QUAD Artera Play User manual

Artera Play
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Read these instructions.
Keep these instructions.
Heed all warnings.
Follow all instructions.
Do not use this apparatus near water.
Clean only with dry cloth.
Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding plug. A grounding plug has two blades and a
third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong
is provided for your safety. 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 the plugs, convenience receptacles, and at the
point where they exit from the apparatus.
Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with
the apparatus. When a cart or rack is used,
use caution when moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
This lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an
equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of non-insulated “dangerous voltage” within the
product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to
constitute a risk of electric shock.
Warning: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not
remove the cover (or back) as there are no user-serviceable
parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified personnel.
This exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.
Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is
required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way,
such as power supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the
apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally, or has been dropped.
Mains Supply: The mains operating voltage of all QUAD
Artera series units is shown on the rear panel. If this voltage
does not match the mains voltage in your area, consult your
QUAD dealer about converting the unit.
The mains supply fuse on the rear panel is accessible when
the IEC mains plug has been removed. In the rare event that
it has broken, check for any obvious cause before replacing
the fuse with one of the correct rating and type. The fuse
values are:
220 – 240V (UK, China, etc.) T500mAL 250V Slow Blow
100 – 120V (USA, Japan, etc.) T1.0AL 250V Slow Blow
WARNING: Only use attachments/accessories specified or
provided by the manufacturer (such as the exclusive supply
adapter, battery etc.).
WARNING: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly
replaced. Replace only with the same or equivalent type.
WARNING: The battery (battery or batteries or battery pack)
shall not be exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire
or the like.
WARNING: The mains plug/appliance coupler/direct
plug-in adapter is used as disconnection device; the
disconnection device shall remain readily operable.
CAUTION: These servicing instructions are for use by
qualified service personnel only. To reduce the risk of
electric shock, do not perform any servicing other than
that contained in the operating instructions unless you are
qualified to do so.
Do not install this equipment in a confined or built-in space
such as a bookcase or similar unit, and keep well ventilated
in open space. The ventilation should not be impeded
by covering the ventilation openings with items such as
newspaper, table-cloths, curtains etc.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do
not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture. The apparatus
shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and ensure
that objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall not be
placed on the apparatus. No naked flame sources, such as
lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus.
AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE-NE PAS
OUVRIR WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD-DO NOT OPEN
This equipment is a Class II or double insulated
electrical appliance. It has been designed in
such a way that it does not require a safety
connection to electrical earth.
This label tells you that the unit
contains a Laser component.
Opening the unit will expose the user
to radiation from the laser beam.
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4
CONTENTS
Artera Play
USER GUIDE
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION……………………………………Inside Front Cover
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………… 2
UNPACKING THE EQUIPMENT………………………………………………………………. 2
PLACEMENT……………………………………………………………………………………… 2
REMOTE HANDSET……………………………………………………………………………... 3
CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS………………………………………………………….. 5
INSTALLATION………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
OPERATIONS…………………………………………………………………………………... 10
SPECIFICATIONS……………………………………………………………………………… 18
CARE AND CLEANING………………………………………………………………………. 19
SERVICE INFORMATION…………………………………………………………………..… 19
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CENTRE ADDRESS………………………………………….. 19
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to QUAD Artera, the most complete series of modern source and amplification units that
you need to create a fully functional hi-fi system for today’s multitude of music sources.
Whether your choice is an all-in-one and simple-to-use Artera CD or the separate CD Digital
Source and Power Amplifier units, QUAD Artera delivers uncannily realistic sound quality from
beautifully engineered electronics.
The uncluttered fascia cleverly hides the complexity of electronics inside Artera. QUAD engineers
have excelled themselves in providing everything you need to interconnect digital and analogue
sources and play them without having to work through a minefield of buttons and knobs.
In addition our engineers have not lost sight of QUAD’s legendary performance – Artera for ‘The
Closest Approach To The Original Sound’.
UNPACKING THE EQUIPMENT
The Artera Play carton contains:
• The Artera Play
• The Artera Play Owner’s Manual
• One Glass Top for Artera Play
• One IEC mains cable with a plug suitable for your area
• Remote Handset and two AAA batteries
• CD-ROM - QUAD Audio Driver
Consult the dealer from whom you purchased the equipment if any item is not present. Carefully
unpack the unit and accessories. Take care not to damage the surface finish when undoing the
protective polythene sleeve. Retain the packing materials for future use. Retain the user manual
and information concerning the date and place of purchase of your equipment for future reference.
