PS AUDIO Stellar Strata Amplifier Owner’s Manual
- June 10, 2024
- PS AUDIO
Table of Contents
Stellar Strata Amplifier
Owner’s Manual
Safety Information
Important Safety Instructions
READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS HEED ALL WARNINGS
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE
THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. OBJECTS FILLED WITH LIQUIDS, SUCH AS
VASES, SHOULD NOT BE PLACED ON THE APPARATUS. THIS APPARATUS MUST BE CONNECTED
TO A MAINS AC OUTLET WITH A PROTECTIVE GROUND CONNECTION.
Clean only with a dry cloth. Do not place flammable material on top of or
beneath the unit.
The PS Audio® Stellar Strata Amplifier is a passively cooled component that
requires adequate ventilation at all times during operation.
Do not remove or bypass the ground pin on the end of the AC cord. All PS
Audio® products ship with a grounding-type plug. If the provided plug does not
fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete
outlet.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs,
convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms.
When making connections to this or any other component, make sure all
components are powered off. Turn off all systems’ power before connecting the
PS Audio®component to any other component. Make sure all cable terminations
are of the highest quality.
THERE ARE NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE THIS PS AUDIO PRODUCT. REFER ALL
SERVICE NEEDS TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
Please contact your authorized dealer, distributor, or PS Audio’ directly if
you have any questions or concerns that are not addressed in this reference
manual.
PS Audio’, the sine wave logo, and PerfectWave are registered trademarks of PS
Audio, Inc., and are restricted for use by PS Audio, Inc., its subsidiaries,
and authorized agents. Stella?, Power Plant-, MultiWave-, CleanWave-, and Gain
Cell’ are trademarks of PS Audio, Inc.
This product was designed and assembled in Boulder, Colorado with globally
sourced components.
© 2020 PS Audio, Inc. All rights reserved. Rev E.
Introduction
Thank You
Thank you for purchasing PS Audio’s Stellar Strata Amplifier. This is your
comprehensive Operator’s Guide, intended to provide a full overview of the
Stellar Strata Amplifier’s functions and capabilities. It is our intention to
provide you with full details about the Stellar Strata Amplifier and to answer
any and all questions you may have. If you have additional questions or
concerns that are not addressed in this guide, please contact us and we will
be happy to assist you.
Contact Information
PS Audio, Inc.
4865 Sterling Drive
Boulder, CO 80301
1 (800) PSAUDIO
service@psaudio.com
www.psaudio.com
Symbols Found On The Stellar Strata
****| Indicates compliance with European Union Legislation for relevant
safety (Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU) and EMC (EMC Directive 2014/30/EU)
requirements.
---|---
| Is intended to tell the user that parts inside the product are a risk of
electric shock to persons.
| Is intended to tell the user that important operating and servicing
instructions are in the papers with the appliance.
| Signifies that the instrument complies with European Union Waste Electrical
and Electronic Equipment Directive.
| Indicates that the unit is in compliance with the European Union Reduction
of Hazardous Substances Directive.
Getting Started
Included With The Stellar Strata
- 6-foot Power Cable
- Owner’s Reference Manual
- Remote Control
- 2 AAA batteries
The Remote
- The Off button. This turns the Strata off.
- Fixed Volume Button (Home Theater). This toggles Fixed Volume mode on or off.
- Left/Right/Up/Down arrow keys. Up and Down adjust volume. Left/Right skip tracks during streaming.
- Filter mode button. Select F1, F2, or F3 filters. Note that this only applies to digital inputs.
- Volume button. + volume up, – volume down.
- Input select section.
- The On button. This turns the Strata on.
- The Dim button. This shuts off the display.
- The Mute button. This mutes the audio output.
- The phase button. Toggles between in phase and out of phase.
- The remote uses 2 AAA batteries that are included and will need to be installed.
