Asus Essence III User Manual
Essence 3
Hi-Fi USB DAC (Digital-to-Anolog Converter)
User manual
ASUS Essence 3
E8381
First Edition
Sept. 2013
Copyright © 2013 ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or
translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written
permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).
Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modied or altered, unless such repair, modication of alteration is authorized
in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.
ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS,
ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
(INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE),
EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR
PRODUCT.
SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT
TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO
RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND
SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.
Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are
used only for identication or explanation and to the owners’ benet, without intent to infringe.
2
ASUS Essence 3
Contents
Safety Information ..............................................................................................................................................................1-4
Additional Safety Information ............................................................................................................................................................1-4
Repairs .................................................................................................................................................................................................1-4
Fuse ......................................................................................................................................................................................................1-4
Philosophy .........................................................................................................................................................................1-5
Design Story ......................................................................................................................................................................1-5
FEATURE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................................1-6
Product Lineup ..................................................................................................................................................................1-7
DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS ........................................................................................................................................................1-8
Hardware highlights ...........................................................................................................................................................................1-8
Package contents ...............................................................................................................................................................1-10
System requirements .........................................................................................................................................................1-10
Driver installation ...............................................................................................................................................................1-10
Functionality .......................................................................................................................................................................1-11
Hardware features ..............................................................................................................................................................1-11
Front Panel ...........................................................................................................................................................................................1-11
Rear Panel ............................................................................................................................................................................................1-12
Remote Control ....................................................................................................................................................................................1-13
Connectivity options ..........................................................................................................................................................1-14
Connecting a desktop PC or laptop using USB ...............................................................................................................................1-14
Connecting an anplier and passive speaker setup ........................................................................................................................1-14
Connecting digital audio input devices using AES / EBU / TOSLINK / COA .................................................................................1-15
Connecting an iPhone / iPad / iPod (Smart Devices) using AUX IN ...............................................................................................1-15
Connecting an EX-IrDA receiver ........................................................................................................................................................1-16
Connecting high-end headphones / headset ....................................................................................................................................1-16
Connecting an active speaker set directly ........................................................................................................................................1-16
Specications .....................................................................................................................................................................1-17
3
ASUS Essence 3
Safety Information
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including ampliers)
that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one
wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the
third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not t into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11. Only use attachments/accessories specied by the manufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specied by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a
cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualied 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.
Additional Safety Information
For your own safety please read the following important instructions carefully before
attempting to connect this unit to the main power supply. The instructions provided will help
you get the best performance from this device and prolong the life of this product.
Repairs
Do not attempt to repair or disassemble this product. Consult a qualied technician or
professional for service or repairs.
Fuse
The fuse holder is located next to the power connector at the rear panel of the device. The fuse used is 250V/1A.
Use tools to replace the fuse.
4
ASUS Essence 3
Philosophy
We at ASUS, recognizing that computers and digital devices are the major platforms for audio entertainment, started out
with consumer-sound cards in 2007 to build the ASUS brand in the audio industry. This gives our ASUS brand a more stable
foundation through gradual growth, making it possible to move into the Hi-Fi/audiophile market.
In 2009, we launched Essence ST/STX, one of our mid-range products that covered a wide variety of applications, from
high-end music applications to games. Essence ST/STX was very popular in forums and user communities, leading us to
conclude that the time was right for more upscale audiophile products.
We then started work on a prototype which eventually became the Essence One, with its greater exibility, more spacious
PCB and higher power delivery – all attributed to Essence One being an external device rather than an internal card.
ASUS now has a large team dedicated to designing and engineering audio products. We have been able to expand our
audio product range into more diverse categories in recent years, and have met considerable success. In 2010 we partnered
with Sennheiser on a headset-soundcard set, which conrmed our level of expertise as partners of one of the world’s leading
audiophile brands.
