Connecting Sources - Arcam FMJ D33 Manual

Connecting sources

The D33 DAC has multiple digital audio, computer and iPod inputs so that you can connect all of your digital
audio sources, and switch between them using the remote control or front panel. A front panel LED illuminates to
indicate the selected input: green if a valid signal is detected, or red if there is no signal or an invalid signal.
Digital audio connections (AES/EBU, S/PDIF)
Connect each digital source using the appropriate cable.
If a source has multiple types of digital audio output,
select the best type according to the order of preference
below.
AES/EBU
AES/EBU connections are found on professional
audio equipment (the standard was developed by the
Audio Engineering Society and European Broadcasting
Union). Connect the source's AES/EBU output to the
D33 AES/EBU input using a digital audio XLR cable
with 110Ω impedance.
Coaxial S/PDIF
S/PDIF connections are the most common digital audio
connection. They are available in two types, coaxial
and optical. Coaxial is the best of the two types, as this
electrical connection provides the most direct signal
path. If your digital source provides both a coaxial and
an optical output, connect the coaxial connection using
a 75Ω impedance digital audio interconnect cable. Do
not use an analogue audio cable as performance may be
degraded.
Optical S/PDIF
Optical S/PDIF is technically inferior to coaxial S/
PDIF because the signal must be converted to pulses
of light for transmission then back to a voltage signal
afterwards. This process can degrade the signal.
However, optical connections provide electrical isolation
which can benefit the connection between certain types
of equipment, for example, televisions. Some digital
sources provide an optical output only.
USB computer connection
Two Type-B USB sockets are provided for the USB
computer connection. It is important to choose
the connection most suitable for your system. The
switch must be set to the correct position for
USB SELECT
the socket used.
Class I Isolated USB
This socket is the best socket to use for most systems.
It provides galvanic electrical isolation between the
computer and the D33 DAC to eliminate any audio
interference caused by the computer power supply. This
input also does not require any special driver installation
as the required software is built-in to modern versions
of Microsoft® Windows® (Windows XP, Windows Vista®
and Windows 7), Mac OS® X and Linux®.
The Class I connection is limited to a maximum sample
rate of 96kHz. CD audio has a sample rate of 44.1kHz.
Most 'High Resolution' audio files from specialist
download sites (at the time of writing) have a sample
rate of 96kHz so are compatible with this connection.
Start your computer and log on to the operating system
if necessary. Connect this socket to the computer using
a standard Type-A to Type-B USB cable. Wait for the
operating system to detect the D33 and install drivers
automatically. If any installation dialogue boxes pop
up, select automatic installation. Once the installation
process is finished, launch your media player software to
play music through the D33 DAC.
Class II High Speed USB
This socket does not have galvanic electrical isolation
from the computer power supply. It also requires that a
special device driver, provided on CD, be installed on
the connected computer. The benefit of this connection
is that it is compatible with sample rates up to 192kHz.
192kHz audio material, although rare, provides greater
audio information than material sampled at the 96kHz
rate, however, audible sound quality benefits over 96kHz
are still debated between both audio enthusiasts and
professionals.
Insert the supplied driver CD and run the setup
programme on the disc in order to install the audio
driver for this socket. Follow the on-screen instructions.
USB connection compatibility
The USB connection is designed for the connection of a
desktop or laptop computer running a standard desktop
operating system such as Microsoft Windows 7, Mac OS
X or Ubuntu® Linux. The connection is not designed to
accept the following:
USB hard drives
<
USB flash drives
<
Tablet computers (connect an Apple® iPad™ to the
<
iPod® connection using your Apple USB cable)
NAS drives with USB speaker compatibility may or may
not be compatible with the D33 DAC in Class I mode;
this depends wholly on the device's support for the USB
Audio standard. At the time of writing, popular NAS
drvies with USB speaker compatibility do not fully
implement the latest USB Audio standard and are not
compatible with the D33. This may change with future
NAS drive firmware revisions.
USB CONNECTION PROBLEMS?
Ensure that the D33 DAC is connected to your
computer and installed before starting any media
player software. Please refer to the USB FAQ on
the Arcam website at http://www.arcam.co.uk
solutions to common USB connection issues.
NOTE:
Home cinema and AV equipment digital outputs
may need to be re-configured to work with a stereo
DAC. A DVD player, TV set-top box or television
may by default output a surround sound 'bitstream'
signal (e.g. Dolby Digital) on the optical or coaxial
digital connector. This must be changed in the
source's setup menu. Set the source's S/PDIF output
to 'PCM Stereo' or equivalent (refer to the source
equipment manufacturer's handbook).
The D33 input LED will remain red if a bitstream
signal is received, as this cannot be decoded.
E-7
Connecting an iPod® or iPhone®
The Type-A USB connector is provided exclusively for
the connection of compatible Apple devices. The D33
DAC is made for:
iPhone 4S
<
iPhone 4
<
iPod touch® (4th generation)
<
Other Apple devices do not support digital audio output
so cannot be used.
Use an Apple Dock Connector to USB cable to connect
the USB socket to your Apple device.
When the input is selected and a device connected,
IPOD
the LED will flash green whilst the Apple device
IPOD
performs authentication. This will complete in a few
seconds when the LED will stop flashing and illuminate
steady green.
Sometimes, authentication can fail, due to mis-insertion
of the Apple connector or dirty contacts on the Apple
device. If this occurs, disconnect then re-connect the
Apple device.
for