Audio Research Reference Phono 3 User manual

Reference Phono 3
H I G H D E F I N I T I O N ®

Thank You.
Thank you for choosing the
Reference Phono 3 to be a part
of your high performance music
listening 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 Reference Phono 3
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
Equalization
10
11
11
11
12
12
14
15
15
16
16
17
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 Reference Phono 3
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
Reference Phono 3 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 Reference Phono 3 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.
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 Reference Phono 3 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 Reference Phono
3 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 other occasion requiring
shipment occurs, the original packaging
will protect your Reference Phono 3
from unnecessary damage or delay.

6
Before operating the Reference Phono 3
Your Reference Phono 3 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 six 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. 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.
V8
V7
V6 V4 V2
V5 V3 V1

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
Reference Phono 3 to maintain proper
ambient operating temperature.
The ‘ambient’ operating temperature should
never exceed 120° F or 49° 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, however,
operated at safe, conservative levels
and will not be improperly aected
thereby, providing the requirements
outlined above are adhered to.
A Note about Vacuum Tubes
The vacuum tubes in your Reference Phono 3
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 Reference Phono 3 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 Inputs
Main
Outputs
Back Panel Connections

9
Connections
Input Connectors
The Reference Phono 3 provides two sets of
input connectors, labeled Input 1 and Input
2. Both input connectors are single-ended.
Output Connectors
Two pairs of balanced and single-ended
main outputs are provided. The outputs
are connected in parallel. If using both
outputs simultaneously, the combined
input impedance of the preamplier being
driven by the Reference Phono 3 must
be greater than or equal to 20k Ohms.
A.C. Power Connection
It is important that the Reference Phono 3
be connected via its supplied 20 amp IEC
12-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 Reference Phono 3
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
Reference Phono 3 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) Input
Mute
Enter
(used with Menu)

11
Operation
Start-Up
• Secure all rear-panel connections between
Reference Phono 3, 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 Reference Phono 3.
Shut-Down
• Activate ‘MUTE’ function.
• Turn o power amplier(s).
• Turn o preamplier.
• Press Power switch to ‘o’ on Reference
Phono 3.
• Turn o input sources.
Note
The Reference Phono 3 should be turned
on before the preamplier or amplier
in your system. If the Reference Phono 3
is turned on after the preamplier and
amplier, it will amplify any extraneous
turn-on noises the Reference Phono 3
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 Reference
Phono 3 will sound fantastic out of the box,
it will only improve with continued use.

12
Front Panel Controls
The Reference Phono 3 has six buttons:
Power, Menu, Option, Enter, Input, and
Mute.
Power On/O
Supplies power from the A.C. wall outlet
to preamp; indicated by active display
window. The Reference Phono 3 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 Reference Phono 3 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 Reference Phono 3.
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.
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 Reference Phono3:
Hours
Pressing the ‘HOURS’ button will display
the total accumulated hours of operation
for the Reference Phono 3. 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. After this time, we recommend
replacing them to maintain the best
performance of your preamplier.
Gain
The ‘LO GAIN’ and ‘HI GAIN’ buttons switch
between the two gain settings of the
Reference Phono 3. When switching from
LOW to HIGH gain position, the phono
preamplier mutes as a precaution and
reminder to lower the volume level of
your preamplier, to prevent possible
system overload or damage. The 23dB
gain dierence between the LOW and
HIGH gain positions is substantial.
Operation

13
Operation
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.
Input Select Buttons
The input buttons labeled ‘INPUT 1’ and
‘INPUT 2’ allow direct selection of the two
inputs available on the Reference Phono 3.
Cartridge Load
The six numbered buttons (47k, 1000, 500,
200, 100 and 50 Ohms) as well as the
‘CUSTOM’ button provide resistive loading
options for the Reference Phono 3. The
display will indicate the currently selected
load resistance for each input setting. 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.)
For further information regarding the
custom loading, contact your Audio
Research dealer or Audio Research
Customer Service. If no resistors have
been installed for the custom loading,
the default value is 47k Ohms.
EQ
The Equalization feature allows dierent EQ
curves to be employed for listening. You
will nd that most of your record collection
will be listened to using the ‘RIAA’
curve. However, some early Columbia
and Decca stereo recordings utilized a
dierent EQ curve; for this purpose, the
‘DECCA’ and ‘COLUMBIA’ options have
been included in the Reference Phono 3.
To change the equalization curve, select
one of the three buttons (RIAA, DECCA,
and COLUMBIA). Note that the EQ setting
is global, and not specic to an input.

14
Operation
System Settings - Menu Tree

15
Operation
Settings Menu
The Reference Phono 3 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 Reference
Phono 3 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 Reference Phono 3 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,
changing the volume, 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
Reference Phono 3 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
Cartridge Settings
The Cartridge Settings menu oers
independent load and gain settings for the
two inputs on the Reference Phono 3. The
settings are stored in the unit’s memory
and will be retained until changed.
To change the cartridge settings, press
the ‘MENU’ button until the Cartridge
Settings menu is displayed. Pressing the
‘OPTION’ button will toggle across the
adjustable settings. Once the desired
setting to be changed is reached, press
the ‘ENTER’ button. The next screen will
allow adjustment of the particular chosen
setting; to change the value, press the
‘OPTION’ button to toggle through the
setting options. Once the preferred setting
is reached, press ‘ENTER’ and the display
will read ‘OKAY’ and the new setting
will be displayed on the main screen.
Note
Both the load and gain settings for
each input can be changed directly
from the remote control using the
number buttons at the top, and the
‘HI GAIN’ and ‘LO GAIN’ buttons.
Operation
Tube Hours
The tube hours display shows the
accumulated time the Reference Phono
3 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 Reference Phono 3.
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
Equalization
The Equalization feature allows dierent EQ
curves to be employed for listening.
To change the EQ settings, press the ‘MENU’
button on the front panel or the remote
until the display shows ‘EQUALIZATION’
with the currently selected setting below.
Press the ‘OPTION’ button to toggle
through the three settings, and press
‘ENTER’ when the appropriate setting is
selected.
Note
The equalization settings can be changed
directly from the remote control by
selecting one of the three EQ buttons
located at the bottom, ‘RIAA’, ‘COLUMBIA’,
and ‘DECCA’.

18
Vacuum Tubes
It is recommended that you replace the
6H30 vacuum tubes of your Reference
Phono 3 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 Reference
Phono 3 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 Reference Phono 3 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 some time.
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
Maintenance
The Reference Phono 3 has three
replaceable fuses to help protect
the unit in the event of a spurious
electrical surge or other situation.
When replacing a fuse, please use
only the specied rating and type.
Using an improper rating or type, or
bypassing the fuse, will not only void
the warranty in the event of damage,
but it could also cause serious system
failure, re, or personal injury.
A.C. Mains Fuse
120 V units: 5A slow blow
220-240 V units: T3.15A
CE Fuse
220-240 V units only: T1A
Note: 120 V units will have a wire
jumper in place of the fuse.
Microprocessor Fuse
120 V units: 250mA
220-240 V units: T125 mA
Fuse Values and Locations
A.C. Mains Fuse
CE Fuse
(220-240 V units only)
Microprocessor
Fuse

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.