Antelope Audio Zodiac Gold DAC - Manual (Page 13)

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back and forth between current settings for USB operation mode and Headphone amplifier
impedance.
● Pushing the source button (10) will take you through the supported USB modes (UF1, UH1,
UH2) or Headphone impedance (HP1 or Hp2).
● Confirm the change by pressing the power button once. The display will again start to switch
between the available settings. Push the power button one more time to exit this mode and
go to operating mode.
8.3. Mute
There are 2 attenuation possibilities: Full mute and -20dB attenuation (Dim- available with digital
sources only).
● Full mute – Push the mute button once. A muting relay disconnects the signal from the
analog outputs (18) & (19). Display fades down.
● -20dB attenuation – Push and hold the mute button for about one second. The digital signal
is routed through the 20dB attenuator, thus audible both through the headphones and the
outputs. Display brightness decreases slightly.
● Unmuting – When the device is in one of the above attenuator modes, pushing the mute
button once restores the volume to the previous level. Display brightness returns to full
illumination.
NOTE: By default, full mute is not applied to the headphone outputs. However, it is possible
to make the headphones mute as well, via options in the computer control panel.
8.4. Digital Audio Quality ‒ factors and settings
Guidelines to improve the audio performance of your computer-based audio system:
● Keep volume controls at 100% on all operating systems
● If you are using iTunes and/or Mac OS X, set the sample-rate in the Audio MIDI applet
located in the Applications / Utilities folder to match the file being played. By adding iTunes
plug-ins such as Amarra and Pure Music the sample rate will be matched automatically.
● For Windows 7 or Vista, sample rates can be automatically matched using WASAPI
enhanced players such as J River Media Center.
● Keep word-length settings at 24 bits. Even if you are playing 16-bit audio, it is recommended
to keep 24-bit settings.
● Turn-off operating system sounds.
● Keep all operating system’s DSP and plug-ins turned off. Applications, device drivers,
sound cards, etc., have various DSP effects such as EQ, Bass boost, surround sound, etc.
For best performance, visit our support pages and google for many websites devoted to optimizing
your computer for audio performance.