User Guide CD6 CD Player and DAC H I G H D E F I N I T I O N®
Contents Preface 3 Illustrations 4 Warnings 5 Installation In your System 6 Connections 7 - 8 Operation Power-up Procedure 9 Front Panel Control Functions 10 Remote Control Functions 11 - 13 CD Door Functions/Warnings 13 Software Installation Windows 14 - 16 Mac OS X 17 - 19 Using the DAC Control Panel 20 Setting the Sample Rate or Native Mode in Windows 21 - 22 Setting Native Mode in Mac OS X 23 Getting the Most out of your CD9 23 S/PDIF, USB 2.
Preface Thank you for selecting the CD6 as part of your music listening system. The engineers and designers at Audio Research have spent countless hours of listening and testing to create a CD player of the highest caliber for music reproduction. The CD6 has been designed to provide you many years of playback. Please take a few minutes to read through this guide to help you better understand and optimize your new CD player.
Illustrations Front Panel 192 CD FAST 176.4 RCA SLOW 96 USB UPSAMPLE 88.2 TOS 1 POWER 48 TOS 2 44.1 POWER PREV PLAY NEXT PAUSE STOP INPUT MODEL CD6 HIGH DEFINITION ® DIGITAL CD PLAYER Rear Panel MODEL CD6 CAUTION DIGITAL CD PLAYER DIGITAL INPUTS FOR CONTINUED PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE HAZARD REPLACE FUSE ONLY WITH SAME TYPE AND RATING IR INPUT PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA MADE IN U.S.A.
Warnings To prevent fire, or shock hazard, do not expose your CD6 to rain or moisture. This unit contains voltages which can cause serious injury or death. Do not operate with cover removed. Refer servicing to your authorized Audio Research dealer or other qualified personnel. The detachable power cord on your CD6 is equipped with a heavy gauge, 3-conductor cable and a standard three-prong grounding plug. For absolute protection, do not defeat the ground power plug.
Installation In your System While the CD6 does not dissipate an unusual amount of heat, it is important that it be provided with reasonable airflow to assure long, trouble-free operation. In addition, the following installation guidelines will help insure maximum sonic performance as well as reliable service. Upright and level horizontal mounting is mandatory, preferably on solid, non-resonant shelving. Allow sufficient space for convection cooling.
Connections Digital Connections The CD6 offers four digital inputs, and two standard digital output options. Which option is best for your system will depend on your personal listening preference, the nature of your system installation requirements, and the options allowed by your external digital processor, if one is used. WARNING: The digital outputs supply only a digital signal and should therefore only be connected to an input which is suitable for this signal.
Connections Digital Inputs Toslink (2): Connect to a transport, computer or other device equipped with Toslink (optical) digital output. Press the INPUT button until the ‘Toslink 1’ or ‘Toslink 2’ LED is illuminated. USB: Connect to a Windows-based PC or Mac computer for music playback from your computer. Press the INPUT button until the ‘USB’ LED is illumindated. Note: you must install the software on the included CD (also downloadable from www.audioresearch.com/downloads.
Operation Power-up Procedure Once plugged into the power receptacle, push the front panel Power switch to turn on the CD6. The central green front panel power LED will glow dimly for about a 40 second circuit warm-up interval with the output automatically muted. When the LED glows brightly, the CD6 is ready for operation. Once powered up and operational, with the CD door fully closed, the unit will default to the operate setting (display, transport and front panel controls are activated).
Operation Front Panel Control Functions POWER: The Power switch turns the CD6 completely on for operation (indicated by the LED being brightly lit), each time preceded by a warmup interval of about 40 seconds when the LED is dim and the output is automatically muted. Press power switch again to turn CD6 off-indicated by unlit LED. PREV: Selects the previous track to play. Continue pressing to cycle backward through previous tracks. (Track number will appear on display.) PLAY: Starts play.
Operation Remote Control Functions The remote control unit includes all of the above described CD6 front panel control functions plus the following additional functions. (Functions in [ ] indicate labeling abbreviations appearing on remote control unit.) 0-9 BUTTONS: Pressing numbered button(s) corresponding to the disc track number will advance disc to desired track. Also used to select tracks when compiling a custom disc playback program (see PROGRAM function description below).
Operation Remote Control Functions continued INPUT: Select between CD playback and the digital inputs on the rear panel (2 Toslink, USB, RCA). Pressing INPUT toggles through the different inputs, and the selected input will be indicated by an LED next to the input name. Note: display window is illuminated only during CD playback. PROGRAM [PROG]: Allows compiling a custom track selection and playback order of up to 20 tracks on a disc.
Operation Remote Control Functions continued A/B: Press the A/B button once while music is playing, then press it again; the musical passage in the interval between pressing the button is then repeated in a loop until pressing the A/B button once again to discontinue it. Display reads “A—B” to show activation. Note: you must discontinue the A/B loop before pressing PLAY to resume normal playback.
Software Installation Windows PC Software Installation Instructions Installation of the DAC USB Audio Device drivers is only necessary if you intend to use the USB 2.0 HS input on your CD6. Software installation is not necessary if you only intend to use the two Toslink or RCA inputs. Place the installation disk you received with your CD6 into your computer and double click the SETUP icon.
