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Summary of Contents for Mola-Mola Kula
- Page 1 Kula the integrated amplifier User’s Manual Mola Mola Kattegat 8 9723 JP Groningen The Netherlands +31 50 526 4993 info@mola-mola.nl www.mola-mola.nl...
- Page 2 Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Please read this manual before operating the device Packing list Your product was shipped with the items checked below. Please verify that you find all items mentioned in this list before you start setting up: Item Shipper’s signature...
- Page 3 So we decided that our integrated amplifier should be complete. Very complete. The basic Kula Integrated Amplifier has an extremely transparent gain stage and a programmable routing matrix. The chassis has ample room to fit in optional extras, most notably a DAC and a phono stage.
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Page 4: Table Of Contents
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Table of contents Important Safety Instructions ..................1 Connections & Controls ....................3 Rear ......................... 3 Front ......................... 4 DIGIN module (optional) .................... 4 Setting Up ........................5 Installation ........................ 5 Connection ....................... 5 Basic operation ......................7 Factory Preset Mode .................... - Page 5 Figure 13: Phono Stage Page..................22 Figure 14: List of Phono Stage EQ Curves..............25 Figure 15: The Kula will show up on the Audio settings page in Roon ......26 Figure 16: Fill in Zone Name ..................26 Figure 17: Click on Configure Device to go to the Kula webpage ........
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Page 6: Important Safety Instructions
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Important Safety Instructions Throughout this document, some aspects of operation that have a potential impact on safety or reliability are noted with the words “Warning” and “Caution”. Take particular care reading and understanding these items. Paragraphs marked with “Warning” explain safety measures required to maintain your personal safety. - Page 7 Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual 14. CAUTION: Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight. 15. Use only with a cart, stand, bracket, or table designed for use with audio or music equipment.
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Page 8: Connections & Controls
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Connections & Controls Rear Figure 1: Rear panel overview Function Notes Analogue inputs, balanced 3 stereo pairs Analogue inputs, unbalanced 3 stereo pairs Speaker Outputs, single ended 1 pair of binding posts Mains power input... -
Page 9: Front
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Front Figure 2: Front panel overview Function Notes Volume control knob With indicator LED Power LED 1 LED, white or dim red Preset indicator LED 6 LEDs, white Presets 6 push buttons Table 2: Front panel overview... -
Page 10: Setting Up
During the initialisation procedure the Kula will become visible in Roon if it is connected to your network. The Kula will also remain visible in Roon during standby mode. You can power up the Kula during the initialisation procedure and start... - Page 11 Input Connections Your Kula accepts both RCA and XLR type connectors. If your sources have both RCA and XLR outputs, it is exceedingly likely that using the XLR connection sounds best. Depending on which you choose, set the toggle switch to the corresponding input.
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Page 12: Basic Operation
You can also make your Kula mute by pushing the currently selected preset button. Push again or change presets to unmute. Powering Down You can place the Kula in standby mode by holding any of the 6 buttons until the device powers down (about 1 second). - 7 -... -
Page 13: Premium Ir Remote Control Operation
The standard-issue RC unit works slightly differently. The button in the middle of the quadrants turns the Kula on or off (hold 1 second for off). Press this button once for mute or unmute. Pushing on the left and right quadrants of the ring cycles through the 6 presets. -
Page 14: Advanced Control And Programming
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Advanced Control and Programming The factory preset only operates the most basic features of your integrated amplifier. The architecture is much more powerful, as the signal path diagram shows. Signal Path Figure 4: Sketch of the internal signal path. -
Page 15: Programmability
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual • Volume • Balance (independent control of left/right volume) Programmability Every thinkable combination of routing and processes can be rolled together for direct access through any of the 6 presets. Say for instance that you have 2 turntables, each fitted with a different cartridge (most records sound best with an elliptical or VDH stylus but dynagroove cuts positively require a conical stylus). -
Page 16: The Mola Mola Remote App
Google Play store. The app will attempt to contact your Kula and should find it as long as it is within reach and plugged in. Also ensure that the Bluetooth function of your mobile device is enabled. The app will auto connect when there is only one Mola Mola device paired with the app. The app will turn the Kula on during the connection procedure when it is not already turned on. -
Page 17: Figure 7: Type In New Name And Click Add Device
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Figure 7: Type in new name and click Add device. Figure 8: The start-up page. - 12 -... -
Page 18: Figure 9: Swipe Left To Show Disconnect And Remove Buttons
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Swiping a device to the left will allow you to remove the device from the Mola Mola remote app by clicking on the remove button. If the device is already connected with the app then an disconnect button is also shown here (figure 9). -
Page 19: Figure 10: Home Page, Preset 6 Is Selected
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Home Page The home page is the regular remote control, as outlined in the section about basic operation. Move the slider at the bottom of the home page to change volume. The + and – buttons can also be used to adjust the volume in small steps. Click on the speaker indicator to mute or unmute. - Page 20 Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Status DAC If a preset with a digital input is selected, the status of the DAC will be shown above the volume bar on the home page. Input type shows the incoming audio format, PCM or DSD.
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Page 21: Figure 11: Preset Page, Input 1 Is Selected
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Preset Page Here you can select the input channel and whether the XLR or RCA inputs are to be used. Usually you will want to leave the latter option at “switch” so that the toggle switch on the rear panel controls this. - Page 22 Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual You can edit the name of the preset. Wait until the check appears in the right corner of the Preset name field. The new name will automatically be shown on the home page buttons. There are three types of analogue sources: Line, Phono and Direct.