Front Panel View
- Logo/ Power On/Off Button
- Input Select and Menu Button
- IR sensor
- Display
- Volume Knob
- Headphone Output
Rear Panel View
1. Power switch
2. IEC inlet
3. USB firmware port
4. Bridge input (# 9)
5. USB audio input (# 8)
6. Optical input (# 7)
7. COAX inputs (# 5 & 6)
8. I²S input (# 4)
9. Trigger output
10. Right analog output| 11. Left analog output
12. Single ended analog input (# 3)
13. Single ended analog input (# 2)
14. Single ended analog input (# 1)
15. Right balanced analog input (# 1)
16. Left balanced analog input (# 1)
17.Right negative speaker output
18. Right positive speaker output
19. Left negative speaker output
20. Left positive speaker output
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Installation Considerations
Location
Once your new Stellar Integrated Amplifier is unpacked, you will need to find
a convenient place to set it. A good location is in a cabinet or on a shelf at
an easily accessible height. The IR (infrared) receiver for the remote is
located to the left of the display screen. A direct line of sight will help
with Stellar Strata Amplifier’s IR sensor. The Strata and the Stellar Phono
Preamplifier were designed to stack on top of each other if they are not
placed on separate shelves. Do not remove the feet.
Mounting
The Stellar Integrated Amplifier should be placed with consideration of
providing air circulation to the unit. If you wish to install the Strata into
your component rack, the purchase of an aftermarket, custom-designed shelf may
be necessary.
If your equipment is located a long distance from the Strata, it is preferable
to use a long, heavy gauge shielded power cable between the AC receptacle in
the wall and the Strata, rather than long individual cables between the
connected components.
Plugging In The Power Cable
You may use either the provided power cable or an aftermarket power cable
to connect your unit to AC power. For best results, we strongly recommend the
use of a PS Audio PerfectWave® Power AC cable, or any high-quality aftermarket
power cable. It is always preferable to feed your equipment using an excellent
power cable, as there will be a significant performance improvement over the
stock power cable.
To connect your unit to AC power, plug the flat end of the power cord into the
IEC AC inlet and the pronged end into a wall socket.
Country Specific AC Voltages
The Stellar Strata Amplifier, as with most PS Audio products, is country
specific to its incoming AC voltage. This means the unit can only be operated
at its preset voltage, such as 230 volts for most of Europe and Asia, 100
volts for Japan, and 120 volts for the US and other similar countries.
Immediate damage can occur if you try and power the Strata with a voltage on
which it was not designed to operate.
Analog Inputs
Refer to the picture of the back panel on page eight.
The Stellar Strata Amplifier has three stereo analog inputs that can be used
to connect analog sources such as phono pre-amplifiers, tuners, and tape
decks.
Input #1 has both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) connectors. It is
intended that only one of these connectors be used at a time, although the
unit has been designed to prevent damage to both itself and the connected
equipment if this were to happen. Use the balanced (XLR) inputs for your most
critical analog source, typically your phono pre-amplifier.
Input #2 has only unbalanced (RCA) connectors.
Input #3 is a special input with two different operating modes. With the
default settings the unit is shipped from the factory with, this input will
behave as a normal input the same as Input #2. However this input can also be
configured as a “Fixed Volume” input. In this mode the volume setting is fixed
to a user-defined level, and is unaffected by the main volume control. This is
useful when using the Stellar Strata Amplifier as the front left and right
channels in a system that also has a home theater processor. See the menu
section of this manual for details on how to configure Input #3 for Fixed
Volume mode.
Analog Output
The Stellar Strata Amplifier has one stereo analog output that can be used to
connect an additional amplifier or powered subwoofer.
Digital Inputs
The Stellar Strata Amplifier has six stereo digital inputs that can be used to
connect digital sources such as CD transports, computers, and the internet.
Input #4 is an I2S input. I2S is the standard connection method that almost
all the IC chips inside a digital audio product use and has separate wires for
the data and the clocks. By connecting your equipment using this connection
you can be assured that the audio information is delivered with the absolute
minimum amount of processing. It can be connected to a PS Audio PWT, DMP, or
many other third party pieces of equipment. The I2S input uses standard HDMI
cables for the connection. Please note that although HDMI cables are used, the
connector is not compatible with HDMI and you cannot connect this input to the
HDMI output on a disc player or other device. The I2S input can accept up to
384KHz 24 bit PCM or native DSD128 source material.
