Bryston SP3 User manual

SP3 PREAMP /
SURROUND PROCESSOR

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of un-insulated “dangerous
voltage “ within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servic-
ing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product.
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A ground-
ing type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does
not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the ap-
paratus.
11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used use
caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as
power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or
moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO DRIPPING OR SPLASHING AND ENSURE THAT NO OBJECTS FILLED WITH LIQUIDS, SUCH AS VASES,
ARE PLACED ON THE EQUIPMENT.
TO COMPLETELY DISCONNECT THIS EQUIPMENT FROM THE AC MAINS, DISCONNECT THE POWER SUPPLY CORD PLUG FROM THE AC
RECEPTACLE.
THE MAINS PLUG OF THE POWER SUPPLY CORD SHALL REMAIN READILY OPERABLE.
BRYSTON LIMITED WARRANTY
Bryston analog audio products are warranted to be free from manufacturing defects for twenty (20) years from the original date of manufacture. The warranty includes
parts and labour.
Bryston Digital products and cables are warranted for five years from the original date of manufacture. The warranty includes parts and labour.
Bryston products having motorized moving parts, excluding motorized volume controls, are warranted for three years from the original date of manufacture. The
warranty includes parts and labour.
Bryston will remedy the problem by repair or replacement, as we deem necessary, to restore the product to full performance. Bryston will pay shipping costs one
way (usually the return portion) during the first three years of warranty coverage.
In the event of a defect or malfunction, contact Bryston’s repair centres for return authorization. Products must be returned using original packaging material only.
Packing material may be purchased from Bryston if necessary. This warranty is considered void if the defect, malfunction or failure of the product or any component
part was caused by damage (not resulting from a defect or malfunction) or abuse while in the possession of the customer. Tampering by persons other than factory
authorized service personnel or failure to fully comply with Bryston operating instructions voids the warranty. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you
may also have other rights which may vary from province to province and country to country.
As of 2006-02-22 Bryston will only warranty Bryston products purchased through authorized Bryston dealers. Bryston products with a date code of 0608 or higher
(date code format is “yyww”, where “yy” is the two least significant digits of the year and “ww” is the week of the year) must be accompanied by a copy of the bill-of-
sale from a Bryston authorized dealer to qualify for warranty service. The warranty is transferable from the original owner to a subsequent owner as long as a copy
of the bill-of-sale from the original authorized Bryston dealer accompanies the re-sale. The copy of the bill of sale to any subsequent owner need ONLY include the
Name of the Bryston Authorized Dealer and the Model and Serial number of the Bryston product The warranty will only be honored in the country of the original
purchase unless otherwise pre-authorized by Bryston.
Postal address: P.O. BOX 2170, Stn. Main
PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO
CANADA K9J 7Y4
Courier address: 677 NEAL DRIVE
PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO
CANADA K9J 6X7
PHONE: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
79 COVENTRY ST., Suite 5
NEWPORT, VERMONT
U.S.A. 05855-2100
PHONE: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
BRYSTON SERVICE in CANADA: BRYSTON SERVICE in the USA:
contact your local distributor or
CHECK OUR WEB SITE: www.bryston.com
E-MAIL BRYSTON DIRECTLY: [e-mail]
FAX BRYSTON DIRECTLY: 01-705-742-0882
PHONE BRYSTON DIRECTLY: 01-705-742-5325
BRYSTON SERVICE outside Canada and the USA:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
■ Safety Instructions & Warranty                  opposite page
■ Introduction, Safety, Accessories & Quick Start             4
■ FRONT Panel Features
Alpha-numeric Display                          5
Menu Navigation Buttons
Functions & Operations Buttons
Surround Mode
Digital
HDMI
2 Channel Bypass
Stereo Down-mix                           6
Volume Control & Rotary Encoder
Headphone Jack
Main / Zone Select                          7
Source Select Buttons
Standby Button
■ REAR Panel Features
Single Ended Analog Outputs                    8
HDMI Inputs
Zone 2 Outputs
Tape Loops
Single Ended Analog Inputs                     9
SPDIF Inputs
Data plate and Caution labels
Power Inlet
RS232 Serial Data Port
Ethernet Data Port
TOSLINK Optical Inputs & Output
Remote Trigger Input & Outputs
USB 20 Type A port
Auxiliary Infra-red Hard Wired Input
AES/EBU Balanced Digital Audio Inputs
Single Ended Analog 71 Surround Inputs
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs
Balanced Analog Audio 71 + 2 Surround Outputs
■ FUSES                                    10
■ Model Part Numbering Scheme                       
■ INFRA-RED REMOTE CONTROL & CODES                11
■ MENU TREE                                 12
■ Menu Tree Notes                               13
■ Specications & Trademark Acknowledgements            14-15
■ 51 Surround Speaker Placement Guide                  16
■ 71 Surround Speaker Placement Guide                  17
■ Exterior Dimensions                             18
■ Appendices                               20-70
SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR

INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the Bryston SP3 pre-
amplifier/processor. This product will provide you with the fin-
est available signal control and DSP audio processing avail-
able. Like all Bryston products the SP3 has been carefully
designed and engineered to deliver a lifetime of enjoyment.
The SP3 offers both pre-amplifier and digital decoding
functions, and it is very important that you thoroughly read
this manual BEFORE you install and use the SP3.
UNPACKING
Your SP3 was carefully packed at the factory to protect
against any damage in shipping and handling. Carefully
examine the packing and the unit for any signs of external
damage or impact and report those to your dealer or Bryston
prior to using the unit.
Bryston advises that you keep all packaging in the
event that the unit may have to be returned for service.
ACCESSORIES
In the carton you should have found the following accesso-
ries in addition to the SP3:
1 Bryston SP3 Instruction Manual
1 IEC standard power cord
1 BR3 Infrared Remote Control unit with battery in-
stalled
SAFETY
It is important that you read and completely understand the
safety instructions and warning on page one of this manual
before installing or connecting the SP3 to any electrical power
source.
QUICK START
• Plug into an appropriate power source using an approved
IEC-60320 power cord with a C13 plug on the equipment
end. Check the Data Plate (a 1.5” x .625” sticker contain-
ing the electrical ratings for your unit) located on the rear
panel near the power inlet to confirm that the unit you
have is rated for the electric power supply in your region.
• Connect suitable inputs & outputs to the SP3. If you are
connecting a DVD player to an SPDIF or TOSLINK in-
put, connect it initially to SPDIF-1 or TOSLINK INPUT-1
(which are the default assignments; these assignments
can be changed at any time in System Menu  Digital
Sources ). If you are connecting to an HDMI input, use
HDMI-1 which is assigned to the DVD buttons on the front
panel and the remote control. The video signals carried
on the HDMI cable are looped through to the HDMI out-
puts.
• The Status LED located above the Standby button
should be lit red a couple of seconds after the unit is
plugged in. Press the Standby button & the red LED will
extinguish & the alphanumeric display will come on, ini-
tially showing “Bryston Surround Processor 3”.
• Within a second or two the status screen will be displayed
showing four lines: Source (input source signal), IN: (input
format), OUT: (output signal format) and Volume: (in deci-
bels).
Before adjusting items in the menus described be-
low it should be noted that the
factory default settings should
be suitable for most typical sur-
round setups. In short, the fac-
tory defaults for the most fun-
damental settings are:
• Speakers: 5.1 (Source Setup, Spkr Sz)
• Speaker Size: small (Source Setup)
• Subwoofer: On (Source Setup)
• Distance: 2 meters (System Setup)
• Speaker levels: 0 (Source Setup)
• Press the right arrow menu navigation button and you
will be at the top of the main menu. When the cursor is
pointing at SYSTEM SETUP and you press the right ar-
row button again you will move into the System Setup
menu.
However, if you press the
down arrow first so
that the cursor is pointing
at SOURCE SETUP, then
pressing the right arrow button will move you into the
Source Setup menu.
• To back up, all the way to the startup screen if desired,
just keep pressing the Left
arrow button .
For more information on the
menu system, see pg 12
Owner’s Manual Updates
The SP3 Owner’s Manual is regularly updated Check the Downloads -
Technical section of Bryston’s website at wwwbrystoncom for the latest
revisions Note: the revision number follows the document number,
separated by a dash, and can be found in the bottom left corner of the
last page of this and other Bryston Owner’s Manuals

SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR
A: ALPHA NUMERIC DISPLAY
B: MENU NAVIGATION Buttons
C: FUNCTION & OPERATION Buttons
D: VOLUME CONTROL
E: HEADPHONE JACK
F: OUTPUT SELECT Buttons
G: INPUT SELECT Buttons
H: STANDBY Button
A: ALPHA-NUMERIC DISPLAY
This is a dot matrix display that can display graphics
as well as 4 lines of alpha-numeric characters. The
brightness of the display can be set in 4 steps from
25% to 100% using the DISPLAY button (see section
“C” below). A default brightness level can also be set
in the System Setup menu as can the automatic time-
out period (from 30 to 600 seconds). When the timeout
period expires the display will extinguish automatically.
To reawaken the display press the currently illuminated
Source Select button (section “G” below). Pressing any
button or turning the rotary encoder (Volume control
knob) will also wake up the display but will also effect a
change (e.g. rotating the volume control clockwise will
increase the volume, etc.).
B: MENU NAVIGATION BUTTONS
This cluster of 4 buttons are used to navigate the
menus on the Alpha-numeric display. After the unit
has powered up a status screen is displayed
like that at the right. Press the right arrow
button () to enter the main menu. Use
the left arrow button () to step back up
through the menus. The up () and down ()
buttons are used to move up and down through the
menu items. The rotary encoder (volume control) can
be used to set most parameters, even on/off choices.
The two Surround Mode buttons can also be used
to choose from preset value options.
Up () and/or down () arrows may be displayed at
the right hand side of the display to indicate that more
items are listed either above and/or below the current
screen. Use the up () and () down buttons to go
to these items.
See also MENU MAP on page 8
C: FUNCTIONS & OPERATIONS BUTTONS
■DISPLAY
Selects display brightness in four steps: 25%, 50%,
75% & 100%. To set an automatic timeout for the
display to extinguish, set the options n the SYSTEM
SETUP -> MISC. menu. Choosing DISP+LED TOUT
instead of DISP TIMEOUT will apply the display time-
out value to all front panel indicator LEDs as well as
the dot-matrix display. Once a value for DISP+LED
TOUT has been set the front panel DISPLAY button
will also facilitate extinguishing all LEDs plus the dot-
matrix display.
■SURROUND MODE
These Left & right Surround Mode (& ) buttons
allow for selection of up to 8 different surround modes
including: PLIIx-Music, PLIIx-Movie , Neo-6 Music,
Neo-6 Cinema, PLIIx-Natural, Pro Logic, Club , Party,
Stereo-7. These modes derive surround modes from
stereo (2 channel) analog DVD inputs. If a 5.1 surround
signal is selected as the input, some surround modes
can derive the 7.1 format Back channels from the left
and right surround channels. These buttons can also
be used to select values in the menu system.
See Appendix for more information about the various
surround modes.
■DIGITAL
Sets the source select button (G) to select from 1 of the
4 SPDIF inputs (RCA [phono] jacks, one of two AES
■HDMI
Sets the source select buttons (G) to select one of 8
HDMI inputs. The audio content will be processed
through the SP3’s DSP but the video content will simply
be passed through to the two (parallel) HDMI outputs.
■2 CHANNEL BYPASS
Selects Left and right (or the front left and right) inputs
from whatever analog source is currently selected. If
the DIGITAL mode is active (i.e. if the LED above the
DIGITAL button is ON) then this becomes a digital
FRONT PANEL

down-mix into a stereo Left and Right output.
■
STEREO & STEREO DOWN-MIX MODE
If this button is selected and the supplied bitstream is
more than 2 channels, the decoder will automatically
implement a stereo down-mix. Otherwise, analog or
digital two channel signals are passed as conven-
tional stereo.
NOTE: Down-mix is a software based auto-
matic mixing function available within the
SP3. This process exists because whenever the
number of active decoder outputs or loud-
speakers selected in setup is less than the
number of channels in the Digital program,
some channel combining will be necessary to
present the program on the available number
of channels/loudspeakers.
As a part of any program’s production, its pro-
ducers can set and adjust the type and ratios
allowed for down-mixing somewhat to ensure
optimum results without compromising the
full Multichannel balance. This is accomplished
by including specific data within the Dolby
Digital bitstream which represents different
mixing coefficients for the centre and surround
channel signals.
These will be detected by the SP3 and used to
produce the down-mix if this mode is selected.
D: VOLUME CONTROL / ROTARY ENCODER
Continuous rotary optical encoder for determining vol-
ume level as well as an input for most variable settings
and other selections within both the System and Source
menus.
Note that when the volume level is being adjusted the
display changes to large numerals showing the level in
decibels
E: HEADPHONE JACK
Stereo (3 conductor) 1/4” headphone jack. In 2 Channel
Bypass mode the Left and Right analog inputs appear,
amplified, at the headphone jack. When other sources
are selected a stereo down-mix is used.

F: MAIN / ZONE SELECT
The SP3 can send a different stereo audio source
signal to its ZONE outputs (Zone 2 Out) than to its main
outputs (Single Ended Outputs or Balanced Outputs).
Pressing the MAIN button allows selection of the signal
that will go to the Single Ended Outputs and Balanced
Outputs using the source select buttons (item “G”) while
pressing ZONE allows the same source select buttons to
set the signals that will be sent to the Zone 2 Out outputs)
G: SOURCE (INPUT) SELECT BUTTONS
Ten buttons for selecting audio input source signals (see
”F” above). When HDMI is selected (LED above HDMI
button is ON) the first 8 source select buttons (DVD,
CBL/SAT, TUNER, CD, DVR, TAPE, BAL-1, BAL-2)
represent HDMI inputs 1 through 8 respectively. When
MAIN is selected, source signal selected will appear at
the MAIN outputs. When ZONE is selected, the source
signal selected will appear at the ZONE 2 OUT outputs
H: STANDBY BUTTON
Places the unit in standby mode. Status indicator LED is
normally off when unit is operating. It turns red when unit
is placed in standby mode. When uploading new soft-
ware it may blink off and on in different colours. The spe-
cifics of theses different colour states is significant only to
engineering and service personel.
Power consumption in Standby mode is <1 Watt.
SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR

