PACE Headphone Amplifier with DAC
PACE (Phil and Andrew Complete Edition) is our ultimate mobile audio solution - a high-end headphone amplifier and D/A conversion solution with its own power source, in one enclosure. Broadly speaking, it includes the PPA amplifier designed by Phillip LaRocco, and later reincarnated into a wider appeal creation by team PPA, a battery board designed by Tangentsoft, Ally DAC daughterboard designed by AOS Electronics and Triad Diamond Discrete Buffer by LaRocco Audio.
More specifically, here we have a high end amplifier (PPA with Triad Diamond Buffer), a DAC (Ally) optimized for portable use and rechargeable power source (12 AAA batteries with fast charger) all integrated in one chassis. It has all connectivity options one would want: full size coaxial and optical (Toslink) digital inputs, selectable via switch on rear panel, as well as normal RCA analog inputs (selectable via another switch on the rear panel) through Cardas Rhodium plated jacks. 12 AAA batteries provide about 5 hours of play time and are charged via built-in fast charger (set to 2.5 hours charge time) when the unit is plugged into 24V DC source (e.g. ELPAC power supply which is included). Front and rear panel are made from 4mm aluminum, machined and labelled, with liberal amount of countersinking to enhance looks and reduce length. The enclosure that PACE is installed in has dimensions of 6.3" x 4.06" x 2.09" (160mm x 103mm x 53mm).
To achieve all this functionality one needs a lot of components. Take a look, there's a lot of stuff in here, four separate circuit boards and plenty of wiring, all of which is cramped rather tightly together.
Battery board can be omitted in order to lower the price (and weight by a large factor).
Larger images: front panel rear panel
