Audio Research HIGH DEFINITION PH9 User manual

PH9

Thank You.
Thank you for choosing the PH9
as part of your high performance
music system. Since 1970, Audio
Research has been creating
some of the world’s nest
audio equipment. Each piece is
handcrafted in Minnesota, and has
been designed to provide many
years of listening enjoyment.
We understand you are eager to
begin listening; however, please
take a few minutes to read
through this guide for useful
information concerning the
operation of your new phono
preamplier. Once installed,
please allow an appropriate
break-in period to fully appreciate
the benets this preamplier
will provide to your system.
After reading the user guide, if
you have any further questions
regarding your phono preamplier,
contact your dealer or Audio
Research customer service - they
will be happy to help you make the
most of your new component.
Happy Listening!

4
Contents
Warnings
Installation
Before Operating the PH9
In Your System
A Note about Vacuum Tubes
Connections
Back Panel Connections
Input Connectors
Output Connectors
Record Output
A.C. Power Connection
RS-232 and IR Input
5
6
7
7
8
9
9
9
9
9
Operation
Front Panel Controls and Display
Start-Up
Shut-Down
Break-in
Front Panel Controls
Remote Only Functions
Settings Menu
System Settings - Menu Tree
Settings Menu
Auto Shutdown
Cartridge Settings
Tube Hours
Display Brightness
10
11
11
11
12
13
14
15
15
16
16
17
Maintenance
Vacuum Tubes
Service
Cleaning
Disposal and Recycling Guidelines
Fuse Values and Locations
Warranty
Specications
18
18
18
18
19
20
21

5
Warnings
• To prevent re or shock hazard, do not
expose your PH9 to rain or moisture.
• Do not place objects containing
water on top of this unit.
• This unit contains voltages which can cause
serious injury or death. Do not operate
with covers removed. Refer servicing
to your authorized Audio Research
dealer or other qualied personnel.
• The detachable power cord on your PH9 is
equipped with a heavy gauge, 3-conductor
(where applicable) cable and a standard
three-prong grounding plug. For absolute
protection, do not defeat the ground
power plug. This provides power line
grounding of the PH9 chassis to provide
absolute protection from electrical shock.
• The appliance coupler (a.c. power
connector) at the rear of this unit must be
accessible for emergency power disconnect.
• The power button on the front of this
unit, when o, does not disconnect
all power from this unit. This unit is
in sleep mode when not on. (In sleep
mode, the tubes and audio circuit are
powered o; the microprocessor that
operates the PH9 remains on).
• For continued protection against re
hazard, replace the fuse only with the same
type and rating as specied at the fuse
holder (see page 19 for fuse information).
• This unit is RoHS compliant.
• The PH9 has automatic muting to help
protect system components in the event
of low line voltage. When sensing low line
voltage, the preamp displays ‘Low Line’
and automatically goes into ‘Mute’. This
condition will persist until the line voltage
returns to a safe operating level; please
note the unit will remain in ‘Mute’ even
after ‘Low Line’ no longer appears.
• Note that automatic muting is only
designed to protect against power line
interruptions or severe voltage drop. It
will not mute in the event of subsonic
transmissions from a faulty input source,
amplier failure or speaker malfunction.
A note about packaging...
Save all packaging in a dry place away from
re hazard. Your PH9 preamplier is a
precision electronic instrument and should
be properly cartoned any time shipment is
made. You may not have occasion to return
your unit to the factory for service, but if
that should prove necessary, or another
occasion requiring shipment occurs, the
original packaging will protect your PH9
from unnecessary damage or delay.

6
Before operating the PH9
Your PH9 preamplier is shipped with the
vacuum tubes packed in a separate foam-
lined carton. These must be unpacked
and installed before you attempt to
operate the phono preamplier. Included
are three 6H30 tubes for the analog
stage, and a 6H30 and 6550WE used in
the power supply. Proceed according
to the following instructions.
Installation
Remove all screws fastening the top cover.
Carefully remove each vacuum tube
from its protective foam and match its
location ‘V’ number (written on the base
of the tube) to the ‘V’ number printed
next to each socket on the circuit board.
Firmly seat each tube in its matching
socket, taking care to ‘key’ the tube pins
to the socket holes. Retain the tube
carton with other packing materials
for possible future use. Refasten the
top cover on the phono preamplier.
V1
V2
V3
V4
V5

