Pro ceed Audio Video Preamplifier User manual

Audio Video Preamplifier

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.
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.
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 en-
closure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to per-
sons.
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.

Important Safety Instructions
Please read all instructions and precautions carefully and completely before operating your Proceed
component.
1. ALWAYS disconnect your entire system from the AC mains before connecting or disconnecting
any cables, or when cleaning any component.
2. This product is equipped 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. If your
electrical outlets will not accept this type of plug, an adapter may be purchased. If an adapter is
necessary, be sure it is an approved type and is used properly, supplying an earth ground. If you
are not sure of the integrity of your home electrical system, contact a licensed electrician for assis-
tance.
3. ALWAYS keep electrical equipment out of the reach of children.
4. AC extension cords are not recommended for use with this product. If an extension cord must be
used, be sure it is an approved type and has sufficient current-carrying capacity to power this
product.
5. NEVER use flammable or combustible chemicals for cleaning audio components.
6. NEVER operate this product with any covers removed.
7. NEVER wet the inside of this product with any liquid.
8. NEVER pour or spill liquids directly onto this unit.
9. NEVER block air flow through ventilation slots or heatsinks.
10. NEVER bypass any fuse.
11. NEVER replace any fuse with a value or type other than those specified.
12. NEVER attempt to repair this product. If a problem occurs, contact your Proceed®dealer.
13. NEVER expose this product to extremely high or low temperatures.
14. NEVER operate this product in an explosive atmosphere.
15. ALWAYS unplug sensitive electronic equipment during lightning storms.

4
Table of Contents
Maximizing the Value of Your Purchase..................................................... 7
send in that warranty card! ............................................................................... 7
Unpacking and Placement ........................................................................ 8
unpacking the audio video preamplifier......................................................... 8
remote control .................................................................................................... 8
placement .......................................................................................................... 8
ventilation ............................................................................................................ 8
register your purchase! ....................................................................................... 9
Operating Voltage & Frequency ...............................................................10
warm up/break-in period ................................................................................ 10
A Word About Installation .......................................................................... 11
The Quickest Start: CD & DVD .................................................................... 12
A Quick Start For CD ..................................................................................13
A Quick Start For DVD ............................................................................... 14
Special Design Features ............................................................................15
powerful hardware ........................................................................................... 15
software updatable ......................................................................................... 15
multichannel ..................................................................................................... 16
audio computer ............................................................................................... 16
Front Panel .................................................................................................. 17
Viewing Simulcasts ........................................................................................... 18
Rear Panel ................................................................................................. 23
controlling remote zone volume...................................................................... 27
Building PHAST cables ............................................................................... 29
IR input tip polarity .................................................................................... 30
The Remote Control .................................................................................. 33
Using The Menu System ............................................................................ 35
to enter the menu system ................................................................................ 35
to exit the menu system ................................................................................... 36
to select a menu item ...................................................................................... 36
to change a menu item .................................................................................. 36
to save changes ............................................................................................... 36
to “escape” or “cancel” without saving any changes .................................. 36
front panel equivalents .................................................................................... 36
The Operate Menu .................................................................................... 38
auto migration .................................................................................................. 38
migrating to analog .................................................................................. 39
forced/manual migration ......................................................................... 39
setup: locked/unlocked .................................................................................. 39
display preferences .......................................................................................... 40
display position ................................................................................................. 40
on screen status ................................................................................................ 40
status preferences ............................................................................................. 40
display timeout .................................................................................................. 41
display of text.....................................................................................................41
display background color ................................................................................ 41
volume preferences .......................................................................................... 41
volume display .................................................................................................. 41
volume speed .................................................................................................. 42
volume mute level ............................................................................................ 42
maximum volume ............................................................................................ 42
dialog normalization ........................................................................................ 42

