Owner’s Manual Nº383 Integrated Amplifier 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® integrated amplifier. 1. ALWAYS disconnect your entire system from the AC mains before connecting or disconnecting any cables, or when cleaning any component. 2. This product must be terminated 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. 3.
From all of us at Madrigal Audio Laboratories, thank you for choosing the Mark Levinson Nº383 Integrated Amplifier. 4 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 Special Design Features of the Nº383 Integrated Amplifier ........ 7 why an integrated? ............................................................................ 7 the power supplies ............................................................................. 7 the preamplifier .................................................................................. 8 the volume control ............................................................................. 8 the power amplifier .......
Using the Nº383 with Learning Remote Controls ..................... 35 using the teach ir menu ................................................................... 35 available ir commands ...................................................................... 36 Modes of Operation ................................................................ 37 normal operation ............................................................................. 37 the balance mode .............................................
Special Design Features of the Nº383 Integrated Amplifier why an integrated? For over 25 years, the Mark Levinson brand has been associated with the world finest separate components. So why, after all this time, do we introduce an integrated amplifier? Actually, we have been thinking of creating an integrated amplifier that we would want to put the Mark Levinson name on for years.
the preamplifier Five analog input pairs are provided for use with balanced (2 pr. XLR) and single-ended (3 pr. RCA) sources. The inputs are independently buffered. As with other Mark Levinson preamplifiers, un-selected inputs have both their signal and ground connections lifted, eliminating a possible path where noise may enter the chassis.
connected. Pre-filtering the AC line using capacitors and thermistors helps prevent damage from an occasional or prolonged influx of surges and spikes. An AC mains relay can be switched off when called upon by one of the Nº383’s other protection systems. Thermal protection is controlled by four sensors mounted on each rail of the left and right channel output stages. If a sensor detects excessive heat, it instructs the amplifier to switch itself off.
construction Regardless of the technology used, numerous details must be executed to fully realize the potential of a Mark Levinson design. The quality of individual components, the care and craftsmanship with which they are assembled and the exhaustive inspection and testing we employ help raise the value of Mark Levinson products. The Nº383 is built to the same high construction standards as all other Mark Levinson products.
Unpacking and Placement unpacking Unpack your Nº383 Integrated Amplifier and keep all packing materials for future transport. Locate and remove all accessory items from the Accessory Box within the Controller shipping carton. Accessories include: 1 detachable AC power cord 1 Nº383 remote control 2 AAA alkaline batteries Also included with your new Mark Levinson component is a pair of knit, white gloves to assist you in the initial unpacking and placement of your new purchase.
ventilation Caution! 12 Be sure to allow 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm) of clearance above the Nº383 to allow heat dissipation through air circulation. Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations and custom cabinetry (see “Dimensions”). It is extremely important that all components in your system be properly grounded. Do not defeat a threeprong AC cords with “ground-lifter” or “cheater” adaptors, as doing so may allow dangerous voltages to build up between components.
Operating Voltage The Nº383 Integrated Amplifier is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V, 230V, 220V, 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 near the AC receptacle of the Nº383 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 Nº383 Integrated Amplifier incorporates many unusual features which enhance its operation.
For example, if you are using only two or three inputs on your Nº383, you may disable the unused ones so that the select knob selects only among connectors you are actually using. For more information on customizing your integrated amplifier in this and other ways, please see “Customizing Your Nº383.” 3 Alphanumeric Display This twelve-character display provides a wide range of information concerning the operation of the Nº383. The information displayed depends on what the Nº383 is doing.
6 Display Intensity Button Cycles among four levels of brightness (including “off ”) for the display, allowing adjustment for various ambient lighting conditions. When “off,” the display will turn on for a few seconds whenever a setting is changed. When used in conjunction with certain compatible Mark Levinson components, this button will control the display intensity of all linked components. (For more information, see “Linked Functions.
If you adjust the volume while mute is engaged, the preamplifier will adjust its volume from the muted level, and disengage the mute function. This approach prevents an unpleasant surprise when, having increased the volume while muted, someone un-mutes the system. The factory default setting of the mute circuit is -20 dB. (See “Customizing Your Nº383” for information on changing the factory default setting.
1 2 3 m ir input 1 2 right inputs 3 trigger input 4 4 6 1 MARK LEVINSON Nº383 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER S/N Made in the U.S.A.
