Owner’s Manual Nº360 Digital Processor R Madrigal Audio Laboratories
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. 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.
Important Safety Instructions Please read all instructions and precautions carefully and completely before operating your Mark Levinson 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.
From all of us at Madrigal Audio Laboratories, thank you for choosing the Mark Levinson Nº360 Digital Audio Processor. A great deal of effort went into the design and construction of this precision device. Used properly, it will give you many years of enjoyment.
Table of Contents Unpacking and Placement ......................................................... 6 Send in Your Warranty Card! ............................................................... 6 Unpacking the Nº360 ......................................................................... 6 Placement of the Nº360 ..................................................................... 6 Operating Voltage ..................................................................... 7 A Quick Start… ....................
Unpacking and Placement Send in Your Warranty Card! So far, you have only half a product. The other half is the ongoing service and support we can provide you to complement your new component and help you maximize your enjoyment of it. Unfortunately, we cannot give you this other half of the product you just purchased unless you tell us where to find you. Sending in your warranty card will automatically add your name to our mailing list, and will allow us to contact you for the occasional special offer.
Operating Voltage The Nº360 Digital Audio Processor is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V, 220V, 230V or 240V AC mains operation @ 50 or 60Hz. (230V/50Hz only in European Union countries, in compliance with CE regulations.) This voltage setting cannot be changed by the user. Make sure that the label on the bottom panel of the Nº360 (adjacent to the AC cord) indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your location.
A Quick Start… We recognize that many people are understandably eager to begin listening to their new components, and that reading the manual is often done (if at all) at a later time—perhaps while listening to music through the new product itself. We strongly recommend that you read this manual thoroughly, as the Nº360 Digital Audio Processor incorporates several unusual features which enhance its operation.
4 Connect a set of analog outputs to your preamplifier The Nº360 has both balanced (XLR) analog outputs and singleended (RCA) outputs. They are found on the outside edges of the rear panel. As viewed from the front, the left side contains the Left channel and the right side contains the Right channel. Use high quality analog cable such as Madrigal CZ Gel.
Special Design Features Congratulations on your purchase of the Nº360 Digital Audio Processor. The Madrigal design team is confident you will enjoy the outstanding performance of the Nº360 for many years. In case you are interested in technical details, what follows is a brief outline of some of the key technologies in your new processor. “24/96” capability & HDCD® In addition to the common 16 bit at either 44.
new software as needed. In this respect, the Nº360 is more like a modern computer in its architecture, whereas most audio processors are akin to mere appliances, designed to provide only a fixed set of functions. Everything that the Nº360 “knows” how to do is stored in non-volatile computer memory. Updating this “flash” memory to accommodate newly-announced formats of functions is a simple matter of connecting the Nº360’s RS-232 port on the rear panel to a PC and downloading new information.
Madrigal engineers have developed a proprietary buffer management scheme which reduces reproduced jitter to less than 20 picoseconds while maintaining the synchronization of sound and picture in movies. It employs a buffer large enough to absorb the jitter found in transports of reasonable quality, yet small enough to have imperceptible delay.
HDCD® Gain-Matching Some HDCD-encoded recordings are mastered at a level which is noticeably lower (6 dB) than conventional recordings, to allow for greater dynamic peaks. To avoid unexpected changes in average volume when going from one disc to another, the Nº360 can automatically reduce the volume of all other recordings by six decibels. To remind you of of when it is in this mode of operation, the Nº360 will display “-6 dB PAD” when locking on a digital input signal in the HDCD AUTO mode.
2 press the polarity button so the display shows “HDCD MAN.” Repeatedly pressing the polarity button will toggle the display between “HDCD AUTO” (meaning that the Nº360 automatically lowers its volume on conventionally-mastered discs) and “HDCD MAN.” (meaning that gain-matching is turned off; HDCD-encoded discs will still be decoded properly). If you try to change from one to the other while a Nº380 is Linked, the Nº360 will display “HDCD No38” (indicating that the equipment already knows what to do).
1 2 3 4 5 display intensity ® mode aes/ebu polarity invert 1 MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES DIGITAL PROCESSOR Nº 360 emphasis 2 3 6 4 5 6 7 teach ir 8 standby 9 Front panel, Nº360 1 display intensity Pressing this button varies the brightness of the display. Four brightness levels are available. When power is first applied to the Nº360 (or when power is restored after an interruption), the display is automatically set to its brightest level.
2 aes/ebu LED The aes/ebu LED lights when the Nº360 detects that the digital program being processed conforms to the AES/EBU (Audio Engineering Society/European Broadcast Union) professional standard. This LED indicates the presence or absence of certain encoded information in the digital signal. It does not indicate that the AES/ EBU connections (a connection standard written by the same group) are being used.
After a few seconds, the display will return to its normal mode, which is to display the selected source and current sampling frequency.
