Wadia 921, 931 Owner's Manual

Wadia 9 Series

Decoding Computer System

Owner’s Manual

Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System Owner’s Manual

Table of Contents

Introduction History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Quick Start Set-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Installation Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

and Set-up Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Installing the Tip-Toes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Connecting the 931 to a Digital source. . . . 10

Connecting the 931 and 921 . . . . . . . . . . 12

Connecting the 921 to an Amplifier . . . . . . 14

Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Output Level Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Choosing a Digital Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Operation and Front Panel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Configuration Remote Control Commands . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Operational Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Additional Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Configuring Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Configuring Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Restoring Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Appendices Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Software License Agreement . . . . . . . . . . 30

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System Owner’s Manual

Thank You

All of us at Wadia would like to offer thanks and congratulations to you for purchasing the Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System. We sincerely believe that your Wadia 9 Series will bring you many years of musical pleasure and satisfaction.

While every new owner is anxious to begin listening, we encourage you to take a few minutes to read and familiarize yourself with the full capabilities of the Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System.

History

Wadia was originally founded in 1988, making it one of the first high-end audio companies dedicated to digital audio. Wadia was formed by a group of telecommunications engineers from the Minneapolis-based 3M Corporation who were committed to using advanced digital technology to improve the performance of digital audio equipment.

Wadia’s first product, the Wadia 2000 Decoding Computer, was a breakthrough. For many listeners it proved the viability of the Compact Disc as a musically involving format. Since then Wadia has continued to develop new methods and technology. Each product resulted in a new standard of performance for digital audio decoding.

Here is an abbreviated list of the technological innovations Wadia engineers have pioneered:

• Patented DigiMaster up-sampling algorithm, optimized for reproducing music

• First company to apply glass fiber optics to home audio

• Direct-Connect

• ClockLink

• Swift-Current

Although Wadia’s digital expertise and track record exceed those of any other audio company, technology alone does not guarantee musical performance. Wadia designs are born of a delicate balance of technology shaped by a passion for music.

Wadia is proud to introduce the Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System, a breakthrough in sonic performance and a strong statement of our years of dedication to music.

system to connect digital audio products directly to amplifier

proprietary jitter-reduction technology

zero-feedback current to voltage converter

Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System Owner’s Manual

Overview

This manual covers the installation and operation of the complete 9 Series Decoding Computer system. There are three steps to a complete installation:

• Installation and configuration of the 931 Digital Controller

• Installation and configuration of the 921 Mono Decoding Computers

• Operation of the 9 Series Decoding Computer System

How to use this manual

Included in this manual is all the information you need to completely install and operate the Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System. For a complete set-up, we recommend that you follow the installation and operation instructions from start to finish. If you already have experience installing, configuring, and operating Wadia components, you can use the Quick Start section, and refer to the complete instructions where needed.

Inventory

Before proceeding, please check to make sure that you received all of the components that comprise the Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System. You should have received the following boxes:

Wadia 931 Digital Controller

• 931 accessory kit

§ Remote control

§ Two type AAA batteries

§ 1 Glass fiber cable, 10 feet long

§ AC power cord (12 gauge)

§ Three tip-toes with threaded studs

§ Three steel coasters

§ 1 BNC to RCA adapter

Wadia 921 Mono Decoding Computers (one per channel)

• 921 accessory kits

§ 2 Glass fiber cables, 35 feet long

§ AC power cord (12 gauge)

§ Three tip-toes with threaded studs

§ Three steel coasters

For a standard 2-channel set-up you should have 3 boxes and 3 accessory kits. If you did not receive all cartons, contact your dealer before continuing.

Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System Owner’s Manual

Quick Start

Unpacking and Placement

Unpack each of the cartons. Check each component for shipping damage and verify that the operating voltage matches your local AC voltage. The 931 controller should be positioned near the source components, the 921 Mono Decoding Computers should be placed near the amplifier or amplifiers.

Connections

Use the illustrations below and on the following page to connect the 9 Series Decoding Computer System. All rear-panel connectors are labeled. Input 1 on the 931 Controller is configured for ClockLink. If you are using a source component equipped with ClockLink, such as the Wadia 270 CD transport, connect it to Input 1. Non-ClockLink sources should not be connected to ClockLink inputs. For instructions to configure any input to turn ClockLink on or off, see Configurations on page 24.

