Mobile Fidelity Electronics StudioDAC Digital-to-Analog Converter at Vinyl Sound Toronto Canada

The StudioDAC is a reference-grade digital-to-analog converter from Mobile Fidelity Electronics (MoFi Electronics, USA), available at Vinyl Sound in Toronto, Canada. Co-designed with Michal Jurewicz of Mytek Audio — one of the most respected engineers in professional and audiophile digital audio — the StudioDAC is manufactured in the USA and voiced by MoFi Electronics to honor the company's studio heritage and signal-purity philosophy. Built around an ESS9038Q2M DAC chip with full hardware MQA decoding and rendering, support for DSD64, DSD128, DXD, and PCM up to 32-bit/384 kHz, and a low-noise precision clock generator with Apodizing Filter, the StudioDAC delivers a measured dynamic range of 115 dB and THD+N below 0.002%. An outboard 100-240V universal power supply is included, isolating the sensitive analog output stage from mains-borne noise and providing a path for future power supply upgrades.

ESS9038Q2M Converter, Low-Noise Clock, and Apodizing Filter

The StudioDAC is built around the ESS Technology ES9038Q2M, a high-performance stereo DAC chip from ESS's Sabre reference series, selected for its 115 dB dynamic range, sub-0.002% THD+N across the 20 Hz to 20 kHz band, and greater than 114 dB signal-to-noise ratio under A-weighting. Jitter — the primary source of digital-domain coloration in converter design — is addressed at its root by a low-noise precision clock generator that minimizes clock uncertainty before the signal reaches the conversion stage, rather than relying on software jitter correction after the fact. An Apodizing Filter is applied in the digital domain to eliminate the pre-ringing artifacts introduced by conventional brick-wall reconstruction filters, which produce audible time-domain smearing ahead of transient events. The Apodizing Filter trades a small amount of stopband attenuation for the removal of pre-ringing entirely, producing a more natural, analog-like presentation of leading edges and transient detail. Output is provided at a fixed 2.5 VRMS at 0 dBFS through a single RCA stereo pair, with an output impedance of 75 ohms suited to driving a wide range of integrated amplifiers and preamplifiers. Crosstalk at 10 kHz measures minus 110 dB, and linearity error remains below plus or minus 0.25 dB at minus 110 dB — figures that confirm the StudioDAC's ability to resolve the lowest-level musical information in high-resolution recordings.

Full MQA Hardware Decoding, DSD, and Multi-Format Input Support

The StudioDAC provides full MQA decoding and rendering in hardware, meaning it performs both the first unfold that recovers the high-resolution audio data from an MQA stream and the final rendering step that applies the MQA reconstruction filter tuned to the specific DAC hardware — a process that software-only MQA decoders cannot complete. For non-MQA high-resolution sources, the StudioDAC accepts PCM up to 32-bit depth and 384 kHz sampling rate via USB 2.0, and 16 to 24-bit PCM at sampling rates from 32 kHz through 192 kHz via S/PDIF coaxial and Toslink optical inputs. DSD64 and DSD128 are supported natively over USB, accommodating playback of SACD rips and DSD downloads without conversion to PCM. DXD — the 352.8 kHz PCM format used in professional DSD mastering workflows — is also supported via USB. LED indicators on the front panel display the incoming format and resolution in real time, confirming bit-perfect signal transmission from source to converter without software guesswork. The included outboard power supply accepts 100 to 240V AC at 50 or 60 Hz worldwide, delivering a regulated plus 12V DC output through a 5.5/2.5mm barrel connector and isolating the StudioDAC's analog stage from the noise and interference of the mains supply.

Key Features

• ESS9038Q2M Sabre DAC Chip: A high-performance stereo converter from ESS Technology's reference Sabre series, delivering 115 dB dynamic range, THD+N below 0.002%, and greater than 114 dB SNR across the full audio band.
• Full Hardware MQA Decoding and Rendering: Complete MQA unfold and DAC-specific rendering in hardware, recovering the full resolution of MQA-encoded streams from Tidal and other MQA sources.
• DSD64 and DSD128 Support via USB: Native DSD playback over USB accommodates SACD rips and DSD downloads without PCM conversion.
• 32-Bit/384 kHz PCM via USB: Full high-resolution PCM support up to the limits of current high-resolution streaming and download formats.
• DXD Support: 352.8 kHz DXD playback over USB for professional-format masters and DSD-origin recordings.
• Low-Noise Precision Clock Generator: An ultra-low-jitter clock minimizes timing errors at the source of conversion, preserving timing accuracy and transient detail without reliance on software correction.
• Apodizing Filter: A digital reconstruction filter that eliminates pre-ringing artifacts inherent in conventional brick-wall filters, producing a more natural, analog-like transient presentation.
• Three Digital Inputs: USB 2.0 Type B, S/PDIF coaxial, and Toslink optical inputs provide flexible connection to computers, streamers, CD transports, and network audio devices.
• LED Format and Resolution Indicators: Front-panel LEDs display the incoming audio format and sample rate in real time for confirmation of bit-perfect playback.
• 2.5 VRMS Fixed Output Level: A generous fixed output voltage drives the majority of integrated amplifiers and preamplifiers to full level without gain matching issues.
• Included Outboard Power Supply: A universal 100-240V AC external power supply isolates the analog output stage from mains noise and provides a foundation for future power supply upgrades.
• Designed with Mytek Audio, Manufactured in the USA: Co-engineered with Michal Jurewicz of Mytek Audio and manufactured domestically to MoFi Electronics' voicing and quality standards.
• Minus 110 dB Crosstalk at 10 kHz: Exceptional channel separation preserves the stereo image integrity of high-resolution recordings across the full frequency band.