There are two recommended methods for connecting speaker cables to your amplifier. A high-quality spade lug or hook lug, soldered to the cable (or crimped with extremely high pressure), is best. Spade lug Hook lug Connect a + (positive or red) output post of the amplifier to the + (positive or red) input terminal of the appropriate loudspeaker. [If biwiring, repeat using the other + (positive or red) output post of the amplifier and the + (positive or red) input terminal of the loudspeaker.
– tip polarity for external IR input + 5 volts @ less than 100 mA If you would like more information on the possibility of using an infrared repeater with your Nº383, please contact your Mark Levinson dealer. 3 DC trigger in and out On a simpler level than PHAST, AMX, or Crestron, some systems control whether a given component is on or off (or more accurately, “operating” or “in standby”) by means of a simple control voltage.
The Mark Levinson Linking system uses a Digital Audio Processor as the Master of (and central clearinghouse for) inter-component communications. Other components such as digital transports are connected to the Master as “Slaves,” and can be “daisy-chained” using their slave in and slave out jacks. As the ultimate destination of all source signals, the Nº383 must be the final comm port in the chain. (In technical terms, it terminates the communications bus.
6 Control Ports (PHAST™ compatible) These ports are reserved for future use as PHASTLink™ communications ports. This future functionality is not available at this time. For more information, please contact your dealer and ask about PHAST™ home automation systems. 7 Balanced Inputs 1 & 2 Accepts right-channel and left-channel balanced signals from source equipment with balanced outputs.
The record output may be turned off (see Customizing Your Nº383 for more information.) The record outputs will also be shut off when the preamplifier is placed into standby. 10 AC mains receptacle This IEC-standard AC mains receptacle is used with the removable AC power cord to supply the Nº383 with power. Warning! Prior to connection to the AC mains, please check the voltage label on the rear panel of the Nº383 to ensure that your unit conforms to the power supply in your area.
Remote Control 1 standby setup enter select volume 2 3 4 5 + 6 – polarity balance display mute R MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES 7 8 9 10 11 (on bottom) INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER Nº383 25 1 IR transmission window Infrared (IR) control signals are sent through this window. Aim the remote control toward the Nº383 when using the remote. For the best results, the remote should be within ±45° of a line that is perpendicular to the faceplate of the Nº383.
2 Standby Button As you might expect, pressing this button toggles the Nº383 between standby mode and normal operation. The Nº383 disables its outputs and controls when in standby, but its circuitry remains active so as to be warmed up and sounding its best at a moment’s notice. 3 Setup Button Duplicates the function of the setup button on the front panel, allowing you to access menu functions of the Nº383 from your listening position.
8 Mute Button Toggles between normal output level and the user-programmable mute function, reducing the level by -10 to -73.2 decibels (depending on the user’s programming). The factory default setting gives a 20 decibel reduction in output. If the volume is adjusted while mute is engaged, the volume will begin changing from the muted level, and mute will be automatically disengaged.
Customizing Your Nº383 setup overview The Nº383 Integrated Amplifier has many provisions for customtailoring the system’s operation to match your preferences.
The Nº383’s menu system allows you to customize the way the integrated amplifier operates, to better suit the needs of your system and your personal preferences. We will review the following information in more detail in the coming pages, on an item-by-item basis. (Don’t worry, it isn’t really as complicated as it seems when you take it one step at a time.
No30 No30.5 No30.
using custom input names If none of the default names seems quite right for a given source, you may create a name of your own choosing, up to seven characters long.
In the past, the Mark Levinson Nº26 and Nº26S preamplifiers offered a single gain adjustment to effect this change globally; now this setting can be optimized for each individual input. This helps to make the Nº383 behave as though each input had the preamplifier section of the integrated amplifier “all to itself.” With some non-standard sources having outputs as high as 9 volts, the last thing you need is gain in the line stages of the preamplifier.
this item, see the point-by-point description under changing input names. setting record out The Nº383 gives you the ability to associate any one of the five inputs with the record output. This allows you to organize your sources in whatever order you deem most convenient, while using the record output with whatever might need them.
setting a maximum level You may also set a maximum volume level for the Nº383, a particularly useful feature if the system is sometimes used by people who may not be as careful as you yourself would be. (Teenaged children come to mind.) To change the maximum level, press setup to enter the setup menu, turn the select knob until MaxVol = 73.2 shows in the display, and then use the volume knob to alter the maximum volume setting as you see fit. When finished, press enter to save your change.
Using the Nº383 with Learning Remote Controls using the teach ir menu The teach ir menu within the setup menu lists all of the custom infrared commands available for the various functions of the Nº383 Integrated Amplifier. In every case where a “toggle” command exists, both the normal toggle function and positive control commands for the multiple states are provided.
A complete list of the available IR codes may be found below.
Modes of Operation normal operation The majority of time you spend with your Nº383 will be spent in normal operation. During normal operation, the display indicates the name of the input you have selected and the listening volume (in decibels). The volume knob increases or decreases the volume in 0.1 dB increments above 38.5. The select knob selects the source to be listened to at any point in time. In short, in normal operation, the Nº383 acts precisely as you would expect an integrated amplifier to act.
Turning the volume knob (which serves as a balance control in balance mode) in either direction will change the balance in that direction. The display will reflect this by changing to the appropriate singleheaded arrow to indicate the direction of change and by showing the number of decibels by which that channel has been increased (in tenths of a decibel) relative to the other.
reset defaults If necessary, it is possible to reset all of the factory default settings for the Nº383 Integrated Amplifier so as to start again with a “clean slate.” Important Note: Resetting factory default settings causes any customization of the unit to be lost, including custom names, gain settings, offsets, etc. To reset all settings of the Nº383 to the original factory settings, 1.
Using Surround Sound Processors The Nº383 Reference Preamplifier incorporates a special surround sound processor mode which makes it uniquely capable of integrating the highest performance audio with surround sound—that is, a dualpurpose music and movie system. In order to better understand the value of this design, it is essential to understand a bit about the nature of a surround sound processor.
the Left and Right speakers while leaving the Center, Subwoofer and Surround speakers unaffected. One could attempt to restore the proper balance by marking a “calibrated” point on the preamplifier’s volume control and then using only the surround decoder to adjust the volume of the system, but this method is both crude and imprecise, yielding inconsistent performance at best.
The simplest way of solving this problem is to break the video ground by using an isolation transformer on the incoming cable line, before it reaches your television or VCR. If you cannot find a 75Ω-75Ω baluns (isolation) transformer, you can easily construct one from the adaptors which probably came with your VCR and television, as shown below.
Linked Functions The Nº383 has the ability to “link” several of its functions to certain compatible Mark Levinson components (such as the Nº39 CD Processor, the Nº30.6 or Nº360/360S digital processors, and the Nº31.5 and Nº37 CD transports). Note: To take advantage of linked functions, you must connect the Nº383 to the other, compatible Mark Levinson components via their communication ports. (See “Rear Panel” and “Setup and Installation.
button will toggle between switching digital inputs vs. switching analog inputs; simply clicking the button moves you to the next input in the bank of inputs currently being controlled. Note that for Select Linking to work, you must have named the associated digital processor properly to match the appropriate name from the Name List. Thus a Nº30.6 should be named No30.6; a Nº360S should be named No360S, and so forth.
Care and Maintenance To remove dust from the cabinet of the Nº383, use a feather duster. To remove dirt and fingerprints, we recommend isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. Apply the alcohol to the cloth first and then lightly clean the surface of the Nº383, going with the grain of the brushed aluminum. Warning! At no time should liquid cleaners be applied directly to the Nº383, as direct application of liquids may result in damage to electronic components within the unit.
U.S. and Canadian Warranty 46 90-day limited warranty 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 Nº383 yield excellent results by any standards. However, only those specifications that apply to its actual operation are included here.
Dimensions, Nº383 Integrated Amplifier polarity CD CD select power display intensity 47.3 47.3 setup enter MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES volume balance standby mute 6.55" 16.6 cm 49 11.75" 29.85cm 17.975" 45.66 cm 19.53" 49.6 cm 17.5" 44.5 cm MARK LEVINSON Nº383 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER ir input 1 2 right inputs 3 trigger input 4 RS-232 trigger output 5 right record out left record out ~ ac mains 2.225" 5.65 cm 9.
Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc. 2081 South Main Street, P.O. Box 781 Middletown, Connecticut 06457 USA Telephone: (860) 346-0896 Fax: (860) 346-1540 www.madrigal.com R MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES is a registered trademark of Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc. a Harman International company 630379-5 © 6/2001 Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