While polarity invert is selected, the LED above the button will light. Note: polarity invert doesn’t affect the digital output, and isn’t available for inverting the polarity of digital signals to be recorded. Note: polarity invert may be operated by infrared remote control when the Nº360 is connected to compatible Mark Levinson components such as the Nº31 Reference CD Transport. Complete instructions are included in those components’ operating manuals.
8 Teah IR The Nº360 has both an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter in its main display, enabling it to respond to IR remote controls that have “learned” the appropriate commands. The Nº360 can “teach” these commands to a learning remote control.
1 2 3 Display, Nº360 1 20 Input Name This part of the Nº360’s display shows the name of the input selected, as determined during setup (see “Assigning input names” in the “Installation” section of this manual). To facilitate operation in complex, multisource systems, the Nº360 is capable of displaying a wide variety of names for each of its eight inputs. They are listed below.
2 Input number This part of the Nº360’s display shows the input number of the selected digital source, according to the connections on the rear panel (see “Rear panel, Nº360”) and to the front panel button used to access that input. 3 Sampling frequency This part of the Nº360’s display normally shows the sampling frequency of the digital input being processed, expressed in kilohertz.
1 2 and High Definition Compatible Digital® are registered trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc. 11 12 control RS-232 2 1 DIGITAL PROCESSOR Nº360 designed and manufactured in U.S.A.
3 aes/ebu electrical digital inputs (#1 & #2) These inputs accept the digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with XLR-type connectors from digital sources such as a compact disc transport, DVD transport, laser disc transport, digital audio tape transport, or digital broadcast receiver. These inputs conform to the AES/EBU digital interconnection standard, which calls for a 110Ω transmission of the DAS.
This input conforms to the Sony/Philips Digital Interface Standard (S/PDIF), which calls for a 75Ω transmission of the DAS. Use a digital interconnecting cable specifically designed for the 75Ω S/ PDIF standard, such as Madrigal MDC-2 cable, when using this input.
Linking connections slave out display intensity R mode Nº37 aes/ebu polarity invert 1 MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES emphasis 2 3 4 5 6 teach ir COMPACT DISC DRIVE Nº 37 standby slave in digital output Link cable master digital input display intensity Nº360 R mode aes/ebu polarity invert 1 MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES DIGITAL PROCESSOR Nº 36 emphasis 2 3 4 5 6 teach ir standby analog output Link cable any input slave R MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES Nº380 PREAMPLIFIER Nº38 s
10 electrical digital output This output provides digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with XLR-type connectors to a digital processor, digital audio tape recorder, preamplifier, integrated amplifier, or receiver equipped with XLR-type digital inputs.
RS-232 123456 pin 2 = Rx from PC pin 3 = Tx to PC pin 5 = ground Note that only qualified technicians should attempt to make use of the special capabilities afforded by this communications port. AC power connector (on bottom) This input accepts AC power from the AC mains (via the supplied AC cable). Connect the female end of this cable to the Nº360. Connect the male end of this cable to wall outlet or to an “unswitched” convenience outlet like those found on many audio components.
Setup and Installation Caution! Nº360 Input Names For your protection, review “Important Safety Instructions” before you install your Nº360.
Making Digital Connections The Nº360 incorporates RCA, BNC and XLR electrical connectors, and ST and EIAJ optical connectors for digital audio signal input. The digital output is the electrical aes/ebu standard via XLR connector. (See “Rear panel, Nº360,” above.
Making Analog Connections The Nº360 includes one set of balanced and one set of single-ended analog outputs. The balanced outputs are generally preferred for their superior immunity to noise. All outputs operate at a line level. Note: the standard line level for balanced interconnection is six decibels higher than for single-ended interconnections. Please use a high quality cable for your analog audio interconnection.
pable Madrigal components together using eight conductor “straightthrough” cables with RJ-45 connectors at both ends. The RJ-45 cable needed for the connection between the Nº360 and other PHAST-compatible Madrigal components may be purchased from your Mark Levinson dealer. It may also be easily made to length using two RJ-45 connectors and the appropriate length (up to 100 feet/ 30 meters) of RJ-45 (flat, eight conductor) cable.
greatly enhances the ease of use of your new Nº360, especially for occasional users of the system. The available names are shown on page 24. Each name is normally followed by a number corresponding to the number of the input being used. Thus, a DAT in Input 3 would normally display a DAT3. In this way, you can have more than one CD player, for example, and still tell at a glance which one is selected.
3 press the selected input’s button repeatedly until you see the name you wish to use This action will cause the display to cycle through the list of available names, with the input number appended to the end of each name. For example, you might wish to change input #6 from NOT USED to LD6 if the digital output of your laserdisc player is plugged into the EIAJ input.
Remote Control of the Nº360 The Nº360 includes both an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter. With this capability, it can “teach” a learning remote control any commands that might be needed for remote operation. These include input selection, mode, polarity, etc.
