Page 1
Operating Manual
Mark Levinson
Nº36S
Digital Audio
Processor
®
Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc.
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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.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, 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 electric
shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.
Marking by the “CE” symbol (shown left) indicates compliance of this device with the EMC
(Electromagnetic Compatibility) and LVD (Low Voltage Directive) standards of the
European Community.
NOTICE
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment on and off, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna;
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver;
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected;
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
®
and High Definition Compatible Digital® are registered trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc.
HDCD
The information contained in the manual is subject to change without notice. The most current version of this manual will
be posted on our web site at http://www.madrigal.com.
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Important Safety Instructions
Please read all instructions and precautions carefully and completely before operating your Mark Levinson component.
1. ALWAYS disconnect your entire system from the AC mains before connecting or disconnecting
any cables, or when cleaning any component.
2. This product is equipped 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. If your electrical outlets will not accept this type of plug, an adapter may be purchased.
If an adapter is necessary, be sure it is an approved type and is used properly, supplying an
earth ground. If you are not sure of the integrity of your home electrical system, contact a licensed electrician for assistance.
3. AC extension cords are not recommended for use with this product. If an extension cord must
be used, be sure it is an approved type and has sufficient current-carrying capacity to power
this product.
4. NEVER use flammable or combustible chemicals for cleaning audio components.
5. NEVER operate this product with any covers removed.
6. NEVER wet the inside of this product with any liquid.
7. NEVER pour or spill liquids directly onto this unit.
8. NEVER block air flow through ventilation slots or heatsinks.
9. NEVER bypass any fuse.
10. NEVER replace any fuse with a value or type other than those specified.
11. NEVER attempt to repair this product. If a problem occurs, contact your Mark Levinson
tailer.
12. NEVER expose this product to extremely high or low temperatures.
13. NEVER operate this product in an explosive atmosphere.
14. ALWAYS keep electrical equipment out of the reach of children.
15. ALWAYS unplug sensitive electronic equipment during lightning storms.
®
re-
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From all of us at Madrigal Audio Laboratories, thank you for choosing the Mark
Levinson Nº36S Digital Audio Processor.
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.
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Table of Contents
Unpacking and Placement ....................................................................... 6
Send in Your Warranty Card! ............................................................................ 6
Unpacking the Nº36S......................................................................................... 6
Placement of the Nº36S .................................................................................... 6
Operating Voltage ...................................................................................... 7
Voltage label .............................................................................................. 7
A Quick Start… ............................................................................................ 8
Warm up/break-in period ................................................................................. 9
Special Design Features ........................................................................... 10
An “intelligent” FIFO ........................................................................................ 10
Superior isolation between sources ............................................................... 11
Fully balanced design ..................................................................................... 11
24 bit digital architecture and HDCD® compatibility ................................. 11
HDCD® Gain-Matching............................................................................ 12
Front panel, Nº36S ..................................................................................... 13
Display, Nº36S ........................................................................................... 17
Rear panel, Nº36S ..................................................................................... 19
IR input tip polarity .................................................................................... 20
Linking connections ................................................................................. 21
Building link cables ................................................................................... 21
Male XLR output connector (digital) ..................................................... 22
AC power cord polarity ........................................................................... 22
Setup and Installation............................................................................... 23
Nº36S Input Names .......................................................................................... 23
Making Digital Connections ........................................................................... 23
Making Analog Connections ......................................................................... 24
Making Link Connections ............................................................................... 25
Input Names ..................................................................................................... 25
Naming Your Inputs ......................................................................................... 26
Remote Control of the Nº36S ................................................................... 28
Teachi ng N º36S Front Panel Commands ...................................................... 28
Teaching Other Nº36S Commands................................................................ 29
special commands table ........................................................................ 29
Linked functions ........................................................................................ 31
Standby link ...................................................................................................... 31
Name link ......................................................................................................... 31
Play link ............................................................................................................. 31
Display Link ....................................................................................................... 31
Polarity link ........................................................................................................ 31
HDCD Link ......................................................................................................... 32
Troubleshooting ......................................................................................... 33
Care and maintenance ........................................................................... 34
U.S. and Canadian Warranty ................................................................... 35
Limited five year warranty .............................................................................. 35
Obtaining Service ..................................................................................... 36
Specifications ............................................................................................ 37
Dimensions ................................................................................................ 38
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Unpacking and Placement
Send in Your Warranty Card! So far, you have only half a product. The other half is the ongoing service and
support we can provide you to complement your new component and help you
maximize your enjoyment of it. Unfortunately, we cannot give you this other half
of the product you just purchased unless you tell us where to find you.
Sending in your warranty card will automatically add your name to our mailing
list for our customer newsletter, and will allow us to contact you for the occasional special offer. We do not share this last with anyone; all names are held in
strict confidence. We simply want the opportunity to provide superior service, as
our way of thanking you for buying one of our products.
Unpacking the Nº36S Unpack your Nº36S Digital Audio Processor and remove all accessories from the
carton. Keep all packing materials for future transport.
Included with your new Mark Levinson product is a pair of knit, white gloves
designed to assist you in the initial unpacking and placement of your new purchase. Please accept them as a token of our appreciation for having purchased
one of our products.
Placement of the Nº36S The Nº36S should be placed close to your digital source equipment, keeping in-
terconnect cabling short. We strongly recommend shelf mounting to allow for
proper ventilation. The Nº36S is designed for continuous operation, which is why
it features a standby mode rather than a full “off” mode—it is designed to be
connected to the AC mains at all times for the best performance.
Be sure to allow 3 to 4 inches of clearance above the Nº36S to allow heat dissipation through air circulation.
Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations and custom
cabinetry (see “Dimensions”).
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Operating Voltage
The Nº36S Digital Audio Processor is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V,
200V, 230V, 220V, or 240V AC mains operation @ 50 or 60Hz. (230V/50Hz only in
European Union countries, in compliance with CE regulations.) This voltage and
frequency setting cannot be changed by the user. Make sure that the label on the
bottom panel of the Nº36S (adjacent to the AC cord) indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your location.
If the voltage indicated on your Nº36S is incorrect, or if you wish to change the
AC operating voltage or frequency of your Nº36S as the result of moving to a different country than the one in which you purchased your digital audio processor,
see your Mark Levinson dealer.
