DCS Rossini User manual

This product incorporates the following dCS proprietary technology:
Ring DAC™
© Data Conversion Systems Ltd. 2015-2016 Price UK £10.00
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise)
without the prior written permission of dCSF1F. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this
publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice, and whilst it is checked for accuracy, no
liabilities can be accepted for errors.
1dCS is Data Conversion Systems Ltd. Company registered in England No. 2072115.
dCS Rossini
CD / Network Player
User Manual
Software Release 1.0x
February 2016

dCS Rossini CD / Network Player User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
February 2016
Rossini Player Manual v1_0x Page 2 English version

dCS Rossini CD / Network Player User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
February 2016
Rossini Player Manual v1_0x Page 3 English version
Contents
Using the dCS Rossini Player for the first time ..................................................................................5
What’s in the box? 5
Positioning the unit 5
Condensation 6
Safety Notice 6
Made for iPhone® and iPad® 7
Laser Radiation 8
Which types of disc can be played? 8
Which types of disc can NOT be played? 8
Step-by-Step Guide ................................................................................................................................9
Preliminaries 9
STEP 1 – Connecting the analogue outputs 10
Using a preamplifier 10
Using a power amplifier directly 10
Balanced Outputs 10
STEP 2 – UPnP Network Connection 11
Compatibility 11
Basic set-up 11
Playing music with AirPlay 17
Using the Rossini Player with Spotify Connect 17
STEP 3 – Using the Player’s PCM Inputs 18
Connecting to a Dual AES Source 18
Connecting to a Single AES or SPDIF source 19
STEP 4 – CD Playback 20
Controlling CD playback with the app 21
STEP 5 – Using the USB1 interface with a computer 22
Compatibility 22
Setting the USB Audio Class 22
Loading the Windows driver for USB Class 2 22
Basic setup with a PC 23
A word about Music Playing Software 23
Selecting the Rossini Player as your Audio Output device 24
STEP 6 – Using the USB2 input 25
STEP 7 – Clocking 26
Using the Rossini Clock 26
Using the Rossini Player in Master Mode with a Transport 27
Using the Rossini Player and Clock with a Transport 28
Further suggestions 29
Renaming the digital inputs 29
Renaming your Rossini 30
Power Link 30
Front Panel............................................................................................................................................31
Display – Network Renderer 31
Display – CD Playback 32
Display – DAC Mode 33
Remote Control Receiver 33
8BCD Tray 33
Control Modes 34
Stop / Eject Button 34
Play / Pause Button 34
Rwd Button 34
Fwd Button 34
Input button 34
Menu Button 35
Power Button 35
Rotary Control 35

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Rear Panel .............................................................................................................................................36
Analogue Outputs 36
AES Digital Inputs 36
SPDIF Digital Inputs 36
USB Interfaces 37
Word Clock Inputs and Output 37
Network Interface 38
IR Remote Receiver 38
RS232 interface 38
Mains inlet 38
Label 38
The Menu...............................................................................................................................................39
Using the Menu 40
INFORMATION Menu 41
Unit Status 41
Version 41
Contact 41
Update 41
AUDIO SETTINGS Menu 42
Phase 42
Filter 42
DSD Filter 42
Channel Swap 42
Balance 42
UNIT SETTINGS Menu 43
Sync Mode 43
Output Level 43
Dual AES 44
USB Class 44
Buffer 44
Upsampling 44
RS232 Mode 44
CONFIGURATION Menu 45
Settings Lock 45
Save Configuration 45
Restore Configuration 45
Reset Input Names 45
Factory Reset 45
DISPLAY SETTINGS Menu 46
Brightness 46
Display On/Off 46
Logo On/Off 46
GENERATOR Menu 46
Channel Check 46
Phase Check 46
Burn In 46
Specification .........................................................................................................................................47
Maintenance and Support....................................................................................................................49
Service and Maintenance 49
Replacing a Blown Mains Fuse 49
Cleaning the case 49
Limited Warranty 50
If you need more help 51
Software History 51
Software update 52
Index ......................................................................................................................................................53

