Audio Note M10 Signature Technical manual

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M10 Line
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PRE AMPLIFIER
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OWNER’S INFORMATION
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1) IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
2) CE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
DISPOSAL
POWER REQUIREMENTS
3) INTRODUCTION
4) OVERVIEW
5) UNPACKING AND INSTALLATION
6) CONNECTION
14) OPERATION
15) TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
17) WARRANTY INFORMATION
18) CONTACT INFORMATION
CONTENTS
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OTHER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: -
Never touch the power cord with wet hands.
Always remove the power cord by grasping the plug, not the cable.
Never expose the unit to excessive heat or magnetism.
Never let an inexperienced person repair or reassemble the unit.
Never put anything, especially metal objects, inside the unit.
Never place excessive weight on the unit.
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Do not store or operate this unit in areas of high humidity or in close
proximity to water / moisture.
Do not expose or immerse the unit in liquid of any kind.
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This product generates high levels of heat. Adequate ventilation must
be provided. Do not restrict airflow through any ventilation slots or
place the unit on any surface that may restrict airflow.
Valve equipment operates at extremely high temperatures;
KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN AND ANIMALS.!
RISK OF SHOCK OR ELECTROCUTION! INTERNAL OPERATING
VOLTAGES ARE LETHAL!
Do not remove top cover, unless specifically instructed to do so in the user
manual.
This unit contains fuses and other safety components in accordance with
BS60065 requirements.
In the event of failure, replacement fuse or safety component must be of
the same part type and value.
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This product must be earthed –ensure that the mains supply cable earth /
ground is correctly connected.
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SUCH REPLACEMENT MUST ONLY BE CARRIED OUT BY A
QUALIFIED SERVICE TECHNICIAN.
Do not attempt to replace any fuses without first disconnecting the unit
from the mains electricity supply.
! IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION !

POWER REQUIREMENTS
Power requirements for electrical equipment vary depending on your geographical
location. Please ensure that your unit meets the power requirements in your area.
The power requirement for your unit is marked on the serial number plate, located on
the rear panel.
If you are in doubt, please contact your dealer before plugging the unit into the mains
supply.
CE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
DISPOSAL
This product must not be disposed of as normal household waste. To
prevent possible harm to the environment please separate the product
from other waste to ensure that it can be recycled in an environmentally
safe manner. Please contact your retailer or the appropriate local
government office for collection facilities.
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We declare under our sole responsibility that this product is in conformity
with the following standards or standardized documents:
BS EN 60065 in accordance with the regulations 73/23/EEC, 89/336/EEC
(from 1 January 1997)
CE 94
Peter Qvortrup,
Director
Audio Note (UK) Limited
25 Montefiore Road
Hove
East Sussex
BN3 1RD
United Kingdom
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
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Thank you for purchasing this Audio Note (UK) product. With the correct care it
should give you many years of pleasure and enjoyment.
Please take the time to read all of the information in this manual before connecting
your new component to an electrical supply or your system, to ensure both your
safety and satisfaction.
Please note that due to our desire to continually improve products, specifications are
subject to change without notice. Therefore it is important to refer to the manual that
is supplied with your product for the most accurate information; manuals downloaded
from our website or obtained from other sources may no longer fully apply to your
product.
If you have any questions regarding the information contained within this document
or your new component, please feel free to contact us: -
Audio Note (UK) Limited
25 Montefiore Road
Hove
East Sussex
BN3 1RD
United Kingdom
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]o.uk
INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the Audio Note (UK) M10 Line Pre Amplifier. It
is without doubt or question, one of the finest Line Level preamplifiersin production
today, only surpassed in performance by our own M10 Signature, and is a full Audio
Note (UK) Level 5 product.
It is well known that the accurate reproduction of music, not just sound, requires the
purity of the incoming signal to be preserved. It is therefore not difficult to conclude
that, in order to achieve this goal and to retain the musicality of the original
performance, the complexity of the circuitry itself must be kept to a minimum.
In response to this, the M10 Line preamplifier uses a single-ended, zero feedback
circuit topology. This is simply the most linear design possible, demanding pure
Class A valve operation and removing the need for a phase splitter, which introduces
unnecessary crossover distortion.
In contrast to the majority of the audio industry, we design our circuits with the aim of
minimising non-harmonic and time base anomalies, rather than producing
vanishingly small harmonic or low intermodulation distortion measurements. These
non-harmonic amplitude and time base distortions have a highly perceptible and
adverse affect on the signal waveform, and it is far more important to address these
factors than participate in the increasingly irrelevant numbers game that chases
‘perfect measured response’.
As a result, the M10 Line was designed for maximum linearity and minimum transient
distortion, and avoids the need for detrimental ‘corrective’ measures, such as
inherently error-prone feedback loops.
Rather than using separate controls for volume and balance, the M10 Line
preamplifier is equipped with a dedicated Audio Note (UK) stepped attenuator for
each channel. This not only brings the enormous improvements in sound quality
expected from the now legendary Audio Note (UK) stepped attenuators, but also
provides a level of channel balance accuracy that is impossible to achieve with
conventional volume and balance potentiometers.
The M10 Line features a pair of correctly engineered balanced / XLR inputs for
sources with suitable balanced outputs. Each input is connected directly to an in-
house custom designed and produced, silver wired input transformer, which offers
the finest possible input for your XLR Line level source outputs.
Each channel is powered by an independent external power supply, housed in a
Meishu sized chassis. As one would expect, the output transformers for the M10 Line
are some of the finest possible examples we can produce. Each transformer is fully
silver wound, and feature our own 55% nickel iron C-Cores.
M10 LINE PRE AMPLIFIER

