Resonessence INVICTA User manual

INVICTA/MIRUS
User Guide
Front Panel Controls,
Remote Control,
Upgrading Firmware,
and arranty Description
Resonessence Labs,
Kelowna, BC Canada.
www.resonessencelabs.com
Operating
System
Revision 6.2

Overview
The MIRUS variant of INVICTA is
designed for those customers who prefer
to listen to music without headphones. It
replaces the Headphone module with
another ESS Sabre ES9018 module that is
made to work in parallel with the first
ES9018 module. Having two ES9018
improves performance even further. e
can guarantee >130dB of Dynamic range
and better than -114dB (0.0002%) THD +
Noise in the MIRUS rear-panel outputs.
INVICTA and MIRUS share the
same DSP platform and are upgradable
with the same upgrade file. Version 6.2.0
of the firmware adds Asian Character
support and the ability to fade out the
OLED display, plus other improvements.
DSD64 and DSD128 are supported, and
the maximum sample rate data rate is
384kS/S. e support (and ship with the
product) the Apple IR Remote Control1.
1 e no longer ship the original Resonessence Remote
control unit, but we continue to support it
There are six basic operating
modes corresponding to the six selectable
sources. Stereo digital audio data from
the currently selected source is played
back via the headphone, XLR, and RCA
analog outputs simultaneously, but
provide an option to disable any outputs
you are not currently using. Data from the
SD Card or USB is simultaneously output
on the TOSLINK optical output port in
S/PDIF digital format.
The volume control setting is
applied to all analog outputs. Preset trim
levels are available in the A and B
headphone channels to compensate for
variable headphone sensitivity.
USB mode supports Play/Pause,
Previous and Next track from the front
panel buttons or remote. SD Card mode
supports Play/Pause, Fast Forward, Next,
Rewind and Previous from the front panel
buttons or remote control.
Illustration 1: INVICTA showing SD Directory on HDMI Monitor

The SD Card source provides a scroll-
through list of song titles found on the
card. AV, AIFF, FLAC, DFF and DSD
data formats of up to 384kS/, 24 bit word
width are supported. Direct Stream
Digital (DSD) is supported on the SD
Card via the DSF and DFF file formats.
The SD Card may contain
directories and a browse feature displays
files of the supported types. SD, SDHC
and SDXC cards are supported.
The USB source supports
selectable, asynchronous USB Audio 2.0
and USB Audio 1.0 communication
protocols, and supports Direct Stream
Digital with DSD over PCM (DoP)
protocol.
Resonessence provides a driver
that you may install on your PC to enable
all the features of USB Audio 2.0 in the
indows OS.
User options such as default
source, headphone trim levels, display
brightness, etc may be set in a user
configurations menu. Legacy digital data
suffering from a known signal inversion
problem may be corrected by a setting in
the user options menu.
Seven different up-sampling filters
may be selected, five are Resonessence
designed audiophile audited advanced
filters. Each filter may be selected during
playback (it can be switched on-the-fly
and is glitch-free. To activate press the
“Filter Setting” button on the remote
while playing, or configure in “User
Settings” as explained later in this
document).
A track may be played repeatedly
by pressing the “Mode” button on the
front panel while playing.

The HDMI output displays the SD
Card directory structure and shows the
current track playing. In SD Card mode,
HDMI output shows Album Art in PNG,
BMP and JPG format. HDMI output is
720p 60Hz and as such operates with any
compatible TV or Computer Monitor.
The user may set the available
modes such that at power up Headphone,
XLR/RCA and HDMI are enabled or not.
This allows the INVICTA to power up in
your preferred mode.
System upgrade from SD Card
allows the user to conveniently update the
internal software from the SD Card. No
PC or MAC needed for software updates.
Operating System Rev 6.2.0 add the
following:
1. Support for Asian Characters
2. Ability to fade-out the OLED
display.
3. Option to disable Toslink output
(so that it remains in Input mode)
Operating System Rev. 5.0 adds the
following major features:
1. DSD 128
2. Apple Remote for Invicta/Mirus
3. Doubling of the maximum data rate
to 352.8kS/S and 384kS/S
The earlier 4.2.0 release already added:
4. DSD64
5. DSF and DFF file support on
SD Card.
6. DoP (DSD over PCM) via USB
Consequently the INVICTA and MIRUS
platform now supports DSD in its DSD64
and DSD128 formats.
Data Sources
1. BNC1 (S/PDIF): Data in consumer
or professional mode single-ended
Sony/Philips Digital Interface
Format from the BNC1 terminal.
2. BNC2 (S/PDIF): Data in consumer
or professional mode single-ended
Sony/Philips Digital Interface
Format from the BNC2 terminal.
3. TOSLINK (S/PDIF): Optical data
from the TOSLINK input is used as
the data source.
4. AES/EBU (S/PDIF): Data in
consumer or professional mode
differential S/PDIF is accepted
from the AES/EBU XLR connector
on the back panel.
5. USB Audio Streaming Driver: data
delivered by USB Audio 2.0 (Mac,
or PC with Resonessence driver) or
USB Audio 1.0 (Microsoft
indows native driver) is accepted
from the USB port.
6. SD Card: files in AV, AIFF,
FLAC, DSF and DFF format
present in the directory structure
of the data card in the front panel
slot are used as the data source.
The default data source at power up may
be set in the user options menu.

