Krell MD-2 Owners manual

KRELL MD-2

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COMPACT DISC TURNTABLE

OWNER’S REFERENCE

A. INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Krell family of audio components. You
have joined a select gro.up of discriminating listeners who

enjoy the finest in music reproduction.
Krell Digital (KDI) is dedicated to the development

technologically advanced components for the reproduc­tion of dlgita.lly recorded music. These designs continue
the Krell tradition of ~ncompromising perf6rmance
through leading-edge technology.

This Owner’s Reference is divided into several sections,

each designed to perform a different function. A Question
and Answer section is also included where answers to
common questions are provided. Should you have any

questions or suggestionsplease feel free to contact your

authorized dealer or the KRELL staff for assistance.
In the unlikely event that your MD-2 should require

service you will be pleased to know that it is backed by a
c.omprehensive Customer Satisfaction policy and one of

the most advanced service facilities in the industry. For
detailed information on the terms and conditions of

service please consult y_our wa.rranty registration card or
your au~orized KREEL Distributor.

B. TABLE OF,CONTENTS

2 UNPACKING AND ASSEMBLY

3 DUST COVER INSTALLATION
4 BASIC INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS
5 OPERATION OF THE CD TRANSPORT

REMOTE CONTROL

6
6 CARE AND CLEANING

7 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

SPECIFICATIONS

9

WARRANTY AND SERVICE INFORMATION

13

C. UNPACKING AND ASSEMBLY

1. Open the box and remove the top layer of protective

foam. The following items will now be visibIe:

Dust Cover encased in a protective sleeve

1
1 CD Stabilizer
1 AC power cord

MD-2 RC Remote Control

1

3 AAA Batteries for MD-2RC

1 Packet containing the Owners Reference and
N warranty card

ote: If any of these items are not included [?lease

con.tact your authorized dealer immediately for

assistance.

2. Remove the layer of foam containing these items and
set it aside for later use. Carefully remove the MD-2

transport from its box and remove the protective plastic

wrap.

Note: Save all packing materials. If you must ship your
MD-2 in the future repack the unit in its original pa, ckag-

ing to prevent transit damage. If the unit is returnecl to

KRELL for service please send the cover and the remote
control unit.

Caution: If your MD-2 has the custom lucite cover do not

remove it fiom its protective sleeve at this time! This
cover is extremely_ delicate and can be. permanently

scarred if mishandled. Please follow the instructions

provided in this Reference for safe installation.

3. Remove the transport screws from the bottom of the
unit. Their locations are marked with stickers on the
bottom of the chassis.

NOTE: Later pro,duction models have a protective plastic
hub that secures the transport from the top of the unit

during shipping instead ot transport screws. Carefully
remove the-black plastic hub by tu~ing it counterclock-

4, Remove the voltage identification sticker from the
back of the unit. You are now ready to install the dust
cover.

2

CAUTION: FAILURE TO REMOVE TRANSPORT
SCREWS BEFORE OPERATION COULD RESULT IN
DAMAGE TO THE TRANSPORT.

CAUTION: FAILURE TO REMOVE THE PROTEC­TIVE HUB BEFORE THE UNIT IS PLUGGED INTO
THE AC RECEPTACLE OR BEFORE OPERATION
COULD RESULT IN,DAMAGE TO THE TRANS­PORT. ~

D. DUST COVER INSTALLATION

1. Standard Version Smoked Dust Cover:

Remove the dust cover, in its protective sleeve, from the
shipping foam. To prevent scratching leave the protective

sleeve on the dust cover until the cover mounting is
complet.e. There are two pairs of screws w.ith wasOer-type
receptacles attached to the back panel of the unit tor
mounting the dust cover. Center the hinge pins on the

dust cover over the two pairs of screws. Carefully slide
the hinges into the slots Formed by the washers. Push the

cover down evenly on both sides until it is fully seated.
Finally, remove the protective sleeve.

2. Custom Version Clear Lucite Dust Cover:
Remove the dust cover from the protective foam and its

protective sleeve. There are two pairs of screws with
washer-type hinge receptacles on the back. of the un!t.

Remove the four screwg from the unit ancl take off the
black hinge receptacles. Carefully place the lucite dust
cover such that the circular milled-out portion,is centered

over the transport. Align the slots in the cover s hinge
blocks with ttie holes in the back of the chassis. Thread
the four screws into the chassis through the hinge blocks.
Tighten down lightly and adjust the cover so it is ce.n­tered on the unit. Once the cover is aligned tighten clown
the supporting screws.

NOTE: The clear lucite cover must be lowered manually,
as it is very heavy and does not have a damping
mechanism.

E. BASIC INSTALLATION AND
CONNECTIONS

1. Place the unit on a clean level surface away from

excessive heat, moisture or light. Ideally, the-MD-2

should be placed on the top of an audio component cabi-

net or other "open air" rigid platform.

