ROKSAN blak Integrated Amplifier Instruction Manual

: August 23, 2024
: ROKSAN

Table of Contents

ROKSAN blak Integrated Amplifier
Product Information
Product Usage Instructions
FAQ
INTRODUCTION
CAUTIONS
INSTALLATION
SETUP
OPERATION
TROUBLESHOOTING
GUARANTEE
SPECIFICATIONS
Documents / Resources

ROKSAN blak Integrated Amplifier

Product Information

Specifications

Manufacturer: ROKSAN AUDIO
Model: blak Integrated Amplifier
Address: Monitor Audio Ltd, 24 Brook Road, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7XJ, United Kingdom
Website:www.roksan.co.uk
Email:info@roksan.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1268 740580

Product Usage Instructions

Introduction

The blak Integrated Amplifier is a high-quality audio device designed to enhance your listening experience.

Unpacking

When unpacking the Blak Integrated Amplifier, ensure all accessories are present and in good condition. Handle with care to avoid damage.

Maintenance

After disconnecting the amplifier from the power source, use a dry lint-free cloth to clean the cabinet and front panel. Avoid abrasive substances or solvents.

Cautions

Ensure the mains supply voltage matches the label on the amplifier. Use the provided mains lead and plug it into the appropriate socket. If you need to change plugs, consult a qualified service personnel.
Observe correct mains polarity at all times and connect the earth wire to a suitable earthing point. Replace fuses with the same type and rating as indicated on the rear panel.

FAQ

Q: What should I do if I need to move the amplifier to an area with different mains voltage?

A: Contact the appointed Roksan distributor for assistance in such cases to ensure proper setup for the new environment.

Q: Can I clean the amplifier with abrasive substances?

A: No, only use a dry lint-free cloth for cleaning to avoid damaging the cabinet and front panel.

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the Roksan blak Integrated Amplifier.
This amplifier is designed and manufactured to the highest specification and rigorously tested to reward you with many years of listening pleasure.
Your blak amplifier is an integral part of your system. Its correct installation, set-up, and operation will have a significant influence on the performance of the entire hi-fi installation. Please read the contents of this manual thoroughly.
It will help you to understand your hi-fi equipment better and further enhance your listening pleasure.

UNPACKING

Included in the packing of your blak amplifier you will find.
One mains lead fitted with the correct mains power plug for your country.
One Roksan R7 remote control & battery
One Bluetooth antenna
After removing these items please retain all packing material. Correct packing is necessary for future transportation of your blak Integrated Amplifier.

MAINTENANCE

After disconnecting the blak Integrated Amplifier from the mains supply, the cabinet and front panel may be cleaned with a dry lint-free cloth. Avoid using abrasive substances or solvents.
Roksan Audio declares that the apparatus blak Integrated Amplifier complies with Di-rective 2014/53/EU. The full text of the EU Declaration of Conformity is available at the following internet address: www.roksan.co.uk

CAUTIONS

AC MAINS SUPPLY

Your blak Integrated Amplifier is set to operate from a fixed supply voltage which is marked on a label next to the mains input plug. Before connecting the mains lead please check that your mains supply corresponds to the label below.
230V Products: Voltage Range 220V – 240V
115V Products: Voltage Range: 110V – 120V
100V Products: Voltage Range: 90V – 110V
The mains lead supplied with this product has an IEC mains socket which plugs into the IEC connector on the unit’s rear panel. The other end is normally attached to the appropriate main plug for your country.
In the UK this is the standard UK13A plug.
If the plug becomes damaged or is not suitable for your socket outlet, it should be cut off and an appropriate plug fitted by qualified service personnel.
The replacement plug should have the same fuse rating as the original plug. The severed plug should be disposed of to avoid a possible shock hazard and should never be inserted into a main socket elsewhere.
Should you move to another area where either the mains voltage or the mains plug are different from those supplied with your Integrated Amplifier, please contact the appointed Roksan distributor for assistance.
Please observe correct mains polarity at all times.
The blak Integrated Amplifier mains fuse is located on the rear panel next to the IEC mains connector. This must only be replaced by the fuse of the type and rating as described on the fuse rating label on the rear panel of the unit.
This product requires a connection to the earth (ground). The earth wire (in the UK this is color-coded green/yellow) of the mains cable supplied with your Integrated Amplifier must be connected to a suitable earthing point established for this purpose by your electricity supply company. If you are in any doubt, consult a qualified electrician. If the equipment is likely to be unattended for some time, unplug it from the main supply.
Please read the safety instruc-tions and follow all guidance.

