Excelsio

About the Excelsio

The North Star Design Excelsio is a high-end digital-to-analog converter (DAC) designed to deliver rigorous, clean, dynamic, and elegant sound, suitable for enhancing high-level audio systems. It uses the flagship ESS Sabre ES9018 DAC chip in a sophisticated circuit design, offering native DSD support up to x256 and PCM sampling rates from 44.1 kHz to 384 kHz at 32-bit depth. The unit provides multiple digital inputs including 4 S/PDIF (2 RCA coaxial, 2 TOSLINK), 1 AES/EBU (XLR), 1 USB 2.0, and 1 I2S input. Analog outputs include one pair per channel on RCA connectors (unbalanced) and one pair per channel on XLR connectors (balanced). It features a dynamic range of 130 dB and extremely low distortion (0.00015% at 0 dB balanced output). The chassis measures 17 in (W) x 7.5 in (D) x 2.7 in (H) and weighs approximately 11.5 lbs (5.0 kg). Power consumption is 10W during operation and 0.5W in standby, compatible with 115/230V 50/60Hz mains. The Excelsio is noted for its precise electronic circuitry and high-quality mechanical construction, designed and hand-built in Italy. However, the manufacturer North Star Design appears to be no longer active as of recent years.