Quantum DAC OPERATOR'S MANUAL Version 1 LTD. 2117 East 5th Street Superior, WI 54880 USA tel: 715-398-3627 fax: 715-398-3279 www.cranesong.com © 2016 Crane Song, LTD. Subject to change without notice. Printed in the U.S.A.
Thank you and congratulations on your recent purchase of the Crane Song Solaris Quantum DAC. The Solaris Quantum DAC is a 2 channel Digital-to-Analog Converter, designed by Dave Hill. It is centred around a 32-bit converter and 32 bit ASRC (Asynchronous Sample Rate Converter) that up-samples to 211kHz in order to reduce jitter. The reference clock of the Solaris has less than 1ps (picosecond) jitter and employs a proprietary re-construction filter for accurate time domain response.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read these instructions 2. Keep these instructions 3. Heed all warnings 4. Follow all instructions 5. Do not use this apparatus near water 6. Clean only with dry cloth 7. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions 8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat 9.
THE INs AND OUTs OF THE SOLARIS On the back of the DAC you’ll find the inputs and outputs. The input options are AES, S/PDIF, Optical and USB. The AES input connects over XLR, S/PDIF via RCA Phono, Optical goes in on Toslink. USB allows you to connect the Solaris directly to your computer and use it as a dual-channel/ stand-alone output only interface. The USB drivers are built into MAC. For PC Windows 7 and later, you can download the Windows driver from our website (www.cranesong.
SUGGESTED SOLARIS USES In addition to how you will put the Solaris to use within your audio setup, here are some suggestions on implementing the unit. • DAW setup monitor controller. If you’re working completely in the box, you will still benefit from top notch D-A and ultra-low jitter Conversion. You can hook up the Solaris to your DAW via USB. Therefore you’re using the unit as your interface.
• Output Extender. Assuming you’re already set up with an interface, the Solaris can perform several tasks. You can use it as your master output from the DAW and it can provide an extra set of analog outs fed from your interface’s digital outputs. You can make the Solaris your DAC for analog processing.
THE FRONT PANEL LCD Function Display MUTE On power on all outputs including the Headphones are muted After that the Headphones do not mute POWER SOURCE This selects the input AES, S/PDIF, OPTICAL, USB GAIN This is the main output level HEADPHONE LEVEL HEADPHONES 7
CONFIGURATION Built in Pad Scale type CHANGED BY THE GAIN KNOB IN SETUP MODE CHANGED BY THE SOURCE KNOB IN SETUP MODE Set up for the Solaris could not be easier. Plug up your in and outputs, power up and you're ready to go. Whenever the unit is switched on the unit will be muted. The MUTE button on the front mutes and un-mutes the Main outputs. An LCD Function Display shows Source, Sample Rate (upto 192kHz), Main output and Headphone Gain. The display also has a set of Left/Right level meters.
The Set Up Menu offers you the option to engage a 6dB PAD on the Main output. Simply select On or OFF with the SOURCE knob and hit MUTE to exit the menu. This pad will reduce the Main output to +18dBu from its standard +24dBu. You can also change the GAIN SCALE of your unit by changing the SCALE TYPE from ATT to AVO. When you switch the SCALE TYPE, with the GAIN knob, the display scale for the GAIN will change. In ATT mode the the maximum output number is 0dB.
BACK PANEL REFERENCE FIXED OUTPUT Digital 0 =+18dbu ADJUSTABLE OUTPUT Digital 0 =+24dbu With internal pad off internal pad on = +18dbu 10
SYSTEM REFERENCE for USB For both AD and DA, a complete interface AD, AUDIO INTERCONNECT AD, DADA AUDIO INTERCONNECT INTERSTELLAR AD SOLARIS DA COMPUTER By using the AD as the master interface the clocking will be uncompromised For playback only SOLARIS can connect directly to the computer by USB 11
QUANTUM D/A AND CLOCKING TECHNOLOGY The Quantum D/A and clocking technology uses an extremely low jitter reference for jitter reduction and a unique combination of analog and digital reconstruction filters. The reference oscillator uses techniques that are borrowed from microwave communication and test instruments in it’s design, and is the result of 2 years of research. The DAC is the latest generation high end AKM 32 bit part. The result is a DAC with unsurpassed imaging and transient response.
Jitter measured from 1Hz to 100KHz is 0.54pS typical. Measured with a Symmetricom 3120A, using a Stanford Research Systems Rubidium Frequency Standard, PRS10. Without info on the measurement bandwidth and test instrument used, the measurement is impossible to know about. Phase noise at 10Hz is critical.
44 femto Seconds Jitter measured from 10Hz to 20KHz is 0.044pS or 44 fS typical. Measured with a Symmetricom 3120A, using a Stanford Research Systems Rubidium Frequency Standard, PRS10. Without info on the measurement bandwidth and test instrument used, the measurement is impossible to know about.
TECH SPEC CROSS TALK measured main output, gain set to 0 1 kHZ -122 dB 10 kHz -100 dB THD + NOISE MAIN OUTPUT INPUT 0 dBFS GAIN SET TO -6 dB 0.0005% INPUT -6 dBFS 0.