LOCATION

Your blak Integrated Amplifier should be located in a well-ventilated area and kept away from sources of heat, dust, and humidity and from direct sunlight.
The integrated amplifier may be positioned either as a free-standing unit or alongside another audio/video product. Never allow liquids or other objects to fall into the unit.
This unit contains no user-serviceable parts. DO NOT remove any panels or attempt to service it yourself. Unauthorized servicing will void the warranty.

INSTALLATION

blak INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER – FRONT PANEL VIEW

1. AC Mains Power Switch
2. Headphone socket
3. LED display
4. Volume control
5. Input selector button (back)
6. Input selector button (forward)
7. ‘OK’ button to switch the unit on, and operate the AC mains switch located under the front left of the amplifier (1). The position to the left marked ‘1’ is ON, and the position to the right marked ‘0’ is OFF.
- blak INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER – REAR PANEL VIEW
10. Right loudspeaker output
11. Earth ground for phono input
12. Phono input (Moving Magnet)
13. Line 1 input
14. Line 2 input
15. Line 3 input
16. Balanced XLR input
17. Bluetooth antenna
18. USB ‘type B’ input
19. Voltage & fuse label
20. AC mains fuse holder
21. AC mains socket
22. Left loudspeaker output

SETUP

CONNECTING MAINS POWER

Please refer to the front & rear panel views.
The molded IE connector or the supplied mains lead should be plugged into a socket (21) on the rear of the unit first and then plugged into the mains supply.
The mains power switch (1) is on the front underside of the amplifier.

SIGNAL CONNECTIONS

There are seven inputs on your blak Integrated Amplifier. Three are line level and will accept virtually all currently available source components, the other three are a phono input, aptX Bluetooth wireless input, and a ‘type B’ USB input.
The Phono input is a factory set for Moving Magnet cartridges to accommodate record players fitted with MM phono cartridges.
All the inputs use gold-plated RCA phono connectors and should be connected according to the standard convention.
Right Channel – Red
Left Channel – Black

MC INPUT CONNECTION

If you wish to use a Moving Coil cartridge, an in-line MC step-up transformer should be connected to the Phono Input. Alternatively, a dedicated phono stage can be connected to a line-level input.
For advice and demonstration of Roksan state-of-the-art turntable reproduction systems contact your authorized retailer.

LOUDSPEAKER CONNECTIONS

The right and left loudspeakers are connected to the amplifier via the rear panel binding posts. Carefully observe polarity ensuring that the RED (+) speaker terminal is connected to the RED (+) amplifier terminal and the BLACK (-) speaker terminal to the
BLACK (-) amplifier terminal. When both left and right channels are connected to the relevant speaker terminals the amplifier is ready for use.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

For optimum performance, it is recommended to use high-quality interconnect cables. Please consult your dealer for advice.
For optimum performance, it is recommended to use high-quality speaker cables. Please consult your dealer for advice.
DO NOT use a speaker cable with a conductor size less than 16 AWG (1.6mm Diameter).
The binding posts accept conductor sizes up to 12 AWG.

HEADPHONE CONNECTION

To listen through headphones, connect a 6.35mm 1/4 inch Stereo Jack Plug to the headphone socket (2).

OPERATION

SWITCHING ON

The mains power switch is located on the front left underside of the amplifier. This switch should be ON for normal operation and off when not in use.
If unattended for a long period (going on a short break, holidays, etc.) the mains power should be switched OFF and the power cord disconnected from the mains power input.