If you transfer the unit to a third party please pass on this instruction manual along with the
equipment.
PLACEMENT
The unit must be mounted on a solid, level and stable surface. If you are likely to play your system
at high volume levels, the Artera Play should be mounted on its own shelf with sufficient ventilation
above and to the sides and rear.
Before you connect the QUAD Artera Play to the mains, ensure your mains voltage corresponds to
the rating on the rear panel of the product. If in doubt, consult your dealer. If you move to an area
which has a different mains voltage, seek advice from a QUAD appointed dealer or a competent
service technician.
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REMOTE HANDSET
1 Standby Press to bring the unit in/out of Standby
2 Mute Press to mute/unmute the sound
3 Number keys See “Handset Operation” below
4 Store Press to store a track in Program mode
5 Volume+ Increase Volume
6 Press to start/pause CD/USB playback
7 Move to the next track of CD/USB
8 Volume– Decrease Volume
9 Press and hold to Fast Reverse/ Fast Forward search
10 Digital Press to select Digital inputs
11 CD Press to select CD playback
12 USB Press to select the USB input
13 Display Press to alter the display ON/OFF
Press and hold to alter the display brightness
14 Info Press to display more information
15 Prog Press to enter a program of tracks
Press and hold to select a filter.
16 Press once to replay the current track of CD/USB
Press again to move to the previous track of CD/USB
17 Press to stop CD
18 Press to eject/load the disc
19 Aux1/Aux2 Press to select Analogue inputs
20 Random Press to select/deselect random play
21 Repeat Press to select a repeat mode
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Fitting Handset Batteries
Open the battery cover. Unwrap the two supplied AAA batteries and place them in the battery
compartment with the polarity as shown. Replace the cover.
Always use AAA batteries and always replace them in sets. Never mix old and new batteries. Very
weak batteries can leak and damage the handset. Replace them in good time!
There is a risk of fire and burns if a battery is handled improperly. Do not disassemble, crush,
puncture, short external contacts, or dispose of in fire or water. Do not attempt to open or service a
battery. Discard used batteries in full accordance with recycling regulations in force in your area.
1: Open the battery compartment cover
2: Insert 2 AAA batteries
3: Replace the cover
Handset Operation
Point the handset at the remote receiver and press the relevant key. The handset should be within
10 metres of the player and there must be a clear line of sight between the two units.
Selecting tracks with the number keypad:
If there are less than 10 tracks: pressing any number will begin playback from the track selected.
If there are 10 - 19 tracks: If you press any key other than “1” the player will jump to the track.
If “1” is pressed the player will pause briefly to allow you to enter another digit. If no key is pressed
within the three seconds, track 1 will play.
If there are between 20 & 29 tracks: If you press any key other than “1” or “2” the player will
jump directly to the track. If you press “1” or “2” the player will pause briefly to allow you to enter
another digit before starting playback, and so on.
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CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
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INSTALLATION
Open the carton box, take out the glass top and the Artera Play separately. Place the Artera Play
onto a sturdy shelf or table. Put the glass top on the lid of Artera Play after making all connections.
Before making any connections to your high fidelity equipment make sure that all units in the system
are switched off and unplugged at the mains.
Mains Connections
Before connecting your QUAD equipment to the AC mains supply, check and make sure the voltage
marked on the back matches the voltage of your supply.
Power On/Off switch
The Power On/Off switch is on the rear panel of QUAD Artera Play. When the TRIG OUT(+12V) of
Play is connected to TRIG IN of QUAD Artera Stereo using a 3.5mm mono cable then the triggers
are ready for the connection. This switch should be left switched on as the Play will remotely switch
QUAD Artera Stereo on when it is brought in and out of standby. The On/Off switch may be
switched off when Artera Stereo or Artera Play is not in use.
Analogue Signal Input Connections
The Unbalanced Input
AUX1 and AUX2 are two sets of RCA unbalanced analogue inputs.
Connect an RCA phono interconnect between the unbalanced input on the Artera Play rear panel
with the matching output of the souce unit. Interconnects should be of low-noise construction and
fully screened to minimize hum and noise transmission.
Analogue Signal Output Connections
The XLR Balanced Output
If you are connecting a QUAD Artera Play to a QUAD Artera Stereo or other amplification with
balanced inputs we strongly advocate the use of the balanced XLR connections.
A major advantage of balanced interconnects is the suppression of ground loop problems.
Balanced line inputs use 3 conductors, one for the ground and two for the voltage difference
between the signal and the ground at the source unit. The signal is thus ‘cleaner’ and free from
earth-induced currents and other LF artefacts and improved S/N ratio.
