Constellation Orion Owner's Manual

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CAUTION
To reduce risk of electric shock, do not remove any of the phono preamplifier’s cover plates or screws. There
are no user serviceable parts inside. Contact qualified service personnel.

WARNING
To reduce risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this preamplifier to moisture, rain, or excessive
humidity.

The lightning flash with arrowhead, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the

user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that

may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electrical shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.

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Thank you for purchasing the Constellation Audio Orion phono preamplifier. Our “dream
team” of acclaimed audio engineers and industrial designers set a high goal for the Orion:
We wanted it to not only be the best phono preamp ever made, but also to be exceptionally
versatile and convenient to use. We designed the Orion to bring you a higher level of sound
quality and musicality than you have ever before experienced.

The Orion’s no-compromise design required that we do a few things differently from
conventional phono preamps. Thus, you’re probably not used to the Orion’s connections
and setup. Please read this manual all the way through before you set up the Orion. The
few minutes you spend will pay off in greatly enhanced performance.

Contents

Page Topic

4 Before you install the Orion

Unpacking
Power supply setup
Installation notes
In the event of malfunction

6 Turntable and preamp connections

XLR inputs
RCA inputs
XLR outputs
RCA outputs
Chassis and signal grounds

10 Other connections on the Orion

Power inputs
RS-232
USB / control
Hub

11 Controls / displays / indicators

Front panel knobs and buttons
Rear panel controls

14 Remote control
16 Control screens
19 Step-by-step operating procedure
20 Maintenance
20 Troubleshooting
21 For more information

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Before you install the Orion

Unpacking

Take care when you remove the Orion from its packaging. Because of its machined aluminum chassis, it is
much heavier than the average phono preamp. Have an extra person nearby to help if you need it. You may
wish to use gloves to protect your fingers.

Power supply setup

The Orion's separate power supply (bottom component in the picture above) must be connected to the Orion
main chassis (top component in the picture above) as shown above before you plug the unit into a wall. Make
sure the power switch on the power supply is in the off (O) position.

The supplied cables are spiral-wrapped, gold-plated copper designed for aerospace use, and can handle up to
30 amps.

Connect one of the supplied cables to the Analog Left power socket on the Orion, then into the Analog Left
power socket on the power supply as shown above. Repeat with the Analog Right and Control power
connections.

At this point you can plug the Orion power supply into the wall socket. Leave the master power switch off
until you connect your other equipment to the Orion.

DO NOT remove the power cables while the unit is powered on. If you do happen to accidently pull one of
them out, DO NOT plug it back in. Turn off the power supply using the hard switch on the rear panel, unplug
the unit, then replace the cable. Failure to power down the unit before replacing a power cable can result in
substantial damage to your Orion.

If you will be using the Constellation Audio Centaur or Hercules amplifiers (or any other high-powered
amplifier), do not plug the Orion into the same AC socket or into any other outlet connected on that circuit.
Constellation Audio amplifiers draw a great deal of power and could affect the Orion’s performance if the
amplifier(s) and preamp are plugged into the same electrical circuit or AC outlet.

When you connect or disconnect the AC cord, always grasp it by the plug, not by the cord itself. Pulling the
plug out by the cord can damage the cord, the AC socket, and/or the Orion.

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Installation notes

The Orion preamplifier uses passive cooling; there are no internal fans. While the Orion does not generate as
much heat as an amplifier, it should still be located in an area with adequate ventilation.

There should be at least 6 in/15 cm of clearance between the sides and top of the preamp and the nearest
wall or cabinet. If the Orion is installed in a cabinet or an equipment closet, ensure the cabinet/closet has
adequate ventilation. Installation in an unventilated cabinet or closet may cause the Orion to overheat,
significantly reducing its lifespan.

The Orion requires a room-temperature environment to operation properly. Ambient temperature should be
about 70°F/21°C, plus or minus 10°F/5°C. Never install the Orion in a place where it may be exposed to
direct sunlight, and do not install it next to a room heater, radiator, air conditioner, etc.

Make sure that the Orion will not be exposed to moisture. Do not locate it in an area where it might be spilled
on, and do not place it in a humid location (such as an unfinished basement).

We recommend leaving the Orion on all the time to ensure maximum performance and the best possible
sound quality.

Installing the Orion in a place where it will be exposed to direct sunlight or moisture, or where it will not have
adequate ventilation, will void your warranty.

