Measurements and conclusion
Contents
We measured the MOON 891 and 861 with our Prism dScope III, Tekbox LISN and Picoscope 5000 scope. We used the Prism dScope III for basic measurements. We used the LISN and Picoscope to measure power supply noise on the mains side.
MOON 891 pre-amp, dac, streamer
MOON has done a neat job with the MOON 891 pre-amp, dac, streamer. The noise is at -140dB, which is incredibly neat for a complex device like the 891. The dac picks up from about -130dB, which gives about 21.7 bits of resolution. The filter used is pretty steep we see in the imaging test.
The frequency response is straight, which we did not expect otherwise from a product in this class. The J-Test indicates 4.6ps, which is particularly low for a J-Test. We prefer to measure on the clock itself, but that is simply not always possible. The complete noise-interference test again shows very neat values: -155dBFS. Great work by MOON here.
MOON 861 stereo power-amp
The power amplifier shows an equivalent measurement pattern: a neat noise floor of just under -120dBFS, very low distortion (maximum 0.008% THD N) and power output is just met if we assume maximum 1% THD. If we measure at the “jump-point,” it’s a bit lower: 276 and 529 watts at 8 and 4 Ohms. But if we look at 300 and 600 watts, it’s just under 1% THD.
