PS Audio Stellar Gold User manual

Quick Start Guide
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
i
Instructions for Use
StellarTM Gold Digital to Analog Converter

©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
ii
Read these instructions
Heed all warnings
Follow all instructions
WARNING. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS
TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
Clean only with a dry cloth. For the Piano Finish Top refer to the instructions on page 8 of the Quick Start Guide.
Do not place flammable material on top of or beneath the component.
All PS Audio components require adequate ventilation at all times during operation. Rack mounting is
acceptable where appropriate.
Do not remove or bypass the ground pin on the end of the AC cord. If the provided plug does not fit into your
outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the
point where they exit from the apparatus. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for
long periods of time.
When making connections to this or any other component, make sure all components are o. Turn o all
systems’ power before connecting the PS Audio component to any other component. Make sure all cable
terminations are of the highest quality.
THERE ARE NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE ANY PS AUDIO PRODUCT. REFER ALL SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL
This device contains FCC ID: 2AC7Z-ESP32WROVER(B/E).
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment o and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
—Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
—Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
—Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent from that to which the receiver is connected.
—Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment under FCC rules.
Please contact your authorized dealer, distributor, or PS Audio if you have any questions not addressed in this
reference manual.
PS Audio® is a registered trademark of PS Audio International Inc., and is restricted for use by PS Audio
International, Inc., its subsidiaries, and authorized agents.
Rev. A2
Safety Instructions

©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
iii
The Stellar Gold DAC is an extraordinary performer that punches way above its weight.
Compared to other DACs at anywhere near its price, the Stellar Gold proves itself as a
standalone performer.
Inside Stellar Gold is a remarkable new architecture for high performance DACs. Instead of
a single digital to analog converter per channel, PS Audio engineers have combined four
state-of-the-art ESS modules into a single channel for a total of 8 DACs. By combining
multiple DACs into one, noise and distortion levels reach near theoretical limits.
The Octo-DAC architecture of Stellar Gold is only half the story. In order to maximize
performance, engineer Darren Meyers completed the Stellar Gold by designing an all new
class A analog output stage. In any D to A converter, once the digital architecture has been
perfected, it is up to the analog output stage to wring every last morsel of musical magic
out of the data stream.
The vast majority of DACs in the price range of Stellar Gold place an o-the-shelf high-
performance chip op amp at the output of the DAC. While these devices deliver highly
respectable performance specications, they almost never compete sonically with hand-
designed discrete hybrids like that found in Stellar Gold .
From its Octo-DAC architecture to its hybrid-discrete high-slew rate class A analog output
stage, Stellar Gold is in a class by itself.
Welcome

Table Of Contents
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
iv
Installation Considerations 1
Unpacking and Connections 2
Connecting Stellar Gold DAC 2-3
Power On and Set Up 3
Front Panel Logo Button 4
Main Display 4
Input 5
Volume and Mute 5
Main Menu 5
Main Menu: Balance 5-6
Main Menu: Filter 6
Main Menu: Phase 6
Main Menu: Versions 6
Main Menu: Access 6
Sub-Menu: Audio 6-7
Sub-Menu: System 7-10
Remote Control 11
Stellar Gold DAC Product Specifications 12-13
Menu Operations 14-16
Troubleshooting 17
Warranty Information 18-19
Service Information 20
International Warranty & Service 20

