Grace Design m920 high resolution monitoring system Grace Design

Professional studio monitoring, audiophile DAC and reference headphone amplifier, all in one powerful little box

The m920 High Resolution Monitoring System provides wide open, musical audio playback performance for discerning audio professionals and connoisseurs. In this world of endless distraction, the m920 is designed to enable limitless engagement. Whether you are perfecting the details of a mix or blissfully drifting around your favorite DSD downloads – the resolution, detail and immediacy that occurs with the m920 at the center of your system will place you deep in the heart of the music.

Performance and features to rival any playback hardware

Building on our 15 years of experience designing reference playback equipment, the technology in the m920 is as evolved as it is refined. The new, world-class M Series 32-bit Sabre DAC provides an astonishing improvement in digital performance, delivering up to 32bit/384kHz PCM and 64x and 128x DSD playback. This DAC allows the user to select between 3 different digital filter response curves: fast, slow and minimum phase – which helps tailor the DAC section to personal tastes. Third generation s-Lock PLL circuitry improves jitter rejection without the use of sample rate converters. Asynchronous USB playback allows bit-perfect audio playback from your computer.

Analog design is carefully executed to ensure signals are rendered perfectly regardless of what type headphone drivers, amplifiers or speakers are being used. High current transimpedance output amplifiers can easily drive 8 ohm loads, making the m920 a perfect choice for even the lowest impedance headphones. Only the highest quality 0.5% metal film resistors are used throughout and there are no electrolytic capacitors in the signal path. Sealed gold contact relays are used for all signal switching.

The m920 is one of the great values in high end audio

We began building compact headphone amp / DAC’s over 15 years ago. So the m920 represents lots of refinement with the addition of years of real world customer feedback. We have thousands and thousands of happy owners of these products. While there are countless more affordable derivative devices available now, a careful examination of the refinement, performance and design of the m920 reveals a product that is a little bit more expensive but a lot more value. We design and build everything in the USA, and back it up with our unrivaled 5 year transferable warranty. Our customer service is second to none, with customer satisfaction to match.

For the Audiophile

With several IR remote control options, including the Grace Design remote, or the apple remote and iOS / Android via Logitech Harmony, DSD128 playback, and beautiful, stable, open audio performance, the m920 will grace your system and engage you with your collection like never before.

For the Professional

With two sets of studio monitor outputs, two headphone jacks, a wide array of input options and deep calibration options, the m920 is the perfect choice as your svelte, clean and perfectly appointed monitor controller.

 

Features:

• Stereo analog inputs – balanced (+4dBu) XLR and unbalanced (-10dBv) RCA.

• Ultra low distortion 32-bit /384khz Sabre DAC accepts stereo digital input source in AES3, S/PDIF, TOSLINK (optical) and USB formats with auto sample rate detection and digital de-emphasis filter

• User configurable DAC filter response for PCM and DSD playback

• USB for playback of up to 384kHz / 32 bit PCM as well as DSD64 and DSD128 playback via DoP

• AES and S/PDIF playback of up to 192kHZ / 24bit PCM as well as DSD64 playback via DoP

• New dual-stage wide lock range PLL for improved jitter rejection on non s-locked sources

• Third generation s-Lock™ dual stage PLL (phase lock loop) circuitry for the ultimate in low jitter clocking and sonic integrity

• Two sets of line level outputs provided via RCA (unbalanced) and ¼ TRS jacks (balanced) for connection to stereo monitors

• RCA line outputs can be configured for variable or fixed dac output mode for operation as a standalone digital to analog converter

• Front panel rotary encoder provides precision level control of both headphone and the line output levels. Level adjustments are made in 0.5dB steps within a 95dB range

• 0.05dB channel level matching to ensure true stereo balance at any monitoring level

• Large, white 7-segment display is used to show headphone and stereo main output levels

• New X-feed (crossfeed) simulates the acoustics of a loudspeaker listening environment which can significantly improve imaging while reducing listening fatigue when using headphones. This feature employs carefully designed signal cross-feed, filtering and delay circuits to simulate hrtf (head related transfer functions)

• High current transimpedance output amplifier design drives 8 ohm loads. The m920 was specifically designed with low impedance headphones in mind

• Only the highest quality 0.5% metal film resistors are used throughout and there are no electrolytic capacitors in the signal path. Sealed gold contact relays are used for all signal switching

• Infrared remote control for level control, left/right balance, mute and more when using the optional remote control unit

• Apple IR remote control is supported with optional pairing

• USB firmware upgradability

• 5 Year transferable warranty on parts and labor

  Specifications:

  SPECIFICATIONS ANALOG IN
  Gain – Balanced Input
  Headphone output, volume at maximum	0dB
  Balanced Line output, volume at maximum	-0.5dB
  Unbalanced Line output, volume at maximum	-8.0dB
  Frequency Response – Unbalanced In > Unbalanced Out
  @ 0dBu out +/- .25dB	15Hz – 50kHz
  @ 0dBu out +/- .5dB	9.5Hz – 72kHz
  @ 0dBu out +/-3dB	4Hz – 192kHz
  Maximum Input Level
  Balanced Input	+22dBu
  Unbalanced Input	+16dBu
  Maximum Output Level
  Unbalanced output @1kHz, 100k Ohm load	+22dBu
  Balanced output @1kHz, 100k Ohm load	+23dBu
  Headphone output @1kHz, 50 Ohm load	+20dBu
  Impedance
  Balanced Input	106K Ohms
  Unbalanced Input	53K Ohms
  Balanced Output	95 Ohms
  Unbalanced Output	47.5 Ohms
  Headphone Output	1.2 Ohm
  Dynamic Range
  @ 0dB gain, Balanced In > Balanced Out	116dB
  @ 0dB gain, Balanced In > Headphone Out	117dB
  THD+N Balanced Input
  Headphone Out @ +10dBu, 50 Ohm load, SMPTE 4:1	<0.008%
  Headphone Out @ +10dBu, 50 Ohm load	<0.0050%
  Unbalanced Line Out @ +10dBu, 100k Ohm load	<0.00045%
  Balanced Line Out @ +20dBu, 100k Ohm load	<0.00075%
  Attenuator
  Channel matching	<0.05dB
  Attenuator Range	97.5dB
  Output Noise Floor, Balanced Input
  Balanced Output, volume at maximum, 22-22kHz	-93dBu
  Balanced Output, volume at minimum, 22-22kHz	-99dBu
  Unbalanced Output, volume at maximum, 22-22kHz	-103dBu
  Unbalanced Output, volume at maximum, 22-22kHz	-105dBu
  SPECIFICATIONS D/A CONVERTER
  Input Formats: AES, S/PDIF, TOSLINK	PCM: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz DSD64
  Input Formats: USB	PCM: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.4kHz, 384kHz DSD64, DSD128
  THD+N
  44.1kHz, 24bit, 1kHz, -1dBFS, Unbalanced Out @ +15dBu	<0.0005%
  44.1kHz, 24bit, 1kHz, -1dBFS, Balanced Out @ +15dBu	<0.0005%
  Output level
  Unbalanced Output @ 0dBFS, Volume at maximum, trim at 0	+9dBu
  Balanced Output @ 0dBFS, Volume at maximum, trim at 0	+17.6dBu
  Unbalanced Output @ 0dBFS, Fixed DAC Output Mode	+8.2dBu
  Power Requirements
  120VAC	0.16A
  230VAC	0.08A
  Dimensions and Weight
  Dimensions	H1.7″ x W8.5″ x D8.25″
  Weight	5 lbs (2.2kg)