Abbingdon Music Research CD-77 User manual

CD-77 Reference Class
Compact Disk Processor
Owner’sManual
Ver 2.3.7

2
FCC Declaration of Conformity - United States only
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
FCCWARNING:
Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to op-
erate the equipment.
NOTE:
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. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interfer-
ence to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment
does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which
can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Canadian Notice (Avis Canadien)
Class B Equipment
This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du
Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.
This products complies with the EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and the Low
Voltage Directive (73/23/EEC) issued by the Commission of the European
Community.
Compliance with these directives implies conformity to the following Euro-
pean Norms (in parentheses are the equivalent international standards
and regulations):
o EN55022 (CISPR 22) - Electromagnetic Interference
o EN55024 (IEC61000-4-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11) - Electromagnetic Immunity
o EN61000-3-2 (IEC61000-3-2) - Power Line Harmonics
o EN61000-3-3 (IEC61000-3-3) - Power Line Flicker
o EN60950 (IEC60950) - Product Safety
Laser Safety
This CD player has been designed and manufactured according to FDA
regulations "title 21,CFR, chapter 1, subchapter J, based on the Radiation
Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968", and is classified as a Class 1
laser product.

3
DANGER - invisible laser radiation when opened and interlock failed or
defeated. Avoid direct exposure to beam.
CAUTION - use of all controls, adjustment or performance of procedures
other than specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert
the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (serv-
icing) instructions in the literature accompanying this component.
This component weighs over 25 kilograms. Do not place this component
on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table as the component may
fall causing serious injury to a child or adult and serious damage to the
unit. An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick
stops, excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the component
and cart combination to overturn.
Any mounting of the device on a wall or ceiling should follow the manufac-
turer’s instructions and should use a mounting accessory recommend-
ed by the manufacturer.
Read and follow all the safety and operating instructions before connect-
ing or using this component.
All warnings on the component and in its operating instructions should
be adhered to. Retain this Owner’s Manual for future reference.
Do not use this unit near water; for example, near a bath tub, washbowl,
kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool.
Unplug the component from the wall outlet before cleaning. Never use
benzine, thinner or other solvents for cleaning; use only a soft damp-
cloth.
Care should be taken so that objects do not fall, and liquids are not
spilled into the enclosure through any openings.
This component should be serviced only by qualified AMR service per-
sonnel when:
A. The power cable or the power input socket has been damaged;
B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the component;
C. The component has been exposed to rain or liquids of any kind;
D. The component does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a
marked change in performance;
E. The component has been dropped or the enclosure has been damaged.
DO NOT ATTEMPT SERVICING OF THIS UNIT YOURSELF.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED AMR SERVICE PER-
SONNEL
Upon completion of any servicing or repairs, request the service point’s
assurance that only AMR Authorised Replacement Parts with the same
characteristics as the original parts have been used, and that the rou-
tine safety checks have been performed to guarantee that the compo-
nent is in a safe operating condition.
REPLACEMENT WITH UNAUTHORIZED PARTS MAY RE-
SULT IN FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK OR OTHER HAZARDS
WARNINGS

4
Precautions
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits set
out in the EMC Directive using a connection cable shorter than 3 metres.
On power sources
The mains power cable should be routed so that it is not likely to be
walked on or pinched, especially near the plug or back panel receptacle.
The component should not be disconnected from the AC power source as
long as it is connected to the wall outlet, even if the component itself has
been turned off.
If this component is not going to be used for a long time, be sure to
disconnect the component from the wall outlet. To disconnect the AC pow-
er cable, grasp the plug itself; never pull the cable.
On placement
The CD-77 will become warm during normal operation. Given this, it is
imperative that the installation of the CD-77 DOES NOT interfere with its
proper ventilation.
For example, it should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug or similar sur-
face that may block the top or bottom ventilation openings; or placed in a
built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet, that may impede the
flow of air through its top and bottom ventilation openings.
Do not place the component in a location near heat sources, or in a place
subject to direct sunlight, excessive dust, or mechanical shock. Do not
place the component in an inclined position. It is designed to be operated
in a horizontal position only. Do not place heavy objects on the component.
Keep the component and compact discs away from equipment with
strong magnets, such as microwave ovens or large loudspeakers.
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not place vessels filled with liq-
uids, such as vases, on the component.
Running-In
AMR estimates that the CD-77 may take between 300-500 operating
hours for all of the internal components to be fully-broken in. Please
anticipate the sonic performance of the CD-77 to settle only after it
has been used for this approximate length of time.
Transporting/Moving the CD-77
Prior to any transportation/movement, ALWAYS remove the CD Clamp
and transport it separately.
Always use the transportation foam which has already been provided.