Quick Start Guide
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
1
A good location for Stellar Gold DAC is in a cabinet or on a shelf at an easily accessible
height. Care should be taken to keep it away from power ampliers or large, potentially
hum-inducing products. The IR (infrared) receiver for the remote is located to the left of the
display screen. A direct line of sight will help with Stellar Gold DAC's IR sensor.
Stellar Gold DAC oers multiple digital input choices including: two I2S, two RCA (coax),
one optical (S/PDIF), and one USB. All inputs, including USB, are capable of accepting
high-denition digital audio signals. The Optical input is capable of 96kHz, 24 bit audio. I2S
handles up to 705.6 kHz PCM and up to DSD256 while USB is capable of handling up to
352.8 kHz PCM and up to DSD128.
Stellar Gold DAC uses an HDMI cable to transfer I2S data. This data can only be used with
another compatible component, such as the PerfectWave SACD transport, and will not work
in other HDMI equipment as the I2S format incorporated does not comply with the HDMI
standards. PS Audio freely publishes its I2S standard and it has been adopted by multiple other
manufacturers as well.
DoP (DSD over PCM) is a standard allowing single rate DSD to travel over S/PDIF (the RCA,
and optical inputs are S/PDIF compatible) as well as over USB and I2S. It is not currently
possible to send DSD directly over S/PDIF and the DSD les must rst be converted to
DoP standards to travel this route.
It is possible to send DSD les (without conversion to DoP) over Stellar Gold DAC's I2S
inputs as well as USB. Most programs, such as Roon, Audirvana, JRiver Media Center
and Foobar 2000, will automatically convert DSD les to the DoP standards on the y if the
appropriate check box has been enabled. There are no sonic penalties for conversion to
DoP as the raw DSD data is unaected by the process.
Your new PS Audio DAC is supplied with a removable AC Power cord. While the supplied
cord is of good quality, it is recommended that you replace it with a high-end power cord for
optimum performance. It is also recommended that you connect your new Stellar Gold DAC to
one of PS Audio’s award-winning AC power products such as the P12, P15 or P20 Power Plants.
Installation
Considerations
DoP
Digital Inputs
Available
Power Cables

Quick Start Guide
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
2
• Carefully unpack the unit and place in the chosen location.
• Connect Stellar Gold DAC to your digital sources using the appropriate connections (see
Connecting Stellar Gold DAC for details).
• Connect the AC cable into the receptacle in back and plug the unit into your Power
Plant or the wall.
PS Audio products come from the factory with a 3-year warranty. Please register your
new Stellar Gold DAC. Registration takes just a few minutes, helps us inform you about
future upgrades, keeps track of your serial number and allows us to maintain the highest
standards of product quality of any company.
To register your new unit, look on the back panel of Stellar Gold DAC and note the serial
number. Using any web browser, go to www.psaudio.com, click on Support and select
Product Registration from the drop down menu. Once you have completed the registration
process, you can go to the PS website and look at the My Registered Products page. The
link to this page is located at the top right hand corner of the website once you are logged
in. If you do not have web access, you may register the unit via mail or phone. Notication
of software upgrades to this product will be available only to registered owners via the web
and email.
There are multiple methods of connecting the digital inputs of Stellar Gold DAC: through the S/
PDIF based Optical and Coax inputs, USB, and I2S. S/PDIF is a serial digital interface available as
an optical source (Optical) or coaxial source (RCA). Connect to your digital sources with any of
these cable types.
USB is the preferred method of connection for a direct-to-computer connection and
Stellar Gold DAC is capable of processing up to 352.8 kHz 24 bit PCM data as well
as DSD 64 through DSD256. Connect Stellar Gold DAC to your computer using a well
regarded USB cable and make sure to set the output of your computer to the highest 24
bit standard. Once connected, your computer should automatically install Stellar Gold DAC
as a new device if you have a Mac. If you have a Windows operating system, you will need
to download the driver from our website and install it on your Windows computer.
I2S is available through several manufacturers as well PS Audio equipment, such as the
PerfectWave SACD Transport. I2S is a parallel data connection with separate clocks and data
and transferred via an HDMI cable. I2S will typically provide a better performance standard
Register the Unit
Connecting
Stellar Gold DAC
Unpacking and
Connections
I2S Input
USB

