Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista M3 User manual

Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 1
of 10
INTRODUCTION
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
Thank you for purchasing the Musical Fidelity
Nu-Vista M3super integrated amplifier with remote control.
The Nu-Vista M3is based on the combination of the world
famous Nu-Vista preamplifier and the legendary Nu-Vista
NV300 power amplifier.
Used properly and carefully, it should give you many
years of outstanding musical reproduction.
The Nu-Vista M3operates in Class A/B which in
our experience offers the ultimate in
musical accuracy and pleasure.
For the best results Nu-Vista interconnects and
loudspeaker cables should be used.
Dust regularly with a soft duster or soft brush but be
careful using cleaning or polishing agents - they may
harm the surface finish.
If you have any questions about anything in your
audio system, please consult your dealer who is there to
help and advise you.
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SUPER INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 2
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SAFETY
INFORMATION
IMPORTANT!
This unit is supplied in the U.K. with a mains lead fitted with a moulded 13 amp plug.
If, for any reason, you need to cut off this plug, please observe the following safety precautions.
Please dispose of the cut-off plug safely. It must not be plugged into a mains power supply.
The wires in the mains lead supplied with this appliance are coloured in accordance
with the following code:
Green and yellow..............Earth
Blue...............................Neutral
Brown................................Live
WARNING - This appliance must be earthed
As the colours of the wires of the mains lead of this appliance may not correspond with the
coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured green-and-yellow must be connected to the terminal in the plug
which is marked with the letter E or coloured green or green-and-yellow, or by the earth
symbol.
The wire which is coloured brown must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the
letter L or coloured red.
The wire which is coloured blue must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the
letter N or coloured black.
If connecting to a BS1363 plug, a 13 amp fuse must be used.
WARNING - Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)
This hi-fi product has been tested to ensure that its operation will not be adversely affected by
normal background levels of RFI. It is possible that if this product is subjected to abnormally
high levels of RFI the unit may be susceptible and not perform as expected. In the unlikely
event of this happening on a regular basis, please contact Musical Fidelity's service department.
The unit has also been tested to ensure that it does not radiate excessive levels of RFI that could
affect other pieces of electronic or electrical equipment.
The electronics in modern hi-fi equipment is complex and hence may be damaged by lightning.
It is possible that during electrical storms the operation of some equipment may be adversely
affected. For complete protection of your hi-fi system during such storms, mains plugs and aer
-
ial leads should be disconnected.
Always ensure that when disconnecting and re-connecting your hi-fi equipment the mains
supply is switched off.
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Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 3
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GENERAL ADVICE
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INSTALLATION PRECAUTIONS and USER INFORMATION
Your new Nu-Vista M3is designed and built to provide trouble-
free performance, but as with all
electronic devices it is necessary to observe a few precautions.
Heed all warnings on the back of the unit.
Only connect the preamplifier to a mains outlet of the voltage marked on the back of the
unit.
The Nu-Vista M3will operate in accordance with its specifications as long as the environ-
mental conditions are kept in the following ranges:-
Temperature 5 to 45 degrees Celsius
Humidity 10 to 90% non condensing
Position the mains lead and signal interconnects where they are not likely to be walked
on or trapped by items placed on them.
Do not use near water. The unit shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and no
objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the unit.
Do not place the unit near direct heat sources such as radiators or other equipment that
produces heat.
Do not place the unit where it can be subjected to direct sun-light.
Do not remove any covers or try to gain access to the inside. The warranty is invalid if
the unit has been tampered with. There are no user adjustments within. Refer all service
work to an authorised Musical Fidelity agent.
Dust regularly with a soft duster or soft brush but be careful when using cleaning or
polishing agents -they may harm the surface finish.
There are fuses in the unit. In the unlikely event that one blows, take your unit to your
audio dealer. Do NOT try to replace the fuse yourself or you will invalidate the warranty.
No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the unit.
Keep out of reach of children.
For battery disposal, refer to the manufacturers instructions.
Important! Unauthorised opening of the equipment will invalidate any warranty claims.
Note: To help your dealer identify your amplifier if after-sales service is required, please quote
the serial number located on the rear panel of the unit.

Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 4
of 10
CONNECTIONSAND
FACILITIES
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22
Nu-Vista M3front panel layout
1Volume control
2Left Preamp power LED
3Left PSU LED
4Tape monitor button
5Infra red receiver lens
6Right PSU LED
7Right Preamp power LED
8Input select control
Nu-Vista M3back panel layout
9RIGHT speaker outputs
10 PREAMP output
11 TAPE RECORD output
12 TAPE input
13 AUX input
14 Tuner input
15 SACD input
16 CD input
17 Phono input
18 LEFT speaker outputs
19 Right power amp PSU input
20 Preamp PSU input
21 Phono earth terminal
22 Left power amp PSU input
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
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Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 5
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CONNECTIONS AND
FACILITIES
6 7 8 9
3 4 5
1 2
Nu-Vista M3PSU front panel layout
1Mains on/off switch
2Power LED
Nu-Vista M3PSU back panel layout
3Right power amp PSU output
4Preamp PSU output
5Left power amp PSU output
6Right power amp PSU fuse
7Preamp PSU fuse
8Left power amp PSU fuse
916A mains inlet
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P O W E R S U P P L Y U N I T

CONNECTIONS
Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 6
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WARNING
THE NU-VISTA M3IS A POWER-
FUL AMPLIFIER AND IS
DESIGNED TO SUPPLY HIGH
VOLTAGES AND HIGH CUR-
RENTS THROUGH THE LOUD-
SPEAKER TERMINALS.
THEREFORE TO AVOID ANY
POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTRIC
SHOCK DO NOT TOUCH THE
SPEAKER TERMINALS WHEN
THE UNIT IS BEING USED.
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CONNECTIONS
All connections should be made with the
power OFF, i.e. before the mains lead is
plugged in and the unit switched on.
PSU to Amplifier Connections
The Nu-Vista M3is supplied with 2 com-
plete sets of power supply connecting leads.
One of the sets is 0.7M long the other 1.2M
long. Choose the length that best suits your
installation.
The two power amplifier PSU leads are
identical.
a) One of these leads connects the right
PSU output to the right PSU input on the
amplifier.
b) The other one connects the left PSU
output to the left PSU input on the
amplifier.
Push the connectors into the sockets and
twist until they click in to place.
c) The third lead in each set is to con-
nect the preamp PSU output to the preamp
PSU input on the main amplifier. Push the
connectors into the sockets.
How to connect your Nu-Vista M3for
Normal Stereo use.
LINE LEVEL I/P CONNECTION
The Nu-Vista M3has 5 line level inputs -
CD, Tuner, Aux, SACD, and Tape.
and 1 phono input which can be used for
moving magnet (MM) cartridges.
All line level inputs are electrically identi-
cal and are suitable for use with any source
component with an output voltage in the
hundreds of millivolts (mV). This
includes CD players, Super Audio CD
players (SACD), tuners, tape machines and
the audio outputs of video recorders, tele-
visions, DVD and LaserDisc players etc.
Connect the Left and Right outputs from
your line level sources to the line level
inputs on the back panel.
For the best results we recommend that
you use Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista inter-
connect cables for this connection.
PHONO CONNECTION
The Nu-Vista M3has a phono input for
turntables fitted with a moving magnet car
-
tridge (MM).
Some turntable/pick-up arm combinations
are fitted with an extra wire called a chas-
sis earth, which should be connected to the
gold terminal on the back of the amplifier.
SPEAKER CONNECTION
Connect your loudspeakers to the loud-
speaker terminals situated on the back
panel marked as Left and Right
Loudspeaker Outputs. We recommend that
you use Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista O.C.C
speaker cables for this connection.
MAINS CONNECTION
Once these connections are made, plug in
the 16A IEC type mains lead supplied with
the unit.

OPERATION
Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 7
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BEFORE YOU SWITCH ON
You should make all connections to the
Nu-Vista M3before switching on.
Follow this routine before you listen for
the first time, and each time you change
any connections.
1Check all the input and output con-
nections to and from the Nu-Vista
M3.
2Then check again.
3Turn the volume control to
minimum.
SWITCHTING ON
1Now you can switch on the power
using the mains switch situated on
the front of the PSU. There are
heavy duty relays in the PSU and
when the unit is first turned on these
will operate.
2All 4 PSU LEDs should light on the
amplifier’s front panel.
If for any reason one of the LEDs
does not light, switch the unit off and
check the connecting leads between
the PSU and the amplifier.
3After approx. 20 seconds the
Nuvistas will have heated up and the
mute will switch off automatically.
4You can now and carefully advance
the volume to the level you want and
enjoy the music.
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REMOTE CONTROL
The Nu-Vista M3features Infra Red
remote control of volume, input selection
and mute functions via the supplied remote
control handset. The Infra Red receiver is
the small red lens marked I.R.Receiver. sit-
uated on the front panel. It is important to
ensure that when operating the remote con
-
trol, the line-of-sight from the remote to
the infra red receiver is not obstructed.
Pressing the volume up or down buttons on
the remote handset will advance the
motorised volume control in the desired
direction.
Input selection can also be controlled with
the remote handset.
Pressing the mute button on the remote
handset mutes the output. Press the mute
button again to switch the mute off.