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Contents
WARNINGS 3
Section 1 - Unpacking and Setup
1.1 Unpacking 7
1.2 Setup 8
Section 2 - Component Overview
2.1 CD-77 Front Panel 9
2.2 CD-77 Rear Panel 10
2.3 RC-77 Remote Control 11
Section 3 - Operation
3.1 Power On/Off 13
3.2 Standby 13
3.3 Loading 14
3.4 Display 14
3.5 Play/Pause 14
3.6 Stop 15
3.7 FWD/Forward 15

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3.8 REV/Reverse 15
3.9 Numeric Pad (RC-77 only) 15
3.10 Repeat (RC-77 only) 15
3.11 A-B (RC-77 only) 16
3.12 kHz/OptiSample® (RC-77 only) 17
3.13 Brightness (RC-77 only) 18
3.14 Time (RC-77 only) 19
3.15 Scan (RC-77 only) 19
3.16 Program (RC-77 only) 20
3.17 Shuffle (RC-77 only) 20
Section 4 - Transport/DAC
4.1 DAC Input (RC-77 only) 21
4.2 Transport Output (RC-77 only) 22
AppendixA- Troubleshooting 23

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Section 1 - Unpacking and Setup
Thank you for purchasing this AMR Reference Class component.
We hope you derive as much pleasure from using this component as we have enjoyed making it for you.
1.1 Unpacking
This section refers to the unpacking of the CD-77 and its subsequent setup.
Upon unpacking, please find:
i. CD-77 Reference Class Compact Disk Processor.
ii. Aluminium CD puck.
iii. RC-77 Remote Commander.
iv. Mains power cable.
v. CD-77 Owner’s Manual.
vii. AMR Warranty Card.
viii. AMR System Test Disk.
viii. Aluminiumprofessional flightcase.
Please ensure that all items are present. Should an item be missing, please contact your AMR distributor/dealer.
Please check that
all contents are
present

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1.2 Setup
CD-77 System Setup (CD-77 + AM-77 + Speaker)
The following diagram graphically illustrates the standard connection of the CD-77 in a two-channel system.
i. Unpack the CD-77 and remove the protective foam insert
from inside the CD well.
ii. Remove the protective sheet from the acrylic front panel.
iii. Ensure the CD-77 is located on a level and solid surface
capable of supporting at least 50 kgs.
iv. Using the spirit level located inside the CD well, check the
CD-77 is on a level platform
v. Connect the desired RCA/XLR interconnect via the left (blue/
white) and right (red) leads to the respective channels at the
rear of the CD-77.
vi. Connect the other end of the interconnect’s respective left
and right channels to the inputs of the amplifier. Adhere to
the correct colour-coding.
vii. Connect the IEC end of the mains power cable to the mains
receptacle of the CD-77 and connect the mains plug into a
mains socket power source.
OptionalIC-77
interconnect may be
purchased sepa-
rately

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2.1 CD-77 Front Panel
Section 2 - Component Overview
F1. STANDBY: to place the CD-77 in active or standby mode.
F2. REV/REVERSE: to select the previous track/fast reverse.
F3. PLAY/PAUSE: to initiate playback/pause once a compact disk has been correctly loaded.
F4. FWD/FORWARD: to select the following track/fast forward.
F5. STOP: to halt/stop play.

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R1. RCAOutputs: for the connection of RCA interconnects.
R2. XLR Outputs: for the connection of XLR interconnects.
R3. S/P-DIF input & output: for the connection of an external transport (IN) or DAC (OUT).
R4. INFRA-RED Link: for the connection of a wireline remote control.
R5. USB Input: to receive an external USB signal such as a ComputerAudio Source.
R6. POWER Switch: to switch the mains electricity on/off to the CD-77.
R7. IEC power connector: for the connection of a mains power cable to the CD-77.
2.2 CD-77 Rear Panel
Pleaserefer to Section 4:
Transport/DAC modes

