M aking sense ofalthisisAuralic’sown Lightning DS operating system ,which works in conjunction with the wel-sorted app of the sam e nam e, and is available for Apple iO S devices. There’s also the option ofcontroling the unit using the Lightning W eb ControlInterface:it’s justa m aterofreading the AltairG2.1’s IP addres from its setings m enu, typing that into a web browser, and you’re in busines. Both the app and the web version coverboth basic operation and detailsetings.You can,forexam ple, enable the internalresam pling system ,upsam pling ordownsam pling acros a 44.1kHzto 384kHzrange – al this running under the control of Auralic’s custom ‘DualFem to’m asterclocks.There’s also a built-in – and very flexible – param etric equaliser, and you can even tailor the sound to suit your speakerpositions,with adjustable gain and distance param eters. It’s no substitute for geting your speakers placed corectly,but in the realworld it could prove handy.
Depending on the inputyou choose,the Altair G2.1 can handle digitaldatastream s at up to 384kHz/32-bit and DSD512, the higher lim its achievable viaboth networkand USB connection from acom puter(forwhichW indowsuserswil need a driver)orUSB storage,whetherfrom a connected driveoroptionalinternalstorage.The legacy digital inputs – optical, coaxial and AES/EBU – top out at 192kHz/24-bit,but can ac eptDSD64 viaDoP ifrequired.The analogue line and M M phono inputs bypas the digital wizardry ofAuralic’s ‘Tesla’platform and can be configured to fixed level in a ‘hom e theatre bypas ’m ode.These inputs also go straightto Auralic’s ‘resistor-ladder’volum e controland to its proprietary ‘O rfeo’Clas A outputstages to either unbalanced RCAs or balanced XLRs. There’salso a 6.35m m headphone socketon the front panel, along with a large, sharp and inform ative display and a single controlcovering volum e and ‘push and twist’m enu ac es .
DIGITALW IZARDRY Dig even deeper and there’s a huge raft of adjustm entavailable here,including seting a fixed outputshould you wantto use the AltairG2.1 into a conventionalam p orpream p.You can also setthe brightnes and form atofthe display,the autom atic power-on param eters,and select from a range of digitalfilteroptions.Having spentsom e tim e trying these filters,Ican safelysaythe one you choose wil be a m aterofpersonaltaste,and Irealy wouldn’t devote too m uch tim e experim enting.Find the one you like – Iended up with ‘Sm ooth’,butyou m ay disagree –and forgetaboutit.
m ode.These inputsalso go straightto Auralic’s ‘resistor-ladder’ volum e control and to its proprietary ‘O rfeo’ Clas A output stages to either unbalanced RCAs or balanced XLRs. There’salso a 6.35m m headphone socketon the front panel, along with a large, sharp and inform ative display and a single controlcovering volum e and ‘push and twist’m enu ac es . Asisthe case with althe com pany’sG2.1-series products, the latest Altair features Auralic’s interference-busting ‘Unity Chas is’ design, its copper inner case held within a substantial alum inium chas is m ounted on sprung feetfor
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