REAR PANEL
1: SINGLE ENDED ANALOG OUTPUTS
The SP3 offers both balanced (3 pin XLR male connec-
tors [pin 2+, pin 3-] and unbalanced (RCA/phono jacks)
output connectors.
2: HDMI INPUTS
Although the SP3 uses only the audio signals carried on
an HDMI cable, the video signals are routed to the two
parallel HDMI outputs from the selected HDMI input.
3: ZONE 2 SINGLE ENDED ANALOG OUTPUTS
A pair of RCA jacks that provide a second stereo signal
path completely separate from the main output with its
own independently selected inputs
4: TAPE RECORDER TAPE LOOP
A conventional tape loop consisting of two pairs of RCA
jacks; one stereo pair of inputs and one stereo pair of
outputs. A stereo down-mix for the selected source (or,
in 2 Channel Bypass mode, the Left and Right analog
inputs directly) appear at the TAPE OUTPUTS, unless
the selected source is the TAPE INPUT itself in which
case the TAPE OUTPUTS are muted. The inputs can, of
course, also be used as just another pair of analog inputs,
but at unity gain only & no volume control.
5: DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER TAPE LOOP
A second tape loop which functions just like the Tape
Recorder Tape Loop above.
6: SINGLE ENDED ANALOG INPUTS
Four pairs of general purpose analog inputs labelled CD,
1: SINGLE ENDED ANALOG OUTPUTS
2: HDMI INPUTS
3: ZONE-2, SINGLE ENDED, ANALOG OUTPUTS
4: 1st ANALOG TAPE LOOP IN/OUT CONNECTORS
5: 2nd ANALOG TAPE LOOP IN/OUT CONNECTORS
6: SINGLE ENDED ANALOG INPUTS
7: SPDIF INPUTS
8: DATA PLATE LABEL
9: CAUTION, RECYCLING & OTHER SYMBOLS
10: IEC-320 C14 POWER INLET

TUNER, CABLE/SAT, & DVD. Input voltage should lim-
ited to less than or equal to 5VRMS addition. In stereo
bypass mode the input voltage should be limited to ≤
8VRMS
7: DIGITAL AUDIO COAXIAL INPUTS
The TV/SAT, DVD, CD, and AUX front panel selectable
sources are also supplied with a standard SPDIF gold
RCA jack digital audio input. These four inputs will ac-
cept any standard SPDIF source including DAT, CDR
and similar components.
8: DATA PLATE
Model name, electrical rating, date code (when manufac-
tured), serial number & revision number.
9: CAUTION LABEL
Risk of shock electric shock ~ do not open. Refer servic-
ing to qualified personel. Note, however, that the SP3
does contain two 5x20mm glass fuses on the upper deck
power supply board. Refer to FUSES sections on the
next page for more information.
10:IEC-320 C14 POWER INLET
Mates with C13 power cord connector. Determine the
correct operating voltage from the DATA PLATE and
connect to an appropriate power source using an ap-
proved power cord.
SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR
11: RS232 SERIAL PORT (DB9)
12: ETHERNET PORT (RJ45)
13: TOSLINK OPTICAL IN/OUT CONNECTORS
14: TRIGGER INPUT/OUTPUT CONNECTORS
15: USB PORT (USB 2.0 type B)
16: AUXILIARY INFRA-RED HARD WIRED INPUT
17: AES/EBU DIGITAL INPUTS (3 pin XLR female)
18: SINDLE ENDED 7.1 ANALOG SURROUND INPUTS
19: BALANCED ANALOG INPUTS (3 pin XLR female)
20: BALANCED 7.1 + 2 ANALOG OUTPUTS (XLR male)

