Slovak manufacturer Canor has announced the new Crius HS5, a practical all-in-one device combining a DAC, preamplifier and headphone amplifier.
One of the standout features of the Canor Crius HS5 is its fully discrete analogue design. According to the manufacturer, no op-amps are used in the analogue signal path, including the input and output stages. The digital-to-analogue conversion section does, however, employ integrated circuits in the form of two ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chips.
The use of two DAC chips is the result of the unit’s dual-mono architecture. Digital connectivity includes USB-C, coaxial and optical inputs, with support for high-resolution audio formats.
As promised, the Crius HS5 can serve as a standalone headphone amplifier, but it can also be used as a preamplifier within a larger audio system. Analogue sources can be connected via balanced XLR or standard RCA inputs. For users wishing to integrate an external DAC, a dedicated bypass function is also available. A circular display completes the front-panel design.
The Canor Crius HS5 will be available in black, silver and bronze finishes. The unit is expected to arrive later this winter at a price of under €2,000. At the time of writing, the new model has not yet appeared on the manufacturer’s website. However, photographs of the Crius HS5 have already surfaced on Canor’s Facebook page, including the image shown above.