Level Setting

The Maximum Output Level can be set to match the sensitivity of your loudspeaker, room size, and listening preference. The 921 Mono Decoding Computers come shipped from the factory with the output level set at 2 volts RMS. For instruction on how to configure the output voltage see Output Level Settings on page 13.

Operation

The 931 Digital Controller acts as the user-interface for the entire 9 Series Decoding Computer system and uses remote commands and operations that are similar to other Wadia products. For a full list of instructions, refer to Operations on page 16.

Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System Owner’s Manual

Standard Configuration:

Step 1: Connect Data output 1 from the 931 Controller to the data input of

the left channel 921 Mono Decoding Computer.

Step 2: Connect ClockLink output 3 from the 931 Controller to the ClockLink

Step 3: Connect Data output 2 from the 931 Controller to the data input of

Step 4: Connect ClockLink output 4 from the 931 Controller to the ClockLink

input of the left channel 921 Mono Decoding Computer.

right channel 921 Mono Decoding Computer.

the

input of the

right channel 921 Mono Decoding Computer.

Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System Owner’s Manual

9 Series Decoding Computer System Installation

Unpacking the Wadia 931 Digital Controller

Carefully unpack your Wadia 931 Digital Controller and the two 921 Mono Decoding computers. Inspect the outside of the chassis for shipping damage. If you find any, report it to your dealer immediately.

Do not plug in the Wadia 931 Digital Controller if you see any signs of shipping damage.

Please save all packing materials so the unit can be easily and safely shipped if the need arises.

Placing the 931 Digital Controller

Much like an analog preamplifier, the 931 Digital Controller should be centrally located near your source components. Because the 931 Digital Controller is connected to the 921 Decoding Computers via glass fiber cabling, there is no advantage to placing it nearby these units.

Placing the 921 Mono Decoding Computers

The 921 Mono Decoding Computers should be placed as near to the amplifier or amplifiers as possible. This will allow you to use shorter interconnecting cables thereby maximizing system performance.

AC Power

Please check to see what AC line voltage your unit is set for. Connecting to any voltage other than that specified on the back panel will result in damage that is not covered by the warranty.

We recommend that you do not turn on the AC power until you have completed all connections between the components of your system.

Installing the Tip-Toes

Screw one of the tip-toes under each of the three recesses in the bottom of the 931 Digital Controller and both of the 921 Mono DACs. If the surface on which you intend to place the 931 Digital Controller is susceptible to damage, make sure to place one of the steel coasters under each tip-toe.

Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System Owner’s Manual

Connecting the 931 to a Digital Source

Digital Sources

The Wadia 931 Digital Controller has six digital inputs:

• 2 glass fiber (ST) - Input 1,2

• 2 SPDIF (BNC) – Input 3,4

• 1 plastic fiber (TOSLINK) – Input 5

• 1 AES/EBU (XLR) – Input 6

Note: Input One is factory-configured for a ClockLink enabled source, such as a Wadia 270 CD Transport. Using a non-ClockLink source connected to a ClockLink input degrades the sonic performance. To change the configuration of any input, see “Configuring Inputs”.

Any digital source with one of these types of outputs can be connected to the Wadia 931 Digital Controller. The Wadia 931 Digital Controller will automatically detect and lock on to any of the established digital audio transmission formats — up to a 96 kHz sampling rate. For more information on cable types, see Choosing a Digital Cable on page 14.

Wadia 9 Series Decoding Computer System Owner’s Manual

Wadia Digital Sources with ClockLink

The Wadia 931 Digital Controller serves as the reference clock for your entire Wadia digital system. The 931 Digital Controller uses a ultra-stable Temperature-Controlled Crystal Oscillator (TCXO) as a master clock and is further enhanced by a superior power supply.

The 931 Digital Controller has a ClockLink output for source components, such as a Wadia 270 CD Transport. To link the Wadia 270 CD transport, connect an ST glass fiber cable from the Wadia 931‘s ClockLink output, located near the digital inputs, to the source component’s ClockLink input. This is shown below:

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