ON TEST

YBA Heritage CD100

CD PLAYER/DAC

isit your local audio store and you France, but is now owned by Chinese high- made to change from a slot loader to a tray for might be surprised that if you’re end manufacturer Shanling, which manufac- sonic reasons. We believe the quality has im- planning on buying a CD player tures the Heritage CD100 in its factories in proved as a result of this change. Everything else your choices are going to be fairly China. in the player remained the same,’ she told me. Vlimited. Building CD players is a high-tech This change from slot-loading to tray- pursuit, not least because of the need to be THE EQUIPMENT loading did upset one aspect of the CD100’s able to build highly complex laser CD as- On unpacking the CD100 I was surprised design that I’d previously thought was in- semblies and most of the companies with the to find that it didn’t look like the Heritage credibly clever, and more than a bit elegant. technology and finances to build CD trans- CD100 models I’d seen when I was in the As you can see from the photograph, the ports are instead building mobile phones and US last year, because whereas those models centre of the (very thick!) aluminium front tablets (because it’s far more profitable!). had used a slot-loading CD mechanism, the panel is bisected by a triangular groove. In So I was pleased to find that YBA’s Herit- CD100 sent to me by Audio Heaven had a the original slot-loading design, the disc age CD100 CD player is now available in standard CD tray. Not that I was complain- loader was effectively hidden from sight in- Australia through Melbourne distributor ing, mind you… I’ll take a tray-loader over a side this groove, which gave the front panel Audio Heaven, whose PR person, Annabelle slot-loader any day! According to YBA’s CEO, a sophisticated ultra-clean look completely Johnstone, was more than happy to loan me Jackie Pugh, the reason for the change from unlike that of most other CD players. In this one for this review. a slot-loading mechanism to a standard CD new tray-load implementation, the groove As for the YBA brand itself, the company tray was to improve sound quality. ‘After a now bisects the front panel of the tray… was founded by Yves-Bernard André in couple of months of testing, the decision was rather awkwardly in my opinion.