Please take care when unpacking your M10 Line preamplifier. Choose a clean, clear
location to unpack your units. Be aware that the preamplifier and its power supplies
are extremely heavy; before attempting to unpack or lift the units, check the weight
and if necessary use more than one person so that they can be moved safely and
easily.
We recommend that you retain and carefully store all of the original packing
materials, in case transportation / shipping is required at a later date.
Select a suitable location for the units. This should be a dry, dust free and level area,
preferably shielded from direct sunlight and free from vibration. Also ensure that the
location is stable and capable of carrying the weight of the units.
A suitable mains power outlet must be close to the location; power cords must not be
pulled or stretched tightly in an attempt to reach a wall socket. If the power cords will
not easily reach the socket, choose a closer location!
Please ensure that adequate ventilation for the units is provided, and that airflow
through any ventilation slots in the casework is not restricted. We recommend a
distance of at least 20cm free space is maintained above each unit. Please also
remember that valve equipment operates at extremely high temperatures, so a
position that is inaccessible to children or animals is essential.
UNPACKING AND INSTALLATION

RCA Inputs Five RCA / Single Ended line inputs are available for connection,
labeled ‘SE1 ‘SE2’, ‘SE3’ ‘SE4’ and ‘SE5’; any standard ‘line level’
source can be connected to these inputs.
All sockets are colour coded; RED is for RIGHT channel connection,
WHITE is for LEFT channel connection.
XLR Input In addition to the five RCA inputs, an XLR / Balanced input is
provided, for the connection of sources with the appropriate XLR /
Balanced outputs. Each socket is connected to a pair of extremely
high quality Audio Note (UK) Balanced input transformers, which offer
the best possible connection for correctly designed Balanced
equipment.
The sockets are marked ‘R’ for the right input and ‘L’ for the left input,
and the ‘BAL’ position on the input selector activates them.
CONNECTION OVERVIEW
R
L
R
L
RCA INPUT 1 LEFT AND RIGHT
RCA INPUT 2 LEFT AND RIGHT
RCA INPUT 3 LEFT AND RIGHT
RCA INPUT 4 LEFT AND RIGHT
BAL / XLR INPUT LEFT AND RIGHT
EARTH
CONNECTION
RCA INPUT 5 LEFT AND RIGHT

