User manual M-AUDIO SUPER DAC

[. . . ] Front panel Format button selects between three rear inputs: TOSLINK optical, S/PDIF on RCA, or AES/EBU on XLR. Audio outputs: balanced on XLR, unbalanced on 1/4" (Tip-Sleeve) connectors. Nominal output levels: +4dBu balanced, -10dBV unbalanced. Peak output levels: +20dBu balanced, +6dBV unbalanced. [. . . ] Check to make sure that the Super DAC and any other devices that you are about to connect are turned off until all connections are made. Along with this manual, your SUPER DAC 2496 contains a "wall wart" power adapter with the specific voltage requirements needed to power the unit. Using a different power adapter with different ratings could damage the unit and void your warranty. INSTALLATION digital inputs of your SUPER DAC 2496. Take the analog outputs of the Super DAC and plug them into the analog inputs of your "target" device. For more information or suggestions for use, see the next section, "Typical Setup. " NOTE: For best results, use good quality digital cable. Digital AES/EBU cable should be purchased in a professional audio store and has 110-ohm characteristic impedance. Good quality 75-ohm video cable will work for coaxial S/PDIF. After all connections are made, power up your equipment. Start with your sound source, then the Super DAC, and then your audio target or sound system. TYPICAL SETUP Typical Setup Fig. 1 shows any of these devices monitored through a sound system. Your SUPER DAC 2496 is capable of receiving digital audio in three different formats, AES/EBU on an XLR connector, S/PDIF on coaxial (RCA), and TOSLINK on an optical connector. The source of this digital audio could be a professional DAT deck, a computer digital I/O card, digital mixer, hard disk recorder, consumer DATs, Mini Disc, DVD or CD player. Typical Setup Fig. 1 5 Now let's go a little deeper. What if you have a few different pieces of digital audio gear?Let's say you have a pro DAT machine with AES/EBU digital out, a computer sound card with S/PDIF. Your CD Player actually has a TOSLINK optical out, and you think you could improve its sound quality by replacing its built-in D/A converters with something more "high end. " The solution is to hook all three to the Super DAC's inputs, and use the front panel Format button as a convenient source selector. Typical Setup Fig. Both the balanced and unbalanced outs are always active, so let's use them. Perhaps you have a power amp with balanced inputs, and then a cassette recorder that you'd rather send a signal to directly. 6 Typical Setup Fig. or an analog mixdown deck with balanced ins, and a sound system that accepts _ inch or RCA jacks. You could use this setup to "A/B" the mix deck with the source. Typical Setup Fig. 4 7 OPERATION The SUPER DAC 2496 is compatible with 24-bit, 20-bit, 18-bit, and 16-bit data. The more bits per data word, the better the dynamic range. Better dynamic range translates into higher audio quality. The term "sampling rate" means the number of times that digital audio takes a "picture" of the analog signal. The more times per second you take a picture of the analog signal, the more accurate the digital representation is. [. . . ] In order to prevent spurious noise, the Super DAC mutes its analog outputs until it sees a valid digital signal for 200 milliseconds. Symptom: When applying a digital signal to the Super DAC, the DAC's "Data Valid" LED lights erratically or not at all. Solution: The digital signal being input may be invalid or the digital cable may be faulty. TROUBLESHOOTING Symptom: Valid digital data is coming into the Super DAC (the D/A Valid LED is lit), but there is no audible analog audio output. Solution 1: Check your analog output connections from the Super DAC. [. . . ]