32 Australian YBA Heritage CD100 CD Player/DAC ON TEST

To my mind, it would have looked better Check out the rear panel and you’ll find and –80dB). This worked well, although the if YBA had dropped the tray lower down in fully-differential balanced output via XLR speed it takes to adjust the volume is very the front panel, so the top part of the groove sockets (more about this in moment), ordi- slow: 19 seconds to go between 0 and –80dB. was incised in the front panel, and the bot- nary unbalanced outputs via RCA terminals, Hopefully YBA will amend the manual with tom part of the groove was incised at the top a coaxial digital output (handy if you want clearer instructions for owners. of the tray. to use the CD100 as a transport, with an Whatever you do, do not lose the remote What hasn’t changed are the very unu- external DAC), a coaxial digital input (so control, because using its ‘Source’ button is sual CD transport controls—they’re toggle you could use the CD100 as a DAC with an the only way you will be able to select the switches. I have no idea why Yves-Bernard external CD transport, or an older CD player) CD100’s digital coaxial input and its USB André chose to specify these rather than the and a Type B USB input, giving the CD100 a input. (To my mind, YBA should add a source more usual pushbuttons, but after a short computer interface, so you can use it to play switch to the CD100’s front panel to reduce while I quite grew to like them. First, they’re files stored on your computer. There’s also an this absolute reliance on the remote for these quirky and different, and to my mind, that’s ‘upgrade port’ whose purpose remains myste- functions.) And, of course, it’s also the only a great thing in this increasingly bland and rious: The manual merely says ‘For service and way of adjusting the CD100’s output level. homogenised world. Second, I found them future improvements. Not for use by end-users.’ incredibly satisfying to use. Whenever I The remote control is fairly large (it meas- wanted to skip a track, it simply felt so much ures 238×40×22mm) and powered by two YBA better to flick a spring-loaded switch up or easily accessible AA batteries. (Although YBA HERITAGE CD100 CD PLAYER/DAC down than press a button. The same was true fits high-quality German-made Varta carbon whenever I wanted to pause then re-start play batteries, I’d recommend swapping these out Brand: YBA (which I do often when reviewing, because and replacing them with Alkaline or Lithium Model: Heritage CD100 I like to pause the music whenever I write types.) Although it has twenty buttons, Category: CD Player/DAC something in my auditioning notes). Pressing most of these are used to operate other YBA RRP: $1,545 the play pause button down to pause play, components: only seven of them can be used Warranty: Three Years then down again to re-start, felt totally differ- to control the CD100. In addition to the Distributor: Audio Heaven ent and really satisfying. usual CD transport controls (fast forward/fast Address: Keys Road Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed that back), track skip (forward/back), play/pause/ Keysborough VIC 3173 there is no ‘Eject’ toggle. The answer to this stop etc, you also get a ‘Random’ mode so a (04) 1855 2051 mystery is that you use the ‘Stop/Play/Pause’ CD’s tracks will be played back in random [email protected] toggle switch to eject a CD. You lift it up to order (I suspect that musicians loathe this www.audioheaven.com.au stop playback then up again to cause the control, since they want you to play back the tray to open. (Interestingly, all four toggle tracks on their CDs in the order they care- switches have a third mode, where you can fully recorded them). The remote also affords t
French design chic push the toggle inwards, but this didn’t have the ability to dim the display or alternate the t
Shanling build any effect that I could see). As for the two display between showing the elapsed track quality remaining toggle switches, the left-most one time and the remaining track time (via the t
Excellent sound says it’s ‘On/Off’ but it’s actually an ‘On/ ‘View’ button). You can also cause the CD100 Standby’ switch: the main 240V a.c. power to repeat a track, or repeat an entire disc. t
Headphone output on/off switch is a two-way rocker switch The Owners’ Manual supplied with our t
Remote-only source that’s concealed on the bottom of the player. review sample said (on page 7) that the re- switching If you reach underneath the left of the front mote’s volume control could be used to con- t
Direct track access panel, you’ll find it easily. The right-most tog- trol the volume of the analogue output stage gle switch (labelled SRC, short for Sampling of the CD100 and that the ‘Audio’ button Rate Converter) activates the CD100’s up- toggled between fixed and variable output. LAB REPORT sampling circuitry, which upsamples digital Initially, the only thing I could do with the data to 192kHz before D–A conversion, either ‘Audio’ button was toggle between SRC on Readers interested in a full technical from the CD or from an external digital input and SRC off (which isn’t mentioned the man- appraisal of the performance of the (about which more later). Active upsampling ual at all), but an email exchange with Craig YBA Design Heritage CD100 CD Player circuitry is indicated by small green ‘192k’ Johnstone, of Audio Heaven, revealed that in should continue on and read the lettering appearing in the front panel display, order to switch the volume control circuit on, LABORATORY REPORT published on whose primary colours are a rather tasteful I had to press and hold the ‘Audio’ button page 36. Readers should note that and discreet burnt-orange and black. down until the words ‘Volume Off’ showed in the results mentioned in the report, You don’t need to be eagle-eyed to see that the LED display. I then had to press the but- tabulated in performance charts and/ the YBA CD100 lacks a headphone socket. Per- ton again to select ‘On’ after which or displayed using graphs sonally, I feel this is an oversight, but I guess if the output voltage of both analogue and/or photographs should you don’t use headphones, or your amplifier outputs (both balanced and unbal- be construed as applying only has a headphone socket, you’ll never miss it. anced) can be adjusted (between 0 to the specific sample tested. Lab Report on page 36