Inputs #5 and #6 are coaxial S/PDIF inputs. These inputs are compatible with a
wide variety of sources. The coax inputs can accept up to 192KHz 24 bit PCM.
The Stellar Strata Amplifier cannot accept DSD or DoP signals on the coax
inputs.
Input #7 is an optical S/PDIF input. This is similar to the coax inputs except
the signal is delivered over an optical cable. Because of the limitations of
optical cable, the sample rate on this input may be limited to 96KHz.
Input #8 is the USB input. If you are using USB, make sure both the computer
and Stellar Strata Amplifier are connected and powered up. USB requires a
driver to operate properly. Mac computers running OSX have the driver built
in. Windows 10 also has the driver built in. However, computers with older
versions of Windows will require the PS Audio driver to be installed. Download
the driver from our website; it is the same driver used in all PSAudio USB
products. The Strata will show up under Device Manager under a heading PS
Audio USB 2.0 Audio Devices. The USB input can accept up to 384KHz PCM, and
DSD128 that is either native or DoP encoded.
You can obtain a copy of the driver here:
http://www.psaudio.com/support/downloads/
Input #9 is the streaming audio input. Connecting this input to your computer
network will allow you to play music from any computer in your home with UPnP
(Universal Plug and Play). It will also allow you to play music directly from
Spotify using “Spotify Connect”. In addition, by using the PS Audio PS Connect
app on your compatible mobile device, you can play music from your network
directly to your Strata using a music service such as Tidal. The PS Connect
app allows your smartphone to function as a controller for the Strata’s
streaming functionality. Note: the Strata does not have Bluetooth
connectivity.
There are two options for connecting the streaming input: wired Ethernet or
Wi-Fi. If a wired connection is available, this will usually be the easiest to
set up. Simply connect the Strata to your network router or switch with a good
quality Cat 5 or better Ethernet cable. If a wired connection is not
available, you can use the Strata’s built-in Wi-Fi to connect to your network.
There are two options for selecting the wireless network: You can select it
manually or use Strata’s WPS feature. Refer to the menu section for more
information.
Connecting The Speaker Cables
The Stellar Strata Amplifier uses custom machined connectors. These connectors
accept spade, banana, or wire connections.
WARNING! Never connect speaker cables while the amp is on. Turn off the
amplifier using the switch on the back panel before making the speaker
connections.
Connecting a Subwoofer
The Stellar Strata Amplifier is a balanced amplifier. This means that both the
positive and negative speaker terminals are driven by the amplifier. THE BLACK
TERMINALS ARE NOT GROUND. Do not connect the black terminals to each other or
any other ground signal.
NOTE: Some powered subwoofers require a ground connection. There is a
separate ground binding post on the back of your amplifier for this purpose.
Powering On Your Stellar Strata
Once the unit is connected to power, flip the master power switch on the rear
panel to the On position. The PS Audio logo LED button on the front panel will
glow blue when the unit is powered on and ready for use.
Idle Mode
The master power switch on the rear panel should remain on at all times. When
your connected equipment is not in use, the Stellar Strata can be placed in
Idle mode. Putting your unit in Idle mode will deactivate all of its output
relays.
Idle mode can be activated/deactivated by pressing the PS Audio logo button,
located on the upper left hand corner of the Strata front panel. When the logo
button is not lit, the Stellar Strata is in Idle mode. Idle mode can also be
activated/deactivated by pressing the On/Off button in the top left hand
corner of the remote.
CAUTION: Activate Idle mode before powering down your unit using the rear
panel master power switch.
Trigger Output
The Stellar Strata Amplifier has a trigger output for remotely controlling
another power amplifier or other equipment. This trigger output is
approximately 9VDC and can deliver up to 40mA. This is compatible with the
trigger inputs on all PS Audio equipment and many other devices.