Quick Start Guide
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
3
than USB or any serial data stream such as S/PDIF or XLR/EBU.
You can connect one or all ve inputs at the same time. For instance, you can connect the
USB input to your computer and the coax input to your CD player. Then you can simply
choose which one to listen to from the front panel (or the remote) that selects the input. If
you are using USB, make sure both the computer and Stellar Gold DAC are connected and
powered up. USB also requires a driver to operate properly. Mac computers running OSX
have the driver built in. Windows based computers require the PS Audio USB driver to be
installed. Download the driver from our website https://www.psaudio.com/downloads/;
Stellar Gold DAC will show up under Device Manager.
Stellar Gold DAC is designed to drive a power amplier directly or as another input on a
preamplier. The outputs of Stellar Gold DAC are high-performance, high current outputs
that can drive long lengths of interconnect cable without degradation.
Stellar Gold DAC has two types of analog outputs, balanced XLR or single ended RCA. Both can
be used at the same time. Be aware that most ampliers and preampliers will produce 6dB
higher level with the balanced outputs relative to the single ended outputs. If you are using
both outputs be advised they will be at dierent levels. Our preference for connection to a
power amplier or preamplier is through the balanced XLR outputs of Stellar Gold DAC.
RCA or single ended outputs will be the typical outputs as many preampliers, surround
processors receivers, integrated ampliers, and power ampliers have only this standard
type of input.
Plug either the RCA or the XLR outputs of Stellar Gold DAC into a line level input on the
preamp, integrated, amplier, or subwoofer. Do NOT plug the output of Stellar Gold DAC into a
phono or equalized input of any type.
Turn the AC power switch in the rear of Stellar Gold DAC to the ON position. The power switch
is located just above the AC inlet. PS Audio will ash across the display.
The setup guide will then ask you questions to help you congure the unit. Use the left and
right arrow on the control ring to highlight your answer and the center button on the control
ring to select it. Please note the below:
• If you select No to the question "Do you have a preamp?", xed volume is disabled and the
default volume will be set to 35. The main display will show the volume.
• If you select Yes to the question "Do you have a preamp?", xed volume will be set to 100
and the main display will show the sample rate.
- If this was not your intention, you can cancel it on the second screen. The second
screen informs you that the xed volume will be set to 100. You can choose OK or
Cancel. Simply highlight and select Cancel if you don't want to set a xed volume.
Connecting the
Output
Power On
Stellar Gold DAC
Set Up Guide

Quick Start Guide
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
4
The front panel PS logo button, located on the upper left hand corner of the unit, is the Ready/
Operational Mode control for Stellar Gold DAC. This control has two modes: Ready Mode and
Operational Mode. Ready Mode (Idle) is designed to keep power on to critical internal circuitry,
including power supply capacitors, thermally sensitive semiconductors and integrated circuits.
Press this front panel button to activate the Ready Mode or to place Stellar Gold DAC in
Operational Mode. When pressed to activate the Ready Mode, the display as well as the
outputs are turned o, but all the unit’s critical internal circuitry remains active.
If you wish to conserve energy consumed by Stellar Gold DAC, it will be necessary to use
the rear panel power switch. Using this rear panel switch will remove power from critical
components. In order to gain maximum performance levels, you will need to turn the DAC's
power on at least 1 hour before use.
Should Stellar Gold DAC need to be rebooted, use the rear panel power switch to power cycle
the instrument. It's best to wait 30 seconds before powering back on.
Information on Main Display:
• Depending on how your DAC was congured during the setup guide, the main display
will either show the volume (if you said no to using a preamp) or the sample rate (if you
said yes to using a preamp).
Note: In addition to volume and sample rate, input can also be the main display. Please see
the section on Display Mode in the System Sub-Menu for more on this and other display
options.
• The red or green dot in the corner indicates whether the current input is connected. A
green dot indicates the connection is good.
- For USB, a green dot indicates that a USB cable is connected to a USB host. A
red light indicates that there's no connection to a USB host.
- For S/PDIF and Optical, a green dot means there's an active signal on that input
with a valid sampling rate.
- For I2S, a green dot means there's a PS Audio I2S source connected with a valid
signal.
• When certain menu options are selected, small icons
will appear on the main display. Please note that the
example to the right has volume as the main display.
Front Panel Logo
Button
Reboot
Main Display

