USER MANUAL Welcome Hello and thank you for your purchase of the CEntrance DACmini CX, the Category-Defining 192kHz DAC with Class A Headphone Amplifier. You are in the possession of a truly unique audio product, the result of over 10 years of Research, Development and Critical Evaluation. We bring you the best in audio technology... Now it’s your turn to listen.
Table Of Contents WELCOME ................................................................................. 1 Our History ............................................................................. 3 Box Contents ........................................................................... 3 DEFINING FEATURES................................................................ 4 Robust Technology ................................................................... 4 Volume Control ................................
Our History CEntrance was established in 2000 by Michael Goodman, a musician and a veteran audio engineer with a passion for innovative products. Initially CEntrance licensed technology to other manufacturers, mostly in the pro audio industry. We developed Mixing consoles, MIDI keyboards and Recording products for many of today’s famous brands. By 2006 CEntrance had over 100 consulting clients in its portfolio and felt that our clients kept asking us to design “more of the same”.
Defining Features Robust Technology CEntrance got its start in the broadcast industry. Our customers are journalists and reporters who travel the world with their equipment – they can’t afford to have it fail in the field or be incompatible with local connections. These customers demand the best. We design all of our products to these highest standards of quality and reliability. That’s also how we design our power supplies.
Setup and Connections Connections are easy and intuitive with your DACmini. To prevent initial turn-on pops, CEntrance recommends connecting the audio and USB connections first, and then connecting the power supply. For proper power supply sequencing, the power cord should always be the last thing to plug into the unit.
2) Select “Sound” from the Hardware Menu -6-
3) Select “DACmini” from the Sounds Menu and you are ready to listen to music! -7-
Sample Rate Adjustment In order to ensure accurate sample rate playback, make sure your playback application has “automatic sample rate switching” enabled. If your application does not offer this feature (such as iTunes), DACmini will default to the sample rate selected in AudioMIDI Setup and your audio may be subject to internal OS SRC. To Locate “Audio MIDI Setup” go to Applications->Utilities->Audio MIDI setup as shown below. Select DACmini from the “Properties For” drop-down menu.
Windows Setup DACmini is a true plug-and-play device. Less than 30 seconds after plugging into the USB connection you will notice that it is automatically installed and ready for use. You can ensure DACmini is selected as your playback device in the Windows control panel. To make sure DACmini is the selected playback device: 1. Select “Control Panel” from the Windows Start menu. 2. Select “Sounds and Audio Devices” 3.
Switching Sample Rates with Universal Driver for Windows Driverless 24/96 performance on Mac/PC allows easy access to large and growing collections of uncompressed digital music from such labels as HD tracks, Reference Recordings, etc. However, some people may prefer to download a Windows driver to achieve more control. Windows will often convert audio sample rates automatically, which is not always preferred in audiophile circles.
Source Selection Choosing an Input DACmini is an extremely versatile DAC. It allows you to listen to a variety of digital and analog sources. In order to switch from USB digital input to coax, to optical, to line input - turn the small knob on the front of the unit and the corresponding white LED will indicate the selected input. Release and turn one more time to switch again. You will hear a click with every switch.
Choice of Digital Files While many customers will prefer to use DACmini to listen to 24/96 FLAC files, it is also exceptionally well-suited for playback of other digital audio file formats (even MP3 files). The reason for this is JitterGuard™, CEntrance’s precision, proprietary jitter management algorithm. Most audio quality issues in digital to audio conversion stem from poorly managed jitter – a type of unpleasant distortion, which makes the musical instruments in the mix sound lost and unfocused.
Using your DACmini Troubleshooting In the unlikely event that something is not working well, try these simple troubleshooting steps first. If this doesn’t help, please email info@centrance.com or call us on the phone. We will be happy to help you with setup. Please also feel free to visit our forum and give us your feedback at www.CEntrance.com/forum.
Continuous Operation Many people use their computers continuously, without ever turning them off. You could do the same with DACmini, if you prefer. There is no harm in leaving your DACmini on for an extended amount of time. DACmini power consumption of is comparable to that of a small laptop.