Design Story
ASUS has an eclectic group of visionaries and acoustic engineers coming from the art, user experience, and the
entertainment industry with a shared passion for music. Knowing that digital media constantly changes and evolves
based on our personal experience, the ASUS team constantly evaluates the design segments with different outlook and
perspective, striving to provide new and better experience for music lovers and audiophiles.
Being Present
Instead of dening hard-stoned desired results, we believe that sound is about appreciating the present. Top-grade
component is just one tiny part of the puzzle that we mold and build to bring you the “essence of sound”. Through our
meticulous testing and product performance checks, we examine our design rules and layout with excruciating detail
because any misstep could lead to a misrepresentation of the originality of sound.
Made for You
Across all our products, you will nd that the Essence of Sound is sublime rather than over-dominating, composed yet
powerful. The Essence series follow the Confucius thinking of “Respect” and “Harmony” – we respect that personal taste for
music may vary and hence we’ve included swappable op-amps for further customization. We recognize that beautiful sound
is about being in harmony with the surrounding and the environment. Hence having an independent volume control for
audiophiles’ smooth volume switching experience becomes crucial.
Aesthetically Pleasing
ASUS is well known for its quality control, but beyond the hard and cold facts of humidity storage and drop test, there’s the
soft appeal and the intrinsic properties that we look into when it comes to material selection. Whether it is sweat-proof and
nger print free surface nish, an elegant color palette or smooth curvatures, it is our commitment to bring a state-of-art
audio with innovative material application and usage.
5
ASUS Essence 3
FEATURE SUMMARY
Ultimate audio enjoyment with native Direct Stream Digital (DSD) support
• Digital Stream Digital (DSD) is an encoding technology at 1 bit representation of the audio waveform, allowing high
reproduction of the original audio. With native DSD support, audiophiles can enjoy high-delity music.
Top-notch headphone amplier enables balanced headphones of up to 600ohm impedance
• Most headphone ampliers only support single-end headphones. Essence 3 has unique mini-XLR ports tailored for
headphone audiophiles who are accustomed to modeling their own balanced headphones. The balanced signals are
kept in differential from DAC chip to headphone output without being converted to single end and back (a true balanced
signal), providing best signal clarity and minimized noise interference. It also supports up to 600ohms impedance,
allowing headphone enthusiasts to enjoy the best of their favorite headphones without any additional amplication
needed.
Exclusive remote-controlled stepped attenuator ensures precise and convenient adjustments
• Essence 3 comes with a 24-step attenuator that ensures precise left/right balance at any volume level. Unlike traditional
designs where the attenuator is operated by hand, it has an Microcontroller Unit (MCU) that directly controls the
multiple relays, making it completely remote-controllable with precision.
Toroidal transformer-based multi-rail linear power supply with fully independent noise-free left/right channel power
delivery
• A clean power source is crucial for ensuring minimal supply contamination and consistent power delivery. The toroidal
transformer comes with a specially designed silicon strip to prevent hysteresis loss. The power supply is also regulated
such that the left and right channels power sources are independent and minimize the possibility of cross talk and
interferences.
Separate boards for analog, digital, and power circuitry minimize interference
• Besides separating signal grounds on to different layers with our exclusive hyper ground technology, the boards for
different signals are physically separated. Even at areas where analog meets digital signals, the signal routings are
minimized and contained within an area to prevent interferences.
Fully balanced design with two single-channel DACs
• Traditional audio products use one DAC (digital-to-analog converter) chip for both left and right channels. Essence 3
has dedicated DAC for each channel to achieve a top-notch signal clarity. Based on a dual DAC design, the left and
right channels will be perfectly balanced.
Hassle-free left/right balance calibration via exclusive software
• Essence 3 comes with an exclusive software for volume calibration that you can run a simple test of the left/right
channel balance and perform correction if needed. Most products that come with such tweaking ability require the use
of additional equipment to determine how unbalanced the system is, making it extremely hard for non-pros to perform
such task.
6
Loading...