Weiss Helios | Pro-Fi DAC

Weiss Helios Brings Professional Studio Caliber Digital-to-Analog Conversion to Your Living Room

• Helios integrates Weiss technology developed for the most prestigious studios in the world into a DAC made for your home
• Helios’s 8 DAC chips each feature 4 parallel conversion channels for the equivalent of 32-channel DAC processing
• Advanced DSP offers optimized room and headphone performance
• Numerous digital input formats, balanced and unbalanced analog outputs
• Sampling frequencies up to 384 kHz plus DSD x64 and x128
• Functions as a preamp, headphone amp, and a streamer (UPnP & ROON Ready)

Professional-Level Digital to Analog Converter at Home

Originating in Weiss Engineering’s product line for professional mastering studios, the HELIOS is truly a zero-compromise DAC. Weiss’ pro clients work in the world’s top-tier studios, and it’s not an option for them to use anything but the best monitoring. For those seeking the same representation of their music as mastering engineers hear when fine-tuning the audio in the studio, the HELIOS is the unit to get.

The HELIOS housing is made of a dual frame scheme with a stainless steel internal frame and a thick aluminum outer frame. It maintains an impressive level of professional quality, but with design and features that better suit the high-end hi-fi market. With the HELIOS, you are hearing what the professionals are hearing.

Flexible Connectivity

The HELIOS comes with digital inputs in numerous formats and has both balanced and unbalanced analog outputs. All standard sampling frequencies up to 384 kHz plus DSD x64 and x128 are supported. Furthermore, the unit functions as a preamp, headphone amp, and a streamer (UPnP/ROON).

The HELIOS’ XLR and RCA outputs can be used to drive amp line inputs as well as headphones directly or via a dedicated headphone amp. DSP processing can be switched to speaker or headphone mode.

Purist Signal Path

To achieve its exceptional performance spec, the HELIOS uses an 8-channel 32-bit D/A converter chip, with 4 paralleled conversion channels per audio channel. All analog processing is done with discrete operational amplifier modules, the Weiss OP2-BP, arguably the best audio operational amp currently available.

The built-in digital audio processing is based on the same algorithms used in Weiss Engineering’s pro audio tools. With HELIOS, you can adjust audio using the same pro-grade algorithms used to mix and master the original recordings. It also uses an internal high-precision/low jitter clock generator for ultra-stable clocking of the D/A conversion.

Ease of Use

The HELIOS comes with an IR remote control which can be used to select the active input and output, the DSP audio processing presets, and switch power on and off. Additionally, control and configuration of the HELIOS is available via web browser, adding detailed control of DSP processing and preset mgmt.

DSP Features

Room EQ: to suppress room modes for more accurate bass reproduction.

Creative EQ: tone control with low boost/cut, high boost/cut, and mid boost/cut.

Headphone EQ: to adapt any headphone to the listener’s ears in terms of frequency response.

De-Essing: automatic removal of overly bright sibilances from human voices. The sibilance effect can be more or less pronounced depending on your speakers or room acoustics.

Constant Volume: adjusts the audio volume (loudness) to a constant value across all tracks played. Useful for “party mode” when volume control should stay untouched.

Vinyl Emulation: get that special sonic character of a record player based playback chain. Also employed is an emulation of the DMM-CD procedure offered by Stockfisch.

Crosstalk Cancelling (XTC): for the playback of dummy head recordings or live recordings via speakers for an incredible live sensation (speaker-based playback only.)

Loudness Control: listening volume dependent EQ of audio.

Crossfeed: emulates speaker-based impression on headphones.

Specifications

Inputs

• AES/EBU or S/PDIF via XLR, Toslink and RCA sockets
• UPnP/DLNA via Ethernet
• USB-B
• Roon Ready
• Formats: PCM 44.1kHz up to 384 kHz, DSD 64x / 128x (*Future formats can be accommodated via software updates)

Outputs

• RCA Line Out: 2V
• XLR Line Out: 4V
• SE Headphone Out: Max 8.1 Vrms
• Balanced Headphone Out: Max 16.3 Vrms
• Output stages are based on Weiss discrete OP2-BP Operational Amplifier design

Output levels can be set in a coarse manner with 8 steps to adapt for the amplifier or headphone connected. The levels can be set independently for line and headphone outputs. No sound degrading servo mechanisms are used.

Interface

• Rotary encoder knob for changing parameters and for powering the unit on/off
• Touch screen color LCD display
• IR receiver

Dimensions: 17.7″ W x 2.6″ H (2.9″ w/ feet) x 11.8″ D

Power

• Mains Voltage: 100-120 V or 200-240 V, automatic voltage selection
• Fuse Rating: 500 mA slow blow
• Power Consumption: 25 VA max. | In Standby: 2.2 VA max.

Weiss Helios User Manual