VK-32SE WARRANTY REGISTRATION FORM Unit Serial Number: _______________________________________ Customer Name: _______________________________________ Address: _______________________________________ _______________________________________ Date of Purchase: _______________________________________ Purchased From: Dealer Name: _______________________________________ Address: _______________________________________ _______________________________________ IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to receive the full f
VK-32SE Vacuum Tube Balanced Stereo Preamplifier Owner's Manual 1300 First Stat Blvd.
Vacuum Tube Current Sources in VK-32SE Your VK-32SE incorporates a unique feature that allows you to optimize its sound to tailor it to your individual taste or system requirements. The Vacuum Tube current sources incorporated in the VK-32SE, being part of the signal gain stage, have a direct effect on the unit’s sound. Changing the tube type used in that circuit allows the user an extra degree of control over the sound of the unit.
In order to change the tube type the user needs to remove the installed Current Source board, and replace it with either another board, designed for a particular tube type, or install the 5881 tubes as a direct plug-in. Only the 5881 tubes can be used directly upon the removal of the 6C19 current source board. Please consult the factory regarding options for other tube types that may be available in the future.
TABLE OF CONTENT CURRENT SOURCES CHANGING CURRENT SOURCES INTRODUCTION Package Content Physical Placement Connecting to your system 3 4 6 6 7 7 FRONT PANEL CONTROLS VK-32SE Power On sequence Turning the VK-32SE Off PHASE Button and LED MONO button and LED MUTE button and LED INPUT selection VOLUME knob DISPLAY format FUCTION button DISPLAY Brightness function MUTE function 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 11 11 VK-32SE PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTIONS Parameter Definitions 12 13 PROGRAMMING THE VK-32SE BALANCE adjustment
INTRODUCTION Thank you for your purchase of the Balanced Audio Technology VK-32SE preamplifier. Please read this owner's manual to obtain the full benefit of the VK-32SE in your system. It will provide you with the needed safety information and operating procedures for this exceptional unit. WARNINGS: To prevent the possibility of serious injury, electrical shock or fire: DO NOT operate with the cover removed. DO NOT expose to rain or moisture. DO NOT defeat the ground power-plug.
PHYSICAL PLACEMENT It is recommended that you provide at least 6" of free space around the unit for proper ventilation. Mount the unit on a hard surface with proper ventilation underneath. Do not stack the VK-32SE preamplifier on top of other units, nor vice versa. CONNECTING THE VK-32SE TO YOUR SYSTEM Balanced Components Use balanced XLR interconnects. All input and output connectors are clearly marked on the back panel.
VK-32SE FRONT PANEL CONTROLS STANDBY Button and LED The Standby button is used to turn the unit ON and OFF and to switch the preamplifier into its Standby mode.
PHASE button and LED This button allows the user to invert the absolute polarity of the signal to compensate for some recordings that are made out-of-phase. The LED indicates whether the unit is in its INVERTING or NONINVERTING mode. This function is also accessible via the VK-R3 remote control. LED OFF Non Inverting operation LED ON Inverting operation MONO Button and LED The Mono button allows the user to switch the VK-32SE in Mono operation when the two channels are summed together.
DISPLAY FORMAT: The VK-32SE Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) is capable of showing up to twelve alphanumeric characters. Its format depends on the mode of operation. In the normal PLAY mode the display has the following format: 1. One character indicating the selected input number. 2. Four-character input name. That name is fully programmable (See the programming functions) and can include up to four character from the Latin, Cyrillic or Greek alphabets or digits. 3. Balance adjustment indicator.
DISPLAY Brightness Function Changing the Display Brightness: The VK-32SE display can be dimmed or turned completely OFF by simply pressing the DISPLAY button on your VK-R3 remote control transmitter. Each press will reduce the brightness of display and LED indicators in steps from full ON to OFF, and then one press back to full ON. The LED indicators will dim but never turn completely OFF. With the display OFF, issuing any remote control command that would normally require a display change (i.e.
VK-32SE PROGRAMABLE FUNCTIONS The VK-32SE programming functions allow the user to optimize the unit configuration for any particular system set up. The flexible programming facility defines each signal input with a group of user-selectable parameters that are then stored in the unit’s memory. Every time a particular input is selected, its unique combination of parameters is loaded into the operating memory.