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USING THE dCS ROSSINI PLAYER FOR THE FIRST TIME
Congratulations on purchasing your dCS Rossini Player.
Before using your unit, please read this section and the Step by Step Guide. This will enable you to
set the unit up quickly and safely with your hi-fi system.
From time to time, dCS will release updated software that you can install yourself using the Rossini
App or the Update feature in the menu. Please check our web-site occasionally to see if new Rossini
software is available, or consult your dealer.
What’s in the box?
Check that the box contains the following items:
•dCS Rossini Player
•Manual and Menu Guide
•Power cable
•Ethernet cable
•USB cable type A-B
•2 spare fuses
•Spotify™ flyer
Notify your dealer as soon as possible if anything is missing or damaged. We suggest that you retain
the original packaging for possible future use. If this is not possible, replacement packaging can be
ordered from dCS or our distributors. Details can be found on our web site at www.dcsltd.co.ukH.
The Rossini Player is intended to be controlled by the Rossini App over an ethernet network.
A dCS Premium IR remote control is available as an optional extra.
Positioning the unit
For best sound quality, the units in the Rossini range are designed to be mounted on separate shelves
of a rack, although they may be stacked directly on top of each other if this is absolutely necessary.
Place each unit on a firm, vibration free base, allowing convenient connection to the other parts of
your system. To prevent overheating, we recommend that you leave some free space around the unit
to allow for ventilation.
You can use the feet to level the unit. With all feet screwed fully home, the unit will sit
level on a flat surface. If you need to do any levelling, you can unscrew any of the feet up
to 3 complete turns, to give up to 3mm (1/8”) of height adjustment.

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Condensation
If the Player is cold and is moved into a warm room, condensation will form inside the unit. This
interferes with normal operation. Remove the Player from its packaging and let it stand for 1-2 hours,
to allow it to reach room temperature and the condensation to evaporate.
Safety Notice
Your dCS Rossini Player contains no user serviceable parts. DO NOT attempt to open
the case as there are potentially dangerous voltages present inside. In the event of the
unit developing a fault, please contact your dealer in the first instance.
If you decide to remove safety covers for any reason, disconnect the power cable first.
Note that removing covers voids the warranty.
To maintain protection from electric shock, the unit MUST be connected to mains earth
(ground) via the power cable. Also, unearthed systems do not give the best sonic
performance.
Protect the product from dripping or splashing liquids. Liquid-filled objects such as vases
must not be placed on the product.
This product is not suitable for operation at altitudes above 2000m.
This product is lead-free and complies with the RoHS directive.
Before connecting the power cable to the unit for the first time, please check that it has been set to the
correct operating voltage for your mains supply. The unit’s voltage setting is shown on the serial
number label. If this does not match your local supply voltage, DO NOT attempt to use the unit.
Contact your dealer to have the unit reset. Using the unit with the wrong mains setting for your local
supply may result in serious damage to the unit and will invalidate the warranty. Do not attempt to
reset the voltage yourself.
We do not recommend the use of mains regenerators. However, if you do wish to use a mains
regenerator with variable voltage and frequency, we recommend that you set the voltage to match
your local voltage and the frequency to either 50Hz or 60Hz ONLY.
!
Damage caused to your Rossini Player by misuse of a mains regenerator or by a
malfunctioning mains regenerator is not covered by the warranty.
Disposal at end-of-life - the symbol indicates that this product should not be treated as
normal household waste. It should be recycled, so please take it to an approved collection
facility.

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Made for iPhone® and iPad®
The Rossini Player is compatible with the iPhone and iPad models illustrated below.
Made for:
“Made for iPod” and “Made for iPhone” mean that an electronic
accessory has been designed to connect specifically to iPod or
iPhone respectively and has been certified by the developer to
meet Apple performance standards. Apple is not responsible for the
operation of this device or its compliance with safety and regulatory
standards.
iPad®, iPhone, iPod and iPod touch®are trademarks of Apple Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other countries.

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Laser Radiation
dCS Rossini Player is a Class 1 Laser Product, it complies with U.S. FDA 21CFR
subchapter J. In normal use, there is no risk of exposure to laser radiation.
!
The case should only be opened by authorised service personnel. The case protects the
user from indirect exposure to visible and invisible laser radiation, as well as risk of
electric shock.
Which types of disc can be played?
Commercially manufactured CDs can be played if they:
•are 12cm or 8cm round discs
•are recorded with linear PCM digital audio data
•carry the Compact Disc Digital Audio logo and meet the “Red-Book” standard.
The CD layer of hybrid SACD/CD discs can be played, provided the CD layer meets
the “Red Book” standard.
CD-R
CD-RW
CD-EXTRA
CD-R, CD-RW or CD-Extra discs recorded with audio data in CD format may be
playable, but this depends on the disc, the software and the burner used to record on
the disc. dCS cannot accept responsibility for any difficulty encountered while
attempting to play such discs.
Which types of disc can NOT be played?
This Player is not designed to play single-layer SACDs, the DSD layer of hybrid
SACD/CD discs or SACD-R discs.
dCS cannot accept responsibility for any difficulty encountered while attempting to play the following
types of disc:
•Scratched, damaged or dirty discs.
•Non-circular “discs”, such as square or heart-shaped.
•Discs contaminated with glue or other sticky substances.
!
Contaminated discs may get stuck to the CD mechanism inside the unit. If this happens,
a service charge will be made for removing the disc and repairing any damage.
•DVD, CD-G, PHOTO CD, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.
•Discs recorded with digital audio data that is not in CD-format (e.g. FLAC or WAV files).
•Copy-protected discs that do not conform to the “Red-Book” CD standard may not play correctly or
may not play at all. Such discs are not CDs – they are optical discs that have been recorded with
digital audio data. They should not carry the Compact Disc Digital Audio logo – but some do. If
you encounter any difficulty playing such discs, please contact the disc manufacturer and demand
a genuine CD in exchange.

