EMM Labs PRE2-SE User Manual

Version 1.1

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

Welcome

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

ank you for choosing EMM Labs...

Table Of Contents

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

Welcome

Warranty

PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER

Features & Specifications

Front Panel & Functions

Rear Panel & Functions

Operational Features

Main Screen

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005

006

007

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009

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Volume Knob and Signal Gain

Input Selectors

Product Power Up

Programming Menu

Display Contrast and Brightness

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013

014

Table Of Contents

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

Input Naming Menu

Volume Display Units

System Maintenance

Set Volume Font

Input Preselect

Clear Settings

Infrared Remote Control

Appendix A - Serial Remote Control (RS232)

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015

016

017

008

017

018

019

Warranty

EMM Labs warrants the PRE2 product against defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of time specied by the product’s serial number from the date of rst delivery to the owner. e warranty time period is 5 years. Warranty is limited to the original owner and is non-transferable.

EMM Labs will pay for return shipping charges back to the owner when the product is sent to EMM Labs within the rst 90 days aer purchase (US and Canada end-users only). Otherwise, owner will be responsible for all shipping charges to and from EMM Labs.

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

For all warranty claims, a copy of the original invoice must accompany the product.

Opening the product or modifying it in any way by the owner, including but not limited to cryogenic treatment, will void any warranty.

Please contact EMM Labs (support@emmlabs.com) for RMA number and shipping instructions before shipping any product to EMM Labs.

EMM Labs products are sold worldwide through authorized dealers with restricted territories. EMM Labs product purchased from non-authorized dealers or from a dealer selling outside his / her authorized territory will automatically void product warranty.

PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER

Built on the heritage of the famous PA6i, the PRE2 preamplier incorporates Ed’s latest preamplication designs coupled with ground breaking technology.

e PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER features:

• 6 sets of stereo analog inputs and 1 stereo recording loop.

• 100% contactless dual-balanced discrete audio paths.

• Proprietary soware-based analog volume control.

• Exclusive aerospace-grade composite laminate circuit boards.

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

• Newly designed intuitive control system featuring programmable input naming, settings recall and many additional features.

• Proprietary High-isolation resonant mode power supply for silent, green operation.

e PRE2 is the culmination of years of research and development resulting in EMM Labs most sophisticated and transparent preamplier to date.

Features & Specifications

Features & Specications

S/N ratio: 110dB (A-weighted) THD: 1kHz <0.01%; 20kHz <0.01% Frequency range: 0Hz-100kHz Gain control range: Better than 62dB Maximum output level: +/- 11V p-p (+26 dBu) Maximum input level: +/- 7V p-p (+22 dBu) System Gain: +12dB

Analog Inputs:

• 2 Stereo sets of Balanced (XLR) - Input Impedance: 20kΩ

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

• 4 Stereo sets of Un-Balanced (RCA) - Input Impedance: 10kΩ

• 1 Stereo Loop Input Un-Balanced (RCA) - Input Impedance: 50kΩ

Analog Outputs:

• 1 Stereo set of Balanced (XLR) - Output Impedance: 150Ω

• 1 Stereo set of Un-Balanced (RCA) - Output Impedance: 75Ω

• 1 Stereo Loop Output Un-Balanced (RCA) - Output Impedance: 300Ω

System:

• System control via serial RS-232

• Soware upgradeable

Power Consumption Max: 40W

Dimensions W x D x H: 435 x 400 x 92mm, Weight: 12kg

Front Panel and Functions

Front Panel & Functions

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

1. Standby/Power-Save button: Toggles the operation between on and power-save mode. In power save mode the remote control and all front panel functions become inactive.

2. Program and Function buttons: Front panel buttons used to access functions and program the PRE2.

3. PRE2 Display: Display can be dimmed or turned o using the the remote DIM button.

4. Input Selection buttons.

5. PRE2 Volume Knob.

Back Panel and Functions

Back Panel & Functions

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

1. Analog Inputs:

• Inputs 1 and 2 are balanced XLR inputs

• Inputs 3, 4, 5 and 6 are un-balanced RCA inputs

2. Loop Input and Output (un-balanced)

3. Analog Outputs:

• Le and Right Balanced (XLR) Connectors

• Le and Right Un-Balanced (RCA) Connectors

4. System:

• Remote RS232: RS232 control port

• USB: soware update port

Back Panel and Functions

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

Back Panel & Functions

4. System (Cont’d):

• RESET: Used to access the backup BIOS.

5. Product model and serial number indicator: Warranty void if model/serial number indicator is not attached to unit, missing or damaged whereby serial number cannot be seen.