There is a time delay between when the Stellar Strata Amplifier is activated
and when the trigger output is turned on. This delay can be adjusted in the
Settings menu.
Operation Guide
Power Up Transient
Upon startup, it’s common to hear a small sound from the connected speakers.
This is normal and is not harmful to the loudspeakers.
Activating the Unit
The PS Audio logo in the upper left corner of the Stellar Strata Amplifier
serves to activate and disable the unit. Press the logo/button to activate
your amplifier. The button will illuminate and the display will show the PS
Audio logo for a moment. After that you will see a “0” on the screen. This is
your volume setting. The unit is now ready for setup and initial operation.
Selecting an Input
The first time the unit is activated after power is applied, the unit will
select Analog Input #1. The selected input is shown on the display. Press the
small, round Select button to the left of the display to change inputs. The
first press will show the name of the already selected source. Pressing the
button again will step to the next input. Double-clicking the button will step
backwards to the previous input. The selection will wrap from the last input
to the first and viceversa.
Adjusting The Volume
The first time the unit is activated after power is applied, the volume will
be set to 0. The volume is adjusted by rotating the volume knob.
NOTE: The button and knob also serve to access various menu functions.
This will be explained in the menu section of this manual.
Streaming
Before you can use the streaming features on your Stellar Strata, you must
connect it to the internet and your local network. See the “Menu Features”
section for details. Once that is done, you can play music to it from any
application or server that uses UPnP. The Strata should appear in your
software as “StellarStrataAmp_xxxx’ (The last 4 characters are unique for each
unit). If you are using Spotify on your personal computer or mobile device,
look for an “Available Devices” setting in the application. You should see
your Strata listed. Remember your Strata and your computer or mobile device
must be connected to the same network.
Using the Remote
All of the most-used functions can be operated from the included IR remote
control.
Idle Mode
Use the “Off ” button to put the unit in Idle mode. Use the “On” button to
return it to the operating mode.
Volume and Balance
There are two sets of volume buttons on the remote, and you may use whichever
are more comfortable or convenient for you. One set is the bar with “-“ and
“+” symbols on it. The other set of volume controls is the up and down arrows.
Input Select
There are 9 input buttons that allow you to directly select any of the Stellar
Strata Amplifier’s sources.
Filter and Phase
The Strata has a digital filter that can tailor the sound of digital sources
to the listener’s preference. Changing the filter and phase settings is often
desirable during a listening session, and buttons are provided to adjust those
settings directly from the remote control. Please see the corresponding
sections under “Menu Features” for more details on what these features do.
NOTE: The filter settings only apply to digital inputs.
Display Dim
Pressing the “Dim” button will turn off the display and all the indicators on
your Stellar Strata Amplifier. Any time you press any button on your remote
control, the Strata will wake up and reactivate the display and indicators for
7 seconds. After 7 seconds with no button activity, the display will go dark
again. Pressing the “On” button will restore the Strata display to normal
operation.
NOTE: The “Dim” button operates many PS Audio products, so that one button
press will darken your entire equipment stack for a less distracting listening
experience.
HT (Home Theater)
The HT, or Fixed Volume button, activates the fixed volume input, Analog Input
3 as described in the Setup section of the manual. If you have not configured
your Stellar to use this feature the HT button will not do anything.
Menu Features
The Stellar Strata Amplifier features a menu display system that is accessible
using the small selector button and the large silver knob. It’s a good idea to
familiarize yourself with the different functions in the Stellar Strata
Amplifier’s menu. To access the menu, simply press and hold the menu button to
the left of the display. A gear icon will appear in the upper right corner
showing that you are in the Settings menu.
Exiting the Menus
Executing a long press of the menu button (holding for more than two seconds)
will exit the menus and return the unit to the Home screen. The menus will
also timeout after seven seconds. Note that settings are typically saved in
real time as the changes are made.
Balance
The
Balance feature allows you to adjust the center location of the stereo image.
Turning the knob to the left will reduce the gain of the right channel, thus
making the image to come more from the left channel, and vice-versa. The
balance steps are each 1/4dB and the range is 48 steps each way for a maximum
shift of 12dB.