Software Installation When asked to accept or decline the License Agreement; check the ACCEPT box and press NEXT. The installer will automatically place the HD Audio Device Drivers in your Program files. Press the INSTALL button to continue. In several spots the computer may prompt you to “Install, Continue or Don’t Install” the HD Audio Drivers. Select “allow, continue or Install this driver software anyway” each time you are prompted.
Software Installation At the end of the installation the install program will ask you to disconnect and reconnect your CD6 to the computer via the USB port and turn it on. On Vista and Windows 7, Windows will detect the new CD6 hardware and load on the new drivers automatically; on XP, Windows will pop-up with a NEW HARDWARE FOUND panel; follow the Windows prompt instructions and your new CD6 HD audio device drivers will install. The install prompts will occur twice before the install is complete.
Software Installation Mac Software Installation Instructions Installation of the DAC USB Audio Device drivers is only necessary if you intend to use the USB 2.0 HS input on your CD6. Software installation is not necessary if you only intend to use the two Toslink or RCA inputs. Place the installation disk you received with the CD6 into your Mac computer and open the install file on your desktop.
Software Installation At the completion of the install you should see the INSTALL SUCCEEDED panel. Press the CLOSE button and the installation will be complete. Restart your Mac to complete the installation. After installation, go to your DOCK and click on the SYSTEM PERFERENCES and click on SOUND. Make sure AUDIO RESEARCH CORP DAC has been selected. If not, go into the SOUND panel and click on the AUDIO RESEARCH CORP DAC name and close out the panel.
Software Installation Setting the Sampling Rate in Mac OS X Now go into the FINDER then GO then UTILITIES and select AUDIO MIDI SETUP. Once in the Audio MIDI Setup panel click on the PROPERTIES FOR: selection box and select AUDIO RESEARCH CORP DAC. Then do the same for the SYSTEM OUTPUT: and DEFAULT OUTPUT: selection boxes. Remember, to see the CD6 name in the Audio MIDI Setup panel you must have the CD6 ON and connected to the USB port.
Software Installation Using the DAC Control Panel In Windows when you installed the DAC USB software an icon for the DAC HD Audio Device control panel was placed in your computer’s input tray. Double click the icon and select one of the 6 sample rates listed, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192kHz; then press Apply and then close the window by clicking the X in the upper right corner of the window. The only time you need to go back to this window is when you want to change the sample rate mode.
Software Installation Setting the Sampling Rate or Native Mode in Windows If your music server or music management software does not allow you to connect to the CD6 HD Audio Device drivers directly you can easily tell Windows Vista or Windows 7 operating systems to honor Native mode for your music file. While in Vista or Windows 7 call up the Windows control panel and select the Sound panel. You should see the DAC Device driver in the list of playback devices.
Software Installation Otherwise, for NATIVE MODE, “uncheck” the “Allow application to take exclusive control of this device”, press APPLY, then close the window. Now whatever sample rate your music was stored at will be sent to the CD6. If this step does not allow your music management software to take control of the sample rate being sent to the CD6 you should simply use the DAC control panel to set the CD6 sample rate to that of the music you are playing.
Software Installation Setting Native Mode in Mac OS X Mac OS X does not allow the music manager, such as iTunes or SongBird to change the Sample Rate on a song by song basis. For example, if you set the sample rate of the DAC driver in the AUDIO MIDI SETUP panel to 176400.0Hz then iTunes will up-sample a 44.1 CD to 176.4kHz and send it to the CD6; the 176.4 LED will be lit. To play a 44.1 CD at 44.1kHz, simply set the sample rate in the Audio MIDI Setup Utility to 44100.0kHz.
Software Installation If you want to play back S/PDIF music at a higher resolution and sample rate, you can assemble a HD music server computer system. Your Audio Dealer or the HRx web site at www.referencerecordings.com/HRxSETUPS. asp can give you ideas on how to construct a high resolution music server that will provide an S/PDIF signal to the CD6. If you desire to play high resolution music files via the USB 2.
Maintenance Servicing CAUTION: Your CD6 contains sufficient levels of voltage and current to be lethal. Do not tamper with a component or parts inside the unit. Refer any needed service to your authorized Audio Research dealer or other qualified technician. Should service be necessary, please contact your Audio Research dealer, or Audio Research Customer Service (763) 577-9700. about fuse replacement The CD6 has two fuses; both are located towards the back of the chassis on the left.
Limited Warranty Audio Research Corporation products are covered by a 3-Year Limited Warranty, or a 90-Day Limited Warranty on vacuum tubes. This Limited Warranty initiates from the date of purchase, and is limited to the original purchaser, or in the case of demonstration equipment, limited to the balance of warranty remaining after original shipment to the retailer or importer.
FCC Rules NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Specifications Frequency Response: +0-3dB, 3Hz to 96kHz at rated output. 0.15dB 20Hz to 20kHz. (Balanced, 200k ohms load)@ 192kHz sample rate. Distortion: THD+N Less than .004% at 2V RMS BAL output. Signal-Noise-Ratio: 110dB Dynamic Range (AES17): 111dB IMD (SMPTE): .003% RMS Noise level: -95dBV (20-20kHz) Gain: 16.5dB Balanced, 8.3dB SE. Input Impedance: Digital: 75 ohms RCA, OPT 660nm TOSLink fiber 44.1 to 96kHz.
H I G H D E F I N I T I O N® Specifications subject to change without notice. ©2013 Audio Research Corporation.
