CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE User manual

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
CORE AUDIO
KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
USERS MANUAL

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
CONTENT
1. Introduction
2. Product Description
3. Content of the package
4. Technical specifications
5. Installation guide – Driver
6. Connecting the device
7. Warranty terms and conditions
8. Troubleshooting
9. Electrical standard requirements

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
1. INTRODUCTION
The development of products by Core Audio Co. Ltd. started almost 10 years ago. Our
company started it’s mission by perfecting the PC based audio playing. Our technicians and
engineers in charge of the development discovered that a basic problem is that, in order to
get the expanding of the bandwidth of the source through the sound reproduction chain to
the listener, you have to make sure that the equipment connected the source are also ready
to receive the increased level of information. When creating this product our goal was to
create an ideal interface to make sure that the mass of digital signals arriving from the source
are transferred to the digital-analog converter by our USB/SPDIF transformer with minimal
loss of information or transformation. We believe our goals set when creating the products
were necessary because the digital signal can only disconnect from the USB port and travel
through a coax or AES/EBU connector towards the digital-analog converter when the audiofil
ways are completely fulfilled.
The specialty of this product is that it is equipped with an i2s output which is differentially
amplified. That way we can guarantee the highest level of technical standards to our
customers.
This product was tested and developed by the Core Audio Co. Ltd. for many years and many
costumers use it satisfied in their systems to this day. Our developments due to the latest
technical inventions didn’t stop and won’t stop; we try to keep our product up to date and on
the highest standard. The current product contains the 3rd generation 2018 converting panel
- cooperating with the i2s output port.
It is really important for us and we really appreciate that you chose our product and that you
put your trust in us. It ensures us that we are on the right track developing our products.
Thank you for trusting us!
the Core Audio team

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
2. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
When we were creating the product our base was the USB/SPIDF converting (bridge) panel.
This panel includes the necessary components that make the quality digital data transmitting
possible. We based the whole product around this panel with the right sizing.
Our primary goal was to obtain maximum vibration absorbtion and leading the heat off in all
of the components.
When designing the product we took into account what kind of parts each base components
consist of, and how much heat should we dissipate from them, as well as which parts are extra
sensitive to vibrations. We decided that the best solution to that problem is developing an
aluminum monobloc case. That case should provide ideal vibration absorbtion and heat
protection to the high-end parts with perfect balance. That aluminum monobloc case
represents the design patterns of the typical Core Audio Ultimate High-End products.
The equipment operates with 230V/50Hz input voltage and it’s power supply is completely
separated for all stages with a low-noise analog power circuit. We use short and optimized
PCB conduction bands. For the external power supply we use a high quality FURUTECH IEC
standard socket. The internal cabling is made with the highest possible quality Siltech cables
containing silver fiber.
The case of the device has a part specially made to actively take part in leading heat off from
the power circuit. On the main panel, among other, the followings are placed: the clock signal
controlling the XMOS XU2016 16 multicore microcontroller, the clock signal needed for
operating the standard clock signals of 44.1KHz and 48KHz (and multiplied versions such as
88.2 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz), and a different one for operating the USB port. All clock
signals are low jitter Crytek clock signals made uniquely for Core Audio. No matter the level or
stage, there are extremely short signal pathways using high quality, low heat-dependent parts.
The Core Audio Ultimate USB/SPDIF converter is also equipped with an i2S-HDMI output which
makes you able to connect it with devices having the available latest standard port.
The central control panel contains the most recent XMOS XU216 chip, guaranteeing that the
high definition contents sent through the signal pathway. To ensure the optimal operation we

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
had to modify the original XMOS chip as well, so we diverged from the referenced XMOS
design when creating the product, it operates in different principles than the original.
Front and top of the device:
On the front panel of the device there is the On/off switch with a LED indicator. To turn the
converter on you have to press the button until it clicks. When it is on the LED indicator will
glow in a blue circle.
Back panel:
POWER ON/OFF
230V/AC/50Hz
USB 2.0 –
B-type IN
AES/EBU , S/PDIF OUT
i2S