The Nº36S can be powered by a normal 15-ampere AC mains line. If other devices are also powered from the same AC line, their additional power consumption should be taken into account.
For optimal sonic performance and longevity, the Nº36S is designed to remain
powered at all times (the
and turns off the display). There is an initial break-in period of approximately
300 hours before the Nº36S achieves optimum performance.
standby switch merely mutes the processor’s outputs
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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 Nº36S Digital
Audio Processor incorporates several unusual features which enhance its operation.
Fortunately, we can help you get some music up and running on your system
quickly, so that you may begin enjoying your new digital processor while reading
more about it. The goal here is simply to make some music as quickly as possible. The following procedure assumes that the rest of your system is already
connected (e.g., preamplifier to power amplifier, to speakers, etc.).
1 TURN OFF YOUR ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS
This minimizes the opportunity for a momentary electrical surge disturbing
your system while making connections. If you have a large power amplifier,
allow its power supply to fully discharge before proceeding (which may
take as long as several minutes, depending on its design).
2 CONNECT THE AC CORD TO THE Nº36S AND TO YOUR AC OUTLET
The AC receptacle for the power cord is located underneath the Nº36S, in
the center of the unit. (This design reduces noise by bringing the power
into the chassis precisely where it is needed rather than routing it throughout the unit.) The Nº36S will take a few moments to initialize and will then
be ready to use.
3 CONNECT A DIGITAL SOURCE TO INPUT 1 OR 5
Inputs 1 and 5 on the Nº36S are configured from the factory for CD transports, the most common type of digital transport. Input 1 is an aes/ebu
(XLR-type) digital input; Input 5 is an S/PDIF (RCA-type) digital input.
These digital inputs are found on the rear of the Nº36S. Use high quality
digital cable such as Madrigal MDC-1 for XLR-type, or MDC-2 for RCA-type
connections. (All other inputs are configured as “not used” and will need to
be named before they can be used. Naming of inputs is covered in this
manual.)
4 CONNECT A SET OF ANALOG OUTPUTS TO YOUR PREAMPLIFIER
The Nº36S has both balanced (XLR) analog outputs and single-ended
(RCA) outputs. They are found on the outside edges of the rear panel. As
viewed from the front, the left side contains the Left channel and the right
side contains the Right channel. Use high quality analog cable such as Madrigal CZ Gel.
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5 SELECT THE INPUT YOU ARE USING BY PRESSING ITS FRONT PANEL BUT-
TON
6 TURN ON THE OTHER COMPONENTS; SLOWLY RAISE THE VOLUME
Congratulations! You should now be able to enjoy your favorite music while
reading the rest of this manual. [Note that it is always a good idea to turn
on your power amplifier(s) last, in case one of your other components exhibits a turn-on transient of some sort.]
Warm up/break-in period Although your Mark Levinson Nº36S digital processor delivers outstanding perfor-
mance straight out of the box, you should expect to hear it continue to improve
as it reaches its normal operating temperatures and its various components
“break-in.” It has been our experience that the greatest changes occur within the
first 25-50 hours, but that the Nº36S will continue to improve in sound quality for
about 300 hours, after which time it remains quite constant.
The only exception to this rule is if power is removed from the unit, allowing it
to cool down. In this case you should expect a brief warm-up period before the
Nº36S’s sound quality is at its best. (Fortunately, you will never have to repeat the
full 300 hour break-in period.)
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Special Design Features
Congratulations on your purchase of the Nº36S Digital Audio Processor. The Madrigal design team is confident you will enjoy the outstanding performance of the
Nº36S for many years. In case you are interested in technical details, what follows
is a brief outline of some of the key technologies in your new processor.
An “Intelligent” FIFO Unlike previous processors which were highly dependent on the quality of the
digital signal they were fed, the Nº36S Digital Audio Processor delivers outstanding performance with even less-than-ideal digital signals.
“FIFO” stands for “First In, First Out.” It describes a simple buffer in which the
digital information is stored temporarily on its way to being converted to analog.
Just as a large water tower can provide a steady source of water to a small town,
despite hour-to-hour variations in the supply of water from the well, a FIFO can
provide a steady, consistent source of digital data to the converters which are responsible for changing that data into music. Even if there is significant “jitter” (inconsistencies in timing) in the incoming digital information, the output of the
FIFO is controlled by a special clock with tremendous accuracy. The result largely
eliminates the jitter and allows the musical information to be reproduced cleanly,
without jitter-induced distortions.
The trouble with most FIFOs lies in their behavior when the incoming signal is
poor enough to cause the “water tank” to overflow or to be emptied. Normally, a
FIFO would then have to “invent” false data to fill the gap, throw away excess
data, or revert to non-FIFO operation. None of these approaches is acceptable, as
they all represent serious performance compromises.
Of course, one could simply use an extremely large buffer. Unfortunately, this so-
lution is a poor one.
A larger buffer implies a longer delay between when information goes in and
when it starts coming back out. With laserdiscs, for example, you must keep the
in/out delay small so as to keep the soundtrack synchronized with the picture on
the screen. An oversized buffer would make every movie’s audio out of step with
its video, an unacceptable situation. Of course, one could bypass the FIFO for
movies, at the cost of losing all of its distortion-reducing benefits.
Madrigal engineers have developed a proprietary buffer management scheme
which reduces reproduced jitter to less than 20 picoseconds while maintaining
the synchronization of sound and picture in movies. It employs a buffer large
enough to absorb the jitter found in transports of reasonable quality, yet small
enough to have imperceptible delay. The rate at which data is released from the
FIFO buffer is controlled by software to track the long-term data rate of the in-
coming signal, allowing the buffer to absorb all the short-term variations which
cause sonic degradation. This approach yields a “smart” FIFO buffering scheme
which rejects virtually all incoming jitter without requiring an enormous buffer
and suffering the consequent audible delay. It also avoids the sonic penalties associated with the various strategies used when a buffer overflows or empties.
10
The “smart” FIFO operates at both 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz sampling rates. The
Nº36S reverts to non-FIFO (recovered clock) operation for 32 kHz sampling rates
(a proposed but rarely used standard for digital satellite transmission). It also re-
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verts to the recovered clock when the long-term data rate from the transport is
extremely inaccurate. (Sorry—the digital output of your CD portable will not
sound as good as a fine CD transport such as the Mark Levinson Nº31.)
