dCS Vivaldi DAC User Manual Software Issue 2.0x
November 2016
Vivaldi DAC Manual v2_0x Page 11 English version
Connecting to a Single AES or SPDIF source
Most source equipment (such as CD transports, DVD players) is fitted with a single wire digital output,
usually on an RCA phono connector.
• Connect your source equipment to the matching input on the DAC rear panel using a suitable
cable.
• Press the Input button repeatedly until your chosen input is displayed. This will be either AES1,
AES2, AES3, AES4, SPDIF1 (RCA), SPDIF2 (RCA), SPDIF3 (BNC), or Toslink.
The DAC will lock to the source, displaying 16/44.1 for example, if the source is a CD player.
Connecting to an SDIF/DSD Source
Check that your source equipment is capable of SDIF PCM or DSD operation.
!
SDIF (Sony Digital InterFace) is not the same as SPDIF (Sony/Philips Digital InterFace)
and the two are not compatible.
Please ensure that you connect to the correct BNC sockets.
• Connect the CH1 output on your source equipment to the CH1 input on the DAC rear panel and the
CH2 output to the CH2 input, using two BNC cables. Connect the word clock output on your source
equipment to one of the Word Clock Input connectors on the DAC rear panel.
• Ensure the cables are not swapped.
• Press the Input button repeatedly until SDIF-2 appears on the display.
Set the Settings > Sync Mode menu page to Word Clock 1, 2 or 3 as appropriate.
PCM or DSD mode is automatically detected. The DAC will lock to the source, displaying 16/44.1 for
example, if the source is a CD player. DSD is displayed if the source is sending DSD data.