11: RS232 SERIAL PORT (DB9)
Serial data port utilizing a DB9 female connector. For
connection to system control systems such as Crestron
and AMX.
12: ETHERNET PORT (RJ45)
For interconnections to personal computers (and/or rout-
ers) to facilitate SP3 software updates and also for con-
trol functions through audio system controls (Crestron,
AMX, etc.) and computer control applications. This acts
an an HTTP server. See Appendix H for more info.
N.B. By default “Ethernet In Standby” mode is set OFF to enable
compliance with international standby power requirements.
13: TOSLINK DIGITAL AUDIO OPTICAL INPUTS
The SP3 offers two assignable TOSLINK optical inputs.
These can be designated to any input using the OS
menu (“Other Settings”)on the LCD screen. Please note
that if you choose to assign an optical input to an input
with a coaxial input, the coaxial will be over-ridden and
the optical input signal will be used by the SP3.
The pro model replaces the two TOSLINK connectors
with a single AES/EBU Digital connector.
14: TRIGGER INPUTS & OUTPUT
Four 3mm two-conducter phone jacks with the tip being
positive and the sleeve being negative. A voltage of be-
tween 3 and 12V on the trigger input will turn the SP3 on.
Removing the trigger voltage will cause the SP3 to turn
off. The input voltage can be of either polarity, that is, the
phone plug tip can be positive and the sleeve negative,
or visa versa
The three outputs can be programmed to go either high
(+12Vdc, ±0.6V) or low (gnd) when specified inputs are
selected. These assignments are found in the SOURCE
menu (SOURCE TRIGGERS).
A delay can also be specified (in the SYSTEM  MISC
TRIGDELAY menu) to delay the time when the trigger
output goes to the chosen state (high or low) after an
assigned input has been selected. See also Refer to the
Menu Tree on page 14
15: USB 2.0 TYPE A INPUT
Used as a digital audio input an as a control input for
certain audio control systems.
16: AUXILIARY INFRA-RED INPUT
A 3mm two conductor phone jack which will accept a
hardwired DC voltage that is the electrical equivalent of
the optical signal generated by an infrared emitter in a
remote control. This will primarily used as by infra-red
remote control extenders. The tip is positive, the sleeve
is negative and the signal level should be 5vdc max.
(Positive or “1”) and 0v or ground (negative or “0”)
17: AES/EBU BALANCED DIGITAL INPUT
Two 3 pin female XLR jacks for digital audio inputs con-
forming to the Audio Engineering Society/European
Broadcasting Union standard formalized as the IEC
60958 standard using 110 Ohm shielded twisted pair
wire.
18: SINGLE ENDED (UNBALANCED) 7.1 SUR-
ROUND SOUND INPUTS
Eight RCA jacks for connecting single-ended analog sur-
round signals to the SP3; Front-Left, Front-Right, Front-
Centre, Left Surround, Right-Surround, Back-Left, Back-
Right & Sub-woofer.
19: BALANCED ANALOG INPUTS
Four XLR female jacks (2 left/right pairs) referred to as
Balanced Input #1 and Balanced Input #2. These inputs
conform to the EIA RS-297 standard wherein pin #1 is
ground (chassis & shield), pin #2 is positive and pin #3 is
negative.
20: BALANCED ANALOG AUDIO 7.1 + 2 SUR-
ROUND SOUND OUTPUTS
Ten 3-pin XLR male connectors conforming to the EIA
RS-297 pinout (pin #1 = ground, pin #2 = positive and pin
#3 = negative). In addition to the usual eight 7.1 outputs
(Front-Left, Front-Centre, Front-Right, Surround-Left,
Surround-Right, Surround-Rear-Left, Surround-Rear-
Right and SubWoofer) there are two Auxiliary outputs (L-
Aux and R-Aux). The signals present on these outputs
can be programmed in the SYSTEM MISC AUX
menu. The two options are:
Stereo L+R : This puts a stereo down-mix signal on
the two AUX output jacks, the same ste-
reo down-mix that appears on the head-

SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR
phone jack.
Centre & Sub: This options puts the Centre channel
onto the L-AUX connector and the SUB
channel onto the R-AUX connector thus
facilitating the use of two sub-woofers
and/or two centre channel speakers.
See the illustration “Suggested Surround
Speaker Placement” on page 18
FUSES
There are two 5x20mm glass fuses located on the upper
deck power supply board as shown below. One fuse is for
the standby power supply and the other is for the main power
supply transformer. The values for these two fuses are as
follows:
120V models 220-230V models
Stand-by fuse (F2): F 500mA 250V F 500mA 250V
Part numbers: Littelfuse 217.500 Littelfuse 217.500
Main PSU fuse (F1): F 1.6A 250V F 800mA 250V
Part numbers: Littelfuse 217 01.6 Littelfuse 217.800
Before attempting to change fuses, disconnect all cables
from the SP3, especially the power cord. Then remove all
the screws from the top and left & right sides that hold the
top cover in place. Remove the top cover by sliding towards
the back of the unit and then lifting up. Be sure to replace all
screws when replacing the top cover using no more that 16
inch-pounds of torque.
When removing screws from top cover use only the proper
driver, a Torx #8, and do not use excessive force as it may
damage the screw head. If the screw does not move tap
lightly with a hammer to loosen the threads. If this doesn’t
work, please refer the unit to qualified service personel.
F1: MAIN FUSE
120Vac models: F 1.6A 250V
(Littelfuse 217 01.6)
220-230Vac models: F 800mA
250V (Littelfuse 217.800)
F2: STANDBY FUSE
For all models:
models: F 500mA 250V
(Littelfuse 217.500)
MODEL PART NUMBERING SCHEME
Model part numbers follow this scheme:
MODEL DRESS DRESS AC
GROUP PANEL PANEL LINE
WIDTH COLOR VOLTAGE
SP3 - 17 - SIL - 120
The example at the left indicates an SP3 with a 17 inch wide
silver (clear aluminum anodized) dress panel with a line voltage
of 120VAC.
Dress panels are available in 17 and 19 inch widths in either a
clear aluminum (SIL) or non-gloss black (BLK) finish. Available
AC line voltages include 120, 220-230 & 240.