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The Unbalanced Output
The QUAD Artera Play has one set of unbalanced RCA analogue signal output (PRE) for connection
to units which do not feature balanced inputs.
Digital Signal Input Connections
As the DACs in the Artera Play will be superior to those of regular DVD players, DVB receivers, etc.
We urge you to use these units with the Play for superior sound reproduction. The digital inputs are
customizable to suit your source equipment. (refer to Page 16 )
Coaxial Inputs
DIG1 and DIG2 are coaxial SPDIF inputs. Connect an RCA digital interconnect between the digital
coaxial output of the source unit to the required input on the Play.
Optical Inputs
OPT1 and OPT2 are optical SPDIF inputs. Connect an optical (TOSlink) interconnect between the
digital optical output of the source unit to the required input on the Play.
USB Input
The USB input enables you to connect a Mac or PC to the Play for playing audio files stored on a
computer. Connect a USB cable between a USB port on the computer to the USB input on the Play.
Digital interconnects should be adequately specified and kept short to optimise performance.
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Digital Signal Output Connections
Two digital outputs are provided. These outputs are for those who wish to connect the Play to
external standard audio DACs.
DIG & OPT Outputs
A coaxial and an optical output are available. These are the connections that will be normally used
to connect the Play to external standard audio DACs.
Trigger Connections
If you have a Quad Artera system, we advise connecting the trigger. This will enable all Artera units
to be brought in and out of standby along with trigger inputs and outputs.
To connect the triggers, you will need a cable with one end to match the trigger input of the slave
unit and other terminating in a 3.5mm jack plug. For Artera series units, this will be a 3.5mm to
3.5mm interconnect.
The triggers on the Artera Play are master (output) triggers. They are used exclusive to control other
equipment.
Connect the TRIG OUT of Artera Play to the TRIG IN of Artera Stereo or other Artera series unit, or
any other slave unit having a 12V trigger in.
Artera Play Artera Stereo
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System Connection
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OPERATIONS
Switching On
The power supple input is via an IEC mains connect and an appropriate mains lead is supplied.
Connect the mains leads to all system components and then to the wall sockets ensuring that the
mains switches on all units and wall sockets are switched off.
Check that all leads are correctly installed. Switch on the mains supply to the source units and the
power amplifier/s. All connected unit/s will go to standby and the Power LED/s on the front panel/s
will indicate Red.
If the trigger system is connected: Press the Standby button on the Artera Play or on the remote
handset. The connected Artera Stereo will go from Standby to “Active”. The display of Artera Play
lights up.
Auto Standby Mode
Artera Play will not enter Auto Standby mode by default. However Auto Standby function is
available and was designed to offer users the option of enabling low-power settings that save
energy, this can be simply adjusted by using the Standby button. Press and hold the Standby button
on the front panel during the operating state for 3 seconds. “Auto Standby 20 Minutes” will appear
briefly on screen and the Power LED will flash once.
In status Auto Standby, Artera Play will automatically go into standby mode when there is no signal
input and operation for 20 minutes, or CD stopped for 20 minutes.
Note: Auto Standby mode will be retained on Artera Play even it enters Standby but not Power Off.
To exit Auto Standby mode:
• Press and hold the Standby button on the front panel during the operating state for 3 seconds, “Auto
Standby Never” will appear briefly on screen and the Power LED will flash twice, Play will resume
Auto Standby Never mode.
• Power Off and On again, Play will be reset.
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Power Up Sequence
Switch on display: The welcome screen displays “QUAD” for 5 seconds, indicating that the Player is
under digital filter settings and user operation is disable. And then the active input selection.
When first switched on: The CD input is selected by default. The Play will attempt to read the disc.
If no disc is present the player will display “No Disc” and stop.
Selecting an Input
Besides CD, there are one USB, two optical, two coaxial and two analogue inputs. Short touch
the SOURCE button on the front panel repeatedly to cycle the inputs CD-USB-OPT1-OPT2-DIG1-
DIG2-AUX1-AUX2. Or simply press the required button on the handset to select the desired input.
Loading a CD
Insert a CD into the slot, the Play will automatically start to load the disc and display the Table of
Contents then stop.
Ejecting a CD
Press the Open/Close key on the front panel or the handset, remove the disc until “No Disc” is
displayed.
If the disc is not removed within ten minutes the Play will reload and read the disc.
Trk 12
58:14
No Disc
No. of Tracks
Total Playing Time
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Playing a CD
To play a CD from the start: Press the Play/Pause key on the handset or touch the Play/Pause button
on the front panel.
