Gill Audio Elise User manual
INSTALLATION AND OPERATING MANUAL
4 GREATVIEW AVENUE NORTH. PROVIDENCE, RI 02904 401.226.5299
We appreciates your choosing the Elise DAC. It is an excellent, well designed
and built piece of high performance audio equipment. It will provide you with
many years of listening enjoyment. We take great pride in our work.
Please be sure to read this manual prior to installation and use.
OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS:
UNPACKING:
When removing the Elise DAC from the shipping carton, care must be taken.
Use a sharp knife to carefully open the box, being careful not to extend the
knife into the box. Once the box is opened, the packing material may be
removed. The vacuum tubes are shipped already in place. The Elise maythen
be carefully removed from the box. Please pay attention to the faceplate. Do
not to contact the faceplate or the switches with other objects. The switches
can break.
4GREAT VIEW AVENUE NORTH. PROVIDENCE, RI 02904 401.226.5299
WARNING:
The Elise DAC is heavy. Care must be used
when lifting and positioning it.
4GREAT VIEW AVENUE NORTH. PROVIDENCE, RI 02904 401.226.5299
OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS:
CARE:
The Elise is made from heavy gage powder coated steel with an anodized or
chrome plated faceplate. The unit is best cleaned with a damp cloth, but the
faceplate may be polished with an appropriate metal polish and the main chassis
polished with an automotive wax. Care must be take not to allow either pol-
ishing dust or particles to enter into the unit through the vent holes.
TUBE REPLACEMENT:
To remove the top/side panel, loosen and remove the allen bolts from the top
and bottom of the Elise. The fit is very tight to minimize vibrations during use,
so handle it carefully. The tubes are inserted as shown in the diagram below.
Line up the tubes properly with the socket, and carefully press them into place.
The sockets fit tightly to the tubes. Use gentle pressure, but do not force or
jam the tubes into place. That may either damage the tube, the socket, or the
circuit board.
4GREAT VIEW AVENUE NORTH. PROVIDENCE, RI 02904 401.226.5299
The Elise is heavy and should be placed on a sturdy support. A lot of heat is
generated and there should be several inches of ventilation room around the
unit. Excessive heat build up will decrease the life of the components inside.
The unit should be placed close to the digital source, but far away from any
noise generating components like large transformers and motors.
One the back of the unit there is an IEC power input, Fuse (2 amp Slow Blow),
three digital inputs (1 BNC, 2 Co-Ax), and the outputs. The outputs are locat-
ed farthest from the power input. The digital inputs are individually isolated and
selectable from the front panel selector.
If using the optional upsampling, the middle inputs will consist of a BNC and
Co-Ax input located one over the other. They are tied together and routed to
the upsampling board. The other BNC and Co-Ax inputs are direct to the dac
board. When the direct inputs are selected by the front panel switch, the
upsampling board is disabled.
Optional upsampling inputs
OPERATION:
Once the Elise is properly connected to power, digital source, and either your
amp or pre-amp, it may be turned on using the “POWER” switch. The blue
LED above the switch will light when the power is turned on, but the unit will
take several minutes to warm up. Your amp or pre-amp volume control should
not be turned up until the unit has had several minutes to warm up.
The middle “PHASE” switch is for phase inversion. When the blue LED above
the “PHASE” switch lights, the unit is considered in phase.
The “SOURCE” switch on the far left is used to select between the three differ-
ent digital input sources. The Blue LED located above the “SOURCE” switch is
used for Error Detection. The LED will only light if an error is detected. This
will occur if the source selected is not providing a proper signal, or if the
incoming signal is disrupted somehow.
If your Elise LT was purchased with optional balanced outputs, on the back
panel there is a ground switch located next to the outputs. The LT is output
transformer coupled and this switch is used to connect or float the output
ground. Use the position that produces the best noise performance.
If your Elise was purchased with an optional volume control, the back panel has
two sets of outputs. The top is a fixed output to be used for connection to a
pre-amplifier, and the bottom is variable to be connected directly to an amplifier.
BREAK-IN PERIOD:
While the Elise DAC is ready to be enjoyed when shipped from the factory, it
will benefit from a few hours of break-in. Over the first 100 hours, the per-
formance will continue to improve. After this time, serious listening can begin.
It is also recommended that at least 30 minutes warm up time be given prior to
any serious listening. This allows all the internal components to fully heat up
and stabilize. The Digital components are most accurate after being properly
warmed up.
4GREAT VIEW AVENUE NORTH. PROVIDENCE, RI 02904 401.226.5299
TWO YEAR WARRANTY:
Gill Audio Design warrants that all products have been carefully tested, inspected,
and warranted for two (2) years from the date of original purchase. This includes
parts and labor for all internal components. Vacuum tubes are covered for 90
days. Failures due to misuse, damage, neglect, or unauthorized repair or modifi-
cations are not covered. Replacing the tubes with different type tubes or replac-
ing the fuse with one of a higher rating voids all warrantees. If you have a prob-
lem with a Gill product and it is under warrantee, return it to the factory (postage
paid). Once the defect is found, you will be contacted. Gill Audio Design shall be
the sole judge of such defects. The liability of Gill Audio Design shall be limited
to the repair or replacement at its sole option of any defective product.
For Service, Upgrades, and Technical Support contact:
Gill Audio Design
4Great View Ave.
N. Providence, RI 02904
For Sales and Distribution contact:
Art Audio USA
34 Briarwood Rd.
Cranston, RI 02920
(401) 826-8286 Tel.
(401) 826 3903 Fax.
4GREAT VIEW AVENUE NORTH. PROVIDENCE, RI 02904 401.226.5299
4GREAT VIEW AVENUE NORTH. PROVIDENCE, RI 02904 401.226.5299
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type:24bit/96kHz DVD compatible vacuum tube digital to analogue converters
Resolution: 24-bit Burr-Brown DAC
Sampling Frequency: 96kHz
Distortion: 0.05%
Output Impedance:
Frequency Response:1K ohms (standard version ),
400 ohms ( LT version ) @ 2.5V full output
Input Impedance: 75 ohms, 110 ohms ( optional with AES/EBU )
S/N Ratio: 90dB.
Tube Complement: 2 X 6DJ8/6922/7308, 1 X 6FQ7/6CG7
Dimensions: 16.5" x 15" x 4.5" [ W x D x H ]
Weight:: 40 lbs. (standard version ), 43 lbs. ( LT version )
For Sales and Distribution contact:
Art Audio USA
34 Briarwood Rd.
Cranston, RI 02920
(401) 826-8286 Tel.
(401) 826 3903 Fax.
4GREAT VIEW AVENUE NORTH. PROVIDENCE, RI 02904 401.226.5299
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