Gato Audio PRD-3 - Preamplifier/DAC
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About the preamplifier
General design
The Gato Audio PRD-3 preamplifi er is designed and built to a vision of combining technology, sonic performance, connectivity, versatility,
stunning looks and compact design. It features a built-in D/A converter with electrical, optical and USB inputs. High quality analogue input
is via RCA connectors or via XLR connectors for true balanced signals. Unbalanced and a double pair of balanced line outputs are provided.
The PRD-3 features low noise analogue circuitry, true 24bit/192Khz conversion, upsampling of the lesser quality and a very clean internal
clock generator for ultra low jitter in the digital domain. The PRD-3 preamplifi er is well suited for use together with active speakers, power
amplifi ers or as a high quality DAC.
Analogue Input Stage
The analogue input stage is where everything begins. It not only connects external inputs and the built-in D/A converter with the output
stage, it adapts impedances, adjusts levels and switches signals. A super-gentle embrace of the delicate analogue signals is important for the
total performance of the preamplifi er. At Gato Audio we have utilized our many years of experience in “voicing” analogue amplifi ers to make
this particular stage perform at its very best. We tuned the input stage to perform with a natural and lifelike sound, aff ecting the original
signal as little as possible.
D/A Converter
The built-in D/A converter off ers real high end performance, enabled by the use of a dedicated power supply, a balanced-driven Burr-Brown
PCM1794 D/A converter, an optimized high bandwidth I/V converter, and an analogue stage with low-Q, low pass fi lters. All digital inputs are
upsampled to 24bit/192kHz. This D/A converter will upgrade any digital source - such as wired or wireless streaming from your computer or
CD drive - to a high end level of detail and musical performance.
USB Versatility
The true 24bit/192kHz digital input via the state of the art asynchronous USB circuit is especially worth highlighting. It enables the possibility
of a sonic performance vastly above that of any CD. It is the key note of making this preamplifi er a quality-enhancing connection point for
your Mac, PC or even your iPad.
Connectivity
We had our eye on versatility and connectivity when designing this preamplifi er. The PRD-3 off ers not only a wide range of digital and
analogue inputs, but also line outputs, a trigger signal for external power amplifi ers, and a confi gurable home theater input. The HT input
can turn the preamplifi er into a fi xed level preamplifi er for use in a surround setup, without compromising the sonic performance.
LED Display
By choosing a large high contrast white LED dot matrix display, we gave the PRD-3 a distinct appearance, easy to understand, easy to see
and operate – even at remote control distance. In addition to displaying output level and selected input, it also displays the sample rate of
the digital input – revealing the quality. The LED display is fully dimmable by the remote control.
