JDS Labs ELEMENT III Headphone Amplifier & USB DAC Instruction Manual
- June 5, 2024
- JDS LABS
Table of Contents
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS | AMP+DACS
ELEMENT III
SUPPORT
| ONLINE | BY PHONE | BY MAIL |
|---|
CONTACT@JDSLABS.COM
JDSLABS.COM/SUPPORT|
314-252-0936
9:30 AM-6 PM CST, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY| 909 N BLUFF RD COLLINSVILLE, IL 62234
UNITED STATES
SECTION 1 QUICK SETUP
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STEP 01
Connect AC power adapter to rear power jack (16VAC), then connect to the wall
outlet.| STEP 02
Connect the USB cable between your computer and the USB jack.
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STEP 03
Connect headphones to the front headphone output jack.| STEP 04
Pressing the Power button turns Element on or off.
Pressing the Headphone/RCA button toggles between headphone or RCA Output
modes.
Pressing the volume knob toggles between USB and Optical input.
Please see Connectivity and Computer Setup for additional help.
STEP 05
Slowly raise the volume knob to an appropriate listening level. See Listening
Tips on page 7.
SECTION 2 CONFIGURATION
Automatic Gain
Element III handles audio logic for a blissful experience, automatically
toggling the optimal gain state as you adjust the volume. No thought is
required on your part. Enjoy!
Low Gain is always active at volume levels from -127.5 to 0 dBFS. Continuing
to turn the knob beyond 0 dB presents an on-screen progress bar, signifying a
pending transition to High Gain. Element III automatically adjusts the volume
for a pleasant transition between gain states. You will see an effective
volume range of 0 to 13.5 dB in High Gain.
Please observe safe listening habits under Listening Tips. Typical listening
levels range from-50 dB to -20 dB for most dynamic and planar headphones,
depending on your music collection and preferences.
Display
Element III displays status information while you interact, then vanishes so that your focus remains on listening.
SECTION 3 OPTIONS MENU
Pressing down on the Volume Knob for 3+ seconds enters the Options Menu (shown
below).
Turn the knob to navigate up/down the options menu. Push the knob to make a
selection.
Available settings are described below, with default values in bold.
Screen Timeout
Default: 5 seconds, with a range of 0 (never) to 120 seconds.
Screen Contrast
HIGH, MED, OR LOW
LED Mode
| ON | LEDs will remain on while Element III is on. |
|---|---|
| WITH SCREEN | LEDs will power off while the screen is off. |
| 5 MIN STANDBY | LEDs operate as follows: |
-
In S/PDIF mode, the LEDs will always remain on, as audio stream detection is available only in USB mode.
-
In USB mode, the LEDs will turn off after 5 minutes of audio inactivity*. The LEDs will turn on:
a. as soon as the USB stream becomes active again, or
b. anytime the screen turns on with user interaction (which is true in any mode). When the screen turns off, the LEDs will turn off as well only if the USB stream has remained inactive for 5 minutes. -
Consistent with 5 minutes of USB stream inactivity, the USB “rate” on the display will also be cleared once this standby limit is surpassed.
-
Note that the screen on/off is unrelated to the 5-minute standby setting. The screen power-off is related exclusively to the “SCREEN TIMEOUT” option/setting.
*The USB audio stream may be activated by any audio from your operating system. This feature has been tested under Win 10 and macOS. Behavior may vary with other operating systems. You can verify USB stream status in the “STATUS” menu.
Knob Speed (Encoder Resolution)
FULL , HALF
Volume Steps (Encoder Steps)
0.5 dB
1.0 dB
Auto Gain Speed
Default shows a progress bar and requires about 1/3 of a knob turn to
transition between gain states. ‘Aggressive’ minimizes internal delays and
eliminates the progress bar for a much faster transition.
2nd Harmonic Steps
Default: 0, with a range of -75 to 75. Large values in either direction will
increase second harmonics.
3rd Harmonic Comp
Default: -20, with a range of -75 to 75. Large values will increase 3rd
harmonics.
DPLL BANDWIDTH
Default: 7, with a range of 0 to 15. This setting directly impacts jitter
rejection, with the optimal value depending on the timing stability of your PC
or audio source. Most audio sources produce stable audio when DPLL is set to
5. We have conservatively increased the default DPLL value to 7 in order to
support a wider range of sources, especially modern 4k TVs. If you encounter
stuttering, try increasing DPLL Bandwidth.
SPDIF DE-EMPHASIS
The default value of ON automatically enables de-emphasis when an incoming
S/PDIF stream contains such a flag and otherwise disables de-emphasis. Setting
to OFF bypasses auto de-emphasis.
DAC_FILTER
FAST ROLL-OFF
SLOW ROLLOFF
MIN PHASE
STATUS
Displays the current firmware version, USB Stream status (Active, Inactive),
and internally recovered I2C Errors. This information is intended for factory
Q/C checking. Please note: I2C Errors can occur from strong ESD or other
interference. Element III monitors for and automatically recovers from I2C
errors. Over 864,000 transmissions occur every 24 hours, so it is normal to
see an accumulation of I2C recoveries over time.