When the balance is set to anything other than the center position, there will
be an icon on the Home screen to indicate this state.
Filter
The filter selection feature allows you to choose the properties of the
digital filter in the Strata’s built-in DAC. The filter selection does not
affect the analog sources.
Digital filters generally have a trade-off between how sharp the filter is and
how much ringing results. A sharp filter allows the most high-frequency signal
to pass through, but at the expense of greater ringing. There are three filter
options in the Stellar Strata Amplifier.
Filter 1 is “Fast Roll-off Linear Phase”. This filter has very good high
frequency response. It has slightly less ringing than Filter 2 but it does
exhibit pre-ringing. While this filter may actually measure the best in a
laboratory, we found it to be the most analytical sounding. This is the
default filter for the Strata.
When this filter is activated, an F1 will appear in the icon bar on the top of
the Home screen.
Filter 2
is “Slow Roll-off Linear Phase”. This filter is the least sharp and has the
least amount of ringing. There is a slight loss in high frequencies that might
be noticeable on CDs and other 44.1KHz sample rate material. It should not be
detectable at all with higher sample rate sources.
When this filter is activated, an F2 will appear in the icon bar on the top of
the Home screen.
Filter 3 is “Fast Roll-off Minimum Phase”. This filter has more
extended high frequency response than Filter 2 but more ringing as well. There
is no pre-ringing (an undesirable artifact of some digital filters) so this is
still a very musical sounding filter. Some people may prefer this filter for
44.1KHz source material.
When this filter is activated, an F3 will appear in the icon bar on the top of
the Home screen.
Phase
The phase feature allows you to invert the signal from the digital inputs. (It
does not affect the analog sources) Turning the knob will change the absolute
polarity of the signal from “Norm” (Normal) to “Inv” (Inverted). This can be
useful when listening to certain source material which may have inverted
absolute polarity.
NOTE: Some listeners are more sensitive to absolute polarity than others.
Version
This
menu display shows the versions of the Strata’s firmware. If you need to
contact our customer service team for help with your unit, please have this
information ready.
More Settings
There are additional, less often used features in the Settings sub-menus. The
features are divided into three groups: Audio, System, and Network. Sub-menus
are displayed on the screen with a triangle pointing to the right. To enter
these sub-menus, press the menu button repeatedly until the desired sub-menu
is displayed, then double-press the menu button to go into the sub-menu.
Audio sub-menu (double press to open)
Input Names sub-menu (double press to open)
Input Names is a sub-menu inside the Audio sub-menu. This feature allows you
to customize the name shown for each input. For example, if you are using
Input #1 for your turntable, you can change the name shown on the display from
the default of “Analog 1” to “Phono”. You can enter the Input Names sub-menu
the same way as other sub-menus, by double pressing the menu button.
When you enter this sub-menu, you will be guided through the process of
selecting new input names.
Volume Trim sub-menu (double press to open)
This feature allows you to adjust the relative volume level of each input.
This is useful if you have sources that are especially louder or softer than
others. You can trim their volume so that changing inputs does not require a
large compensating change to the volume setting. Each input can be adjusted up
to 10dB higher or lower.
Headphone Trim
This feature allows you to adjust the relative volume when using headphones.
If your headphones are very sensitive, you may wish to adjust this setting so
the headphones are not too loud when you plug them in. Similarly, if your
headphones play too softly compared to the volume through the speakers, you
can use the Headphone Trim to increase the gain. The Headphone Trim can be
adjusted up to 10dB higher and lower.
Speaker Maximum Volume
In some situations, especially
with high-sensitivity speakers, the Strata’s volume control might have too
much range and allow your system to play at potentially dangerous levels. The
Maximum Volume feature can be used to limit the maximum volume control setting
to a safer level.
Analog 3 Fixed Volume
The Fixed Input feature allows you
to configure Analog Input #3 to always have the same fixed volume setting.
