DCS Scarlatti DAC User Manual
dCS Scarlatti DA
C
Stereo Digital to Analogue Converte
r
User Manual
Software Release 1.0x
June 2008
© Data Conversion Systems Ltd. 2007
Price UK £8.00 / Euro 12.00
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, store d in or introduced into a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise)
without the prior written permission of dCS
1
. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this
publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice, and whilst it is checked for accuracy, no
liabilities can be accepted for errors.
1
dCS is Data Conversion Systems Ltd. Company registered in England No. 2072115.
dCS Scarlatti DAC User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
June 2008
Flename: Scarlatti DAC Manual v1_0x.doc
Page 2 English version
dCS Scarlatti DAC User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
June 2008
Flename: Scarlatti DAC Manual v1_0x.doc
Page 3 English version
CONTENTS
Contents ................................................................................................................................................. 3
Using the dCS Scarlatti DAC for the first time ...................................................................................... 4
What’s in the box? 4
Safety Notice 4
Mains Voltage Setting 4
Power Cables 4
Mains Regenerators 5
Positioning the unit 5
Disposal at end-of-life 5
Step-by-Step Guide ............................................................................................................................... 6
Preliminaries 6
STEP 1 – Selecting a Digital Input 7
Connecting to an IEEE 1394 DSD Source 7
Connecting to a Single AES or SPDIF source 7
Connecting to a Dual AES Source 7
Connecting to an SDIF/DSD Source 7
STEP 2 – Connecting the Analogue Outputs 8
STEP 3 - Setting the Output Level 9
STEP 4 – Choosing a Sync Mode 10
Using the DAC in Master Mode 10
Using a Master Clock 11
Front Panel ........................................................................................................................................... 12
POWER Button 12
DISPLAY Button 12
SYNC Button 12
FILTER Button 13
INPUT button 13
Display 13
MUTE Button 14
MENU Button 14
Remote Control Receiver 14
Rotary Control 14
Rear Panel ............................................................................................................................................ 15
Analogue Outputs 15
AES Digital Inputs 15
SPDIF Digital Inputs 15
DSD/SDIF Digital Interface 15
Word Clock Input / Output 15
1394 Interface 16
SUC Connector 16
Mains inlet 16
The Menu .............................................................................................................................................. 17
Using the Menu 18
INFORMATION Menu 19
DAC SETTINGS Menu 20
DISPLAY SETTINGS Menu 21
SIGNAL GENERATOR Menu 21
Specification ........................................................................................................................................ 22
Maintenance and Support ................................................................................................................... 23
Service and Maintenance 23
Replacing a Blown Mains Fuse 23
Cleaning the case 23
Limited Warranty 24
If you need more help 25
Software History 25
dCS Scarlatti DAC User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
June 2008
Flename: Scarlatti DAC Manual v1_0x.doc
Page 4 English version
USING THE dCS Scarlatti DAC FOR THE FIRST TIME
Congratulations on purchasing your dCS Scarlatti DAC.
Before using your unit, please read this section and the Step by Step Guide. This will enable you to
set the unit up quickly and safely with your hi-fi system.
From time to time, dCS will release updated software on CD that you can install yourself using the CD
Update feature. Please check our web-site occasionally to see if new Scarlatti software is available, or
consult your dealer.
What’s in the box?
Check that the box contains the following items:
• dCS Scarlatti DAC
• Manual and Menu / Setup Guide
• Power cable
• 1394 cable
• BNC cable
• 2 spare fuses
Notify your dealer as soon as possible if anything is missing or damaged. We suggest that you retain
the original packaging for possible future use. If this is not possible, replacement packaging can be
ordered from dCS or our distributors. Details can be found on our web site at www.dcsltd.co.uk
.
The Scarlatti Transport
is supplied with a programmed Philips Pronto remote control. If you do not
have a Scarlatti Transport in your system, a programmed Pronto can be ordered direct from dCS as an
optional extra.
