CEntrance DACmini CX User manual

USER MANUAL
Welcome
Hello and thank you for your purchase of the CEntrance DACmini CX,
the Category-Defining 192kHz DAC with Class A Headphone Amplifier.
You are in the possession of a truly unique audio product, the result of
over 10 years of Research, Development and Critical Evaluation. We
bring you the best in audio technology... Now it’s your turn to listen.
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Table Of Contents
WELCOME ................................................................................. 1
Our History .............................................................................3
Box Contents........................................................................... 3
DEFINING FEATURES................................................................ 4
Robust Technology ...................................................................4
Volume Control ........................................................................4
Compatible Headphones............................................................4
SETUP AND CONNECTIONS....................................................... 5
Mac OS X setup .......................................................................5
Sample Rate Adjustment ........................................................... 8
Windows Setup ........................................................................9
Switching Sample Rates with Universal Driver for Windows .......... 10
SOURCE SELECTION ............................................................... 11
Choosing an Input .................................................................. 11
Powering Up and Down ........................................................... 11
USB Input ............................................................................. 11
S/PDIF Input ......................................................................... 11
Analog Input ......................................................................... 11
Choice of Digital Files.............................................................. 12
USING YOUR DACMINI ........................................................... 13
Troubleshooting ..................................................................... 13
Environment.......................................................................... 13
Warm-up .............................................................................. 13
Continuous Operation ............................................................. 14
Specifications ........................................................................ 14
Warranty .............................................................................. 14
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Our History
CEntrance was established in 2000 by Michael Goodman, a musician
and a veteran audio engineer with a passion for innovative products.
Initially CEntrance licensed technology to other manufacturers, mostly
in the pro audio industry. We developed Mixing consoles, MIDI
keyboards and Recording products for many of today’s famous brands.
By 2006 CEntrance had over 100 consulting clients in its portfolio and
felt that our clients kept asking us to design “more of the same”. While
others would be happy enjoying such cozy market position, we weren’t
content with having to repeat ourselves. We had a passion for
innovation, so time has come to release new products under our own
name. DACmini is our the most innovative, integrated product to date.
For more information, including the exciting DACmini development
blog, which chronicled the design process in painstaking detail, please
visit:
http://www.dacmini.com
Main company website:
http://www.centrance.com
Box Contents
Your DACmini box should contain:
• DACmini 192 kHz DAC with Class A Headphone Amplifier
• 6 ft low-noise USB cable
• World-wide power supply with IEC connector
• Self-stick rubber feet, 4 pcs
• User manual
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Defining Features
Robust Technology
CEntrance got its start in the broadcast industry. Our customers are
journalists and reporters who travel the world with their equipment –
they can’t afford to have it fail in the field or be incompatible with local
connections. These customers demand the best. We design all of our
products to these highest standards of quality and reliability. That’s
also how we design our power supplies. DACmini is compatible with a
variety of power supplies, however, for best results, we recommend
using the included Premium, Low-noise External power supply.
Volume Control
DACmini employs the precision stereo analog potentiometer to control
headphone volume. Analog control is much superior to digital, since it
is free from step-switching artifacts – it works without ticks and pops.
We carefully choose our potentiometers for highest tracking linearity,
so that you can listen at any loudness level without the uncomfortable
inter-channel imbalance, typically found in consumer-level products.
Compatible Headphones
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Our portable DACport debuted our new Class-A headphone amp, which
is extremely quiet and surprisingly powerful. DACmini takes this circuit
to the next level by raising the power supply voltage to +/- 15V,
providing enough power to drive even the most demanding
headphones. DACmini is equally capable driving in-ear monitors and
large, high-impedance headphones, covering the entire range of
sensitivities in one smooth rotation of the volume knob, without a
need for a separate level switch. Unlike the level-shifting switch
needed on noisy headphone amps in the past, the CEntrance low-noise
headphone amp simplifies the user experience to one knob, the way it
should be. Try any headphones with DACmini. You will be fully
satisfied with both the loudness level and audio fidelity, equally spread
across the entire volume range.

Setup and Connections
Connections are easy and intuitive with your DACmini. To prevent
initial turn-on pops, CEntrance recommends connecting the audio and
USB connections first, and then connecting the power supply. For
proper power supply sequencing, the power cord should always be the
last thing to plug into the unit.
When setting up the computer, make sure your DACmini is selected as
the default audio output device:
• In Mac OS X, selection should be automatic, but may also be
configured in System Preferences -> Sounds.
• In Windows OS, selection should be automatic, but may also be
configured in device manager or inside the audio application.
Mac OS X setup
1) Select “System Preferences” from the Apple Menu
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2) Select “Sound” from the Hardware Menu
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3) Select “DACmini” from the Sounds Menu and you are ready to listen
to music!
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Sample Rate Adjustment
In order to ensure accurate sample rate playback, make sure your
playback application has “automatic sample rate switching”
enabled. If your application does not offer this feature (such as
iTunes), DACmini will default to the sample rate selected in Audio-
MIDI Setup and your audio may be subject to internal OS SRC.
To Locate “Audio MIDI Setup” go to Applications->Utilities->Audio
MIDI setup as shown below.
Select DACmini from the “Properties For” drop-down menu. Sample
rate can be adjusted in the “Format” drop down menu.
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Windows Setup
DACmini is a true plug-and-play device. Less than 30 seconds after
plugging into the USB connection you will notice that it is automatically
installed and ready for use.
You can ensure DACmini is selected as your playback device in the
Windows control panel.
To make sure DACmini is the selected playback device:
1. Select “Control Panel” from the Windows Start menu.
2. Select “Sounds and Audio Devices”
3. Select the “Audio” tab and make sure CEntrance DACmini is the
selected default device for sound playback (see image below)
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Switching Sample Rates with Universal Driver for Windows
Driverless 24/96 performance on Mac/PC allows easy access to large
and growing collections of uncompressed digital music from such
labels as HD tracks, Reference Recordings, etc. However, some people
may prefer to download a Windows driver to achieve more control.
Windows will often convert audio sample rates automatically, which is
not always preferred in audiophile circles. By the time your audio
reaches your DAC it is no longer “bit-perfect” and the difference may
be audible. The only way around this limitation is to use a playback
application that supports the ASIO format and use an ASIO driver that
ensures “bit-perfect” playback from the file source to your DAC.
CEntrance offers a native ASIO driver, called Universal Driver (UD)
because it is compatible with all CEntrance products. This driver will
adjust to sample rate changes, ensuring bit-perfect playback.
Universal driver may be downloaded for free at the CEntrance website:
http://centrance.com/downloads/ud/
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