Sonic Frontiers SONIC FRONTIERS TRANSPORT 3 User manual

SONIC
TRANSPORT 3 CD TURNTABLE
FRONTIERS
O P E R ATING MANUAL

OPERATING MANUAL FOR THE SONIC FRONTIERS
TRANSPORT 3 CD TURNTABLE
We at Sonic Frontiers hope you will derive many years of listening pleasure with your new
Transport 3 CD Turntable. This Operating Manual contains important information regarding the
operation and care of this product. Be sure to read this manual carefully and follow these instruc-
tions in order to keep it performing and sounding its best. Please contact Sonic Frontiers if you have
any questions - a Customer Service Representative will be pleased to assist you.
C O N T E N T S
Unpacking................................................................................................................3
Operation, Connection and Control Diagrams ............................................................4
Control and Connection Functions ..............................................................................5
Remote Control Functions ..........................................................................................6
Transport 3 Set-up ....................................................................................................7
Trouble Shooting ......................................................................................................7
Safety Instructions......................................................................................................8
Warranty..................................................................................................................8
Technical Specifications ............................................................................................9
This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dan-
gerous voltages” within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient mag-
nitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompa-
nying the appliance.
CAU TI ON : INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION PRESENT WHEN
OPEN, DO NOT STARE INTO BEAM.
D A N G E R : INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN,
AVOID DIRECT EXPOSURE TO BEAM

3
At this point we assume that you have successfully opened the box flaps and found this manual.
These boxes were designed to ensure the safe transport of the Transport 3. Sonic Frontiers strong-
ly recommends the storage of these boxes in a safe dry place. In the event that the Transport 3
may have to be shipped in the future, the original boxes are the best means for the protection and
safety of the product during transportation.
Here is a chart listing what you will find in the box:
Power Cord 1
Transport 3 CD Turntable 1
Remote Control 1
Warranty Card 1
Operating Manual 1
I2S•enhanced Cable 1
CD Clamp 1
If after your inspection of the contents there is a discrepancy, contact your dealer or Sonic
Frontiers immediately.
U N P A C K I N G

4
OPERATION, CONNECTIONS AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
D
I J K L M N O
Figure 1
Figure 3
A B
E
F
G
H
C
Figure 2