©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
5
Operating Manual
To change the input, press the right or left arrow keys on the control ring. Once you reach
the desired input, stop scrolling to select it. You can also use the remote to select the
desired input.
Note: If input is not the main display, the initial press will display the current input for 5
seconds. Subsequent presses (before 5 seconds elapse) change the input.
To change the volume, press the up and down arrow keys. Once you reach the desired
volume, stop scrolling to select it. If xed volume has been selected, you will not be able to
change the volume.
Note : If volume is not the main display, the initial press will display the current input for 5
seconds. Subsequent presses (before 5 seconds elapse) change the input.
A quick press of the Menu button toggles mute on or o. (You will hear a soft click.) If the
main display is set to volume or sample rate,“MUTE” will appear in big letters. If you are on
input, a smaller "MUTE" will appear in red on the top right corner of the screen.
To enter and exit the Stellar Gold DAC menu system,
execute a long press of the menu button to the left
of the display. A gear icon will appear in the upper
right corner of the display to show that you are in the
menu system.
To navigate the menu system:
• Use the left and right arrow keys to scroll through menu items.
• Use the up and down arrows to change an item's values.
• To enter sub-menus, press the center button on the control ring.
• When in a sub-menu, press the center button twice to go back one menu level.
Note : The menu screen will also time out after 15 seconds of inactivity. Note that changes
to settings are typically saved in real time as the changes are made.
The main menu has the below features.
• Balance
• Filter
• Phase
• Versions
• Audio (sub-menu)
• System (sub-menu)
The Balance feature allows you to adjust the center location of the stereo image. Press the
down arrow on the control ring to reduce the gain of the right channel, thus making the
Input
Mute
Menu System
Menu Display
System
Volume
Main Menu
Navigating Menu
System
Main Menu:
Balance

©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
6
Operating Manual
image come more from the left channel. Press the up arrow to reduce the gain of the left
channel, thus making the image come more from the right channel. The balance steps are
each 1/4dB and the range is 48 steps each way for a maximum shift of 12dB.
When the balance is set to anything other than the
center position (0), there will be an icon on the main
display that points to either the left or right, depending
on what the balance is set to. (See green arrow.)
The Stellar Gold DAC has 7 filter options that can tailor the sound of digital sources to the
listener’s preference. The unit comes with our recommended default filter (F1) selected but
we encourage you to experiment with filters during listening sessions. Use the up arrow
to scroll from 1-7 and the down arrow to scroll from 7-1. Leave the screen on the one you
want.
Filter 1 - MinSlow (minimum phase, slow roll o)
Filter 2 - MinFast (minimum phase, fast roll o)
Filter 3 - Hybrid
Filter 4 - LinSlow (linear phase, slow roll o)
Filter 5 - LinFast (linear phase, fast roll o)
Filter 6 - Apodize (apodizing)
Filter 7 - Brkwall (Brickwall)
The phase feature allows you to invert the signal from the digital inputs. Use up or down
buttons on the control ring to change the absolute polarity of the signal from "Norm"
(Normal) to "Inv" (Inverted). This can be useful when listening to certain source material that
may have inverted absolute polarity.
Note : Some listeners are more sensitive to absolute polarity than others.
This menu display shows the versions of the Stellar Gold DAC's operating rmware. It is
informational only. If you need to contact our customer service team for help with your unit,
please have this information ready.
There are 2 sub-menus that can be accessed from the main menu. They are:
• Audio
• System
Once you land on one of the above sub-menus, press the center button of the control
ring once to enter it. If you need to go back one level to the previous menu, do two quick
presses of the center button.
Main Menu:
Filter
Main Menu:
Versions
Main Menu:
Access
Sub-Menus
Main Menu:
Phase

©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
7
Operating Manual
The Audio sub-menu allows you to change the following:
• Input Names (sub-menu)
• Transport Input
• Fixed Volume
• Max Volume
Input Names (sub-menu)
This feature allows you to rename the inputs (I2S 1, I2S 2, Coax 1, Coax 2, Optical, USB)
using a preset list with items like Bridge, CD, DVD, PC, Phono, etc. This is a sub-menu, so
click on the center button to enter it. To use this feature:
• Use the up and down arrows until you land on the input you want to rename. Press the
center button to select it.
• Use the up and down arrows until you land on the name you want. Press the center
button to select it.
• A pop up will appear to ask if you want to rename it. Click the center button to choose
okay or use the right arrow to navigate to cancel rst if you change your mind.
• The input has now been renamed. Do a long press of the menu button (or the center
button) to return to the main display.
Transport Input
Use the Up and Down arrows to select the input you are using for the PS Audio Transport.
Once selected whenever you press Play, Pause, Open or Close on the remote, the DAC
will automatically switch to the input you specied. If you don't have a Transport or don't
want to use this feature, select O.
Fixed Volume
Fixed volume means the volume cannot be changed and all inputs are aected by this
setting. This is useful when feeding the Stellar Gold DAC into a pre-amplier. As a reminder,
if you selected Yes for using a preamp during setup, the xed volume has automatically
been set to 100. If you want to change the volume, use the up and down arrows until you
nd the volume you want and leave it there. (Press and hold to move quickly through the
numbers.) If you don't want the Stellar Gold DAC on xed volume, use the down arrow until
you get to 0 or "O" to disable it.
Max Volume
Setting this value limits the maximum volume when using the up volume control. This value
is ignored if the Fixed Volume setting is enabled. Use the up and down arrow keys to set
the max volume you desire. Set to 100 to disable this feature.
Sub-Menu:
Audio

