Dangerous Music SOURCE

Dangerous Music SOURCE — a compact monitor controller built around dual reference-grade D/A conversion, engineered by Chris Muth for professionals working outside a fixed control room.

SOURCE combines two analog inputs with USB and AES/SPDIF digital inputs, feeding a pair of independent converters running up to 24-bit/192kHz. The chassis sits flat under a laptop, and an optional 19" rack kit turns it into a permanent fixture without giving up any function.

Source switching that stays out of your way

Analog input 1 is a balanced XLR/TRS combo jack at professional level, while analog input 2 is a 1/8" stereo mini-jack at consumer level, jumper-selectable between -10dBV and -16dBV to match a phone or laptop headphone output. Input and speaker output sections run in either toggle mode (one source at a time) or latch mode (multiple sources at once). Headphone source selection is independent from speaker source selection, so a vocalist can monitor a personal mix from an analog input while the engineer runs the main mix off USB. Latching the speaker outputs lets both pairs run simultaneously — useful as a subwoofer feed or for parallel monitoring in another room.

Studio-grade monitoring in a backpack

Maximum input and output level reaches +26dBu, frequency response stays flat from below 10Hz to above 80kHz within 0.5dB, and the noise floor sits below -93dBu. That headroom removes the guesswork from mixing decisions made outside a controlled listening room. The Selected Line Output bypasses the main volume control entirely and always mirrors the currently selected source, feeding an external meter, a recorder, a club PA system, or a reamp chain without touching monitor levels.

KEY FEATURES

• Dual independent reference-grade D/A converters, 24-bit/192kHz
• Analog input 1: balanced XLR/TRS combo jack, professional level
• Analog input 2: 1/8" stereo mini-jack, consumer level, switchable -10dBV/-16dBV
• USB 2.0 digital input, driverless class-compliant operation on macOS
• AES/SPDIF input on XLR with thru output
• Two independent headphone outputs with separate source selection
• Two speaker outputs (XLR and TRS) running in toggle or latch mode
• Selected Line Output bypassing the main volume control
• Stepped volume attenuators for headphones and speakers
• Compact chassis with optional 19" rack mounting
• External 12V/2A power supply included

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Frequency response: +0/-0.5dB from below 10Hz to above 80kHz
• THD+N: below 0.0025% at +4dBu
• IMD (SMPTE): below 0.0025% at +4dBu
• Crosstalk rejection: above 108dB
• Noise: below -93dB, unweighted
• Maximum input/output level: +26dBu
• Dynamic range: approximately 119dB
• Digital-to-analog conversion: up to 24-bit / 192kHz
• Power: 12V DC / 2A