escape M1 Air Streaming Module User Guide

October 30, 2023
escape

**escape M1 Air Streaming Module User Guide

**

Thank you for your purchase!

Thank you for purchasing the ESCAPE M1 Air, a Hi-Res audio streaming module with a sample rate of 192KHz/24 bit, supporting Chromecast Audio, AirPlay2, Spotify Connect and Roon.

Connect

Important information for correct operation of the M1 Air

The M1 Air creates a wireless connection with your WiFi router. Ensure that you have a suffi ciently strong WiFi signal in locations where you wish to use the M1 Air.

Escape Remote app
Use of the dedicated Escape Remote application for the M1 Air is strongly recommended. It can be downloaded free from the Apple App Store (iOS) and the Google Play Store (Android).

App Store

Airable radio
Using the Escape Remote app you can select the airable catalogue, with more than 30,000 radio stations around the world and 25,000 podcasts. This enormous catalogue can be sorted by region, genre, popularity and quality. The internet radio stations are managed by airable GmbH, with a team ensuring that new content is constantly added, creating an unlimited source of freely accessible music, news and entertainment. This service falls outside the responsibility of Escape bv.

Connecting the M1Air to the AUX 2 input of an Escape™ P9

Connecting Instruction

STEP 1

  • Open the keypad cover over the USB input to the right of the keypad and push the locking mechanism to remove the keypad from its compartment (see 1 and 2 on the drawing).

STEP 2

  • Remove the keypad completely. Do not disconnect it from the cable connector.
  • Stick one strip of the supplied Velcro tape to the far left of the bottom of the P9 compartment located below the keypad. Place the other Velcro strip centrally on the underside of the M1 Air.

Content

ACCESSORIES FOR CONNECTING TO A HIFI SYSTEM

  • Power supply + 3 adapters

  • USB power cable (1.5 meters)

  • 3.5mm stereo mini-jack to RCA cable (1 meter)

  • Toslink adapter
    Contents

  • Optical cable

ACCESSORIES FOR CONNECTING TO THE AUX 2 INPUT ON A P9

  • Velcro x 2

  • Short 3.5mm – 3.5mm aux cable (length 15 cm)

  • Short angled USB type A to USB micro cable (length 4.5 cm)

Connecting Instruction

Connecting the M1 Air to an existing HiFi installation or active speakers

STEP 1

  • Connect the 5.0 Volt/1A AC power adaptor with interchangeable plugs (EU/UK/US) to the mains supply and use the supplied 1.5 meter USB type A to micro USB cable to provide power to the M1 Air via the micro USB input.

STEP 2

  • Connect the 1 meter 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack to RCA cable via de M1 Air audio output to the LINE IN of your HiFi installation or active speakers. The red RCA plug is the right channel output.
  • If your HiFi installation is provided with an optical input you can use the supplied mini Toslink adapter, which is to be connected to the 3.5 mm output of the M1 Air module, with the 1 meter optical cable used to connect the M1 Air and the HiFi installation.

Note: Avoid placing the M1 Air receiver completely behind your HiFi equipment as this may screen off the WiFi signal, preventing proper operation.

  • Connect the short (15 cm) 3.5mm – 3.5mm aux cable to the M1 Air Aux output and connect the short (4.5 cm) right angle USB type A to USB micro cable to the M1 Air power input.
  • Use the Velcro strips to secure the M1 Air to the far right of the bottom, with the Escape™ logo reading in the same direction as on the hand grip. Now connect the 3.5 mm cable to the AUX 2 input of the P9. This is located to the left in the side wall of the compartment (don’t confuse this with the AUX 1 input above). Next connect the short USB cable to the P9’s USB power output. This is located to the right in the side wall of the compartment (don’t confuse this with the USB Audio input at the top).

STEP 3

  • To reinstall the keypad, you should slide it into the locking hook next to the AUX 1 input and gently press it into the snap-lock mechanism (3 and 4 on the drawing). You should now wait until the configuration of the M1 Air is complete.

STEP 4

  • Turn on the P9 with the on/off button.
  • Important: ensure that the latest version of the P9 fi rmware is installed on the device (minimum 3.1.8). For further details see the P9 product page in the Escape Remote app section.

