User manual

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 destina-

tion of all source signals, the Nº383 must be the final comm port

in the chain. (In technical terms, it terminates the communica-

tions bus.)

Thus, if the only other Mark Levinson Link-compatible compo-

nent you have is a digital audio processor, connect its master port

to the Nº383’s

comm port using a “straight-through” RJ-45 cable.

If there are additional Mark Levinson Link-compatible compo-

nents in the system, place the Nº383 at the end of the chain by

connecting the last slave out port to the Nº383’s comm port.

In short:

master (processor) → slave in (transport)

slave out (transport) → slave in (next transport, as needed)

slave out (last transport) → comm (Nº383)

The RJ-45 cable needed for the Link connection between source

components and the preamplifier may be purchased from your

Mark Levinson dealer. It may also be 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.

RJ-45 cables and connectors are used throughout the world for

both telecommunications and computers, and are widely available

at low cost. The connectors are crimped on to the ends of the

cable such that pin 1 at one end is connected to pin 1 at the other

end. Such a “straight-through” connection requires that one con-

nector be “tab side up” and the other “tab side down” when the

cable itself is lying flat. (Flipping the connector over compensates

for the fact that it is pointed in the other direction.)

building a link cable

To Nº383

To Mark Levinson

Linked component

Locking tab

(on bottom)

Locking tab

(on top)

Warning! Connecting the communication ports other than as

described in this manual can damage the Nº383 and

the associated Mark Levinson components, and will

void those products’ warranties.