OPERATION
Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 8
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TAPE RECORDING
The Nu-Vista M3has a single tape circuit
with facilities for off-tape monitoring with
3-head cassette decks.
Connection of your tape machine to the
Nu-Vista M3should be as follows. The
tape machine's Tape/Line outputs go to the
Nu-Vista M3's 'Tape' input sockets.
The tape machine's Tape/Line inputs go to
the Nu-Vista M3's 'Tape Record' output.
To record, simply select the required
OFF TAPE MONITORING
In conjunction with a 3-head cassette deck,
off-tape monitoring allows the user to
compare the recorded to original sound
whilst a recording is made. To do this,
first select the required source in the nor-
mal way and start recording. The Tape
Monitor button on the front panel can now
be used to switch between the source sig-
nal and the recorded signal allowing direct
comparison.
When the tape monitor button is in then
tape monitor is selected.
Note that tape (the recorded signal) is
selected when the button is in. On some
3-head cassette decks there is an additional
'tape/source' switch which will need to be
in the 'tape' position for the above to work
If you are in any doubt consult your tape
machine's manual.
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PREAMP OUTPUT
The Nu-Vista M3has a permanently
active preamp output situated on the back
panel. This provides extra flexibility for
use in multi-room or surround-sound sys-
tems etc. This signal comes from the Nu-
Vista M3's internal preamp and its output
level is thus controlled by the front panel
volume control.
This output allows easy connection to an
other power amplifier for bi-amping appli-
cations.
To bi-amp (which requires bi-wireable
speakers) an extra amplifier/amplifiers is
attached to this permanent preamp output.
The Nu-Vista M3's built in power amps
can then for instance drive the left and
right channel bass units.whilst a pair of X-
A200s (for example) drive the left and
right channel tweeters
Passive bi-amping in this way can give
noticeable gains in clarity, imaging and
bass weight.
If you would like further details please
contact your dealer or Musical Fidelity
directly.
source with the source selector button on
the front panel. The selected source will
now be sent to the 'Tape Record' output for
recording by the attached tape machine.
You will also be able to hear the selected
source through the loudspeakers.
Note - you can adjust the listening level
with the volume control without affecting
the recording level.

Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 9
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Basic troubleshooting of an amplifier is similar to troubleshooting of any other electrical or
electronic equipment. Always check the most obvious possible causes first. To give you a few
ideas of what to look for, check the following:
If none of these actions effect a cure, please contact your dealer, or an authorised Musical
Fidelity service agent. Remember, never open the case of the Nu-Vista M3
yourself, as this will
invalidate the guarantee.
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Problem Probable Cause Remedy
No power when POWER
is pressed
Mains plug not inserted
correctly
Plug in securely
One or more LEDs does
not light when power is
pressed
PSU to Amplifer leads not
connected correctly
Check Connections
No sound Volume control is set
to minimum
Turn up the volume
Wrong input selected Select correct input
Mute is selected Press mute button on
remote control
Unit has not yet come out
of power-up mute
Wait 15-20 seconds on
power-up for unit to
un-mute
Tape Monitor button is
depressed
Press Tape monitor
button
Remote control unit will
not operate
POWER switch set to OFF Set switch to ON
Batteries not inserted in
remote control unit
Insert batteries
Batteries flat Change batteries
Remote control not pointed at
IR receiver lens
Ensure line of sight
between remote control
and IR receiver lens is not
obstructed
Range of remote control
has dramatically reduced
Batteries running out Change batteries

Power Output 250 watts per channel into 8 Ohms
THD (Typically) < 0.007% at 1KHz
< 0.003% at 1KHz (‘A’ weighted)
Frequency response (Typically) 20Hz - 60KHz +0.25 / -3dB
Inputs 1 phono 5 line level
Outputs Speaker outputs, Tape out, Preamp out.
Input sensitivity (line inputs) 300mV (for full output)
Input sensitivity (MM input) 3.5mV (for full output)
Input impedance (line inputs) 100KOhm
Input impedance (MM input) 47KOhm
S/N Ratio (line inputs) (Typically) 102dB ‘A’ weighted
S/N Ratio (MM) (Typically) 83dB ‘A’ weighted
Power consumption 1200W
Power requirements 100/115/230V AC 50/60Hz
(Factory preset)
Dimensions Amplifier 482 x 145 x 470mm (W x H x D)
Height includes feet, Depth includes terminals
PSU 365 x 145 x 250mm (W x H x D)
Height includes feet, Depth includes terminals
Weight (approx.) Amplifier 23kg (un-boxed)
PSU 16kg (un-boxed)
Nu-Vista M3Instructions for Use. Page 10
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Musical Fidelity reserves the right to make improvements which may result in specification or feature changes without notice.
SPECIFICATIONS
SUPER INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER
issue 1/26.10.2000