Birdland Audio Odeon-lite User manual
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The way music should sound Odéon-lite
Birdland Audio
Odéon-lite
Owner’s Manual
24 bit Digital to Analog Converter
with Solid-Tube TM Technology
Birdland Audio
http://www.birdland.com
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The way music should sound Odéon-lite
Birdland Audio
Dear Audiophile,
On behalf of Birdland Audio, I would like to thank and congratulate you on your acquisition of our
Odéon-lite 24 bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). As digital techniques have greatly improved
over the past years and with the recent availability of 24bits / 96kHz masters on DVD, we wanted
you to be ready to jump to the next level of digital with the best quality DAC we could provide at
the most reasonable price.
e Odéon-lite reects our latest research in digital ltering techniques. Not only does it convert any
digital format at sampling rates of 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48k, 64k, 88.2k and 96kHz but it also upgrades
digital input to virtually create a full 24 bits if the input data path is less than that. e Odéon-lite
takes advantage of our 16 years of experience and includes our highly acclaimed Solid-Tube TM output
stages giving you the most natural sounding DAC available today at any cost.
For the last couple of years, many audiophiles have been waiting for the next high-end digital audio
format to surface. We believe the Odéon-lite is the ideal answer thanks to the wide variety of digital
formats supported. Its 24 bits digital upgrade lter will transform the CD collection you already own
to as close to nirvana as possible and, at the same time, bring tears to your eyes as you experience
high resolution 24/96 DVD audio.
I am sure that you will appreciate the Odéon-lite as much as I do. I wish you many hours of pure
pleasure as you listen to music the way it should sound.
Sincerely,
Gilles Gameiro
President / Design Engineer
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Birdland Audio
Table of Contents
1 - Safety instructions and important notes ..................................................4
2 - How to properly care for your DAC........................................................5
3 - Identication of controls.........................................................................6
4 - Understanding the Odéon-lite ................................................................8
5 - Connecting the Odéon-lite .....................................................................9
5.1 - e Digital Inputs...........................................................................9
5.2 - e Analog Output.......................................................................10
6 - Technical Specications.........................................................................11
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Birdland Audio
1 - Safety instructions and important notes
e Odéon-lite 24 bit digital-to-analog converter has been designed with safety in mind.
Improper use could result in electric shock or re hazard. Please read the following safety instruc-
tions carefully.
1 Do not remove the unit’s cover as you will be exposed to dangerous voltages which may result in
electric shock, this will also void the warranty. Refer servicing to qualied technicians only.
2 When connecting components to your Odéon DAC, it is a good idea to turn the entire system
o or to make sure that it is not connected to the an electrical outlet.
3 To reduce the risk of re or electric shock, do not expose the Odéon DAC to rain or heavy mois-
ture. Wait at least one-half hour before plugging the unit in after transferring it from a cold place
to a warmer room allowing for internal condensation of water to dissipate.
4 e Odéon-lite does not have any vent openings for cooling but it does require about one inch
of open space above and on the sides. Do not cover the unit. It should not be used in a built-in
installation such as a bookshelf or rack unless proper ventilation is provided.
5 When using the Odéon-lite connected directly to an amplier (without a preamplier) it is
recommended to lower the volume knob to the minimum before turning your Odéon DAC on.
Failing to do so could send high audio levels to your amplier and could overload and damage your
amplier or speakers.
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Birdland Audio
2 - How to properly care for your DAC
Heat
Keep the Odéon DAC away from heat sources such as radiators, space heaters, stoves, or other sources.
Water and moisture
Do not use the Odéon DAC near water sources such as bath tubs, sinks, wash bowls, swimming
pools, or other sources that may lead you to get water in the unit. Do not spill liquid of any kind
on the unit.
Stack and height
Do not stack too many components or heavy objects on top of the Odéon-lite. Doing this could
cause damage or deformation to the unit’s case.
Cleaning
Use a simple damp soft cloth to clean. Do not use liquid or abrasive cleaners.
Make sure your Odéon-lite DAC is not connected to the electrical outlet before cleaning it.
Protection
For added protection, you may choose to disconnect your Odéon from the wall outlet if you are
planning to leave it unattended for a long period of time or during storms. is may prevent dam-
age due to lightning.