avhub.com.au 33 ON TEST YBA Heritage CD100 CD Player/DAC

Internally, YBA’s Heritage CD100 uses a ability to output fully differential balanced hi-fi components, but are renowned for their Wolfson Microelectronics WM8740 multi- analogue output signals, evidenced by the efficiency, reliability, low power loss and low bit sigma-delta DAC which supports data provision of XLR outputs on the rear panel. leakage flux. I know that famous high-end input word lengths from 16- to 24-bits and (The reason I’m making a point of the fact audio electronics designer John Curl is a fan sampling rates up to 192kHz. The WM8740 that the CD100 has a fully differential bal- of the design. consists of a serial interface port, digital inter- anced output is that some CD players that Underneath the YBA CD100 you won’t polation filter, modulator and stereo DAC in have XLR sockets on their rear, and claim to only find the power switch, you’ll also a small 28-pin SSOP package. This DAC gives have ‘balanced outputs’ are in fact not that discover there are only three feet, rather than manufacturers the option of bypassing the at all: instead their (–) and earth pins are the more usual four, and that two of these WM8740’s own digital filter and providing simply internally bridged so you’re actually feet are covered with rubber while the third their own external digital filter or, if they getting a bog-standard unbalanced signal, but is made from metal. I had to ask the reason use the internal filter, the option of selecting delivered via an XLR connector… and the for the different coatings, and was informed a sharp or slow roll-off, or letting end-users same is true of some pre-amplifiers with co- the reason was to help control resonances… select between the two. It appeared that called ‘balanced’ inputs. Be assured that with and controlling resonances is always a good YBA has elected to use the steeper (slower) the YBA CD100’s balanced outputs, you’re thing. As for there being only three feet, of the two internal filters. The WM8740 also getting the real McCoy). I was intrigued to well… that was obvious even to me: it means offers phase reversal, but YBA has elected see an unusual R-core transformer used in that if you place the CD100 on an uneven not to implement this feature either. YBA the CD100’s power supply. These are a fairly surface (an antique table, for instance), it has, however, made full use of the YM8740’s rare design, usually found only in high-end will be remain completely stable, whereas a CD player with four feet would ABOUT YBA some of the YBA’s high-end products (all wobble. Clever fiends, these Frenchies… YBA was founded by French designer Yves- models in its Signature Series, for example), The finish on the CD100 is Bernard André (yes, he used his initials to have their parts manufactured in France excellent: a superior aluminium create the company name) back in 1981, for assembly in China, says André. When front panel, a solid, clean alloy while he was still working as a researcher YBA was produced entirely in France, and chassis and an excellently- and teacher at Paris’ famous 200-year-old owned by André, he used to tell journalists appointed rear panel. It measures Ecole Polytechnique, in the Laboratory of that he made a point of listening to every 430×372×118mm (WDH) and Applied Optics, where he co-authored single component before it was shipped. So weighs 5.7kg. an often-cited paper titled ‘Triggering what happens now that YBA manufactures and Guiding of High-Voltage Tesla Coil in China? With the Signature products, André continues this tradition, despite the IN USE AND LISTENING Discharges by Femtosecond Laser-Induced SESSIONS Plasma Filaments In Air’. Prior to teaching at travel involved. ‘When production begins As I said previously, I absolutely the Ecole Polytechnique André had worked Yves Bernard visits and personally tests loved using the YBA’s front panel in the hi-fi industry since 1971 for a number every Signature piece,’ YBA’s PR person controls, however because of the of companies, including the very famous told me. ‘When he is satisfied he signs a usefulness of the extra controls French concerns of Goldmund, Pierre certificate which carries the serial number on the remote that aren’t on the Lurné, and Audax. He has also worked of the individual piece and it is then front panel (particularly input as a recording engineer, most famously placed inside the carton.’ YBA has a local source switching), I ended up recording the controversial Russian pianist, connection for Australians, because the using the remote quite a bit. actor, novelist, poet and conductor Valery Chief Executive Officer at YBA is Jacki Pugh, After initially being flummoxed Afanasiev for Denon and, more recently, the a personality well-known to Australian by the usefulness (or not) of the French operatic mezzo-soprano Guillemette audiophiles. Pugh co-founded Sonab volume control, I had the idea Laurens for Teldec. In 2009 Shenzhen (Australia) in 1972 before moving on to of using the ‘Audio’ button as a Shanling Digital Technology Development co-found Concept Audio in 1977. She then de facto ‘Mute’ button (because Company Ltd, one of China’s leading established her own company, Architectural the ‘Mute’ button on the remote high-end audio equipment manufacturers, Audio, in Australia in 1990 before moving doesn’t work with the CD100) by acquired a majority shareholding in YBA, so to England where for ten years she acted setting the variable output level at that André’s title at the company became as the International Sales and Marketing –80 and then switching back and that of Sound Design Consultant. Although Director at Creek Audio Ltd. She was forth between Vol On (therefore YBA products are now made in China, appointed CEO of YBA in 2012.

