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Allnic/ZL Technologies D-10000 OTL/OCL DAC
OTL/OCL (Output Transformer-less/Output Capacitor-less) analog output designs to the very best of today’s DAC technology.
In common circuits, output capacitors or output transformers are these two coupling devices also introduce their own influences on the transmission of the musical signal, adding their own character (colouration), increasing distortion, and consuming small signals, all as predicted by physical efficiency theory. In addition, they also limit signal dynamics.
- No colouration of the musical signal
- Extremely detailed expression, natural harmonics, and subtle musical decay
- The lowest possible distortion
- The widest musical dynamics
The sound was perfectly clear. The stage was endlessly transparent and clean, like a day completely without dust, smoke, or cloud. I thought, “This is the kind of sound you should hear with an OTL/OCL circuit applied to a vacuum tube DAC!” This is the story of the D-10000 OTL/OCL DAC recently introduced by Korean manufacturer ALLNIC.
“This is the kind of sound you should hear with an OTL/OCL circuit applied to a vacuum tube DAC!”
OTL/OCL (Output Transformer-Less/Output Capacitor-Less) is a circuit that literally removes the transformer of the vacuum tube amplifier output stage and the capacitor in the signal path. The output transformer lowers the high output impedance of the vacuum tube, and the capacitor in the signal path has the heavy duty of blocking DC, so omitting both of them has been a fairy-tale dream for manufacturers.
However, ALLNIC determined that these devices are the main culprits for distortion, coloration, and energy loss, so they spent years developing OTL/OCL circuits for their high-end preamplifiers, the L-10000, L-9000, and L-8500, and the HPA-5000XL headphone amplifier. The results have been a great success. As the output transformer and capacitor disappeared from the signal path, unimaginably pure and fresh sound flowed out like a wave. This is why foreign media praised the ALLNIC OTL/OCL preamplifiers as “Less is so much more”.
“Less is so much more”.
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/announcing-the-d-10-000-otl-ocl-dac-an-industry-first.35157/
The most eye-catching front panel features are the Conversion (Conv) and Upsample buttons in the middle of the D-10000’s face. When the Conversion button is pressed, the input PCM signal is changed to a DSD signal and the DSD LED illuminates. When the Upsampling button is pressed, the user can select from a range of choices to upsample the PCM input signal all the way to 352/384kHz.
On the top plate, across both sides at the rear, there are separate power transformers for the digital circuits and the analog circuits. The vacuum tubes involved in the converted analog signals are arranged along the middle for each of the left and right channels. From the front, there are two pentode/triode 7258 tubes, two twin-triode 12AU7 tubes, and four 6C19P triodes. The 6C19P has a low internal resistance of just 400Ω, making it ideal for a preamplifier or DAC output.
From http://www.audioht.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=17783
Technical Specification
ANALOG BOARD
OTL/OCL (Output Transformer-less/Output Capacitor-less) analog output designs to the very best of today’s DAC technology.
In common circuits, output capacitors or output transformers are these two coupling devices also introduce their own influences on the transmission of the musical signal, adding their own character (colouration), increasing distortion, and consuming small signals, all as predicted by physical efficiency theory. In addition, they also limit signal dynamics. For these reasons, the elimination of output transformers and capacitors has been considered the best solution for the design of the most accurate amplifiers. Removal of these two coupling devices from the signal path achieves the best results possible:
- No colouration of the musical signal
- Extremely detailed expression, natural harmonics, and subtle musical decay
- The lowest possible distortion
- The widest musical dynamics
TUBES
- Two (2) x 7258
- Two (2) x 12AU7
- Four (4) x 6C19P
DIGITAL BOARD
- DoP : DSD 64, DSD 128
- PCM 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz, 176.4 KHz, 192 KHz, 352.8 KHz and 384 KHz.
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Professional Reviews 89/100
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
90/100
Features Connectivity
82/100
Value for Money
85/100
The big, bold D-10000 pairs tube warmth with striking clarity, delivering a vivid, low-noise presentation that feels more organic than clinical. hi-fi+ highlights its exceptional structure, dimensionality, and detail, plus a beautifully finished build and flexible digital inputs. It’s a DAC that makes music feel immediate, full-bodied, and engrossing.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Delivers a big, bold, full-bodied sound with strong tone and natural musical flow.
Preserves detail while sounding more organic and less sterile than many digital rivals.
Creates impressive structure and dimensionality, with a low-noise, highly engaging presentation.
Offers a well-equipped input/output layout and upsampling/PCM-to-DSD conversion support.
&
Cons
Can sound unforgiving with thin or heavily compressed recordings.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Reviewers describe the D-10000 as big, bold, vivid, and unusually engaging, with a natural sense of tone that makes music feel fuller and more alive. The presentation is praised for bringing out the best in recordings while keeping the music enjoyable rather than cool or sterile.
Tonal Balance and Musicality
92/100
The DAC is repeatedly described as full-bodied, vivid, and highly engaging, with a natural feel for tone that makes music sound more real. The review also says it is a 'natural at this tone thing' and that it encourages smiling along and air-guitar moments.
Resolution and Detail
91/100
Reviewers say the D-10000 never gives up detail, even while going for a more organic presentation than some rivals. Its sense of structure and dimensionality is also singled out as hard to beat, which suggests strong retrieval and separation without becoming clinical.
Digital Performance
92/100
The D-10000 is described as exceptionally low-noise and engaging, with a presentation that moves digital playback away from 'cool' or 'sterile' territory. The review also notes PCM-to-DSD conversion and upsampling support, but the strongest praise is for its clean, non-fatiguing delivery rather than for any explicit measurement claims.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
90/100
Reviewers specifically call the D-10000 finished to an exceptional standard throughout. Beyond that, the coverage is limited on internal construction details, so the positive build impression rests mainly on the reviewer's explicit praise of the finish and execution.
Features Connectivity
82/100
The D-10000 offers a strong set of connections for a standalone DAC: USB, AES/EBU, two coaxial inputs, optical input, and both RCA and XLR outputs. It also supports PCM-to-DSD conversion and upsampling, but there is no mention of extras like streaming, headphone output, or remote control.
Value for Money
85/100
None of the reviews clearly discuss whether it is good value at its asking price, and there is little explicit comparison to cheaper alternatives. With a very high price tag, the coverage reads as praise for performance rather than an argument about bargain value.
Reviews
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Authorized dealers for Allnic/ZL Technologies D-10000 OTL/OCL DAC
- Audioplus Hi End — in-store — San Benedetto del Tronto, Marche, Italy (website)
- East End Hi-Fi — in-store — Brookhaven, New York, United States (website)
- Kronos Audio Visual — online and in-store — Staplefield, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Live Fidelity — in-store — Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands (website)
- Moorgate Acoustics — online and in-store — Woodseats, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Norsk Audio Teknikk — in-store — Sofiemyr, Akershus, Norway (website)
- Perfect sense Audio — in-store — Stockholms län, Sweden (website)
- Rennaissens — online and in-store — Boulogne-Billancourt, Île-de-France, France (website)
- SALLINGBOE AUDIO — in-store — Svebølle, Denmark (website)
- Salon One Audio — in-store — Ormond Beach, Florida, United States (website)
and 6 more verified dealers