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
This section guides you through setting up the unit for basic operation.
Preliminaries
The Menu Guide sheet details the menu structure and describes the two most common set-ups.
For digital interfaces, use with cables designed for digital audio:
•for AES/EBU interfaces use 110Ωscreened, twisted pair cables fitted with one male XLR
connector and one female XLR connector.
•for Word Clock or SPDIF BNC interfaces, use 75Ωcoax cables fitted with BNC plugs.
Word Clock interfaces require a simple DC-coupled connection. The interfaces may
malfunction or not work at all if capacitor coupled cables or cables with built-in networks
are used.
•for SPDIF RCA interfaces, use 75Ωcoax cables fitted with RCA Phono plugs.
•for TOSLINK optical interfaces, use Toslink fibre-optic cables.
•for the Network interface, use an RJ45 Ethernet cable, such as that provided with the unit.
•for the USB1 interface, use a standard screened USB 2.0 cable fitted with one type ‘A’ connector
and one type ‘B’ connector. The internal screen must be connected at both ends.
For analogue outputs, use with screened cables of the correct type:
•for balanced outputs, use screened, twisted pair cables fitted with one male XLR connector and
one female XLR connector.
•for unbalanced outputs, use coax cables fitted with RCA Phono plugs.
Some “audiophile” cables have unusual grounding or screening arrangements, or do not
have the correct characteristic impedance. If you have difficulty using such cables but
the problems disappear when ordinary cables are substituted, please ask the cable
manufacturer or your dealer for support.
Connect the power cable supplied to the power inlet on the Player’s rear panel, plug the other end into
a convenient power outlet.
!
Make sure that you have access to the unit’s rear panel power switch or a switch on the
mains outlet, in case a serious failure prevents switching off from the front panel.
Please do not use an excessively heavy or inflexible power cable as this may damage
the power inlet connector.
The cables supplied with the unit are “commercial grade”, because most owners will
have their own “audiophile grade” cables or will prefer to make their own cable choices.
Set the rocker switch near the mains inlet to the Iposition, press the Power button.
Wait about 10 seconds while the Player configures itself. If the unit is likely to be set in an unfamiliar
state, you can run the Factory Reset routine by pressing the buttons in this sequence: Menu, ►, ►,
►, Menu, ◄, ◄, Menu. Wait a few seconds while the unit resets itself.

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STEP 1 – Connecting the analogue outputs
Choose one of the following two sections:
Using a preamplifier
•Set the preamplifier volume control to a low level.
•Connect either the balanced (XLR connectors) or unbalanced (RCA phono connectors) outputs on
the Player’s rear panel to matching line level inputs on your preamplifier (probably labelled CD or
AUX).
•Turn the Player’s rotary control clockwise to set the Volume to maximum (- 0.0dB on the display).
•Slowly increase the preamplifier volume until the music is at the right level.
•If the preamplifier volume setting for a comfortable listening level is too high or too low, you may
need to change the Output Level setting.
•Press the buttons in this sequence: Menu, ►, ►, Menu, ►, Menu.
Setting the Output Level to 6V can cause some preamplifiers to distort. For this reason,
we recommend the 2V setting if a preamplifier is used.
Using a power amplifier directly
•Set the Player’s Volume to around -40.0dB as shown on the display.
•Connect either the balanced (XLR connectors) or unbalanced (RCA phono connectors) outputs on
the Player’s rear panel to matching inputs on your power amplifier. Switch on the power amplifier.
•Turn the Player’s rotary control slowly clockwise until the music is at the right level.
•If the Volume setting for a comfortable listening level is higher than –10.0 or lower than –30.0, try
changing the Output Level setting.
•Press the buttons in this sequence: Menu, ►, ►, Menu, ►, Menu.
Balanced Outputs
!
The most common fault reported when using our balanced outputs is hiss, unstable
levels and a thin sound on both channels. This is caused by connecting the Player’s
balanced output stage to an unbalanced input on an XLR connector with pin 3 left
unconnected. This does not work correctly with a balanced and floating output stage –
you must connect pin 3 to pin 1 (ground) to complete the signal path.
Another possible cause of this fault (probably on one channel only) is a broken cable.
Figure 1 – Basic setup for the Rossini Player
The Rossini Player has independent balanced and unbalanced output stages, you can
connect them to different amplifiers if you wish.
Balanced or unbalanced
Analogue outputs to
pre- or power amplifier