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
On the back panel you can find the following ports:
- IEC socket: the power supply cord has to be connected here
A colored dot shows the correct polarity.
- USB in: suitable to connect a standard USB 2.0 cable, the device will receive the signal
coming from the source through this cable.
- AES/EBU output: symmetric output suitable to connect 110 ohm cable
- S/PDIF-RCA output: output suitable for connecting 75 ohm cable
- i2S-HDMI output: suitable to receive differentially amplified i2S cable
3. CONTENT OF THE PACKAGE
a., Core Audio KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter in black or in limited liquid-metal color
b., User manual
c., Installing pen-drive containing the XMOS driver (USB 2.0) or can download from
www.coreaudio.eu webpage.
d., plush protection cover, wood traveling box

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
4. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
General product specifications
Aluminum monobloc case
Passive cooling
Black or limited liquid metal color
The use of SMD panel technique
Full vibration absorbtion on SMD panel and power circuit
Siltech high-end interior cabling
Full analogue power supply
General Technical Specifications
Voltage
220-240 V (50Hz)
Power consumption
max. 10 W
Digital Outputs
AES/EBU-XLR, S/PDIF-RCA, i2S-HDMI
Digital Inputs
USB 2.0 (type B)
Clock signals ( 3 )
1db (44,1 kHz, 48 kHz), 1db (USB), 1db (XMOS) CRYSTEK
Supported resolutions
USB:
16bit / 44,1 - 48 kHz
24bit / 44,1 - 48 - 88,2 - 96 - 176,4 - 192 kHz
Managing .dsd, .dsf content
The device is equipped with the latest xCORE XU216-512 modified
chip, it takes part in converting dsf and dsd files
to PCM 24bit / 96kHz resolution or
to PCM 24bit / 192kHz resolution
Handling foo_dsd_asio és Kernel Streaming
DSD512 native files can be sent through the i2S port
Weight
21kg (netto)
Dimensions:
487 x 315 x 60 mm
Optimal operation
temperature
+10 ∘C - +40 ∘C
Software support
Windows 10, MacOS, Linux Plug&Play supported
XMOS installing driver attached on pendrive

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
5. INSTALLATION GUIDE - DRIVER
Only use the device if you already installed the proper driver on your computer before the first
use. (On the included pen-drive, or on our webpage at the product’s page you can download
the latest drivers)
Although the latest versions of Windows 10 HOME, MacOS 10.13, Linux distributions already
contain the necessary XMOS drivers to connect the USB, we recommend that you use the
device with the driver provided by us, that way we can guarantee the problem free operation
of the device.
IMPORTANT: when starting the installation do not have the device and the source connected
with a USB cable. and close all other applications !
a., First step: copy the installing file from the pen-drive or downloaded from the webpage
(XMOS-Stereo-USB-Audio-Class2-Driver-2023_v3.34.0.exe) to a folder selected by you.
b., Double click on the installing file
c., The following window will appear after starting the installation:

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
d., Accept Terms and Conditions, tick the square and click Next
e., Selecting the Installation folder:

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
f., Finish Installation:

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
g., Close Installing Wizard:
h., At the Settings menu of the media-player applications you can choose what audio device
you want to use. Since the USB cable is not connected yet there won’t be any changes:

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
i., Connect the USB cable from the source to the device and turn it on. The following text will
pop up in the bottom right corner of the screen:
j., At this point you can select „xCore USB Audio 2.0 (Kernel Streaming) in the Settings of the
Media-player application. The device is ready to use.

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
6. CONNECTING THE DEVICE:
Only turn on the device with the „on” button when you already connected the
necessary cables (power cord, USB Input, AES/EBU, SPIDF, i2S output) to the right in
or outputs of all devices.
The maximum lenght of the USB cable cannot exceed 3 meters! We recommend a
cable between 1 and 2 meters. With the AES/EBU and SPDIF cables we recommend
maximum 3 meters. i2S cables we don’t recommend using longer than 0.6 meters.
Never use cables with damaged cover or damaged plugs or with faulty connections
Proper order of turning on equipments:
o Speaker devices
o USB/SPIDF converter
o Digital/analog converter
o Source device
The turning on of the USB/SPIDF converter should ALWAYS be performed before
the turning on of the source device - otherwise the source device might not
recognize the converter or it’s operation system might crash.
Never unplug the device from the source or the DAC during playing because the
device can be physically damaged
Wrecking or taking off the cover of the device while it is connected to electricity is
Forbidden and can result in death.