VOLUME CONTROL

The volume control on the blak is a precision device. It follows algorithmic law so that its response approximates that of the human ear. The series of LEDs around the volume control indicates the volume level.
When the volume control is at 0, the output is automatically muted. Turning the volume knob will take the unit out of mute mode.
The volume can also be muted by pressing the MUTE button on the R7 remote control. When unmuted, the volume will return to its previous level.

FRONT PANEL CONTROL

The INPUT Selector Buttons (5) and (6) shift through a list of the inputs one click at a time. Pressing OK will confirm the selection, otherwise, the unit will revert to the current selection.
The blak Integrated Amplifier has an input selection memory. When switched on, it will automatically recognize the previous input selection. The selected input will show in the LED display window.

BLUETOOTH CONNECTION AND PAIRING

Make sure your device’s Bluetooth is enabled and select the Bluetooth input on the amplifier. This will select the Bluetooth source and the characters ‘BT’ will flash continuously on the display.
When your device has found the amplifier, ‘Roksan blak’ will appear on your device. Next, connect to pair your device. When paired or connected ‘BT’ will stop flashing and remain on. You are now ready to stream music to the blak from the paired device.
If your device is aptX compatible and contains high-resolution audio files, then these will be streamed in the original high-quality bit rate through the blak amplifier.
Whilst streaming Bluetooth data, if you wish to revert to another input, simply use the input selectors to the desired choice and press OK as normal. You will then have to re-connect the device but pairing is not necessary.

USING THE INTERNAL DAC AND CONNECTING TO THE USB PORT

The USB input can be used with a Windows or Mac operating system computer using a USB B-type connector cable. Select the USB input using the input selection buttons and press ‘OK’.
NOTE: It is always recommended to use a directly connected USB socket. For example, front-panel USB connections on desktop PCs often have substandard internal wiring that can cause degradation to the USB signal.

MAC OPERATING SYSTEM:

There is no setup required, driver installation occurs automatically when the DAC is first connected to the Mac.
To select the blak Amp as your current Playback Device navigate to System Preferences > Sound, then choose the Output tab and select “Roksan blak Amp DAC USB Audio 2.0 (or 1.0 depending on the interface)”.

WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM:

The driver can only be installed on PCs using Windows 7 onwards, and therefore USB inputs will not work on PCs with older versions of Windows.
You must install the Roksan driver software before connecting the blak Amp to your PC. To do this run the latest version of the driver setup software which can be found on our website. The Setup Wizard will guide you through the process.
To initialize the driver installation switch on your blak Amp and connect it to your PC via a USB cable. A pop-up window will now appear installing this driver automatically.
To select as your current Playback Device navigate to Control Panel > All Control Panel Items Sound and select the Playback Tab. Select “Roksan blak Amp DAC USB Audio 2.0/1.0” (You can right-click and “Set as Default Device” if desired).

DSD PLAYBACK

The advanced Texas Instruments DAC platform supports PCM sample rates up to 192 kHz and also DSD (Direct Stream Digital) information for both DSD64 (1x) and DSD128 (2x).
This is only possible using a computer connected to the blak Integrated Amplifier USB (via the USB input) input using a music player program that can read DSD files. Numerous programs that can achieve this are available to download.
NOTE: With all digital music files, playback capability is dependent on the playback engine and software used.

ADJUSTING DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS

Press and hold the OK button on either the front panel or remote until ‘ROKSAN’ appears in the display. Use the Input Selection buttons to adjust the brightness of the display.

REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

The blak Integrated Amplifier/Integrated Amplifier uses the Roksan R7 remote control. Below is an outline of the functions available.
Amp: Press to ensure the remote is in the correct mode
Mute: Mute volume
Input ( ): Scroll input left
Input ( ): Scroll input right
OK: Confirm input selection
Volume ( ): Decrease volume
Volume ( ): Increase volume
BT: Direct bluetooth input function
NOTE: You must press ‘OK’ to confirm the desired input after selection with the ( & ) buttons.
The BT button will directly take you to the wireless Bluetooth input. You do not need to press OK to confirm. Pressing either the Input left ( ) or right ( ) buttons will return to line/phono inputs.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If you suspect that your Roksan blak Integrated Amplifier is not operating properly, you should check all the connections carefully. Pay particular attention to speaker phasing and channel connections.
Phono plugs should be fully inserted – a frequent cause of problems is due to the phono plug surrounds not making proper contact. Below are some commonly encountered problems with suggestions for possible cures.
The list is not exhaustive: If you have any unresolved problems, please consult Roksan or your appointed Roksan dealer or distributor.