Note: When using the M1 Air connected to the P9 AUX 2 input, the main volume and track controls (skip, pause, play) must be controlled via the M1 Air app, an element of the Escape Remote application or the music app (Spotify – Tydal – Apple Music etc) on your phone or tablet.

Connecting the M1 Air with your wireless network

SPOTIFY CONNECT, AIRPLAY 2 AND CHROMECAST SETTINGS VIA THE GOOGLE HOME APP

STEP 1

  • Download the Google Home app [ ] to your phone or tablet to connect the M1 Air with your wireless network. Ensure that your phone or tablet is connected with the same WiFi network that you wish to use to set up the M1 Air.

STEP 2

  • Wait until the M1 Air is in confi guration mode. The green LED on the M1 Air will fl ash rapidly (0.2s on/off ).

STEP 3

  • Open the Google Home app [  ] and select the [ ] symbol at top left on the start screen, or select “Set up Escape M1 Air”. Follow the steps set out in the Google Home app.

Setup is complete. Open your favourite music app and select the AirPlay 2 symbol [  ] (iOS devices only) or the Cast symbol [ ] (iOS and Android devices) and stream the music to the M1 Air. Or stream directly via Spotify Connect.

Tip: Select the M1 Air in the Google Home app, go to device settings and activate “full dynamic range”.

Tip: Group a combination of speakers via the Google Home app to play music synchronously throughout the home via Cast.
Note: This function is not supported for Chromecast (1st generation) or devices with Chromecast built in.

USING SPOTIFY CONNECT

Spotify® is a digital music service providing access to millions of songs. Spotify® Connect can be used to create a connection between the M1 Air and the internet, using the Spotify® app for iOS or Android, Mac or PC. You can make and receive telephone calls without interrupting the music. Once you have connected with the M1 Air you can switch off your mobile device or computer and the music will continue to play. Spotify® Connect can only play on a single speaker at any time.

ROON READY

Roon uses a cutting edge audio transport protocol which not only supports high resolution audio but also off ers 2-way communication between Roon Ready endpoints and the Roon server. Being Roon Ready means that the Escape M1 Air uses the high end Roon RAAT streaming technology (Roon Advanced Audio Transport). This delivers an incredible user interface, easy installation, rock steady day-to-day reliability and the highest level of audio performance, without compromises. You can fi nd more information on the www.roonlabs.com website.

Using the Escape Remote app: Download the Escape™ Remote app via the Google Play or Apple App store and follow the steps on the screen to get the most out of the M1 Air.

App Store
Google Play

Important! The maximal output voltage on the M1 Air is set at 1 Volt as standard for use with the P9. Intentionally increasing the output voltage from 1 Volt to 2 Volts via the settings menu in the Escape app will inevitably lead to damage to the P9, which is not covered under the guarantee.

Power-Led status indicator

MODE/STATUS LED(RED, GREEN, BLUE) MEANING
M1 Air is starting up Flashing red 0.2s on, 0.2s off M1 Air is in access

point (AP) mode and is searching for available networks. (takes ± 45 seconds)
Searchingfor available networks| Flashing green 0.5s on, 0.5s off| M1 Air is in access point (AP) mode and is searching for available networks. (takes ± 20 seconds)
Set-up mode complete| Flashing green 0.2s on, 0.2s off| Wireless network(s) found. The user must connect the M1 Air with the selected wireless network via Google Home App (ChromeCast Audio and AirPlay 2 setup) or OS® device (AirPlay 2 setup only).
Connected| Steady green light| Successful network connection using the known access data.
Network source| Steady green light| M1 Air in streaming mode.
Standby mode| Green LED dimmed| M1 Air is in Standby Mode, no music played in the last 20 minutes.
Factory reset| Green – Red0.5s Green, 0.5s Red| A factory reset has been triggered – M1 Air is in startup mode.
Firmware is being updated| Repeated sequence: Red – Green – Blue. 0.5s-0.5s-0.5s| Firmware update in progress via one of the following:·

  • Programming of the M1 Air via the Escape Sync web page·
  • Creating connection with the network and the OTA server·
  • Downloading firmware via the OTA server.

