The rear features three identical line inputs with silver-plated sockets as well as three digital connections for TOSLINK, coax, and USB-B, which holds the data cable. And with that, we’ve arrived at the Cobra’s first genuine special feature: a DAC unit that allows this model to process all imaginable binary sources of input. The developers opted for the proven Philips TDA 1543 chip. Operating at 16 bits and 48 kilohertz, it induces a bit of nostalgia, but does contribute significantly to the sound experience. This DAC chip has already garnered a legendary reputation from its use in PlayStation 1, but Qvortrup and his team were hardly impressed by this: They made their selection on the basis of the results from countless listening sessions during the Cobra’s development.