This is useful if you are using the Stellar Strata Amplifier to power the
front channels in a surround sound system. In this configuration, the output
of your surround receiver would be connected to Analog Input #3. Set the Fixed
Input volume setting to match your other speakers. When Analog Input #3 is
selected the volume control on the Strata will be locked and you will control
the volume using your surround receiver. If this value is anything except OFF,
then you may also use the HT button on the remote to activate Analog Input #3.
System sub-menu (double click to open)
Trigger Delay
This feature allows the trigger output to be delayed a period of time after
the Strata is activated. The time delay can be adjusted from 0 to 60 seconds.
Backlight
The
brightness of the display can be adjusted to suit your room lighting any your
tastes. The range is from 1 to 10.
Display Timeout
The Display Timeout feature behaves like a screen saver on your
computer. After a set amount of time of no activity, the display will go dark.
The choices are: None (feature disabled), Auto, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1
minute, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes. In the Auto mode, the display will be
activated by the music and the display will go dark after 3 minutes of nothing
playing.
IR Status
IR
Status allows you to enable or disable the IR remote. This can be useful in
situations where different pieces of equipment that are IR enabled (such as a
TV or other audio equipment) has an IR that sends code that causes the Strata
to respond when that is not the intention.
Display Metadata
If you enable this feature, when playing music from a streaming
source, the Strata will show song artist and title information on the display.
PS Audio access
Enable this feature to allow PS Audio Customer Support remote
access to the Strata. Note that you will need to have the Strata connected to
your network to use this feature. For more information please reach out to us
at:
PS Audio, Inc.
4865 Sterling Drive
Boulder, CO 80301
1 (800) PSAUDIO
service@psaudio.com
www.psaudio.com
Reset Bridge
Reset the Bridge without resetting the rest of the unit.
Factory Reset sub-menu (double click to open)
This feature allows you to reset all of the configuration settings back to
what they were when the Strata was shipped from the factory. Any custom input
names, trim levels, Wi-Fi networks, or any other settings you have made will
be erased.
Network sub-menu (double click to open)
Network Status
This menu item will show you information about your network connection,
including Wired/Wi- Fi, IP address, and connection status. This menu is
information only, there are no settings.
Wi-Fi Enable
This feature allows you to enable/ disable the wireless (Wi-Fi) functionality.
Rotate the volume knob to turn the Wi-Fi on or off.
Wi-Fi WPS
This feature is for using WPS, or Wi-Fi Protected Setup, to configure your
Strata with your network without the need to enter passwords. Use this menu to
activate the WPS feature, then press the corresponding WPS button on your
router. Your Strata will then be connected to your Wi-Fi network
automatically.
Wi-Fi Setup sub-menu (double press to open)
This menu is used to manually setup a Wi-Fi network connection.
Network Select
Select your router from the drop down menu by rotating the volume knob to
select the correct AP (access point). Press the menu select button to choose
the AP.
SSID accept screen
Available network resources are identified by their SSID. Rotate
the volume knob to Accept or Cancel the AP SSID selection
Password screen
Rotate the volume knob to find each character. Press the menu
select button to select the character. Double-press the menu select button to
backup one character. Once the last character is entered long press the menu
select button to save the password. The Strata will connect to your AP.
The characters are arranged by capital letters, lower case letters number 1-9,
then 0. The character after the 0 is a space character. The remaining
characters are special characters (!, @, #, etc…).
It may be faster to find the number characters by going backwards from the A.
Forget Net
Deletes current Wifi information, including preferrred SSID, username and
password.
