Kenwood DMF-3020 (1990)
The Kenwood DMF-3020 is an odd one from the company's early-1990s digital era. It is a 1-bit D/A converter that also works as a preamplifier. It came out in 1990 at 298,000 yen, built around the idea of a "pre-amplifier with built-in 1-bit D/A converter," which was a new concept at the time. The conversion is done by Kenwood's own "KW-X1" chip, a 1-bit PWM-type design. The unit also has an "intelligent dual clock" and DC servo circuitry.
The front panel has a headphone jack. The rear has two optical and one coaxial digital input, plus an analog input for a tuner or tape deck. Outputs come as both fixed and variable line-level pairs. A period spec sheet lists a frequency response of 2Hz to 50kHz, THD of 0.0028%, and channel separation of 100dB or more at 1kHz. Sources disagree slightly on dynamic range (96dB vs 98dB) and S/N ratio (105dB vs 106dB), so treat those figures as approximate. The unit draws 17W, measures 440 x 93 x 287 mm, and weighs 4.7kg.
Owner reports from the early 2000s call it musical and rich in atmosphere, and say it pairs well with certain transports. One user found it "not very dynamic" and advised against matching it with an Audiolab transport. The same reviewer praised its "cleverly designed, easy interface" and solid bass foundation after more than ten years of use. Sound on Sound (January 2003, p.277) lists the unit in its classifieds section, so it was still being sold used.
The record has gaps. There is no production end date, no brochure scans, and nothing on where it sat in Kenwood's lineup relative to other DACs of the period. It appears to have been a niche, high-end offering aimed at digital-savvy listeners who wanted a single box to handle conversion and preamp duties.
- 1-bit D/A converter (Kenwood KW-X1 chip, PWM type)
- Sampling frequencies: 32 / 44.1 / 48 kHz
- Digital inputs: 2 optical, 1 coaxial
- Analog output: fixed 1, variable 1; headphone output
- Frequency response: 2Hz – 50kHz
- Line output: 2V / 100Ω
- Dimensions: 440 x 93 x 287 mm; 4.7 kg
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