavik has responded to the demands of the high-end audio lovers who want to minimize the space that is required for separate audio components without compromising on the ultimate quality of high-end music reproduction. A common mainboard has replaced the two separate ones. This completely redesigned mainboard provides the shortest possible signal path between amplifier and DAC, and guarantees excellent sound quality. Aavik’s new U-series has the same DNA as Aavik’s series of seperate components. The new U-series are equipped with the same advanced electronic components and are made from the same innovative materials.

Common DAC and Amp mainboard

A common mainboard now replaces the separated mainboards from our Integrated Amplifier and DAC-series. This completely redesigned mainboard provides the shortest possible signal path between amplifier and DAC and guarantees excellent timing control.

Volume control

Affects the sonic experience.
The Aavik line stage boasts a unique, inverted, virtual GND** amplifier topology, which provides the highest stability. The feedback gets so powerful that it allows to damp the signal to a gain lower than 1. This preserves the full signal with the lowest S/N Ratio*** – no matter if you turn the volume up or down. This will provide your loudspeakers with a clear and distinct information flow to make even the finest details of timbral and textural nuances audible on an extremely quiet sound stage.

**GND: Ground
***S/N Ratio: Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Aavik UMAC™ amplifier

Unmatched audio control.
At Aavik we utilize the patented UMAC™ amplifier technology. This technology was developed to avoid the design flaws of traditional switching amplifiers. UMAC technology primarily targets two areas of modulated amplifier design. Firstly, the PWM* generation is produced with sine wave modulation rather than the more common triangle modulation. The benefit is that sine waves create far less high frequency noise than triangles, no sharp corners, and thus require far less inductive filtering at the output. The lower inductance in the output gives the amplifiers a much better damping factor and thus a distinctly better speaker control. Secondly, the advanced dual mixed mode feedback allows damping factors that are characteristic of only the very best linear amplifiers.

*PWM: Pulse-Width Modulation

The DAC section

Secure the signal transport and the tonal balance.
The Aavik DAC section is designed around 5 digital inputs, which all excel in audio performance. The DAC operates without any digital signature. This makes any music sound natural and authentic. The digital circuits boast the best high frequency capacities and great care was devoted to the set-up of the *PCB design. By employing time-aligned, ultra-short, 4-layer *PCB traces, Aavik wants to preserve the natural and pristine sound quality of the wide and complex range of different signals. The DAC circuits are also fitted with ultra-low jitter onboard clocks. To minimize timing errors in the digital-to-analogue conversion, all DAC circuits are isolated with 13 onboard, separate, low-noise, **high-PSSR voltage regulators, each feeding only one stage of the signal handling. The USB input is galvanically isolated to avoid noise pollution from the host. The digital inputs are routed to an ***ASRC, where they are re-sampled and re-clocked to 200 kHz/24 bit PCM, feeding current output DAC chips. For the current-to-voltage conversion, Aavik uses a differential floating topology with virtual ****GND. This isolates the signal path from both potential GND noise and signal-induced GND modulation.

*PCB: Printed Circuit Board
**high-PSSR: High Power Supply Rejection Ratio
***ASRC: Asynchronous Sample Rate Converter
****GND: Ground