GOLD NOTE DS-10 Plus Excellent DAC Streamer User Manual

GOLD NOTE DS-10 Plus Excellent DAC Streamer

IMPORTANT SAFETY

PLEASE NOTE

1. Do not disassemble any part of the product.
2. Do not use any part of the product for other purposes.
3. For service and problems of any kind, contact qualified Gold Note personnel.
4. Protect the product from rain, humidity and keep away from heat sources, electric and electronic motors etc. The power cord supplied must be used only on this unit.
5. Gold Note does not have responsibility for any improper use of this unit.

GENERIC INFORMATION

• Read these instructions and store them.
• Heed all warnings.
• Follow the instructions.
• Do not use this apparatus near water
• Clean only with a dry cloth.
• Do not block the ventilation openings and install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not install near heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
• Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarised or grounding-type plug: a polarised plug hastwo blades with one wider than the other.
• A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety.
• If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet. or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
• Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
• Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
• Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel only. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way (such as when the power cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture) and in any case when the apparatus does not operate normally or has been dropped.
• This appliance has a serial number located on the rear panel. Please record the model and serial number and retain them for your records.

MODEL

SERIAL NUMBER

CAUTION!
To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user- serviceable parts inside. Refer only to qualified Gold Note service personnel for service.

WARNING!
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.

GOLD NOTE – Information on the correct management of waste from household Equipment pursuant to the European Directive 2012/19/EU
The crossed-out wheelie bin symbol shown on the equipment or its packaging indicates that the product, at the end of its useful life, must be collected separately from other waste to allow its proper treatment and recycling. The user must therefore deliver, free of charge, the end-of-life equipment to the centres for the separate collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment, or return it to the dealer in accordance with the procedures established by the legislation. The appropriate separate collection of discarded equipment allows for proper recycling, treatment and environmentally compatible disposal, helping to avoid the possible dispersion of hazardous substances and negative effects on the environment and health, favouring the reuse and/or recycling of the materials of which the equipment is composed of. Illegal dumping of the product by the user involves the application of administrative sanction provided for by the legislation in force. We invite you consult the current legislation and the measures adopted by the public service operating in your country or territory.

PACKAGE CONTENT

• 1x DS-10/PLUS
• 1x  POWER  CABLE
• 1x ETHERNET  CABLE
• 1x WI-FI  ANTENNA
• 1x REMOTE  CONTROL
• 1x USER  MANUAL

INTRODUCTION AND FEATURES

A MODERN AUDIO SOURCE
The DS-10 is a versatile state-of-the-
art streaming DAC designed for the contemporary audiophile and featuring a new generation D/A Converter, UPnP-DLNA Streamer, Line Preamplifier and Headphone Amplifier. The technology of the DS-10
is brilliantly enclosed in a compact-sized aluminium chassis and it’s the perfect addition to a modern High-End audio system. Inspired by our acclaimed IS-1000 All-In-One unit, it combines its extended connectivity features with the exceptional high-resolution of the Bluetooth 5.0 – for the first time ever on a High-End audio product – and the impressive headphones double power GAIN output. The DS-10 PLUS is also equipped with a 3.5 mm jack analogue input, becoming a complete preamplifier for analogue and digital sources (available on DS-10 PLUS only).

HIGH-END STREAMING DAC
The DS-10 is a Roon Ready device with a quick plug&play set-up and multi-room capabilities. Simply connect it to your network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and then to your power amplifier or active speakers and get ready to explore the limitless possibilities of high-resolution music. Stream through Roon, Airplay, Tidal, MQA, Qobuz, Spotify and Deezer, and control the DS-10 with your smartphone or tablet through our App (available for iOS and Android for free). With DS-10 you can also play your collection of digital music stored locally on a NAS or a USB flash drive (DSD64 on USB and LAN, PCM up to 24/192).

LINE PREAMP & HEADPHONE OUTPUT
The DS-10 is equipped with an on/off switchable High-End Analogue Preamp stage to enable the control of the analogue volume even through web players (when the Preamp stage is activated) and guarantee the best performance ever. The DS-10 also features a professional 6.3mm headphones output with two sensitivity levels (High/Low), a proprietary technology we developed to help get the best out of your headphones. With the additional analogue input (available on the PLUS model only) the DS-10 PLUS becomes the perfect integration between the Gold Note PH-10 phono stage and the PA-10 power amplifier.

HIGH-QUALITY MADE IN ITALY
Our products are designed to ensure the best experience of use and the DS-10 features a state-of-the- art mechanical structure made of solid machined steel and thick aluminium. The high-quality materials used guarantee low-frequency resonance, feedback vibrational control and low magnetic inertial field.