Superior isolation
between sources
One of the advantages of a separate digital audio processor is that you can take
the money which might have otherwise been spent on several built-in D/A converters and put it into one, superior processor which will enhance the performance of all the transports with which it is used. Ironically, many outboard processors fail to live up to this potential due to interference between their various
digital inputs.
The Nº36S provides outstanding isolation between its inputs, realizing the full
potential of the various digital transports with which it is used. In fact, all
unselected digital inputs are capacitively shunted to ground upon entering the
Nº36S to prevent their interaction with any portion of the circuitry inside the processor. As a result, the selected input effectively has the Nº36S “all to itself” for its
conversion to analog.
Fully balanced design The Nº36S is fully balanced in both the analog and digital domains. Even single-
ended digital inputs (anything other than the balanced aes/ebu standard) are immediately converted to balanced signals before any further routing or processing
of the signal. All digital filtering and processing is implemented in a balanced
configuration, and conversion to analog is accomplished in two opposing polarity
20-bit converters per channel.
Maintaining perfect balance in the differential operation of these converters is essential to the remarkable performance of the Nº36S. After all, if one converter has
even slightly higher gain than the other, a music signal will modulate the virtual
“ground” halfway between the two signals, creating noise. The Nº36S establishes a
new level of precision in this regard, using hand-trimmed 0.0006% resistors (that
is not a typo: they are accurate to within 6⁄10,0 0 0
ths
of a percent).
24 bit digital architecture
and HDCD
®
compatibility
This approach maintains the integrity of the signal, reducing the opportunities for
music-destroying noise and digital artifacts to enter the signal path.
All digital filtering and processing maintains a true 24-bit throughput capability,
providing greater digital resolution than any existing source component. Even the
most stringent requirements of professionals can easily be met with this design.
In addition to true 20-bit capability (24 bits in the digital domain, filtered to the
20-bit resolution of the digital to analog conversion stages), the Nº36S also incorporates High Definition Compatible Digital® decoding to take full advantage of
the increased resolution available from HDCD encoded 16-bit CDs. The High
Definition Compatible Digital® format retains much of the resolution inherent in
professional twenty bit recordings by encoding this information more efficiently
within the sixteen bit space available within the Compact Disc format.
The technology embodied in the Nº36S sets it apart from other high end products, one which will stand the test of time.
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HDCD® Gain-Matching
Some HDCD-encoded recordings are mastered at a level which is noticeably lower
(6 dB) than conventional recordings. To avoid unexpected changes in volume when
going from one disc to another, the Nº36S automatically reduces the volume of all
recordings to this volume level as required by Pacific Microsonics, Inc. Thus, this
“HDCD AUTO” gain-matching is the default setting as shipped. To remind you of
this fact, the Nº36S will display “
unless this feature is defeated as indicated below.
In our listening tests, we have determined that the only sonically transparent gainmatching technique is to raise the volume of the preamplifier by the requisite 6 dB
when playing those few discs that require it. All other design options introduce
a compromise in sound quality.
For Best Performance: We strongly recommend that you turn off the HDCD AUTO gain-
matching in your Nº36S digital audio processor.
If you are using the Nº36S with a Mark Levinson Nº38 or Nº38S preamplifier, simply name the appropriate input on the preamplifier “No36” (explained in
the preamp manual), and connect the two products with a Communications Link
cable (page 21). In this case, the Nº36S will tell the preamplifier to change its volume setting as necessary to compensate for differing CD mastering techniques, and
you never have to think about it. (The Nº38 display will show “HD+6” to indicate a
change required by the HDCD recording being played through the Nº36S; it will revert to normal and show “HD+0” when you return to conventional recordings. Older
preamplifiers may require a new EPROM to take advantage of this feature.) This
technique ensures that you always get the best possible sound from your system,
without any unexpected changes in level, regardless of the recordings you play.
-6 DB PAD” when locking on a digital input signal,
12
If you are using the Nº36S with any other preamplifier, follow the steps below. (You will have to adjust the volume on some HDCD recordings manually.)
1 PRESS AND HOLD THE MODE BUTTON ON THE FRONT PANEL
After a few seconds, the display will change to show NAME and the current
name of the selected input. (Ignore this for now. You’ll learn how to rename
your inputs to match your sources later on in this manual.)
2 PRESS THE POLARITY BUTTON SO THE DISPLAY SHOWS “HDCD MAN.”
Repeatedly pressing the polarity button will toggle the display between “HDCD
AUTO
” (meaning that the Nº36S automatically lowers its volume on conventionally-mastered discs) and “HDCD MAN.” (meaning that gain-matching is
turned off; HDCD-encoded discs will still be decoded properly). If you try to
change from one to the other while a Nº38 is Linked, the Nº36S will display
“No38 LINK” (indicating that the Nº36S and Nº38 already know what to do).
Changing to manual gain-matching ensures that the HDCD digital filter always
operates at its maximum resolution, although you may now have to manually
turn up the volume on some HDCD recordings.
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display
intensity
31 2
mode
54
R
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
polarity
invert
aes/ebu emphasis
123456
Front panel, Nº36S
1 DISPLAY INTENSITY
Pressing this button varies the brightness of the display. Four brightness levels are available.
When power is first applied to the Nº36S (or when power is restored after
an interruption), the display is automatically set to its brightest level.
Pressing the display intensity button once dims the display one level;
pressing it again dims it further; pressing it again turns the display off.
Pressing display intensity once more returns the display to its brightest
level. (If other Mark Levinson components in the system are “Linked” to the
Nº36S, all display intensities will change in unison. See Linked Functions for
more information.)
teach ir
876
DIGITAL PROCESSOR
Nº 36S
standby
9
2 AES/EBU LED
The aes/ebu LED lights when the Nº36S detects that the digital program
being processed conforms to the AES/EBU (Audio Engineering Society/Eu-
ropean Broadcast Union) professional standard. This LED indicates the
presence or absence of certain encoded information in the digital signal. It
does not indicate that the AES/EBU connections (a connection standard
written by the same group) are being used. Playback of non-AES/EBU CDs
or DATs won’t activate the aes/ebu LED, even if the associated transport is
connected according to the AES/EBU standard.
3 DISPLAY
See “Display, Nº36S” beginning on page 16.