Front Panel Controls
Mirus has all the same controls with the exception of those associated with the headphone output.

Remote Control Keys (Apple IR Remote Control)
MIRUS and INVICTA with software revisions of 5.0.0 or later respond to both the Apple IR Remote
Control (which we ship with the units) and also to the older Resonessence remote control.
There are not as many keys on the Apple Remote as on the Resonessence Remote Control, but we have
mapped the following functions to the Apple Remote which cover all the requirements. The remote
buttons operate differently depending whether music is playing, (or more accurately, if the large
volume level numbers are visible) or not.
Common Operations (whether playing music or not)
Hold Down the Center Button
for more than a brief period Power Down/Power Up. Used to shut down and power up the unit.
Hold Down the Menu Button
for more than a brief period
OLED Video Mute/Un-
Mute.
Used to blank the OLED
Display.
hile Navigating (music not playing, volume indicator not visible)
Up Button Scroll UP in the menus.
Down Button Scroll DO N in the menus.
Center Button Select or push into the
selected item.
Menu Button Pop out of the current menu
item.
hile Playing (music playing, that is, volume indicator is visible)
Up Button Volume level increase.
Down Button Volume level decrease.
Left Button Previous Track/Rewind. USB and SD Card. Rewind
applies only to the SD Card.
Right Button Next Track/Fast Forward.
USB and SD Card. Fast
Forward applies only to the
SD Card.
Play/Pause Button Pauses and resumes the
track
Applies to music from the
USB or SD Card. Mutes other
sources.
Play/Pause Button pressed for
more than a brief period
Cycle through the filter
options.
Used to change the filter on-
the-fly to the listener’s
preference.
Menu Button Select another audio source. Used to switch to another
audio source.

Remote Control Keys (Resonessence Remote)2
Press briefly on the “Pop / Back”
button of the remote to return to the top
level menu. Press the “Up” or “Down”
button to select the Data Source.
Press briefly on the “Power On /
Standby” button of the remote to blank the
OLED display, press and hold to enter or
leave the standby state.
Press and hold the Volume and
Function/Select Knob to enter or leave the
power down state from the front panel.
During playback, press the “Filter
Setting” button to choose any of the seven
audiophile quality up-sampling filters.
†Fast Forward, Play/Pause and Rewind
operate in SD Card and USB mode.
Rear Panel Connectors
2 e no longer ship the Resonessence Remote control but we continue to support it.

Using Headphones (INVICTA)
Connect the Headphone into the
“A” or “B” headphone port on the front
panel. To activate the headphone output,
press the button above the socket to
illuminate the LED. Each headphone
output has a “trim level” - used to reduce
the output to a sensitive headphone so
that the perceived level is similar when
both headphone outputs are used at the
same time. To adjust the trim level, press
and hold the A or B button to activate the
trim control feature and turn the volume
knob. (A default trim level may be stored
in the User Settings menu.) Significant
power can be output to the headphones,
take care to ensure that the volume level
is set to a reasonable level before
activating the headphone output.
For advanced users, the headphone
output may be switched to differential
mode. In this configuration the 'A' output
becomes a differential drive to the Left
headphone and the 'B' output becomes a
differential drive to the Right headphone.
Amplifier with Loudspeakers
Connect the power amplifier input
to either the balanced XLR outputs or to
the single-ended RCA output terminals.
The output amplitudes are designed to
drive the power amplifier input section of
commercial and professional amplifiers.
If the input must be provided to the
preamplifier input terminals, ensure the
volume level is set to -30dB initially, after
which you may increase the level if
needed. (Refer to resonessencelabs.com/?
page_id=314 for more details. An
appropriate default start-up level may
then be stored in the User Settings menu).
Selection of Data Sources
To select the Digital Data source,
press the “Pop / Back” button on the
front panel or remote to return to the top
most menu. That menu contains BNC1,
BNC2, TOSLINK, AES, USB, SD Card
and INVICTA Options. Rotate the knob
or press Up and Down on the remote to
select the desired data source and either
press the knob or the Next button on the
remote. That data source is now active
and if the choice was to use USB, the
INVICTA will initiate the enumeration
sequence to connect to the host computer
in the USB Audio 1.0 or USB Audio 2.0
mode.
Please read the notes below on the
use of USB Audio 2.0 on a indows PC.
USB Digital Data
If you plan to use the Resonessence
SB Audio 2.0 driver on your Windows
PC, please refer to Appendix A for
installation instructions. Without this
driver, Windows only has SB Audio 1.0
capability.
Begin by ensuring that the
INVICTA USB is set to use the audio
specification that you wish to use. USB
Audio 1.0 or 2.0 is selected in the “User
Settings”, see the section below for
instructions on how to change settings.
The Mac computer can use USB
Audio 2.0 without any further
configuration, and the best performance
will result when USB 2.0 is selected in
the user settings.
The indows OS natively only
supports USB Audio 1.0, and
consequently, third-party drivers are
needed to support USB Audio 2.0 on
indows. (Resonessence supplies such a