To play a CD from a selected track:
1) Repeatedly press the / on the handset. When the track is reached stop pressing and the
player will play from the selected track.
2) Enter the required track number from the handset. The disc will play from the selected track.
Pausing a CD during play
Press the Play/Pause key on the handset or touch the Play/Pause button on the front panel, pause
icon appears briefly on screen, the CD will pause.
Press the Play/Pause key on the handset or touch the Play/Pause button on the front panel again,
play icon appears briefly on screen, the CD will resume play.
Note: The CD will stop if CD paused for 15 minutes.
Selecting tracks during play
1) Repeatedly press the / on the handset or quick touch the Play/Pause button on the front
panel twice to continually select NEXT TRACK. When the wanted track is reached stop pressing and
the player will play from the selected track.
2) Enter the required track number from the handset. The disc will play from the selected track. For
handset operation refer to Page 4.
Forward and Reverse Search during play:
Press and hold the / on the handset. The forward and reverse search will start. Play reverts
to normal when the key is released.
Random Play
• Press the Random key on the handset to play all the tracks on the disc in random sequence. The
Random On icon appears briefly on screen.
• Press the info key on the handset, the Random icon will be displayed.
• Press the Random key again to return to the normal sequence. The Random Off icon appears
briefly on screen.
CD Vol 12
Trk 2 00:18
Random
Input
No. of
Tracks
Volume
Track Time
Elapsed
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Repeat Play
• Press the Repeat key once to repeat one track continuously. The Repeat 1 icon appears briefly on
screen. You can also select a new track and this will be continuously repeated. Press the info key
on the handset, the Repeat 1 icon will be displayed.
• Press the Repeat key twice to repeat all the tracks on the disc continuously. The Repeat All icon
appears briefly on screen.
• Press the info key on the handset, the Repeat All icon will be displayed.
• Press the Repeat key again to cancel repeat mode, the Repeat Off icon appears briefly on screen.
Stopping a disc
1) Press the Stop key on the handset. If Random or Repeat play is selected, pressing Stop key does
not cancel these options. They must be cancelled as described above.
2) Eject and load the disc, play stops and the disc reloads. All options are reset.
Program Play
You can programme a sequence of tracks to play in any order of your choosing. Program mode
must be accessed from the handset when the disc is stopped.
Example: enter a programme of three tracks (The displays shown below are the cases when press
the info key on the handset).
1) Stop the CD playback.
2) Press the Prog button on the handset, Program On appears briefly on screen then the Program
screen deploys. NO Track will be displayed.
3) Enter a track with the number keys. The track number flashes.
4) Press Store to program the track.
5) Enter another track (or the same track) with the number keys.
6) Press Store to program the track.
7) Repeat the procedure to enter all three tracks.
8) When all the tracks are entered:
To play the program: press
To cancel a program during programming: press the Stop key, program Off appears briefly on
screen.
CD Vol 12
Trk 2 00:24
Repeat 1
CD Vol 12
Trk 2 00:15
Repeat All
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CD Vol 12
No Track
Program
PRG
During Programme Play:
1) Pause, Stop, Previous track, Next track, Fast Forward, Fast Reverse are available.
2) Direct track selection with the number keys is disabled.
3) Repeat play (Repeat 1, Repeat All) is enabled but Random play is disabled.
Stopping Programme Play:
1) Press Stop once to stop play, Playback stops but the programme is retained in memory. To replay
the programme, press .
2) When the programme is in stop mode, further tracks can be added following the procedure
above.
3) Press Stop twice to stop programme play and erase the programme. Program Off appears briefly
on screen.
4) Eject and load the disc will also erase the programme.
Volume Adjustment
To alter the volume level from the handset:
Press the Volume+/- keys to alter the level as required.
To alter the volume level from the front panel:
1) Touch and hold the SOURCE button to enter the volume adjustment mode.
2) Increase the volume level by touching the PLAY/PAUSE button.
3) Decrease the volume level by touching the SOURCE button.
If there is a delay of more than 2 seconds between pressing the SOURCE button and altering the
volume, the procedure will self cancel.
The volume level is variable between 0 and 42.
Notes:
When first switched on: The system sets the default volume level to 12 - a safe low level.
When next switched on: If the unit was switched off with the volume level set above 12, the
default level of 12 will be restored. If the unit was switched off with the volume level set below 12,
the lower level will be displayed when the unit is next switched on.
