For Sale Aries Cerat Helene Digital Analog Converter (DAC)

Further Information

Helene is a stunning tube DAC from Aries Cerat featuring a 8 R2R matrix from Analog Devices and SET analog output stage and valve regulators. This DAC is packed with the finest components and the end result is nothing short of breath taking.

Marketing on behalf of a fastidious high-end audiophile client, his awesome Helene tube DAC, that is second to none in its beautiful, beguiling presentation. It is in pristine condition and comes with original shipping box.

The Heléne is Aries Cerat by DAC standards is a large device weighing in at 40 kilos.

”In designing the Heléne we held firm to the Aries Cerat philosophy of maximum performance first, other considerations second. Borrowing technology from the Kassandra Series, and with the addition of some tricks of it’s own, the Heléne is a remarkable machine in it’s own right, setting a new previously unreachable level of performance vs price ratio.”

Ladder tube DAC

The Heléne is a bit-perfect ladder DAC and uses NO data processing, upsampling or oversampling – all data is converted at their native sample rate and bit rate.

Taking technology we pioneered in the Kassandra Series, the converter banks are implemented around a matrix of eight R2R converters per channel, running in parallel. The two independent banks use eight R2R matrixes from the Analog Devices AD1865N-K in current mode.

These are driven by our custom logic that handles the synchronisation, data and work buses. Our Super Clock technology used in our bigger models is also standard in the Heléne DAC, negating the use and need of an external aftermarket Word Clock.

The USB input is double Reclocked, as are the digital S/PDIF and AES inputs using the internal Super Clocks of the converter. The digital input Reclocker is also bypassable on the fly.

I/V Stage

Converter banks run in current output, thus  IV conversion stage quality is detrimental to the SQ. The IV (current to voltage) stage is implemented by a special IV transformer with custom ultra high MU core, directly modulating the bias circuits of the analog tube stage.
 

DIGITAL SECTION
IC Chip Array:- 8 R2R converters per channel, complimentary current output using the top grade Analogue Devices AD1865N-K with 4 converters per bank, 8 per channel

Regulators: - Four discrete ultra-low-noise regulators for the 4 converter banks
PSU: - Over engineered power supply, power input filters.
Current to Voltage Conversion: - Transformer I/V conversion with custom wideband transformers, balanced current to single ended voltage conversion.
Additional Clock: - Internal Super-Clock by-passable on the fly, triple regulated supply
 

INPUT & OUTPUT SECTION
PSU: - Over engineered power supplies, power input filters, large toroid transformer & capacitor banks
Gain Stage: - Transformer loaded super tube output stage using the E280F tube. 5:1 step down transformer & double choke filtered supply
Output: - 30Vpp output @ 0db 10Vrms
Output: - 2 x RCA, 2 x Balanced. True Balanced output standard.
Floating RCA output switchable (ground loop resolver)
Output Impedance: - 50 ohms (balanced and SE output)
USB input: - Data rates up to 24/384KHz
Jitter attenuation: - Down to femtosec level

Dimensions: - 500W x 430D x 165H mm
Weight: - 40kg
 

Image HiFi Germany review:
https://aries-cerat.com/helene-dac-review-from-image-hifi-germany/