5
CONTROL AND CONNECTION FUNCTIONS
A - Display Window - The display window gives the operat-
ing status of the Transport 3. When a CD is loaded, the total
number of tracks and total time will be displayed. When the
Transport 3 is put in play mode, the track being read is dis-
played with an arrow indicating play and is followed by the
time of the individual track. Also displayed are: NO DISC,
when power is on and no CD is in the drawer; and OPEN,
PAUSE, and REPEAT, when these functions are selected.
B - Power Button - When depressed, this button will allow
power to the transport for full-function control, or it will turn
off the Transport 3 when the transport is no longer in use.
C - IRIS Loading Hatch - This is the mechanism for load-
ing CDs for play in the Transport 3. The IRIS is opened by
depressing the OPEN/CLOSE (H) button. A CD is placed in
the tray‘s circular depression, label side up and lying flat,
then the CD clamp is placed over the center of the CD, hold-
ing it in place. The IRIS is closed, and the CD is loaded for
play, by depressing the OPEN/CLOSE (H) or PLAY (G or 2
on the remote) buttons.
D- Search/Skip Forward and Reverse Buttons -
When depressed briefly, these buttons will position the laser
to read the start of the track either before (skip reverse) or
after (skip forward) the original position of the laser. The
transport may be in the play, pause, or stop mode. Play will
continue forward from this chosen track.
When depressed and held, these buttons allow a 10 second
audible fast forward or reverse search of a track in play
mode. After the 10 second audible search, the Transport 3
will mute and proceed in a faster search. The time positioning
and the track are shown in the DISPLAY WINDOW (B).
F - Stop Button - When depressed, this button will stop all
functions, taking the CD out of play mode and aligning the
transport to the first track. Depressing the STOP button when
the CD is not in play mode will clear selected functions such
as SHUFFLE and REPEAT.
G - Play/Pause Button - When depressed, this button will
put the transport in play mode. During play mode, the CD is
being read and a digital datastream is being transmitted
from the chosen digital output (K through O).
When depressed again, this button will stop the transmission
of the digital datastream at the precise moment it is engaged,
and will hold that position until play is resumed by pressing
the PLAY/PAUSE (G) button again.
H - Open/Close Button - When depressed, this button will
open and close the IRIS Loading Hatch (C). It will also clear
any set functions, such asrepeat or shuffle, from memory.
I - Detachable Power Cord Socket - Plug the Detachable
Power Cord into this socket (see Figure 1). The Transport 3 is
factory set for the correct operating voltage for the area in
which it is sold (see shipping box for voltage setting). If a dif-
ferent operating voltage is required, please contact an autho-
rized Sonic Frontiers dealer, distributor or the factory directly.
J - I.R. Jack - This jack can be used to plug in an external Infra
Red Repeater.
K - I2S • enhanced Digital Output - The I2S • einterface
is Sonic Frontiers enhanced implementation of the I2S bus.
I2S • eeliminates the necessity of jitter inducing clock
encode and recovery circuitry since independent and direct
connection of audio data and system clock information is
achieved.
Utilizing the mil-spec 13W3 “D-sub” miniature connector
system, separate dedicated clock, audio data and control
signals are conveyed from the Transport 3 to the Digital
Processor via discrete wideband low VSWR multiple coaxial
and balanced interconnections. Ultra high performance
Motorola PECL technology is utilized, providing high speed
for minimum noise induced jitter (1nS speeds). The
enhanced features of this interface standard allow con-
veyance of status bit flag information, automatically deter-
mining Master/Slave clock source relationships and clock
frequency division ratios for optimum system performance.
I2S • eis the highest performance digital audio interface
yet devised, and will provide the best performance possible.
All future Sonic Frontiers Digital sources will incorporate
I2S • ecompatible inputs & outputs.
L - H-P/ST (Glass Fibre) - If chosen for use, this digital out-
put must connect to an ST-Optical input on the DAC.
M - AES/EBU XLR Output - This digital output conforms to
the AES/EBU (Audio Engineering Society/European
Broadcast Union) standard. If this output is chosen for use, a
110 ohm balanced cable terminated with XLR plugs should
be used for a connection to the DAC.
NOTE: The XLR jack pin connectors for the Transport 3 are
configured as follows:
Pin #1 : Ground
Pin#2 : Positive (+) Phase
Pin #3 : Negative (–) Phase
N - COAX-BNC Digital Output - This digital output is a
BNC S/PDIF connector. If chosen for use, this digital output
should be connected to an S/PDIF connector on the DAC.
The BNC Coaxial cable impedance should be 75 ohms.
O - COAX-RCA Digital Output - This digital output is an
RCA S/PDIF connector. If chosen for use, this digital output
should be connected to an S/PDIF connector on the DAC.
The RCA - Coaxial cable impedance should be 75 ohms.
F R O N T P A N E L R E A R P A N E L
E