Umbilicals Two dedicated cables are supplied for connection of the M10 Line
main unit to the Galahad power supply units. Each cable is colour
coded for left and right connection.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE CORRECT GALAHAD POWER
SUPPLY UNIT IS CONNECTED TO THE CORRECT
CORRESPONDING CHANNEL ON THE MAIN UNIT.
The Galahad power supply units have serial numbers ending with ‘L’
for the left side input and ‘R’ for the right side input.
These serial numbers can be found on the identification badges
located on the rear of each power supply unit.
Make sure you have correctly identified the units before any
connections are made.
The cables are fitted with Military specification circular connectors, and
can only be installed in one direction; the female connector attaches to
the Galahad ‘power out’ socket, the male connector attaches to the
M10 Line main unit ‘power supply input’ socket.
The connectors are a ‘push and twist’ bayonet design, and once the
connector and socket have been aligned, twist the external ring on the
connector to secure it to the socket.
If you are in any way uncertain regarding these connections, please
consult your official Audio Note (UK) agent.
Ground Post Each of the three chassis is fitted with a separate Earth connection /
ground post. The post located on the main preamplifier unit is for
connection to source components that also use a separate ground
terminal. The ground posts located on the Galahad power supplies
can be used in situations where the following amplifiers require a
separate ground connection to maintain quiet, hum free operation.
Please consult your official Audio Note (UK) agent for further
information on how best to use these in your system.
CONNECTION OVERVIEW continued…

CONNECTION OVERVIEW continued…
M10 LINE UMBILICAL CABLE CONNECTION
RIGHT PSU
(SERIAL NUMBER
ENDING IN ‘R’)
M10 XXXXL
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M10 XXXXR
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LEFT PSU
(SERIAL NUMBER
ENDING IN ‘L’)

Mains The M10 Line preamplifier Galahad power supplies are equipped with
IEC 320 mains inlet sockets. Use the supplied mains cablesto
connect the unitsto the local mains supply. The mains fuses are
located in the circular receptacles to the right of the mains inlet.
CONNECTION OVERVIEW continued…
M10 XXXXL
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M10 XXXXR
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MAINS INPUT

Outputs The M10 Line preamplifier provides two Single Ended / RCA outputs,
consisting of two pairs of colour coded RCA / Single Ended sockets.
RED is for RIGHT channel connection, WHITE is for LEFT channel
connection.
There is also a pair of balanced outputs, consisting of a pair of ‘male’
XLR sockets (see ‘Balanced’ section, below).
CONNECTION OVERVIEW continued…
XLR / BALANCED OUTPUTS,
RIGHT AND LEFT
RCA / SINGLE ENDED
OUTPUTS, LEFT AND RIGHT
BALANCED /
SINGLE ENDED
SWITCH

XLR MALE
OUTPUT
1
2
3
RCA
OUTPUT
SOCKET
BALANCED /
SINGLE ENDED
SWITCH
RCA The two pairs of RCA / Single Ended outputs are provided for
connection to power amplifiers. They are identical, making them
suitable for bi-amping.
Balanced The M10 Line preamplifier is equipped with custom designed and
manufactured output transformers, which feature an improved output
and grounding scheme to provide the best possible connection to the
power amplifier.
RCA SOCKET,
CENTRE = POSITIVE /
SEND.
RCA SOCKET,
SHELL = NEGATIVE /
RETURN.
CONNECTION OVERVIEW continued…

