I love PC, Oct 2018

Early Bluetooth Receivers had poor quality at low cost because they focused on simply adding Bluetooth functionality. As such, it was difficult to find a Bluetooth receiver product with satisfactory performance for users. For this reason, the Bluetooth receiver had to be used with a handicap of poor sound quality. However, DO's SLASH is a product for high-end audio and it is not just a Bluetooth receiver, but a “Bluetooth DAC receiver”. DAC is a key element in digital audio equipment and is short for Digital to Analog Converter. If you want to convert a digital sound source into an analog signal and enjoy it, you need to convert it, but the sound quality varies depending on which DAC you use. DO released a product called SLASH-R satisfying the thirst of users who wanted a high-performance Bluetooth receiver. DO did not stop here, but discontinued the existing SLASH-R and introduced a new SLASH series that further upgraded the performance.

The new SLASH series is divided into 3, 4, 5, 6, and the higher the number, the higher the performance. Let me introduce you to 'SLASH 6', which has the highest performance among them. The design has changed significantly compared to the previous product, SLASH-R. The exterior of SLASH-R is anodized with aluminum, but the new SLASH series is made of plastic. As it is made of plastic, it is lighter in weight, making it more portable. The color varies depending on the product lineup. The SLASH6 is Black or Red, and the lower border is Silver. The size has been considerably reduced to 44x43x12mm excluding the terminal part. It is light enough to be mistaken for being empty, but its performance is not light at all. The fact that this small space is filled with this level of performance is the same as a lot of thought and know-how of the producer. Compared to SLASH-R, almost all parts have been replaced. First, Qualcomm CSR8675 and ESS's Quad DAC ES9218P were applied. Through this, it supports aptX-HD 24-bit, which is the best sound quality of Bluetooth, and the best audio quality is applied so that you can listen to the best sound quality with headphones and earphones. In addition, it is possible to listen with the best sound quality by applying BB's LPF OPA1642, a high-performance filter proven in SLASH-R. In particular, more and more people enjoy music in car audio through the Bluetooth function of smartphones, and a high-performance Bluetooth receiver is essential for better sound quality. As smartphone performance improves, it supports aptX-HD codec. To hear it completely, you need a Bluetooth DAC receiver, SLASH series that supports aptX-HD codec. Advanced technology is also installed for noise blocking. In audio equipment, the most influential thing on sound quality is the complex noise generated by the components on the PCB board. The new SLASH series uses a high-quality LDO (Low Drop Out Regulator) that can remove ultra-low noise, so that the noise generated from the PCB board does not affect the audio quality degradation. In addition, Burr Brown's isolated DC/DC converter was applied to cut off the noise from power noise.

The change in input/output terminals of the new SLASH series is also noticeable. SLASH-R was only capable of RCA audio input/output, but the new SLASH series supports a wider variety of input/output terminals. In the case of SLASH 6, the most advanced model, it can be used in almost any environment with 3.5mm audio input/output and optical terminal input/output. The distance of the RCA audio terminal is 14mm, which is the standard size. The power input has been changed from the existing micro USB Type-B to USB Type-C, but the adapter and USB Type-C cable are provided as standard. Recently, the charging terminal of Android smartphones is changing to the USB Type-C terminal, so even if the charging cable is lost, it seems that it can be easily replaced. An LED lamp is located between the 3.5mm terminal input/output. You can check which codec is currently applied with the color of this LED. Blue for SBC, Light Green for aptX, Green is aptX-HD, Pink is AAC codec is being applied.