Droplet 5.0

About the Droplet 5.0

The Opera Audio Consonance Droplet 5.0 is a sophisticated CD player featuring a top-loading floating Sony transport and a 24-bit/192kHz multi-level sigma-delta DAC with asynchronous upsampling. It employs two Sovtek 6H30 vacuum tubes in its output stage, delivering a warm, rounded sound with a particular fondness for string tone and vocal presence. The player offers both balanced XLR and single-ended RCA outputs, along with a digital RCA S/PDIF output. It includes a special 'super-clock' to reduce jitter to less than 14 picoseconds, ensuring high timing accuracy. The unit is housed in a substantial chassis with a 20mm thick machined aluminum top plate and a wooden plinth, weighing approximately 30 kg. The remote control is Philips RC-5 compatible. The Droplet 5.0 is praised for its tonal color, textural density, and dynamic scale, though some note a slight compromise in resolution and air compared to other high-end players. It does not support HDCD decoding. The player is designed for audiophiles who appreciate the sonic characteristics imparted by tube output stages.