1. Unboxing
Your Emerson comes with the following elements:
-
1 Emerson (DIGITAL or ANALOG model)
-
1 external power supply 5V DC, with a set of 4 interchangeable international sockets
When you unpack your Emerson for the first time, carefully check that all these elements are present in the box and are not damaged. Should this be the case, or should an element be missing, please contact your Wattson Audio retailer or us directly.
In any case, we strongly suggest that you keep the original packaging which has been designed to protect your Emerson during transportation.
2. Placement and positioning
Your Emerson has been designed to be placed on the 4 rubber feet located under the case. We recommend that you place it on a flat, solid and stable surface.
Due to its very low electric consumption, the Emerson dissipates very little heat and does not include an active ventilation system. It may therefore be placed on the top of a furniture, as well as inside a cabinet.
However, for its effective functioning, make sure you do not cover your Emerson, nor place it near a heat source or in full sun.
3. Network and audio connections
Before you proceed to any wiring and connecting of your Emerson, we recommend that you ensure that it is switched off.
This done, you may follow the steps indicated below in the stated order:
Network connection
Using a network cable (not supplied), connect one of your router’s output to the RJ45 connector at the rear of your Emerson. You will hear a “click” once the cable is correctly wired.
Audio connection
Emerson DIGITAL:
Your Emerson features a 75 ohm S/PDIF coaxial output on RCA connector and a 110 ohm AES/EBU output on XLR connector, both equipped with an isolation transformer.This allows you to connect your Emerson to your digital-to-analog converter with an S/PDIF coaxial cable, respectively with an AES/EBU cable (not supplied).
Emerson ANALOG:
Connect your Emerson to your amplifier or to your active loudspeakers using RCA analog cables (not supplied).
4. Getting started
Once the connections to the network and to your audio installation have been set, your Emerson is ready to be switched on.
The external power supply of the Emerson comes with 4 interchangeable international sockets. Choose the socket model that fits the standard of your country and slide it into the power supply. You will hear a "click" to confirm the correct position of the plug.
Finally plug your Emerson into an AC outlet.
Once under tension, LED A slowly blinks during the start-up phase. Once your Emerson becomes operational, the LED remains switched on.
You can learn more about the meaning of LEDs in the section below.
DIGITAL
ANALOG
Your Emerson is now connected to the network and ready to stream some music.
5. Content access and playback
Your Emerson is based on the UPnP/DLNA standard in order to stream audio content.
You will thus have access to the content stocked on most of the market NAS (Synology, QNAP, Buffalo, Netgear,...), as well as on the Media Servers installable on a computer (MinimServer,...) or integrated in some devices.
To access the content of a Media Server located on the same network as your Emerson, you will have to use a UPnP control application on your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Wattson Audio has developed its own mobile solution Wattson Music, available for iOS (currently, Wattson Remote, the Android version of the Wattson Audio control app, only provides access to the device’s settings). You may consult the user guide of the Wattson Music app in order to get acquainted with its functioning.
6. Firmware update
From time to time, we publish internal firmware updates of your Emerson. The aim is generally to bring slight improvements or corrections, thus ensuring the proper functioning of the Emerson.
You will find the reference of the currently installed version on the Web page of your Emerson:
-
Ensure that your Emerson is switched on and connected to your network.
-
Connect on the Web page of your Emerson.
-
The version number of the firmware is indicated at the end of the section "Firmware update".
Using this version number, you can check at any time if a newer firmware version is available for your Emerson model:
-
Visit the download page dedicated to the Emerson.
-
Download the latest file update, if this is more recent that the one installed on your Emerson.
-
Once downloaded, make sure the file is decompressed in a binary format (.bin). If the file is still compressed (.zip), use a utility to unzip it.
Once the file is downloaded, you may proceed to the update by following the steps listed below:
-
Ensure that your Emerson is switched on and connected to your network.
-
Connect to the Web page of your Emerson.
-
In the "Firmware update" section, click on the button "Select the .bin file" in order to indicate the location of the previously downloaded file and validate your choice.
-
Click on the button "Launch the update".
-
Follow the update process that is indicated on your screen. During this phase, LED A of your Emerson will blink for a few seconds.
-
Wait for the status to display "Ready" before clicking on the "Back" button.
