bel canto e1x Integrated Amplifier User Guide
- June 6, 2024
- bel canto
Table of Contents
bel canto e1x Integrated Amplifier
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of Bel Canto Design. The content of this manual is provided for
informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be
construed as a commitment by Bel Canto Design Limited.
Bel Canto Design Limited assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors
or inaccuracies that may appear in this manual.
Bel Canto Design Limited disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and
trade names other than its own. Printed in the United States.
Important Safety Instructions
Explanation of symbols used in this manual or on the rear/underside of the
apparatus:
The Lightning Flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage”
within the product enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to
constitute a risk of shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the
user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing)
instructions in the literature accompanying the product.
TO COMPLETELY DISCONNECT THIS APPARATUS FROM THE AC MAINS, DISCONNECT THE
POWER SUPPLY CORD PLUG FROM THE AC RECEPTACLE
THE MAINS PLUG OF THE POWER SUPPLY CORD SHALL REMAIN READILY ACCESSIBLE.
Disconnect supply cord before changing fuse.
Refer servicing to qualified service personnel.
WARNING:
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO
RAIN OR MOISTURE AND OBJECTS FILLED WITH LIQUIDS, SUCH AS VASES, SHOULD NOT BE
PLACED ON THIS APPARATUS.
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Read, keep and follow these instructions.
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Heed all warnings.
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Do not use the apparatus near water, e.g. near a bathtub, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool etc.
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Clean only with a dry cloth.
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Install in accordance with the Manufacturer’s instructions.
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Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus that produce heat.
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Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two 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 is provided for your safety. 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 at the point where they exit from the apparatus.
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Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
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Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug has been damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
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Mains plug: Use the mains plug to disconnect the apparatus from the mains supply. The main plug must be accessible at all times. Use the
mains switch (if applicable) when the apparatus is not in use. -
Do not expose the apparatus to liquids or moisture, dripping or splashing. Do not place a vessel containing liquid on top of the apparatus.
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No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus.
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The apparatus has been designed for use in moderate and tropical climates.
In the U.K.
Fuse replacement: This appliance is fitted with a non-rewireable 10 amp mains
plug. The plug contains a 10 amp fuse. If the fuse has blown it can be
replaced as follows:
- Pull out the black fuse cover/carrier
- Remove and dispose of t he blown fuse.
- Fit a new 10 amp BS1362 approved fuse into the carrier and push the carrier back into the plug.
Always ensure the fuse cover is fitted. If the fuse cover is missing do not use the plug. Contact your Bel Canto retailer to obtain a replacement fuse cover. Fuses are for fire protection and do not protect against electric shock.
FCC Notice
Note: 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. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an out let on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
System Connections
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NextGen Loudspeaker Connectors are optimized for sound quality with any good spade or NextGen banana connector. Note that the NextGen connector is clutched to ensure optimum pressure on the contact. – Do not over tighten- The NextGen connector creates a tight and damped contact preventing chatter and contact noise at the connection to the loudspeaker. Outputs are compatible with any loudspeaker down to 2 ohms.
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Ground Lug is provided to attach ground wire from your turntable.
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MM/MC Phono Input for your phono cartridge. Gain and load settings are available through Program Mode.
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Analog Inputs are 2V line level and support a variety of analog sources. Each of these inputs can be set for HTB
(Home Theater Bypass) with a fixed volume setting of 84.0 applied for use with a home theater preamplifier output. -
Analog Outputs can be used to feed a powered subwoofer or other devices, 4.5Vrms Max out.
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RS232 allows control from any compatible controllers.
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AES XLR Input accepts digital signal with data rates up to 24 bit 192 KS/s.
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SPDIF Input accepts digital signal with data rates up to 24 bit 192 KS/s.
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TOSLINK Input accepts digital signal with data rates up to 24 bit 192 KS/s.
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USB Input accepts digital signal with data rates up to 24 bit 384 KS/s, MQA, and 0S064/128 in DoP format.