6. Main Power connector and Power Switch

7. Product VOLTAGE indicator:

Indicates working voltage of the PRE2. Only use with indicated line voltage.

Operational Features

Main Screen

1. Mute Button Pressing the mute button initiates a 2-stage, sequential Mute function. So Mute (-20dB from the current level), Full Mute, and nally Mute O. Mute is O/disabled as soon as the Volume knob is rotated or the Volume buttons are depressed on the remote. Once Mute is o the PRE2 will return the signal path to its current volume setting. A short fade-in is performed to avoid audible transient artifacts.

2. Loop Button

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

e Loop function allows for the insertion of an external device (e.g. signal processor) into the main signal path. ere is no gain applied to loop return signal. e state of Loop path is input-dependent. Each preamp input can engage the Loop as required.

3. PGM Button e PGM (program) opens a pop-up menu with 4 main programming or conguration selections. New navigation buttons will appear: Up, Down, Enter, and Exit. See “Programming Menu” section.

4. SAVE Button e SAVE function immediately saves the state of the system in non-volatile memory. e following parameters are saved:

• Volume Step Number and Loop state - as set for each input

• Volume Display Units (steps or decibels)

• Volume Font: 7-Segment or a ‘Designer’ font

• LCD display Contrast and Brightness settings

• e default input to be selected upon power-up.

Operational Features

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Main Screen

4. SAVE Button (cont’d) Notes:

• e Mute is a transient feature and its state is not saved. PRE2 product powers up with Mute O.

• Input names are saved from a dedicated, on-screen name editor; see the ‘Programming Menu’

e Volume Knob and Signal Gain

e Volume knob adjusts the signal gain from full attenuation (step 0) to maximum gain at step 100. e maximum gain measured from any input to RCA output is +6dB. e maximum gain measured from any input to XLR output is +12dB. From the top of the control range (Step 100) down to Step 10, a single step lowers the gain by 0.5dB. Below Step 10, the changes are progressively coarser. Step 1 is at -64dB. Volume indicator on the main screen shows either the Volume Step or Signal Gain in decibels (Please ‘Programming Menu’ to change Volume indicator). e gain is referenced to signal level at the

RCA outputs. Actual gain at XLR outputs is 6dB higher.

Input Selectors (1 to 6)

Input selection buttons connect one of six front-end input stages to main signal path. e system performs short fadeout/ fade-in operation on signals being switched. Please Note: e Mute is applied in the main (common) signal path; input selection does not aect the state of Mute.

Product Power-up

Upon Power-Up Reset, the system controller restores the input and display settings as listed in section 1.1.4. In addition, all input names (kept in separate les in non-volatile memory) are restored. File data integrity is checked. Should data corruption occur, the system reformats aected set-up les and restores default conguration.

Operational Features

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Product Power-up (cont’d)

In a newly built product or when PRE2 is reset, default settings are as follows:

• Selected input : Input 1 (XLR)

• Volume : Step 0 (all inputs)

• Volume Units : Steps

• Loop : O (all inputs)

• Mute : O

• LCD Contrast/Brightness : Mid-point

• Input Names: : Blank, no characters (all inputs)

• Volume Font : ‘7-segment’ font

PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

Programming Menu

In this release, the programming menu has 4 items, shown in a pop-up box on the LCD screen.

Operational Features

Programming Menu (cont’d)

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Display Contrast and Brightness

Input Naming Menu

1. Display Contrast and Brightness Contrast and Brightness both have a 9-step adjustment range, visualized on screen by horizontal indicator bar. e le and right arrow so buttons operate the adjustment. Contrast and Brightness adjustments have separate screens, and the so button ‘NEXT’ allows you to access both screens. Both settings are saved in non-volatile memory from the main screen.

2. Input Naming Menu Input names are edited using the Volume knob and the line editor with 3 so buttons: Cursor Le, Cursor Right, and Backspace Erase. Rotating the Volume knob changes the character at the cursor position. e character set is as follows:

• capital letters A-Z

• SPACE character

Operational Features

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Programming Menu

2. Input Naming Menu (cont’d)

• DASH, PERIOD, and SLASH characters

• digits 0-9.

Rotating the Volume knob scrolls through the characters. Pressing one of Input Selector buttons shows the current name of the input, and allows the name to be edited. e name being edited is stored only by pressing the ‘SAVE’ button on this screen. Pressing another input button or selecting a dierent/same input discards the changes. Pressing the ‘Quit’ button returns you to the ‘Programming Menu’ page, discarding any changes made.