5
late night ........................................................................................................... 42
The Setup Menu ......................................................................................... 44
define source buttons ...................................................................................... 45
example: setting up a cd transport ................................................................ 45
renaming source buttons ................................................................................. 46
defining the input type .................................................................................... 46
choosing a surround mode ............................................................................. 46
analog-only operation ............................................................................. 47
is it a recording device? .................................................................................. 47
how many input connectors? ......................................................................... 48
defining input connectors ............................................................................... 48
example: setting up a laserdisc player .......................................................... 49
defining the video connection ....................................................................... 49
defining multiple audio connections ............................................................. 50
setting & saving input levels ............................................................................. 51
set more buttons ............................................................................................... 52
set speakers ...................................................................................................... 52
set configuration ............................................................................................... 53
important note ........................................................................................... 55
about your subwoofer: ............................................................................ 55
set distance ....................................................................................................... 55
set distance menu .................................................................................... 56
set levels ............................................................................................................ 56
set levels menu .......................................................................................... 57
bass level manager ......................................................................................... 58
bass level manager menu ....................................................................... 58
mode defaults .................................................................................................. 59
before you use mode defaults ................................................................. 59
The Custom Menu ..................................................................................... 63
teach IR commands to your remote ............................................................... 64
remote only menu ..................................................................................... 65
surround, path and more inputs menus .................................................. 66
misc control menus ................................................................................... 66
custom menu .................................................................................................... 67
rear ir input menu ............................................................................................. 68
The About… Menu .................................................................................... 69
Using the Special Menu ............................................................................ 70
special key actions menu ........................................................................ 70
sample status display screen ................................................................... 71
Using the AVP ............................................................................................. 72
setting the volume ............................................................................................ 72
home thx cinema® .......................................................................................... 72
dolby pro logic surround .................................................................................. 73
stereo surround ................................................................................................. 73
mono surround ................................................................................................. 73
surround off ....................................................................................................... 73
mono ................................................................................................................. 73
automatic migration ........................................................................................ 74
forced/manual migration ................................................................................ 74
watching a simulcast ....................................................................................... 74
Planning Your Installation .......................................................................... 75
choosing the equipment................................................................................. 75
planning your equipment placement ............................................................ 75
the “correct” size for your television screen .................................................... 76
the power amplifiers ........................................................................................ 76
the left, center and right (LCR) front speakers ................................................ 76
toe-in of left & right speakers ................................................................... 77

6
the subwoofer(s) ............................................................................................... 77
the surround speakers ...................................................................................... 77
dipolar surround placement .................................................................... 78
conventional surround placement .......................................................... 78
working in unusually large rooms .................................................................... 78
Room Acoustics ......................................................................................... 79
room reverberation .......................................................................................... 79
the boundary effect ........................................................................................ 79
room modes ..................................................................................................... 80
System Planning Guide .............................................................................. 81
video placement .............................................................................................. 81
electronics placement ...................................................................................... 81
speaker placement .......................................................................................... 81
additional notes on speaker placement ........................................................ 82
Your System Settings .................................................................................. 83
the about… menu ........................................................................................... 83
operate menu settings ..................................................................................... 83
vcr 1 button defaults ......................................................................................... 83
disc 1 button defaults ....................................................................................... 84
vcr2/disc2 button defaults ............................................................................... 84
tv/aux button defaults ..................................................................................... 84
satellite button defaults .................................................................................... 84
cd button defaults ............................................................................................ 85
tape button defaults ........................................................................................ 85
aux button defaults .......................................................................................... 85
tuner button defaults ........................................................................................ 85
more 1 button defaults ..................................................................................... 86
more 2 button defaults .................................................................................... 86
more 3 button defaults .................................................................................... 86
more 4 button defaults .................................................................................... 86
more 5 button defaults .................................................................................... 87
more 6 button defaults .................................................................................... 87
more 7 button defaults .................................................................................... 87
more 8 button defaults .................................................................................... 87
crossover settings .............................................................................................. 88
set distance ....................................................................................................... 88
set levels ............................................................................................................ 88
bass level manager ......................................................................................... 88
mode defaults: discrete ................................................................................... 88
mode defaults: pro logic ................................................................................. 88
mode defaults: pro logic + THX ....................................................................... 88
mode defaults: stereo surround ...................................................................... 89
mode defaults: mono surround ...................................................................... 89
mode defaults: 2-ch/surround off ................................................................... 89
mode defaults: mono ...................................................................................... 89
control trigger 1 ................................................................................................. 89
control trigger 2 ................................................................................................ 89
rear ir in .............................................................................................................. 89
Troubleshooting ......................................................................................... 90
Care and Maintenance ............................................................................ 92
U.S. and Canadian Warranty .................................................................... 93
90-day limited warranty ................................................................................... 93
five year extended warranty ........................................................................... 93
Obtaining Service ..................................................................................... 94
Specifications ............................................................................................ 95
Dimensions ................................................................................................ 96
Rack Mount Kit .......................................................................................... 97

