Sony STR-DA1000ES - Manual (Page 5)

ES Receivers V3.0 Page 5
In high fidelity components, the simplest solution is usually the best
because it subjects the signal to the fewest distortion-causing processes.
Unfortunately, conventional A/V receivers are anything but simple. After Digital
Signal Processing (DSP), every signal needs to be converted back to analog, run
through a Low Pass Filter (LPF), sent through an analog volume control and then
amplified.
The conventional A/V receiver is anything but simple. The signal must
run through a gantlet of processes and stages.
The Sony S-Master Pro amplifier is dramatically different. There is no
Digital-to-Analog (D/A) converter. Instead, the amplifier accepts the digital output
of the DSP stage directly. The output of the S-Master Pro amplifier provides the
wattage that drives the speakers. In this way, the signal remains digital until the
last possible instant.
The Sony S-Master Pro amplifier dramatically simplifies receiver design.
And in high fidelity, simpler is better.
Principle of operation
The S-Master Pro amplifier accepts all digital signals directly, whether
they're multi-bit Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) or 1-bit Direct Stream Digital™
pulses, in the case of the SCD-XA9000ES SA-CD player connected via i.LINK®
interface to the STR-DA9000ES. Analog inputs undergo Analog-to-DSD
(A/DSD) conversion.
Digital Signal
Input
(Digital)
DSP
S-Master
Power Amplifier
LPF
Analog Signal
Speaker
Output
Digital Signal
Input
(Digital)
DSP
D/A
convert
LPF
Volume
Control
Analog
Power
Amp
Analog Signal
Speaker
Output