CHAMALEON MODE
The DS-10 has a unique feature that sets it apart from any other DAC, making it the most versatile DAC available today – three different profiles can be selected to fine-tune the performance of the DAC, which adapts to the music it’s playing as a chameleon. For the first time ever, the DAC behaviour can be changed to adapt to the music played without modifying the audio signal and thus maintaining the highest audio quality, acting on the deemphasis, the low- pass digital filters and the amount of power applied to the circuits. Such profiles can be selected in real-time during music playback delivering a unique listening experience and ease of use thanks to the clear menu on the TFT display. It’s time to enjoy the unprecedented listening pleasure that only the DS-10 can offer you.

EASY TO USE
With its large 2.8” TFT display you can quickly check all the functions of the DS-10 and control it using the dedicated App and our SKC (Single Knob Con- trol) located on the front panel, or the Gold Note remote control. The dedicated App – available for free for Apple iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android smartphones and tablets – displays all metadata, cover and other information registered on the track as well as the real resolution format.

QUICK INSTALLATION
The DS-10 is a plug&play DAC that is easy and quick to set up in your system. Once it’s connected to your network, it only needs a power amplifier or some active speakers and you are ready to start listening. All the functions available on the DS-10 are fully controlled through the SKC (Single Knob Control) and the dedicated App.

GOLD NOTE DESIGN
Thanks to the unique and innovative Gold Note modular design, the DS-10 can drive PSU-10 EVO, the dedicated external inductive power supply, to enhance its performance even more. If you are after uncompromising quality, check with your local dealer the availability of PSU-10 EVO and arrange a listening session.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

MAIN FEATURES

• D/A Converter AKM AK4493 PCM up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 native
• Streamer Network Player PCM and DSD
• Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz +/-0.1dB
• THD (Total Harmonic Distortion): 0.001% max
• Signal to Noise ratio: -125dB
• Dynamic range: 120dB
• Output impedance RCA/XRL: 50Ω
• Preamp Stage Volume Control: Enabled/disabled

POWER

• Power supply: 100-120V / 220-240V, 50/60Hz
• Power consumption: 30W
• Fuse:  2A F

AUDIO OUTPUTS

• DAC:1 RCA @ 2Vrms, 1 XLR @ 2Vrms
• Preamp: 1 RCA, 1 XLR, 1 headphone output with 6.3 mm jack

DIGITAL INPUTS

• 1x RCA coaxial PCM asynchronous up to 24bit/192kHz
• 2x TOS-Link PCM asynchronous up to 24bit/192kHz
• 1x AES/EBU balanced PCM asynchronous up to 24bit/192kHz
• 1x USB-B up to DSD512 and PCM up to 32bit/384kHz
• 1x USB-A port DSD64 and PCM up to 24bit/192kHz, formatted in FAT32/NTFS (32Gb max for pen drives)

ANALOGUE INPUT (DS-10 PLUS)

• 3.5mm mini jack

NETWORK CONNECTIVITY

• LAN/WLAN (WiFi):802.11b/g via RJ45 10/100Mbps socket
• Bluetooth: High Definition 5.0 (44/16)

HIGH QUALITY STREAMING

• Airplay
• Deezer
• MQA
• Qobuz
• Roon
• Spotify
• Tidal
• vTuner

SUPPORTED AUDIO FORMATS (NETWORK)
Up to PCM 24/192kHz

• AIFF (.aif, .aiff, .aifc)
•  ALAC
• WAV (.wav) packed/unpacked
• FLAC
• MP3
• DSD64: DSF, DFF
• Apple Lossless
• OGG
• Monkey’s

IMPORTANT
UPnP server must support DSD streaming in order to stream DSD files.

SUPPORTED MEDIA SERVERS

• All UPnP
• DLNA
• Roon

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT

• Dimensions: 200mm W | 80mm H | 260mm D
• Weight: kg. 4 net – kg. 5 boxed

REMOTE CONTROL
Multifunctional remote control

GN CONTROL APP

FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW

The front panel of the DS-10 has been designed for ease of use and everyday reliability. Everything revolves around the interface with two key elements – the large display and the SKC (Single Knob Control). These provide you with intuitive controls so that you can check the DS-10 settings at glance and adjust parameters either using the knob, the remote or our App. On the front panel you’ll also find the headphone output, which features a dedicated volume control and two levels of output sensitivity.