34 Australian YBA Heritage CD100 CD Player/DAC ON TEST

–80, or Mute) and Volume Off (0dB). This Delivered a truly engaging, full-bodied sound with didn’t work, because the CD100 outsmarted me by returning the variable volume level to perfectly timed bass and a high-frequency response 0dB whenever I switched the variable volume that seemed to extend upwards in frequency forever control to ‘Off’. So in the end, pressing ‘Pause’ on the remote was the best option if I wanted to use the remote to mute the sound As for that sound, the YBA CD100 cap- She’s extraordinarily brave with her for any reason. tured my immediate attention from the very songs, which are brutally honest, totally One final gripe was that whilst wearing outset of the listening sessions, because right heart-felt and most definitely a very long my ‘equipment reviewer’ hat I found it an- from the start, without any warm-up time at way from the mainstream. The YBA not only noying that I could not directly access tracks all, it delivered a truly engaging, full-bodied accurately reproduced her accented voice, on a CD, because the CD100’s remote does sound with perfectly timed bass and a high- but also the rather thick ‘stringy’ sound of not have a 0–9 keypad to allow this. Instead, I frequency response that seemed to extend her guitar. It also very faithfully renders the had to rapidly press the skip track button the upwards in frequency forever, yet without various excesses of the recording engineers, as requisite number of times required to get to ever sounding too bright, or too ‘sharp’. I was they play around with channel delays, dirty the track I wanted, so that would be 33 times also amazed by the clarity and ‘wholeness’ of reverb, echo and whatever other FX needed to get to track 33 on one of my special ‘sound the stereo staging, which was magnificent, dusting off (and all of which were totally un- FX’ discs. However, when I was wearing my along with the precision of the imaging. necessary embellishments). ‘music lover’ hat, this lack of direct access Getting into dissecting the different areas High frequencies were also great. ‘Small didn’t worry me, because when I am listening of the YBA CD100’s sonics, I found the bass Town Misfits’ (Jenny Queen) isn’t the album for pleasure, I just put on the CD I want to response of the CD100 was really impressive. I’d have expected of a girl who calls herself a hear and then listen to the entire CD from After the ethereal 0.28 second intro Ameri- ‘country folk singer’, but it’s great through- start to finish. And in those cases where I did can Exterior, Gruff Rhys’ latest release (titled out—not a track out of place—and is wonder- want a specific track, since most CDs have ‘American Interior) segues into the title fully produced by Shane Nicholson, who also only around a dozen tracks at most, it wasn’t track, which has a beautifully deep and very adds vocals and (gorgeous-sounding) slide overly arduous to use the track skip button solid bass line, accompanied by precision guitar. It’s kind of alt-rock and it’s kind of to get to the one I wanted. (Another saving drumming, all of which was delivered with fabulous. (I was going to accuse Queen of as- grace is that the CD100 skips through tracks stunning realism by the YBA. suming an American accent until I found she very smartly indeed.) The bass became even deeper with the hails from Ohio. I don’t know how she ended I used the balanced XLR outputs of the synthesiser intro to The Whether (Or Not) and up here, but Australian music will certainly CD100 throughout my evaluation, although I still the CD100 delivered the bass in spades. be the better for it.) High frequencies abound did perform a very quick check on the unbal- Again the precision drumming was realised to throughout and are perfectly rendered by the anced RCA outputs just to make sure there perfection, so it was easy to hear the perfect CD100—pure, clean and resonant, with not were no issues with them (there weren’t), timing, and the real drive the CD100 gave to a sharp edge within earshot. Put this album which begs the question of which ones you the entire rhythm section. (The bass depth on your ‘must buy’ album: great lyrics, great should use if you have a choice. If your ampli- and drive proved to be a highlight with all melodies, great arrangements, musicianship fier has balanced inputs, I’d recommend using the discs I played.) to die for and excellent sonics into the bar- them because in theory, performance should Deep bass features throughout ‘American gain, as the YBA clearly demonstrated. be superior. However, if you don’t experience Interior’, though it’s often accompanied any inference from TV, mobile phones and by deliberately-distorted audio effects. It’s CONCLUSION suchlike in your location, and your amplifier a credit to the CD100 that its bass was so European sonic sensibilities matched with is located within a metre of the CD100, I’d be detailed that it could pick apart the strands, expert (and cost-effective) Chinese engineer- perfectly happy using standard unbalanced separating the deliberate distortion from the ing have delivered a unique CD player (that’s RCA interconnects because in such circum- ‘merely deep’ bass. also able to be used as a DAC… including for stances their performance will be identical to Emma Russack is an authentic Austral- computer audio) that most definitely must be that of the balanced connections. (It’s really ian voice, and I find it great that she doesn’t on your ‘must listen to’ list. A stand-out CD only when you experience interference, or adopt a neutral accent (or worse, put on player in every respect. you’re using a particularly long cable run— an American one) and I found her voice greg borrowman several metres or so—that the advantages of rendered perfectly by the CD100 on her latest LAB REPORT ON PAGE 36 balanced connections become significant.) release ‘You Changed Me’.