7
Installation
In your system
• To ensure normal component life and
safe operation this unit must be operated
only in an upright position. Adequate
airow and proper cooling can occur
only if there is no restriction above and
behind the unit and on either side.
• The special non-marring elastomer feet
provide adequate spacing and stability
only on a smooth, hard surface, and also
assist to isolate the phono preamplier
from spurious vibrations. For upright
stability and best performance, never
operate the unit while it is sitting on a
soft surface such as a thick rug or carpet.
• Due to its weight, this preamplier must
be supported on a surface specically
rated for such a load. Check with the
manufacturer of your support system to
be sure it is rated to handle this weight.
• If the unit is to be operated in an
enclosure such as an equipment rack,
make certain that adequate airow
above and to each side of the unit is
provided. Audio Research recommends
a minimum of 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) of
clearance above the PH9 to maintain
proper ambient operating temperature.
• The ‘ambient’ operating temperature
should never exceed 86° F and 30° C.
Improper installation will cause premature
tube failure and will aect your warranty,
as well as the service life of the unit.
• It is normal for a vacuum tube preamplier
to run quite warm, and if used for
prolonged periods, hot to the touch. All
components within are operated at safe,
conservative levels well within tolerances.
A Note about Vacuum Tubes
The vacuum tubes in your PH9 have been
burned in, tested and electrically matched
to provide the best performance and
reliability of your preamplier. That said,
vacuum tubes must be replaced from time
to time. The 6H30 tubes in the PH9 should
have an expected life of approximately
4,000 hours, while the 6550WE tube in the
power supply should have a life expectancy
of approximately 2,000 hours. These life
expectancies are only approximate.

8
Connections
A.C. Mains connector
Fuse Holder
RS-232 connector
IR Input
Phono Input
Main Outputs
Back Panel Connections
Ground Connection

9
Connections
Input Connectors
The PH9 provides a pair of input connectors.
Connect the output of your tonearm/
turntable to these connectors.
Output Connectors
A pair of single-ended main outputs
are provided. Connect the output
of the PH9 to an input of your
preamplier or integrated amplier.
A.C. Power Connection
It is important that the PH9 be connected
via its supplied 15 amp IEC 14-gauge
power cord to a secure, dedicated A.C.
power receptacle. Never connect to
convenience power receptacles on
other equipment. Only use the power
switch on the front of the PH9 for On/
O control of the preamplier, or the
IR input, RS232 or remote control.
RS-232 Input
The RS-232 input allows connection of
a control or automation system.
IR Input
The IR input allows a remote IR sensor
or repeater system to be connected to
the PH9 for control purposes, utilizing
a standard mono 1/8” connector.
Important
Use the best available speaker wires
and interconnects. Audio Research
cannot emphasize this enough. As
better components and systems are
developed, it becomes increasingly
important to avoid the limitations of
inferior system interconnections.
It is important sonically that your entire
system be connected so that the audio
signal arriving at the speakers has correct,
or ‘absolute’ polarity (i.e., non-inverted).

10
Operation
Front Panel Controls and Display
Vacuum Fluorescent
Display
Power On/O
Menu
Option
(used with Menu) Mono
Mute
Enter
(used with Menu)

11
Operation
Start-Up
• Secure all rear-panel connections between
PH9, preamplier, and input sources.
• Plug three-prong power cord from
rear of chassis into grounded A.C. wall
outlet. The Power switch defaults to ’o’
when the unit is plugged into a power
receptacle.
• Press power switch (either on the remote
or front panel). The phono preamplier
will begin the warm-up sequence, which
lasts approximately two minutes, during
which ‘MUTE’ will ash on the display.
After the warm-up sequence is complete,
the unit will be muted. Depress the
front panel ‘MUTE’ button or the Mute
button on the remote to initiate normal
operation. You may depress the Mute
button prior to the unit completing the
warm-up cycle; ‘MUTE OFF’ will ash on
the display until the warm-up cycle is
complete.
• Select input source and adjust the volume
on your preamplier as necessary.
Note
The two minute warm-up time is required
for the circuit to come to an appropriate
operating temperature, as well as for the
power supply to stabilize. This is a normal
function of the PH9.
Shut-Down
• Activate ‘MUTE’ function.
• Turn o power amplier(s).
• Turn o preamplier.
• Press Power switch to ‘o’ on PH9.
• Turn o input sources.
Note
The PH9 should be turned on before
the preamplier or amplier in your
system. If the PH9 is turned on after
the preamplier and amplier, it will
amplify any extraneous turn-on noises
the PH9 might generate, which could
potentially damage the loudspeakers.
Good operating practice dictates that
the amplier should be turned on last,
and turned o rst in an audio system.
Break-in
All quality stereo equipment benets from
a break-in period; during this time, the
various components, wiring and solder
connections change as electrical signals
pass through them. While your PH9
will sound fantastic out of the box, it
will only improve with continued use.

12
Front Panel Controls
The PH9 has six buttons: Power, Menu,
Option, Enter, Mono, and Mute.
Power On/O
Supplies power from the A.C. wall outlet
to preamp; indicated by active display
window. The PH9 requires approximately 2
minutes to warm up; this time is required
to stabilize the circuitry. See ‘Start-Up
Procedure’ on page 11 for details.
Menu
The menu button enters the setup menu
of the PH9 to allow customizing certain
settings of the preamplier. See page 15 for
further details about using the setup menu.
Option
The Option button is used in conjunction
with the Menu button to select the various
options in the settings menu.
Enter
The Enter button is used in conjunction with
the Menu button to make changes to the
systems settings of the PH9.
Mono
Toggle between stereo and mono output.
Mute
When activated, Mute electrically disables
all outputs of the phono preamplier;
indicated by ‘MUTE’ in display window,
in the bottom right corner. This control
should be activated before switching
inputs, changing connections or shutting
down your audio system to help protect
your amplier and speakers from
unexpected signal pulses.
Operation

13
Operation
Remote Only Functions
In addition to the controls found on
the front panel, the remote control
oers access to the following
additional features of the PH9:
Hours
Pressing the ‘HOURS’ button will display
the total accumulated hours of operation
for the PH9. This is useful to determine
the approximate number of hours the
vacuum tubes have been in use. After
ve seconds, the display will revert to
the normal operation screen. After
replacing vacuum tubes, the hours
counter should be reset (see instructions
under ‘Settings Menu’ on page 16).
Note
The installed 6H30 vacuum tubes have
an average life span of approximately
4,000 hours, and the 6550WE has an
average life span of approximately 2,000
hours. By this time, we recommend
replacing them to maintain the best
performance of your preamplier.
Display Brightness Adjustment
The front panel display has six brightness
settings, as well as the ability to dim
the display completely. To change the
brightness, use the ‘DSP UP’ or ‘DSP DN’
buttons on the remote. Note that when
the display is completely dimmed, a
small square appears in the middle of the
display to indicate the unit is powered on.
Cartridge Load
The ve numbered buttons (47k, 1000,
500, 200, and 100 Ohms) provide
resistive loading options for the PH9.
The display will indicate the currently
selected load resistance. It is suggested
that you select the loading value nearest
the cartridge manufacturers loading
recommendation to begin with and then
listen to alternate loading if desired.
(Note that depending on the phono
cartridge, the volume level may decrease
as lower loading values are selected.)

14
Operation
System Settings - Menu Tree

15
Operation
Settings Menu
The PH9 has been designed with a simple,
intuitive menu to allow adjustment
of the various features of the phono
preamplier. To adjust the settings, press
the ‘MENU’ button on the remote or
front panel. If no further action is taken
with the preamplier or remote for ve
seconds, the PH9 reverts back to its
normal operation screen. Continuing to
press the ‘MENU’ button will step you
through the dierent setting options:
While a menu item is displayed, press
‘OPTION’ on the front panel or remote
to adjust the settings of that particular
selecton. After making the appropriate
change, pressing the ‘ENTER’ button
will conrm the new setting, and
the display will show ‘OKAY’ for
ve seconds before reverting back
to the normal operation screen.
Note
For the following menu settings, please refer
to the menu tree on page 14 for examples
of the front panel display.
The ‘MENU’, ‘OPTION’, and ‘ENTER’ buttons
(found on the front panel and remote)
are used to make changes to the menu
settings. Note that the ‘MENU’ button
can also be used to back out of a menu
selection, returning to the main settings
options.
Auto Shutdown
The PH9 is equipped with an auto shut-o
feature, designed to turn the preamplier
o after a period of time during which it is
not used. The auto shut-o feature senses
any interaction with the preamplier, such
as button presses, remote usage, etc.
To change/disengage the auto shutdown
feature, press the ‘MENU’ button until
the ‘AUTO SHUTDOWN’ screen is
displayed. Pressing the ‘OPTION’ button
on the front panel or on the remote,
the PH9 will scroll through the options
for ‘o’ (no auto shutdown), or 1-8
hours. Once you have made a selection,
press ‘ENTER’ to conrm. The display
will show ‘OKAY’ before reverting back
to the normal operation screen.
Note
The auto shutdown feature is not in the
signal path of the phono preamplier
and has no deleterious sonic eect.