1. LED status light
2. IR
3. Headphone output
4. Display
5. SKC (Single Knob Control)

LED status light:

• Red = standby
• Blue = ON
• Green = powered by the external power supply PSU-10 EVO

REAR PANEL

The DS-10 features a wide selection of high-quality connections to provide maximum versatility. The digital inputs include USB-A and USB-B, TOS, COAX, AES/EBU, and Ethernet. On the DS-10 PLUS, a 3.5mm mini-jack is also available as an analog input to connect a source such as the PH-10. The PSU IN input is dedicated to the external power supply PSU-10 EVO to enhance the performance of your DS-10.

PLEASE NOTE
The antenna is packed separately, please ensure to install it correctly.

ANALOGUE LINE OUTPUT

1. RCA unbalanced

2. XLR balanced
   DIGITAL INPUT

3. Ethernet

4. USB-A

5. AES/EBU balanced

6. RCA COAX

7. USB-B

8. TOS 1

9. TOS 2
   POWER AND OTHERS

10. WPS Wi-Fi reset

11. Wi-Fi Antenna

12. Wi-Fi LED

13. AC plug IEC standard

14. GN Link connector

15. PSU IN

16. LINE IN (available for DS-10 PLUS only)

SELECT FUNCTIONS

TURNING ON AND OFF THE DS-10

• With the SKC: press and hold the knob for 3 seconds, the LED will change status.
• With the remote: press the Power button once while pointing at the DS-10, don’t hold down the button for too long.

HOW TO SELECT THE FUNCTIONS

1. Press the knob once to activate the SELECTION FRAME.
2. Turn the knob left or right until the desired function is highlighted by in white then press the knob to select it.
3. The frame will turn red: now you can turn the knob to change the function.
4. Press the knob again when the desired value is set to confirm and exit the selection.

NETWORK SETUP

LAN CONNECTION
DS-10 supports both LAN and Wi-Fi connection.
To use the LAN simply plug the cable into the Ethernet port on the rear panel and you are ready to go.

WIFI CONNECTION
The easiest way to connect DS-10 to your network via Wi-Fi is to use the WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) function available on DS-10 and your router:

1. Press and hold for about 10 seconds the Wi-Fi Reset button on the rear panel of DS-10 and release it when the blue led start flashing fast.
2. Press the WPS button on your router (please refer to the instruction manual).
3. Wait until DS-10 automatically connects to your network.
4. The blue led will turn ON when the DS-10 is connected and ready.

DS-10 WIFI APP MODE

In case your router doesn’t support the WPS function or can’t access it, use the Wi-Fi 

Access Point Mode:

1. Press and hold for 5 seconds the WPS Wi-Fi Reset button on the rear panel and wait for the blue LED to start flashing. The DS-10 will create a wireless network called GOLD-NOTE_XXXX.
2. Turn ON the Wi-Fi on your mobile device  and find GOLD-NOTE_XXXX.
3. Connect to GOLD-NOTE_XXXX using “password” as password.
4. Launch GN Control and go to DEVICE SETUP > Wi-Fi Network Selection.
5. Here are listed the Wi-Fi networks available, select the one you want the DS-10 to connect to.
6. The DS-10 is now connected to the selected Wi-Fi network.
7. Connect your mobile device to the same network used by DS-10.

OVERVIEW OF THE DISPLAY

Thanks to the display and the SKC, all the functions of the DS-10 can be adjusted on the go. The volume is at the center with the other functions found in the top and bottom part of the display. Please refer to the image below for details about the options available for each function.

USING THE DS-10 OUTPUT SELECTION
The DS-10 has two audio outputs:

• LINE OUT
• HEADPHONES

Each output features a dedicated preamp stage to control the volume on that output, meaning that you can send audio to both at the same time and adjust the volume of each independently. For example, you can send the audio to Line Out at a volume of 55 while sending it also to Headphones at a volume of 42. Select Line Out to send audio to the RCA and XLR outputs. Select Headphones to send audio to the headphone output. When you plug in your headphones, the DS-10 will automatically select Headphones as the output and mute the Line Out. To adjust the volume of an output, select it from the menu first and then use the remote or the SKC to change the volume. If you are playing audio from both outputs and want to mute one, select it first and then put it on MUTE.

PRE AND DAC MODE
The DS-10 can operate in two modes:

• PRE
• DAC

When used in PRE mode, the preamp stage is active and you can adjust the volume using the remote, the SKC or the app GN Control. In DAC mode, the DS-10 deactivates the volume control so the signal is at the fixed output of the source and you will need an external preamp stage to adjust it. When you select the DAC mode, a warning message will show as a safety measure, confirm the selection to proceed. Be always careful to avoid damages to your loudspeakers and system when switching to the DAC mode.