7
Maximizing the Value
of Your Purchase
Congratulations on choosing a superb product. Your Proceed Audio Video Pream-
plifier (AVP) is designed to give you many years of outstanding performance, and
we are confident you will be happy with it.
We value our relationship with our customers, and often are in a position to help
you enjoy your home entertainment system even more—if we have some way of
contacting you.
send in that warranty card! Sending in your warranty card registers your product with us so that warranty
service in the U.S. and Canada (see the warranty policy at the end of this
manual) can be obtained easily and quickly even if you have lost your original
sales slip. (And how many of us are organized enough to retain all those sales
slips?) Moreover, for customers in the U.S. and Canada, sending in the card auto-
matically extends the warranty from 90 days to five years, at no cost to you.
Please send it in soon, before you forget.
But there are even more benefits to sending in your registration card:
✓software update notices
✓performance upgrade notices
✓free subscription to Madrigal’s QuarterNotes newsletter
We occasionally offer software updates to our products, providing new features
and control options. In the case of the Audio Video Preamplifier, these updates
are easily done without even opening up the unit, via flash-memory. If they in-
clude features you would like to have, you can get them—if you know about
them.
We also try to offer hardware-oriented performance upgrades and/or conversions
to make upgrading within a family of products as cost-effective as possible for
our customers. While not all upgrades can be inexpensive, we work to ensure
that they all represent excellent values to you—if you know about them.
One of the best ways we have of communicating with the large number of cus-
tomers we have around the world is through our company newsletter,
QuarterNotes. This newsletter contains information on industry developments,
new products, software updates and upgrades, as well as general interest articles
on recommended music and movies, and occasional profiles of customers and
industry personalities. QuarterNotes is a service we provide to help keep open
our lines of communication with our customers, and it is free—if we know
where to send them.
So please, take a few minutes to fill out the warranty
registration card, and drop it in the mail.

8
Unpacking and Placement
unpacking the
audio video preamplifier
Unpack your Audio Video Preamplifier and remove all accessories from the
carton.
Important! Keep all packing materials for future transport of your Audio
Video Preamplifier. Shipping your new component in anything
other than its purpose-designed packing material may result
in damage that is not covered by the warranty.
remote control Your AVP includes a small remote control that covers the basics of turning the
unit on and off, selecting something to listen to or watch, and adjusting volume. It
is designed to make day to day operation of the system as simple as possible.
Alternatively, you may decide that you would prefer to have a more powerful or
versatile remote control. Your dealer can assist you in selecting a learning remote
control that is appropriate to your needs, and can then teach the new remote
control all the necessary AVP commands from the AVP itself. The AVP can trans-
mit as well as receive IR commands, and its menu system contains an extensive
list of available commands for learning remote controls (going far beyond what is
normally available in such products).
placement Place the Audio Video Preamplifier near the digital sources, thus keeping inter-
connecting cables reasonably short. It may be placed on a shelf or in a cabinet
where it’s convenient to operate.
Note that adequate clearance for the AC cord and connecting
cables must be left behind the Audio Video Preamplifier. We suggest
leaving at least three inches of free space behind the Audio Video
Preamplifier to allow all cables sufficient room to bend without
crimping or undue strain.
ventilation It is normal and perfectly safe for your Audio Video Preamplifier to run quite
warm. Be sure to allow 2 to 3 inches of clearance above it to allow heat dissipa-
tion through air circulation. The vents on both the bottom and the top of the Au-
dio Video Preamplifier must be kept free from any obstruction which would re-
duce the flow of air through the unit. Avoid placement on soft surfaces that
would restrict airflow (such as carpeting).
If your AVP becomes too warm, it will display an on screen message to that ef-
fect. If the temperature continues to rise, the unit will eventually protect itself by
shutting itself off. This eventuality is extremely unlikely unless its surrounding
ambient temperature is uncomfortably hot for people (as well as for electronics).

9
Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations and custom
cabinetry (see Dimensions). An optional, purpose-designed rack mount kit is
available for this product, drawings of which are also included at the end of this
manual (see Rack Mount Kit).
The serial number for your Audio Video Preamplifier is found on the bottom of
the unit. Please note and record this number for your future reference.
register your purchase! Having found the serial number, now would be a good time to fill out the regis-
tration card. Please register your purchase so we can advise you of software up-
dates and other items of interest.
In the U.S. and Canada, registering your purchase also automatically ex-
tends your warranty from 90 days to five years. It will take only a minute
or so. Please complete the card now, before you forget.