Firmware update error| Red flashing 0.5s on, 0.5s off| Problem with file transfer (while downloading FW.bin file)·

  • Flash writing error (while writing in flash)·
  • Network error (during connection with OTA server)·
  • Firmware download failed

Bluetooth® linking mode| Blue flashing 0.2s on, 0.2s off| Bluetooth® not linked (detectable).
Bluetooth® source| Steady blue light| Switch to Bluetooth® source (if the network has not been specified, setup mode will also be initiated)

CONFIGURATION IN AIRPLAY 2 AND SPOTIFY CONNECT ONLY, VIA AN IPHONE OR

IPAD

STEP 1

  • Ensure that your iPhone or iPad is connected with the same WiFi network that you wish to use to set up the M1 Air. Wait until the M1 Air is in configuration mode. The green LED on the M1 Air will flash rapidly (0.2s on/off ).

STEP 2

  • Open “settings” on your iPhone or iPad [ ]. The M1 Air will create a temporary network and will appear in the list of available networks. Important! Do not select the temporary Escape M1 Air network (xxxxxxx) in the list of available networks.

  • Instead select the “Escape M1 Air (xxxxxx)” under the message “Configure new AirPlay loudspeaker”. Follow the steps set out under AirPlay configuration.
    Open Setting

  • Setup is complete. Open your favourite music app and select the AirPlay 2 symbol [ ].

Note: If the “Confi gure new AirPlay loudspeaker” message is no longer visible then carry out a reset on the M1 Air and allow suffi cient time for the device to start up again.

AirPlay 2 is supported on a MacBook or IMac via Apple Music and on a Windows PC via iTunes and Apple Music.

Tip: You can mix several diff erent AirPlay 2 compatible loudspeakers or modules to allow music streaming in several rooms. AirPlay 2 is however not available on Android devices.

If you have connected the M1 Air to your HiFi installation and feel that it is not reaching maximum capacity, you should increase the preamp output voltage of the M1 Air from 1 Volt to 2 Volts via the settings menu. Set the volume of the power amplifier to a low setting before increasing the output voltage. Escape bv cannot be held liable for any damage to external equipment or loudspeakers.

Note: The M1 Air can only retain a single WiFi network at any one time. If you modify your WiFi network you must reset the M1 Air to the new network. You may fi rst need to carry out a reset on the M1 Air.

Automatic software updates: The M1 Air’s internal software will be updated automatically when a new version is available, provided the device is powered up and connected with a WiFi network. The mode LED fl ashes red-green-blue every 0.5 seconds during an update, and the device will restart automatically when the update is complete. Ensure that the M1 Air remains switched on during the update.

BLUETOOTH CONNECTION

Streaming music to the M1 Air via wireless Bluetooth® technology. Briefl y press the Bluetooth® key to initiate the Bluetooth® connection. The status LED will fl ash blue. Go to Settings on your Apple® or Android™ device, select Bluetooth® in the connections list and switch on Bluetooth®.

Select Escape™ M1 Air xxxx in the list of devices. xxxx stands for the last 4 letter/digit combination in the device’s unique serial number. You will fi nd the full serial number on the packaging or on the label on the underside of the device. The blue LED will illuminate steadily once the connection is created.

Tip: It is possible to select the WiFi connection again on the M1 Air if it has already been set: briefl y press the WiFi switch. (The status LED will go from blue to green)

OPERATION (BT push button) Linking| VIA Push button| PRESS-IN TIME Press briefly, blue LED flashes rapidly (0.2ms on, 0.2ms off)
---|---|---
(BT push button) Delete linked device| Push button| Hold down for 10s until blue LED flashes (1s on, 1s off)
(WiFi push button) Factory Reset| Push button| Keep WiFi push button depressed for longer than 10 seconds
Switch from WiFi to BT| Push button| Short press Bluetooth® button and Blue LED flashing to search for stored BT devices
Switch from BT to WiFi| Switch via lOS® or Android.“‘ device| It is not possible to switch from BT to WiFi via the push button. This can only be done via a device on the same WiFi network and a music app supporting AirPlay2 and/or Chromecast.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

Electrical safety advisory

Read all safety information in this document and in the quick start guide before using this product.Be sure to follow these instructions and keep them in a safe place where it can be consulted at any time. Risk of serious injury or death.

M1 Air/ Power supply/ AC adaptor/ Power cord

  • Only use the power supply specified by Escape.