avhub.com.au 35 LAB REPORT YBA Heritage CD100 CD Player/DAC

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35

LABORATORY TEST REPORT Channel separation (CD) was excel- it’s not only almost perfect, but also more ac- The frequency response of the CD section lent also, as you can see from the tabulated curate than almost any amplifier you’re likely was excellent, as you can see from Graph results, which show measurements of 136dB to run across, so your speakers will be the 17. (Do take into account the extremely ex- at 16Hz, 122dB at 1kHz and 97dB at 20kHz. limiting factor in achieving accurate balance, panded horizontal scale, where each division These are excellent results and far more than followed by your amplifier. The YBA’s chan- is only 0.2dB.) Further non-automated test- will be necessary to result in perfect chan- nel phase accuracy was also superb: 0.02° at ing, which allowed exploration of the player’s nel separation and equally perfect stereo 16Hz, 0.05° at 1kHz and 1.03° at 20kHz. response below 20Hz, revealed that overall, imaging. Channel separation via the DAC If you use the balanced outputs, you’ll the frequency response extends from 2Hz to input (Graph 19) was essentially the same, see a maximum voltage of around 3.9 volts, 20kHz ±0.09dB. The response of the DAC sec- though there were small differences measured whereas if you use the unbalanced outputs, tion, tested using a 24-bit, 48kHz test signal between the left and right channels. Channel maximum output voltage will be around 1.9 was even flatter and more extended. balance was measured at 0.007dB, meaning volts. Both are ideal for their respective con- nection types. CD distortion at 1kHz for a 0dB signal YBA Heritage CD100 CD Player — Analogue Test Results showed minor distortion components Analogue Section Result Units/Comment whose levels trended downwards with increasing frequency, and petered out at Output Voltage (Balanced Outputs) 3.9826 / 3.9793 volts (Left Ch/ Right Ch) the 9th harmonic. The highest harmonic Frequency Response 2Hz – 20kHz =/–0.09 dB (20Hz – 20kHz) was the (good-sounding) second, at –95dB Channel Separation 136 / 122 / 97 dB at 16Hz / 1kHz / 20kHz (0.0017%). The third and fourth harmonics THD+N 0.004 @ 1kHz @ 0dBFS were around 105dB down (0.0005%). The Channel Balance 0.007 @ 1kHz @ 0dBFS remaining harmonics were closer to 120dB Channel Phase 0.02 / 0.05 / 1.03 degrees at 16Hz / 1kHz / 20kHz down (0.0001%) except for the 9th at –125dB Group Delay 180 / 5.29 degrees (1–20kHz / 20–1kHz) (0.00005%). This is all shown in Graph 1. Signal-to-Noise Ratio (No Pre-emph) 100 / 107 dB (unweighted/weighted) Distortion became lower with decreasing De-Emphasis Error Not Fitted at 1kHz / 4kHz / 16kHz recorded level, until at –20dB recorded level Linearity Error @ –60.00dB / –70.00dB 0.01 / 0.04 dB (Test Signal Not Dithered) (Graph 5), all distortion components were more than 120dB down (0.0001%). Even at Linearity Error @ –80.59dB / –85.24dB 0.02 / 0.05 dB (Test Signal Not Dithered) –60dB (Graph 6) all distortion components Linearity Error @ –89.46dB / –91.24dB 0.07 / 0.06 dB (Test Signal Not Dithered) were still more than 120dB down, which also Linearity Error @ –80.70dB / –90.31dB 0.04 / 0.10 dB (Test Signal Dithered) Power Consumption 5.37 / 9.91 watts (Standby / On) Mains Voltage During Testing 235 – 250 (Minimum – Maximum) Digital Section Units/Comment