SYMPTOM	LIKELY CAUSE	SUGGESTED REMEDY
• No power	• AC Mains lead not inserted properly

• Unit not switched on

| • Ensure AC Mains lead is fully inserted

• Switch the unit on (on the front underside)

• No output on one or both channels

• Very low sound output

• Poor speaker imaging, lack of Bass output

| • Amplifier in protection mode (—— on display)

• Missing or bad input

signal connection Incorrect speaker connection

• Wrong input selected

• Loudspeakers connected out of phase

• Amplifier muted or volume set to 0

| • Check all input connections

• Check speaker output connections on the rear panel

• Select the correct input, and ascertain source is working

• Check the polarity of speaker connections (especially important if Multi- wiring, Multiamping)

• Hum from speakers| • Incorrect grounding| • Check Main polarity and grounding on all connected equipment
• Display shows| • Protection has operated| • Check speaker connections

• Ensure speakers are not short-circuited

• Ensure other devices are not connected to the speaker outputs

• Display shows THERM| • Thermal protection has operated| • Leave the unit to cool down and continue operation at lower volume levels

GUARANTEE

Your Roksan blak product is guaranteed against any defect in materials and workmanship for five years from the date of purchase.
This guarantee only becomes effective once your product has been registered within fourteen days of purchase. Roksan reserves the right to ask for a copy of your purchase invoice.

This guarantee excludes:

Damage caused due to accident, misuse, neglect, and incorrect installation, adjustment, or repair.
Liability for damage or loss during transit from the retailer or purchaser to Roksan or its authorized distributor for repair or inspection.
Carriage costs to Roksan shall be borne by the consignor. All claims under this warranty must be made through an authorized Roksan retailer.
If equipment returned for repair to Roksan is found on inspection to comply with the product specification, Roksan reserves the right to make a charge for examination and return carriage. Unauthorized servicing will void this guarantee.
The warranty will only be valid when the product is bought through the authorized retailer. All the warranty issues will be dealt with through the selling retailer.

SPECIFICATIONS

Inputs 3 x RCA line inputs
- 1 x Pair analogue XLR inputs
- 1 x USB type-B input 24/192 & DSD compatible (only operational with ‘USB’ Version)
- MM phono input
- aptX Bluetooth input
- MM input – gain, 76.75dB@1kHz, input impedance 47k ohm, 150pF
- Line & XLR inputs – input impedance 24k ohm XLR, 40k ohm RCA
Gain @ 1kHz, 8ohm 36,75dB
THD @ 1W, 8ohm, 5kHz < 0.02%
- @ 12W, 8ohm, 5kHz < 0.035%
Power output @ 1kHz, 8ohm > 150W
Frequency response @ -3dB, 12W, 8ohm from < 20Hz to more than 80kHz
Channel balance @ 1kHz, 8ohm, 12W better than 0.3dB
Cross talk @ 1kHz, 8ohm < -104dB
S/N @ 1kHz, 8ohm, 1W > 76dB
Dimensions (H x W x D) 140 x 440 (inc. faceplate) x 309mm / 140 x 400 (chassis) x 309mm
Weight 14kg
Rated Power Consumption 480W
Maximum Power Consumption 800W.
All specifications are liable to change without notice. E&OE
ROKSAN AUDIO Monitor Audio Ltd, 24 Brook Road, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7XJ, United Kingdom
website:www.roksan.co.uk
email:info@roksan.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1268 740580
Roksan Audio 24 Brook Road
Rayleigh
Essex
SS6 7XJ
+44 (0)1268 740580
info@roksan.co.uk
www.roksan.co.uk