Lektor Joy

High End CD players have built a reputation of Ancient Audio company .

" The Polish player plays in the top league....The Polish player builds solid, three-dimensional phantom images, saturates them and shows them in a believable space...This is a resolving device with a superbly balanced sound. I'd say modern sound, if it weren't for the fact that “modernity” connotes the jazzy sound of cheap headphones. Therefore, let's stay with the “natural” sound - and that's something to be appreciated for, which is what Jarek did brilliantly in this device, and without reaching for electron tubes. Bravo!

"Polski odtwarzacz gra w najwyższej lidze. To rozdzielcze urządzenie o znakomicie zbalansowanym dźwięku...pozostańmy przy dźwięku „naturalnym” – i to jest coś, za co należy cenić to, co Jarkowi w tym urządzeniu wyszło znakomicie i to bez sięgania po lampy elektronowe. Brawo! Od nas wyróżnienie ˻ RED FINGERPRINT ˺." High Fidelity , No . 245

" jedno z najlepszych źródeł cyfrowych na świecie, w skali bezwzględnej....Jaromir Waszczyszyn, o którym mowa, jest więc dla mnie przykładem tego, że w high-endzie liczą się przede wszystkim wiedza, warsztat i ucho..To nagroda nie tylko za to urządzenie, ale za wszystkie wcześniejsze Lektory"

" ....big bollowy sound. No naked-blade transients. No iron-chef slicing and dicing....Relaxed easy resolution...Autumnal colours with plenty of half shadows not a high-noon summer's day bathed in white light...Pleasure machine for personal indulgences....Analog-volumed sound"

Regardless of whether midprice or top class units, Lektor CD players brought joy to the eyes, joy to the ears.

So, we gave name of new Lektor : Joy

The concept of Lektor Joy is an far evolution of Lektor Air - the most successful company player. However , it was designed as totally new device, using the latest technology.

Build in one compact box, it is versatile center of music system. It is both CD player, preamplifier, DAC , and Digital Speaker Processor.

Following Lektor Transport, new players of Ancient Audio use CD-Pro8 drive, build by Austrian company Stream Unlimited Optical Storage.

CD player needs perfect timing of all signals. To keep jitter as low , as possible, precision clock by TentLabs was applied.

Previous generations of Lektors were based on 24 bit converters by Crystal Semicondoctor. Joy uses latest, 32 bit converter by ESS Technlogy. There are two converters, set in dual mono mode.

This converter has 7 different digital filters, to select by keyboard or remote control. So, dont leaving your sofa, you can set sound style according to current record.

Additionally, a Digital Speaker Processor can be installed inside player, to correct sound of your favourite speakers or headphones. 16 programs settings of processor can be switched on back side of player.

Lektor Joy has also analog inputs, digital coaxial ( S/P DIF ) and USB 2.0 input. So, it is not just a CD player, but also a preamplifier and the DAC in one box.

Analog stage, between DAC chip and output sockets is an often underestimated element. Meanwhile, it was one of the ingredients of success of Lektors. New Lektor use solid state circuit, made by discrete MosFet transistors, instead of russian 6H30 vacuum tube. This amplifier was developed 15 years, testing different topologies and components. In fact , it is simlar to vacuum tubes, because Fet are also voltage controlled devices, similar to triode, but with bigger gain and bigger current. So, final solid state analog stage was outperformed previous, based on vacuum tubes . Also, it is trouble and mainterance free.

The final output amplifier has two gain settings, to fit output level to amplifier.

Just like in a tube system, famous V-Cap capacitors work at the output. The latest series of ODAM, oil impregnated caps are apply.

To correct delivery energy, there are two low noise power transformers. One feeds CD drive and display part, second feeds DAC and analog part of player.

A solid bank of ultra fast, low ESR capacitors, together with fast linear regulators deliver stable voltage and high current when needed.

All units of player are keeping together by very solid cabinet, made from one aluminium block

Technical Specification:

CD-Pro 8, metal and carbon fibre mechanism
Solid and stable mechanical build , due to precise machined aluminium block
Low jitter clock by Tent Labs, commanding all functions of device
Custom tunning of mechanism by own control software
32 bit, dual mono DAC, ES 9038PRO , SABRE by ESS Technlogy
7 filters of DAC
Digital Speaker Processor to correct speakers or headphones imperfections (optional )
Tube like, local feedback MosFet output stage
Fully balanced topology
100 dB range volume control
Switchable output level
V-Cap , ODAM oil impregnated output capacitors
Pure silver wire audio connections
RCA ouputs, 15 Vpp max
XLR outputs, 30 Vpp max
Direct coupled S/P DIF RCA output, 700mVpp, 75 Ohm
Direct coupled, S/P DIF RCA input, 32 - 216 kHz, 16-24 bit PCM
USB 2.0 input
Analog inputs, RCA, 2 Vpp
Two custom, low noise power transformers
One piece, solid aluminium base, black hard anodised
Dimensions ( w x h x d) : 350 x 70 x 360 mm
Weight : 12 kg