Audio Research CD6 User manual

CD6
CD Player and DAC
H I G H D E F I N I T I O N ®
User Guide

2Contents
Preface 3
Illustrations 4
Warnings 5
Installation
In your System 6
Connections 7 - 8
Operation
Power-up Procedure 9
Front Panel Control Functions 10
Remote Control Functions 11 - 13
CD Door Functions/Warnings 13
Software Installation
Windows 14 - 16
Mac OS X 17 - 19
Using the DAC Control Panel 20
Setting the Sample Rate or Native Mode in Windows 21 - 22
Setting Native Mode in Mac OS X 23
Getting the Most out of your CD9 23
S/PDIF, USB 2.0 HS and Music Management 23 - 24
Maintenance
Servicing 25
Cleaning 25
Disposal and Recycling Guidelines 25
Limited Warranty 26
FCC Rules 27
Specications 28

3
Thank you for selecting the CD6 as part of your music
listening system. The engineers and designers at Audio
Research have spent countless hours of listening and
testing to create a CD player of the highest caliber for
music reproduction. The CD6 has been designed to
provide you many years of playback.
Please take a few minutes to read through this guide
to help you better understand and optimize your new
CD player. If you have any questions regarding the
operational functions, contact your dealer or distributor
for assistance.
Sit back and enjoy your new CD player and the
enhancements it will bring to your system. The CD6 will
bring new life to your digital music collection.
Happy listening!
Preface

4
DIGITAL CD PLAYER MODEL CD6 HIGH DEFINITION
®
INPUTPOWER PAUSE STOPNEXTPREV PLAY
TOS 2
TOS 1
USB
RCA
CD
UPSAMPLE
FAST
SLOW
44.1
88.2
176.4
48
96
192
POWER
WARNING
TO PREVENT FIRE AND SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT
EXPOSE THIS DEVICE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
UNIT MUST BE OPERATED IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION.
-DO NOT OPERATE WITH COVERS REMOVED-
UNIT CONTAINS VOLTAGES WHICH MAY BE HAZARDOUS.
RCAUSB TOS 1 TOS 2
DIGITAL INPUTS
CAUTION
FOR CONTINUED PROTECTION AGAINST
FIRE HAZARD REPLACE FUSE ONLY
WITH SAME TYPE AND RATING
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION
!
DIGITAL CD PLAYER
PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA
MADE IN U.S.A.
MODEL CD6
ANALOG OUTPUTS
BALANCEDSESEBALANCED
RIGHT LEFT
DIGITAL OUTPUTS
AES/EBU
BNC
SERIAL
VOLTS
~
25W MAX
50/60HZ
IR INPUT
SCAN
SHUF
TIME
A/B
PLAY
STOP
CD6
1
PROG
DSP DN
DSP UP
PAUSE
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
REPEAT
UPSAMPLE
INPUT
FILTER
Front Panel
Rear Panel
Remote
Illustrations

5
Warnings
To prevent re, or shock hazard, do not expose your CD6 to rain or moisture.
This unit contains voltages which can cause serious injury or death. Do
not operate with cover removed. Refer servicing to your authorized Audio
Research dealer or other qualied personnel.
The detachable power cord on your CD6 is equipped with a heavy gauge,
3-conductor cable and a standard three-prong grounding plug. For absolute
protection, do not defeat the ground power plug. This provides power line
grounding of the CD6 chassis to provide absolute protection from electrical
shock.
For continued protection against re hazard, replace the fuse only with the
same type and rating as specied at the fuse holder.
Do not operate the CD6 player without the supplied CD6 clamp installed
on the CD. Gently place clamp on disc to prevent damaging the spindle
mechanism.
Whenever the CD6 power is on, the door covering the drive mechanism/
tray area should remain fully closed after inserting or removing a CD.
Following this procedure will maintain proper ventilation and also minimize
dust intrusion on the lens and drive mechanism.
The appliance coupler at the rear of this unit must be accessible for
emergency power disconnect.
A note about packaging...
Save all packaging in a dry place away from re hazard. Your CD6 compact
disc player is a precision electronic instrument and should be properly
cartoned any time shipment is made. You may not have occasion to return
your unit to the factory for service, but if that should prove necessary, or
other occasion requiring shipment occurs, the original packaging will protect
your CD6 from unnecessary damage or delay.