Safety Notice
Your dCS Scarlatti DAC contains no user serviceable parts. DO NOT attempt to open the case as there
are potentially dangerous voltages present inside. In the event of the unit developing a fault, please
contact your dealer in the first instance.
Mains Voltage Setting
Before connecting the power cable to the unit for the first time, please check that it has been set to the
correct operating voltage for your mains supply. The unit’s voltage setting is shown on the label
beneath the mains inlet on the rear panel. If this does not match your local supply voltage, DO NOT
attempt to use the unit. Contact your dealer to have the unit reset. Using the unit with the wrong mains
setting for your local supply may result in serious damage to the unit and will invalidate the warranty.
Do not attempt to reset the voltage yourself.
Power Cables
If you wish to use a power cable other than the one supplied, please ensure that it is a good fit to the
mains inlet, and is not so heavy and inflexible as to place strain on the mains inlet.
dCS Scarlatti DAC User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
June 2008
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Page 5 English version
Mains Regenerators
We do not recommend the use of mains regenerators. However, if you do wish to use a mains
regenerator with variable voltage and frequency, we recommend that you set the voltage to match
your local voltage and the frequency to either 50Hz or 60Hz ONLY.
!
Damage caused to your Scarlatti DAC by misuse of a mains regenerator or by a
malfunctioning mains regenerator is not covered by the warranty.
Positioning the unit
Units in the Scarlatti range are designed to be mounted on separate shelves of a rack and must NOT
be stacked directly on top of each other. Place each unit on a firm, vibration free base, allowing
convenient connection to the other parts of your system. To prevent overheating, we recommend that
you leave some free space around the unit to allow for ventilation.
Disposal at end-of-life
The symbol indicates that this product should not be treated as normal
household waste. It should be recycled, so please take it to an approved
collection facility.
dCS Scarlatti DAC User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
June 2008
Flename: Scarlatti DAC Manual v1_0x.doc
Page 6 English version
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
This section guides you through setting up the unit for basic operation.
Preliminaries
The Menu / Setup Guide sheet details the menu structure and details the two most common set-ups.
For digital interfaces, use with cables designed for digital audio:
• for AES/EBU interfaces use 110Ω screened, twisted pair cables fitted with one male XLR
connector and one female XLR connector.
• for SDIF, Word Clock or SPDIF BNC interfaces, use 75Ω coax cables fitted with BNC plugs.
• for SPDIF RCA interfaces, use 75Ω coax cables fitted with RCA Phono plugs.
• for TOSLINK optical interfaces, use Toslink fibre-optic cables.
• for IEEE 1394 interfaces, use the IEEE 1394 cable provided with the unit.
For analogue outputs, use with screened cables of the correct type:
• for balanced outputs, use screened, twisted pair cables fitted with one male XLR connector and
one female XLR connector.
• for unbalanced outputs, use coax cables fitted with RCA Phono plugs.
Connect the power cable supplied to the power inlet on the DAC rear panel, plug the other end into a
convenient power outlet.
!
Please do not use an excessively heavy or inflexible power cable as this may damage
the power inlet connector.
Press the Power button and wait about 30 seconds while the DAC configures itself. The display will
show in sequence: Scarlatti and No Input.
If the unit is likely to be set in an unfamiliar state, you can reset it as follows:
Press the Menu button, press the → button once, then the Menu button again to display the DAC
Settings menu. Press the ← button a few times to highlight the Factory Reset menu page. Press the
Menu button and wait a few seconds while the unit resets itself.
dCS Scarlatti DAC User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
June 2008
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Page 7 English version
STEP 1 – Selecting a Digital Input
Switch on the source equipment. If appropriate, load a disk / tape and set the machine in PLAY mode
to ensure it is generating a digital audio data stream.
Choose one of the following sections:
Connecting to an IEEE 1394 DSD Source
• Check that your source equipment (probably a dCS SACD Transport or a dCS Upsampler) is
capable of DSD operation over a 1394 link, generates a 44.1kHz word clock and is set up correctly.
• Connect one 1394 output on your source equipment to one 1394 input on the DAC rear panel.
