Swan Song Audio Cygnet User manual

Swan Song Audio

SWAN SONG AUDIO LLC
Swan Song AudioTM LLC Copyright 2014 Page 0
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................1
Safety.........................................................2
Connections .................................................4
Phono-cartridge amplifier matching ..................5
Compensating for the signal chain ....................7
Loading ......................................................8
Summary of Cygnet Features ..........................9
Warranty .................................................. 10

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Introduction
Swan Song Audio was conceived to generate a
Renaissance in the world of music reproduction.
Our aim is to revive the beauty and musicality
from the Golden Age of Audio by producing
modern products that combine beauty of form with
technology.
Our Mission
The focus of Swan Song Audio (SSA) is to
bring high audiophile grade performance to a
broad market of music aficionados. This level of performance is often only available at
a high cost due to the countless hours of tweaking, matching and searching that is not
feasible in a production environment where profit margins drive pricing.
Our Standards
SSA is focused on bringing that special component to the music lover. In order to
do so, our standards insist on the following:
Use high quality parts
Maximize the value each part brings to the music lover’s overall experience
Remove possible failure points
Build all products to endure beyond the original owner
Make the exterior beautiful
In order to assure that our standards are met, we maintain control over the entire
production process. SSA is a US company that designs and builds products in the US.
Component parts are sourced globally, but all construction is completed in a boutique-
manufacturing environment, dedicated solely to SSA. This maintains a high degree of
control and allows customization to meet individual consumer desires.

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Safety
Review the following safety precautions
carefully before operating the Power Supply and
Phono Preamp modules to avoid any personal
injuries or damages to the Power Supply and
Phono Preamp modules and any products
connected to it. To avoid potential hazards,use
the Power Supply and Phono Preamp modules as
specified by this user’s guide only
The Power Supply and Phono Preamp modules should be serviced by Swan Song
Audio or approved service personnel only.
Use Proper Power Cord
Use the power cord designed for the Power Supply Module and authorized in
your country only.
Connect and Disconnect Accessories
Do not connect or disconnect interconnects or ground wires while they are
connected to a live voltage source.
Ground The Power Supply Module
The Power Supply Module is grounded through the grounding conductor of the
power cord. To avoid electric shock,the Power Supply module grounding
conductor must be grounded properly.
Observe All Ratings
To avoid fire or shock hazard, observe all ratings and marks on the instrument.
Follow the user’s guide for further ratings information before making connections
to the instrument.
Do Not Operate Without Covers
Do not operate the Power Supply with covers or panels removed. Unless in the
setup mode, do not operate the Phono Preamp with covers or panels removed.
Use Proper Fuse
Use a 250 volt 1 amp fuse.

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Avoid Circuit or Wire Exposure
Do not touch exposed connections and components when power is on.
Do Not Operate With Suspected Failures
If suspected damage occurs with the Power Supply and/or Phono Preamp
modules, contact Swan Song Audio before further operations.
Provide Proper Ventilation
The Power Supply and Phono Preamp modules may be stacked or placed
separately. Please leave 6 inches above and around the modules.
Perform General Maintenance
Do not store or leave the Power Supply and/or Phono Preamp modules where
they will be exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time.
Use Caution In Daily Operation
To avoid damages to the Power Supply and/or Phono Preamp modules, do not
expose them to liquids, static electricity, electronic magnetic interference, small
children, or pets.
Use Proper Cleaning Supplies
To clean the Power Supply Module, disconnect the Power Supply from all power
sources. Clean the loose dust on the outside of the Power Supply module with
a lint-free cloth or with Windex.
To clean the Phono Preamp Module,turn the power off on the Power Supply.
Clean the loose dust on the outside of the Phono Preamp module with a lint-free
cloth or with Windex.

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Connections
To connect the Cygnet, please perform the
following steps. It is suggested that you first
adjust the gain levels to your own personal
satisfaction with the power off and in a well-lit
accessible area.
Connect the MIDI and AC cables to the
power supply module.
Place the Power Supply module in the desired location.
Complete any gain adjustments to the Phono Preamp module.
Connect the left/right cables from the tone arm to the inputs on Phono Preamp
module.
Connect the grounding cable from the tone arm to the inputs on the Phono
Preamp module (optional).
Connect the outputs of the Phono Preamp module to the preamplifier or
integrated amplifier (match the color codes on the RCA jacks so as not to cross
the left and right channels).
Connect the MIDI cable from the Power Supply Module to the Phono Preamp
module. Be sure to cross any input or output signal interconnects at a 90
degree angle. Any parallel run between the MIDI cable and the input or output
cables should have a 3 inch separation (this will help to minimize any capacitive
affects between the cables).
Raise the switch lever on the left side of the power supply to turn on the Phono
Preamp.

