Lavry DA10 User Manual - page 8
LavryBlack DA10
Operation
5
2.) Connect the main output of the DA10 directly to the input of a power amp or powered monitors
and use the Volume control of the DA10 to adjust the speaker volume.
PLEASE NOTE: When operating the DA10 connected directly to a power amp or powered
monitors, it is important to reduce the VOLUME of the DA10 to a very low setting BEFORE
turning the AC power of the power amp or monitors “ON!”
Because the DA10 is capable of driving professional level balanced inputs as well as consumer
level unbalanced (RCA) inputs, some care is needed when using the DA10 with unbalanced
consumer HiFi equipment. Although exceeding the absolute maximum input level of the HiFi
equipment is not likely to cause damage, it will reduce the quality of the listening experience.
- The first time you use the DA10 feeding equipment with a volume control, it is recommended
that you start with the DA10 at a very low VOLUME setting, and raise the volume on the preamp
or receiver to a level you would use to listen to other inputs (Phono or FM radio, for example).
Switch to the input that the DA10 is feeding, and raise the VOLUME setting of the DA10 until the
acoustic volume is the same as other sources. Matching the acoustic level between sources will
almost certainly mean you are not exceeding the input rating of your equipment!
There is wide variation in the absolute maximum input level that HiFi equipment is capable of
accepting without distortion. When this level is exceeded, the music program can be distorted
regardless of the volume setting of the HiFi equipment because the distortion may be caused
before
the volume control. This could also occur when feeding a power amp or powered monitors
directly, especially if the input level control of the power amp/monitors is turned “down” very low.
It could be harder to detect in this situation, because the corresponding acoustic volume would
typically be very loud when this distortion occurs.
- Most consumer equipment with RCA inputs are designed to operate with an absolute maximum
input level of 2V rms (which is 5.6 V peak-to-peak). When operating in unbalanced configuration,
the VOLUME setting on the DA10 that corresponds to this level is “46.”
It is recommended to
check the specifications and confirm this corresponds to the absolute maximum input rating of
your equipment according to the manufacturer! If it does not, you should determine the correct
setting of the DA10 that is the absolute maximum setting for your system.
Please see the section
titled “Determining the Correct DA10 Volume Setting for other input ratings” (below).
- For professional equipment with balanced inputs, a VOLUME setting of 56 corresponds to
+24dBu. Some professional equipment has a maximum input rating of +18 dBu, which
corresponds to the VOLUME setting of “50” on the DA10 for balanced operation and “56” for
unbalanced operation.
In cases where the DA10 is feeding a consumer receiver or preamp, once the absolute maximum
level has been established, the actual level used for typical listening may be lower than this value.
As a rule, if you switch between analog sources on the receiver or preamp and there is a large
difference in volume between other sources and the DA10, it is probably better to lower the
VOLUME setting of the DA10 below the absolute maximum level if it is much louder than other
sources. It will probably take some experimenting with different music program to establish a
good “working volume” with your system. There is a possibility that the optimum DA10 level
setting will still result in the DA10 being slightly louder than other sources. It is also recommended
that you not exceed the absolute maximum level, even with music program that has large
variations in level, because a loud peak could occur that would cause distortion.
In most cases, lowering the volume setting on the DA10 will degrade the signal quality less than
lowering the volume control on the receiver or preamp below a setting which is “normal” for other
analog sources (Phono, FM broadcast, etc.). The digitally controlled analog level circuitry of the
DA10 degrades the signal less than typical “knob” potentiometer volume controls on consumer
equipment, particularly at lower level settings.