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RC1. Numeric Pad: to enter track selections.
RC2. REPEAT: to select a repeat mode.
RC3. A-B: to select anexcerpt from a track to repeat.
RC4. DAC: to alternatebetweentransport, integrated andDAC modes.
RC5. STANDBY: to placethe CD-77 inactive or standby mode.
RC6. REV/REVERSE: to fast reverseor select the previoustrack.
RC7. STOP: to halt/stop play.
RC8. PLAY/PAUSE: to commence playback or to pause playback.
RC9. FWD/FORWARD: tofast forward or select the followingtrack.
RC10. kHz/SAMPLING: tocyclethrough the 6 different Optisample® modes.
RC11.BRIGHTNESS:4different brightnesslevelsincludingdisplayoff.
RC12.TIME: alternate betweencurrenttrack or time remaining.
RC13. PROGRAM: toprogram an orderof playback.
RC14. SCAN: to commence a 10 second or 30second scan of each track.
RC15. SHUFFLE: to select random shuffle of music tracks.
2.3 RC-77 Remote Control

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This page has been intentionally left blank

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3.1 Power On/Off
Use the rocker ‘POWER’ switch (R6) at the rear of the CD-77 to switch mains power ON to the CD-77.
To switch the mains power OFF, press again and release. Always WAIT at least 30 seconds before switching on
again. This is to enable the OptiMains® circuit to shutdown properly.
The display will light up to indicate the unit is switched on and ready for use. This should take just under 1 minute
as the OptiMains® circuit is verifying the incoming mains and the CD processor is warming up.
3.2 Standby
After start-up, pressing the STANDBY button on either the front panel (F1) or the RC-77 (RC5), the CD-77 will
switch to STANDBY mode.
Standby
By pressing either of these buttons again, the CD-77 will commence warm-up to prepare for operation.
Under STANDBY mode, power to CD-77’s digital circuit is kept active in order to provide the optimum perform-
ance for the next listening session. However, power to the valves will be switched off to preserve valve life.
Standbywill maintain
power to the non-
valvecircuitry
Oncepowered OFF:
always wait 30
seconds before
switching on again
Section 3 - Operation

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3.3 Loading
To play a compact disc, slide back the top-loading CD door. Removethe CD puck and place the compact disc in the
large circular recess in the well, with its transparent playing surface facing down. The label side of the compact disc
MUST face UP.
Replace the CD puck in the centre and close the lid. Make sure the CD puck is correctly centred and positively
engaged.
Close the CD door so that the CD-77 is able to scan the compact disc’s TOC (Table of Contents) and display the
total number of tracks and playing time.
Upon closing the door, press the PLAYbutton on the front panel (F3) of the CD-77 or the PLAY/PAUSE button
(RC8) on the RC-77 remote control.
NOTE: The CD-77 has been designed to play all types of compact discs including the CD layer of hybrid SACDs.
However, as such discs are thicker, please ensure the CD puck is positively engaged with the spindle. We do not
recommend the placement of any type of ‘damping disc’ on top of a compact disc.
3.4 Display
The display provides information about playback status and the optical pickup’s location on the compact disc.
3.5 Play/Pause
During playback, at anytime, pressing PLAY/PAUSE again, on either the front panel (F3) or the RC-77 (RC8),
playback will be paused. To resume playback, press PLAY/PAUSE once more.
Always use the CD
puck

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3.6 Stop
At any time, pressing the STOP button (F5) once on either the front panel or the RC-77 (RC7) will halt playback.
3.7 FWD/Forward
At any time, pressing FWD once on either the front panel (F4) or the RC-77 (RC9), the next track will be selected.
By holding down FWD, playback will fast forward until the button is released.
3.8 REV/Reverse
At any time, pressing REV once on either the front panel (F2) or the RC-77 (RC6), the previous track will be
selected. By holding down REV, playback will reverse until the button is released.
3.9 Numeric Pad (RC-77 only)
This encapsulates the numbers 0-9 on the numeric pad. By pressing any combination of the numeric keys, a desired
track may be selected directly.
For example, to select Track 2, press ‘2’; to select Track 21, press ‘2’ and then ‘1’.
3.10 Repeat (RC-77 only)
If the REPEAT button (RC2) is pressed once:
Repeat One
will be displayed and the current track will be repeated.

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If the REPEAT button (RC2) is pressed AGAIN:
Repeat All
will be displayed: once the last track of the compact disc has been played, instead of stopping, theCD-77 will revert
to Track 1.
3.11 A-B (RC-77 only)
The A-B button (RC3) is for the manual selection of a chosen piece of music within a track for repetition.
When the A-B button (RC3) is pressed once;
Repeat One
will be displayed with the letter ‘B’ flashing. This means that it has commenced the selection of that passage of
music. By pressing theA-B button (RC3) again:
Repeat All
will be displayed with the letter ‘B’ no longer flashing. This is to confirm the particular passage of music has been
identified and repeat will commence.
To cancel this program, press theA-B button (RC3) again.