©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
8
Operating Manual
The System sub-menu has the following features:
• Backlight
• Display Mode
• Trigger Timeout
• IR Enable
• Firmware Update (sub-menu)
• Factory Reset (sub-menu)
Backlight
The brightness of the display and logo button can be adjusted to suit your room. The range
is from 1 to 10.
Display Mode
This menu provides three options for the main display: auto, sample rate and minimal. The
auto function varies depending on whether or not xed volume is on. (As a reminder, if you
indicated you were using a preamp during set up, xed volume is automatically turned on.)
• Auto: When xed volume is on, this shows the input on the main display. If xed volume
is o, this shows the volume on the main display. Both will display small icons when
certain menu options are selected.
Auto: Displays input when xed volume is on. Auto: Displays volume when xed volume is o.
• Sample Rate: This option shows the current sample rate on the main display. Small
icons will be displayed when certain menu options are selected. If the input selected
is not connected - indicated by the red dot in the corner of the screen - the screen will
show the current input instead.
Sample Rate: Displays sample rate if input's good. Sample Rate: Displays input if connection's bad.
Note : It's common for the FPGA to take a second or two to detect the sample rate when
it changes. What may look like delayed reporting is normal. It is a result of detecting and
reporting the correct sample rate.
• Minimal: Provided the connection is good, this option shows the sample rate without
Sub-Menu:
System

Operating Guide
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
9
any icons. If the input is not good, it will show the input with icons.
Minimal: Displays only sample rate when input's good. Minimal: Displays input if connection's bad.
Note : You can also toggle through these three options from the main display by pressing
the center button on the control ring. However, you cannot make a permanent change
without going to the Display Mode menu item.
Trigger Timeout
This feature allows the trigger output to be delayed a period of time after the Stellar Gold
DAC is activated. You can adjust the time it takes for any other units plugged into the
trigger output of the Stellar Gold DAC to turn on once the Stellar Gold DAC is powered up.
The time delay can be adjusted in increments from 0 to 60 seconds.
IR Enable
There are 3 options - O, IR1, and IR2. If you experience interference with your other
devices and your Stellar Gold DAC when using the remote, you can change this setting.
Both the unit and the remote will need to be updated when changing this setting.
• O: This makes it so that no remote works with the Stellar Gold DAC.
• IR1: This is the default setting. If you are not experiencing interference with your other
devices, leave this setting.
• IR2: This changes the remote to a dierent code set. If your remote is interfering with
other devices, for example, turning o your television, change to this setting.
When changing this option, the remote will also need to be updated. To do so, press the
Light Bulb button (bottom of the remote) and the circular O button (top center of the
remote) at the same time. If the remote backlight ashes white once, you are on IR1. If it
ashes white twice, you are on IR2.
Firmware Update (sub-menu)
This feature allows you to select from multiple rmware loads on a USB thumb drive. It
provides a faster and easier method of upgrading and downgrading new rmware for A/B
style testing.
Preparing the USB thumb drive
• You can have as many les on the USB thumb drive as you want, but only the rst ve