6Installation
In your System
While the CD6 does not dissipate an unusual amount of heat, it is important
that it be provided with reasonable airow to assure long, trouble-free
operation. In addition, the following installation guidelines will help insure
maximum sonic performance as well as reliable service.
Upright and level horizontal mounting is mandatory, preferably on solid,
non-resonant shelving. Allow sucient space for convection cooling. Do
not block the ventilation holes when the unit is turned on.
Do not stack the CD6 on top of another component: not only could this
cause overheating, but hum may be introduced into the system.
Do not place any objects on top of the CD6; its suspension feet are tuned
for the specic weight of the CD6.
Do not place or operate your CD6 on a soft or irregular surface such as a
rug. This can prevent proper leveling and restrict ventilation.
Do not operate your CD6 without the top and bottom covers installed.
These are required both for safety as well as shielding from interference.
If side-by-side mounting with other equipment is employed, place the CD6
to the left of the other chassis, so as to provide maximum spacing between
the transformers of the CD6 and the other component.

7
Connections
Digital Connections
The CD6 oers four digital inputs, and two standard digital output options.
Which option is best for your system will depend on your personal listening
preference, the nature of your system installation requirements, and the
options allowed by your external digital processor, if one is used.
WARNING: The digital outputs supply only a digital signal and should
therefore only be connected to an input which is suitable for this signal.
Never connect either of these digital outputs to a non-digital input of a
preamplier (such as those labeled CD, AUX, PHONO, TAPE, etc.) or to a
power amplier. To do so is to risk damage to your system and may void
any or all warranties involved.

8Connections
Digital Inputs
Toslink (2): Connect to a transport, computer or other device equipped
with Toslink (optical) digital output. Press the INPUT button until the ‘Toslink
1’ or ‘Toslink 2’ LED is illuminated.
USB: Connect to a Windows-based PC or Mac computer for music
playback from your computer. Press the INPUT button until the ‘USB’
LED is illumindated. Note: you must install the software on the included
CD (also downloadable from www.audioresearch.com/downloads.html) to
utilize the USB connection.
RCA: Connect to a transport or other device equipped with an RCA digital
output. Press the INPUT button until the ‘RCA’ LED is illuminated.
Digital Outputs
BNC: Use 75-ohm impedance coaxial cable with locking BNC-type
connectors. An RCA/BNC adaptor is also supplied.
AES/EBU: For connection to digital processors having the AES/EBU-
Standard interface.
Analog Outputs
Single-Ended (RCA): For connection to the inputs of a line-level preamplier
or integrated amplier.
Balanced (XLR): For connection to the balanced inputs of a line-level
preamplier.

9
Power-up Procedure
Once plugged into the power receptacle, push the front panel Power switch
to turn on the CD6. The central green front panel power LED will glow dimly
for about a 40 second circuit warm-up interval with the output automatically
muted. When the LED glows brightly, the CD6 is ready for operation.
Once powered up and operational, with the CD door fully closed, the unit
will default to the operate setting (display, transport and front panel controls
are activated). The CD6 reaches its full sonic potential from “cold” in a
reasonably short time period. it’s recommended that it be powered o for
any extended time it is not in use.
Shut-Down
Set preamplier Mute switch to “Mute” position.
Press CD6 front panel Power switch to turn unit o.
Operation

10
Front Panel Control Functions
POWER: The Power switch turns the CD6 completely on for operation
(indicated by the LED being brightly lit), each time preceded by a warm-
up interval of about 40 seconds when the LED is dim and the output is
automatically muted. Press power switch again to turn CD6 o-indicated
by unlit LED.
PREV: Selects the previous track to play. Continue pressing to cycle
backward through previous tracks. (Track number will appear on display.)
PLAY: Starts play. CD door must rst be fully closed. Begins to play rst
track unless another is selected. Restarts track if pressed during play.
(Track number and elapsed track time appear on display.)
NEXT: Selects the next track to play. Continue pressing to cycle forward
through tracks. (Track number will appear on display.)
PAUSE: Interrupts play (display will read “PAUSE”). Release PAUSE by
pressing it a second time to resume playing disc.
STOP: Stops play. (Number of tracks and total disc track time appear on
display.)
INPUT: Selects between the CD player and digital inputs on the rear panel.
Pressing the Input button repeatedly will cycle through all the inputs.
Note: Play, Pause, Stop, Previous and Next only function when using the
CD player.
Operation