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4 MODE BUTTON
The mode button serves two functions, one in day-to-day operation and
the other only during setup:
• In everyday use, the mode button allows you to see the status of the
digital output and to turn it on or off.
• During setup, the mode button allows you to rename the various inputs
of the Nº36S to suit the needs of your system, making it easier to use
(especially for those who use the system infrequently).
To check on whether your selected input is present at the digital output,
press
mode once. This action causes the display to indicate whether the
digital record output is on or off. For example, the display shown below indicates that the digital record output is on.
To disable the digital record output, press the mode button again. The display will read RCD: OFF and the digital output of the Nº36S will be temporarily disabled. This eliminates any potential interaction between the record
output circuitry of the Nº36S and the rest of your system. Repeatedly pressing the mode button while RCD: shows in the left half of the display will
toggle the Nº36S between RCD: OFF and RCD: ON for the selected source.
After a few seconds, the display will return to its normal mode, which is to
display the selected source and current sampling frequency.
5 EMPHASIS LED
The compact disc standard, as created by Sony and Philips, allows a highfrequency boost to be employed during recording. This boost, called recording pre-emphasis, increases the signal-to-noise ratio at high frequencies,
but must be countered by a high-frequency cut before playback to restore a
recording’s normal frequency response. De-emphasis may be done as the
recording is being mastered, or the compact disc (or digital audio tape)
may be made with the pre-emphasis still on, and the de-emphasis performed in the playback unit.
The emphasis LED lights when the Nº36S detects recording pre-emphasis in
the digital program being processed, and subsequently employs its de-emphasis circuitry. In the Nº36S, the de-emphasis filtering is done in the digital
domain.
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Note: The de-emphasis circuitry of the Nº36S is designed to be
compatible with all known digital standards. However, it is
possible for the emphasis LED to light in error when there is
no disc being played. This is not a malfunction of the Nº36S.
Rather, it is the result of the transport generating ambiguous
signals in the absence of a spinning disc to read. You may
never see this condition. Even when the condition exists, it
has no effect on sonic quality, as it can only occur when
there is no disc playing.
6 POLARITY INVERT
Pressing this button inverts the polarity of the digital signal, to compensate
for polarity differences during the recording process. Some recordings may
simply “sound better” when this function is active.
While
polarity invert is selected, the LED above the button will light.
Note:polarity invert doesn’t affect the digital outputs, and isn’t available
for inverting the polarity of digital signals to be recorded.
Note:polarity invert may be operated by infrared remote control
when the Nº36S is connected to compatible Mark Levinson
components such as the Nº31 Reference CD Transport. Complete
instructions are included in those components’ operating manuals. Alternatively, the Nº36S can “teach” a learning remote control
infrared control codes that will provide similar functionality. (See
“Remote Control of the Nº36S”)
7 SOURCE SELECTION BUTTONS
Pressing any of these buttons selects the digital source associated with that
numbered input, according to the connections on the rear panel (see “Rear
panel, Nº36S”). The display will show the name of the input, along with the
input number. (See “Setup and Installation” for more information on nam-
ing your inputs to match your sources.) Only one source at a time may be
selected.
When power is first applied to the Nº36S (or when power is restored after
an interruption), it will search for and select the first input with an active
digital signal. If none is found, it will select the first named source. As delivered from the factory, this input will be “CD1.”
When the Nº36S is taken out of standby mode, the source last selected before pressing standby will be automatically selected.
8TEACH IR
The Nº36S has both an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter in its
main display, enabling it to respond to IR remote controls that have
“learned” the appropriate commands. The Nº36S can “teach” these commands to a learning remote control.
For more information on using the teach ir function of the Nº36S, see “Re-
mote Control of the Nº36S”
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9 STANDBY & STANDBY LED
Pressing this button takes the Nº36S out of “standby” mode (provided the
Nº36S is connected to AC power), making it fully operational.
Pressing standby again places the Nº36S into standby mode, which turns
the display off, turns off all outputs (including the record outputs), and disables the front-panel controls. The internal circuitry remains powered up in
order to maintain its thermal stability and optimum performance at all
times.
While the Nº36S is in standby, the LED above the
approximately every five seconds. (When the Nº36S is Linked to other Mark
Levinson components, all the standby lights will blink in unison.) When the
Nº36S is ready to operate (that is, when it is not in standby mode), this
LED remains lit continuously.
standby button flashes
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1 2 3
Display, Nº36S
1INPUT NAME
This part of the Nº36S’s display shows the name of the input selected, as
determined during setup (see “Assigning input names” in the “Installation”
section of this manual).
To facilitate operation in complex, multisource systems, the Nº36S is capable
of displaying a wide variety of names for each of its eight inputs. They are
listed below.
NOT USED (any unused input)
DAT Digital Audio Tape
DCC Digital Compact Cassette
MD Mini Disc
CDR Compact Disc, Recordable
CDI Compact Disc, Interactive
DBS Digital Broadcast Satellite
LD Laser Disc
CD Compact Disc
ADC Analog to Digital Converter
AUX Auxiliary (other digital sources)
DCA Digital Cable Audio
PCD Proceed Compact Disc player
PDT Proceed Digital Transport
CDD Compact Disc Drive
2INPUT NUMBER
This part of the Nº36S’s display shows the input number of the selected
digital source, according to the connections on the rear panel (see “Rear
panel, Nº36S”).
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3 SAMPLING FREQUENCY
This part of the Nº36S’s display normally shows the sampling frequency of
the digital input being processed, expressed in kilohertz. One of three sampling frequencies will be shown, in “shorthand” form: 32k, 44k, or 48k, (44k
is shown in the main illustration on the opposite page).
After you press one of the source selection buttons (say, going from input 1
to input 5), the Nº36S will reduce the volume and the display will show:
While the Nº36S is attempting to lock onto a different digital signal, the display will show (assuming you have renamed input 5 for your DAT):
If no digital signal is present (if the source is turned off, is improperly connected, or is disconnected), the display will show:
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21 3
4 5
6
7
8
9
10
12
and High Definition Compatible Digital® are registered trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc.
right analog outputs 1
aes/ebu
aes/ebu
PUSH PUSH
2
3
st
spdif
4
spdif
5
6
eiaj
Rear panel, Nº36S
1 BALANCED ANALOG OUTPUTS
These outputs provide balanced line-level analog audio (via cables
equipped with XLR-type connectors) to a preamplifier, integrated amplifier,
or receiver equipped with balanced inputs (see “Set-up and installation”).