10
Operating Voltage
& Frequency
The Audio Video Preamplifier is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V, 220V,
230V, or 240V and either 50 or 60 Hz AC mains operation, as appropriate for the
country in which it is to be sold. (230V/50Hz only in European Union countries,
in compliance with CE regulations.) Neither the voltage nor the line frequency
setting may be changed by the user.
Make sure that the label on the rear panel of the Audio Video Preamplifier (above
the AC input receptacle) indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your loca-
tion. Attempting to operate the Audio Video Preamplifier at an incorrect voltage
can damage the unit.
Warning: Neither the voltage nor the line frequency settings of your
Audio Video Preamplifier may be changed by the user. There
are no user-serviceable parts within the unit. Please refer any
problems to an authorized Proceed service center.
If the AC mains voltage or frequency indicated on your Audio Video Preamplifier
is incorrect, please contact your local, authorized Proceed dealer or distributor.
The Audio Video Preamplifier can easily be powered by a normal 15-ampere AC
mains line. If other devices are also powered from the same AC line, their addi-
tional power consumption should be taken into account.
warm up/break-in period Although your Proceed Audio Video Preamplifier delivers outstanding perfor-
mance straight out of the box, you should expect to hear it continue to improve
as it reaches its normal operating temperatures and its various components
“break-in.”It has been our experience that the greatest changes occur within the
first 300 hours as the AVP reaches thermal equilibrium and the capacitors fully
form. After this initial break-in period, the performance of your new product
should remain quite consistent for years to come.
The only exception to this rule is if power is removed from the unit for an ex-
tended period of time, allowing it to cool down. Depending on the degree of
cooling involved, you should expect a brief warm-up period before the Audio
Video Preamplifier’s sound quality is at its best. Unless your Audio Video Pream-
plifier was allowed to become quite chilled, subsequent thermal re-stabilization
should not take long.

11
A Word About Installation
Every effort has been made to make the Proceed AVP simple and straightforward
to install and use. We know of no other product which offers this level of perfor-
mance and flexibility (other than the more costly Proceed PDSD system).
Still, we have no way to evaluate many other variables such as the size and shape
of your room, its acoustics, and the associated equipment you have chosen to use
with your AVP. All of these factors influence the ultimate performance of your sys-
tem. Moreover, the AVP incorporates many system-specific adjustments which en-
hance its performance with the widest possible range of associated components.
For this reason, we strongly encourage you to have your
system installed and calibrated by your dealer, whose
experience, training, and specialized equipment can make a
profound difference in the final performance of the system.
The AVP features the ability to “remember”the carefully calibrated settings cho-
sen by your installer. You may adjust any or all of these settings to suit your taste
for a particular recording, either from the front panel or from the remote control.
When you want to return to the calibrated settings (which most accurately repro-
duce the widest variety of program material), simply press recall on the remote
control or on the front panel.

12
The Quickest Start: CD & DVD
The AVP is an exciting system, and we understand that many owners will be anx-
ious to get it up and running as quickly as possible. What follows is not a re-
placement for a complete setup of the system. Rather, it is provided so you
can get some music and movies playing as quickly as possible. It assumes that
your system is already set up in other respects (speakers connected to power
amps, etc.). Once done, please read up on how to do a complete setup and cali-
bration in order to get the most from your investment (or have your dealer/in-
staller do it for you).
We have shipped the AVP with two input buttons already pre-programmed for
the sources most likely to be found in an AVP-based system: CD and DVD. Hav-
ing done this, all you have to do is hook them up to the right connectors and
press the button to get going.
This “quickest start”assumes that your CD transport has an AES/EBU output, and
that your DVD player has both composite video output and a coaxial (RCA) digital
output. If not, proceed to the next sections, A Quick Start For CD and A Quick
Start For DVD.
1 MAKE THE PHYSICAL CONNECTIONS; TURN EVERYTHING ON
Connect the outputs of the AVP to your power amplifier(s), as indicated
(front, rear, center, sub); ensure that the main video output of the AVP is
connected to your television (so you can see the on screen menus). Once
this is done, turn on all the components involved (CD transport, AVP, televi-
sion, amplifiers). Turn the amps on last—always a good habit with any au-
dio system.
2 CONNECT YOUR CD TRANSPORT TO THE AES/EBU INPUT ON THE AVP
Doing so will give you access to your CD transport via the CD button on
the AVP.
3 CONNECT AN S/PDIF (RCA/COAXIAL) AUDIO OUTPUT FROM YOUR
DVD PLAYER, AND CONNECT THE COMPOSITE OUTPUT OF YOUR DVD
PLAYER TO THE “COMPOSITE 1”VIDEO INPUT ON THE AVP
You might also take the time to set the digital output of your DVD player to
“AC-3”instead of “PCM/Pro Logic.”It will still output PCM digital audio if
you play a CD, but setting it to “AC-3”allows it to give you the discrete mul-
tichannel digital AC-3 standard. The AVP will automatically sense the nature
of the signal it receives, and will switch accordingly.
We chose the composite output for the initial default simply because it is
the output on DVD players that you can always depend on. (Many DVD
players have a switch that chooses between either S-video or component—if
the switch happens to be in the wrong position, you would end up with no
picture at all.)
4 PRESS EITHER CD OR DISC 1 AND START ENJOYING YOUR AVP