The pin configuration for all Audio Note (UK)
XLR / BALANCED connections is as follows: -
PIN 1 Ground / Shield
PIN 2 Positive / Send
PIN 3 Negative / Return
The balanced and single ended outputs cannot be used
simultaneously; select the appropriate output using the toggle switch.
When using an amplifier with a true balanced input, the
‘BALANCED / SINGLE ENDED’ switch may be set in either position.
When set to the ‘BALANCED’ position, the centre tap of the output
transformer secondary is connected to the preamplifier’s ground.
When set in the ‘SINGLE ENDED’ position, the secondary ‘floats’ in
relation to the preamplifier ground. This provides the option of either a
low or high common mode impedance to ground at the preamplifier
output. Experiment with both positions to achieve the lowest
background hum from the system.
Ground Float Each Galahad PSU is fitted with a 10 Ohm Float Ground switch.
These can be used in situations where excessive ground noise or hum
is experienced within the system, by providing the option of either a
low or high common mode impedance to ground. Experiment with both
positions to achieve the lowest background hum from the system.
Please consult your official Audio Note (UK) agent for further
information on how best to implement this feature in your system.
Special Note –Make sure that all connectionsare tight and clean. For
best results use good quality audio interconnects. Although it is
perfectly acceptable to use cables manufactured by other companies,
for best results and performance, we recommend our own Audio Note
(UK) range of interconnects and loudspeaker cables. For further
information, please consult your nearest Audio Note (UK) dealer, or
alternatively please feel free to contact us directly.
The following page provides a description of the various cable and
connection options when connecting the XLR / Balanced outputs to
various power amplifier inputs.
CONNECTION OVERVIEW continued…

CABLE CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
When connecting the XLR / BALANCED outputs to an amplifier with an
RCA / Single Ended input, the switch must be set to the
‘SINGLE ENDED’position.
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3
CONVENTIONAL: SCREEN CONNECTED AT BOTH ENDS
XLR FEMALE
XLR MALE
3
1
1
2
2
3
SCREEN
PREAMP OUTPUT
POWER AMP INPUT
SCREEN CONNECTED AT PREAMP END ONLY, TO
ELIMINATE GROUND LOOPS
3
2
1
2
1
3
SCREEN
XLR FEMALE
XLR MALE
PREAMP OUTPUT
POWER AMP INPUT
CABLE CONFIGURATION FOR XLR BALANCED PREAMP
OUTPUT TO RCA UNBALANCED AMPLIFIER INPUT
2
1
3
SCREEN
XLR FEMALE
RCA MALE
PREAMP OUTPUT
POWER AMP INPUT
CONNECTION OVERVIEW continued…

OPERATION
Once all the connections are completed and checked, ensure that the volume
controls are at the minimum setting (rotated all the way left).
Ensure that all source components connected to the M10 Line preamplifier are
switched ON. Source components should always be the FIRST components to be
switched on and the LAST components to be switched off.
Ensure that all power amplifiers connected to the M10 Line preamplifier are
switched OFF. Any power amplifiers in use should be the LAST components to be
switched on, and the FIRST components to be switched off.
The above procedure minimizes the possibility of loud noises produced by
components at switch on being passed to the loudspeakers and possibly causing
damage.
Turn on the M10 Line preamplifier by using the rocker switches located on the rear
panels of each Galahad power supply unit above the mains inlet IEC socket.
The M10 Line preamplifier requires approximately 45 seconds to initialize before it is
ready for operation.
Input Selector Turn the selector to the source you wish to listen to.
Volume Controls There are two separate volume controls, one dedicated to
each channel. For a correctly produced Stereo or Mono
recording, adjust both channels to the same level. If it is
necessary to equalize the relative levels for each channel,
adjust the controls separately to achieve the desired balance.

Bedding in The new preamplifier requires around 200 hours of initial use
(called “bedding in”) before the circuitry becomes stable and
optimum performance is realized.
As the preamplifier “beds in” the sound will become
increasingly smoother, detailed and more open.
Once the amplifier has “bedded in” a warm up time of
approximately 20 to 30 minutes is required each time the
amplifier is switched on before optimum sonic performance is
reached.
Cleaning No special maintenance is required for the preamplifier. Use a
soft, clean lint free cloth to remove any surface marks from the
casework. For finger marks / grease, use a soft, clean lint free
cloth, lightly moistened with a solution of warm water and mild
detergent. Do not use any alcohol or solvent based cleaning
products, as they may damage the finish of the amplifier.
ENSURE THAT THE PREAMPLIFIER IS SWITCHED OFF
AND DISCONNECTED FROM THE MAINS ELECTRICITY
SUPPLY BEFORE UNDERTAKING ANY CLEANING.
Valve Life The valves supplied with your M10 Line preamplifier should
provide approximately 3 years of operation. They are specially
selected by us, and should only be replaced with valves of the
same type and specification. Please consult your Audio Note
(UK) dealer should your valves need replacing. Alternatively,
feel free to contact us directly.
OPERATION continued…