3. Volume Display Units e screen shows a sample value of the Volume display. e ‘Change Units’ so button toggles the Volume display units to the following two options:

• Volume Step

• Gain in [dB]

e Volume knob is active and you can change the sample value. e actual Volume (signal gain) is not aected. e Volume display unit selected is stored only by pressing the ‘SAVE’ button. Upon ‘EXIT’ aer ‘SAVE’ the main screen will display the selected Volume display unit. Pressing ‘EXIT’ without pressing ‘SAVE’ discards any changes.

Operational Features

Programming Menu

4. System Maintenance

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System Maintenance

Volume Font Selection

e System Maintenance screen shows the current rmware version and a list of maintenance tasks. e tasks are selected by using the numbered input select buttons. In this release, there are 3 maintenance tasks:

• Set Volume Font (2 options): a. 7-segment font b. EMM font In future updates EMM may update the Volume Font selection with many other fonts.

Font selection is saved only when you press the ‘SAVE’ button. Pressing ‘EXIT’ without pressing ‘SAVE’ discards any changes.

Operational Features

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Programming Menu

4. System Maintenance (cont’d )

• Input Preselect e power-on input can be changed by the user using the ‘Input Preselect’ feature. e current power-on input is shown on-screen. At this point, any Input can be chosen either by pressing the associated numbered input button or by using the ‘NEXT’ so button. Pressing the ‘SELECT’ so button saves the new setting.

Input Preselect

Clear Settings

• Clear Settings All user settings will be reset to run the factory default programming. An alert box ‘Proceed?’ is shown rst allowing the user to cancel the operation.

Infrared Remote Control

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Infrared Remote Control

VOL UNITS : is button toggles volume display units between steps and dB

DIM : is butons toggles through the 3 display states:

• DIM (dim the display)

VOL

UNITS

DIM

DISPLAY

• OFF (display o)

• FULL (back to the current default setting)

INPUT (1 to 6) : ese buttons can be used to directly access any INPUT.

LOOP : Turns LOOP funtion on/o for the selected INPUT

MUTE : is buttons toggles through 3 MUTE states:

• SOFT MUTE

• MUTE

• MUTE OFF

VOLUME : Controls the volume/signal gain. Press the up arrow button to increase volume/gain. Press the down arrow button to decrease

LOOP

INPUT

1

4

VOLUME

2

5 6

MUTE

3

volume/gain

Appendix A - PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

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PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

Introduction

e PRE2 can be remotely controlled in one of the two (mutually exclusive) modes:

• Standard mode

• Slave Preamp mode.

In Standard mode the product receives and acts upon the RC-6 Infra Red Remote commands. Recognized IR codes are translated into EMM Labs’ ASCII-based control commands that are sent out on the RS232 port. e Command Protocol is dened in Section 2. e PRE2 also receives the control commands from RS232 port. Recognized commands are acted upon, and, in addition, echoed (sent out) in the transmit path on the RS232 port.

All outgoing RS232 commands are destined for slave PRE2s, which are meant to act in sync with main unit. In Slave Preamp mode, the IR Remote receiver is disabled, but the product still receives commands at its RS232 port. As before, the decoded and recognized commands are echoed in the transmit path of the RS232. is will facilitate product daisy-chaining, where multiple slave preamps can act in sync with the main (Standard) unit.

In either mode, all front panel controls and menus are fully operational. Standard/Slave modality determines only the IR remote control capabilities of this product. e Standard controller mode is best used in the following scenarios:

• PRE2 is the only preamp in a system

• PRE2 is the main pre-amp in a multichannel set-up, typically running front-le and front-right channels; the main preamp is receiving IR remote commands, while other preamps are slaved to it.

e Slave mode should be used when the PRE2 is in the signal path of any additional channels in a multichannel set-up. e slave unit follows main preamp actions while the main unit receives IR Remote commands. Multiple slave preamps can be connected in a daisy-chain conguration.

Appendix A - PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

Remote Control Protocol

e PRE2 Remote Control protocol is dened with the goal of structural simplicity and ease of implementation. Typical implementation requires only a standard, asynchronous UART/RS232 port. At the Data Link level the following assumptions are made:

• Short, xed-length data frames

• Data encoding uses only ascii (printable) characters

• Data frame has a checksum eld for error detection, but the checksum opt-out is possible at sender’s request - in such a case, Sender’s frame has a standard blank checksum, and the Receiver side does not check against it.

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

At the Application level (i.e. remote control of a product) the message processing will be stateless:

• Each message is handled independently

• Each command acted upon immediately.

