Harman MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES MARK LEVINSON... User manual

Nº390S
CD
Processor
Owner’s Manual
Madrigal Audio Laboratories
R

CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO
NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO
NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert
the user to the presence of uninsulated “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 (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying
the appliance.
Marking by the “CE”symbol (shown left) indicates compliance of this device with the EMC
(Electromagnetic Compatibility) and LVD (Low Voltage Directive) standards of the European
Community.
NOTICE
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment on and off, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by
one or more of the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna;
•Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver;
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected;
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the manufacturer could
void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
The information contained in the manual is subject to change without notice. The most current version of this
manual will be posted on our web site at http://www.madrigal.com.

Important Safety Instructions
Please read all instructions and precautions carefully and completely before operating your Mark
Levinson®preamplifier.
1. ALWAYS disconnect your entire system from the AC mains before connecting or dis-
connecting any cables, or when cleaning any component.
2. This product must be terminated with a three-conductor AC mains power cord which
includes an earth ground connection. To prevent shock hazard, all three connections
must ALWAYS be used.
3. AC extension cords are not recommended for use with this product.
4. NEVER use flammable or combustible chemicals for cleaning audio components.
5. NEVER operate this product with any covers removed.
6. NEVER wet the inside of this product with any liquid.
7. NEVER pour or spill liquids directly onto this unit.
8. NEVER block air flow through ventilation slots or heatsinks.
9. NEVER bypass any fuse.
10. NEVER replace any fuse with a value or type other than those specified.
11. NEVER attempt to repair this product. If a problem occurs, contact your Mark
Levinson®retailer.
12. NEVER expose this product to extremely high or low temperatures.
13. NEVER operate this product in an explosive atmosphere.
14. ALWAYS keep electrical equipment out of the reach of children.
15. ALWAYS unplug sensitive electronic equipment during lightning storms.

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From all of us at Madrigal Audio Laboratories, thank you for choosing your Mark
Levinson Nº390S CD Processor.
A great deal of effort went into the design and construction of this precision device. Used
properly, it will give you many years of enjoyment.

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Table of Contents
Unpacking and Placement ......................................................... 7
Unpacking the Nº390S ....................................................................... 7
Remove the Transport Screw ............................................................... 7
Placement of the Nº390S .................................................................... 7
Operating Voltage & Frequency................................................. 9
A Quick Start… ........................................................................ 10
Break-in period ................................................................................. 11
Special Design Features ........................................................... 12
A New Generation ........................................................................... 12
Digital Servo Control ......................................................................... 13
Digital Input/Output Versatility ......................................................... 13
Industrial Design .............................................................................. 13
Convenience Features ...................................................................... 14
Communications Links ...................................................................... 14
Fully Balanced Design ...................................................................... 14
Advanced Digital Filter Techniques.................................................... 15
Digital to Analog Conversion ............................................................ 15
Balanced Analog Volume Control ..................................................... 16
State-of-the-art Output Buffer ............................................................ 16
Front Panel, Nº390S ................................................................ 17
the extended pause mode ................................................................ 23
sleep timer ....................................................................................... 24
Rear Panel, Nº390S ................................................................. 25
AC power cord polarity .................................................................. 26
IR input tip polarity ......................................................................... 29
Linking connections ....................................................................... 29
standard link cables........................................................................ 30
........................................................................
Remote Control, Nº390S .......................................................... 32
Random Play .................................................................................... 34
Analog Input Switching .................................................................... 36
Conditions that Affect IR Performance ............................................... 37
Optimum IR reception window ...................................................... 38
Setup and Installation ............................................................. 39
Connecting AC Mains ....................................................................... 39
Connecting Digital Audio Sources ..................................................... 39
Connecting the Digital Audio Outputs .............................................. 39
Making Link Connections .................................................................. 40
Connecting Analog Outputs ............................................................. 40
Basic Operation ....................................................................... 41
Loading a CD ................................................................................... 41
Playing a CD .................................................................................... 41
Random Play .................................................................................... 41
Navigating the Disc .......................................................................... 42
Direct Time Access ............................................................................ 42
Pause ............................................................................................... 43