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STEP 2 – UPnP Network Connection
UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) is a set of protocols designed to allow consumer devices to interact
over a network. The Rossini Player complies with the UPnP AV protocol, enabling it to communicate
with other non-dCS devices, provided they also comply with this protocol.
A network streaming system is made up of three standard UPnP components: UPnP Control Point,
UPnP Media Renderer and UPnP Media Server. A system may consist of one or more of each of
these components. In such a system, all of the media (songs, tracks, videos etc) is stored on the
server. This storage device can be a NAS or a Computer. The control point (e.g. a tablet or smart
phone) requests the address of a particular item of media from the server (e.g. a NAS drive). It then
passes this address to the renderer (e.g. a Rossini Player) to play. The renderer directly retrieves the
item from the specified address on the server, decodes and plays the media as it arrives over the
network from the server.
Enabling network streaming of audio using a Rossini Player relies on the presence of standard
network infrastructure in your system. A description of the network will not be discussed in this manual
but at a minimum the following components are required for system setup: Router, Computer, Rossini
Player, NAS, Wireless access point (WAP), Wireless control point.
Please note that Ethernet cables are required to connect the devices and the NAS must have UPnP
media server software (e.g. Twonky, Asset, MinimServer) installed. If the UPnP control point is having
problems seeing the UPnP media server or the UPnP media renderer, you might need to disable
IGMP snooping in the router or enable UPnP discovery mode in the router or the NAS drive.
The dCS Rossini App is a control point application that will allow users to view / select available
renderers, view / select available media servers and browse / select / playback music via the Rossini
Player. The dCS Rossini App is currently available for iOS.
Compatibility
The Rossini Player and the App are compatible with:
•iPad 2 or later.
•iPhone 5 or later.
•iPod Touch 5th generation.
Rossini App version 1.0.3 has been tested with iOS8.
Basic set-up
•Connect the system as shown below.
Figure 2 – Using a Rossini Player with a NAS
Router NAS
Analogue outputs

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•For iPhone/iPod, download the dCS Rossini app from the App Store and install it.
•Connect the Player’s Network interface to the Ethernet network.
•Connect the control device (e.g. iPhone) to the network.
•Launch the dCS Rossini App.
•The system will search for Rossini Players / DACs. Tap Configure to change the Rossini’s
settings, find information about the unit or use the test features. Tap Preferences to optimise the
unit for your use.
•Tap the picture of the Player to go to the
Home page.
•
Tap UPnP to select a NAS on the same
network. (Alternatively, tap USB/iPod to select
a flash drive connected to the USB2 port.)
•Tap on a server to select it.
•Select the browsing method (Artist, Album,
etc.).

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•Navigate down to the track list.
•
Choose either All Tracks to play the whole
album or Selected Tracks and then tap on the
tracks you want to play.
•Tap one of the action buttons:
Cancel the Queue and play now.
Add to the start of the Queue.
Add to the Queue after the current track.
Add to the end of the Queue.
Add to a Playlist.
The Player’s Network input is automatically selected when the track starts playing.
Tap the back icon if you want to return to the previous page.
Tap the Home icon if you want to return to the Home page.
Tap the Play icon at the bottom of the screen to see the track that is currently playing.

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•Current track:
Shuffle tracks.
Repeat track.
Change phase.
Adjust volume.
Set the volume slider as required, then click the
white xto close the volume panel.
Tap here to go to the Playlists page.
Alternatively, go to the Home page and tap Playlists.

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Tap on a list or the Play Queue to open it.
To delete a Playlist, swipe it to the left and tap
Delete.
Select a track and tap the Play icon to start playing it.
Tap here to save the Play Queue as a new Playlist, type a name and tap OK.
Tap this icon to start editing the open Play Queue or a Playlist.
To change the track order, drag tracks to the new position.
To delete tracks from a list, select them and then tap this icon.
When you have finished editing the list, tap the highlighted edit icon again to de-select it.