The pin assignments used are AES-standard, as shown below:
external
i.r.
master
communication
port
DIGITAL PROCESSOR Nº36S
designed and manufactured in U.S.A.
by
MADRIGAL S/N
digital output
left analog outputs
Pin 1: Signal ground
12
3
Pin 2: Signal + (non-inverting)
Pin 3: Signal – (inverting)
Connector ground lug: chassis ground
2 SINGLE-ENDED ANALOG OUTPUTS
These outputs provide single-ended line-level analog audio (via cables
equipped with RCA-type connectors) to a preamplifier, integrated amplifier,
or receiver.
3 AES/EBU ELECTRICAL DIGITAL INPUTS (#1 & #2)
These inputs accept the digital audio signal (DAS ) via cables equipped
with XLR-type connectors from digital sources such as a compact disc
transport, laser disc transport, digital audio tape transport, digital broadcast
receiver.
These inputs conform to the AES/EBU digital interconnection standard,
which calls for a 110Ω transmission of the DAS. Use a digital interconnecting
cable specifically designed for the 110Ω AES/EBU standard, such as Madrigal
MDC-1 cable, when using these inputs. The pin assignments for the AES/
EBU digital interconnection standard are shown below.
PUSH
21
3
Pin 1: chassis ground
Pin 2: non-inverted digital
Pin 3: inverted digital
Connector ground lug: chassis ground
19
Page 20
4 ST OPTICAL DIGITAL INPUT (#3)
This input accepts the digital audio signal (DAS) , via optical cable
equipped with the ST-type optical connector (sometimes called “AT&T”)
from digital sources such as a compact disc transport, laser disc transport,
digital audio tape transport, digital broadcast receiver.
5 BNC S/PDIF ELECTRICAL DIGITAL INPUT (#4)
This input accepts the
BNC-type connectors from digital sources such as a compact disc transport,
laser disc transport, digital audio tape transport, digital broadcast receiver.
This input conforms to the Sony/Philips Digital Interface Standard (S/PDIF),
which calls for a 75Ω transmission of the DAS. Use a digital interconnecting
cable specifically designed for the 75Ω S/PDIF standard, such as Madrigal
MDC-2 cable, when using this input.
6 RCA S/PDIF ELECTRICAL DIGITAL INPUT (#5)
This input accepts the digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with
RCA-type connectors from digital sources such as a compact disc transport,
laser disc transport, digital audio tape transport, digital broadcast receiver.
This input conforms to the Sony/Philips Digital Interface Standard (S/PDIF),
which calls for a 75Ω transmission of the DAS. Use a digital interconnecting
cable specifically designed for the 75Ω S/PDIF standard, such as Madrigal
MDC-2 cable, when using this input.
digital audio signal (DAS ) via cables equipped with
IR input tip polarity
7 EIAJ OPTICAL DIGITAL INPUTS (#6)
This input accepts digital audio signal (DAS ) via optical cable equipped
with the EIAJ optical connector (sometimes called “Toslink™”) from digital
sources such as a compact disc transport, laser disc transport, digital audio
tape transport, digital broadcast receiver.
8 EXTERNAL IR INPUT
The Nº36S incorporates an infrared repeater input to facilitate a wide range
of installation options. If desired, the Nº36S may be placed inside a cabinet
or outside the normal line-of-sight in the listening area, with the controlling
IR signal being relayed to the Nº36S by any of a number of commerciallyavailable IR repeaters.
The specifications for this IR input call for a triggering voltage of 5 volts at
no more than 100 milliamps of current, with the tip of the 1⁄8" mini-plug
having positive polarity, as below:
+–
5 volts @ less
than 100 mA
20
If you would like more information on the possibility of using an infrared
repeater with your Nº36S, please contact your Mark Levinson dealer.
Page 21
9 COMMUNICATION PORT
This communications port allows the Nº36S to “link” to certain compatible
Mark Levinson components. (See “Linked Functions.”)
Linking connections
(any Mark Levinson transport)
display
intensity
aes/ebu emphasis
polarity
123456
invert
digital output
digital input
display
intensity
Nº36
Nº38
Nº33
aes/ebu emphasis
polarity
123456
invert
analog output
R
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
REFERENCE
MONAURAL
AMPLIFIER
Nº 33
slave in
Link
cable
The Mark Levinson Linking system uses the Nº36S as the Master of (and
central clearinghouse for) inter-component communications. Other compo-
slave out
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
COMPACT DISC DRIVE
Nº 37
standby
slave in
Link
cable
R
mode
teach ir
nents 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 Nº38 or Nº38S Preamplifier (if
owned) must be the final “Slave” in the chain. (In technical terms, it termi-
nates the communications bus.) In turn, the Nº38 can then serve as a master to an associated compatible Mark Levinson power amplifier—hence its
“Master” communications port.
master
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
DIGITAL PROCESSOR
R
Nº 36
standby
Thus, if the only other Mark Levinson Link-compatible component you
have is the Nº38 or Nº38S, connect the Nº36S’s
master port to the
mode
teach ir
preamplifier’s slave port using a “straight-through” RJ-45 cable. If there are
additional Mark Levinson Link-compatible components in the system, place
Link
cable
slaveany input
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
PREAMPLIFIER
Nº38
standby
master
Link
cable
slave in
R
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
REFERENCE
MONAURAL
AMPLIFIER
Nº 33
R
the preamplifier at the end of the chain by connecting the last slave out
port to the Nº38’s slave port. See the diagram at left for clarification.
The RJ-45 cable needed for the Link connection between the Nº36S and
other Link components may be purchased from your Mark Levinson dealer.
It may also be easily and inexpensively 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” con-
nection is (counter-intuitively) made by introducing a 180° twist in the
cable between the two ends, as shown below.
slave out
Building link cables
To Mark Levinson transport To Nº36
Locking tabLocking tab
Connecting the communication ports other than as
described in this manual will damage the Nº36S and the
associated Mark Levinson components, and will void those
products’ warranties.
