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The Musician Draco III is an R2R DAC designed to convert high-resolution digital streams into an analog signal, relying on a true network of resistors manually matched to a tolerance of 0.005%. Its algorithmic processing accurately reproduces musical information, while the R‑2R architecture promotes a natural, warm and balanced rendering. Compared to previous generations, the internal structure has been optimized and each element has been refined to improve the overall sound quality.
The Draco III combines its R2R network with custom TCXO oscillators, which replace the first-generation SMD crystal oscillators with third-generation through-hole models. This design provides a more stable time base and improves the accuracy of high-speed digital signals, allowing the conversion circuit to operate under more consistent conditions.
This approach is extended by the use of an 80W toroidal transformer, installed in a thick metal enclosure to limit interference and current fluctuations. The resulting power supply remains cleaner and more stable, allowing the R‑2R decoding to fully exploit its rendering capabilities.

The Draco III supports PCM streams up to 1536 kHz via USB and I²S, while the optical, coaxial and AES inputs accept signals up to 192 kHz. For DSD, the USB and I²S inputs allow decoding up to DSD1024, whereas the optical, coaxial and AES inputs support DSD64 in DoP64 format.
This connectivity brings together the USB, I²S, optical, coaxial and AES digital inputs, then distributes the converted signal to a pair of balanced XLR outputs or a pair of single-ended RCA outputs. The RCA and XLR outputs must not be used simultaneously: even when one output is disabled, the signal may continue to be transmitted to it, and using both outputs together may degrade sound quality. For optimal integration, the XLR output is preferred with a balanced amplifier.


The Draco III retains the original NOS oversampling while adding several control functions accessible from the front panel or the remote control. The SWAP, FILTER, PHASE and OS/NOS controls respectively allow inverting the left and right DSD channels, selecting fast or slow digital filtering, adjusting the phase and switching between OS and NOS oversampling modes.
Multidimensional adjustment is also carried out via the SETUP + INPUT combination, which gives access to oversampling, filtering, phase, DSD channel inversion and the I²S cable sequence. This flexibility makes it possible to adapt the operation of the DAC to different devices and listening preferences, particularly depending on the type of musical program.
The I²S input offers eight adjustable modes to cover the majority of compatible devices on the market. The appropriate mode is determined according to the connected device, without manual configuration of the Draco III pins. In the absence of sound or in the presence of noise, simply switch to the next mode; when no noise is audible, the connection is considered compatible and the setting can be retained.
The front panel indicators allow the various parameters to be monitored: PHASE indicates the phase setting, OS/NOS indicates the oversampling mode, while FILTER corresponds to fast or slow filtering. The DSD_L/R and I²S Cable Sequence Selection functions respectively control the order of the DSD channels and the I²S cable sequence; the COAX + OPT indicators lit simultaneously indicate the USB update mode.

The design incorporates an ALTERA control chip and an FPGA chip, tasked with ensuring the processing and management of digital streams. Panasonic capacitors, made in Japan, and WIMA capacitors, made in Germany, complete this architecture by contributing to the stability of the various electronic stages.
Combined with the remote control, the front panel controls thus make it possible to quickly adjust the behavior of the Draco III without modifying the connectivity or intervening on the installation. The DAC can be integrated into an evolving digital chain, with precise control of decoding, filtering and the I²S interface.

Technical specifications
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Product type | DAC without volume |
| Inputs | 1x Coaxial 1x Optical Toslink 1x USB-B 1x AES 1x HDMI I2S |
| Outputs | 1x RCA stereo 1x XLR stereo |
| Supported sampling rates | USB / I2S: PCM 32bit 1536kHz, DSD1024 Optical / Coaxial / AES: PCM 24bit 192kHz, DSD64 |
| DAC chips | R2R |
| Frequency response | 20Hz-75kHz (+1dB/-3dB) |
| Total harmonic distortion (THD) | <0.002% |
| Dynamic range | ≥120dB |
| Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) | ≥121dB |
| Crosstalk | ≥110dB |
| Output level | RCA: 2Vrms XLR: 4Vrms |
| Output impedance | RCA: 625Ω XLR: 1250Ω |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Supply voltage | 115V AC / 60Hz 230V AC / 50Hz |
| Consumption | 20W |
| Dimensions | 270 x 245 x 70mm |
| Weight | 4.05kg |
| Color | Black |
| Package | 1x Musician Draco III 1x Remote control 1x Power cable |
| Input | USB |
| Input | Optical |
| Input | AES/EBU |
| Input | SPDIF |
| Input | I2S via HDMI |
| Output | RCA |
| Output | XLR |
| DAC / ADC Chip | R2R LADDER DAC |
| Max sampling rate | DSD1024 |
| Max sampling rate | 1536kHz |
| Color | Black |
| Networking | No |
| Remote Control | Yes |