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While browsing albums, artists or tracks, you can
search for some text in the list.
Tap on the Search icon – the keyboard will
appear.
Type the text you want to search for (or just part
of it).
If you have a large music library, the search may
take some time. Please be patient and take care
not to type a letter twice.
When the matching entries are displayed, drag
downwards in the list to close the keyboard.
Select the track you want and either play it or add
it to a playlist.

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Playing music with AirPlay
When the Player is connected to a network, music can be streamed from an Apple device via AirPlay
to the Player. When AirPlay is active, the Player’s Network input is automatically selected.
!
The lower Output Level settings are intended to prevent accidents when driving the
amplifiers directly and AirPlay is in use, as the volume set by the sending device can be
very high.
Using the Rossini Player with Spotify Connect
Spotify lets you listen to millions of songs – the artists you love, the
latest hits and discoveries just for you.
If you are a Spotify user, you can control the Player using your Spotify App.
1. Connect the Player to the same Wi-Fi network as your phone, tablet or PC running the Spotify app.
2. Open the Spotify app and play any song.
3. Tap the song image at the bottom of the screen.
4. Tap the Connect icon.
5. Pick the Rossini Player from the list.
For further information on how to set up and use Spotify Connect, please visit
www.spotify.com/connect
Licenses
The Spotify Software is subject to third-party licenses found here:
www.spotify.com/connect/third-party-licenses.

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STEP 3 – Using the Player’s PCM Inputs
The Player has 5 standard PCM inputs, which may be used with a wide variety of sources.
Switch on the source equipment. If appropriate, load a disk / tape / file and set the machine in PLAY
mode to ensure it is generating a digital audio data stream.
Choose one or both of the following two sections:
Connecting to a Dual AES Source
•Check that your source equipment is capable of Dual AES operation and is set up correctly. This
will probably a dCS SACD Transport, a dCS Upsampler or a sound server.
Press Menu, ►, ►, ►, Menu, ►to select the Unit Settings > Dual AES menu page and
use the Menu button to ensure it is set to Auto.
•Connect the AES1 (or AES A) output on your source equipment to the AES1 input on the Player’s
rear panel and the AES2 (or AES B) output to the AES2 input, using two XLR cables. Ensure the
cables are not swapped.
Figure 3 – Using the Rossini Player with the Vivaldi CD/SACD Transport
•Use the Input button to select the AES1 input.
If this icon is not displayed, open the Menu and select Unit Settings > Sync Mode >
Audio Sync.
The Player will lock to the source and automatically select AES1+2, displaying 24/352.8 for example,
if the source is generating that format.
Analogue outputs

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Connecting to a Single AES or SPDIF source
Most digital audio source equipment (such as CD transports, DVD players) is fitted with a single wire
digital output, usually on an RCA phono connector. Satellite receivers often have a Toslink optical
output.
•Connect your source equipment to the matching input on the Player’s rear panel using a suitable
cable.
•Press the Input button repeatedly until your chosen input is displayed. This will be either AES1,
AES2, SPDIF1 (RCA), SPDIF2 (BNC) or TOS (Toslink).
If this icon is not displayed, open the Menu and select Unit Settings > Sync Mode >
Audio Sync.
The Player will lock to the source, displaying 16/44.1 for example, if the source is a CD player.
If the inputs have been renamed, the standard names will not be displayed.
Why does the Player display 0 bits? Is it faulty?
No, the Player is working correctly. When the source equipment is connected but is not
playing, there is no data – just digital silence. The Player correctly reports zero active
data bits until the source starts playing, then it detects the number of active bits and
updates the display. 0 bits may be displayed briefly between tracks also.
You can select the digital inputs from the app by going to the Home page and selecting
Digital.

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STEP 4 – CD Playback
•Use the Input button to select CD mode.
•Press the Stop/Eject button to open the CD tray. The display will show OPENING - OPEN.
•Load a CD into the tray with the label upwards.
•Press the Stop/Eject button again or push the tray slightly inwards GENTLY.
•The display will show CLOSING, then READING TOC (Table Of Contents). Wait while the Player
reads the disc.
•The number of tracks and the total playing time will be displayed.
•Press the Play/Pause button.
•Press the Play/Pause button to pause playing, press again to resume playing.
•Press the Fwd or Rwd button to skip to the next track or the previous track.
•Press the Stop/Eject button to stop the disc. Press it again to open the tray.
If you load a single-layer SACD into the Player, it will try to read it and then display No
Disc. It is not an SACD player.