HEADPHONE OUTPUT LEVEL
When using the headphone output, you can adjust the output level to match it to your headphones requirements. We suggest to select High if you are using low-sensitivity headphones, and Low for high-sensitivity headphones.

AUDIO FORMAT AND INFO
The file format and resolution of the audio stream are displayed in real-time, including additional info such as when you are playing MQA files (the MQA icon shows at the top).

DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
You can adjust the display brightness in 4 steps:

• 100%
• 50%
• 25%
• OFF

When OFF, use the SKC or the remote to activate again the display for 3 seconds, the display then turns off again.

CHAMELEON MODE

THE CHAMELEON DAC
The Chameleon mode is a special feature designed to let you fine-tune the behaviour of the DAC. Acting on three parameters, you can test 192 different setups, adapting the DS-10 to your music and stereo system with the highest degree of customisation. These parameters are Equalisation Curve, De-emphasis Curve and DAC Power – and your choices are stored into the memory of the DS-10 using the presets.

ACCESS THE PRESET MENU
You can access the PRESET menu either using the remote control or the rotary knob on the front panel.

• By remote control : use the left and right arrow keys to browse the functions visible on the display. Select the word SETUP and push the ENTER key (central key with GN logo) to confirm and access the PRESET menu.
• By rotary knob: turn the knob to browse the functions, select the word SETUP and push the knob to confirm and access the PRESET menu.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR LISTENING

• By remote control : use the left and right arrow keys to browse the menu, push the ENTER key to select a parameter. When the selected parameter turns grey it can be changed: use the arrow keys to increase or decrease its value. Press the ENTER key to confirm the selected value. Repeat this operation for all parameters. Select the word OK and press ENTER to save the changes. Select the word CANCEL to undo the changes and return to the main screen.
• By rotary knob: turn the knob to browse the menu, push the knob to select a parameter. When the selected parameter turns grey it can be changed turning the knob to increase or decrease its value. Press the knob to confirm the selected value. Repeat this operation for all parameters. Select the word OK and press the knob to save the changes. Select the word CANCEL and press the knob to undo the changes and return to the main screen.

CHAMELEON PARAMETERS

We recommend to start with the PCM EQ parameter to fine tune the DAC, then adjust the DEE and lastly the DAC PWR.
The Chameleon parameters are:

• PCM EQ Equalisation Curve (the low-pass filter) Available settings:
• 0 = Natural tone Super slow roll-off
• 1 = Acoustic tone Short delay with slow roll-off, with a group delay of 5.3/Fs
• 2 = Traditional tone Slow roll-off
• 3 = Harmonic Sound Short delay with low dispersion
• 4 = Acoustic sound Short delay with sharp roll-off, with a group delay of 6.25/Fs
• 5 = Traditional sound Sharp roll-off

This control doesn’t apply to DSD files.

• DEE
  De-emphasis Curve (the roll-off at high frequencies) 4 options available, from 0 to 3. When the value is set to 0, there is no De-emphasis applied. The De- emphasis is a filter that helps to optimise the roll-off at high frequencies. The DS-10 features 3 settings that were originally designed for digital files with 32kHz, 44.1kHz and 48kHz sampling rates, and that will give you different results when applied to your music. The DEE and the DAC PWR have more subtle effects on the sound but can make quite a difference in some systems.

• DAC PWR
  DAC Power (the current applied to the chip) 8 values available, from 0 to 7. When the value is set to 0, the chip is fed the default current of 34 mA. By adjusting the current fed to the DAC chip, you can move from the cooler and more analytical sound of the lower range of current, to the warmer and more analogue one of the higher range.

• Here is the list of the power absorption values for each step at a fixed signal of 1kHz@0dBfs:

  • 0 = 34 mA (default)
  • 1 = 31.7 mA
  • 2 = 32.1 mA
  • 3 = 32.3 mA
  • 4 = 32.6 mA
  • 5 = 31.6 mA
  • 6 = 32 mA
  • 7 = 34.4 mA

CONNECTING OTHER SOURCES
CONNECTING SOURCES

The high-quality connectors available on the rear panel of the DS-10 allow other digital devices to be connected, making it the core of a modern audio system. On the DS-10 PLUS, the 3.5mm LINE IN input can be used to connect analogue sources, such as the PH-10 phono stage.

