TerraTec Aureon 7.1 FireWire User manual

Manual (English) Mac and PC
Version: 6/20/2007

CE Declaration
We:
TerraTec Electronic GmbH, Herrenpfad 38, D-41334 Nettetal, Germany
hereby declare that the product:
SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire
to which this declaration refers is in compliance with the following standards or standardizing
documents:
1. EN 55022 Class B
2. EN 55024
The following are the stipulated operating and environmental conditions for said compliance:
residential, business and commercial environments and small-company environments.
This declaration is based on:
Test report(s) of the EMC testing laboratory
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and shall not be deemed as a warranty by the
seller. No warranties, express or implied, are made with regard to the quality, suitability or accuracy of this docu-
ment. The manufacturer reserves the right to change the contents of this document and/or the associated products
at any time without the provision of prior notice to specific persons or organizations. The manufacturer shall not be
held liable for damages of any kind arising from the use, or the inability to use this product or its documentation,
even if the possibility of such damage is known. The information in this document is subject to copyright. All rights
are reserved. /No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose without the
express written permission of the copyright holders. Product and brand names contained in this document are
used for identification purposes only. All registered trademarks, product designations or brand names used in this
document are the registered property of their respective owners.
©TerraTec®Electronic GmbH, 1994 - 2007. All rights reserved (6/20/2007).
2 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English)

Contents
From opening the package to installation. .............................................................................. 6
Setup, safety and care information. .........................................................................................7
Installation under Mac OS.......................................................................................................8
The Control Panel in Mac OS................................................................................................ 9
Audio/MIDI configuration (Mac only!) .................................................................................10
Configuring the speakers (Mac only!).................................................................................. 11
Surround sound for a DVD night with your Mac ...................................................................12
Installing the drivers and Control Panel (XP / Vista)................................................................12
The Control Panel in Windows XP / Vista ................................................................................13
The “Playback” window. ..................................................................................................... 13
An overview of the Aureon 7.1 FireWire Module ......................................................................16
The FireWire connection.........................................................................................................18
The audio inputs................................................................................................................... 20
The microphone input ....................................................................................................... 20
The line input .....................................................................................................................21
The turntable (Phono) input................................................................................................ 21
The digital input ................................................................................................................ 22
The audio outputs................................................................................................................. 24
The headphone output ...................................................................................................... 24
The analog outputs............................................................................................................ 24
The digital output ..............................................................................................................26
Using the outputs as individual outputs (ASIO) (PC only)................................................... 26
Speakers ........................................................................................................................... 29
Misc .................................................................................................................................. 30
Surround sound for DVD night with your PC............................................................................ 31
Appendix A—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).....................................................................32
Appendix B—Service at TerraTec. ...........................................................................................32
SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English) 3

Welcome!
We're pleased that you have chosen a sound system by TerraTec and would like to congratu-
late you on this decision. With this development, the highest-quality audio technology is
finally at your disposal in the form of an attractive external device. You've purchased a sophis-
ticated product representing the state of the art of audio technology. We're convinced that our
product will prove extremely useful to you and provide you with a great deal of entertainment.
This manual covers the SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire and its uses in all its pretty details.
SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire
Range of connections.
The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire is the result of our many years of experience in the
computer audio sector and reflects the continuous evolution of multimedia software for the
Mac / PC. The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire offers you a wide range of interconnection
options with other audio devices such as hi-fi surround systems, a MiniDisc or CD player with
analog or digital outputs, headphones and microphones.
4 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English)

High-quality audio characteristics.
The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire enables analog recording and playback of audio mate-
rial in very high quality; the module offers studio-quality 24 Bit / 192kHz in playback. Under
these conditions, the Aureon 7.1 FireWire attains a signal-to-noise ratio significantly greater
than -100dB(A) at the analog inputs and outputs.
Recording and playback of audio material at the purely digital level.
The SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire features an optical digital input and output with up to
24-bit in S/PDIF format. You can therefore transfer already digitized recordings from a CD, DAT
or MiniDisc player (or recorder) to the Mac / PC without losses. You can also choose between
all common sampling frequencies.
Team player and lone fighter.
In order to perk up your ears, we'd like to point out that, while the SoundSystem Aureon 7.1
FireWire is happy to be connected to your FireWire port, it can also do a thing or two without it.
You can convert an analog signal to a digital signal and vice-versa; you can use the high-
quality microphone amplifier or impress friends with the flashy lighting.
Last but not least.
As you have probably noticed by now, we can hardly refrain from singing the praises of our
”baby”. We hope you enjoy your SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire and would like to suggest
that you read this hopefully entertaining manual thoroughly when you get the chance. In
addition to the important information about the technology in theory and practice, we have
outlined a number of typical applications wherever appropriate. We're convinced that even
experienced users will profit from this guide.
Thank you.
...your TerraTec Team
SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English) 5

