Playing Audio through the Zodiac DAC using S/PDIF (electrical or optical input cable) Source. Playing Audio through the Zodiac DAC using USB Sources

Transcription

1 Using the Zodiac DAC with Mac OS X (Screenshots taken using OS X Version ) Playing Audio through the Zodiac DAC using S/PDIF (electrical or optical input cable) Source Playing Audio through the Zodiac DAC using USB Sources Advanced User Notes: How to play back Bit-Perfect Audio to your Zodiac DAC. Using Amarra (Version 2.1) and Pure Music (Version 1.74a) a.) Amarra (via Optical) b.) Amarra (via USB Audio Class 2) c.) Pure Music (via Optical) d.) Pure Music (via USB Audio Class 2)

2 Using the Zodiac DAC with Mac OS X Playing Audio through the Zodiac DAC using S/PDIF (electrical or optical input cable) Source Mac software including Amarra, Pure Music, and, most importantly, Mac OS X s Sound and Audio MIDI Setup control panels, immediately recognize and support the Zodiac when connected via S/PDIF. 1. Click on the Apple Icon in the Menu bar and select System Preferences. This opens the System Preferences window. 2. Click on the Sound icon to open the Sound control panel. 3. Click the Output tab and select Digital Out as your output device. Playing Audio through the Zodiac DAC using USB Sources Mac software including Amarra, Pure Music, and, most importantly, Mac OS X s Sound and Audio MIDI Setup control panels, immediately recognize and support the Zodiac when connected via USB: 1. Click on the Apple Icon in the Menu bar and select System Preferences. This opens the System Preferences window. 2. Click on the Sound icon to open the Sound control panel. 3. Click the Output tab and select Zodiac as your output device.

3 NOTE: Macintosh computers support USB Audio Class 2 The benefit of using USB Audio Class 2 is that it enables you to playback audio through the Zodiac, up to a sample rate of 384kHz. (See Zodiac Manual for further information on USB Audio Class). Advanced User Notes How To Play Back Bit-Perfect Audio (ie. that every bit arriving at an audio input remains unchanged until received by the audio application, and every bit sent out by an audio application reaches your Zodiac DAC exactly as it was sent). Mac OSX Sample Rate Settings Zodiac DAC identifies and plays the sample rate it receives. Within Macintosh computers it is possible to change the sample rate: 1. Go to the Applications folder > Utilities folder, and click on the Audio & Midi Setup icon to open the control panel. 2. Here in the Format dropdown menu you can select from all available sample rates, up to 384kHz (if using USB Audio Class 2).

4 Using Amarra and Pure Music There are programs that work together with itunes to output the native sample rate. Amarra and Pure Music are both popular examples of this software that override Mac OSX Audio Device Sample Rate Settings. Amarra, Pure Music, and, most importantly, Mac s Audio MIDI Setup control panel immediately recognize and support the Zodiac. a.) Amarra (via Optical) (All screenshots taken from Amarra, Version 2.1) To use Amarra via an optical/ S/PDIF cable: 1. Download the latest version of the Amarra software from the internet and install it on your computer. 2. Plug in and press the power button on your Zodiac DAC. 3. Connect your Zodiac DAC to your computer via an optical/ S/PDIF cable from either of the two S/PDIF ports on the back panel of the Zodiac DAC. 4. Open itunes and Amarra they connect and the onscreen interface for Amarra magnetizes to the left side of the itunes interface. 5. Begin playing out some music from Amarra/iTunes (IMPORTANT NOTE: optical cable connection is only recognized once music is playing!). 6. Press the Source button on the front panel of the Zodiac DAC to select the appropriate optical source setting (only sources connected and providing an active connection will appear as options to scroll through music must be playing!). 7. Check in your Mac computer s System Preferences > Sound > Output that Digital Out Optical digital out port is the selected sound output. 8. Check in your Mac computer s Audio MIDI Setup for Audio Devices that Built In Output is selected and that in the Source drop-down menu shows Digital Out. 9. If all is connected correctly Amarra/iTunes will appear as below with a clear volume signal visible on the levels and an indication of the source and the sample rate of the track playing.

