Wattson Audio has come up with yet another DAC/Streamer for audio enthusiasts. Made in Switzerland, the DAC features a small overall footprint, has a minimalistic design, and features a CNC machined body. But is that all to it? Not really!
Along with the proprietary streaming interface, the brand has integrated dual mono DAC, LEEDH Processor for lossless digital volume control, headphone output, and digital inputs. Talking of which, the number of inputs should give you a fair idea of what the DAC can actually handle.
The overall ergonomics of the device is as simple as the functions. It will allow you to access all of the features that the Wattson Music app has to offer. Also, you will get to control it with the multi-functional button that is present on the front of the device.
But what is so special about LEEDH Processing? Well, the streamer has the support for both DSD and PCM high-definition formats. That might be old news to you. But the new up-sampling process along with the time-domain optimization. The latter one is basically a legacy of the Anagram Technology up-samplers.
Furthermore, there is an adjustable bass response that compensates for the speaker placements that are near the walls. And SA engineers the proprietary streaming solution, and it is asynchronous and bit-perfect.
In addition to that, the Madison comprises a single D/A converter chip per channel. They are in dual differential mode and have fully-symmetric analog output stages. Also, the power supply circuits of the DAC / Streamer make very little noise. So, interference will not be an issue either.
On that note, the power supply is rated at 5V DC. Its total power consumption is 50 mW during idle, and it will consume almost 4.5 watts while you are playing music through it.
But that is not all! You will find a network input that is capable of going up to 100 Mbit/s. And if you were wondering what the digital inputs are, the first one is the S/PDIF on the RCA connector, while the other one is S/PDIF on the TOSLink connection. And the S/PDIF input resolution is up to 24-bit 192 kHz.
The device’s headphone jack is a 6.35 mm connection, which is pretty standard with the DAC and Streamers available in the market. It is compatible with the Madison App’s streaming services, which are Qobu, Tidal, and Airable radios.
Overall, the Wattson Audio Maddison is a perfect pick for anyone that is looking for a compact and minimal DAC. The CNC machined housing will also make it withstand a good amount of abuse.
Images: Wattson Audio
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.