Prism Sound Callia Reference DAC, Pre and Headphone Amplifier

Prism Sound Callia Reference DAC, Pre and Headphone Amplifier

Designed and manufactured in the United Kingdom, CALLIA embodies the Prism Sound uncompromising approach to audio resulting in the most accurate and detailed DAC available.

Callia reveals the most minute nuance of any performance and is flexible in the face of a variety of genres. Hear your music the way it was intended.

Pristine Sound Quality

Callia makes no compromises on audio quality, ensuring you’ll experience music at home exactly as it was experienced by those who created it in the studio. Our heritage and unrivaled experience has allowed for the creation of a DAC of unparalleled sonic clarity.

Headphone Output

CALLIA’s headphone output boasts a high-current, low impedance design optimized for the best possible performance. Able to power a wide range of high end headphones, CALLIA will adjust and match the impedance of your headphones for an unbeatable listening experience.

Simplified Connectivity

Callia is compatible with the widest range of computer hardware using a USB2 interface supporting UAC2 audio. Auto input detection and output protection allows for the hot plugging of cables without fear of damaging your speakers.

Unsurpassed Clocking and Jitter Rejection

Prism Sounds long history in developing test and measurement equipment for the audio industry has provided Callia with the pinnacle of ultra-stable clocks, ensuring the most accurate and detailed conversion available.

Audio Formats

CALLIA supports linear PCM in 2’s complement binary coding and, using the “DSD over PCM” (DOP) protocol, DSD at the original bit-rate (DSD64) and also at 2 × the original rate (DSD128). DSD Files encoded as “DOP” may be played with both ASIO and WDM drivers.

Your computer, tablet or transport will commonly decode formats such as mp3 to PCM prior to transmission to the sound card, so these formats will typically be supported on your device in the same manner as they would be with another sound card.

On the S/P-DIF inputs, DOP can also be used, but only at the original DSD bit rate (DSD64) as these connections do not have enough bandwidth for DSD128.

The ASIO native DSD format is not currently supported.

Front Panel:

• Input selection LEDs: Indicate auto/manual select mode and current input: optical S/PDIF, RCA S/PDIF or USB
• Sample rate/format LEDs: Indicate sample rate: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, 384 kHz, (for fs>192k see note at foot of page), DSD64 or DSD128 also indicates PCM word-length '> 16 bits' (24b LED ON blue or '> 24 bits' (24b LED ON pink)
• Line volume control: Controls the volume at the analog line outputs when enabled. (See 'REAR PANEL -> DIP switches') Halo setting indication
• Headphone output: 6.3mm stereo jack socket, with illuminated volume contro
• Standby/source button: Switches between operation and standby modes; also used for manual input selection (momentary press) and LED brigtness
• LED brightness: Hold Standby/source button down and twist Volume knob to adjust

Rear Panel:

• Analog line outputs: Two ×LR male for balanced connection; two RCA sockets for unbalanced connection
• S/PDIF inputs: RCA coaxial and TOSLINK optical formats
• DIP switches: Enable/disable line volume control, DSD headroom select, headphone impedance setting
• USB port: USB 2.0 B type device socket
• Mains power: 3-pin 6A IEC inlet

Software Support:

• Mac OS Support: OS × 10.5 or later on Intel and Apple M1 silicon
• Windows OS Support: Windows Vista, 7, 8.x, 10 or later, 32 or 64 bit
• Mac OS × audio driver: Callia is a Core Audio compliant device
• Windows audio driver: ASIO and WDM

Analogue Kine Outputs:

• Configuration: Fully-balanced analog signal path to electronically-balanced ×LRs, RCAs pseudo-balanced
• Output amplitude: ×LR: 0dBFS=14dBu; RCA: 0dBFS=2Vrms
• Output impedance: 50Ω (both balanced and unbalanced outputs)
• Unbalanced mode: Automatic, with bootstrapping level compensation
• Total harmonic distortion: -107dB (0.00045%, -0.1dBFS)
• THD+N: -106dB (0.00050%, -0.1dBFS)
• Dynamic range: 115dB (-60dBFS)
• Gain accuracy: ±0.05dB
• LF roll-off: -0.05dB at 8Hz, -3dB at <1Hz
• HF roll-off:
• fs = 44.1kHz: -0.05dB at 21.4kHz; -3dB at 22.0kHz
• fs = 48kHz: -0.05dB at 23.2kHz; -3dB at 23.9kHz
• fs = 96kHz: -0.05dB at 32.0kHz; -3dB at 47.8kHz
• fs >= 192kHz, incl. DSD64/128: -0.05dB at 32.0kHz; -3dB at 76kHz
• Output balance: >50dB
• Inter-channel cross-talk: 1kHz: <-135dB; 20Hz..20kHz: <-120dB
• Inter-channel phase:
• 10Hz..5kHz: ±0.4°,
• 5kHz..20kHz: ±0.25°,
• 20kHz..50kHz: ±0.5°,

Headphone Output:

• Output amplitude: 0dBFS=18.0dBu (HiZ), 14.45dBu (MedZ), 8.45dBu (LoZ) measured at top (maximum setting) of potentiometer
• Output impedance: 4R
• Total harmonic distortion: -104dB (0.00045%, -0.1dBFS)
• THD+n: -103dB (0.00050%, -0.1dBFS)
• Dynamic range: 113dB (-60dBFS)
• Gain accuracy: ±0.05dB at top of potentiometer
• LF roll-off: -0.05dB at 6Hz; -3dB at 1.45Hz
• HF roll-off:
• fs=44.1kHz: -0.05dB at 20.3kHz; -3dB at 22.0kHz
• fs=48kHz: -0.05dB at 21.1kHz; -3dB at 23.9kHz
• fs=96kHz: -0.05dB at 27.0kHz, -3dB at 47.8kHz
• fs=>=192kHz, including DSD64, DSD128:
• -0.05dB at 27.0kHz, -3dB at 71.0kHz
• Inter-channel cross-talk: 1kHz: <-120dB; 20Hz..20kHz: <-105dB
• Inter-channel phase: 10Hz..5kHz: ±0.1°, 5kHz..20kHz: ±0.25°, 20kHz..50kHz: ±0.5°

USB Inputs:

• Interface protocol: USB Audio Device Class 2.0 (UAC2)
• Audio formats supported: PCM audio of up to 32 bit word length at sampling rates of 44k1, 48k, 88k2, 96k, 176k4, 192k, 352k8, 384k and DSD64, DSD128 in DoP frame (for fs>192k see note at foot of page)

S/PDIF Inputs:

• Interface formats: S/PDIF (RCA and TOSLINK); RCA also accepts AES3-ID
• Audio formats: PCM audio of up to 24 bit word length at sampling rates of 44k1, 48k, 88k2, 96k, 176k4, 192k and DSD64 in DoP frame
• Channel Status: ignored

Synchronization:

• Clock recovery technology: Prism Sound CleverClox hybrid PLL
• Synchronization sources: Local or S/PDIF input (automatic selection)
• Local clock accuracy: ±50ppm
• Jitter rejection: >60dB / decade above 100Hz