Reference & tools
The fact-checked tables behind the spec columns, plus the calculators we reach for when a question is about planning a system rather than rating one. Every figure is sourced on its own page.
Native 160×192 (NTSC) / 160×228 (PAL) output translated into physical pixel size, pixels-per-degree, and a sane viewing distance on a modern panel.
Verified specs for common converter silicon — ESS Sabre, AKM, TI Burr-Brown: channels, DNR conventions, THD+N, max PCM/DSD.
Vacuum-tube designations used by listed products: first-made notes, aliases, roles, origin stories, and product links.
BJT, MOSFET, lateral MOSFET, JFET, SIT/VFET, IGBT, and GaN device families: origin story, audio relevance, and gotchas.
Linear supplies, toroidal/EI/R-core transformers, choke filtering, regulation, SMPS, external supplies, and battery power.
Why XLR input, balanced input stage, fully balanced topology, bridged output, and transformer balancing are different claims.
What each digital-audio interface can actually carry: HDMI ARC/eARC, S/PDIF coax & Toslink, I²S over HDMI, USB — with the common myths corrected.