Parameter Definitions: Every input of the VK-32SE is defined with the following set of parameters. 1. Input name (Examples include CD1, DVD1, PH-1, VKD5, or any other combination of up to four characters including the Latin, Cyrillic and Greek alphabet as well as digits) 2. Balance adjustment – gain shifted Left or Right. 3. Volume offset relative to any other input (to compensate for gross differences in various sources levels) 4. Phase: Inverting, Non-inverting or Last configuration 5.
RELATIVE Volume adjustment. It is quite common to have sources with very different output levels connected to a preamplifier. In this case, switching between different inputs is usually accomplished by a large change in volume. The VK-32SE allows the user to avoid this inconvenience by setting volume offsets between different inputs (using ANY input as a reference). To program this feature: 1. Select any input that you would like to use as a reference. Play music at the level you find comfortable. 2.
PHASE programming. Select the desired input. Press the Function button three times. The display will read: PHASE NINV. Use the volume knob to set the condition to NINV, INV or LAST. Exit the programming mode by pressing and holding the Function button. NOTE: In the LAST mode, the state of the PHASE switch will be the same as used the last time for that particular input. MONO/STEREO programming. Select the desired input. Press the Function button four times.
FIXED Gain mode In some systems (some A/V installations, for example) it is desirable to set a particular input to a fixed gain, that is then becomes unaffected by the volume knob. Most often it is required to set the preamplifier gain to Unity (Gain of 1). The VK-32SE allows the user to do so by using its FIXED gain function. Press the Function button six times. The display will read: FIX OFF Enter any desired number for the fixed gain on the selected input (see below).
INPUT NAME programming: The VK-32SE allows the user to assign any a custom name to any input. Those names may include up to four characters. The default names for the inputs are as follows: 1 2 3 4 5 TAPE TUN CD! AUX1 AUX2 (It will automatically switch to PH1 if the optional phono card is installed) Any combination of up to four Latin, Cyrillic, Greek alphabet characters or digits can be used to name the source. The examples may include: CD-2, DVD1, JOHN, VKD5, MARY, BOB1, etc.
REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS: The optional VK-R3 remote control that comes with your VK-32SE has the following functions: Volume Up and Volume Down control Mute function Fade Down/Fade Up function Input Source Selection 1 through 5 Phase switch Function switch Display/POWER switch. The following describes these functions. Volume Up and Down These two buttons are programmed with variable speed volume change profiles. The rate of volume change will be slow upon initial pressing of the Volume Up or Down buttons.
DISPLAY/POWER switch. The Display/Power button on the VK-R3 remote control provides two functions: turning the VK32SE display ON/OFF and switching the power to the preamplifier. To control the display: Pressing the display button will change the display brighness. Turning the VK-32SE OFF With the display in ON state, press and hold the Display button on the VK-R3 remote control. This function is disabled when the unit’s display is turned OFF.
RESETTING THE VK-32SE: Under certain conditions it might become desirable to reset the internal microprocessor that controls all the functions of the VK-32SE. Doing so will erase ALL user programmed setpoints, and will return the unit to its factory default state. In order to RESET the VK-32SE, do the following: 1. Turn the unit OFF. 2. Disconnect the power cord from the back of the unit. 3. Wait about two minutes. 4. Press AND HOLD front panel buttons Phase and Input #1. 5.
Specifications Inputs: Outputs: Main: Tape Out Maximum Gain: Global Feedback: Volume Control Resolution: Volume Control Number of Steps: Frequency Response: Input Impedance (minimum:) Output Impedance Noise (unweighted): Distortion at 2V output: Maximum Output Signal: Absolute Polarity: Power Consumption: Dimensions Weight 2 XLR’s + 3 RCA’s 1 XLR + 1 RCA 1 RCA 20dB None .5dB 140 2 Hz to 200 kHz 100kOhm each phase 300 Ohm each phase -96 dB .01% 30V Switchable 150VA 19” x 5.75” x 15.
Five Year Limited Warranty Terms and Conditions 1. Limited Warranty Upon receipt of the attached warranty registration form, Balanced Audio Technology warrants the purchased product to be free from manufacturing, materials, and workmanship defects for five years from date of original purchase, excepting vacuum tubes, subject to the following conditions.