Operating Guide
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PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
10
valid les for the device are displayed.
• The les must be named stellar_dac_v#.#.#.bin. For example, stellar_dac_v2.4.1.bin.
• You can have other bin les for other products on this thumb drive (for example, stellar_
pre_v2.1.2.bin). Only les that start with "stellar_dac_" will be loaded by the StellarGold
DAC.
WARNING: In the past, you would update a unit by copying an "image.bin" le to the
thumb drive. This method still works to automatically update a unit after a reboot (you
do not need to go through the menus to use the image.bin le). The image.bin le takes
precedence over the stellar_bin_xxx.bin les. It is recommended to NOT have an image.
bin le on the thumb drive if you are using the stellar_dac_xxx.bin les and the System | FW
Update method to update les.
Upgrading/ Downgrading
• Plug the USB thumb drive into the unit in USB-A slot on the back panel marked FW.
• Enter the menus and go to System | FW Update. Press the center button to enter the
sub-menu.
• The les will display on the screen in alphabetical order.
• Scroll up or down to highlight the le you want to load.
• Press the center button to select the le.
• A progress screen will display. The update process will initialize and then a progress
indicator in percentage complete will display.
• Once complete, the progress screen will indicate the unit is resetting.
• The unit will reset. The Logo LED will blink rapidly as the unit is being programmed.
• Note that if you select the same version that is already loaded, the upgrade will be
skipped and the Logo LED will not blink. The unit will still reset.
• If there is an error, the error will be displayed.
- If you have problems with loading rmware, you can contact PS Audio customer
support with the error you see.
- Press the center button to exit from the error screen
• You can exit the FW Update screen using the right/ left arrows or long pressing the
menu button.
Factory Reset (sub-menu)
This feature allows you to reset all of the conguration settings back to what they were
when the Stellar Gold DAC was shipped from the factory. Any input names and other
settings you have changed will be erased.
To start the factory reset, press the center button when you get to this menu item. It
will ask "Factory Reset System?" Use the left arrow key to highlight reset and press the
center button. After a few seconds, your unit will automatically restart with factory settings
restored.

©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
11
Operating Manual
Your Stellar Gold DAC comes with
a full-function remote control. In
addition to operating your Stellar Gold
DAC, this remote works with all
Stellar products and most functions
will translate to the PerfectWave line.
Remote Code Settings:
Your Stellar Gold DAC comes with
a default code set. If your remote is
interfering with other devices, you
can switch to the second code set.
To do so, press and hold the Light
Bulb button (bottom of the remote)
and the circular O button (top center
of the remote) at the same time. If the
remote backlight ashes white once,
you are now on IR1. If it ashes white
twice, you are now on IR2.
This change will also need to be
done on the unit. See the Update
Firmware section for details.
Button Guide
On: Takes the DAC out of Ready
(Idle) mode and puts it in Operational
mode. In addition, it undoes the Dim
function.
O: Puts the DAC in Ready (idle)
mode.
Dim: Dims the logo button and turns
o the screen and control navigation
backlight. Press On to undo it.
DAC Input Select: Lets you select
the desired input.
DAC Filter: Switch between the 7
lters.
Remote
Control

Reference
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
12
Stellar Gold
DAC Product
Specications
Physical:
Unit Weight 22.5 lbs [10.2 kg]
Unit Dimensions 17"W x 3"H x 12" D
[43.18 cm x 7.62 cm x 30.48 cm]
Shipping Weight 26 lbs [11.8 kg]
Shipping Dimensions 22"W x 8"H x 17"D
[55.88 cm x 20.32 cm x 43.18 cm]
Color Options Black
Silver
Power Requirements:
Input Power Model specic 100VAC, 120VAC, or 230VAC 50 or
60Hz
Power Consumption 30W
Digital Audio Inputs I2S (2), Coax (2), Optical, USB
Sample Rates Optical (TOSLink): PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz,
48kHz, 88.2kHz and 96kHz
S/PDIF (Coax): PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz,
48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz and 192kHz; DoP64
I2S: PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz,
96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, 705.6kHz, and
768kHz; DoP64, DoP128, DoP256, DSD64, DSD128,
and DSD256
USB: PCM 16 and 24 bits at 44.1kHz, 48kHz,
88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, and
384kHz; DoP64, DoP128, DSD64, and DSD128
Analog Audio Output
Output Stage Discrete Op-Amp
Connector RCA single ended, XLR balanced
Output Level High,
Maximum
4 VRMS Balanced
2 VRMS Single Ended