Specifications
General
Color Options| Black Silver|
---|---|---
Voltage Options| Japan
North America Europe/Asia| 100V (+/-10%)
120V (+/-10%)
230V (+/-10%)
Mains Power Input Fuses| | IEC C14
T250V-250mAH (1/4A Slow Blow)
Accessories Included| Line cord(s)| Remote Control
US (NEMA 5-15P) (all versions) Schuko (CEE7/7) (230V version)
UK (BS1363) (230V version) Australia (230V version)
Analog Audio Inputs| RCA XLR| 3 stereo pairs 1 stereo pair
Digital Audio Inputs| 12S| 1 PCM (384KHz max)
DSD64, DSD128| Coax
Optical
USB| 2 PCM (192KHz max)
1 PCM (96KHz max)
1 PCM (384KHz max)
DSD64, DSD128 (native)
DSD64, DSD128 (DoP)| Ethernet| 1 Wired, 10/100MBPS
1 Wi-Fi, 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n
Audio Outputs| RCA (Unbalanced) Headphones
Speakers| 1 stereo pair
1 1/4″ stereo Binding posts
Other| Trigger Out USB A| 2 3.5mm, 5-15VDC
For firmware update
Mechanical
Width | 17.0” |
---|---|
Height | 2.8” (not including feet) |
Depth | 12.0” (chassis only) 13.5” (including connectors and knobs) |
Weight Shipping Width | 21lbs |
Shipping Height | 22” |
Shipping Depth | 8” |
Shipping Weight | 17” |
Environmental
Location| Indoor use only
Storage Temperature| -30 to 70C
Operating Temperature| 0 to 45C
Features
Input Selection| 9 total, 3 analog, 6 digital
Volume Control| 0-100 (80dB total range)
Balance Control| 12dB each direction in 1/4dB steps
Fixed volume mode| (Analog 3) Adjustable (in setup) to any level
Phase control| Digital sources only
Filter Control| 3 selectable digital filters (PCM digital sources only)
Input Trim| Gain adjustable per input +/-10dB
Headphone Trim| Gain adjustable +/-10dB relative to speaker level
Performance
Unless otherwise noted, all measurements are specified under the following
conditions:
- Mains voltage 120VAC
- Balanced analog input
- Both channels operating
- Volume set to 76 (unity gain)
- 2.8VRMS output, 4Ω load.
Analog Inputs
Input Separation | Unbalanced | >85dB 47KΩ |
---|---|---|
Input Impedance | Balanced | 100KΩ |
Maximum Input Level | >16 VRMS |
Analog Output
Output Impedance| Line Out| 100Ω
Gain| Volume = 100| 6dB +/-0.5dB
Main (Speaker) Output
Gain (relative to line output)| | 30.5dB
Output Power| 8Ω, 1KHz, 1%| 100W minimum
Output Power| 4Ω, 1KHz, 1%| 150W typical
Frequency Response| #NAME?| 20Hz – 20KHz 7Hz – 40KHz
THD+N| 1KHz, 10W/4Ω| 0.02%
IMD Speaker Impedance| 18/19KHz| 4Ω minimum
Output Impedance| 50Hz| 150 mΩ typical
Damping Factor| 50Hz, 4Ω| 29
Sensitivity| @76 @100| .6VRMS @100 400m
Channel| 1KHz| >90dB
Separation| |
Headphone Output
Gain (relative to line output)| 300Ω, 1KHz, 1%| 16.5dB
Output Power| 16Ω, 1KHz, 1%| 300mW 3.25W
Frequency Response| +/-1dB| 7Hz – 40KHz
THD 1KHz, 1VRMS| 300Ω 16Ω| <0.02% <0.02%
S/NRatio| 1KHz| >110dB (max output)
Output Noise| | <-90dBV
Headphone Impedance| | 8Ω minimum
Output Impedance| | <4 Ω
Power
Input Voltage| US EX/GR/UK/AU JP| 108—132VAC (120VAC nominal) 207—253VAC
(230VAC nominal) 90—110VAC (100VAC nominal)
Power Consumption| Idle Typical Maximum| 20W 50W 600W
Warranty Information
Stellar Strata Amplifier
Registering Your Product
By registering your product, you are validating the start date of your limited
warranty. This limited warranty is in effect for 3 years from the date the
unit was first purchased rom PS Audio or its dealers and agents. If you do
not register your product within 30 days of service, a copy of your purchase
receipt from an authorized PS Audio dealer may be used as proof of purchase to
establish the warranty start date. If no proof of purchase from an authorized
PS Audio dealer or registration is provided, the production date of the
product will be used to determine the warranty start date. You can register
your product online, by phone, by mail, or by email.