FACTORY RESET
As the name suggests, Factory Reset clears all the above settings to their
default states. Upon reset, your Element III will default to -45dB volume in
Headphone Output mode via USB Input, and RCA Output will default to 0dB.
KNOB BUTTON
This option allows you to reconfigure the knob button to:
Toggle Input
Toggle Output [Requires 14-Mar-2022 bootloader] Mute (USB only)
Mute (SPDIF only)
USB AUDIO CLASS
UAC2 is recommended for modern operating systems (Win 10/11, macOS, Linux,
Android, iOS), providing ASIO support, DSD128 and PCM 32/384kHz playback, and
the ability to perform firmware updates. Choose UAC1 to connect to legacy
operating systems such as Win XP/7/8, Nintendo Switch, or PS 4/5. You may
toggle between UAC2/UAC1 at any time. Element III will restart upon change, or
prompt to restart. Alternatively, you may use a UAC1 Fallback cable in UAC2
mode.
Connectivity
Inputs
Element III accepts digital input via USB or S/PDIF (optical). Press the
volume knob to toggle between input modes.
Outputs
Element III provides headphone output and RCA Preamp Outputs. Press the
Headphone/RCA button on the rear to toggle between output modes. Only one
output is active at a time. Volume is adjustable in either mode and saved to
memory for easy transitions. Pressing an input or output button displays the
current model on the screen.
HEADPHONE OUTPUT MODE
|
RCA OUTPUT MODE
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| 
USB Cables
Element III ships with a 3ft (1m) USB Type A to Type B cable equipped with a
ferrite core for optimal jitter and noise rejection.
You may use a Type C to Type B cable to connect to Type C devices. Be sure to
transfer the detachable ferrite from your JDS Labs cable to your new cable.
Use the exact same position on the new cable.
Listening Tips
Set the sampling rate to the highest integer multiple of your music
collection. For example, use 192kHz for a collection of 48k and 192k audio
files. Common streaming services and games tend to use 48kHz audio.
Alternatively, you may install the optional XMOS drivers in Win 10/11 and use
an ASIO-capable app to achieve bit-perfect sampling rate changes. The active
sampling rate is displayed on Element III’s screen.| By default, Element III
disables host operating volume controls for maximum fidelity and plentiful D/A
headroom. Note: Win 10/11 may still permit system-level volume adjustments.
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Element III can amplify headphones to dangerously loud audio. Listen safely to
conserve your hearing: www.hearingloss.org|
Operating Care
Element III uses a high current power supply and runs warm to the touch. Avoid
covering the top and sides.| Element III can be safely powered on 24/7.
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Do not lift the amplifier by its knob!| To ensure an optimal noise floor,
always position headphone amplifiers as far away as possible from wireless
devices.
SECTION 4 SETUP
Computer Setup
Element III requires no drivers in Windows 10/11, macOS, Linux, and modern versions of iOS and Android. You may download optional drivers for Windows at jdslabs.com/drivers to enable all bitrates, adjust Buffer Length (latency), and enable an ASIO endpoint. Be sure to select your new DAC as the default playback device:
Windows 10/11
- Right-click the volume icon in your taskbar and click: Open Sound Setting → Sound Control Panel
- Click on “JDS Labs Element III,” then choose “Set Default.”
Please refer to Listening Tips for optimal properties
macOS
Ensure JDS Labs audio device is selected from Audio Devices.
Troubleshooting
No USB device or “Failed to Play Audio”
Cause: USB Device is not initialized.
Solution: Turn Element III off, then back on to reset the USB device.
The amplifier does not turn on
Cause: Missing, damaged, or loose power adapter connection.
Solution: Please see
jdslabs.com/troubleshooting
LEDs flash repeatedly, or the screen does not respond
Cause: Element III constantly self-monitors to automatically correct
potential error states. Flashing LEDs or no screen activity indicates no
response from the XMOS processor despite internal reset attempts. This may be
caused by a power surge or extreme ESD event.
Solution: Please turn Element III off for at least 1 minute, and then
back on. If the behavior persists, please reach out to
jdslabs.com/support
Element III reboots during use
Cause: Element III is designed to detect insufficient AC mains power, and
may reboot when subjected to a severe brownout.
Solution: Ensure clean power is provided.
No sound from the headphones
Cause: Wrong mode or incorrect connectivity setup.
Solution: Please see the Connectivity section. Double-check all cabling
and volume levels.
Power Adapters
ATTENTION: Incorrect power adapters can result in capacitor explosion
hazards and device damage. Only use the power adapter included with your
Element:
| Type: AC-to-AC Transformer | Output Voltage: 16 VAC |
|---|---|
| Current: Minimum 1000mA | Connector: 2.1×55.mm (ID x OD) |
Application for Council Directives 2004/108/EC, 2006/95/EC,
2002/95/EC.Conformity declared for EN55022:2011, EN611000-3-2, EN61000-3-3,
EN55024-2
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules.
References
- JDS Labs - Makers of Element and Atom Headphone Amps + DACs
- Drivers & Firmware _ JDS Labs Customer Support
- Contact _ JDS Labs Customer Support
- Troubleshooting _ JDS Labs Customer Support
- Homepage - Hearing Loss Association of America
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