Also connect the word clock output on your source equipment to the Wordclock In connector on
the DAC rear panel.
• Press the Input button repeatedly until 1394 or the source name is displayed (probably dCS STT).
The unit may display Wait ..., No-WClk or Search.., messages if the unit is still settling, then in
sequence (Clk OK), Locking, DSD. If you have more than one source connected to the 1394 bus, it
may be necessary to use the Input button to select the 1394 source you want to listen to.
Connecting to a Single AES or SPDIF source
Most source equipment (such as CD transports, DVD players) is fitted with a single wire digital output,
usually on an RCA phono connector.
• Connect your source equipment to the matching input on the DAC rear panel using a suitable
cable.
• Press the Input button repeatedly until your chosen input is displayed. This will be either AES1,
AES2, RCA1, RCA2, Toslink or BNC.
The DAC will lock to the source, displaying in sequence (44.1k), Locking, 16/44.1 for example, if the
source is a CD player.
Connecting to a Dual AES Source
Check that your source equipment is capable of Dual AES operation.
• Connect the AES1 (or AES A) output on your source equipment to the AES1 input on the DAC rear
panel and the AES2 (or AES B) output to the AES2 input, using two XLR cables. Ensure the cables
are not swapped.
• Press the Input button repeatedly until both AES1 AND AES2 input indicators are lit.
The DAC will lock to the source, displaying in sequence (96k), Locking, 24/192 for example, if the
source is 24 bit data at 192kS/s.
Connecting to an SDIF/DSD Source
Check that your source equipment is capable of SDIF PCM or DSD operation.
• Connect the CH1 output on your source equipment to the CH1 input on the DAC rear panel and the
CH2 output to the CH2 input, using two BNC cables. Connect the word clock output on your source
equipment to the WClk In connector on the DAC rear panel. Ensure the cables are not swapped.
• Press the Input button repeatedly until SDIF appears on the display.
PCM or DSD mode is automatically detected. The DAC will lock to the source, displaying in (44.1k),
Locking, 16/44.1 for example, if the source is a CD player. DSD is displayed if the source is DSD.
Proceed to Step 2.
dCS Scarlatti DAC User Manual Software Issue 1.0x
June 2008
Flename: Scarlatti DAC Manual v1_0x.doc
Page 8 English version
STEP 2 – Connecting the Analogue Outputs
Choose one of the following two sections:
Using a preamplifier
• Set the preamplifier volume control to minimum.
• Connect either the balanced (XLR connectors) or unbalanced (RCA phono connectors) outputs on
DAC rear panel to matching line level inputs on your preamplifier (probably labelled CD or AUX).
• Turn the DAC rotary control clockwise to set the Volume to maximum (- 0.0dB on the display).
Slowly increase the preamplifier volume until the music is at the right level.
Using a power amplifier directly
• Turn the DAC rotary control counter-clockwise to set the Volume to minimum ( -60.0dB on the
display).
• Connect either the balanced (XLR connectors) or unbalanced (RCA phono connectors) outputs on
the DAC rear panel to matching inputs on your power amplifier. Switch on the power amplifier.
• Turn the DAC rotary control slowly clockwise until the music is at the right level.
Play a disc, you should have audio.
Proceed to Step 3.
ANALOGUE OUTPUTS
LEFT RIGHT
RIGHT
LEFT
AES 1 AES 2
RCA 1
RCA 2
SPDIF
DIGITAL INPUTS
TOSLINK
CH 1 CH 2
BNC
IN
OUT
DSD/SDIF
WCLK
1394
SUC
50/60 Hz, 50W
FUSE
T 500mA L
~
Scarlatti Transport
Sca rla tti DAC
LLRR
Balanced - or - Unbalanced
Analogue Outputs
To pre- or power amplifier inputs
DIGITAL
OUTPUTS
AES 1 RCA BNC TOSLINK
CH1 CH2 SUC
1394
IN ---- WORDCLOCK --- OUT
SDIF
AES 2
Figure 1 – Basic setup
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