What This Warranty Covers
This warranty covers defects in material and workmanship for products
purchased from PS Audio or its authorized dealers and agents. In the event
your product fails, your sole remedy under this limited warranty shall be to
return the product to PS Audio or an authorized PS Audio repair center. At the
option of PS Audio, the product will be repaired without charge for parts or
labor, replaced, or the purchase price refunded through the original point of
purchase.
Shipping
You are responsible to pay for the safe and proper shipment of the warrantied
product to PS Audio or its authorized repair center. Under this limited
warranty, PS Audio or its authorized repair center will pay the cost of
returning the repaired or replacement product to you.
What This Warranty Does Not Cover
This warranty does not cover damage due to:
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Accidents, carelessness, improper transportation, misuse, neglect, or abuse
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Failure to follow the operating instructions that are provided by PS Audio in the Owner’s
Reference Manual (available for download at www.psaudio.com ) -
Use in any manner inconsistent with PS Audio’s operating instructions (available for download at www.psaudio.com)
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Lack of rou tine maintenance
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Connection to an improper voltage supply
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Alterations or modifications to the unit
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Improper or unauthorized repair, including repairs not authorized by PS Audio or a PS
Audio authorized repair center -
Fire, lightning, flood, “Acts of God,” or other contingencies beyond the control of PS Audio
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Products purchased through an unauthorized source (if you have questions as to whether or not a dealer is authorized, please contact customer support at www.psaudio.com
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Products with a factory-applied serial number that has in any way been altered, defaced, or removed
Limitations Under This Warranty
In no event will PS Audio’s liability to you exceed the original purchase
price of your unit.
This warranty does not cover the cost of custom installation, customer
instruction, setup adjustments, or signal reception problems. Consequential
and incidental damages are not covered under this warranty. However, some
states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential
damages, so this limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. In the event
that your warrantied product cannot be repaired, PS Audio will either replace
or refund the cost of the unit. We reserve the right to replace any out-of-
stock, discontinued, or limited edition products with a comparable product.
Discontinued products may not be available for
warranty replacement.
Warranty Transfer This warranty is for the benefit of the original purchaser
of the product. The warranty may be transferred to a subsequent purchaser
during the three year warranty period. To do this, you must contact PS Audio
directly to set up a transfer of warranty registration.
Service Information
Warranty Service Within North America
Please contact PS Audio customer support for service assistance, help with
locating an authorized PS Audio repair center, help with the operation of a
product, or for more information. Obtaining An RMA Number In order to receive
warranty service, you must first obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization
Number (RMA#) prior to returning any item. Please contact PS Audio or an
authorized PS Audio repair center to receive an RMA Number. The RMA Number
must be on all returned items. If it is not clearly marked, PS Audio will
return the package back to you, freight collect. Packaging and Shipping
Original packaging should be used for the safe transit of your PS Audio unit
to the repair center. If you do not have the original packaging, PS Audio can
sell and ship replacement packaging to you. You are responsible for the cost
of shipping the product to a PS Audio authorized repair center. You should
insure the product for its full retail cost, in the event it gets lost or
damaged in transit. PS Audio is not responsible for damage incurred during the
transit of products sent to us. Shipping your product in non-PS Audio
packaging may void this warranty. PS Audio reserves the right to charge you
for new factory packaging to return your product after a repair. State Law
This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other rights,
which vary from state to state.
International Warranty Service
PS Audio has authorized distribution in many countries of the world. In each
country, the authorized importing distributor has accepted the responsibility
for warranty of the products sold by that distributor. Warranty service should
be obtained where the product was purchased.
Changes to Our Products
PS Audio reserves the right to modify the design of any product without
obligation to purchasers of previously manufactured products, and to change
the prices or specifications of any products without notice or obligation to
any person.
Your Product
Your Serial————————————
Number—————-
Your Purchase———————-
Information————————————————————
Date of Purchase———————————–