6
1- Dual Infra Red Emitters -Theseemitterstransmitthecoded
data fromtheremotecontroltotheTransport3frontpanel.Do not
obstruct the infrared beam.
2 - Play Button - When depressed, this button will put the
transport in play mode. During play mode, the CD is being
read and a digital datastream is being transmittedfrom the
chosen digital output (K through O).
3 - Stop Button - When depressed, this button will stop all
functions, taking the CD out of PLAY mode and aligning the
trans-port to the first track or the first programmed track.
Depressing the STOP button when the CD is not in play mode
will clear selected functions such as SHUFFLE and REPEAT.
4 - Skip Forward and Reverse Buttons - Z-Skip Reverse
and Forward Buttons - When depressed, these buttons will
position the laser to read the start of the track either before
(skip reverse) or after (skip forward) the original position of
the laser. The transport may be in the play, pause, or stop
mode. Play will continue forward from this chosen track.
6 - Search Forward and Reverse Buttons - When de-
pressed and held, these buttons allow a 10 second audible
fast forward or reverse search of a track in play mode. After
the 10 second audible search, the Transport 3 will mute and
proceed in a faster search. The time positioning and the track
are shown in the DISPLAY WINDOW (A).
8 - Pause Button - When depressed, this button will stop the
transmission of the digital datastream at the precise moment it
is depressed, and will hold that position until play is resumed
by depressing the PAUSE (G or 8) button again.
9 - Repeat Button - When depressed once, this button will
cause a CD in play mode to repeat the tracks in the order
they appear on the CD. When pressed twice, the Repeat One
mode will be activated, causing the currently selected or play-
ing track to be repeatedly played. Pressing this button a third
time will clear this function.
10 -A-B - This button will sample a portion of a track for repeat
playback. This function is extremely useful for musicians.
When the A-B button is depressed once during normal
playback of a CD, the Transport 3 will use that position in
the playing track as a starting point of the sample and A->
will appear in the DISPLAY WINDOW. Press the A-B button
a second time and the Transport 3 will use this point in the
playing track as an ending point. A->B will appear in the
DISPLAY WINDOW and the Transport 3 will repeat play
the sampled selection between the start and ending points.
11- Scan Button - When depressed, this button will cause the
transport to scan the CD. During this scan the transport will
play the first 10 seconds of each track.
12-Time Button - When de-pressed and held, these buttons
allow a 10 second audible fast forward or reverse search of a
track in play mode. After the 10 second audible search, the
Transport 3 will mute and proceed in a faster search. The
time positioning and the track are shown in the DISPLAY
WINDOW (B).
13-Shuffle Button - When depressed before the PLAY button
(G or 2), this button will randomize the order in which the
tracks are played. Depressing this button a second time will
clear this function.
4
6
8
10
12
5
7
11
13
9
2 3
REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS 1
Figure 4
5
7

7
TRANSPORT SET-UP
OPERATION OF THE TRANSPORT 3
Before plugging in the Transport 3, check to see that the unit is
configured for the correct AC line voltage for country of use. The
operating AC line voltage is indicated on the side of the shipping
box. If the Transport 3 is set incorrectly for the country in which it
is to be operated, contact the dealer or distributor in your area. If
the unit is configured properly, continue with operation.
Connect the Detachable Power Cord to the Transport 3 chassis
(see Figure 5) and plug your Transport 3 into the AC power
source.
Load the Remote Control with 2 AA size batteries.
Next choose the most appropriate digital output connector (K
through O). With the appropriate cable connect the Transport 3 to
your DAC’s digital input.
The Transport 3 CD Turntable is now ready for operation. Power
the unit by pressing the Power Button (B), load the Transport 3 with
a favorite CD, place the CD clamp over the center of the CD and
close the IRIS hatch. Select desired track(s) and press the Play
Button (G or 2 on the remote). You are now ready to sit back, lis-
ten and enjoy.
BREAK-IN TIME
As with all audio electronic products, the ultimate sonic character
of the Transport 3 will not be realized until and unless the unit
receives a minimum of approximately 150 hours of signal break-
in time (i.e. the Transport 3 is on and outputting a signal).
T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G
If at any time the Transport 3 fails to work properly, consult this
checklist:
If the Transport 3 will not turn on:
1. Check that the Power Switch (B) is in the on position.
2. Check that the AC Detachable Power Cord is plugged into the
Transport 3 Detachable Power Cord Socket (I) and is connected to
a live source of AC power. For instance, if using a power bar,
check that the bar is turned on.
If the Transport 3 is operating but does not play:
1. Be sure the rest of the system is functioning properly (i.e. DAC,
power amplifiers, cables and connections, etc.).
2. Check that the loading drawer is not jammed by an improperly
loaded CD.
3. Check to ensure the CD has not been put in the transport with
the label side down.
4. Be sure the CD is not damaged and is readable.
If the remote does not function, check to ensure that the two AAA
batteries are fresh.
If these checks fail to correct the operation of the Transport 3
Transport contact the nearest Sonic Frontiers dealer or Sonic
Frontiers directly.
Figure 5 - Align socket pins to corresponding holes and push together.
I