Frame Structure

e PRE2 frame structure is shown in the following diagram:

P1 P0 M3 M2 M1

*

Frame preamble : < > Asterisk character.

| Product Class

| Command Message

M0

C1 C0

| Cheksum |

*

Destination Product Class : P1, P0 two alphanumeric characters (a preamplier product will be denoted as "PR"). Command Message : M3, M2, M1, M0 typically 4 characters long, but it is product-dependent.

Appendix A - PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

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PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

Frame Structure (cont’d )

Checksum : C1, C0 one-byte checksum, its binary value represented by 2 hex characters, or, <N><A> the opt-out variant, where the checksum is substituted by "NA" token, as in 'Not-A-checksum' or 'Not Applicable'. e checksum is calculated as byte-wide exclusive OR from all preceding characters in the frame, excluding frame preamble (the asterisk). Checksum seed value is 0x00. Character ASCII codes are used in the calculation.

Command Message Structure

e Command Message for PRE2 is four character long (M3, M2, M1, and M0) and is composed of two parts:

Command Code : C1, C2 two alphanumeric characters and/or decimal digits (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) Parameter Value : V1, V2 one-byte value represented by 2 hex digits (0-9, A-F).

Control Messages

Complete message frames are shown, and the blank checksum (the “NA”) is used.

Volume (VL) : *PRVLxxNA where ‘xx’ is volume step number (0 to 100) formatted as 2 hexadecimal digits. Examples: step number 10 will be encoded as ‘0A’ or step number 100 will be encoded as ‘64’. Select Input (SI) : *PRSI0iNA where 'i' is the input number, encoded as a character '1' to '6' Mute (MT) : *PRMT00NA mute OFF *PRMT01NA so mute *PRMT02NA mute ON

Appendix A - PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

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PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

Control Messages (c ont’d)

Loop (LP) : *PRLP00NA loop OFF *PRLP01NA loop ON Display Dim (DM) : *PRDM00NA no dimming, full brightness *PRDM01NA reduced brightness *PRDM02NA the backlight is turned o Volume Display Units (VU) : *PRVU00NA reserved code *PRVU01NA the Volume is displayed in Steps (0 to 100) *PRDM02NA the gain of signal path is shown (in Decibels) Save settings (SV) : *PRSV00NA product operational settings are saved in non-volatile memory NULL Cmd. (NL) : *PRNLxxNA where ‘xx’ are any 2 alphanumeric characters; this message is used in system testing only.

Control Message Timing

Back-to-back command messages can be sent to PRE2 unit, however, no ow control mechanism is used. e longest recommended data burst is 10 messages. In such a case the burst should be followed by 100ms of idle time. In a real-life system, this constraint is of no consequence.

Appendix A - PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

RS232 Port Set-up

e RS232 Control port in PRE2 is set up as follows:

• Baud rate 9600bps

• Character length 8 bits

• Stop Bits 1

• Parity none

Product Class Denitions

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• Disc Transport : "CD"

• SACD Player : "SC"

• Blu-ray Player : "BD"

• Preamplier : "PR"

• DAC : "DA"

• Media Player : - to be dened -

• Signal Processor : - to be dened -

• Power Amplier : - to be dened -

Note: SACD or Blu-ray players can accept generic disc transport commands ("CD"), and, in addition, their product-specic commands. e command set for a SACD player, for example, should support the Program and Layer Selections.

Appendix A - PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

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PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

RS232 Cables for PRE2

Standard, direct RS232 cable from a PC (or dedicated System Controller) to PRE2

DB9

FEMALE

PC or System

Controller

DB9 MALE

5

9

4

8

3

7

2

6

1

5

9

4

8

3

7

2

6

1

PRE2

SHIELD

Appendix A - PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

PRE2 Serial Remote Control (RS232)

RS232 Cables for PRE2 (con t’d)

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PRE2 STEREO PREAMPLIFIER OWNER’S MANUAL

Y-patchcord for PRE2 daisy chaining. e patchcord has 2 ‘legs’:

• from PRE2 (central) connector to the Input connector, and

• from PRE2 connector to slave Output connector. Recommended length is 12 to 14 inches for each leg (approx. 30 to 35 cm).

DB9

FEMALE

PC or System

Controller

DB9 MALE

5

9

4

8

3

7

2

6

1

5

9

4

8

3

7

2

6

1

PRE2

SHIELD

DB9 MALE

5

9

4

8

3

7

2

6

1

SLAVE PRE2

EMM Labs PRE2-SE User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual