Ayre QB-9DSD Manual de usuario
Ayre QB-9DSD
Owner’s Manual
USB Digital-to-Analog Converter
Table of
Contents
Welcome to Ayre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Overview and Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Connections and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Controls and Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Optimization and Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Numbers and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Statement of Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
A Place for Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Welcome to
Ayre
Your Ayre Ayre QB-9DSD offers a significant advance
in the musical performance of high-fidelity
equipment. The warmth and immediacy of a live
performance are apparent from the first listening.
The combination of superb resolution and a natural,
relaxed quality will draw you into the music, time
and time again.
This degree of performance has been implemented
using the highest levels of workmanship and
materials. You can be assured that the Ayre QB-9DSD
will provide you a lifetime of musical enjoyment.
To our North American customers, please be
sure to mail your warranty registration card and
photocopy of your original sales receipt within 30
days in order to extend the warranty to five
years.
2
Overview and
Introduction
The integration of the personal computer (PC) into
the home stereo system has provided a revolutionary
way to purchase, organize, and play your digital
music collection. The Ayre QB-9DSD
digital-to-audio (D/A) converter provides an equally
revolutionary way to play back your music files with
unprecedented fidelity and realism.
Connected via the ubiquitous USB port, the
QB-9DSD generates the master audio clock and
requests the data from the computer at the correct
time for jitter-free playback of your music. Apple
computers can use the standard device driver, while
Windows PCs must install a free download available
from the Ayre website.
The QB-9DSD also utilizes opto-couplers to provide
total electrical isolation for the connections between
your computer and music system. This minimizes
the introduction of unwanted radio-frequency
interference (RFI), generated by all computers.
Avoiding the use of wireless networks (e.g.,
Wi-Fi), by employing wired connections instead,
will reduce RFI levels in your home and results in
improved sound quality for any music system.
3
Connections and
Installation
The Ayre QB-9DSD is easy to connect and use. The
following guidelines will ensure that the installation
goes smoothly.
Analog Outputs
The Ayre QB-9DSD offers both balanced and
single-ended outputs. Balanced connections are
made via XLR connectors, while single-ended
connections are made via RCA connectors.
When you have a choice, a balanced connection
will offer slightly higher sound quality than a
single-ended connection.
USB Input
The USB input uses the squarish “B” type connector
designed for computer peripheral devices. The
rectangular “A” type connector at the other end of
the cable plugs directly into the computer. The
maximum recommended cable length is 10 feet (3
meters). It is not recommended to use extenders or
hubs with the QB-9DSD.
4
AyreLink Ports
The AyreLink communication system provides a
convenient way to control your audio system. There
are two AyreLink ports on the rear panel of the
QB-9DSD D/A converter. Each port contains both an
input and an output. Both ports function identically
and may be used interchangeably.
The linked components may be
joined in any convenient
order.
AyreLink connections are made with commonly
available two-line telephone line cords using
modular (RJ-11) connectors. (These are the cords
that connect the telephone set to the wall in many
countries.) They are readily available in different
lengths and various colors at most electronics stores.
Be sure to use two-line telephone
cords to make AyreLink connections,
identifiable by four gold contacts on
each connector. Single-line cords with
only two gold contacts will not
function in this application.
The linked components should be connected in
daisy-chain fashion, connecting each component to
5
another until all of the linked components have
been connected.
When connecting the linked
components to form a chain, be careful
not to connect the two ends of the
chain. Closing the chain to form a loop
will cause the AyreLink system not to
function.
AC Power
The QB-9DSD may be plugged directly into an
unswitched wall outlet. Although proprietary RFI
(radio-frequency interference) filtering is built into
the USB D/A converter, in some situations an AC
power-line filter (such as those offered by Ayre) may
provide additional sonic benefits.
As virtually all computers use switch-mode power
supplies that introduce unwanted RFI on the AC
power line, it may be beneficial to use an AC power
line filter for the computer and its accessories (e.g.,
display monitor), many of which also utilize
switch-mode power supplies.
Break-In
100 to 500 hours of music
played through the system will
ensure full break-in.
Due to the manufacturing processes used for the
printed circuit boards, wires, and capacitors, a
break-in period is necessary for the USB D/A
converter to reach its full performance potential.
6
Configuring the Computer
No matter what operating system (OS) your
computer uses — Apple, Windows, or Linux —
you’ll need to set up your computer to perform
several different tasks:
•Transferring music to your computer’s hard drive,
either by converting the files from your CD
collection, commonly called “ripping”, or by
purchasing files that are downloaded via the
internet.
•Labeling the files you have transferred with the
names of the song, artist, album, et cetera,
commonly called “tagging”. (Downloaded files will
normally already have the “tags” included.)
•Using a music player program to organize your
music collection and play it back.
•Optionally record music selections back onto CDs
for playback in your car or other places, commonly
called “burning”.
•Optionally transfer part of your music collection
to a portable music player.
A few programs can perform all of these functions,
for example iTunes (Apple and Windows), J.River
Media Center (Apple and Windows), and Foobar
(Windows). Some users will prefer to use a
combination of other specialized programs to
perform these functions.
7
An introductory guide to setting up your computer
is available at the Ayre website at:
www.ayre.com/usb.htm
DSD over PCM (DoP)
In addition to the standard method of encoding
audio signals as digital information (PCM, or Pulse
Code Modulation), another system also exists, called
DSD by Sony who used it for their SACD format.
(Technically, it is simply a specific form of PDM or
Pulse Density Modulation.) While it is quite
difficult to transfer (“rip”) SACDs to your computer
for music playback, there are now a few record labels
that sell music file downloads in the DSD format.
Since most computer operating systems will not
directly handle DSD-encoded music files, an
industry consortium has developed a method of
“packetizing” the DSD data as PCM words. This
process is called “DSD over PCM” or DoP, and
requires a music playback application that is
compatible with DoP, as well as a compliant USB
D/A converter, such as the QB-9DSD. The QB-9DSD
will play back DoP files in their native DSD format.
8
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