2. The MD-2 may be placed in a cabinet. It will require.

17.0 inches of verticaIclearance between the bottom and

top shelves for proper operation of the cover.

3. If space is limited the MD-2 can be operated without

its dust cover. Six inches vertical clearance is adequate to
allow convenient access to the disc transport area.

4. The location of the unit should be within 2 meters of
the digital signal processor. If longer distance is required,
we recommend using a fibre optic data link as it is more

suited to long distance runs.

5. Connect the AC power cord to the back of the unit.
Once the power cord is secured, plug the cord into an AC

outlet.
When the MD-2 is connected to the AC outlet you will

hear a soft clicking sound and the display on the front
will show two illuminated dashes. This puts the unit in a

standby condition.

NOTE: While the MD-2 has superb regulation and does
not require a dedicated AC circuit, we strongly advise
against any connections through extension cords or mul­tiple AC adaptors. High quality 15 amp grounded AC

strips are acceptable.

6. Connect the Digital Output from the MD-2 to a Krell
Digital Processor or other compatible digital-to-analog

audio processor. The MD-2 is compatible with both
industry standard Fibre Optic or Coaxial cable connec­tors. ~’/i

Care should be taken in selecting th~ type of cable used
to link the MD-2 to your processor. If coaxial cable is to

be used it should be 75o1~m, non-capacitive, with a band­width in excess of 10 MHz to prevent dropout errors.

CAUTION: The MD-2 is a CD Transport only. It is not

designed to connect directly to any preamp or analog
signal processor.

4

F. TRANSPORT OPERATION

. Turn the CD transport On by pressing the POWER

~

utton. Select a disc and place it on the spindle, label side

~ujg. Put the disc stabilizer on the center of the CD so it

fits securely on the drive spindle.

CAUTIONS:
a. Never operate the .CD. transport without the disc stabi-

lizer. This can result in damage to the transport or your

valuable compact discs.
b. Never place the disc stabilizer where the cover may

accidentally close on it and be damaged.
c. Do not use any disc stabilizing tool besides the KDI

CD Stabilizer. This device has been specially machin.ed
to precisely match the CD transport. Failure to heed tlais
warning may cause damage to the laser transport.

2. The functions of the front panel buttons that control
the transport are described below.

DISPLAY

POWER

STOP
PLAY

Changes between track designation and
elapsed time
Turns unit ON or OFF

sStops the disc from playing

tarts the disc playing at track. 1; will also
restart play of t-he current track
Reverse track select
Forward track select
Fast reverse scan
Fast forward scan

G. REMOTE CONTROL

1. The operating functions of the Remote Control are

describei:l below:
PAUSE

STOP

PLAY

2. Battery installation:
Remove the two hex hea,d, screws from the bottom por-

tion of the remote control s front plate. Remove the small
top plate to expose the battery storage compartment.

Ref6r to the polarity drawing while inserting the batter-

ies. Replace the top plate and insert the two hex head
screws.

Temporarily stops the music at a specific

point; Pr.essing again resumes play from the
same point.

S~tops the disc from playing
:starts the disc playing at track 1; will also

restart play of t-he current track
Reverse track select

Forward track select
Fast reverse scan
Fast forward scan

H. CARE AND CLEANING

CAUTION: Please read this section carefully to prevent
damage through improper cleaning methods or materials.

1. Due to the exposed nature of the laser transport assem-

bly on the MD-2extra care should be taken to insure that

it is not accidentally contaminated with finge~rints,
cleaning liquids, etc. During day-to-day use the laser will

not become dirty or contaminated any faster than an

enclosed transport. However, the laser should be cleaned
at least twice annually to remove residue from smoke and

airborne oils.

To clean the laser lens: place a drop 0f CD cleaning fluid

on a clean, lint free cloth and eng_cN~ wipe the lens clean.

6

Cautions:

a. Do not oil the laser transport! This mechanism is com-

ple.tely self-contained and does not require customer
maintenance.

b. Do not touch any part of the exposed laser and servo ’

system with your hands. This could accidentally damage

tile drive unit ......

2. To remove finger ~arks and small scratches from the
dust cover we recommend a light hand glaze which is

specifically designed for plastics and painted surfaces. At

Krell we use a product from 3M calle~l "Imperial Hand

Glaze". Its part number is 05990. Follow the

manufacturer’s directions.

3. Should deeper scratches need to be removed we rec-

ommend a light or,,medium-duty plastic polis,h such as
"Plastic Polish #2 . Follow the manufacturer s directions

and use the light 3M type glaze to remove any swirl

marks. These cleaning products may be found in quality

automotive body or detailing shops.

I.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. My analog-to-digital processor will accommodate
either fibre optic or coaxial digital inputs. Which output

should I use on the MD-2?
A. While a high quality coaxial willperform quite well,
we recommend glass fibre optic cable due to its ability to
completely isolate the grounding planes between the
transport and processor, and its resistance to RF interfer-

ence.
Q. I have installed the MD-2 but the disc will not turn

when I press PLAY. What should I do?
A. Check to see if you removed the transport screws from
the bottom of the unit as stated in the UNPACKING
AND ASSEMBLY section of this manual.