Volume
Reduce the volume on your preamplier or Odéon to the minimum level before turning on the
unit. Doing so will prevent sudden loud volume sounds which could cause speaker, amplier, or
hearing damage.
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Birdland Audio
3 - Identication of controls
1 - Power Switch
2 - Digital input selector
3 - Volume Control
4 - Power on indicator
5 - 32kHz digital conversion
6 - 44.1kHz digital conversion
7 - 48kHz digital conversion
7 & 8 - 64k or 88.2kHz digital conversion
8 - 96kHz digital conversion
9 - De-emphasis material conversion
Indicators
Controls
In.1 In.2 In.3
24bit Digital to Analog Converter
Power Volume
32 44.1 48 96kHz de-emphasis
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9
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Birdland Audio
1 - RCA, Right Analog Output
2 - RCA, Left Analog Output
3 - BNC, Digital Input 1
4 - Fiber, Alternate Input 1
5 - Balanced XLR, AES/EBU Input 2
6 - RCA, Alternate Input 2
7 - RCA, Input 3
8 - Power cord
Connections
Odeon-lite 24bit DAC
French design by Gilles Gameiro - Made in USA
Right Left
input 1
input 2
input 3
Output
PUSH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
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The way music should sound Odéon-lite
Birdland Audio
4 - Understanding the Odéon-lite
e Odéon-lite is a 24 bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) which can convert digital formats
up to 24 bits at sampling frequencies of 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 64kHz, 88.2kHz and 96kHz. It
supports any combination of the above resolutions / sample rates. Most common combinations in
the consumer market are 16bits/44.1kHz for CDs and 24bits/96kHz audio DVDs (Digital Versatile
Disk) sometimes also called DAD (Digital Audio Disk).
Common digital audio sources include CD transports or players, DVD players, DAT tape machines,
etc. ese sources can be connected to the Odéon-lite inputs using either a Balanced XLR digital
interconnect cable (commonly called AES/EBU), a RCA or BNC digital interconnect cable (com-
monly called S/PDIF), or a ber optic link (commonly called Toslink). e Super Audio Disk for-
mat - recently introduced by Sony/Philips - does not oer a way to carry digital data out of the box
and is not compatible with widely used S/PDIF or AES/EBU consumer and professional formats.
e Right and Left outputs on the back of the unit provide the resultant analog signal (from the
digital input conversion) and can be connected directly to amplier blocks, to a preamplier, or to
an integrated amplier. When using the Odéon-lite with a preamplier or integrated amplier the
volume knob should be set to the 12 O’clock position.
e Odéon-lite is the result of out latest research in both Digital and Analog domains along with
the highest quality components providing you with the most natural sounding DAC you can get at
any cost. It is the rst and only DAC that includes our own digital lter which upgrades the input
creating 24 bits out of any lesser resolution (such as 16 bit CDs) recordings before sending the data
to the DAC chip. By using this specialized circuitry, the Odéon-lite is able to improve the conversion
process by minimizing artifacts caused by anti-aliasing present in 16 bit CDs.
e Odéon-lite also includes our highly acclaimed Solid-TubeTM technology in the output stage. Solid-
TubeTM is our building block technology for analog stages. It is a clever and innovative combination of
JFET, MOSFET and Bipolar transistors such as each technology works to hide the shortcomings of
the others while extracting only the most desirable linear characteristics of each. Solid-TubeTM outputs
are experienced as a very natural and extremely open sound stage where the system disappears to
leave only the music. is clinically accurate and transparent sound comes with a touch of warmth
otherwise found only in tube electronics.
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Birdland Audio
ere are three digital inputs on the back of the unit. ese can be used to connect digital sources
such as CD and DVD players/transports or any other digital sources. e Odéon-lite DAC will
receive and decode digital audio data according to the AES/EBU IEC-958 (S/PDIF) standard or,
the EIAJCP340/1201 professional and consumer formats. e digital inputs are activated using the
front panel selector switch (see control #2 on page 6).
You can use the Odéon-lite DAC to convert all digital audio formats which adhere to the standards
listed above. You can use the Odéon-lite to play DVD movies in a downmix 2 channel mode. When
doing so, connect the AC3/PCM output of the DVD player directly to one of the Odéon’s digital
inputs and make sure to switch the DVD player output format to PCM, not AC/3. RF outputs
from laser disk players cannot be connected directly to the Odéon DAC without the use of a RF to
AES3 converter.
