USB-XIII User Manual
5
BACK SIDE
SR L/R
C / LFE
PLINK OUT
FR L / R
PLINK
IN
COAX
DoP Out
AES / DoP
OUT
Playback Designs USB-XIII
AES / DoP
OUT
This XLR output connector sends out PCM data from the selected input up to 192kHz. 8FS
(352.8kHz and 384kHz) input signals are downsampled to 4FS. DSD signals are either sent
out natively or in proprietary format (see mode switch 3 on front side).
COAX / DoP
OUT
Same as AES OUT
PLINK OUT
These three 2-channel output connectors are used for stereo and 6-channel setups. The
PLink format can be selected with mode switch 2 ("Sonoma" or "classic").
FR L/R: PLink audio signals for front left and right (use this for normal stereo operation)
C/LFE: PLink audio signals for center and low-frequency channels
SR L/R: PLink audio signals for left and right surround channels
PLINK IN
PLink input connector. The format of this input can be selected between "Sonoma" or
"classic" (see input selector on front side).
THE OPTICAL PLAYLINK (PLINK) CONNECTION
There is no digital audio interface standard supporting all sample rates for PCM and DSD. There are many
different interfaces, but none support universally all the high resolution formats. Therefore, unsupported
sample rates need to be converted in order to fit through a standard digital interface. In order to not
compromise quality through unnecessary conversion algorithms Playback Designs has developed a
proprietary optical interface to not only support all PCM and DSD formats, but to also offer a galvanic isolation
between digital source and sensitive analog circuitry in a DAC.
Playback Designs pioneered this interface already in 2007 ("classic" PLink). At the time even double rate
DSD seemed a distant reality and so it seemed reasonable to define the PLink interface for PCM up to
384kHz and DSD up to 5.6MHz.
In the meantime, technology advanced, quad DSD (11.2MHz) made its entry in recording studios and first
recordings are available in this new format. Playback Designs kept pace and updated the PLink interface
format to include quad DSD. All new products in the Sonoma line support this updated PLink interface, hence
the name for it "Sonoma".
The USB-XIII interface understands both PLink formats, classic and Sonoma. Depending on what it is
connected to, the PLink format needs to be selected (see above explanation of switches).
