Questions

Answers

    General

  • Is balanced connection better than unbalanced?

    Theoretically, balanced connection is better in that it can reject the common-mode noise and distortion introduced in the signal chain. In practice, the answer is more complicated and depends on the internal circuit topology of each component. Often, the internal circuitry is unbalanced and extra stages are added to convert the unbalanced signal to the balanced and vice versa. If such conversion stages are poorly implemented, it might be better to keep the connections unbalanced.

  • What is Anedio's mission?

    To make high-performance audio accessible to anyone pursuing the enjoyment of music.

  • How does Anedio keep the cost low?

    From the very conception of product ideas, we concentrate our resources on a few essential features that really matter to the faithful reproduction of sound and pursue cost reduction measures as an integral part of the design process. In order to minimize the cost of manual assembly, we integrate all components and functions onto a few PCBs. We avoid complex and costly features that do not contribute to sonic quality, yet we do use the highest-quality components where they matter. And for the lowest overhead, we sell direct through our web site, passing on the savings to audiophiles.

  • How much warm-up time is needed?

    We generally recommend about 10 - 20 minutes of warm-up time. The DAC, with a precision oscillator and a phase-locked loop, can be sensitive to the temperature change during the first few minutes after power on, but it reaches its steady operating condition quickly and is ready for serious listening within 10 - 20 minutes.

    • Amplifiers

  • What are the benefits of passive bi-amplification?

    In passive bi-amplification, two amplifier channels are used to drive a single loudspeaker, with the low and high frequency crossovers disconnected from each other. Passive bi-amplification has all the advantages of bi-wiring in that low-frequency currents flow through a separate cable and does not modulate the high-frequency path. More significantly, the low and high frequency crossovers are completely isolated from each other through the separate amplifier channels, eliminating any possibility of nonlinear interaction between the crossovers. The resulting improvement, depending on the system, can be dramatic, revealing another layer of sonic information.

  • How is the Anedio A1 Amplifier optimized for passive bi-amplification?

    The Anedio A1 amplifier offers an important benefit in its implementation of passive bi-amplification -- immunity to ground noise with multiple amplifiers. Often, connecting two amplifier channels for bi-amplification generates more ground noise because of the additional ground loops. In Anedio A1, the bi-amplification feature was conceived at the very beginning of the design stage, not as an afterthought, and was optimized in such a way that it does not cause any increase in ground noise. Even when the two amplifier channels are configured for bi-amplification, the noise level remains extraordinarily low. Moreover, the bi-amplification mode is activated with a built-in switch, and there is no need for an external Y cable.

    • Digital Source

  • How to install the USB audio driver in Windows 8

    Installing the USB audio driver in Windows 8 involves running the installer in the compatibility mode.
    (1) Download the latest driver installer.
    (2) Right-click the installer's icon and choose Properties.
    (3) In the Compatibility tab, check "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select Windows 7.
    (4) Run the installer, and follow the onscreen instruction.

  • Is the D2 fully balanced?

    Yes, the D2 maintains a fully-balanced signal path from the ES9018 DAC to the balanced output. Every effort has been made to preserve the symmetry of the signal for effective rejection of the common-mode noise and distortion.

  • How to bypass digital volume control

    The digital volume control in Anedio's DACs can be bypassed completely by setting the volume display to either "99" or "81". At "99", the signal goes through without any attenuation. At "81", the digital volume is still bypassed completely, and the signal is attenuated 9 dB by a high-quality, low-noise resistor divider.

  • D1 & D2 DAC Usage Advisory

    We have recently identified an issue that might occur under certain conditions. The D1 & D2 DAC can unlock when more than one digital input is active and when the SPDIF pulse edges are sufficiently fast to cause a significant amount of crosstalk. The workaround is to activate only one digital input at a time by turning off or disconnecting unused digital sources.

  • How to resolve conflicts with other IR remotes

    If you have conflicts with other IR remote devices, you might be able to resolve them by changing the IR address in the D1's & D2’s remote:
    (1) Hold SET for 2 seconds until the red LED indicator lights up.
    (2) Press CBL/SAT.
    (3) Enter the following 4-digit sequence: either “8015” or “8107” (default = “8126”).
    (4) Press ENT.
    (5) Press CBL/SAT again.

  • Do I really need a 32-bit DAC?

    No, if you had an ideal DAC, 24 bits would be more than sufficient for the most faithful reproduction of music. However, no DACs are ideal, and the extra bits of a 32-bit DAC help ensure that the quantization noise and other nonlinearities are well below the threshold of audibility. In addition, the 32-bit data path guarantees that all the artifacts of digital filtering and volume control stay completely negligible. With 32 bits of resolution, the D1 DAC is able to resolve a -140dB signal clearly as shown here.

