A well-laid-out remote handles nearly all the DDP-1’s functions. The power button just below the display rounds out the controls. An 1/8″ headphone jack, a feature that for many years all but disappeared from preamps but is now mandatory, adorns the front panel. Four small buttons provide additional controls, including mute, selecting between headphone output and preamplifier output, and back/enter buttons that are used in conjunction with the menu/input selector knob. The oval display shows the input selected, the volume setting, whether the unit is locked to a digital source, the digital filter selected, and whether “resolution enhancement” is engaged (more on these features later). The DDP-1’s front panel is dominated by two large knobs, one for volume and another for input selection as well as navigating the menus. All are housed in compact chassis of the same size and shape, their rounded edges and satin-silver finish exuding a decidedly upscale vibe. The products reviewed here are the $1995 DDP-1 linestage preamplifier/DAC/headphone amplifier, along with the $1995 DPA-1 stereo power amplifier and $1995-each DPA-1M monoblock amplifiers. Instead, the new company’s first offerings boast upscale casework, an extensive and modern feature set, and more ambitious engineering. Audio Alchemy has retained the same value orientation as before, but this first wave of products from the new company is a far cry from the black stamped-metal chassis and faceplates of the original. The company is back, headed by industry veteran Peter Madnick, the design talent behind the original Audio Alchemy (and many products from other companies). Audio Alchemy folded in the late 1990s, probably because it didn’t build enough profit into the products’ retail prices.īut that was then and this is now. I reviewed quite a number of these components in the mid-1990s and found them to be excellent. If you could overlook the Spartan casework, Audio Alchemy products delivered exceptional performance for the money.
The products were almost toy-like in appearance and name-the $199 DAC-in-the-Box, for example-but contained solid engineering inside. Audio Alchemy blazed a trail in the 1990s with a range of ultra-low-priced products housed in utilitarian cases with no cosmetic frills.
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