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Phono-cartridge amplifier matching
Phono-cartridge amplifier matching refers to the
concept of matching the output voltage of the
cartridge with the amplifier such that the full range
of volume control can be used. For example:
The cartridge puts out .005 volts.
The amplifier requires 1 volt to reach
maximum volume.
The required gain is 1/.005 or 200 after any RIAA losses or 46db.
Expanding upon this example, consider the following typical cartridge output
voltages and amplifier input sensitivities.
Cartridge output voltages: .1, .2, .5, 1, 2, 5 millivolts.
Amplifier sensitivities: .5, .75, 1, 1.25 volts.
The above combinations require 19 unique gains with a range of 41 –85db. The
Cygnet was built recognizing that phono-cartridges can put out between .1 millivolts
and 6 millivolts while amplifiers can require anywhere from .25 volts to 2 volts input
voltage to reach maximum volume. Furthermore, the listener may not want to reach
maximum volume and therefore might desire to reduce the phono-preamplifier output
in order to gain more usage of the volume control knob. The Cygnet provides 36
different gain settings or 32-61db (36 steps) in standard mode and 52-81db (36 steps)
with the optional built-in transformers. This number of gain settings allows the user
the ability to create a precise match between phono-cartridge and amplifier.
To set the gain of the Cygnet, please perform the following steps:
Locate the cartridge output voltage and amplifier input sensitivity voltage.
Access the gain calculation tool to calculate the required gain.
Enter the two numbers and locate the highlighted suggested gain setting.
Remove the top from the Phono Preamp module using a Philips screwdriver to
loosen the 8 screws.
Move the gain jumpers on each stage to match the suggested gain setting. The
jumpers can be found next to each opamp. The jumper nearest the back panel

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is number 1. For each opamp this provides the lowest amount of gain. A
jumper in position two provides higher gain; with both jumpers, maximum gain
from that stage is obtained. Always choose the option with the most gain from
the first stage.
The phono preamplifier now will provide the gain required to correctly match the
cartridge and amplifier while minimizing over or under amplification. This will
also allow a better utilization of any volume controls and amplifier headroom.

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Compensating for the signal chain
The Cygnet allows the listener to tailor the
phono-preamplifier’s response to Recording
Industry Association of America (RIAA) response
curve. Left and right channels are independently
adjustable. The 2122hz filter is user adjustable
from 1879hz to 2283hz. The 50hz filter is user
adjustable from 37hz to 60hz. This adjustability
enables the listener to get the most from their vinyl
listening experience.
Many phono-preamplifier manufacturers use defined values for their filter
components. The components are selected to optimize the phono-preamplifier’s
response at the 50, 500, and 2122hz values. Extensive testing has shown that even
with 0.1% tolerance parts, optimizing these three points on the RIAA curve does not
always lead to an optimal overall frequency response. Each Cygnet is calibrated
across 12 frequency points ranging from 20 to 15khz. The target is a 2% difference
between the actual and calculated RIAA response curve. By focusing on 12 points and
allowing the 50 and 2122hz points to differ from a possible 100% accuracy, the overall
curve is optimized providing a more enjoyable listening experience.
To adjust the RIAA curve please perform the following steps.
Remove the top from the Phono Preamp module using a Philips screwdriver to
loosen the 8 screws.
The first black shaft, on the left when facing the Cygnet, is the upper midrange
RIAA setting. Adjusting this to the right will increase the gain of all frequencies
above 2122hz. This will help the system to sound more open with more treble
response.
The second black shaft is the lower bass RIAA setting. Adjusting this to the
right will increase the gain of all frequencies above 50hz. This will help the
system to increase the bass and higher frequency response.
The settings are not mutually exclusive. The lower bass and the upper
midrange RIAA setting can both be increased. This will create a response that
is more vivid, bringing the listener closer to the music.
The third black shaft is the balance to fine tune the gain of each channel. Turn
the shaft to the right to increase the gain until each channel has the same
output level.

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Loading
Load levels in the Cygnet are set by setting switches inside the standard or by
rotating the loading knob on the front of the Cygnet SE. The loading levels are
different for phono-preamplifiers with transformers versus for those without. This is
due to two reasons:
The transformer divides the loading levels by a factor of 100.
The maximum loading levels for the step up transformers is 1000 ohms.
The charts below show the different loading levels for each individual and
combination of switch settings, in ohms.
Loading switch settings for standard edition with step up transformers
SW1
SW2
SW3
SW4
SW5
Individual switches
10
47
100
470
1000
SW1||SW2
8
S2||S3
32
SW3||SW4||SW5
76
SW3||SW4
82
SW4||SW5
320
Loading switch settings for standard edition without step up transformers
SW1
SW2
SW3
SW4
SW5
Individual switches
100
220
2200
4700
47000
SW1||SW2
69
SW3||SW4
1499
SW4||SW5
4273