8
TRANSPORT 3 PLACEMENT
Be sure the Transport 3 is resting on a hard, flat surface.
1. Water and Moisture - This product should not be used near
water. Do not expose this product to rain or moisture to prevent
fire or shock hazard.
2. Heat - This product should be situated away from heat
sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appli-
ances which produce heat.
3. Power Sources - This product should be connected to an AC
power source of the proper rated voltage. The original shipping
containers will stipulate the AC voltage this unit can operate
with correctly.
4. Cleaning - A regular dusting with a soft, non-abrasive cloth
will generally keep the finish of the faceplate and chassis look-
ing like new. At no time should you allow any liquid to come in
contact with the Transport 3; it may run into the electronic cir-
cuitry and cause damage which will not be covered under your
warranty.
5. Servicing - Do not open this product. No user serviceable
parts inside. Refer servicing to an authorized service techni-
cian.
6. Non-Use Periods - The power cord of this product should be
unplugged from the outlet when left unused for an extended
period of time.
PACKING MATERIALS
We recommend that you retain all of the packing material and
shipping boxes for your Transport 3. They are custom designed
to prevent shipping damage from occurring. Sonic Frontiers,
Inc. will accept no responsibility for any damage occurring to a
Transport 3 that is shipped in packing material other than the
original Sonic Frontiers packing material.
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Under no circumstances does Sonic Frontiers, Inc. assume liabil-
ity or responsibility for injury or damages sustained in the use
or operation of this equipment or for damages to any other
equipment connected to it.
Sonic Frontiers, Inc. reserves the right to make design changes
or improvements without the obligation to revise prior versions.
All specifications are subject to change without notice.
LIMITED FIVE YEAR WARRANTY
Sonic Frontiers, Inc. warrants to the purchaser that each
Transport 3 CD Turntable is free of manufacturing defects for a
period of five (5) years from the date of purchase. This five (5)
year limited non-transferable warranty excludes the CD mecha-
nism, which we warrant for a period of twelve (12) months. To
receive this warranty, the original purchaser must complete and
mail to Sonic Frontiers, within thirty (30) days from the date of
purchase, the enclosed Warranty Registration Form. Sonic
Frontiers, Inc. will then validate the warranty to the original pur-
chaser. This warranty is subject to the following conditions and
limitations:
1 .Warranty applies only to the original purchaser.
2. This warranty is void and inapplicable if the product has
been handled other than in accordance with the instructions in
this Owner’s Manual, abused or misused, damaged by accident
or neglect or in being transported, or the defect is due to the
product being tampered with, modified or repaired by anyone
other than Sonic Frontiers, Inc. or an authorized Sonic Frontiers
repair depot.
3. Warranty does not cover normal maintenance.
4. Sonic Frontiers, Inc. shall not be responsible in any way for
consequential or indirect damages or liabilities resulting from
the use and operation of the product covered herein or resulting
from any breach of this warranty or any implied warranty relat-
ing to said product.
During this period, Sonic Frontiers, Inc. will repair or replace
any defective components free of charge. A Return
Authorization Number (RAN) is required before any product is
returned to our factory for any reason. This number must be vis-
ible on the exterior of the shipping container(s) for Sonic
Frontiers to accept the return.
Units shipped to us without a Return Authorization Number or
without a visible RAN on the exterior of the shipping
container(s) will be returned to the sender, freight collect.
Units to be repaired by Sonic Frontiers, Inc. must be sent ship-
ping and insurance prepaid by the original purchaser in the
original packing material. A returned product should be accom-
panied by a written description of the defect. Repaired units will
be returned by Sonic Frontiers, Inc. shipping and insurance pre-
paid.
All other warranties or conditions either written, verbal,
expressed or implied are void.
Note: In foreign markets (anywhere outside of Canada and the
USA), the warranty is supplied by the authorized International
Distributor. Exact terms and conditions may vary.
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