13
A Quick Start For CD
There is a reasonable chance that either your CD transport or your DVD player
may have a different set of output connectors than what we have assumed it
might have in the “quickest start”section. In that case, setting up the AVP to take
advantage of your particular equipment is still quite simple, though it will require
a couple extra steps.
1 MAKE THE PHYSICAL CONNECTIONS; TURN EVERYTHING ON
Connect the outputs of the AVP to your power amplifier(s), as indicated
(front, rear, center, sub); connect a CD transport to any matching digital in-
put connector on the AVP, noting which connector you use; ensure that the
main video output of the AVP is connected to your television (so you can
see the on screen menus). Once this is done, turn on all the components
involved (CD transport, AVP, television, amplifiers). Turn the amps on last
(always a good habit with any audio system).
2 PRESS AND HOLD THE CD BUTTON ON THE FRONT OF THE AVP
This shortcut of pressing and holding an input button will take you directly
to the define button menu for that button.
3 TELL THE AVP WHICH CONNECTOR YOU USED FOR YOUR CD
TRANSPORT IN STEP 1
We have no way of knowing what sort of digital interface your particular
CD transport might use (AES/EBU? RCA? BNC? EIA-J?), but logically, you’d like to
be able to use your main CD transport with the button labeled cd. This
step allows you to use whatever connector you need to use in conjunction
with the button you’d like to use. Using the volume ±button on the remote
(or the volume knob), move the arrow cursor down to the line that reads
“audio connectors”and press enter (or mute on the front panel). Press
volume –to move to 1: Digital 1 and press enter (mute) again. Then move
the arrow cursor down to the line that defines which connector is being
used, and press enter (mute) again. With the cursor changed to an arrow
within a diamond (
→
) instead of an arrow, the volume ±buttons or the
knob will allow you to select whatever digital input connector you used in
Step 1. When done, press enter (mute) again to save your change.
4 PRESS MENU THREE TIMES TO EXIT THE MENU SYSTEM, AND ENJOY
Make sure the volume is on at a low level before you fire up your CD
player, press the cd button, and raise the volume to a comfortable level. Ac-
cording to the factory defaults (which you can easily change), cd is preset
to come on in 2-channel/surround off. You should properly calibrate the
system so all speakers are playing at the proper volumes before you listen
critically to multichannel audio. Performing this calibration only takes only a
few more minutes, but you should read up on it a bit first. You can enjoy
the AVP in regular stereo until then.

14
A Quick Start For DVD
We understand: you’re in a rush to hear Dolby Digital on your new system. Re-
member: What follows is not a replacement for a complete setup of the
system. We will assume here that you have already done the CD setup on the
previous page. To get a DVD player playing:
1 MAKE THE PHYSICAL CONNECTIONS
Noting which connectors you use, connect a digital output of your DVD to
any matching digital input on the AVP, and a video output of your DVD to a
corresponding video input on the AVP. Turn everything on.
2 PRESS AND HOLD THE DISC BUTTON ON THE AVP
This shortcut of pressing and holding an input button will take you directly
to the Define Button menu for that button, disc in this case .
3 TELL THE SYSTEM WHICH CONNECTORS YOU USED FOR YOUR DVD
PLAYER IN STEP 1
Using the volume ±buttons (or the volume knob), move the arrow cursor
down to the line that defines your video connection and press enter (or
mute on the front panel). Make sure the AVP knows where you plugged in
your laserdisc player’s video output. Change the video: setting to the cor-
rect video input, and press enter to save any changes you need to make.
Similarly, set up your audio connection: move the arrow cursor down
(volume ±) to the audio connectors line and press enter; move to the line
that reads 1: digital 2, and press enter again. Move down to the connector
line, press enter and with the cursor changed to an arrow within a diamond
(
→
), the volume ±buttons will allow you to select whatever digital input
you used when hooking up the system.
4 PRESS MENU A FEW TIMES TO EXIT THE MENU SYSTEM, AND ENJOY
Make sure the volume is on at a low level before you fire up your DVD
player; press the disc button once, and raise the volume to a moderate/
comfortable level. Important: you should properly calibrate the system so
all speakers are playing at the proper volumes before you listen critically to
multichannel audio. Performing this calibration only takes only a few more
minutes, but you should read up on it first. Please review the chapter on
The Setup Menu for more information, pp. 42-58.