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Ethernet Input accepts digital audio data rates up to 24 bit 192 KS/sand 0S064 in DSF format. This input supports MQA, is UPnP/DLNA compatible and a ‘Roon Ready’ endpoint. Roon is a sophisticated and friendly means to access your music collection and stream Tidal, including Tidal Masters (MQA) from the internet. We recommend that you investigate Roon’s capabilities with the knowledge that you will be getting the best audio performance possible through our ‘Roon Ready’ network interface. More info at http://roonlabs.com/
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USB A Input is used to connect to an external FAT32 formatted USB storage device, Use the SEEK app to stream music from the connected drive. The E1X DAC can support Bus Powered USB drives up to 1 amp or any externally powered USB storage device.
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Mains Power Switch connects AC input to the power board when set to the I positions.
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IEC Inlet Region-specific voltage is internally set.
“MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is an award-winning British technology
that delivers the sound of the original master recording. The master MQA file
is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download.
**MQA core decoding recovers all the direct music-related information. Output
is 88.2hKz or 96kHz Visit mqa.co.uk for more information.
MQA and the Sound Wave Device are registered trademarks of MQA Limited ©2016
The MQA logo is a trademark of MQA Limited. © MQA Limited 2017 The E1X
Integrated includes MQA technology, which enables you to play back MQA audio
files and streams, delivering the sound of
the original master recording. The display wil I show “MQA” when playing an
MQA stream or file or “MQA.” for an MQA Studio file, which has either been
approved in the studio by the artist/producer or has been verified by the
copyright owner.
E1X INTEGRATED Control and Display Options
- You can select inputs, adjust volume, and program the E1 X INTEGRATED by using any of the remote control or the wheel.
- Additionally, you can manage your music library, networked or USB A connected devices, and TIDAL using the Bel Canto SEEK app for iOS.
- The default display will show the selected input on the left and the volume on the right.
The E1X INTEGRATED has several additional display options. Pressing the
‘Display’ button on the remote will cycle through the options available for
the selected Input.
The display may also be turned off by pressing the ‘Display’ button until the
display is no longer illuminated. Your E1X operates in either DAC or PRE mode
on the custom remote.
E1X INTEG RATED Programming
The E1X INTEGRATED has an abundance of features that can be accessed in
programming mode. To begin programming via the remote: press the ‘Program’
button in the upper right of the remote.
For programming via the wheel: 
Programming Options
Tilt control centers at 775Hz and tilts the frequency spectrum up or down in
0.6dB increments (-5, OFF, +5), to a maximum of +/-3dB.
This control allows you to finely tailor the overall tonal balance of your
system to optimally match your room, your loudspeakers and your personal taste
without compromising the sonic integrity of the original signal. ****
This graphical example of our tile control settings shows the frequency
tilt spectrum at 775Hz in 0.6dB increments from +3dB to -3dB.
Bass EQ control operates over a +/-3dB range with 0.6dB increments (-5, OFF,
+5), providing subtle optimization of your system bass 
This graphical example of our bass EQ settings shows the low shelf curve in
0.6d B increments from +3dB to -3d Bat 1 DO Hz.
Main HP is used to set a 2•1<1 order High Pass filter for the main loudspeaker
output to better integrate a subwoofer. The frequency range is 40Hz to 120Hz
in 10Hz increments or OFF for no HP filter.
Connecting to Your Network
UPnP Universal plug and play is a set of protocols designed to allow consumer
devices to interact over a network. The network streaming system is made up of
three standard UPnP components. UPnP control point, Media Renderer and Media
server. All media, song, and track information is stored and accessed through
your streaming service or server.
This can be a NAS (Network-attached storage) or computer. The Control point is
your tablet or smartphone, this device connects the particular media from the
server and passes it to the renderer (E1X Integrated) to play.
The renderer directly retrieves media from the server decodes and plays the
selection as it arrives over the network. It works, in the same way, streaming
music from a subscription service.