Prg2
Track
CD Vol 12
Trk 3 16:02
A programme
of 3 tracks
PRG
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Mute
Press the MUTE key on the handset to mute the sound output. The word “Mute” appears briefly on
screen and then the play screen restores.
Pressing the info key on the handset the “Mute” will be displayed, indicating that the player is in
mute.
When the output is muted:
• Pressing the Mute key on the handset cancels mute.
• Changing the Volume level cancels mute.
• Bringing the unit into and out of Standby will cancel mute.
Playing a USB input
Install the QUAD Audio Driver from the CD-ROM provided as accessory. The USB and DSD Setup
Guide is burnt on the CD-ROM, please refer to the file when installing the software. Connect your
computer to the Play via USB cable (type A to Type B), change the Play mode to USB input using the
handset or the button on the front panel.
“Unlocked” will be displayed if no input signal for USB. The Play with digital inputs will lock onto
the input data when there is an input signal for USB. The display screen will then indicate the presence
of a digital signal and show the output sampling frequency of the music file in your computer.
If input sampling frequency is 384kHz, display show is PCM384 kHz.
If the format of music file is DSD64, display show is DSD2.8MHz.
If the format of music file is DSD128, display show is DSD5.6MHz.
If the format of music file is DSD256, display show is DSD11.2MHz.
Press the info key on the handset, display shown as following: (e.g. On your computer, input
sampling frequency is 384KhZ or the format of music file is DSD 256)
HID function is available when playing PC USB. Play, Pause, Previous track, Next track can be
controlled by the handset.
CD Mute
Trk 4 02:25
USB Vol 12
PCM 384kHz
USB Vol 12
DSD11.2MHz
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Playing an External SPDIF input
There are two optical and two coaxial SPDIF inputs for QUAD Artera Play: OPT1-OPT2-DIG1-
DIG2, press the required button on the handset or short touch the SOURCE button on the front
panel to select the desired input.
“Unlocked” will be displayed if no input signal for SPDIF input. The display screen will then display
the sampling frequency when there is an input signal for SPDIF input. The displays shown below
are the cases when press the info key on the handset. (e.g. input sampling frequency is 192KHZ for
DIG1 )
When playing an external SPDIF input, volume, mute, info and display functions only are available.
All other control functions are carried out from the source unit.
Digital Filter (CD, digital and USB inputs only)
The Artera Play uniquely offers you a wide choice of filters to enhance your listening experience.
There are 4 filters choices: Fast, Smooth, Wide and Narrow. The default digital filter for the Artera
Play is “Fast”. Press and hold the Prog key on the handset, the word “Digital Filter” appears on
screen, short press the Prog key on the handset to repeatedly alter the Digital Filter Fast-Smooth-
Wide-Narrow.
Altering the Display Brightness
Short press the Display key on the handset, the word “Display Off” appears briefly on screen and
the display will revert to off.
Short press the Display key on the handset again, the word “Display On” appears briefly on screen
and the display will revert to on.
There are 5 levels of brightness available. Press and hold the Display key on the handset, the word
“Brightness Level 5” appears briefly on screen, this is the default setting. Short press the Display key
on the handset repeatedly to alter the level from 1-5.
The Brightness level will be retained on Artera Play even it enters Standby but not Power Off.
COAX1 Vol 12
Unlocked
COAX1 Vol 12
PCM192kHz
Display Off Display On
Brightness
Level 5
Brightness
Level 1
Brightness
Level 2
Brightness
Level 3
Brightness
Level 4
Digital Filter
Fast
Digital Filter
Smooth
Digital Filter
Wide
Digital Filter
Narrow
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The “Fast” filter exhibits no ringing – the transient nature of the music is preserved. This type of filter
has a purity and “naturalness” sound.
The “Smooth” filter is a digital filter which implements sampling theory and is designed for near
perfect technical response in the frequency domain. It’s quite useful for simpler acoustic recordings
as it sounds more natural. The filter has slightly lower bandwidth but superior rejection of out of
spectrum noise and thus has a very clear, smooth, open sound.
The “Wide” filter has a gentle rate of attenuation, minimum “time-domain ringing”, minimal out of
spectrum noise and thus is quite useful for high sample rate (96kHz and above) files. It has a very
‘clean’ sound, even if it doesn’t have the transient impact of “Fast”.
The “Narrow” filter typifies industrial standard characteristics (-6dB at 1/2 Fs with significant time-
domain ringing) and is included here for comparison purposes. This filter has high jitter tolerance.
The Digital Filter state will be retained on Artera Play even it enters Standby but not Power Off.
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