29/07/2025
Watsonville, California--Heralding a seismic shift for our industry, MSB Technology’s new Sentinel DAC breaks from the traditional to bring you an altogether-new listening experience. Crafted without limitations, this monumental masterwork was made for those whose passion for music exceeds all else. For those rarefied few, we are thrilled to offer a revelation that defies possibility.
Our Magnum Opus
It takes more than commitment to create a masterpiece. It requires a rare, but perfect harmony between experience, passion, and ambition to achieve the impossible—it’s rarer still for three designers to simultaneously share this vision. We’re always striving to create something remarkable, but the results exceeded even our greatest expectations. Of course, it’s only with the longstanding support from our patrons that we’re able to make the impossible possible. Your passion for music and craftsmanship encourages us every step of the way. It’s with a deep sense of gratitude and pride that we sign our names onto every Sentinel DAC we craft. For allowing us to pursue a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this, we thank you.
Our Legacy
More than three decades of experience crafting expert designs has carefully guided us toward this moment. To equip ourselves for such an ambitious project, we never compromised on quality or performance—instead, we embraced new technology and faced our challenges head-on. Despite the long developmental process, we knew commitment and resilience would lead us to truly innovative advances that will forever change our industry. In fact, this was such a lengthy undertaking, we also produced both Digital Director projects and the Cascade DAC while creating the Sentinel. The research and development from a constraint-free project like this has already led to many breakthroughs and will continue trickling down to benefit all of our designs in the coming years.
Guided by the simple phrase “performance above all,” we arrived at a three-chassis system that elevates the electrical synergies, allowing it to achieve its peak potential. But prioritizing performance doesn’t obstruct sleek design—with the Sentinel, they go hand-in-hand. By creating hidden and complex 3D layouts, we reduced system bloat while improving the electronic interactions. The smooth, matte exterior is as beguiling as it is elegant, concealing the complexity that lies just beneath the surface. The resulting masterpiece is only possible with a close partnership between mechanical, electrical, and software designers—a perfect harmony of engineering.
THE SENTINEL DIGITAL DIRECTOR
The Digital Director handles all the digital processes. It features a large, readable display and intuitive user controls for a clean interface that feels both natural and accessible. Acting as an intermediary between sources and the analog domain, it outputs a conversion-ready signal over the left and right fully-isolated fiber optic Sentinel-Links to the Analog Converter’s Mono DACs.
THE SENTINEL ANALOG CONVERTER
With 32 Hybrid DAC MKII modules, the Sentinel Clock, and an analog preamp, the Analog Converter’s Dual Mono DAC design makes the music come alive. Freed from the burden of any brute-force digital processing, the Analog Converter is supremely adapted for the specific task of meticulous analog conversion.
THE SENTINEL POWER SUPPLY
A completely new design, the Sentinel Power Supply features three independent power supplies. Two modules provide clean and independent power for both the left and right Mono DACs in the Analog converter. The third supply is an ultra-low noise design specifically for the Sentinel Clock’s industry-leading performance.
The Sentinel Clock
Perhaps the epitome of the Sentinel project, this clock design highlights the extremes. Completely custom and discretely built, no other company in our industry has the ambition or know-how to create a device of this complexity or sophistication. Designed in partnership with the crystal wafer manufacturer directly, each ovenized crystal produces never-before-achieved performance in audio. The mechanical oscillation of the crystal is so sensitive, we had to create a tuned, isolated energy dispersion platform for each unit. Shown to scale, we have included a leading competitor’s off-the-shelf solution.
32 Hybrid DAC MKII’s
At the heart of every MSB system is our in-house designed and manufactured DAC modules. Increasing the number of modules has always shown improvements to performance, but with many thousands of aerospace high-precision resistors, this comes at a high cost. For the Sentinel project, we quadrupled our previous designs from 8 to 32 modules, which led to increased signal accuracy as well as a flood of technological breakthroughs. Taking advantage of so many parallel DAC channels, Dustin Symanski invented and implemented the best possible version of Bit Diffusion Technology. This tech has breathed new life into the conversion process, unlocking extraordinary possibilities for the future.
Elevated Precision
With our most ambitious industrial design yet, the Sentinel System features precision-machined billet components accented by new, micro level details. Leveraging brand-new CAM software purchased specifically for this project, our 5-axis machining has resulted in new levels of fit and finish. The Sentinel name badge is machined out of stainless steel with a 0.02” (1/2mm) endmill. The tool flutes are so micro, you cannot see their details without a microscope. Nothing excites us more as engineers than being able to develop in a massive design sandbox without limits. It’s thoughtful details like these that we hope will delight patrons for years to come.
The Sentinel Amp
Currently under development, the Sentinel Amp will be one of the only amps capable of taking full advantage of the Sentinel DAC’s unique architecture. Evolving beyond the standard XLR input, it will also feature our unique Confluence connection that is able to harness the low-output impedance and vast power of all 32 Hybrid DAC MKII modules. This preserves the smallest details while improving the overall dynamics and energy of the system. Both the Sentinel DAC and Amplifier will come equipped with XLR inputs and outputs to support all system configurations.
The Sentinel System Overview
The Sentinel Digital Director
• Includes:
o 4 Digital Input Modules configured for each owner and system
o Easy-to-read system display and intuitive user controls
o Chassis Dimensions: 17.5in x 17.5in x 4.3in (444.5mm x 444.5mm x 108mm)
o 15A IEC Power Input
The Sentinel Analog Converter
• Dual Mono DAC design
o Each Mono DAC receives a unique digital signal over the monaural fiber optic Sentinel-Link.
o Includes 16 Hybrid DAC MKII Modules per channel.
• Fully independent left / right analog preamp.
o 2 XLR Analog Inputs
o 2 RCA Analog Inputs
o 2 XLR Analog outputs per channel (2 per channel)
o Confluence Output for The Sentinel Amp
• Biamping Modes
o Two XLR Analog outputs per Mono 16-DAC channel, one for each Amp.
o One XLR Analog output per four 8-DAC channels, one DAC for each Amp output.
• Chassis Dimensions: 17.5in x 17.5in x 9.3in (444.5mm x 444.5mm x 237mm)
• Power is supplied by the Sentinel Power Supply.
The Sentinel Power Supply
• Three independent Power supplies each with independent outputs
o Left Mono DAC Power Supply
o Right Mono DAC Power Supply
o Clock Power supply
• Power transmitted to the Analog Converter over three Summit Power Cables
• Six Ultra-low noise custom wound shielded toroidal transformers
• Chassis Dimensions: 17.5in x 17.5in x 9.3in (444.5mm x 444.5mm x 237mm)
• 15A IEC Power Input
A Note on Setup:
The Sentinel System is extremely high-powered compared to other DACs. These units must be placed in a well-ventilated space and out of direct sunlight. In hotter climates, air conditioning will help extend the life of electrical components. For best results, do not stack this system. Instead, place each unit on an individual shelf or surface with plenty of clearance to the sides and above each chassis to allow airflow.