driver, see Appendix A for installation
instructions.) Use of indows without
any special driver requires the INVICTA
be configured for USB Audio 1.0.
Connect the INVICTA to the host
computer USB port. The INVICTA uses
the high speed USB ports of the host. So
called “Full-Speed” USB ports are slower
than the “High-Speed” ports, ensure the
INVICTA is connected to a High-Speed
port. Once connected and with USB
selected as the data source, the host
computer will recognize the INVICTA as
a potential audio output device. Select the
INVICTA as the default output in the host
computer's audio control panel.
Any music now played on the host
(via indows Media Player or similar)
will be routed to the INVICTA. The
Pause, Next and Previous buttons (on the
front panel and remote) will operate with
the host's music playing application.
USB data will be sent out via the
TOSLINK output port to any additional
external devices.
SD Card Data Source
hen the SD Card is selected as
the data source, any card inserted into the
front panel slot will be read and the
directory structure will be visible on the
front display and on any HDMI
connected monitor. Please note that the
SD Card must be formatted for the FAT32
file system format.
Files in AV, AIFF, FLAC, DSF,
and DFF format will be presented as
playable items. (Both DSD64 and
DSD128 are supported.) Navigate to the
desired track using the knob (push to
enter directory) and the left most button
(push to exit directory), or the “Up”,
“Down”, “Into” and “Out” of Directory
buttons on the remote. The files and
directories are presented vertically, and
moving right selects the item.
hen a file is selected the track
will begin to play. Any album art will be
displayed on an attached HDMI monitor,
and the playback status will also be
shown. See 'User Settings' to configure
the HDMI output.
SD Card data will be sent out via
the TOSLINK output port to any
additional external devices while the
track plays.
Other Data Sources
hen valid S/PDIF data is detected
on the selected source, the INVICTA will
start to decode and present the audio
output to all enabled analog outputs. Use
this method to connect to CD/DVD/BD
players via the TOSLINK input port, or to
professional audio equipment via the
BNC and AES ports. Note that the
INVICTA decodes stereo S/PDIF (i.e.
uncompressed) data sources.
User Settings
Various configuration settings can
be set as default in the user setting menu.
Press and release the “Pop / Back” on the
front panel or remote until the top menu
is reached. Navigate down to the last item
which is “INVICTA Options”. Move right
to select this item.
The following items are provided
for user settings, each is non-volatile and
preserved between power on cycles.
Generally, to change an item push
the “Up / Pause” button on the remote or
press in the knob on the front panel.
To move to another user setting,

rotate the knob or press the “Previous” /
“Next” button the remote. Continuous
parameters (ones that are not just simply
on or off) are changed by pressing the
knob, rotating and then pressing the knob
again, or, on the remote, by pressing the
“Up/Pause”, “Next” and “Previous” to
adjust, then “Up/Pause” again.
User Setting Description
My Invicta Shows the serial number and software version number.
Left Channel Phase Each may be set to In-Phase or Inverted. (Allows correction of
certain legacy digital recordings that have a phase mismatch.)
Right Channel Phase
Startup Source Allows start-up in customers typical configuration.
Startup Volume Level (XLR) These features exist to prevent high volume levels at switch on.
Startup Level (HPA)
Startup Level (HPB)
Maximum Volume Level An adjustable parameter that limits the maximum volume level.
OLED Screen Brightness 0 (off) to 10 (Bright) allows the INVICTA to match the brightness
level of other audio equipment in the customer configuration.
“LED Brightness” refers to the Blue LED, “Standby LED
Brightness” refers to the Red LED behind the Resonessence logo.
LED Brightness
Standby LED Brightness
USB Speed Setting Specify the USB Audio protocol: Version 1.0 or 2.0
Oversampling Filter Type Choose one of the seven filters. See Appendix B below.
HDMI Output Option to disabled the HDMI output if not required.
Mute XLR hen Using HPs Turn off the XLR and RCA outputs when Headphones in use.
Toslink Output Enable or disable the optical (Toslink) output mode.
Sort By The display of tracks on the SD Card may be sorted by Title or by
Track number (when meta-data is available)
Album Art BMP, PNG and JPG album art may be enabled and disabled
independently and the size of JPG may be limited to prevent time-
consuming decode of very large JPG files
Asian Characters Enable/Disable Asian characters on OLED and HDMI display
Fade Out OLED Configures the OLED to slowly fade to dim after use
Fixed Level Option to keep the XLR and RCA outputs at a fixed level. Helpful
when the INVICTA drives a preamp that has volume control
IR Support Option to disable/enable the Apple and Resonessence IR
Startup Headphone A Offset Allow differing sensitivity headphones to have the same perceived
level, or to reduce the volume on one pair relative to another.
Startup Headphone A Offset
HPA Powerup Setting These options allow the user to set headphone outputs (A and B
independently) to be available at power up (rather than having to
hit the front panel button to enable them).
HPB Powerup Setting
Differential HP A and B may be used independently for two-person listening or an
advanced single headphone differential mode may be enabled.