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Rotel DX-3 Headphone Amplifier
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Make It Personal (and Versatile) with the Rotel DX-3 Headphone Amplifier: Fully Balanced Design Features SABRE ES9028PRO DAC, Balanced Analog Outputs, Ability to Interface with Active Speakers
At its core, the Rotel DX-3 is a formidable headphone amplifier with fully balanced circuitry, a built-in ESS SABRE ES9028PRO DAC, and sleek industrial style. The presence of a Rotel trademark — an in-house-made toroidal transformer with ultra-low-noise isolation and filter capacitors — adds to its sonic prowess.
But on the back panel, you'll also see a pair of balanced XLR analog outputs as well as a pair of RCA outputs. That means you can run a network or CD player through its DAC, and hook DX-3 up to a preamplifier or processor if you choose to make it a temporary or permanent part of your system. Optical, coaxial, PC-USB, and Bluetooth digital inputs further expand its versatility, as does its ability to interface with active powered speakers — giving you a compact albeit audiophile-grade combo.
Able to play music up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and 11.2MHz DSD from the USB input, 24-bit/192kHz from the coax/optical, and aptX HD Wireless Bluetooth, DX-3 drives all types of headphones with ease, control, power, and definition. Balanced and single-ended headphone inputs on the front panel offer user-friendly convenience and process signals with extremely low distortion, fast speed, and natural purity.
Roon-Tested and measuring only 8.5 x 2.75 x 9.75 inches (HWD), DX-3 also touts a full-color graphic display, extruded aluminum remote control, and the engineering expertise that has made Rotel synonymous with high-value, high-performance gear.
Want to know more about this versatile personal listening device? Reach out at 312-433-0200 and let's chat.
Highlights
- User Selectable Headphone Gain Control
- 1x 6.35mm single ended headphone jack
- 1x 4.4mm balanced headphone jack
- Ultra-Quiet Toroidal Transformer and Power Supply
- ESS premium 32-bit DAC
- Fully balanced differential XLR outputs
- 1x set of RCA outputs
- 1x set of RCA inputs
- 1x coax and 1x optical digital inputs
- Bluetooth with aptXTM HD & AAC (antenna included)
- Rear panel PC-USB 32-bit / 384kHz input with DSD 4x
- Dimmable front panel TFT high-res display
- Detachable IEC power cord
- BTU rating: 100 BTU/h (4 ohms, 1/8 power)
- Remote control included
Downloads
User Manual (PDF, 2.6 MB)
Specifications
- Dimensions (W × H × D): 215 x 73 x 247mm, 8 1/2 x 2 3/4 x 9 3/4"
- Front Panel Height: 70 mm (2 3/4")
- Power Requirements: 120 V, 60 Hz
- Power Consumption: 30 W
- Standby Power Consumption: <0.5 W
- Net Weight: 3.2 kg (7.1 lbs.)
- BTU: 100 BTU/h
- Power Output (THD+N < 1%): Single-ended (6.35 mm) 765 mW (16 Ω), 383 mW (32 Ω), 41 mW (300 Ω) // Balanced (4.4 mm) 2.8 w (16 Ω), 1.4 w (32 Ω), 150 mw (300 Ω)
- Total Harmonic Distortion: (32 Ω, 1k Hz)
- Single-ended: <0.008% @ Output=70 mW
- Balanced: < 0.004% @ Output=280 mW
- Frequency Response: Headphone 20 Hz - 20k Hz, +0 dB, -0.2 dB; Digital 10 Hz – 20 kHz, +0 dB, - 0.5 dB; Analog 20 Hz – 20k Hz, +0 dB, - 0.4 dB
- S/N Ratio (IHF "A" Weighted): Headphone - Single-ended >100 dB, Balanced ->110 dB // Digital >112 dB, Analog > 107 dB
- Intermodulation Distortion (60 Hz:7k Hz, 4:1): (Headphone) Single-ended: < 0.01%, Balanced: < 0.006%
- Output Impedance (Headphone): Single-ended < 0.3 Ω, Balanced < 0.6 Ω
- Gain (Headphone): 0 dB @ G=H, -6 dB @ G=M, -12 dB @ G=L
- Recommended Headphone Impedance (Headphone): 16 Ω - 300 Ω
- Input Impedance: Digital 75 Ω, Analog 10k Ω
- Digital Output Level: Unbalanced (RCA) 1.6 V, Balanced (XLR) 3.5 V
- Digital to Analog Converter: ESS ES9028PRO DAC (32-bit/768kHz)
- Coax/Optical Digital Input Signals: SPDIF LPCM (Up to 24-bit/192kHz)
- PC-USB
- USB Audio Class 2 (up to 32-bit/384kHz)* (Driver Installation Required)
- Support DSD(up to 11.2 M) and DoP (up to 5.6 M)
- Support Roon Tested