  • Why do I need an external DAC such as the Anedio D1?

    Common sources of digital audio, such as CD, DVD, Blu-ray players, wireless music servers, and computers, have built-in DACs that may be adequate for casual listening but may not be optimized for the best sonic performance. An external DAC, such as the Anedio D1, takes the digital audio data from these sources and generates a more faithful representation of the original signal. The 32-bit DAC in the Anedio D1 resolves even the smallest signals accurately and its multi-stage jitter-reduction circuits virtually eliminate jitter. We believe that the sonic improvement by adding the D1 DAC is substantial in most systems and may be one of the most cost-effective ways of improving the sound of your system.

  • How do I set up media players for the best sonic performance?

    When setting up media players for use with the D1 DAC, it is best to disable all digital processing performed by the software so that the audio stream is passed onto the D1 DAC in a bit-perfect condition. The following steps ensure the best possible sonic performance:

    • Set the software volume control to the maximum.
    • Turn off automatic gain adjustments, such as replay gain.
    • Disable all DSP plugins.
    • Set the playback resolution to 24 bits, if such an option is available.

  • What is galvanic isolation, and why is it important?

    Galvanic isolation is the means of isolating one section of a circuit from another by eliminating direct electrical connection between them while allowing signals to pass through. In digital audio, galvanic isolation is needed to isolate the dirty ground (e.g. from USB) from the clean DAC ground while passing the audio stream from the dirty section to the clean section. It also breaks ground loops, preventing power-line related noise from contaminating the system. In the D1 DAC, all digital inputs are galvanically isolated (USB and 2 electrical SPDIF inputs using ultra high-speed digital transformers, and 1 Toslink optical input) to ensure the cleanest possible interface regardless of the type of digital source.

    • Headphone

  • How much power is needed to drive a headphone?

    The sensitivities of the headphones vary widely, as much as 30 dB SPL, for a given power, and it is impossible to cite a single number. For a moderately sensitive headphone, such as the Sennheiser HD600 (97 dB SPL/mW, 300 ohms), it would require about 20 mW (2.4 Vrms into 300 ohms) to reach 110 dB SPL. For the Audeze LCD-2, it would be 79 mW (2.2 Vrms into 60 ohms), and for the HifiMan HE-5LE, about 178 mW (2.6 Vrms into 38 ohms). The D2's default output level (4 Vrms) is more than sufficient to drive all these headphones to 110 dB SPL with extremely low distortion. However, extended listening at such a high level is strongly discouraged, as sound-induced hearing loss is irreversible.

    • Loudspeakers and Room

  • What are the most important factors in setting up loudspeakers in a room?

    Two factors stand out -- symmetry with respect to reflecting walls and space around the loudspeakers. First, the reflecting walls behind and side of the loudspeakers must be symmetrical. Asymmetry between the left and the right side will confuse the imaging of the sound stage and will make it blurry and unstable. Second, the loudspeakers must be placed at least 3 feet away from reflecting walls. The time delay between the direct sound and the reflected sound improves clarity, intelligibility, and the sense of space.

    • Setup

  • How important are speaker cables?

    Speaker cables do contribute to the sound of the overall system, but not as much as what is often claimed by audiophile cable manufacturers. Expensive cables do not guarantee sonic improvements and are often unnecessary. Since audiophile speaker cables vary greatly in their construction and impedance, one particular cable may not necessarily work with all amplifier-loudspeaker combinations. Some are either too capacitive or too inductive and can make certain amplifiers oscillate. Regardless of the type of the cable, it is important to remember that the best cable is no cable. The signal can never be improved by going through more cable. Thus, one universal practice to improve the sound is to minimize the length of the cable by placing the power amplifier between the two loudspeakers. In a typical home system, the length of the cable can be kept under 5-8 feet so that the cable itself would become less of a factor.

  • What type of speaker cables do you recommend?

    There are many types and brands of speaker cables in the market, and many can be recommended. At audio frequencies, the skin effect is negligible, and it is unnecessary to spend large amounts of money in cables that try to minimize the skin effect. Instead, we prefer cables that offer better immunity to electromagnetic interferences. For this purpose, we recommend star-quad cables, whose 4-conductor arrangement reduces susceptibility to electromagnetically induced noise. They also tend to be inexpensive since manufacturing processes for making them are widely available.

  • What are the benefits of bi-wiring?

    In bi-wiring, the low and high frequency crossovers are separated, and the signal current flows through two separate cables. The low-frequency current flows only through the cable connected to the woofer and does not modulate the high-frequency path. The improvement is subtle but can be significant in high-resolution systems, with increased definition at midrange and treble.