Caution: Should this not be the cause of your difficulty.
do not attempt any repai.r of this unit. Contact your autho-

rized Krell Dealei/Distributor or the factory.

7

Do you recommend I leave the MD-2 ON at all times?

QAI

Yes. These circuits are most accurate and stable when
left to idle while not in use. In fact, discrete parts age
faster when cycled ON and OFF. The MD-2 will sound

better and last longer if left ON.
NOTE: You should disconnect the AC cord from the wall

outlet before any electrical storms or if you plan to be
away from your home for prolonged periods of time.

~Will the MD-2 play if the dust cover is fully raised?

AQI

Certainly. The unit will function perfectly even with

the dust cover removed.
Q. Due to the exposed nature of the laser assembly is

there a possibility of damage through laser radiation?
A. No. There is an optical sensor under the CD when it is
positioned on the transport hub. This allows the MD-2 to
prohibit the laser from turning on when it is not covered
with a CD.

IQ. I own many CD’s which have CD Rings on them. Am

able to use these discs with the MD-2?

A. Yes, the MD-2 will accept discs with "CD Rings".
_D.ue to their very low mass they will not damage the MD­2’s transport. While we can neither affirm or deny the
benefits derived from the use of CD Rings, we do not
feel that any type of disc equilibrium device is required
with the MD-2 when properly used with our CD Stabi­lizer

Caution: We strongly_ advise against the use of any type
of additional disc stabilizer. These items add too much

mass to the laser servo system and may burn out the
drive.

Q. Do you recommend the use of "Cones" or other damp­ing feet with the MD-2?

A. Due to the extraordinary rigidity of our machining and
internal damping we do not feel that the MD-2 requires

additional mass coupling or isolation. If you wish to use
an after-market isolation device yo~ may do so without

fear of dam. agingthe MD-2. Any device which affi.xes

permanently to the chassis or requires a breach of the

external chassis will void the warranty.

Q. Can I use both sets of COAXIAL outputs at the same
time?
A. Yes, the MD-2 can drive two different digital to ana­log converters.

Q. Will the MD-2 play CD singles?

A. Yes, the MD-2 willplay CD singles.

¯ I. SPECIFICATIONS

TRANSPORT

Philips CDM- 1 MK 11 with Hall effect motor, swing-arm
design in a unicast frame.

LASER

Single Beam with glass lens

OUTPUT

Digital only in industry standard formats

1 FIBRE OPTIC via standard interface

2 COAXIAL via RCA connectors

REMOTE CONTROL

Wireless infrared

DIMENSIONS

1,9," wide, 12.5" deep

6 ,,high, cover closed

15 tilgh with cover open

WEIGHT

23 pounds, unit only
28 pounds, shipping weight

9

INSTALLATION OF THE CUSTOM ACRYLIC TOPCOVER FOR MD-2

O MD-~

KRELL DIGITAL INC,

l

2

T-BLOW

l. To remove molded cover, slide the cover assembly upward until the hinges are cleared from both sets of

screws and washers.

2. Be sure to save all the screws and washers after disassembly.

~-2

1,

Remove the four original hinge retaining screws from the back of the unit.

2.

Remove the three washers from each screw.

3,

Gent/y place acrylic cover on the chassis top, center the hinges to match the holes in the chassis.

4.

Insert the four screws without washers into the hinge and fasten Ioosely.

5.

Center the cover with the chassis and secure hinge block screws.

KRE/& DIGITAL/NC

2

I FAST-BLOw

-CUSTOM ACRYLIC COVE~

MARCH 1, 1991

K. WARRANTY,AND SERVICE
INFORMATION

There are no user-serviceable parts inside the MD-2. The
MD-2 has a limited warranty of three years parts and

labo.r on transport-related parts, five years parts and labor
on electronic parts. Return freight is ~ncluc[ed in the

warranty. The warranty period begins on the date of
p_u.rchase and is activated with the return of the enclosed

warranty Card and a copy of the Sales receipt. Please
return the warranty carol immediately after successful
installation and operation are completed.

The warranty for Krell products is valid ~ in the coun­try to which they were originally shipped and at the
factory. If you think there are problems with your unit
please contact your dealer, distributor or the factory
~mmediately.

Please do not return any unit to KRELL for repair with­out first calling to discuss the problem and to obtain a

Return Authorization number.-Freight to the factory or
distributor is your responsibility. Return freight to you

will be paid by the factory or d~stributor.

13

1 KRELL DIGITAL INC.

35 HIGGINS DRIVE MILFORD CT 06460
SALES 203-874-3139 FAX [phone]

COPYRIGHT 1991 KRELL DIGITAL INC.

(MD29105)