16
Load Setting
The Load Settings menu oers adjustable
cartridge impedance loading on the PH9.
The setting is stored in the unit’s memory
and will be retained until changed.
To change the load setting, press the ‘MENU’
button until the Load Setting menu is
displayed. Pressing the ‘OPTION’ button
will toggle through the various settings.
Once the desired setting to be changed
is reached, press the ‘ENTER’ button.
Press ‘ENTER’, and the display will read
‘ENTER TO CONFIRM’. A nal press of the
‘ENTER’ button, and the display will show
‘OKAY’ with the selected load setting.
Note
The load setting can also be changed
directly from the remote control using
the number buttons at the top.
Operation
Tube Hours
The tube hours display shows the
accumulated time the PH9 has been
powered on. This is useful for determining
the number of usage hours of the installed
vacuum tubes. See A Note about Vacuum
Tubes on page 7 for specic information
regarding the tubes in the PH9.
To reset the tube hours counter, press the
‘MENU’ button until ‘TUBE HOURS’ is
shown. Press the ‘OPTION’ button to
display ‘ENTER TO RESET’. Press ‘ENTER’,
and the display will read ‘ENTER TO
CONFIRM’. A nal press of the ‘ENTER’
button will reset the tube hour counter
to 0 and the display will show ‘OKAY’.
Note
Once the hour counter has been
reset, the total accumulated
hours cannot be recalled.

17
Display Brightness
The display brightness feature oers six
dierent settings (including o) for the
vacuum uorescent display on the front
panel. When the lowest setting (o) is
selected, the display will remain on for
ve seconds after any button is pushed,
after which it will revert to a black screen
with a small, illuminated square in the
center to indicate the unit is powered on.
To change the display brightness, press
the ‘MENU’ button until ‘DISPLAY
BRIGHTNESS’ appears. Press the ‘OPTION’
button. Continue to press the ‘OPTION’
button to change the display brightness to
your preference. Once you have selected
the appropriate brightness, there is no need
to press ‘ENTER’ or any further buttons.
Note
The remote control oers direct control
of the display brightness via two buttons
labeled ‘DISP UP’ and ‘DISP DN’. You
can choose to use these buttons as an
alternate to the settings menu.
Operation

18
Vacuum Tubes
It is recommended that you replace the
6H30 vacuum tubes of your PH9 in sets.
All of the tubes in your preamplier
have been matched to have similar
operating characteristics, to provide
the best sound quality and reliability.
Servicing
Because of its careful design and exacting
standards of manufacture, your PH9
preamplier should normally require
only minimal maintenance to maintain
its high level of performance.
Should you need service, please contact your
authorized Audio Research dealer or other
qualied technician. Additional questions
regarding the operation, maintenance
or servicing of your preamplier, please
contact the Customer Support Department
of Audio Research Corporation at
[email protected] or call
763-577-9700. You may also initiate a
service request by visiting the Audio
Research website
(www.audioresearch.com) and
selecting ‘Service Repair’ at the
top right of the home page.
Caution
Your PH9 preamplier contains sucient
levels of voltage and current to be lethal.
Do not tamper with a component or
part inside the unit. Even with the power
turned o, a charge remains in the energy
storage capacitors for hours, or even days.
Cleaning
To maintain the new appearance of this
preamplier, occasionally wipe the
front panel and top cover with a soft,
damp (not wet) cloth to remove dust.
A mild, non-alkaline soap solution
may be used to remove ngerprints or
similar smudges. Cleaners containing
abrasives should not be used as they
will damage the anodized nish of the
front panel. A small, soft paintbrush is
eective in removing dust from bevels,
and other features of the front panel.
Disposal and Recycling Guidelines
To dispose of this electronic product, do
not place in landll. In accordance with
the European Union Waste Electrical
and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
directive eective August 2005, this
product may contain regulated materials
which upon disposal require special
reuse and recycling processing.
Please contact your dealer or importing
distributor for instructions on proper
disposal of this product in your country.
Or, contact Audio Research Corporation
(763.577.9700) for the name of your
importing distributor and how to contact
them. Packing and shipping materials
may be disposed of in a normal manner.
Maintenance

19

20
Warranty
Audio Research Corporation products are
covered by a 3-Year Limited Warranty
or a 90-Day Limited Warranty (vacuum
tubes). This Limited Warranty initiates
from the date of purchase, and is
limited to the original purchaser,
or in the case of demonstration
equipment, limited to the balance
of warranty remaining after original
shipment to the retailer or importer.
In the United States, the specic terms,
conditions and remedies for fulllment
of this Limited Warranty are listed on
the warranty card accompanying the
product in its shipping carton. The
warranty terms are also available on the
internet at www.audioresearch.com/
en-us/company/warranty-statement.
Outside the United States, the authorized
importing retailer or distributor has
accepted the responsibility for warranty of
Audio Research products sold by them.
The specic terms and remedies for
fulllment of the Limited Warranty may
vary from country to country. Warranty
service should normally be obtained from
the importing retailer or distributor from
whom the product was purchased.
In the unlikely event that technical service
beyond the ability of the importer is
required, Audio Research will fulll the
terms and conditions of the Limited
Warranty. Such product must be
returned at the purchaser’s expense to
the Audio Research factory, along with a
photocopy of the dated purchase receipt
for the product, a written description
of the problem(s) encountered, and
any information necessary for return
shipment. The cost of return shipment
is the responsibility of the purchaser.