- Page 23 Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual obsolete pin-3 hot wiring scheme. Note that the sonic effect of this is exceedingly subtle so when in doubt, simply leave those two buttons off. Pressing the Restore Preset defaults button will only restore the current preset to its default settings.
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Page 24: Figure 12: About Page
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual About Page Clicking on the gear symbol in the top right corner of the home page will direct to the About page. Figure 12: About Page. - 19 -... - Page 25 When Ignore other remotes is enabled then the Kula will not respond to IR remote commands that are preceded with IR device address 16. The Kula will only respond to IR remote commands that are preceded with IR device address 19. This can be useful when the Kula responds undesirably to an IR remote control of another device.
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Page 26: Figure 13: About Page
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Figure 13: About Page. - 21 -... -
Page 27: Setting Up And Controlling The Phono Stage
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Setting Up and Controlling the Phono Stage If you marked the source as Phono, clicking on phono settings on the source page will land you at the Phono settings page. Changes made to the phono setup only effect the selected preset. - Page 28 Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual MM/MC selection In order to ensure maximum sonic transparency, the phono stage has separate Moving Coil (MC) and Moving Magnet (MM) input stages, in contrast with most other phono stages that simply add a gain stage in MC mode.
- Page 29 Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual EQ Curves In the early days of vinyl (and certainly shellac) almost every record label had their own EQ curve. Oddly enough they sometimes kept them secret in an early attempt at vendor lock-in, to force music lovers to buy their record player from the label’s parent company.
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Page 30: Figure 14: List Of Phono Stage Eq Curves
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Figure 15: List of Phono Stage EQ Curves. - 25 -... -
Page 31: Roon
First time use Before you can use the Kula in Roon, it must be enabled first. To do this go to Settings and then select the Audio page. The Kula will show up within a minute after powering up as a Roon Ready device (figure 15). -
Page 32: Figure 17: Click On Configure Device To Go To The Kula Webpage
Figure 18: Click on Configure Device to go to the Kula webpage Or you can enter the IP address in your browser. The IP address of the Kula is visible under Audio Device in Zone Settings or on the Audio settings page. -
Page 33: Dac
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual The DAC option contains 5 digital audio inputs: USB, Optical (Toslink), AES/EBU (XLR), Network and Bluetooth (SBC, AAC, APTX, LDAC). The supported formats are shown in Table 3. Only the USB and Network inputs support the playback of DoP (DSD over PCM) and Native DSD. -
Page 34: Drivers And Updates
To play audio from a Windows computer via USB, you have to install a XMOS driver. The XMOS driver is available for download on the Mola Mola download page (www.mola-mola.nl). MAC and Linux devices do not need this driver. Firmware update The DIGIN module and the PWM DAC module contains firmware which can be updated. -
Page 35: Troubleshooting
To prevent this set Headroom adjustment to -6dB in Roon. Kula is not shown in Roon: The Roon Core and the Kula must be connected to the same network. Roon Ready functionality is only applicable if the PWM DAC module and network module are fitted. -
Page 36: Audio Performance Data
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Audio performance data Item Symbol Unit Notes Max output Power Pr, 4Ω 0.0004% THD+N Pr, 8Ω 0.0004% THD+N Max output Power Pr, 4Ω 1% THD+N Pr, 8Ω 1% THD+N Max input level (7.75 Vrms) Input sensitivity... -
Page 37: Audio Performance Data Phono Stage
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Audio performance data Phono Stage Item Symbol Unit Notes Input noise (MC) 0.35 nV/rtHz Input noise (MM) pA/rtHz Sensitivity 5000 µV Distortion (THD, IMD) Not measurable using current test equipment, number is an estimate based... -
Page 38: Audio Performance Data Dac
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Audio performance data DAC Item Symbol Unit Notes Output level Vout Signal to Noise Ratio Bandwidth Distortion (THD, IMD) -140 Not measurable using current test equipment, number is an estimate based on performance of the discrete gain... -
Page 39: Technical Data
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Technical data Item Value Notes Supply voltage 90-135 / 180 – 270 Volt AC/47-63Hz Auto Switching Power Consumption < 4 Watt (low power mode, wake on LAN) 390 Watt (max power) Dimensions 435mm*110mm*340mm (W x H x D) -
Page 40: Annex I: Rc5 Codes
The IR device address is 19. The Kula also responds to commands preceded with IR device address 16. You can disable that the Kula responds to IR device address 16 by enabling Ignore other remotes on the about page. Command... -
Page 41: Annex Ii: Standard Remote Control Unit
Default / Legacy / All devices (device address 16) Makua (device address 17) Kula (device address 19) Tambaqui (device address 18) Lupe (device address 21) Press button 4 or 5 to scroll up or down through the device addresses. -
Page 42: Revision History
Kula Integrated Amplifier User’s Manual Revision History Revision Description Date Initial draft 20-03-2020 First release 01-10-2020 Added Restore preset defaults 18-12-2020 Added Ignore other remotes Added warranty disclaimer Added remote control info 30-09-2021 Added LED brightness info 02-01-2023 Added Fuse specification...
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