5 b.) Amarra (via USB Audio Class 2) (All screenshots taken from Amarra, Version 2.1) To use Amarra via USB Audio Class 2 cable: 1. Download the latest version of the Amarra software from the internet and install it on your computer. 2. Plug in and press the power button on your Zodiac DAC. 3. Connect your Zodiac DAC to your computer via a USB Audio Class 2 cable from the USB port on the back panel of the Zodiac DAC. 4. Open itunes and Amarra they connect and the onscreen interface for Amarra magnetizes to the left side of the itunes interface. 5. Begin playing out some music from Amarra/iTunes. 6. Press the Source button on the front panel of the Zodiac DAC to select the appropriate USB setting (only sources connected and providing an active connection will appear as options to scroll through). 7. Check in your Mac computer s System Preferences > Sound > Output that Zodiac USB is the selected sound output. 8. Check in your Mac computer s Audio MIDI Setup for Audio Devices that Zodiac is selected and that in the Source drop-down menu shows default. 9. If all is connected correctly Amarra/iTunes will appear as below with a clear volume signal visible on the levels and an indication of the Zodiac source and the sample rate of the track playing.

6 c.) Pure Music (via Optical) (All screenshots taken from Pure Music, Version 1.74a) To use Pure Music via an optical/ S/PDIF cable: 1. Download the latest version of the Pure Music application from the internet and install it on your computer. 2. Plug in and press the power button on your Zodiac DAC. 3. Connect your Zodiac DAC to your computer via an optical/ S/PDIF cable from either of the two S/PDIF ports on the back panel of the Zodiac DAC. 4. Open itunes and Pure Music they connect and the onscreen interface for Pure Music magnetizes to the left side of the itunes interface. 5. Begin playing out some music from Pure Music/iTunes (IMPORTANT NOTE: optical cable connection is only recognized once music is playing!). 6. Press the Source button on the front panel of the Zodiac DAC to select the appropriate optical source setting (only sources connected and providing an active connection will appear as options to scroll through music must be playing!). 7. Check in your Mac computer s System Preferences > Sound > Output that Digital Out Optical digital out port is the selected sound output. 8. Check in your Mac computer s Audio MIDI Setup for Audio Devices that Built In Output is selected and that in the Source drop-down menu shows Digital Out. 9. Go to the Pure Music menu > Audio Setup.

7 10. In the Audio Setup panel under the Output Devices dropdown menu select: Built-in Output, then > Click to Apply Changes. 11. If all is connected correctly Pure Music/iTunes will appear as below with a

8 clear volume signal visible on the levels, an indication of the disk source and the native sample rate of the track playing. (Close up detail). d.) Pure Music (via USB Audio Class 2) (All screenshots taken from Pure Music, Version 1.74a) To use Pure Music via USB Audio Class 2 cable: 1. Download the latest version of the Pure Music application from the internet and install it on your computer. 2. Plug in and press the power button on your Zodiac DAC. 3. Connect your Zodiac DAC to your computer via a USB Audio Class 2 cable from the USB port on the back panel of the Zodiac DAC. 4. Open itunes and Pure Music applications they connect and the onscreen interface for Pure Music magnetizes to the left side of the itunes interface. 5. Begin playing out some music from Pure Music/iTunes. 6. Press the Source button on the front panel of the Zodiac DAC to select the appropriate USB setting (only sources connected and providing an active connection will appear as options to scroll through).

9 7. Check in your Mac computer s System Preferences > Sound > Output that Zodiac USB is the selected sound output. 8. Check in your Mac computer s Audio MIDI Setup for Audio Devices that Zodiac is selected and that in the Source drop-down menu shows default. 9. Go to the Pure Music menu > Audio Setup. 10. In the Audio Setup panel > Device Selection > under the Output Devices dropdown menu select: Zodiac Gold. 11. To save settings, click on: Click to Apply Changes (Application Will Relaunch). The Pure Music application will auto re-launch.

10 12. After auto re-launch, if you check Pure Music s Audio Setup you can see that it has applied the necessary changes: 13. If all is connected correctly Pure Music/iTunes will have a clear volume signal visible on the levels. You will now see that Pure Music recognizes the Zodiac Gold and it s capability to adjust to the native sample rate of all audio tracks (up to 384 khz Audio).

11 Pure Music and itunes will now work effectively with your Zodiac DAC. Enjoy using your Zodiac DAC. Antelope Audio March, 2011.