Digital Carrier Amplitude 102mV Audioband Digital Carrier Amplitude 1.33 / 2.66 Differential / Common Mode Audioband Jitter 1.6 / 0.004 nS (p–p) / UI (p–p) Data Jitter 1.9 / 0.01 nS (p–p) / UI (p–p) Deviation 5.6 ppm Frame Rate 44099.755 Eye-Narrowing (Zero Cross) 3.3 / 0.018 nS (p–p) / UI (p–p) Eye-Narrowing (200mV) 13.0 / 0.074 nS (p–p) / UI (p–p) Absolute Phase Normal Normal / Inverted Bit Activity at Digital O/P 16 Where Fitted

YBA Heritage CD100 DAC SECTION (AES-17 Standard using 48kHz/24-Bit)

Digital Section Result Units/Comment Out of Band Spurious Components –110.381dB Suppression of Imaging Components –97.530dB (Worst Case) Level Dependent Logarithmic Gain –1.114dB Intermodulation Distortion (1) –96.097dB 18kHz/20kHz 1:1 Ratio Intermodulation Distortion (2) –109.478dB 41Hz/7993Hz 4:1 Ratio

Low Level Noise Modulation +4.763dB Worst Case Signal-to-Noise Ratio –110.333dB CCIR-RMS weighting Non-Linear Interchannel Crosstalk (a) –115.310dB 3kHz (2nd-order ref 17kHz/20kHz)

Non-Linear Interchannel Crosstalk (b) –116.640dB 6kHz (3rd-order ref 17kHz/20kHz) Non-Linear Interchannel Crosstalk (c) –116.177dB 10.040kHz (2nd re 40Hz/10kHz) Non-Linear Interchannel Crosstalk (d) –108.051dB 10.080kHz (3rd re 40Hz/10kHz) Absolute Phase Normal Normal/Inverted