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3.12 kHz/OptiSample® (RC-77 only)
The CD-77 Compact Disk Processor offers 6 user-selectable methods of Sampling that can be cycled through
during playback by pressing the kHz/OptiSample® button (RC10) on the RC-77. The sampling options are:
a. Digital Master I – this mode directly takes the data extracted from the CD and re-clocked to generate the music
signal. Due to the complete lack of digital or analogue filtering, the treble frequencies are slightly rolled off, making
the sound somewhat soft and laid-back. For the same reason, the mid-range and below is very natural and realistic.
The reproduction of impulses is undistorted. This mode often helps to ‘tame’ overly-bright recordings.
b. Digital Master II (default) – this mode is identical to Digital Master I but complements this with a special
analogue filter which corrects the roll-off in the treble frequencies. As a result, the tonality is more accurate in the
treble. We therefore recommend this mode as the benchmark with which to enjoy music.
c. Oversampling 2x – this mode engages the Digital Filter with an oversampling factor of 2, thus performing the
least digital processing possible (except for no digital processing). The original data from the CD is in effect discard-
ed and re-placed with a re-computed version. This new version of the music is mainly linearly scaled up using a
whole number as scaling factor and resolution/edge enhanced. The sonic result of oversampling mirrors those of
resolution enhancement in digital photographs: more apparent detail is noticeable. However, impulse reproduction is
slightly distorted, leading often to a slight perception of an edginess or graininess.
d. Oversampling 4x – this mode engages the Digital Filter with an oversampling factor of 4, performing quite a
large degree of digital manipulation. The original data from the CD is in effect discarded and re-placed with a re-
calculated version. This new versionof themusic is mainly linearly scaled up using a whole number as scaling factor
and resolution/edge enhanced. The sonic result of Oversampling 4x is similar to that of Oversampling 2x; except
more accentuated.
Digital Master II is
the benchmark for
playback

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e. Upsampling at 96kHz – this mode engages the Upsampler with a sampling frequency of 96kHz, performing
quite a large degree of digital manipulation. The original data from the CD is in effect discarded and re-placed with
a re-calculated version. This new version of the music is non-linearly scaled up using a complex number as scaling
factor and resolution/edge enhanced. The sonic result of upsampling is similar to oversampling; however there are
subtle degrees of change in the tonality due to a shift in the harmonic spectrum as a result of the complex number
which underlies the scaling.
f. Upsampling at 192kHz – this mode engages the Upsampler with a sampling frequency of 192kHz, performing
a very large degree of digital manipulation. The original data from the CD is in effect discarded and re-placed with
a re-calculated version. This new version of the music is non-linearly scaled-up using a complex number as scaling
factor and resolution/edgeenhanced. Thesonic result of 192kHz upsamplingis similar to 96kHz upsampling. How-
ever, as the complex numbers that underlie the upsamplings are different to oversampling, the shift in the harmonic
spectrum is not the same: hence tonality is somewhat different.
3.13 Brightness (RC-77 only)
The BRIGHTNESS button (RC11) allows for the adjustment of the display on the front panel of the CD-77. There
are 4 different brightness settings including display off. With a separate power supply, the display has no impact
upon the sonic performance.
OptiSamplemodes c-f
offer more typical
versions of digital
playback

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3.14 Time (RC-77 only)
Normally the display will show the time elapsed since the beginning of the current track but pressing the TIME
button (RC12) on the RC-77, the display will show and cycle through:
Elapsed Track Time > Track Remaining
> Total Remaining
3.15 Scan (RC-77 only)
Press the SCAN button (RC14) once:
Intro Scan 10s
will be displayed and the first 10 seconds of every track will be played before moving onto the next track until all
tracks have been played.
By pressing the SCAN button again:
Intro Scan 30s
will be displayed and the first 30 seconds of every track will be played until all tracks have been played.

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3.16 Program (RC-77 only)
Press the PROGRAM button (RC13) and:
Program No: 01
will be displayed.
Thereafter select the track via the numeric keypad (RC1).
Program No: 02
will then be displayed and the same routine is repeated.
To commence playback, press PLAY/PAUSE (F3/RC8).
3.17 Shuffle (RC-77 only)
Press the SHUFFLE button (RC15) and the playback of music tracks will be randomly selected.
TheCD-77isprogram-
mableandflexible