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Audio Reference GmbH takes over sales of dCS

Once again, Audio Reference GmbH has succeeded in adding a special brand to its distribution range, as it is now responsible for dCS solutions as a new distributor.

dCS, this brand stands for a company that claims no less than to have played a decisive role in shaping digital audio technology for more than three decades by developing products and technologies that, in the opinion of dCS, have significantly influenced and even revolutionised music recording in the professional sector as well as music playback in the consumer segment.

The exciting thing is that the company behind the dCS Audio brand, the English company Data Conversion Systems Ltd, was originally dedicated to a completely different field, namely radar systems for naval jets.

From radar systems specialist to high-end hi-fi manufacturer

dCS was founded in 1987 in Cambridge, England, by Oxford University graduate Mike Story and a team of electronics engineers. The company began by providing consultancy services to aerospace companies and soon gained a reputation as a leading expert in digital signal processing. Work in this area led to collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence, including a contract to develop the so-called Blue Vixen radar system for the Royal Navy’s Sea Harrier FA 2 jets.

In addition to its work in aviation, however, dCS was already exploring how its home-grown technologies could be applied to digital audio in the early days of the company. The reason for this was simple, Mike Story was himself an audiophile music lover and thus also at home in corresponding circles, for example he had numerous friends in the recording industry. It was therefore obvious that the development and production of digital converters, which were initially intended for use in a professional studio environment, would soon become a priority.

Products that made history

It was in 1989 that dCS made history, presenting the world’s first 24-bit analogue-to-digital converter, the dCS 900. A solution that was used by industry greats such as Bob Ludwig, Tony Faulkner and Bert van der Wolf.

This was followed in 1993 by the dCS 950, the world’s first 24-bit digital-to-analogue converter, which, although also designed for professional use, ultimately marked the entry of dCS into the consumer segment, as this solution was appreciated by hi-fi enthusiasts, especially in Japan.

The actual entry into the consumer business took place in 1996, when, inspired by the success of the dCS 950, the company developed the dCS Elgar together with the industrial designer Allen Boothroyd, and thus the first 24-bit DAC in the consumer segment, as dCS proudly points out.

From dCS’ point of view, these solutions represented a turning point in consumer electronics, opening up the possibility for music lovers all over the world to enjoy studio-quality sound at home.

Audio Reference GmbH new dCS distributor

Today, dCS offers a wide range of products, but the focus is always on highly precise and accurate processing of digital data, whether in the form of CD and SACD transport, streaming systems, signal conversion solutions or, of course, D/A converters.

From now on, the Hamburg-based distributor Audio Reference GmbH will be responsible for all these products.

“We are very pleased to be able to look after dCS, one of the most innovative manufacturers of sophisticated digital audio technology in Germany. The products complement the portfolio of Audio Reference GmbH perfectly.”

Mansour Mamaghani, Managing Director Audio Reference GmbH

Getting to the point

With the solutions of the English specialist Data Conversion Systems Ltd. and thus the brand dCS, Audio Reference GmbH can once again expand its sales range with outstanding products that are clearly aimed at audiophile hi-fi enthusiasts.

THEMEAUDIO REFERENCE GMBH TAKES OVER DISTRIBUTION OF DCS
Audio Reference GmbH
BRANDDCS
ManufacturerData Conversion Systems Ltd.
DistributionAudio Reference GmbH
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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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