ELEMENT III

SUPPORT

SECTION 1: QUICK SETUP

1. STEP 01

   Connect AC power adapter to rear power jack (16VAC), then connect to wall outlet.

2. STEP 02

   Connect USB cable between your computer and the USB jack.

3. STEP 03

   Connect headphones to the front headphone output jack.

4. STEP 04

   Pressing the Power button turns Element on or off. Pressing the Headphone/RCA button toggles between headphone or RCA Output modes.

5. STEP 05

   Slowly raise the volume knob to an appropriate listening level. See Listening Tips on page 7. Pressing the volume knob toggles between USB and Optical input. Please see Connectivity and Computer Setup for additional help.

SECTION 2: CONFIGURATION

Automatic Gain

Element III handles audio logic for a blissful experience, automatically toggling the optimal gain state as you adjust volume. Low Gain is active at volume levels from -127.5 to 0 dBFS. Continuing to turn the knob beyond 0 dB presents an on-screen progress bar, signifying a pending transition to High Gain. Element III automatically adjusts volume for a pleasant transition between gain states. You will see an effective volume range of 0 to 13.5 dB in High Gain. Please observe safe listening habits; typical listening levels range from -50 dB to -20 dB for most dynamic and planar headphones, depending on your music collection and preferences.

Display

Element III displays status information while you interact, then vanishes so that your focus remains on listening. The display shows Input Mode (e.g., USB), Stream Format (e.g., PCM @ 48.0kHz), Sampling Rate, Volume (e.g., VOL -26.0dB), Output Mode (e.g., HEADPHONE OUTPUT @ LOW GAIN), and Current Gain.

SECTION 3: OPTIONS MENU

Settings

Pressing down on the Volume Knob for 3+ seconds enters the Options Menu. Turn the knob to navigate up/down the options menu. Push the knob to make a selection. Available settings include: Screen Timeout (default 5 seconds, range 0-120 seconds), Screen Contrast (HIGH, MED, OR LOW), LED Mode (ON, WITH SCREEN, 5 MIN STANDBY). LEDs remain on while Element III is on and the screen is on. They power off when the screen is off. In S/PDIF mode, LEDs are always on. In USB mode, LEDs turn off after 5 minutes of audio inactivity and turn on with activity or user interaction. USB "rate" clears after 5 minutes of inactivity. Screen power-off is controlled by the "SCREEN TIMEOUT" option.

Other settings: Knob Speed (FULL, HALF), Volume Steps (0.5 dB, 1.0 dB), 2nd Harmonic Steps (default 0, range -75 to 75), 3rd Harmonic Comp (default -20, range -75 to 75). DPLL BANDWIDTH (default 7, range 0-15) impacts jitter rejection; a value of 5 is common, but 7 is used for wider source compatibility. SPDIF DE-EMPHASIS (ON/OFF) controls de-emphasis based on incoming S/PDIF stream flags. DAC_FILTER options: FAST ROLLOFF, SLOW ROLLOFF, MIN PHASE. STATUS displays firmware version, USB Stream status (Active, Inactive), and internally recovered I2C Errors (normal for factory QC).

FACTORY RESET: Clears all settings to defaults. Upon reset, Element III defaults to -45dB volume in Headphone Output mode (USB Input) and 0dB for RCA Output.

Connectivity

Inputs

Element III accepts digital input via USB or S/PDIF (optical). Press the volume knob to toggle between input modes.

Outputs

Element III provides headphone output and RCA Preamp Outputs. Press the Headphone/RCA button on the rear to toggle between output modes. Only one output is active at a time. Volume is adjustable in either mode and saved to memory for easy transitions. Pressing an input or output button displays the current mode on the screen.

Signal Flow Diagrams

HEADPHONE OUTPUT MODE

Signal path: DIGITAL INPUT (USB/S/PDIF) -> DAC -> HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER -> AUDIO TO HEADPHONES. RCA JACKS (LINE-OUTPUT) are muted.

RCA OUTPUT MODE

Signal path: USB INPUT -> DAC -> HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER -> RCA JACKS (LINE-OUTPUT) -> AUDIO TO SPEAKERS. HEADPHONES are muted.

USB Cables

Element III ships with a 3ft (1m) USB Type A to Type B cable equipped with a ferrite core for optimal jitter and noise rejection. You may use a Type C to Type B cable to connect to Type C devices; transfer the detachable ferrite from your JDS Labs cable to your new cable, maintaining its position.

Listening Tips

Set sampling rate to the highest integer multiple of your music collection. For example, use 192kHz for a collection of 48k and 192k audio files. Common streaming services and games tend to use 48kHz audio. Alternatively, you may install the optional XMOS drivers in Win 10/11 and use an ASIO capable app to achieve bitperfect sampling rate changes. Active sampling rate is displayed on Element III's screen.

Element III disables host operating volume controls for maximum fidelity and plentiful D/A headroom. Note: Win 10/11 may still permit system level volume adjustments.

Element III can amplify headphones to dangerously loud audio. Listen safely to conserve your hearing: www.hearingloss.org.

Operating Care

Element III uses a high current power supply and runs warm to the touch. Avoid covering the top and sides. Do not lift the amplifier by its knob! Element III can be safely powered on 24/7. To ensure an optimal noise floor, always position headphone amplifiers as far away as possible from wireless devices.

SECTION 4: SETUP

Computer Setup

Element III requires no drivers in Windows 10/11, macOS, Linux, and modern versions of iOS and Android. You may download optional drivers for Windows at jdslabs.com/drivers to enable all bitrates, adjust Buffer Length (latency), and enable an ASIO endpoint. Be sure to select your new DAC as the default playback device.

Windows 10/11

1. Right click the volume icon in your taskbar and click: Open Sound Setting → Sound Control Panel
2. Click on "JDS Labs Element III," then choose "Set Default." Please refer to Listening Tips for optimal properties.

macOS

Ensure JDS Labs audio device is selected from Audio Devices.

Troubleshooting

No USB device or "Failed to Play Audio"

Cause: USB Device is not initialized. Solution: Turn Element III off, then back on to reset the USB device.

Amplifier does not turn on

Cause: Missing, damaged, or loose power adapter connection. Solution: Please see jdslabs.com/troubleshooting.

LEDs flash repeatedly, or screen does not respond

Cause: Element III constantly self-monitors to automatically correct potential error states. Flashing LEDs or no screen activity indicate no response from the XMOS processor despite internal reset attempts. This may be caused by a power surge or extreme ESD event. Solution: Please turn Element III off for at least 1 minute, and then back on. If behavior persists, please reach out to jdslabs.com/support.

Element III reboots during use

Cause: Element III is designed to detect insufficient AC mains power, and may reboot when subjected to a severe brownout. Solution: Ensure clean power is provided.

No sound from headphones

Cause: Wrong mode or incorrect connectivity setup. Solution: Please see the Connectivity section. Double check all cabling and volume levels.

Power Adapters

ATTENTION: Incorrect power adapters can result in capacitor explosion hazards and device damage. Only use the power adapter included with your Element:

Compliance

Application for Council Directives 2004/108/EC, 2006/95/EC, 2002/95/EC. Conformity declared for EN55022:2011, EN611000-3-2, EN61000-3-3, EN55024-2.

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.