Description

The WAVEDREAM REFERENCE – Transcend Reality

10 years ago, we launched the Wavedream DAC, a device that has defined our identity and left a mark on the discerned audiophile. The Wavedream Reference is more than an evolution of our DAC, it elevates the story of our company and team because it pushes the limits of custom digital to analog conversion through proper engineering, performance, design and sound quality. As a culmination of years of experience and with so many technological advancements, the Reference warranted a complete makeover of the Rockna brand, it is just that special.

Each relevant component or subsystem of the Reference is defined by Rockna proprietary hardware and custom software. We accepted no limitations from off-the-shelf solutions like DAC chips, OEM streaming modules or signal op-amps. As always, we stayed true to our philosophy of presenting products with a high degree of originality and elegant technical solutions.

HARDWARE ARCHITECTURE

At the heart of the Wavedream Reference is our custom architecture, crafted for the highest level of precision and ultimate refinement in audio reproduction. Our DAC is built upon a highly optimized and efficient AMD/ZYNQ chip for master control/network renderer and 4 FPGAs, one for each phase of the discrete conversion system. The machine runs a Rockna custom tailored Linux system which takes care of everything except audio processing – which is executed by the dedicated hardware blocks.

FPGA diagram

To achieve an elegant internal layout, we designed a 10-layer central core board for the digital front-end processing and the network renderer. A completely new dedicated low noise supply board was developed, as well as new conversion boards placed in a symmetrical configuration, two for each channel. Compared to the classic Wavedream, the design was optimized by shortening the clock and data signal paths and by using higher quality board-to-board connectors. Therefore, signal integrity was significantly improved. Furthermore, the toroid transformers and the display are shielded internally using a copper cage. The analog stages following the D/A conversion modules are hidden on the back of the left and right boards.

The Rockna philosophy for an exceptional DAC is mastering the art of connecting mixed-signal technologies in such a way that the output preserves all the fine nuances of the original recording. Many think the secret is proper digital processing, but that is just one piece of the puzzle. When moving the audio information from digital to analog domain, the clock system plays a critical role in giving a sense of realism, analog sound and creating audio 3D imagery. Most D/A converters take the easy route by relying on the ASRC (acronym for asynchronous sample rate converter) built in the chips they use. While the ASRC may have a sound signature in itself, the quality of the ASRC implemented in DAC chips is affected by cost and silicon real-estate, thus being prone to sound quality degradation.

In the Wavedream Reference we developed one of the most advanced, ASRC-free digital PLL clock solutions which gives the DAC the ability to perform like an analogic source, with a natural sense pf pace and rhythm. Another key element is that digital signals physically travel as high-speed analog signals and they must be treated accordingly. Bits are bits on an abstract level but on pcb traces, connectors, cables they are a succession of high-speed rectangular analog signals which are not perfect: they have rise-time, fall time and they could be plagued by ringing, spikes, reflections, crosstalk, phase noise(jitter) etc. This is why Rockna has perfected radio-frequency techniques to mitigate these issues which have the potential to ruin the pursued analog sound.

HYBRID POWER SUPPLY

The complexity of the Reference power supply is shown in the adjacent diagram. We had to perfectly balance the efficiency, internal real estate and the need for ultra low noise required for the DAC performance. Over 20 power-related circuits drive over 90.000 uF of capacitance. The audio grade toroid transformers are hidden under a thick copper sheet which acts as a shield.

DAC MODULES

For the D/A conversion stage we developed a evolved version of the mighty DAC modules used in the classic Wavedream DAC. The modules themselves are complex pieces of technology, sharing a discrete sign-magnitude hybrid ladder topology, driven by a complex algorithm which is embedded into their own FPGA. They can sustain sample rates up to a few MHz and the output of the DAC modules is un-buffered, allowing maximum transparency and natural sound reproduction.

ANALOG STAGE

The last stage of the signal path is the analog output stage. It’s contribution to the final sound is of extreme importance. Designed from the scratch to work with the new conversion modules, the output stage is totally discrete and acts as a high-speed buffer, while keeping the circuit simple enough to achieve full transparency. We combined JFET & bipolar devices into a class A design, with a low closed-loop output impedance and very low noise, as a perfect match for the overall performance of the machine.