Setting up the network properly requires a standard infrastructure that
includes the following components; router, network player (E1X Integrated),
Wireless access point (WAP), Wireless control point.
The Bel Canto SEEK app is a control point application that will allow users to
view/ select available renderers view / select available media servers and
browse/ select/ playback music through the E1 X Integrated network player. The
Bel Canto SEEK app is currently available for iOS.
The E1 X Integrated is Roon Ready. If you have a Roon account. you need to install Roon Server on your NAS drive or on a networked PC/Mac. You can then use Roon Remote to control playback. More information on Roon and its hardware requirements can be found at https://roonlabs.com.
Loading Bel Canto SEEK onto Your iOS Device
From your iOS device open apps and search Bel Canto SEEK. Download free app.
SEEK controls content from TIDAL, Qobuz, cloud storage, and VTuner, allowing
you to choose music selections from a variety of sources. Correctly setting up
your subscription account is important and will directly impact the quality of
the audio experience. Please be sure to select HI/Fl setting in your
subscription account to ensure the highest quality data is delivered to your
system.
Your subscription account (Tidal or Qobuz) is independent of SEEK. Your
subscription service agreement must be current for SEEK to access music
content from your subscription account. Subscription account setup
TIDAL: WWW.TIDAL.COM
Qobuz: WWW.OOBUZ.COM
Set Up Subscription: OPEN TIDAL or Qobuz account, go to “Settings” and
“Quality” set the streaming resolution select ‘Hi Fi’ in your “WiFi” setting
for the highest broadcast audio quality.
IMPORTANT :
Once you set up your subscription account in TIDAL or Qobuz, you will need to
use the same username and password in the SEEK App to connect to your
subscription account. You will also have to make selections in the
SEEK app to ensure the highest resolution audio is broadcast to the E1X
Integrated.
Setting Up SEEK: Open SEEK and open the “Browser” at the bottom of your
screen select Tidally and press the 3 horizontal lines in the upper left
corner to access the drop-down menu. (This opens several options you wil l
want to become familiar with to utilize all the functions in SEEK). Select
“Settings” at the bottom of the menu. Here you can select for Tidal
‘Hi/Fi/Master’ or Qobuz 24/192 streaming output. This controls your Streaming
service from TIDAL and Qobuz through SEEK and allows SEEK to pass the Hi-
Resolution files you’ve selected in your subscription account to your
component. Press the return arrow to go back one screen.
Making the connection from SEEK to the E1XI ntegrated:
- Main screen press cog wheel (Image 1)
- Select device set up (lmage2)
- Choose the device, each E1X Integrated has a unique serial number (lmage3)
- Selecting the device displays Firmware and serial number. This is where you check for firmware updates. (lmage4)
- Pressing the arrow back goes back one page until you reach the main page.
Selecting music:
- Press browser (lmage1}
- Choose Internet music source from library: Tidal, Qobuz, Vtuner, Cloud, Local Server (USB-A drive) (lmage1)
- Choose from Playlists, Albums, Tracks (explore using the search function to find music} (lmage2}
- Press “more” to open categories of music and Masters (MQA} on Tidal (lmage2)
- Press any of the headings in Qobuz to search music that will play up to the selected rate in settings (lmage3)
Browser music management:
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Press the 3 horizontal lines while in the browser screen in the upper left corner to open a drop-down menu, each category contains pre-selected music as described in addition to ‘My Favorites” and “My Playlist” that allow you
to place selected music in each folder. (lmage1) -
The 3 circles on the right of each track, (lmage3} will open a drop-down menu (lmage2) that offers options; “go to album” or places the track in a folder “Favorites” (lmage4} or “add to Queue” or “search artist”.
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Select a specific track from the browser by pressing the line item, this will play once or repeat depending on your settings indicated by the blue loop symbol on the upper left portion on the main page.
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Middle bar (lmage3) play symbol plays the complete album, star places the album in a favorite folder and 3 dots Open drop-down menu allowing you to add to a playlist or Queue.
