Volumio Precise DAC

Preciso represents the most advanced synthesis of what Volumio believes a modern DAC should be, namely a device capable of delivering audiophile-level performance without prohibitive cost, in perfect harmony with what has always distinguished the Florentine company’s products. The project is the result of a long and meticulous development path, fueled by Volumio’s years of accumulated experience in digital music reproduction and in the design of equipment that has also been awarded two EISAs.

Right from its name, which invokes the idea of absolute accuracy, Preciso promises an uncompromising approach to price, pushing beyond what would normally be expected in this market segment, which is heavily manned by fierce almond-eyed competition.

Double ESS

The heart of the system is entrusted to a pair of SABRE ESS ES9039Q2M converters (not the PRO version on board the most sophisticated DACs, but still an excellent compromise) configured in dual mono. This setup, with a dedicated chip for each channel, makes it possible to almost completely eliminate crosstalk; Volumio’s stated measurements testify to the level of accuracy achieved by the Preciso: total harmonic distortion plus noise stops at 122.5 dB, a value that brings the DAC close to the limits measurable by instruments. Added to this is a built-in hardware gain control, in fact a true analog volume control that allows extremely fine adjustments from 0.0 to -99.0 dB in 0.5 dB steps. Thanks to this solution, the DAC can be connected directly to a power amp or a pair of powered speakers.

The OPA1612 operational amplifiers with which it is equipped and the 10-0-10 supervoltage supply allows it an output voltage of 4/2 V on XLR/RCA, which enables Preciso to drive any active loudspeaker or final amplifier, as well as to act as a “simple” source of an integrated amplifier. Special attention has been paid to the power supply section, Preciso in fact uses a dual linear architecture, with separate settings for the analog and digital sections, so as to avoid mutual interference. The high-precision MEMS clock, already successfully used on the Rivo+, governs the timing excellently, while the USB interface with dedicated ASICs-also borrowed from Rivo+-ensure bit-perfect data transfer.

A further distinguishing feature is the presence of the Non-Over-Sampling mode, introduced since the summer with a dedicated software update(instructions here), a function much appreciated by discerning audiophiles. By activating it, the DAC disables any oversampling process, returning a signal that faithfully reflects the original recording, without alterations or digital reconstructions. This choice, while not appreciated by everyone, offers a rather different kind of listening than Over-Sampling; everyone will choose according to their own taste. There are no less than 8 filters available, the usual ones in the ESS suite, in our opinion too many and confusing. Imagine between filters and OS/NOS having to choose between too many combinations (each filter sounds theoretically different with OS and NOS modes) losing sight of listening to the music, but so much is, by now especially the intial part of the market, the cheapest DACs battle between quantities of filters, chips, op-amp swaps and so many other things that take the focus away from the substance, that is, from “how it sounds.”

Well done

Preciso’s internal construction shows an engineering care rarely found in this price range. Signal paths are symmetrical and optimized to maintain perfect coherence between channels, SMD components are chosen for their electrical specifications rather than for mere practicality of assembly, and multilayer ceramic C0G capacitors ensure stability over time and under different operating conditions. The combination of these technical solutions tells of a serious, conscious design approach strongly oriented toward the search for the highest possible fidelity. Kudos to Dario Murgia, the designer we know and salute. We understand, by the way, the choice of powering Preciso at 5V, the same voltage as Rivo+ and the dedicated Lineo linear power supply, but perhaps a higher voltage would have allowed a less important jump between 5V and the at least 20V (10-0-10) needed for the output stages with higher system efficiency.

Remote

The “first time” comes for everyone. Even for Volumio. And so the presence of a DAC with a volume control gave our Florentine friends the idea of putting a remote control, the Remote, in the catalog that could allow not only level adjustment, but also input selection, output filtering, muting, and power on. It is small, handy and similar in design to the Apple remote.

Listening

Volumio gives the feeling of a system that simply lets the music flow with a naturalness that surprises from the very first notes. Timbral coherence is very solid: the instruments are placed in space with a quiet, almost relaxed order. The soundstage opens up gradually and without forcing, and one notices that even after half an hour of listening there is no trace of fatigue. Detail is there, but it is never exhibited; it comes as an organic part of the flow, not as a technicality, which is quite common in entry-level DACs. Microdynamics are very stable. The most delicate transitions, the subtlest reverbs, the cymbal tails don’t hit you immediately; you appreciate it after a while, on the third or fourth consecutive track, and you realize you never had to “re-listen” to anything to understand it better. In rapid transitions or denser sections, Preciso manages to maintain a sense of order, allowing melodic lines to follow without clumping together, and this even with more energetic genres. It is a controlled, but never rigid, rendition that retains a good deal of vitality. Turning to more intimate acoustic recordings, however, an almost “up close” quality emerges, in which the sound material seems more tactile. In the long run, what is really striking is the continuity of the experience. There is not a moment when one perceives an artificial intervention or change in character. The sound remains smooth and predictable in the best sense of the word, as if the playback environment is built to be unobstructive. It is a type of listening that does not tire and, indeed, invites you to continue, track after track, without the feeling that you need to fix something. Preciso is not only a well-built DAC, but a confirmation of the primal philosophy of Michelangelo Guarise, deus ex machina of the Florentine company, which is to make “music instruments” within everyone’s reach. In short, a DAC that stands as a very valid alternative to oriental products, and that can be connected to any digital source. Certainly in I2S and with Rivo+, even from an aesthetic point of view, it finds the “perfect marriage.”

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