10 ELECTRICAL DIGITAL OUTPUT
This output provides digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with
XLR-type connectors to a digital processor, digital audio tape recorder, preamplifier, integrated amplifier, or receiver equipped with XLR-type digital
inputs.
21
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Male XLR output
connector (digital)
Pin 1: Chassis ground
12
3
Pin 2: non-inverting DAS
Pin 3: inverting DAS
Connector ground lug: chassis ground
This
digital output is enabled or disabled by the mode button, and when
enabled makes a copy of the DAS of the currently selected input available
to other components. It employs the 110Ω aes/ebu transmission standard.
AC POWER CONNECTOR (ON BOTTOM)
This input accepts AC power from the AC mains (via the supplied AC
cable).
Connect the female end of this cable to the Nº36S. Connect the male end
of this cable to wall outlet or to an “unswitched” convenience outlet like
those found on many audio components.
AC power cord polarity
To Nº36S
132
1
3
To AC mains
1 = Line (hot)
2
2 = Neutral
3 = Earth ground
22
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Setup and Installation
Caution! For your protection, review “Important Safety Instructions”
before you install your Nº36S.
Nº36S Input Names The Nº36S allows you to assign any of a wide variety of names to each of the
eight digital inputs, shown below:
NOT USED (any unused input)
DAT Digital Audio Tape
DCC Digital Compact Cassette
MD Mini Disc
CDR Compact Disc, Recordable
CDI Compact Disc, Interactive
DBS Digital Broadcast Satellite
LD Laser Disc
CD Compact Disc
ADC Analog to Digital Converter
AUX Auxiliary (other digital sources)
DCA Digital Cable Audio
PCD Proceed Compact Disc player
PDT Proceed Digital Transport
CDD Compact Disc Drive
The name you assign to an input is shown on the display when a source is selected (see “Display, Nº36S”). Before operating your Nº36S, you’ll want to custom-
ize it to match the digital sources in your system.
The Nº36S digital audio processor is shipped with inputs 1 and 5 named CD,
since you will probably want to hook up your new component and start using it
right away. CD1 is an AES/EBU (XLR) digital input, and CD5 is a S/PDIF (RCA)
digital input, and both are ready for use as soon as the Nº36S is powered up and
connected to the rest of the system. (See “Making Digital Connections” and “Making Analog Connections” below.) Other inputs are named NOT USED and must
be renamed before they may be used.
Important! Any input named NOT USED cannot be used to convert digital
signals to analog until its name has been changed.
Making Digital Connections The Nº36S incorporates RCA, BNC and XLR electrical connectors, and ST and EIAJ
optical connectors for digital audio signal input. The digital output is the electrical
AES/EBU standard via XLR connector. (See “Rear panel, Nº36S,” above.)
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Page 24
Unlike previous generations of digital audio processors, the performance of which
was highly dependent on the digital interface and the digital interconnect, the
technology of the Nº36S allows it to deliver optimal performance despite the inherent limitations of interfaces such as the EIAJ standard (sometimes called
“Toslink™”). As a consequence, you can feel free to use whichever interconnection standard is convenient, given the provisions of your various digital sources.
For electrical digital interconnection, we recommend Madrigal MDC cable. MDC-1
is designed for 110Ω
AES/EBU interconnection (via XLR connectors); MDC-2 is
designed for 75Ω S/PDIF interconnection (via either RCA or BNC connectors).
Both cables are available in various lengths from your Mark Levinson dealer.
Using appropriate cables, connect all your digital source components to suitable
inputs on the rear panel of the Nº36S processor. If you have several such components, you might want to make a note of which component is plugged into
which input on a piece of scrap paper. (You will rename the various inputs in the
Nº36S shortly, making it easier to remember which input goes with which transport once the installation is complete.)
If you have several digital sources which have only S/PDIF (RCA or BNC) outputs,
it is possible to use an RCA-to-XLR cable for connection to one of the Nº36S’s
XLR-type digital inputs. For the best performance in these circumstances, we rec-
ommend using a high-bandwidth (300 MHz), three conductor, 110Ω cable such as
Madrigal MDC-1 (available from your Mark Levinson dealer). You may also fashion one according to the diagram below.
Shield
21
3
Male XLR
(connect to Nº36)
Making Analog Connections The Nº36S includes one set of balanced and one set of single-ended analog out-
Male RCA
(connect to source)
puts. The balanced outputs are generally preferred for their superior immunity to
noise. All outputs operate at a line level.
Note: the standard line level for balanced interconnection is six
decibels higher than for single-ended interconnections.
For analog audio interconnection, we recommend Madrigal HPC Interconnect
Cable. HPC is available from your Mark Levinson dealer, in various lengths and
terminated with RCA, XLR, and/or Camac connectors.
Using high quality cable, connect the appropriate output of the Nº36S to an input
of your preamplifier. The output impedance of the Nº36S is extremely low, which
allows you to use more than one output simultaneously without degrading performance, should you have any reason to do so. For example, you might supply a
multi-room system with the signal of the Nº36S as well as your main music system. Note, however, that only one digital source may be converted to analog at a
time.
24
Page 25
Making Link Connections The Nº36S incorporates sophisticated inter-component communications capabili-
ties when Linked to compatible Mark Levinson components. (See “Communications Ports” in ”Rear Panel.”) If you own compatible Mark Levinson digital source
components or preamplifiers, connect them to the Nº36S with an eight-conductor
RJ-45 cable as described on page 20. You may find that you need to cycle power
off and on once after making this connection for the first time (if making the
connection to a previously operating component), in order to ensure that all
components in the chain are aware of each other’s presence. Engaging
PLAY on
the transport once from STOP will complete the Link connection by activating the
communications bus between the components.
Input Names Each input of the Nº36S digital processor can and should be named to match the
source connected to that input. Doing so makes it easier to remember which
components are accessed by which buttons (especially for the occasional user).
To facilitate operation in complex multisource systems, the Nº36S is capable of
displaying a wide variety of alternative names for each of its six inputs. All inputs
other than 1 and 5 are labelled NOT USED as delivered from the factory, and will
need to be given appropriate names before they may be used. Giving inputs appropriate names is simple and greatly enhances the ease of use of your new
Nº36S, especially for occasional users of the system. The available names are
shown on page 23.