1. Ethernet
2. Network USB-A FAT32/NTFS USB flash memories up to 32Gb capacity max.
3. AES/EBU CD Players Professional digital source
4. RCA – Coaxial Televisions DVD PlayersCD Players
5. USB-B Computer
6. TOS-LinkTelevisions DVD Players CD Players
7. Line In 3.5 mini jack preamp mode (DS-10 PLUS only)
8. GN Link 12V trigger to link to other Gold Note models in Master-Slave mode, with the master unit turning ON/OFF the slave units.

CONTROL APP
DOWNLOAD THE APP Our app GN Control is the best way to control your DS-10 and it’s required to connect it to your Wi-Fi. It is also the easiest way to stream music from online streaming services such a Tidal and Qobuz, and from your local libraries in case you store music on a NAS or HDD.

PLAYER SCREEN
The player screen is your home, the screen you see when you launch the app .

PLAY TO & MUSIC

• First, select the DS-10 from the Play To screen.
• If you don’t see the DS-10 listed, then the device you are using and the DS-10 are not connected to the same network.

MUSIC

• Tap Music from the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen to select your music source.
• You can choose between several options, such as:

Streaming services

• Deezer
• Qobuz
• Spotify
• TIDAL
• vTuner

Cloud Storage services

• Dropbox
• OneDrive

Local services

• Network NAS and UPnP/DLNA services
• USB flash drives are listed as “DS-10Server”

CONTROL PANEL Tap the information icon found at the top right corner of the Player screen to access the control panel. The control panel mirrors what you see on the display of your DS-10, allowing you to access all the features and functions, including the volume, the input selection, the gapless function and more.

DEVICE SETUP
Tap the setup icon found at the top left corner of the Player screen and then Device Setup to access device setup menu. Here you can change the name of the DS-10 (as shown on other connected devices), the Wi-Fi, see the firmware version and check for new firmware updates. WiFi network
Connect the device to a different Wi-Fi network.

Device name change
Rename the device on the network.

LAN IP
LAN static IP address setup.

Wi-Fi IP
Wi-Fi static IP address setup.

Firmware update
The app notifies when a new firmware update is available.

UPDATING THE FIRMWARE
The app shows a pop-up window (image 1) when new updates are available, press YES to start. The update will be downloaded (image 2) and installed (image 3). Depending on the speed of your network, this may take several minutes. The system will reboot when the update is installed (image 4) and a pop-up window will confirm the unit is now running the latest firmware version (image 5), press OK to complete the update. It’s extremely important to wait until the last pop-up window is shown and to press OK to complete the update, otherwise the firmware might be corrupted. Never power off or disconnect the unit and/or the app from the network while the firmware is updating.

REMOTE CONTROL

USING THE REMOTE CONTROL

All the functions and features available on the DS-10 can be adjusted using the SKC and the remote. To use the remote, simply press the Enter key to activate the selection frame and the IN+ and IN- buttons to move the frame around the display.

FIRMWARE UPDATE

We are constantly striving to deliver the best user experience and audio quality with our products, so please keep your Gold Note unit up to date with the latest firmware. Scan the QR-Code and visit the dedicated page on our website to find out how to update your unit.

PRODUCT REGISTRATION

We recommend to register the unit on our internet website within 15 days from the purchase at www.goldnote.it/product-registration Registering your product ensures that you will always receive communications about updates, information, and news regarding your product.

WARNING
Gold Note products should only be opened, serviced and inspected by certified Gold Note technicians and dealers. Work performed by unqualified personnel may cause serious damage or personal injury. Opening of the product by non- authorized personnel will void the guarantee. In this case, contact your dealer to be advised on how the fault can be solved. Do not return any object directly to the factory or to the distributor without being authorised to do so.

WARRANTY

All Gold Note products come with a warranty against defective materials and workmanship. Any service and inspection must be carried out by a Gold Note dealer or distributor so in case you need any assistance with this product, please contact the seller. If you experience any problems locating your official Gold Note dealer or distributor, please check our website or contact service@goldnote.it

PLEASE NOTE
Descriptions and technical characteristics may vary at any time and without notice.

TROUBLESHOOTING

CLEANING THE UNIT

With EXTREME care use ONLY water or detergents for delicate surfaces with a very soft cloth to sweep dust and remove stains. Any acid or not extremely soft cloth will irreversibly damage the unit. Do not use alcohol.

If you have any questions contact us at: service@goldnote.it

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References

• Home | Gold Note
• Product registration | Gold Note
• Registrazione prodotto | goldnote

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