firm that the code has been accepted.
Certain features in the remote control itself
can also be programmed by entering codes as
described above. The only differece is that these
codes affect only the BR3 remote control itself
and are not sent to the SP3. These codes are
as follows:
792: Toggle motion sensor on/off (backlight
control)
797: Toggle backlight on/off
The SP3 Remote Control can operate all front panel operations in addition
to having a MUTE button to for quickly silencing the output of the SP3.
Several other functions are accessible by sending 3 digit numeric codes to
the SP3. To send codes to the SP3:
1: Press and hold the CODE button until the status LED on the remote
(located between the CODE and POWER buttons) flashes a couple
of times & then stays lit steadily red; then release
2: Within a few seconds, while the status LED remains steadily lit, enter
the desired 3 digit numeric code (see the table below for valid codes).
Refer to the BR3 illustration below for the location of the number keys
on the remote.
3: When a valid code has been entered the LED will flash twice to con-
IR REMOTE CONTROL
BACKLIGHT OPERATION
When enabled, the backlight will only come on when the
ambient light falls below a predetermined level If the
motion detector (code 792) is disabled then the backlight
will come on only when a button is pressed AND the ambi-
ent light level is low enough If both the backlight and the
motion detector are both enabled the backlight will come
on when the unit experiences movement and/or when any
of the buttons are pressed AND the ambient light is low
enough
SP3 IR-CODES (updated 7-Aug-2013)
Function
Code
Function
Code
Function
Code
Function
Code
Reserved (was PwrOff)
000
Mode None
064
128
192
Source TV/SAT
001
Dolby Pro Logic
065
129
193
Source DVD
002
PLII Music
066
130
194
Source CD
003
PLII Movie
067
131
195
Source TUNER
004
Neo-6 Music
068
132
196
Source DVR
005
Neo-6 Movie
069
133
197
Source TAPE
006
Stereo 7
070
134
198
Volume Up
007
Party
071
135
199
Volume Down
008
Hall
072
136
200
Mute Toggle
009
Church
073
137
201
Pink Noise Test
010
Stadium
074
138
202
Digital Toggle
011
Club
075
139
203
Dolby EX Force/Auto
012
Theatre
076
140
204
Stereo Toggle
013
Natural
077
141
205
Zone / Mute Toggle
014
Dolby Digital 5.1
078
142
206
Power On/Off
015
Dolby Digital EX Movie
079
143
207
DTS ES Force/Auto
016
PLIIx Music 6
080
144
208
017
PLIIx Movie 7
081
145
209
018
PLIIx Music7
082
146
210
Menu Up
019
PLIIx Auto
083
147
211
Menu Down
020
Stereo7
084
148
212
021
HDMI Toggle
085
149
213
Centre
022
Source BAL-1
086
150
214
Side Surround
023
Source BAL-2
087
151
215
Back
024
Source USB
088
152
216
Subwoofer
025
Main / Mute Toggle
089
153
217
Save, Exit Menu
026
090
154
218
2-Ch Bypass Toggle
027
091
155
219
Source 7.1 Bypass
028
092
156
220
Power On
029
093
157
221
030
Surround Left
094
158
222
031
Surround Right
095
159
223
032
Menu Left
096
160
224
033
Menu Right
097
161
225
034
098
162
226
035
099
163
227
036
100
164
228
037
101
165
229
038
102
166
230
039
103
167
231
040
104
168
232
041
105
169
233
042
106
170
234
043
107
171
235
044
108
172
236
045
109
173
237
046
110
174
Power OFF
238
047
111
175
Power ON (reserved)
239
048
112
176
DISPLAY Toggle
240
049
113
177
Default EEPROM
241
050
114
178
242
051
115
179
243
Mono
052
116
180
244
2-Ch Bypass On
053
117
181
Test LEDs
245
054
118
182
246
2-Ch Bypass Off
055
119
183
247
Digital On
056
120
184
248
Digital Off
057
121
185
249
Mute On
058
122
186
250
Mute Off
059
123
187
251
Bypass Subw On/Off
060
124
188
Default TCP/IP
252
061
125
189
253
062
126
190
254
063
127
191
Reserved (was REBOOT)
255
Rev. 703-02
Dec 6, 2012

SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR
MENU TREE
SYSTEM SETUP SPEAKER DISTANCES L (left) 09.0m, 0355 in., 030 ft., 026msec.
C (centre) 09.0m, 0355 in., 030 ft., 026msec.
R (right) 09.0m, 0355 in., 030 ft., 026msec.
Rs (right surround) 09.0m, 0355 in., 030 ft., 026msec.
Rb (right back) 09.0m, 0355 in., 030 ft., 026msec.
Lb (left back) 09.0m, 0355 in., 030 ft., 026msec.
Ls (left surround) 09.0m, 0355 in., 030 ft., 026msec.
SUB (sub-woofer) 09.0m, 0355 in., 030 ft., 026msec.
DIGITAL SOURCES DVD SPDIF 14, OPTO 13
SAT SPDIF 14, OPTO 13
TUNER SPDIF 14, OPTO 13
CD SPDIF 14, OPTO 13
DVR SPDIF 14, OPTO 13
TAPE SPDIF 14, OPTO 13
MISCELLANEOUS BRIGHTNESS (of display) 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%
HEADPHONES -12 dB +6 dB
PRESET VOLUME -60 dB +10 dB
AUX OUTPUTS Stereo L+R, Center & SubWoofer
AUTO SAVE ON, OFF
DISPLAY TIMEOUT 2, 10, 30, 120 minutes
SPEAKER DISTANCE UNITS meters, feet, inches, milli-seconds
TIGGER DELAY 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 seconds
DHCP Server, Client & Server, Static IP, Client, Auto IP
IP address
(
read onl
y)
IP mask 255.0.0.0 255.255.255.192
TESTS PINK NOISE AUTOCYCLE, MANUAL
SOURCE SETUP SPEAKER SIZE FRONT Large, Small
CENTER Large, Small, None
SURROUND Large, Small, None
BACK Large, Small, None, 1 Sm, 2 Sm, 1 Lrg, 2 Lrg
SPEAKER LEVEL L (left) -12 dB +12 dB
C (centre) -12 dB +12 dB
R (right) -12 dB +12 dB
Rs (right surround) -12 dB +12 dB
Rb (right back) -12 dB +12 dB
Lb (left back) -12 dB +12 dB
Ls (left surround) -12 dB +12 dB
SUB (sub-woofer) -12 dB +12 dB
CROSSOVER FRONT 40 200 Hz.
CENTER 40 200 Hz.
SURROUND 40 200 Hz.
BACK 40 200 Hz.
SUBWOOFER SUB WOOFER ON. OFF
in2Bypass ON, OFF
XTRA BASS ON, OFF (for Lrg front spkrs), DISABLE (for sm front spkrs)
TRIGGERS TRIGGER #1 ON, OFF
TRIGGER #2 ON, OFF
TRIGGER #3 ON, OFF
DTS ES APPLY FORCE, AUTO
Neo:6 Center 0 1.0 (0.3 = default)
DOLBY PLII Music Pan (Panaramic) ON, OFF
PLII Music Cen (Centre) 0 (C max), 1, 2, 3 (L,C,R), 4, 5, 6, 7 (no ctr)
PLII Music Dim (Dimension) 4 (back), 5, 6, 7 (neutral), 8, 9, 10 (front)
EX apply FORCE, AUTO
OTHER HDMI OUT Loop through, Down mix
DIGI OUT ZoneDAC, TOSLINK
LIPSYNC 0 255 mSec
PCM ZR (zero run) Full, Gapless, Disable, Auto, Default2

MENU TREE
NOTES
SYSTEM SETUP MENU:
SPEAKER DISTANCES:
Units for speaker distances are set in the SYSTEM > MISC.
menu. Speaker distances are measured as radii from
the listeners position. See the illustration SUGGESTED
SURROUND SPEAKER PLACEMENT on page 18.
DIGITAL SOURCES:
Each of the Source Select buttons, on the front panel and
on the remote control (DVD, CBL/SAT, TUNER, etc) can be
programmed to select a digital input from one of the four co-
axial SPDIF inputs or one of the 3 TOSLINK optical inputs.
MISCELLANEOUS:
HEADPHONES:
The signal level at the headphone jack can be adjusted
from -12 dB to +6 dB to match headphone level more
closely to the speaker listening levels
PRESET VOLUME:
The volume level at power-up can be pre-set to any-
where between -60 and +30dB
AUX Outputs:
The L-AUX and R-AUX auxilliary output jacks (XLR
-male balanced) can be set, by this menu item, to
be either another Left/Right stereo pair of outputs or
another sub-woofer and another centre channel sur-
round outputs.
As a stereo pair, the signal is analog if the SP3 is in 2
CHANNEL BYPASS mode or otherwise it is a digital
downmix from multi-channel inputs.
As set to provide another sub-woofer and centre chan-
nel output, the signals for these channels are the same
as the signal that would be present on the main Sub-
woofer and Centre channel outputs connectors. These
simply provide a convenient way of using two centre
channel speakers and/or two sub-woofer speakers.
. AUTOSAVE:
When enabled (ON) settings are saved whenever you
backup through the menu by pressing the left arrow
button (). If Autosave is OFF settings will NOT be
saved.
TRIGGER DELAY:
The SP3 can be set to produce a 12Vdc trigger signals
on any of the three Trigger Output jacks. See item
14 on page 9 (TRIGGER INPUTS & OUTPUTS).
The tip of the two conductor (3mm) phone jack is posi-
tive and the sleeve is ground (0v).
TESTS (Pink Noise):
Will put a burst of pink noise, sequentially, on all speakers
while displaying which output the test signal is being sent to.
This is intended to help you verify that the connections and
speaker levels are correct. Within the System Setup Test
menu, move the cursor to select PINK NOISE and press the
right arrow button () to initiate the test (and the left arrow
button () to stop it, if desired). The auto-cycling will stop on
its own once all outputs have been sent a pink noise burst.
To operate the pink noise test manually from the front panel,
press the right arrow button again each time you wish to
advance through the outputs, sequentially putting bursts on
one speaker after another. In this case the noise test switches
to “manual” mode and each channel will play until the right
or left arrow is pressed again. Pressing the left arrow button
will exit the test sequence.
To use the BR3 remote control to initiate the test press the
TEST button on the remote . To change form AUTOCYCLE
to MANUAL press the TEST button again To advance the
channel from the remote press right arrow again; to exit press
left arrow button.
The volume control can be used to adjust the output
levels during the test.
SOURCE SETUP MENU:
SPEAKER SIZE:
Large speakers are assumed to be able to handle all frequen-
cies down to at least 40 Hz. A speaker defined as SMALL
has the low frequencies filtered out. The default crossover
point for the low frequencies is 80 Hz but this can be changed
in software (SOURCE SETUP > CROSSOVER) from 40 to
200 Hz.
The speaker size menu also allows for turning the CENTRE,
SURROUND & BACK speakers off by selecting NONE.
Also, the BACK speaker setting allows for choosing from one

SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR
SPECIFICATIONS
PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS
A/D Conversion: 24-Bit, 192 kHz Delta-Sigma
D/A Conversion: 24-Bit, up to 192 kHz Delta-Sigma
DSP Engine: TI DA710
Power Supply: Separate off-line standby PSU plus & main linear power supply with toroidal power transformer
utilizing multiple regulation stages.
Frequency Response : 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.25 dB
Low Frequency Cutoff:
0.3 Hz (all speakers channels in Bypass mode)
1.8 Hz (LARGE Speakers and SubWoofer in Analog, Digital or HDMI)
40-200 Hz (variable cutoff point; default 80 Hz) SMALL speakers, except SubWoofer, in
Analog, Digital or HDMI)
High Frequency Cutoff:
40-200 Hz (variable cutoff point; default 80 Hz) (SubWoofer in Analog, Digital or HDMI)
22 kHz (all speakers, except SubWoofer, in Analog, Digital or HDMI)
180 kHz (all speaker channels in BYPASS)
THD+Noise: < 0 .006% in DSP modes; < 0.0025% in Bypass mode 20Hz to 20kHz at maximum output level.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 105dB in DSP Modes; 110dB in 2ch Bypass Mode; 22 kHz bandwidth, Ref. 1 kHz at max. output
Input Level: 2 Vrms in DSP modes; 4 Vrms in Bypass Mode
Input Impedance: 50 kOhms for single-ended analog audio, 1K Ohms for balanced analog inputs
Output Level: 8 Vrms (16 Vrms Balanced) in DSP Modes; 10 Vrms (20 Vrms Balanced) in Bypass Mode.
Output Impedance: 110 Ohms
Bass Management: 2nd Order HP filter(x5), 4th Order LP filter 40 – 200 Hz Crossover Freq.
ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Power: 120, 220 & 240Vac models.
Maximum power consumption: 65 Watts
Standby power consumption: <500mWatt
INPUTS
Analog Audio: 4x stereo single ended/unbalanced pairs (CD, Tuner, Cable/Sat, DVD)
2x pairs single ended, unbalanced tape inputs (RCA)
2x pairs of Balanced XLR (female) inputs
Digital Audio: 4x coaxial (RCA) 75 Ohms (SPDIF),
3x Optical (TOSLINK)
2x AES/EBU inputs (XLR) 110 Ohms
MENU TREE NOTES continued:
or two back speakers. By turning the BACK speakers off,
the surround sound speaker configuration becomes “5.1”. By
choosing only 1 BACK speaker the configuration becomes
“6.1”.

1x USB 2.0 type B
OUTPUTS
Analog Outputs: 10 balanced XLR male:
Left, Centre, Right, Left Surround, Right Surround, Left Back, Right Back, Left Auxiliary, Right Auxil-
iary and Subwoofer
16 sindle ended (unbalanced) RCA:
Left, Centre, Right, Left Surround, Right Surround, Left Back, Right Back, Left Auxiliary, Right Auxil-
iary & Subwoofer, 4 tape outputs, 2 Zone Two outputs.
Digital Outputs: 2x HDMI
1x TOSLINK optical
Trigger Inputs/Outputs:
One 12V input and 3 programmable trigger outputs
DATA & CONTROL PORTS:
1x Infra-Red sensor; remote control receiver
1x mini (3mm) phone jack (2 conductor) for auxilliary infra-red control data input
1x Ethernet (RJ45 connector): bilateral data, software download, etc.
INFRA-RED REMOTE CONTROL
Number of buttons: 30
Power Source: two AAA batteries
IR Wavelength: 940nm
PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 17”W x 14.25”D (not including knobs & connectors) x 5.75”H (not including rubber feet)
17”W x 15.38”D (including knobs & connectors) x 6.25”H (including rubber feet)
Also available with 19”W dress panels (all other dimensions are the same)
Weight: approx 22 lbs (10 kg)
Chassis Temp: 50 deg Celsius max.
Specifications subject to change without notice.
TRADEMARK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR
If the AUX output option is set
as Center & Sub then a 2nd
sub-woofer output is available.
It’s placement may not be
critical due to the inherent lack
of directionality of very low
frequencies
If the AUX output option is set as Center &
Sub then a 2nd Center output is available
allowing for two Center channel speakers to
be used. Placement will be critical due to the
largely voice band signals in this channel.
5.1 SURROUND SPEAKER PLACEMENT GUIDE

7.1 SURROUND SPEAKER PLACEMENT GUIDE

SP3 PREAMP / PROCESSOR
SP3 EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS