Drawmer launches HQ
Published: PRODUCTS
Drawmer has unveiled the HQ, a critical listening device incorporating a pre-amp and offering volume control over a variety of analogue and digital input sources.
The HQ also boasts a DAC for conversion of digital sources to analogue for reference monitoring.
Volume adjustment and source selection take place via the pair of rotary controls on the front panel. A third, smaller front-panel rotary control allows users to switch between two different sets of speakers for A/B comparisons, or allows the HQ to drive both sets of outputs simultaneously. The HQ’s volume control incorporates new Drawmer technology, SRVC or Seamless Relay Volume Control, and offers the operation of a potentiometer combined with the accuracy of a precision relay volume control — the HQ's output channels are balanced to within 0.05dB across the entire volume range.
Analogue inputs accept audio on balanced XLRs and unbalanced phonos. In addition, separate stereo RIAA-corrected phono inputs are provided, so that turntables may be directly connected for restoration work or reference without the need for a separate phono pre-amp. The HQ also permits the connection of digital sources at up to 192kHz in AES format (via XLRs), TOSlink (on an RCA jack) or AES3id (on a BNC connector), and a standard USB 'B'-type connector allows audio to be streamed at lower rates from a laptop.
Each input source, whether in the analogue or digital domain, may be given its own input gain settings. Audio from mixing desks, turntables, digital audio workstations and DVD, Blu-ray or CD players may all be united within the HQ and sent to the balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs simultaneously. Digital sources at their original sample rate and bit depth can also be routed to a dedicated S/PDIF output.
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Tel: +44 1924 378 669