Each name is normally followed by a number corresponding to the number of
the input being used. Thus, a DAT in Input 3 would normally display a DAT3. In
this way, you can have more than one CD player, for example, and still tell at a
glance which one is selected.
Mark Levinson transports will automatically pass their proper names on to the
Linked digital processor if their Name Link (or “Alias Link”) is turned on at the
transport. For example: when selected, an input that has a Mark Levinson Nº31
connected to it will show No31 in the display (rather than a more generic CD1).
Detailed instructions for changing names are given below. As a quick overview:
to change names for inputs on the Nº36S, you enter the setup mode by pressing
and holding the mode button for several seconds; then you change the name;
then you confirm the new name by pressing and holding the mode button
again for several seconds. (This rather deliberate process minimizes the chance
that something will be changed accidentally by the casual user of the system.)
25
Page 26
Naming Your Inputs To give an input a new name:
1 SELECT THE INPUT YOU WISH TO RENAME
Note that the input to be renamed needs to be selected prior to naming.
2 PRESS AND HOLD THE MODE BUTTON
After a delay of approximately five seconds, the display will change to
NAME
), as shown below.
When you see this message in the display, you can release the mode button, at which time the display will show the current name of the selected
input.
3 PRESS THE SELECTED INPUT’S BUTTON REPEATEDLY UNTIL YOU SEE THE
NAME YOU WISH TO USE
This action will cause the display to cycle through the list of available
names, with the input number appended to the end of each name. For example, you might wish to change input #6 from NOT USED to LD6 if the digi-
tal output of your laserdisc player is plugged into the EIAJ input. In this
case the display would appear initially as follows:
SET
26
and you would cycle through the various names until you saw:
Page 27
4 PRESS AND HOLD THE MODE BUTTON TO THE CONFIRM CHANGE
Pressing and holding the mode button a second time confirms that you
would like to make this change, that it is a conscious choice (rather than an
accidental change caused by an inquisitive four year old):
If no change is made, the display will show:
5 REPEAT THIS PROCESS FOR ALL INPUTS
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Remote Control of the Nº36S
The Nº36S includes both an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter. With
this capability, it can “teach” a learning remote control any commands that might
be needed for remote operation. These include input selection, mode, polarity,
etc.
Teaching Nº36S Front
Panel Commands
Specifically, the Nº36S can send all of the necessary IR commands from its
play
window, enabling you to teach a learning remote any or all of its pre-programmed commands, as well as some optional special commands that are available to solve specific installation-related problems.
The Nº36S has two special modes of operation into which is may be placed in
order to facilitate the “teaching” of remote control commands to a learning remote control. The first allows you to easily teach the commands for which there
are corresponding front panel buttons. The second allows you to teach “special”
commands to the remote control for which there are no corresponding front
panel buttons.
1 PRESS THE “TEACH IR” BUTTON TO ENTER THE TEACHING MODE
The LED above the teach ir button will illuminate and the display will read
< IR MODE to indicate that the Nº36S is ready to teach a learning remote
control the infrared commands that correspond to the its front panel buttons. (Pressing the teach ir button a second time will return the Nº36S to
normal operation if you change your mind.)
2 PRESS ANY FRONT PANEL BUTTON TO CAUSE THE Nº36S TO SEND THE
CORRESPONDING IR COMMAND
Line up the IR window of your remote control with the left side of the
Nº36S display (being pointed at by the < IR MODE in the display), at a dis-
tance of approximately 1"-3". Select the to-be-learned button on the remote,
then press the corresponding button on the Nº36S to fire the appropriate IR
code. The display will change to read ^ IR MODE to indicate that the IR
code is being emitted, then will revert to < IR MODE when it is ready to
teach the next command. (Tip: most learning remotes need to be held fairly
still while they learn new IR commands; movement can garble the received
IR.)
dis-
28
If you are uncertain as to how to prepare your remote control for learning
new commands, refer to the instructions provided with the remote control.
3 REPEAT THE PROCESS OF “TEACHING” NEW COMMANDS TO THE VARI-
OUS BUTTONS ON YOUR REMOTE CONTROL UNTIL ALL FRONT PANEL
COMMANDS HAVE BEEN LEARNED BY YOUR REMOTE
4 WHEN FINISHED, EXIT THE PROGRAMMING MODE BY PRESSING THE
TEACH IR BUTTON
Page 29
You may wish to teach your remote control some of the Nº36S’s special commands (those for which there is no corresponding front panel button); in this
case, you should go directly to the next section. At some point, however, you
should test all your newly “learned” commands to ensure that they were “learned”
correctly.
Teaching Other
Nº36S Commands
As mentioned above, the Nº36S has the capability to teach learning remote controls special commands for which there are no front panel counterparts. These
commands can be especially helpful in solving problems in certain kinds of custom installations.
These “hard assignment” commands in the Nº36S will place it into a certain
mode of operation regardless of its current state. For example, a hard assignment
command to enter standby will leave the Nº36S in standby if already there, or
switch it to standby if it is currently operating. This type of hard assignment
command is especially helpful when you do not necessarily know the current
status of the Nº36S, as might be the case in a multi-room home entertainment
system (for example).
1 PRESS AND HOLD THE TEACH IR BUTTON UNTIL “CMD# 01” APPEARS IN
THE DISPLAY
A momentary press of the teach ir button will, of course, simply get you
ready to teach front panel button commands, as discussed in the last section. When you “camp on” the teach ir button instead, the Nº36S will wait
for a few seconds to make sure that your press-and-hold action is quite deliberate, and then enter a teaching mode for its “special” commands. If no
further buttons are pressed within approximately ten seconds, the Nº36S
will “time out” and return to normal operation.
special commands table
2 PRESS THE TEACH IR BUTTON REPEATEDLY UNTIL THE DESIRED COM-
MAND NUMBER APPEARS IN THE DISPLAY
The table below lists the special commands that are available for the Nº36S.
In the second column are the commands numbers used in the display to
represent those special commands.
hard assignment for operate CMD# 01
hard assignment for standby CMD# 02
hard assignment for system operate CMD# 03
hard assignment for system standby CMD# 04
hard assignment for record on CMD# 05
hard assignment for record off CMD# 06
display intensity to off CMD# 07
display intensity to medium CMD# 08
3 MOMENTARILY PRESS THE MODE BUT TON TO TRANSMIT THAT CODE
Line up the IR window of your remote control with the left side of the display of the Nº36S, at a distance of approximately 2"-6". Select the to-belearned button on the remote, then fire the selected code from the Nº36S
by pressing mode.