Connected components

The Orion phono preamp is designed to be paired with any high-quality turntable, and with any quality
preamp; ideally Constellation's Altair or Virgo preamps. Both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA)
connections are available. XLR will provide the highest quality/lowest noise signals, and should be used when
possible.

Before making or changing any connections to the Orion, first turn off the master power switch on the back of
the power supply, and turn off the power on the preamp and power amplifier(s).

In the event of malfunction

Do not under any circumstances open the chassis of the Orion. There are no user-serviceable parts inside.
Opening the chassis can present a shock hazard even if the AC power is disconnected. Any alteration or
modification of the Orion’s internal parts or circuit will immediately void your warranty.

If your Orion does not function correctly, refer to the Troubleshooting section at the end of this manual. If you
are still unable to resolve the problem, contact your Constellation Audio dealer.

If any liquid is spilled on the preamp, or if any metal object (such as a staple or a paper clip) is inadvertently
forced inside, immediately disconnect the AC power and contact your Constellation Audio dealer.

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Turntable and preamp connections

1. XLR MC inputs

The two XLR inputs farthest to each side of the back panel of the Orion are for use with MC cartridges. As you
are looking at the rear panel, the left XLR inputs are for the right channel, the right inputs are for the left
channel. These correspond with inputs MC-1 and MC-3. These XLR connections cannot be used concurrently
with the RCA input below them; for example, you can use either MC-1 (XLR) or MC-2 (RCA), but not both. Use
of XLR connections is recommended for the best possible audio quality. To remove an XLR plug, push on the
tab above the jack and pull the plug out.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To preserve true dual-mono operation, the Orion uses a symmetrical circuit layout. This
configuration requires that the Orion’s back panel connections be laid out a little differently from those on
most preamps. For example, the left-channel connection for input MC-1 is at the far right side of the back
panel, and the right-channel connection for MC-1 is at the far left side. Connecting the cables in the usual
side-by-side fashion will result in an incorrect installation and the mixing of sounds from different tonearms
or turntables.

The MC input numbers from left to right, looking at the back of the Orion are:
MC-1

right

, MC-3

——MC-3

right

, MC-1

left

left

.

2. XLR MM input

The two XLR inputs closest to the center of the Orion back panel are for use with MM cartridges. As you are
looking at the rear panel, the left XLR input is for the right channel, the right input is for the left channel.
These XLR connections cannot be used concurrently with the RCA input below them; for example, you can
use either MM-1 (XLR) or MM-2 (RCA), but not both. Use of XLR connections is recommended for the best
possible audio quality. To remove an XLR plug, push on the tab above the jack and pull the plug out.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To preserve true dual-mono operation, the Orion uses a symmetrical circuit layout. This
configuration requires that the Orion’s back panel connections be laid out a little differently from those on

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most preamps. For example, the left-channel connection for MM input is on the right side of the back panel,
and the right-channel connection is on the left side. Connecting the cables in the usual side-by-side fashion
will result in an incorrect installation and the mixing of sounds from different source devices.

3. RCA MC inputs

These unbalanced inputs are provided as a convenience for use with turntables having only unbalanced
output. Whenever possible, we recommend using XLR connections instead. Connecting to an unbalanced
turntable is handled in the same way an XLR balanced source. As you are looking at the rear panel, the left
RCA input is for the right channel, the right input is for the left channel. These cannot be used concurrently
with the corresponding RCA inputs; for each input, you can use either XLR or RCA, but not both.

The RCA input numbers from left to right, looking at the back of the Orion are:
MC-2

IMPORTANT NOTE: To preserve true dual-mono operation, the Orion uses a symmetrical circuit layout. This
configuration requires that the Orion’s back panel connections be laid out a little differently from those on
most preamps. For example, the left-channel connection for MC-2 is at the far right side of the back panel,
and the right-channel connection is at the far left side. Connecting the cables in the usual side-by-side fashion
will result in an incorrect installation and the mixing of sounds from different source devices.

right

, MC-4

——MC-4

right

, MC-2

left

left

4. RCA MM input

This unbalanced input is provided as a convenience for use with turntables having only unbalanced output.
Whenever possible, we recommend using XLR connections instead. Connecting to an unbalanced source is
handled in the same way an XLR balanced source.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To preserve true dual-mono operation, the Orion uses a symmetrical circuit layout. This
configuration requires that the Orion’s back panel connections be laid out a little differently from those on