9
Wow and Flutter Below measurable levels
Jitter <2 ps rms, to 40 kHz at the clock
Typically 10ps rms, at the outputs
(independently verified with UltraAnalog’s
latest Jitter Analyzer
Digital Outputs(5)
AES/EBU Balanced on XLR-3 connector
Impedance 110 ohms, ±5%
Level 3.0 p-p typ with 110ohm load
Tr=Tf 7ns, typ
S/PDIF Single ended RCA connector
Impedance 75 ohms, ±5%
Level 0.5V p-p typ with 75 ohm load
Tr=Tf 8 ns, typ
SPDIF Single ended BNC connector
Impedance 75 ohms, ±5%
Level 0.5V p-p typ with 75 ohm load
Tr=Tf 8 ns, typ
Glass-ST HP HFBR-1414
Power 60uw into 62 um fibre
I2S•e13W3 style “D-sub” miniature connector
Level 2 implementation of I2S•e
Impedance 3-Coax 75ohms, ±5%
(Transmission lines) 5-Twisted Pair 110ohms, ±5%
Tr=Tf Ins typ (ecl.)
Laser Semiconductor GaAIAs, 0.5mw, continuous, 790nm
Sampling Rate 352.8 kHz
Disc Rotation Velocity 200-500rpm (constant linear velocity)
Quantization 16 bits, linear
Error correction CIRC principle
I.R. Jack TTL level optically isolated
Number of channels 2 channels, stereo
Power Consumption 100-120 VAC 50/60Hz 40VA Max.
200-240 VAC 50/60Hz 40VA Max.
Dimensions: Main - 19.125” Wide x 16” Deep x 4.” High
(49 cm x 40 cm x 10 cm)
Net Weight Approx. 31.5 lbs (14.3 kg) - unpacked
Warranty 5 years parts and labor
1 year on the mechanism
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Note: All measurements performed with an Audio Precision System Two test center.
Due to Sonic Frontiers desire to continually improve its products, specifications are subject
to change without notice.
REMOTE CONTROL BATTERY REPLACEMENT
To replace the remote control batteries, unscrew the top of the
remote from the base and insert batteries as shown below.
I2S • enhanced C O N N E C T O R
The signals are transmitted using a single 13W3 cable between
the transmitter and receiver. The 13W3 connector consists of
three 75Ωcoaxial transmission lines (referred to as A1, A2 and
A3) and 5 twisted-pair 110Ωcables (referred to as pins 1
through 10).
The Master Clock is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver
in a balanced configuration using two 75Ωcoaxial transmission
lines. The + phase of the Master Clock is transmitted on A2 while
the - phase of the Master Clock is transmitted on A3.
The Bit Clock, Word Clock, Data, and Channel status signals are
transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver in a balanced con-
figuration using 4 of the 110Ωtwisted-pair transmission lines.
The Clock Flag is transmitted as single-ended signal with CMOS
compatible levels using the remaining twisted-pair line. The driver
for this signal sources 10 mA so as to be compatible with
receivers that use an input opto-coupler device.
The 13W3 cable’s outer foil shield is connected to chassis ground
at both ends.

We at Sonic Frontiers are sure that you will derive many years
of listening pleasure with your new Transport 3 CD Turntable.
This Operating Manual contains important information regard-
ing the operation and care of the Transport 3. Be sure to read
this manual carefully and follow these instructions in order to
keep it looking, operating and sounding its best.
2790 Brighton Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6H 5T4 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone]
Sonic Frontiers can be reached from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, or 24 hours a day by facsimile.
E - M a i l : S F I @ s o n i c f r o n t i e r s .c o m W e b S it e : h t t p : / / w w w . s o n i c f r o n ti e r s . c o m