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Repeat Disc ...................................................................................... 43
Repeat Track ..................................................................................... 43
A-B Repeat ....................................................................................... 44
Polarity ............................................................................................. 44
Programming the Nº390S ........................................................ 45
Introduction to Playlists ..................................................................... 45
Assembling a Playlist ......................................................................... 46
Programming by Omission ............................................................... 46
Saving a Playlist ................................................................................ 47
Reviewing a Playlist .......................................................................... 47
Deleting a Track from a Playlist .......................................................... 47
Adding a Track to a Playlist ............................................................... 48
Overriding a Playlist .......................................................................... 48
Erasing Playlists from Memory ........................................................... 49
Why Polarity Programming? ............................................................. 49
Whole-Disc Polarity Programming ..................................................... 50
Track-by-Track Polarity Programming ................................................. 50
Overriding a Polarity Program ........................................................... 51
Special Functions .................................................................... 52
SOUND Menu Items: ........................................................................ 52
Fixed/Variable Volume ...................................................................... 52
Silent/Audible Cueing ....................................................................... 53
Balance Control ................................................................................ 53
Mute Control .................................................................................... 53
Locked Volume ................................................................................. 53
LINK Menu items: ............................................................................. 54
Standby link ..................................................................................... 54
Name link ......................................................................................... 54
Play link ............................................................................................ 54
Display link ....................................................................................... 54
AUX IN’s Menu items ......................................................................... 54
Changing Link Options ..................................................................... 55
Sleep Timer....................................................................................... 56
Using Learning Remote Controls .............................................57
Teaching Nº390S Front Panel Commands ......................................... 57
Teaching Other Nº390S Commands.................................................. 58
special commands table ................................................................. 60
Troubleshooting ...................................................................... 61
Care and Maintenance ............................................................. 63
U.S. and Canadian Warranty .................................................... 64
90-Day Limited Warranty .................................................................. 64
Five Year Extended Warranty ............................................................ 64
Obtaining Service .................................................................... 65
Specifications .......................................................................... 66
Dimensions ............................................................................. 67
Installation Notes .................................................................... 68

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Unpacking and Placement
Unpacking the Nº390S Unpack your Nº390S CD Processor and remove all accessories from
the carton.
Important! Keep all packing materials for future transport of your
Nº390S. Shipping your new component in anything
other than its purpose-designed packing material may
result in damage that is not covered by the warranty.
Included with your new Mark Levinson CD processor is a pair of knit,
white gloves designed to assist you in the initial unpacking and place-
ment of your new purchase. Please accept them as a token of our
appreciation for having purchased one of our products.
Remove the
Transport Screw
Place the Nº390S CD Processor upside-down on a soft, clean surface.
Remove the transport screw from the bottom of the unit and save it
with the packing materials for future use.
transport
screw
Warning! The transport screw must be removed before operating
the Nº390S, since it immobilizes the transport
mechanism during shipping to prevent damage. This
screw must also be replaced before shipping the unit.
Placement of the Nº390S The Nº390S should be placed close to your digital audio processor, thus
keeping interconnect cabling reasonably short. It may be placed on a
shelf or in a cabinet where it is convenient to operate, but should not
be rack mounted, so as to leave access to the rear panel power switch.

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The Nº390S is designed for continuous operation—hence the standby
button on the front panel rather than a power button. However, a rear-
panel power switch is provided for your convenience should you want
to disconnect the unit from the AC mains (as when taking a vacation,
for example).
Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations
and custom cabinetry (see Dimensions).

9
Operating Voltage
& Frequency
The Nº390S CD Processor is set at the factory (internally) for 100V,
120V, 200V, 220V, or 240V AC mains operation as appropriate for the
country in which it is to be sold. Make sure that the label on the rear of
the Nº390S (adjacent to the power cord) indicates the correct AC oper-
ating voltage for your location, as attempting to operate the Nº390S at
an incorrect voltage can damage the unit.
The Nº390S CD Processor is also set at the factory for operation on
either 50 or 60 Hz AC line frequencies, as appropriate for the country
in which it is to be sold. It will not operate if it senses an incorrect line
frequency.
Warning! Neither the voltage nor the line frequency setting may
be changed by the user. There are no user serviceable
parts inside the Nº390S. Only qualified, authorized
service personnel may open the Nº390S CD Processor,
as hazardous voltages exist within the unit.
If the AC mains voltage or frequency indicated on your Nº390S is
incorrect, please contact your local, authorized Mark Levinson dealer
or distributor.
The Nº390S can easily be powered by a normal 15-ampere AC mains
line. If other devices are also powered from the same AC line, their
additional power consumption should be taken into account.

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A Quick Start…
We recognize that many people are understandably eager to begin lis-
tening to their new components, and that reading the manual is often
done (if at all) at a later time—perhaps while listening to music with
the new product itself. We strongly recommend that you read this
manual thoroughly, as the Nº390S CD Processor incorporates many
unusual features that enhance its operation.
Fortunately, we can help you get some music up and running on your
system quickly, so that you may begin enjoying your new CD player
while reading more about it. The goal here is simply to make some
music as quickly as possible. The following procedure assumes that you
have a relatively conventional system and it is already connected with
the exception of the Nº390S (e.g., preamplifier to power amplifier, to
speakers, etc.).
1 Turn off your associated components
This minimizes the opportunity for a momentary electrical surge
disturbing your system while making connections. If you have a
large power amplifier, allow its power supply to fully discharge
before proceeding (which may take as long as several minutes,
depending on its design).
2 Remove the transport screw from the bottom of the Nº390S
If you have not done so already, remove the knurled transport
screw from the bottom of the Nº390S now. Be sure to save it and
all packing material for possible future use. (Shipping the Nº390S
without proper packing material and without the transport screw in
its proper position may cause damage to the unit that would not be
covered by the warranty.)
3 Connect the Nº390S to AC power
Connect the AC cord to the Nº390S at the receptacle on the rear
panel, and then to your AC outlet. Then turn on the power switch
just above the AC power receptacle. (The international symbol for
“on”is a single vertical line: |. “Off”is symbolized by a circle: O.)
The Nº390S will take a few moments to initialize and will then be
ready to use.