3 Repeat the process of “teaching” new commands to the various buttons on your remote control until all front panel commands have been learned by your remote 4 When finished, exit the programming mode by pressing the teach ir button You may wish to teach your remote control some of the Nº360’s special commands (those for which there is no corresponding front panel button); in this case, you should go directly to the next section.
hard assignment for operate hard assignment for standby hard assignment for system operate hard assignment for system standby hard assignment for record on hard assignment for record off display intensity to off display intensity to medium special commands table 3 CMD1 CMD2 CMD3 CMD4 CMD5 CMD6 CMD7 CMD8 Momentarily press the mode button to transmit that code Line up the IR window of your remote control with the left side of the display of the Nº360, at a distance of approximately 2"-6".
Linked functions The Nº360 has the ability to “link” several of its functions to compatible Mark Levinson components (like the Nº31 Reference CD Transport and the Nº38 or Nº38S Preamplifier, and the 30-series power amplifiers). Note: To take advantage of linked functions, you must connect the Nº360 to the other components via their communication ports. (See “Rear panel” and “Set-up and installation.”) The following linked functions are selected as operational options at your Mark Levinson transport.
Display link ■ Display link: This links the display intensity functions of the Nº360 and the other Linked components. When the components are linked, all displays will be set to the same brightness. Pressing display intensity on either component will affect both displays. Polarity link ■ Polarity link: This links the d/a polarity button on the transport’s Remote Control to the polarity invert function of the Nº360.
Troubleshooting In general, refer any service problems to your Mark Levinson dealer. Before contacting your dealer, however, check to see if the problem is listed here. If it is, try the suggested solutions. If none of these solves the problem, contact your Mark Levinson dealer. 1. The Nº360 won’t function, and the Display is dark. ✓ The standby button on the front panel isn’t turned on. ✓ The Nº360 isn’t plugged into the AC mains. ✓ The wall socket, adapter, or extension cord is faulty.
5. I have a 24/96 DVD that will not lock and play at 96k ✓ When invoked, the CSS copy-protection system on DVD requires the transport either to mute its digital output entirely or to downsample (to a maximum of 16 bits/48 kHz). Conveying the full 24/96 digital material out of a transport when the CSS flag has been invoked a violation of copyright, and illegal. It may be that you are trying to listen to a disc which invokes CSS.
Care and maintenance To remove dust from the cabinet of the Nº360, use a feather duster. To remove dirt and fingerprints, we recommend isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. Caution! Always apply the isopropyl alcohol to the soft cloth and then wipe the Nº360 with the dampened cloth. Never pour even small amounts of any liquid directly on the Nº360, as doing so may allow the liquid to reach the circuitry inside the unit.
U.S. and Canadian Warranty 90-Day Limited Warranty Five Year Extended Warranty 42 This Mark Levinson® product is warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. To extend the warranty of this Mark Levinson product, return the warranty registration card along with a copy of the original receipt of purchase to Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc., P. O. Box 781, Middletown, CT 06457.
Obtaining Service We take great pride in our dealers. Experience, dedication, and integrity make these professionals ideally suited to assist with our customers’ service needs. If your Mark Levinson component must be serviced, please contact your dealer. Your dealer will then decide whether the problem can be remedied locally, or whether to contact Madrigal for further service information or parts, or to obtain a Return Authorization.
Specifications The correlation between published specifications and sonic quality is unreliable. A list of numbers reveals virtually nothing. All technical measurements must be subject to qualitative as well as quantitative interpretation. Measurements of the Nº360 yield excellent results by any standards. However, only those specifications that apply to its actual operation are included here. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 44 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Frequency response: 10Hz - 20kHz +0dB, –0.
Dimensions 13.38" 34 cm 0.425" 1.1 cm 7.68" 19.5 cm 2.85" 7.24 cm 0.10" 2.00" 5.1 cm 7.34" 18.6 cm 15.55" 39.5 cm 11.55" 29.3 cm 1.19" 3 cm 0.875" 2.2 cm 6.5" 16.5 cm 15.75" 40 cm 45 7.34" 18.6 cm 2.00" 5.1 cm 0.10" 2.5 mm 0.925" 2.3 cm 13.38" 34 cm 2.96" 7.5 cm 3.76" 9.5 cm 0.08" 2 mm 3.125" 7.9 cm (AC input) 2.25" 5.7 cm 2.25" 5.7 cm 0.08" 2 mm 0.925" 2.
2081 South Main Street, P.O. Box 781 Middletown, Connecticut 06457 USA Telephone: (860) 346-0896 Fax: (860) 346-1540 http://www.madrigal.com R MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES is a registered trademark of Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc. a Harman International company HDCD® and High Definition Compatible Digital® are registered trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc. 630418 © 2/2000 Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