From opening the package to installation.
If you compare this installation chapter to those in manuals of classic sound cards, you'll find
it refreshingly brief by comparison. We promise that the work will be quick and painless.
Before connecting the sound module to your computer, note the details of your system con-
figuration and compare them to the minimum requirements listed on the packaging of the
Aureon. If your system does not meet these requirements, we cannot guarantee trouble-free
operation.
What's included with the Sound System:
•Aureon 7.1 FireWire
•Power supply unit
•Protective bag
•FireWire cable – 2x large (6-pin) plugs
•FireWire plug adapter from large (6-pin) to small (4-pin)
•Two phono plug to miniplug adapters (6.3mm to 3.5mm)
•RCA grounding adapter
•Software and driver CD (Mac and PC)
•Quick Setup Guide (Mac and PC)
•Customer service card
•TerraTec registration card with the serial number
Before we continue, we have a couple of basic instructions.
6 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English)

Setup, safety and care information.
•To prevent fire, electric shock or damage to the device, always place it on a level and dry
surface.
•Keep it away from radiators and ensure that the player is at a safe distance from other hi-fi
devices to prevent overheating.
•Also, never place (hi-fi) devices without feet or, and more importantly, objects containing
liquid such as vases or bottles on the sound module.
•When connecting the power adapter, be sure that the correct voltage is present at the
power supply. (You can find more details directly on the power adapter.)
•If you are not going to use the device for an extended period, disconnect it from the power
supply. To avoid short circuits, never pull on the cable itself.
•In addition, be sure to unplug the device from the AC outlet in the event of a thunderstorm.
•If the device has been exposed to extreme differences in temperature, allow it to adjust to
the room temperature for one hour before plugging it in. Water condensation may have
formed in the unit, which could harm the function of the unit.
•Clean the Aureon 7.1 FireWire using a dry, lint-free cloth, or one that has been only very
slightly moistened. Do not use cleaning products as they may damage the finish of the u-
nit.
In short: We ask that you use common sense when handling the unit. The warranty does not
cover deliberate damage to the device. Thank you.
SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English) 7

Installation under Mac OS
1. Insert the CD provided and open it using the CD / DVD symbol on your desktop.
2. A window with 3 folders opens.
Double-click the Control Panel to open it.
3. This contains the installation file *.dmg. Double-click this file to launch the installation
process.
4. After the installation, the Aureon Control Panel icon is located on your Dock.
Note:
You need Firmware Version 1.10 to operate the Aureon 7.1 FireWire on your Mac.
8 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English)

The Control Panel in Mac OS
Open the Control Panel folder using the corresponding Aureon symbol. You should now see
the following window.
The individual faders:
Input:
The Input fader adjusts the volume of the individual inputs such as
Line, Phone, Mic or S/PDIF (S/PDIF is enabled only if a signal is pre-
sent).
Monitor:
This fader changes the currently selected input signal at the output.
Thus you can increase or decrease the volume of the original input
signal at the output.
Speaker:
In this section, you can control the volume of the outputs (Front, Rear,
Surround, Center).
Master:
The Master fader adjusts the master playback volume. This controller
is switched parallel to the master encoder on the device itself. If you
rotate the Master fader on the box, the volume is adjusted here also.
SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English) 9

Audio/MIDI configuration (Mac only!)
The Audio/MIDI configuration (Local hard drive -> Programs -> Utilities) under Mac OS allows
you to control each input and output individually. For example, this tool allows you to “map”
any input to any output.
Explanation of the individual segments:
In the fields marked in red, “System settings” /
“Properties for”, select the device to be config-
ured.
In the “Audio Input” section, you can adjust the
sampling frequency, the channels (including
bitrate) and the volume of the individual input
channels.
In the “Audio Output” section, you can adjust
the sampling frequency, the channels (including
bitrate) and the volume of the individual output
channels.
Note: the first eight channels pertain to the
eight analog outputs on the rear of the box.
Outputs nine and ten are for the S/PDIF output
(optical output).
10 SoundSystem Aureon 7.1 FireWire (English)