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MoFi Electronics StudioDAC?

The StudioDAC is a reference-grade digital-to-analog converter from Mobile Fidelity Electronics, co-designed with Mytek Audio engineer Michal Jurewicz and manufactured in the USA. It is built around an ESS9038Q2M Sabre DAC chip with a measured dynamic range of 115 dB and THD+N below 0.002%, supports full hardware MQA decoding and rendering, DSD64, DSD128, DXD, and PCM up to 32-bit/384 kHz via USB, and features a low-noise precision clock generator, Apodizing Filter, and included outboard power supply. It is available at Vinyl Sound in Toronto, Canada.

How does the StudioDAC compare to the Chord Qutest and the Schiit Bifrost 2?

The StudioDAC occupies a distinct position against both competitors. Against the Chord Qutest, which uses Chord's proprietary FPGA-based conversion and Rob Watts' WTA filtering with no MQA support, the StudioDAC offers full hardware MQA decoding and rendering, DSD native support, and the ESS9038Q2M's measured 115 dB dynamic range, while the Qutest counters with Chord's unique pulse-array DAC architecture and a higher tap-length reconstruction filter. Against the Schiit Bifrost 2, which uses Schiit's own multibit DAC architecture and AK4490 or proprietary converter, the StudioDAC adds MQA hardware decoding, DSD128 native support, DXD capability, and the involvement of Michal Jurewicz — whose credentials in professional digital audio through Mytek are unmatched at this tier. Neither the Qutest nor the Bifrost 2 combines MQA hardware rendering, DSD128, DXD, 32-bit/384 kHz PCM, and an outboard power supply in a USA-manufactured unit at the StudioDAC's specification level.

What is an Apodizing Filter and why does the StudioDAC use one?

An Apodizing Filter is a digital reconstruction filter designed to eliminate the pre-ringing artifacts that conventional brick-wall low-pass filters introduce into the time domain. Standard digital filters apply a mathematically steep cutoff above the audio band to remove aliasing, but in doing so they produce oscillations that appear before transient events in the reconstructed analog signal — a form of time-domain smearing that does not exist in the original analog recording. The Apodizing Filter on the StudioDAC removes these pre-ringing artifacts at the cost of a modest reduction in stopband attenuation, trading theoretical stopband rejection for a more natural, accurate representation of how transients and leading edges appear in the original recorded signal.

What is full hardware MQA decoding and how does it differ from software decoding?

Full hardware MQA decoding means the StudioDAC performs both stages of MQA processing in its own internal hardware rather than delegating either stage to a software application on a connected computer. The first stage — MQA unfolding — recovers the high-resolution audio data encoded within the MQA stream. The second stage — MQA rendering — applies a reconstruction filter specifically calibrated to the characteristics of the ESS9038Q2M DAC chip inside the StudioDAC, a step that requires knowledge of the specific converter hardware and cannot be performed correctly by a generic software decoder. The result is that MQA-encoded tracks from sources such as Tidal Master quality are decoded and rendered to their full intended resolution by the StudioDAC itself, with the front-panel LED confirming the MQA format in real time.

Can the StudioDAC be used with a turntable or only with digital sources?

The StudioDAC is a digital-to-analog converter and accepts only digital audio signals through its USB, S/PDIF coaxial, and Toslink optical inputs. It does not include a phono preamplifier and cannot accept the analog output of a turntable directly. In a complete MoFi Electronics system, the StudioDAC handles digital sources — streamers, computers, and CD transports — while a separate phono preamplifier such as the MoFi Electronics MasterPhono or StudioPhono handles the analog signal from a turntable such as the MasterDeck or UltraDeck before both signals are brought together at an integrated amplifier or preamplifier.

Where can I buy the MoFi Electronics StudioDAC in Toronto or Canada?

The MoFi Electronics StudioDAC is available at Vinyl Sound, an authorized Mobile Fidelity Electronics dealer in Toronto, Canada. Vinyl Sound carries the full MoFi Electronics electronics lineup and can assist customers across Toronto and Canada with system integration advice, source component pairing, and demonstration of the StudioDAC in a complete MoFi reference system.

What streamer or computer connection works best with the StudioDAC?

The USB 2.0 input on the StudioDAC provides the highest-resolution connection, supporting PCM up to 32-bit/384 kHz, DSD64, DSD128, and DXD, and is the recommended input for computers running Roon, HQPlayer, or any USB audio class 2.0 compatible playback software. Network streamers with USB audio output — including devices from Innuos, Lumin, Auralic, and Bluesound — connect directly to the USB input. The S/PDIF coaxial and Toslink optical inputs support up to 192 kHz PCM and are suited to CD transports, network streamers with digital outputs, and televisions. For MQA decoding, the source must pass an undecoded MQA bitstream to the StudioDAC rather than performing its own software unfold first.

Does the outboard power supply make a difference to sound quality?

Yes. Separating the power supply from the main DAC chassis prevents the switching noise and mains-borne interference of the power conversion stage from reaching the analog output circuitry, which is the most noise-sensitive part of a DAC design. The StudioDAC's external 100-240V AC universal power supply delivers a regulated plus 12V DC feed through a 5.5/2.5mm barrel connector, keeping the supply's thermal and electrical byproducts physically isolated from the ESS9038Q2M converter and output stage. The outboard supply also provides a straightforward upgrade path, as the 5.5/2.5mm connector is a standard interface compatible with a range of audiophile-grade linear power supply aftermarket options.