OPTO•DX Optical Isolation for Dual-Coax DACs

Hear your DAC as it was meant to be heard. OPTO•DX™ is the superior remedy for RF noise in a single-coax or dual-coax AES or S/PDIF interface. It works by modulating the coax signal to optical and back to coax over an optical bridge for total optical galvanic isolation. Further, OPTO•DX has independent DC inputs for each side of the optical bridge to provide complete power isolation and reduced noise using battery packs or low noise supplies.

While cleaner sources, ferrite-laden coax cables and other tweaks may attenuate RF noise to the level of your systems’ subjective noise floor, OPTO•DX provides an objectively superior solution for those with the most revealing systems and highest appreciation for musical transparency. With OPTO•DX you will hear a more perfect D/A conversion: a less bright, smoother presentation with more subtle details revealed — and you can listen louder and for longer without fatigue. Less RF noise at the DAC (measurement images at left) is a direct corollary for better sound.

OPTO•DX is configured as a transmitter and receiver linked with optical cables. For power, AudioWise strongly recommends use of separate power supplies to stop RF from bypassing the optical bridge via the AC mains. OPTO•DX (Standard) requires a nominal 12V (11V - 15V compatible). OPTO•DX (Alternate) requires 5V. Consider powering both OPTO•DX receiver and DAC from the same DC power supply:

• A LiFePO₄ battery or low-noise, low-impedance 12V to 15V LPS (linear power) for Hugo TT2, DAVE or similar
• PURE•DC or low-noise, low-impedance 5V LPS for Hugo2, Qutest or Mojo2

Download the PDF here for recommended power isolation configurations.