15
Special Design Features
Congratulations on your purchase of the Proceed Audio Video Preamplifier (AVP).
We have gone to great lengths to ensure that the AVP remains “future-proof”even
in these times of change. As a result, you will be able to enjoy the outstanding
performance of the Audio Video Preamplifier for many years. In case you are in-
terested in technical details, what follows is a brief outline of some of the key
technologies in your new product.
powerful hardware The AVP shares the same type of powerful DSP engine used in the Proceed Digi-
tal Surround Decoder, employing multiple Motorola 56303 DSP chips in a Madri-
gal-designed operating system. This DSP engine has sufficient power to handle
the decoding requirements of Dolby Digital, DTS, MPEG2, HDCD, THX, and oth-
ers. In addition, its power and flexibility provide for future updates to handle as-
yet-undefined digital audio standards that may be adopted in the future, such as
the 24 bit/96 kHz high quality audio disc proposal for a DVD-audio (only) disc.
If a new, dedicated DVD-for-audio format is defined, it will almost certainly use
significantly more “bandwidth”than today’s digital audio standards—after all, pro-
viding more information per second is the basis for the improvement in quality.
Fortunately, the AVP includes a special, Madrigal-designed Digital Interface Re-
ceiver (DIR) that can receive digital information even faster than a dedicated DVD
could send it, while at the same time rejecting timing errors called “jitter”in the
digital signal. Thus, this Madrigal DIR protects the AVP from premature obsoles-
cence (by allowing it to receive as yet undefined signals of up to 12 Mbits/sec),
while improving the sound quality of every digital source connected to the prod-
uct (by rejecting incoming jitter).
The AVP includes eight channels of digital to analog conversion, all of which can
process and convert 96 kHz information. In addition, all volume controls within
the AVP are implemented in the analog domain, allowing the DACs to run at their
maximum resolution at all times. (This approach stands in contrast to digital vol-
ume controls, which operate by requiring the converters to operate at less than
their maximum capabilities. After all, what would be the point of having 24 bit/96
kHz music formats if you end up throwing away much of the improvement in a
digital volume control?)
software updatable All the software that the AVP uses is stored in special “flash”memory that can
easily be updated as improvements are made available. These improvements can
affect both operational and performance enhancements.
With a simple software download a short time after such a standard is an-
nounced, your Audio Video Preamplifier would be able to both decode and play
back the new audio standard, and flip back and forth between the different ver-
sions of the music on the disc for comparison purposes. For example. since the
AVP was originally introduced, we have added DTS decoding, MPEG audio de-
coding and 8-channel support, all available to pre-existing units by simple soft-
ware downloads.
The Audio Video Preamplifier is designed to avoid the premature obsolescence
that will be the hallmark of far too many products sold in these changing times.

16
multichannel The Audio Video Preamplifier is designed to be flexible with respect to its audio
configurations, as well. In its standard configuration, it provides the standard 5.1
channel selection of outputs made popular by home theater. However, it also in-
cludes an extra two channels that may be used in any of several ways, whether
to accommodate larger rooms (separate side and rear speakers) or more sophisti-
cated audio processing (Dual Drive™surrounds, for example). It is just a matter
of what you want the system to do. That way, you can have the system the way
you want it to work, rather than bieng limited to the way we thought you’d want
it to work. (After all, a no-compromise, high performance audio system should
not be “one size fits all.”)
audio computer Conventional audio DSP design requires the addition of costly hardware every
time you wish to add functionality. In these designs, Dolby Digital (AC-3) has its
own, dedicated DSP chip and associated supporting circuitry; so does DTS; so
does MPEG/Musicam. Want a new feature? Buy more hardware.
This strikes us as ridiculous.
You would not buy a computer for writing, knowing that you would have to buy
another computer for calculations, and another for graphics, and a fourth for data-
base work. To do so would be enormously wasteful, as expensive microproces-
sors would sit idly by while you were doing something else.
The same is true in “audio computers.”
The Proceed Audio Video Preamplifier is helping to define a new generation of
powerful DSP (Digital Signal Processing) engines that can load software in and
out of memory dynamically, as your computer does. Want to listen to a Dolby
Digital soundtrack? The AVP loads the appropriate software and runs it. Movie
over, want to listen to CD? No problem. Oh, the CD is DTS-encoded? Still no
problem —the DTS software is loaded and runs on the same chip that had been
running Dolby Digital a few moments ago.
Madrigal was an early partner of Motorola in developing the next generation of
DSP chips, the 56300-series. Designed to replace the aging 5600X series, these
new chips offer twice the performance and vastly more flexibility. With two such
chips in each Audio Video Preamplifier, we have the power to run these pro-
grams as well as our own proprietary digital filtering algorithms.
Why did we develop such advanced technology? Simple: better performance for
today, and for tomorrow.