Using the SEEK app
- Press the “Play to” at the bottom of the main screen, (lmage1) t his display devices on your network. And lets you select the device you would like to send music.
- The main screen (lmage2) shows album art and controls track, pause, stop function, and volume management
- Touching the album artwork toggles the display that shows the codec, bit/ sample rate, and time remaining on track (lmage3)
- Managing volume, we suggest you use the microvolume (lmage3) when changing levels, press the speaker up symbol at the right of the volume slider (lmage2) to choose microvolume.
- Blue circle upper left corner (lmage2) gives you the option to repeat track, play track once, advance track.
- 3 dots upper right corner opens a page to select gapless track play
- You should always see the device you are playing to at the top of the screen {image1) when in-network.
Specifications
Maximum Data Input Rates:24bit Data to 192ks/s: AES, SPDIF,
TOSLINK
24bit Data to 192ks/s, MQA, and DSD 64: 10/100
Ethernet
24bits at 192KS/s, MQA, and 05064/128 (DoP): USB2 Audio
Low-Level Outputs:
Line Level Analog:
4.5Vrms with Bass Management
Headphone:
4.5Vrms maximum, 32ohm minimum load
MM/MC Input:
Input Sensitivity:
MM: 2.5mV to 5mV; MC: 0.25mV to 0.5mV
Input Load:MM: 47K ohms; MC:
50,100,500, 1000
RIAA Accuracy:
+/- 0.25dB, 50Hz – 15kHz
THD+N:
<0.01% 1 kHz A-weighted
SNR:
70dB A-weighted
Line Inputs:
Maximum Input:
2.2 Vrms RCA
Input Impedance:
10K ohms RCA
THD+N:
0.003%, 1 kHz
Dynamic Range:
11 OdB, A-weighted 20Hz-20kHz
Loudspeaker Output:
Maximum Power Output: 250W
– 4 ohm, 150W – 8 ohm
Minimum Load:
2 ohms
Peak Output Current:
18 amperes
Frequency Response:
-3 dB OHz – 50kHz, all loads
Output Connections:
2 pair WBT Nextgen binding posts
Performance:
Dynamic Range:
125dB A-weighted
THD+N:
<0.001% 1W, 1 kHz, 4 ohms
IMO (CCIF):
<0.001% 1W, 18.5:19.5kHz 1 :1, 4 ohms
General:
Power Usage On:
40W
Power Usage Off:
ow
Power Requirement:
100-120VAC or 230-240VAC 50/ 60Hz Int ernally Set
Size:
17.75 W x 14.75 D x 3.3 H inches – 451 x 375 x 84mm
Weight:
18Ibs (8.2 kg)
Declaration of Conformity
We, the offerer, Bel Canto Design, Ltd., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 USA acknowledge our sole responsibility, that the product:
Kind of equipment: Bel Canto
E1X Series
Type designation:
E1XINTEGRATED
Technical regulations:
EN 55013:2001 + A 1 :2003 + A2:2006
EN 55020:2007 + A 11 :2011
EN 61000-3-2:2006 + A2:2009
EN 61000-3-3: 2008
Technical regulations:
EN 62368-1 :2014+A 11 :2017
I EC 62368-1 :2014+A 11:2017
in accordance with Ecodesign Requirements for Energy Related Products Directive 2009/ 125/ EC, is in compliance with the following norm(s) or documents(s):
Technical regulations: EC No. 1275/2008, EN 62301
is in conformity with Directive 2011 /65/EU of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 8 June 2011 on the restriction of the use
of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, and it
has been dem
June 2020 Bel Canto Design
221 1st Street North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN USA
221 1st Street North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
P: 612.317.4550
[email protected]
http://www.belcantodesign.com
‘ 2020 Bel Canto Design, LTD
References
- Qobuz - Sign up / Log in - Unlimited streaming and Hi-Res download store (United States)
- TIDAL - High Fidelity Music Streaming
- Roon