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
INPUT IMPEDANCE
47K Ohms
INPUT SENSITIVITY
160mV for 1V Output
GAIN
16dB at 1KHz
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE
600 Ohms
OUTPUT NOISE
-80dB unweighted (RMS)
TUBE COMPLIMENT
1 x 6463
1 x 12AU7
2 x 5Y3
2 x 6X5
2 x OD3
2 x 6N9S / 6SL7
2 x EL34
FUSE RATINGS
1.6A anti-surge (110 / 120V supply)
800mA anti-surge (220 / 240V supply)
MAX. POWER CONSUMPTION
170 VA
TOTAL WEIGHT
65 KG (three units)
TOTAL SHIPPING WEIGHT
(ORIGINAL PACKAGING)
70 KG (three cartons)
UNIT DIMENSIONS
140mm (h) x 440mm (w) x 410mm (d)
210mm (h) x 460mm (w) x 450mm (d)
210mm (h) x 460mm (w) x 450mm (d
PACKAGING DIMENSIONS
420mm (h) x 650mm (w) x 700mm (d)
(per carton, three of)
NOTE
Due to Audio Note (UK)’s ongoing
research and development program,
specifications are subject to change
without notice.

Audio Note (UK) warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and
workmanship for two yearsfrom the original date of purchase from an appointed
Audio Note (UK) dealer, and agrees to cover the cost of parts and associated labour
required to correct such defects, subject to terms & conditions.
This Warranty is offered to the first purchaser only.
Any valves supplied with the unit are warranted for three months from the original
date of purchase.
If the product fails in normal domestic use and during the Warranty period due to the
above described faults or defects, Audio Note (UK) will,at its discretion, repair or
replace the item free of charge within a reasonable time once it has been returned to
Audio Note (UK) or an appointed Audio Note (UK) dealer or service engineer.
Audio Note (UK) is not liable for any shipping charges incurred whilst transporting the
product to or from Audio Note (UK) or an appointed Audio Note (UK) dealer or
service engineer, should the item require service or repair during or after the
Warranty period.
If the product must be shipped, please use the original packaging materials and
include a copy of the original sales receipt along with a note explaining, in as much
detail as possible, the problems you are experiencing with the unit.
Only use a reputable Courier Service or Shipping Agent, and ensure that your
product is insured during transit.
Any servicing, repairs or modificationsnot authorized by Audio Note (UK), or
carried out by persons other than appointed Audio Note (UK) service
engineers will invalidate any warranty.
This Warranty does NOT cover: -
Damage sustained whilst in the possession of a shipping agent, retailer or consumer
and not caused as a direct result of defects in materials or workmanship.
Damage caused by normal wear and tear.
Damage or defects caused by abnormal or unreasonable use.
Damage caused by accident, acts of nature, misuse or neglect.
Damage caused by a failure to follow the operating and installation instructions
supplied with the product.
Damage caused by improper or careless cleaning.
Audio Note (UK) reserves the right to refuse warranty for any component of which
the serial number has been removed, defaced or tampered with.
WARRANTY INFORMATION

Audio Note (UK) Limited
25 Montefiore Road
Hove
East Sussex
BN3 1RD
United Kingdom
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]o.uk
CONTACT INFORMATION
If in the future your Audio Note (UK) product
requires servicing, or if you require technical support
or have any questions regarding this or any of our
other products, please contact your local Audio Note
(UK) dealer.
Alternatively, please feel free to contact us directly: -!