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LASER 29.0
vcr 1 disc 1 vcr 2/disc 2 tv/aux satellite
cd tape aux tuner more surround mode
path main remote both
display
intensity
recall delay input level mute
power
master center
balance
rear
sub
TM
audio video preamplifier
PR O C E E D
standby
1 3
2
5
4 6
7 8 10 11 12 13 18
9 14 15 16 17 19
Front Panel
1 STANDBY BUTTON AND INDICATOR
Pressing this button places the AVP in standby mode, turning off the dis-
play, disengaging all control functions, and turning off all outputs to the
main zone (remote zone functions are still available). The internal circuitry
remains on in order to maximize performance on demand by virtue of all
circuits remaining thermally stable. Lest you think this wasteful, you should
know that the AVP draws about the same power as a light bulb, whether in
standby or fully on. The benefits of having it always warmed up and ready
to go (and always able to respond to remote control commands) far out-
weigh the small amount of power used. We recommend using the front
panel power switch (13 ) only when you will be away from the house for
extended period of time, such as during a vacation.
There is another good reason for using the AVP’s standby mode. The AVP
will generate a full-frame, dark grey video signal during standby, rather than
passing no signal at all. This is particularly helpful with many projections
televisions, since it gives the projector a “sync”signal without calling for any
significant generation of light. This feature allows the projector to remain
fully warmed up at all times without risking damage to the phosphors
which create the projected light.
2 AUDIO/VIDEO SOURCES
These five buttons select both the video and associated audio signals from
any of the defined A/V inputs. (See define source buttons in The Setup
Menu section of this manual.) To use these Selection Buttons, choose the
appropriate path (see path, below). (For your music/home theater room,
“main”would be appropriate.) Then make your selection. The sophisticated
switching system employed in the AVP allows simultaneous, independent
routing of both audio and video signals the two signal paths: main,and
remote/record.

18
3 AUDIO SOURCES
These four buttons select audio signals from among the defined audio-only
inputs. (See define source buttons in The Setup Menu section of this
manual.) To use these selection buttons, choose the appropriate path (see
path, below), and then make your selection.
Viewing Simulcasts Selecting any audio source after having selected a video source will cause
the newly-selected audio signal to “override”the audio portion of the video
selection (leaving the video signal unaffected). Thus, to enjoy a simulcast,
merely select the desired picture followed by the desired sound. To revert
to the regularly-used sound of the video input, just press the video input
button again.
4“MORE”SOURCES
With five A/V sources and four audio source buttons, most people will find
the AVP’s source selection capabilities more than adequate. However, the
AVP provides a total of fifteen audio inputs (seven analog and eight digital),
in order to accommodate differing connection standards that may be used
on your source components. In addition, there are either six (composite
version) or nine (S-video version) video inputs available for use. Rather than
allowing these extra connectors to remain unused after the initial nine pri-
mary source buttons are defined, we have provided a more button to ac-
cess additional, less frequently used sources.
To define additional sources that will be accessed by the more button, sim-
ply use the menu system to define “more”sources: either a/v or
audio-only. (See set more buttons in The Setup Menu section of this
manual.) You can teach a learning remote control a direct-access command
for any of these “extra”sources, or use the more button to cycle through
them.
5 PATH BUTTON AND INDICATORS
Pressing this button cycles among your various signal path options:
•main —the main room/home theater; this path determines
which video and audio sources are sent to the Main outputs on
the back of the AVP. Sources selected for the main path are indi-
cated in yellow on the front panel LEDs.
•remote —determines which video and audio sources are sent to
the Remote outputs on the back of the AVP, to be sent to another
system elsewhere in the house. These sources are indicated in
red on the front panel LEDs. The remote path may also be used
as a secondary Record Output path if necessary.
•both —the audio and video signals for both main and remote
paths may be selected at the same time, for your convenience; as
when entertaining, perhaps, for whole-house background music.
Sources selected for “both”main and remote paths will be indi-
cated by green LEDs.
•record —determines which video and audio sources are sent to
the various record output jacks. The source selected for the
record path is indicated on the front panel in red LEDs. As a
safety measure, the AVP can provide protection against the selec-
tion of any recordable device as its own source, to avoid feedback
loops. The AVP can also display the words record loop on screen
as a warning when you accidently begin to set up such a loop.