36 Australian YBA Heritage CD100 CD Player/DAC LAB REPORT

means they were 60dB below the test signal dithering, though at more than 130dB down, an ‘echo’ at the relatively low frequency at –60dB. it is far lower that the noise floor of even the of 24.1kHz (though it’s 102dB down), as Distortion performance down at –90dB very best power amplifiers, and so would be well as two sampling artefacts up around was absolutely outstanding as you can see completely inaudible. It constantly amazes 40kHz. When the SRC circuitry is active from Graph 9 (measured with an undithered me when I see this level of performance from (Graph 11) you can see the noise floor below test signal) and Graph 10 (with a dithered a standard CD. 20kHz drops by more than 10dB, to flat-line test signal). In Graph 9 you can see some The action of the sampling rate converter down near –140dB, while above 20kHz, it distortion components caused by LSB is best shown in Graph 11 (SRC on) and drops below 140dB, disappearing from the issues, but they’re all more than 110dB Graph 12 (SRC off) both measured with the graph entirely. That ‘echo’ at 24.1kHz also down (0.0003%) and the noise floor drops same 20kHz test signal. You can see that with disappears entirely, though the two higher- below –140dB. Once dithered, the distortion the SRC off, the noise floor is between 120dB frequency sampling artefacts remain, their components disappear entirely, but the and 130dB down pretty much right across levels completely unaffected. noise floor increases as a direct result of the the spectrum from 0Hz to 48kHz, plus there’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 87

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avhub.com.au 37 LAB REPORT YBA Heritage CD100 CD Player/DAC

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dBFS The signal-to-noise ratio of the YBA digital output when decoding CDs 0.00 .EWPORT4EST,ABS CD100 was outstanding, with Newport showed the CD100 will provide a good Test Labs measuring 100dB unweighted signal for an external DAC. The power -20.00 and 107dB weighted. Note that these consumption of the YBA CD100 in -40.00 measurements were recorded not with standby mode (5.37-watts) was by no

‘digital black’ but with a real test CD, means high, but it was higher than -60.00 so they’re realistically what you could the Australian standard for standby expect during playback. Also excellent consumption, which requires standby -80.00 was linearity error, as you can see from consumption of less than 1-watt. the tabulated results. Interestingly there The measured performance of the -100.00 were very minor deviations all the way YBA CD100 was outstanding. Although -120.00 from –60dB to –90.31dB, but these are the DAC section is no slouch, it was

so small they would be completely the CD playback performance that is -140.00 undetectable. As with an increasing undoubtedly the star of the show here, 0.00 Hz 4000.00 8000.00 12000.00 16000.00 20000.00 'RAPH4($ K(Z nD"RECORDEDLEVEL.ODITHER ;9"!#$#$0LAYER$!#= number of newly-designed CD players, particularly with the sampling rate the YBA CD100 is not fitted with a de- conversion circuitry active. Brilliant dBFS emphasis circuit, so Newport Test Labs results all ‘round. Steve Holding 0.00 .EWPORT4EST,ABS could not check for de-emphasis error. -20.00 Not having the circuit means that some [Editor’s Note: Just in case you’re discs manufactured before 1990 may wondering what happened to the ‘missing’ -40.00 play back a little ‘bright’ in the high graphs, there were so many that we have

frequencies, but there are no other created a special online version of this review -60.00 implications. to include them. This is available free on- Measurements on the DAC section of line at www.avhub.com.au. We have kept -80.00 the CD100 show very good performance the numbering of the full sequence of graphs -100.00 that will be bettered only by the finest in this article in order to correctly match up

stand-alone high-end DACs, while the with the complete information. G.B.] -120.00

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avhub.com.au 87 LAB REPORT YBA Heritage CD100 CD Player/DAC