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
We recommend continuous operation of this device for a maximum of 10 hours- in
order to conserve the lifespan of the built in clock signal generators.
Symmetric connection: with AES/EBU cables
Digital coax connection: with S/PDIF connecting cables
Source device
DAC
USB/SPDIF
converter
USB
OUT
USB
IN
AES/EBU
OUT
AES/EBU
IN
Source device
DAC
USB/SPDIF
converter
USB
OUT
USB
IN
S/PDIF
OUT
S/PDIF
IN

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
7. WARRANTY TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Core Audio Co. Ltd. provides a 1 year warranty for all the products made or sold by them
from the day of the purchase.
The warranty only applies if the defect appeared during the proper use of the product.
The panel, the case and the power supply contains marked parts which indicate if the cover of
the device was moved or damaged. If during the time of the warranty the cover of the device
was opened or components are changed, any modifications are made and it results in a change
compared to the original state of the device the warranty is immediately terminated. The Core
Audio Co. Ltd. company will refuse to repair it, take it back or switch it to a new one.
The Core Audio Co. Ltd. will not take responsibility for any defects or damage resulting from
accident, falling, dropping it or during transportation.
If the repair takes over 3 weeks and it is included in the Core Audio Co. Ltd. will provide you
with a substitute one for the costumer. The costumer must take care of the substitute device,
any damage done to it must be paid for by the costumer.
8. TROUBLESHOOTING:
a., The device won’t turn on after turning it on
Check if the power cord is connected to 230V connector on the back of the device and if the
cable is connected also on the other end to the plug correctly. If using an adapter check if it is
turned on.
It is also possible that you didn’t press the On button right and it jumped back to it’s natural
position. If turned on right there will be white LED lightning around the power button.

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
b., It won’t connect to the source or PC
Check the USB cable if it’s working fine. (it’s not broken, doesn’t have any damage on it,
plugs are intact.) check if the cables are plugged in correctly and to the correct in and
outputs. Check if the USB/SPIDF converter is connected to electricity and is turned on.
Check if the latest installation driver is installed on your source device and if you have the
xCORE USB 2.0 Audio set as your primary audio device.
c., Device doesn’t connect to DAC
Check if USB/SPIDF device is connected to electricity and is turned on. Check the DAC if it is
connected to electricity and is turned on.
Check if S/PDIF is cable if it’s working fine. (it’s not broken, doesn’t have any damage on it,
plugs are intact.)
Check if both of the ends of the S/PDIF cable are correctly connected to their places and
make sure if the directions are correct.
If you use AES/EBU cable make sure if it’s working fine. (it’s not broken, doesn’t have any
damage on it, plugs are intact.)
If you couldn’t find a solution after checking the ones above please contact Core Audio Co.
Ltd.. service on the product support part of the www.coreaudio.eu web page.

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu
9. FITTING THE ELECTRICAL STANDARDS
Core Audio Co.Ltd as the manufacturer of this product declares that
KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
product meets the requirements of the following standards:
MSZ EN 55014-1 (2017) – CISPR 14-1:2016
MSZ EN 55014-2 (2012) - CISPR 14-2:2016
MSZ EN 55020 (2004) – CISPR:2002
MSZ EN 55024 (2011) – CISPR 24:2010
IEC 61000-3-2 (2014)
IEC 61000-3-3 (2013)
Harmonized with the # 2006/95/EC Directive (12.12.2006)
19.05. 2019. Budapest
..............................................
managing director
Core Audio Co. Ltd.

CORE AUDIO KARUNA ULTIMATE USB/SPDIF converter
Core Audio Co. Ltd. – Hungary All rights reserved. 19.05.2019.
www.coreaudio.eu