Use only one of the two connectors available for inputs 1 and 2 at any given time. Either the optical
or the BNC connector should be used for input 1, and either the RCA S/PDIF or the AES/EBU
XLR connector should be used for Input 2. e Odéon-lite will automatically select the format that
is connected, for each input, but never connect both connectors, at the same time, on the same input.
ere was a time when optical receivers did not perform as today. Recent technologies oer excellent
constant time delay optical transmitters and receivers. Because the Odéon-lite internally re-clocks
the input signal, the eect of digital cables on the unit is virtually undetectable. Today, toslink is a
reliable way to interconnect digital gear while insuring separation of the units’ grounds, and oers
signal immunity to EMI/RFI.
5 - Connecting the Odéon-lite
5.1 - The Digital Inputs
Odeon-lite 24bit DAC
French design by Gilles Gameiro - Made
Right Left
Output
input 1 input 3
input 2
PUSH
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The way music should sound Odéon-lite
Birdland Audio
5.2 - The Analog Output
ere is one set of analog outputs in the back of the Odéon-lite. is output is variable which means
that its level is controlled by the volume control on the front of the Unit. is permits a direct con-
nection of the Odéon-lite DAC to amplier blocks. e volume control is performed in the analog
domain and does not degrade the quality or resolution of the digital signal.
You can use the analog outputs as a direct connection to amplier blocks (without a preamplier)
and use the volume control on the Odéon-lite. If using with a preamplier, then you would use the
volume control on the preamplier and leave the Odéon-lite’s volume control set to mid-range (12
o’clock).
If you plan to use the Odéon-lite in a system with a preamplier, and if you use that system mainly
as a 2 channel audio system, we recommend that you try bypassing the preamplier and connect
the Odéon-lite directly to your ampliers. Best results are usually obtained by reducing the number
of active components in the analog chain of a system.
e volume control is not a digital multiplication, but a high quality analog passive potentiometer
that yields a maximum output impedance of 2.5 kW. is design oers an advantage in that it elimi-
nates an extra active stage after the volume control and provides the most transparent sound possible
with no added distortion. is also means that you should not use long and unshielded interconnect
cables as they tend to gather noise. As a general rule, long unshielded interconnection cables are not
recommended. If you have no choice, then try to chose a shielded interconnect cable.
input 1
input 2
input 3
PUSH
rench design by Gilles Gameiro - Made in
Odeon-lite 24bit DAC
Right
Output
Left
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The way music should sound Odéon-lite
Birdland Audio
(1) Measured at 48kHz sampling rate.
Birdland Audio reserves the right to modify any specication without prior notice.
6 - Technical Specications
DAC characteristics
Frequency Response 5Hz to 23kHz +
-
0
1 dB (1)
Dynamic Range better that 106dB
Signal/Noise Ratio better that 115 dB
Output characteristics
Channel Separation 118 dB
Output Impedance less that 2.5kW
Output Level 12 O’clock 500mV RMS
Max Output Level 3.2V RMS (4.5 Volts peak)
Mechanical
Front & Back Panels 5052 Grained and Anodized Aluminum
Weight 1.35 Kg (3 lbs)
Dimensions 41 x 225 x 165mm (1.6” x 8.9” x 6.5”)
Electrical
A/C Input Supply 115 Volts AC (unless otherwise specied)
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The way music should sound Odéon-lite
Birdland Audio
1 KHz sinewave at 0dB
19kHz and 20kHz at 0dBSingle impulse full scale
20 Hz sinewave at -6dB
Time - 10ms/div Sensitivity -500mV/div
Time - 120us/div Sensitivity - 2V/divTime - 200ms/div Sensitivity -100mV/div
A Single pulse is ltered to produce the full scale This plot shows an attenuation of less that 0.5 dB
1 KHz squarewave at 0dB
Time - 200ms/div Sensitivity - 1V/div
1 KHz sinewave at -20dB
Note: all measurements performend with analog output normalized at 2V for full scale output (Volume
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The way music should sound Odéon-lite
Birdland Audio
Birdland Audio
http://www.birdland.com
Odéon-lite
24 bit Digital to Analog Converter
with Solid-Tube TM Technology
Table of contents