Reference
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
13
Output Impedance 100Ω / 200Ω
Frequency Response 20Hz-20kHz, +/- 0.1dB; 10Hz-70kHz, -1dB
Max Output 4V RMS Balanced, 2V RMS single-ended
THD+N @ 1KHx (full scale) <0.002% at full output
IMD <0.002%, CCIF, at full output
SNR >127dB, referenced to 4V RMS
Data Handling:
Format PCM or DSD
Sample Rate (PCM) 44.1kHz, 48.0kHz, 88.2kHz, 96.0kHz, 176.4kHz,
192kHz, 352.8kHz, 384kHz, 705.6kHz, 768kHz
Word Length (PCM) 16-32-bit
Data Rate (DSD) Up to DSD256 (11.2MHz) via DoP and Native DSD1024
Digital Volume Control Yes
Analog Conversion
Method
ES9038PRO DAC Chip
I2S Digital Input:
Connector HDMI
Format PCM or DSD. DoP on all inputs as well as native DSD on
I2S inputs
USB Digital Input:
Connector USB "B" Type
Format PCM, DoP v1.1 (DSD over PCM), or Native DSD
Transfer Mode Asynchronous

Reference
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
14
Navigating the Menus:
• To enter the menus, do a long press of the menu button. A gear icon will appear in the
right corner of the screen to show you are in the menus. Do another long press to leave
the menus. Note: Menus time out after 15 seconds of inactivity.
• Scroll through menu and sub menu items using the right and left arrows. Use the up
and down arrows to change values for specic items.
• Unless otherwise specied, scrolling to your choice and leaving it on the screen updates
your settings.
• Menu items with sub-menus are indicated by a right arrow. Press center button to enter
them.
• Two quick presses of the
center button take you back
one menu level. For example,
if you are in the Audio sub-
menu and press the center
button twice, you will return to
the main menu.
Top Level Menu
Use to scroll through menu and sub-menu items.
Balance Reduce the gain of the left channel
Reduce the gain of the right channel
Filter Scroll lters 1-7
Scroll lters 7-1
Filter 1 - MinSlow
Filter 2 - MinFast
Filter 3 - Hybrid
Filter 4 - LinSlow
Filter 5 - LinFast
Filter 6 - Apodize
Filter 7 - Brkwall
Phase Scroll to change absolute polarity
from "Norm" (Normal to "Inv" (Inverted).
Versions
(Informational Only) Scroll information
Audio (Sub-Menu) Enter Menu (see more in Audio Sub-Menu)
System (Sub-Menu) Enter Menu (see more in System Sub-Menu)
Menu
Operations
Top Level Menu

Reference
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
15
Audio Sub-Menu
From the main menu, nd Audio then press to enter the Audio sub-menu.
Input Names
(Sub-Menu) Enter Input Name Sub-Menu
Scroll through input list
Select input you want to rename
Scroll through names until you nd the one you want.
Select your name. Press again to conrm.
Transport
Input
Scroll to nd the input you are using for a PS Audio transport (if
applicable). The Stellar DAC will now automatically switch to this
input when Play, Pause, Open or Close are pressed on the remote.
Select O to disable.
Fixed Volume Scroll to select a xed volume. If undesired, go down to 0 or O.
Max Volume Scroll to select a max volume. If undesired, select 100 to disable.
System Sub-Menu
From the main menu, nd System then press to enter the System sub-menu.
Backlight Scroll to select 1-10. 10 is brightest.
Display Mode Scroll to select auto (xed volume on = input, xed
volume o = volume), sample rate, or minimal
(sample rate, no icons) for the main display.
Trigger Timeout
(delay output to other
devices for short period after
Stellar DAC activated)
Scroll to select 0 seconds to 1 minute for trigger
timeout. Select o to disable.
Audio
Sub-Menu
System
Sub-Menu

Reference
©2023 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
PS Audio® Inc. 800-PSAUDIO 4865 Sterling Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301
Owner’s Reference Stellar Gold DAC
16
IR Enable Choose O (no remote works), IR1 (default) or
IR2 (if remote is interfering with other devices).
Firmware Update
(sub-menu)
This is a multi-step process. See section on System/
Firmware Update for instructions.
Factory Reset
(sub-menu) To select factory reset. Use right arrow to select reset
and press it again.
System
Sub-Menu
Continued