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-120.00

-140.00

0.00 Hz 9600.00 19200.00 28800.00 38400.00 48000.00 'RAPH4($ K(Z D"RECORDEDLEVEL32#/.;9"!$ESIGN#$#$0LAYER$!#=

dBFS dBFS dBFS 0.00 0.00 .EWPORT4EST,ABS 0.00 .EWPORT4EST,ABS .EWPORT4EST,ABS

-20.00 -20.00 -20.00

-40.00 -40.00 -40.00

-60.00 -60.00 -60.00

-80.00 -80.00 -80.00

-100.00 -100.00 -100.00

-120.00 -120.00 -120.00

-140.00 -140.00 -140.00

0.00 Hz 9600.00 19200.00 28800.00 38400.00 48000.00 0.00 Hz 9600.00 19200.00 28800.00 38400.00 48000.00 0.00 Hz 9600.00 19200.00 28800.00 38400.00 48000.00 'RAPH4($ K(Z D"RECORDEDLEVEL32#/&&;9"!#$#$0LAYER$!#= 'RAPH)MPULSE4RAIN/NEMAXIMUMAMPLITUDEPOSITIVESAMPLEEVERYSAMPLES 'RAPH)MPULSE4RAIN/NEMAXIMUMAMPLITUDEPOSITIVESAMPLEEVERYSAMPLES PULSESPERSECOND 32#/&&;9"!$ESIGN(ERITAGE#$#$0LAYER$!#= PULSESPERSECOND 32#/.;9"!$ESIGN(ERITAGE#$#$0LAYER$!#=

dBFS dBFS dBFS 0.00 .EWPORT4EST,ABS 0.00 .EWPORT4EST,ABS .EWPORT4EST,ABS 0.40

-20.00 -20.00

-40.00 -40.00 0.20

-60.00 -60.00 0.00

-80.00 -80.00

-0.20 -100.00 -100.00

-120.00 -120.00 -0.40

-140.00 -140.00

0.00 Hz 9600.00 19200.00 28800.00 38400.00 48000.00 0.00 Hz 9600.00 19200.00 28800.00 38400.00 48000.00 20.56 Hz 100.00 1000.00 10000.00 'RAPH3-04%$ISTORTION)NTERMODULATION D"USING(ZANDK(ZTESTSIGNALS 'RAPH3-04%$ISTORTION)NTERMODULATION D"USING(ZANDK(ZTESTSIGNALS 'RAPH&REQUENCY2ESPONSEAT D"RECORDEDLEVEL;9"!#$#$0LAYER$!#= INRATIO32#/&&;9"!$ESIGN(ERITAGE#$#$0LAYER$!#= INRATIO32#/.;9"!$ESIGN(ERITAGE#$#$0LAYER$!#=

dB 5.00000 dB .EWPORT4EST,ABS -80.00 -50.00 .EWPORT4EST,ABS .EWPORT4EST,ABS

1.00000 -60.00 -90.00

-70.00

-100.00 0.10000 -80.00

-110.00 -90.00

0.01000 -100.00

-120.00 -110.00 0.00100 -130.00 -120.00

% -130.00 0.00010 -140.00 100.00 Hz 1000.00 10000.00 20.00 Hz 100.00 1000.00 10000.00 10.00 Hz 100.00 1000.00 10000.00 'RAPH4OTAL(ARMONIC$ISTORTION.OISE4($ . VS&REQUENCYATnD"'REEN4RACE 'RAPH#HANNEL3EPARATIONRED"$IGITALINPUT  BITK(Z;9"!#$ $!#3ECT = ANDnD"0INK4RACE $IGITALINPUT BITK(Z;9"!#$ #$0LAYER$!#3ECTION= 'RAPH*ITTER3USCEPTIBILITY;9"!$ESIGN(ERITAGE#$#$0LAYER$!#=

degrees 5.00000 dBr .EWPORT4EST,ABS 3.00 .EWPORT4EST,ABS 4.00 1.00000 2.00

2.00

0.10000 1.00

0.00 0.00 0.01000

-1.00 -2.00

0.00100

-2.00

-4.00 % 0.00010 -3.00 -80.00 dBFS -60.00 -40.00 -20.00 0.00 10.00 Hz 4000.00 8000.00 12000.00 16000.00 20000.00 20.00 Hz 100.00 1000.00 10000.00 'RAPH0HASE2ESPONSE$!#INPUT!%3K(Z BIT;9"!$ESIGN#$= 'RAPH4($ .VS,EVEL!%3 BITK(Z;9"!#$#$0LAYER$!#= 'RAPH&REQUENCY2ESPONSE LEFTANDRIGHTCHANNELS!%3 BITK(Z;9"!#$=

88 Australian