19
Tip: To avoid any possibility of running into a “Tape Loop” problem
(where the AVP prevents you from choosing what you want, in
order to protect the system from possible damage), simply
select a non-recording source on the record path.
6 SURROUND MODE
Pressing this button cycles among the various surround modes of the AVP:
•Home THX cinema —for movies which were mixed for theatrical
release; THX may be added to any multichannel mode associated
with movies (Dolby Digital/AC-3, Dolby Pro Logic, DTS, MPEG).
•pro logic —manually selecting Pro Logic may be needed when
listening to a conventional (PCM) digital signal, as from a
laserdisc player, which does not have an identifying “flag”to indi-
cate whether it is simply stereo, or Dolby Surround encoded. (In
the case of AC-3, DTS, or MPEG, the AVP will know positively
what sort of decoding is required and will provide it automati-
cally.)
•stereo surround —for enjoying two-channel stereo recordings
using all loudspeakers; this is an ambience extraction mode that
uses the natural ambience in the recording itself, rather than syn-
thesizing something artificial.
•mono surround —for monophonic recordings which would ben-
efit from some degree of additional ambience or spaciousness,
such as many classic movies and some sporting events.
•2-ch/surround off —limits the system to two-channel stereo.
•mono —a “true”mono, reproduced only through the center chan-
nel speaker and subwoofer. Noisy mono soundtracks often enjoy
significant noise reduction by being reproduced in this mode.
In addition, when decoding DTS™source material, clicking the Surround
mod button will cycle you through the three available DTS modes:
•DTS/Music: straight DTS decoding without further processing,
most appropriate for DTS music recordings.
•DTS/Movies: DTS decoding with a +10 dB boost on the low fre-
quency effects channel (sometimes called the “.1”channel); may
be used with DTS-encoded move soundtracks.
•DTS/THX: the same as DTS/Movies, but with the additional post-
processing offered by THX 5.1; usually the best choice for DTS-
encoded move soundtracks
7 DISPLAY INTENSITY
Pressing the display intensity button will cycle the AVP’s display through the
four available levels of brightness: high, medium, low, and off. For example,
during bright daytime hours you may wish to use high; in the evening, in a
dimly-lit room, low is probably easier on the eyes.

20
8RECALL
Pressing the recall button restores the AVP to its calibrated reference set-
tings for the relative output of all speakers. This is especially helpful after
having experimented with various settings of balance, center, rear, or sub,
or when comparing a modified surround default to “flat”balance, since one
touch of a button will restore your preamplifier to its original state (as de-
termined by the setup calibrations stored in memory; see System Setup &
Calibration and Using the AVP for more details).
9 MAIN DISPLAY
The main display provides information pertaining to the operation of the
AVP including selected source, surround mode, and volume levels. At all
volumes above a relatively quiet background level, and in all modes, the
volume control enjoys a resolution of 0.5 dB. Thus a change of 9.5 decibels
would be indicated by a change of 9.5 in the display.
The main display indicates the selected source and master volume by de-
fault, and can also display the following offsets when chosen: balance,
center, rear, sub. In addition, it can also display the input level (used in cali-
brating the input level to the analog to digital converter on analog sources
only) and the rear channel delay (in milliseconds). Right- and Left-facing
arrows are provided to indicate the direction of the balance offset. Finally,
the infrared receiver and transmitter for the remote control are positioned
on the left side of the main display.
10 DELAY
Pressing this button allows you to adjust (using the volume knob) the de-
lay introduced to the signal being sent to the surround/rear channels, in
milliseconds (mS). This delay setting is in addition to the 15 msecs required
by Dolby Pro Logic when in the Pro Logic mode.
11 INPUT LEVEL
Pressing this button adjusts the input level of the selected signal to the ana-
log to digital converter. It may be used to compensate for variations in level
among sources. This adjustment is only important for analog sources (since
digital sources are effectively “level adjusted”when they were first converted
to digital).
If overload should occur, the AVP will indicate it by displaying ADC
CLIPPING in the main display and on the screen. Pressing the input level
button followed by turning the volume knob counterclockwise will reduce
the input level by the number of decibels shown in the main display. Do
so until there is no indication of clipping, even during the loudest passages.