S.M.S.L A8 Digital Amplifier User Manual

Safety Precautions

CAUTION: RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT OPEN.

To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover (or back).

The lightning flash symbol with an arrowhead, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric 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 appliance.

Safe use only above elevation 2000m.

Safe use only in non-tropical climate conditions.

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

Features

• The A8 is a digital amplifier developed in cooperation with ICEpower company.
• It features the ICEpower 125ASX2 amplifier module, providing high power output and ultra-low distortion.
• Equipped with the superior DAC chip AK4490, offering advanced performance and floating-point arithmetic digital filters.
• Utilizes the 2nd generation XMOS USB audio solution (XCore200 XU208), supporting up to 768kHz PCM and DSD512, with native DSD support.
• Includes an ASRC function to reduce clock jitter from digital receiving signals.
• Features built-in SDB (SMSL Dynamic Bass) technology for enhanced sound fidelity, adjusting bass and treble dynamics based on the input source.
• Includes a built-in phono stage.

Specifications

Remote Controller

Operation:

• Insert the specified batteries into the remote control.
• Do not short-circuit, disassemble, heat, or dispose of batteries in flames.
• Do not keep the battery in a place exposed to direct sunlight or in places with extremely high temperatures, such as near a heater.

Operating Range: Approximately 8 meters (26 ft).

Remote Buttons:

• Power ON/OFF
• Mute
• Volume+
• Volume-
• Menu
• Switch Function

Note: When you first operate the A8, press the 'A' key first.

FN User-Defined Function Key: Can be defined as:

• Input switch
• EQ switch
• ASRC switch

[Diagram of remote control buttons with labels]

Connections

Cables Used for Connections:

• Audio cable*
• Optical cable*
• Coaxial cable*
• USB cable

Cautions:

• Do not plug in the power cord until all connections have been completed.
• Be sure to connect the left and right channels properly.
• Please refer to the instruction manual for details.
• Do not bundle power cords together with connection cables, as this can result in humming or noise.

Notes: Audio cable, optical cable, and coaxial cable are not included in the A8 package. If needed, users must purchase them separately.

Connection Diagrams:

• Computer to Digital Audio Player: Illustrates connections via USB, Optical, or Coaxial.
• Computer to Digital/Analog Equipment: Shows connections from a computer using USB, Optical, Coaxial, and Analog RCA cables.
• CD/DVD/BD Player to Digital/Analog Equipment: Depicts connections from playback devices to the amplifier.
• Turntable Connection: Includes a diagram for grounding a turntable.
• Power Supply and Speaker Wire Connection: Shows how to connect the power cord to a wall outlet and how to connect speaker wires, including bare wire preparation and banana plug usage.
• DAC Output: Illustrates connecting headphones or an amplifier to the DAC output.
• Active Subwoofer Speaker Connection: Shows how to connect left speaker, right speaker, and subwoofer speaker.

Important Note: Please visit http://www.smsl-audio.com to download the A8 USB driver.

Operations

Front Panel Description:

• A: Display: Shows operational status.
• B: Function Button: Used for menu navigation and power control.
• C: Knob: Controls volume and menu selection.
• D: 6.35mm Headphone Output: For connecting headphones.

How to Operate:

1. Power On/Off: Press and hold the function button to turn the unit on or off.
2. Menu Navigation:
   • Press the function button to enter the main menu from the main interface.
   • In the main menu, press the function button again to enter sub-menu selections.
   • Turn the knob to select menu items.
   • Press the function button to confirm selections or return to the main menu.
   • Press and hold the function button to return to the main interface from any menu.
3. Volume Control: Turn the knob clockwise to increase volume or counterclockwise to decrease volume. The unit memorizes the last volume setting.

Main Interface Display Indicators:

• Sampling Rate: Displays the current sampling rate. Shows "MUTING" when muted, "NO SIGNAL" when no input is detected. A "Hi-Res" logo appears when the sampling rate is 96kHz or higher.
• Input: Shows the currently selected input source (e.g., USB, COAX, OPTI).
• Speaker Mode: Indicates whether the output is set for headphones or speakers.
• Volume: Displays the current volume level. The A8 remembers the last volume setting.
• Pre-Output Indicator: If a logo appears, the pre-output is adjustable. If no logo, the DAC output is fixed.
• ASRC Indicator: If a logo appears, the output is adjusted by the ASRC function. If no logo, ASRC is not active.
• EQ Indicator: If a logo appears, the EQ function is active. If no logo, EQ is off.
• Audio Input Format: Displays the format of the current audio input.

Menu Options

The A8 features a comprehensive menu system for adjusting various settings.

Input Mode Menu (Figure 1)

Select from various input sources:

• USB
• COAX1
• COAX2
• OPTI1
• CD
• PHONO
• OPTI2

Output Mode Menu (Figure 2)

Choose the audio output mode:

• SP (Speakers out): For connecting to speakers.
• HP (Headphones out): For connecting headphones.

The factory default output mode is DAC.

EQ Mode Menu (Figure 3)

Select from different equalization modes:

• DIRECT
• SDB
• TONE

Note: When using DAC output, EQ functions are not available and cannot be overlaid.

Treble Adjustment Menu (Figure 4)

Adjust the treble level from -10dB to 10dB. Turning the knob adjusts the level. If adjusting treble in DIRECT or SDB EQ mode, the mode will automatically switch to TONE mode. Treble adjustments are memorized.

Bass Adjustment Menu (Figure 5)

Adjust the bass level from -10dB to 10dB. Turning the knob adjusts the level. If adjusting bass in DIRECT or SDB EQ mode, the mode will automatically switch to TONE mode. Bass adjustments are memorized.

ASRC (Figure 6)

Configure the Asynchronous Sample Rate Converter (ASRC) for signal processing. Options include:

• OFF
• ASRC BYPASS
• 1X
• 2X
• 4X

ASRC Settings Table:

Displays input sample rates versus amplifier internal sampling rates for different ASRC settings (Optical/Coaxial and USB inputs).

Grey color indicates sampling rate without conversion.

Sample Rate Display (Figure 7)

The display shows the digital input sample rate. Options for display mode:

• DIR (Digital Input Sample Rate)
• Input Frequency
• True Frequency

Pre-Amp Volume Adjustable (Figure 8)

If set to "OFF", pre-amp output volume is not adjustable. If set to "ON", volume becomes adjustable. When playing with speaker output and Pre-Amp function ON, speaker output will be off. When playing with headphone output and Pre-Amp function ON, headphone output works normally. The volume knob controls both headphone and pre-amp output when both functions are active.

FN-KEY (Function Key on Remote) (Figure 9)

For the remote control, the FN key allows selection of three user-defined functions:

• OUTPUT
• EQ
• ASRC

Turn the knob to switch between user-defined functions within the FN KEY sub-menu.

Font Color Setting Menu (Figure 10)

Choose from six font colors for the display:

• WHITE
• RED
• GREEN
• PURPLE
• YELLOW
• BLUE

Dimmer Setting (Figure 11)

Adjust the display brightness. There are six dimmer levels:

• LEVEL1
• LEVEL2
• LEVEL3
• LEVEL4
• LEVEL5
• LEVEL6

Factory Setting

To restore the unit to factory default settings, press and hold the power button before powering on the unit. Keep holding the button until the screen displays letters, then release.