dCS makes high-quality, very expensive products that are widely considered to be state of the art. The company backs that up with testing and quality-control procedures that are second to none to ensure that every consumer gets a product that meets or exceeds manufacturer specifications and exacting tolerances.
Component parts first undergo what dCS calls a soak test. For a 48-hour period, parts are turned on and off in 15-minute intervals to stress the components to weed out early component failure. Raveen Bawa, dCS's export sales manager, shows the documentation that accompanies all of the components. These documents remain on-site as records of each product's history should it ever be returned for repair or upgrade.
Partially assembled products then undergo the rigorous and complex Autotest procedure that dCS created. dCS has built eight computer-run Autotest stations that are hooked up . . .
. . . to every input and output on the assembled products to test every feature available. As new products are developed and new features are added to existing products, the Autotest stations must also be upgraded to ensure thorough testing.
In this photo, a Debussy DAC is undergoing Autotesting that will take approximately 3-4 hours to complete. Because the Autotest is . . .
. . . computer automated, all results are automatically logged and kept on-site permanently in the dCS product databases.
The next level of testing is what dCS calls the Bench Test, this time performed by a skilled technician to ensure every product specification is met. Of course, all of these results are logged and kept at dCS for future reference.
Despite the several levels of testing that each product has already undergone, every finished product is still listened to through every input and output. This sound test is actually the second-to-last test.
The final test, which we weren't able photograph during our visit, involves having the final product inspected by the assembler, product manager, and a member of the managerial staff to ensure that what's about to be boxed up and shipped is flawless. This is done for every product dCS makes. According to Raveen Bawa, when customers around the world buy a dCS product, they are expecting the very best. As a result, dCS spares no expense to ensure that what's delivered is perfect.