NETWORK RENDERER

The network renderer built inside Reference is unique not only because is our proprietary approach, but because it is seamlessly integrated into the DAC digital front-end. There is no separate “streamer section” or extra board, which removes the need for a dedicated external connection and unnecessary obstacles into the digital signal path. Natively integrated inside the Rockna ZYNQ SoC, the renderer can truly shine, allowing perfect sonic performance when selected.

DIGITAL FILTERS

The internal FPGA up-samples any material to a fixed rate of 16x. The DAC modules will decode the digital stream with a rate of 768Khz, or 705.6Khz, respectively, according to input sample rate. We found this rate to be optimal for analog performance of the DAC modules. Behind this simple multiplication factor lies significant processing power. The digital filters are made with the combined effort of multiple DSP blocks working in parallel.

After lots of mathematical simulations and careful listening tests, we have created a custom Parks-McClellan up-sampling filter. There are three variations available : linear, minimum and hybrid phase. They are highly optimized filters, offering stunning performance with a large number of taps, offering excellent filtering capabilities, and they are different in regard of impulse response. For the linear phase, the ringing energy (Gibb’s overshoot) is equally split before and after impulse. Minimum phase type shows all this energy after impulse, while our special hybrid phase filter has a combined response between linear and minimum, exhibiting very low overshoot before the impulse.

POWERFUL CONTROL

Clean user interface and simplicity in use is a part of the Reference experience. Our team put a lot of effort in designing a proper user interface. There are three options to control the device: the front-panel touchscreen display, the classic infra-red remote and the Reference mobile apps, available for iOS and Android.

rockna reference Device status — Device information

rockna reference Display — The user can select between 2 color themes light and dark

rockna reference Audio — Fine audio settings (Reference Signature)

rockna reference I2S — Example of I2S port control for extended compatibility

rockna reference Output phase — Display options

rockna reference Update successful — Simple and effective online update system

Remote control

In addition to the touch control display, the machine can be controlled using a classic remote control and mobile apps for Android and iOS.

The remote is metal-made with illuminated keys and movement sensors.

rockna reference Rockna remote Isometric crop

Specifications

Feature	Wavedream Reference	Wavedream Reference Signature
Hardware	AMD ZynQ SoC with custom Rockna firmware R2R discrete DAC modules RD-1 MK2 x 4 27-bit FPGA driven combined switches Optimized clock manager Femtovox 2 Mirrored clock distribution Low-noise and fine-tuned power supply Local regulation on critical nodes Discrete regulation for analog stages Very large capacitor buffer Copper shielded audio grade transformers Critical paths with tight impedance control Hardware FPGA upsampling Proprietary Digital-PLL topology, ASRC-free Fully discrete output stage, standard version 32-bit ultrafine volume control LAN, USB, I2S, SPDIF, AES/EBU, Toslink inputs RCA and XLR outputs THD -100 dB (-3 dB); DNR 125 dB MAX. OUTPUT 2.3V RMS (RCA) 4.6V RMS (XLR) Full aluminum chassis, matt black or matt silver Dimensions: 450 x 390 x 105 mm, 10 kg	AMD ZynQ SoC with custom Rockna firmware R2R discrete DAC modules RD-0 MK2 x 4 28-bit FPGA driven individual switch/bit Clock manager Femtovox 2-LPN version Mirrored clock distribution Ultralow-noise and fine-tuned power supply Local regulation on critical nodes Discrete regulation for analog stages Very large capacitor buffer Copper shielded audio grade transformers Critical paths with tight impedance control Hardware FPGA upsampling Proprietary Digital-PLL topology, ASRC-free Fully discrete output stage, standard version 32-bit ultrafine volume control LAN, USB, I2S, SPDIF, AES/EBU, Toslink inputs RCA and XLR outputs THD -102 dB (-3 dB); DNR 135 dB MAX. OUTPUT 2.3V RMS (RCA) 4.6V RMS (XLR) Full aluminum chassis, matt black or matt silver Dimensions: 450 x 390 x 105 mm, 10 kg
Software	Rockna custom Linux kernel Roon bridge, Upnp, OpenHome Airplay, HQPNAA, Spotify Connect Fully configurable I2S input port Selectable DSD bandwidth Android & iOS mobile control app Firmware updates over internet	Rockna custom Linux kernel Roon bridge, Upnp, OpenHome Airplay, HQPNAA, Spotify Connect Fully configurable I2S input port Selectable DSD bandwidth Output Dither Digital PLL tracking mode Android & iOS mobile control app Firmware updates over internet