-
Back on the main Web page of your Emerson, control that the firmware version number is indeed the one of the latest update.
-
Finally, take the time to check the volume level set on the Emerson and adjust it if necessary. Sometimes the volume level is changed after an update.
DIGITAL
ANALOG
You may then use your Emerson normally in order to fully enjoy your preferred musical environment.
7. Renaming
In order to easily identify our products on the network, we give each of them a name corresponding to their model.
Your Emerson appears on the network under the name "Emerson DIGITAL" or "Emerson ANALOG", according to the model you own.
You can customize this name at your convenience in two ways...
From the Wattson Music iOS app:
-
Open the Wattson Music app.
-
On the Home screen, once the name of your Emerson is displayed, swipe-left on it and click on the "Rename" action.
-
Enter the new name you wish to give to your Emerson by replacing the current one, then validate your change by hitting "Return" on the keyboard.
From the Wattson Remote Android app:
-
Open the app and connect to your Emerson.
-
Access the Settings from the upper right button.
-
In the "Device" section of the Settings screen, click on "Friendly name", enter the new name you would like to give to your Emerson and validate your choice.
-
After a few seconds, an alert box will be displayed to warn about the disconnection from the Emerson and a come back to the Home screen. As soon as the change is complete, your Emerson will be displayed with it new name in the devices list.
From your Emerson Web page:
-
Ensure that your Emerson is switched on and connected to your network.
-
In the section "Modification of the Friendly Name", enter the new name you wish to give your Emerson in the designated field and validate your choice by clicking on the "Rename" button.
Whatever way you choose, your Emerson will disappear from the network for a few seconds and reappear under its new name.
8. Purpose of the two LEDs on the front panel
The Emerson displays two electroluminescent diodes (LED) on its front panel. Both LEDs vary according to the use of the Emerson.
DIGITAL
ANALOG
LED A
-
The LED is continuously switched off:
The Emerson is switched off and will not be visible on the network.
-
The LED flashes slowly:
This phase generally lasts for about ten seconds after having switched the Emerson on until it obtains a valid IP address on the network.
If the Ethernet RJ45 cable is not connected or if the network is not operational, the LED continues to blink indefinitely.
-
The LED blinks fast:
An update of the internal firmware is running on the Emerson.
-
The LED is continuously switched on in red:
The Emerson is under tension and its IP address is valid.
The Emerson is ready to play music.
LED B
-
The LED is continuously switched off:
No piece of music, nor any audio stream is currently read with the Emerson. The LED is in this state after a STOP command.
-
The LED blinks:
The reading is currently on PAUSE on the Emerson.
-
The LED is continuously lit red:
A piece of music or an audio stream is currently read. The LED is in this state after a PLAY command.
-
The LED pulses slowly
After 30 minutes of inactivity, the Emerson enters a "low power" mode. It exits this mode as soon as the playback of an audio stream resumes.
This behavior was introduced in the Emerson firmwares dated "2023.01.24".
Both LEDs A and B alternatively blinking
-
This scenario occurs when a firmware update has failed. It is necessary to start the update procedure from the Emerson Web page.
9. Troubleshooting
The Emerson is subject to very few malfunctions. However, your Emerson might not appear on your network for several causes.
Explore and validate the following points in order to identify the origin of the problem.
Power control
When it is on, LED A on the Emerson’s front panel must be continuously switched on or blink.
Should this not be the case, check the external power supply connections, ensuring that the main bloc is connected to an AC power outlet and that the electric plug on the Emerson’s back panel is fully inserted. Remove it and insert it again if required.
Network connection control
In case the Emerson cannot find a valid IP address on the network, LED A will slowly blink.
If this is the case, start by checking the state of the Ethernet RJ45 cable at the rear of the Emerson in order to ensure that it is not damaged. Should the cable be in good shape, unplug it and replug it until to hear a "click" ensuring that it is well in place.
If after several seconds the power LED still blinks, we recommend that you check the rest of your network installation.
Home networks can be configured in a multitude of different ways and can be the source of many faults. Connect a network specialist if necessary.
Once the previous checks have been performed and validated, your Emerson must be powered and LED A must be continuously switched on.
Should this not be the case, please contact your Wattson Audio retailer.