  • Only let by Escape certified service personnel conduct the repairs. Repairs are required when the M1 Air or parts of it are damaged, such as power-supply cord or plug, an object has fallen on the unit, liquid has been spilled inside the M1 Air, or if the unit has been dropped. Avoid using too much force on the buttons or audio output connector. Failure to observe the above may result in injury or damage to the unit. Please note that these types of defects are not covered under the 1-year warranty program

  • Do not do anything that may damage the power cord. Do not place the cord near a heater.

  • Do not bend it too much and do not modify the cord. Do not scratch it. Do not place it under a heavy object. Using the power cord/adaptor with the core of the cord exposed may cause electric shocks or a fire. Do not touch the power plug or cord if there is a chance of lightning

  • Any alterations to the M1 Air or power supply are not permitted.

  • Liquid such as water getting into the M1 Air may cause a fire, electric shocks, or malfunctions. If any liquid seeps into the device, turn off the power immediately and unplug the power cord from the AC outlet. When the M1 Air is installed in the Escape P9 disconnect the USB power connector.

  • Do not install the M1 Air or power supply near heat sources. Do not place any naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, on or near the product.

  • To avoid interference, do not use this product near medical devices or within medical facilities. Keep the M1 Air at least six inches (min 16 cm) away from your ICD or pacemaker.

  • Before connecting the M1 Air to external devices, with the exception of the Escape P9, make sure that all volume levels are set to the minimum. Failure to do so may result in hearing loss or damage to the speakers or amplifier. When the power is turned off  completely, the amplifier should be turned off first and then the M1 Air. Escape cannot be held responsible for hearing loss or damage to third party equipment.

  • Power voltage input : 5.0 volt DC

  • Power consumption: 2.0 Watt

  • Standby power consumption in WI-FI mode : 1.7 Watt

  • Standby power consumption in BT mode : 1.7 Watt

  • Operating temperature : 0 °C – 60 °_C / 32 °F – 140 °F

  • Hi-Res audiosample rate : up to 192KHz/24 bit

  • Lossless Audio Codec, FLAC,APE and DSD support

  • Audio outputscombined : 3.5mm analog + Digital Optical Toslink

  • Switchable maximum output via Escape App: 1V Rms or 2V Rms (*)

  • THD + Noise : < 0.06%

  • Frequency response : 20Hz – 20KHz

  • Net Weight : 46 g

  • Gross Weight : 435 g

  • Dimensions : (W x H X D) 45mm x 18.9mm x 89mm (1,77” x 0,73” x 3,50”)

  • Wi-Fi standard : IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

  • Bluetooth standard: Bluetooth 5.0

Apple Airplay 2 chipset

Default setting is 1 volt for use with the Escape P9. To use the M1 Air with a HI-FI system, the maximum voltage level must sometimes be set to 2 volt.

Please read the warnings in the user manual before increasing the output voltage !

USA and Canada compliance

FCC and Industry Canada

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules and Industry Canada ICES-003. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Compliance of this equipment is confirmed by the following label that is placed on the equipment:

Important: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

European Union
Escape bv hereby declares that this product is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of Directive 2014/53/ EU and all other applicable EU directive requirements.

The complete text of the EU declaration of conformity is available at the following website: https://wwvv.escapespeakers.com/media/files/escape-mtair- eu-declaration-of-conformity_1627565102.pdf

Copyright information
The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ Logo is a certification mark of Wi-Fi Alliance®

The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Escape bv is under license.

Google and Chromecast built-in are trademarks of Google LLC.
Android™ is a registered trademark of Google LLC. App store® is a service mark of Apple Inc, registered in the U.S and other countries. IOS is a
trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is under license. The “Hi-Res

Audio” logo is a trademark of the Sony
Corporation. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Use of the Works with Apple badge means that an accessory has been designed to work specifically with the technology identified in the badge and has been certified by the developer to meet Apple performance standards.

AirPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
To control this AirPlay 2–enabled device, iOS 11.4 or later is required.

Certain music services are subject to change, require separate subscriptions, software or memberships or may not be available in all countries.

Images
Images of the Escape products are the intellectual property of ESCAPE BV. Any reproduction, modification, distribution or other use, even partial, of this document is prohibited without prior written permission.

Liability
Escape BV cannot be held responsible for any errors or changes in the published information.

Brand information
Escape is a brand of:
ESCAPE BV
Ter Heidelaan 50a
3200 Aarschot – Belgium
For more product information please visit www.escapespeakers.com
Product designed by Escape bv in Belgium • Made in China

References

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