29
Page 30
(If you are uncertain as to how to prepare your remote control for learning
new commands, refer to the instructions provided with the remote control.)
5 REPEAT THE PROCESS OF “TEACHING” NEW SPECIAL COMMANDS UN-
TIL ALL DESIRED COMMANDS HAVE BEEN LEARNED BY YOUR REMOTE
CONTROL.
If you take longer than approximately ten seconds between button pushes,
the Nº36S will time out and return to normal operation. If this occurs, return to step #1 in this section.
6 WHEN FINISHED, RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION BY ALLOWING THE
Nº36S TO “TIME OUT”
The Nº36S will “time-out” and return to normal operation after approximately ten seconds, or you can force it back to normal operation by “camping on” the
teach ir button.
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Linked functions
The Nº36S has the ability to “link” several of its functions to compatible Mark
Levinson components (like the Nº31 Reference CD Transport and the Nº38 or
Nº38S Preamplifier, and the 30-series power amplifiers).
Note: To take advantage of linked functions, you must connect the
Nº36S to the other components via their communication ports. (See
“Rear panel” and “Set-up and installation.”)
The following linked functions are selected as operational options at your Mark
Levinson transport. They are described here for your reference.
Standby link ■ Standby link: This feature links the standby modes of the various
Mark Levinson Linked components. For example:
• If transport, digital processor, preamplifier and power amplifier are
in standby mode, pressing the transport’s standby button will take
all four components out of standby mode (making them ready to
use).
• If transport, digital processor, preamplifier and power amplifier are
in standby mode, pressing the Nº36S’s standby button will bring
only the preamp out of standby mode (presuming that you may
wish to use the Nº36S with some digital source other than the
Mark Levinson transpor t).
• If transport, digital processor, preamplifier and power amplifier are
“on” (not in standby mode), pressing the preamp’s standby button
will place all four components into standby mode.
Name link ■ Name link: The Mark Levinson digital transport’s alias link auto-
matically overrides the name setting for its input. When you select
the Nº31’s input, the Nº36S will show No31 on its display.
Play link ■ Play link: When you press the Mark Levinson digital transport’s
Play button, this link automatically selects the appropriate input on
the Nº36S, and on the Nº38 or Nº38S.
Note: If you’ve connected the Nº31 to two or more of your Nº36S’s
inputs, the play link will look first for AES/EBU interconnection,
then ST, then S/PDIF, and finally EIAJ.
Display Link ■ Display link: This links the display intensity functions of the
Nº36S and the other Linked components.
When the components are linked, all displays will be set to the
same brightness. Pressing display intensity on either component
will affect both displays.
Polarity link ■ Polarity link: This links the d/a polarity button on the
transport’s Remote Control to the polarity invert function of the
Nº36S.
The polarity link also allows inverted polarity to be saved with a
program, via the Nº31.
31
Page 32
The following Link is not a selectable option. Instead, it operates automatically
and transparently between your transport, processor and preamplifier.
HDCD Link ■ HDCD link: When HDCD recordings are made, one of the encod-
ing options chosen by the recording engineer results in a playback
level that is six decibels lower than normal. This change in volume
from one CD to the next is automatically compensated for when
the Nº36S is connected to a Mark Levinson preamplifier such as
the Nº38 or Nº38S. When such a HDCD is played, the Linked
preamplifier (acting on instructions from the digital processor) will
automatically raise its volume setting by exactly six decibels. It will
also reduce its volume setting by 6 dB when the low-output
HDCD recording is no longer being processed. In this fashion, the
perceived volume in the room is maintained at a constant level
despite a fundamental change in the recording being played.
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Troubleshooting
In general, refer any service problems to your Mark Levinson dealer. Before contacting your dealer, however, check to see if the problem is listed here. If it is, try
the suggested solutions. If none of these solves the problem, contact your Mark
Levinson dealer.
1. THE Nº36S WON’T FUNCTION, AND THE DISPLAY IS DARK.
✓ The standby button on the front panel isn’t turned on.
✓ The Nº36S isn’t plugged into the AC mains.
✓ The wall socket, adapter, or extension cord is faulty.
✓ There’s a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse in the wall
outlet’s circuit.
✓ A fuse is blown in your Nº36S (contact your Mark Levinson
dealer).
2. THE DISPLAY IS LIT, BUT THERE IS NO OUTPUT
✓ The proper source isn’t selected on your Nº36S.
✓ The proper source isn’t selected on your preamplifier.
✓ The interconnecting cables are connected incorrectly or are
faulty.
3. THE Nº36S DISPLAY READS “CD1 OFF.”
✓ The selected digital source component for Input #1 is turned
off.
✓ The digital connection between the digital source and the
Nº36S is faulty.
4. THE LINKED FUNCTIONS DON’T WORK.
✓ The Link cable is disconnected, or is connected incorrectly.
✓ The digital audio cable is disconnected, or is connected incor-
rectly (in which case the Display Link function would continue
to work correctly, but non of the others would work).
✓ Try turning off/disconnecting AC power from both the transport
and the Nº36S. After several seconds, restore AC power to the
digital processor, then turn on the Nº31’s
✓ You may have older versions of the system software in your as-
sociated Mark Levinson components which do not fully support
all Linked functions. Contact your Mark Levinson dealer with the
model and serial numbers of your Mark Levinson components.
If needed, new EPROMs will be provided at no charge.
5. MY Nº36S KEEPS DISPLAYING “6 DB PAD!” WHENEVER I CHANGE INPUTS.
✓ Your processor is reminding you that it is in the automatic gain-
matching mode required (as a default) by the HDCD license. To
defeat this mode and reminder (and improve the sound of your
Nº36S), follow the instructions on page 12 of this manual.
main power switch.
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Care and maintenance
To remove dust from the cabinet of the Nº36S, use a feather duster. To remove
dirt and fingerprints, we recommend isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth.
Caution! Always apply the isopropyl alcohol to the soft cloth and then
wipe the Nº36S with the dampened cloth. Never pour even
small amounts of any liquid directly on the Nº36S, as doing so
may allow the liquid to reach the circuitry inside the unit. Any
liquid inside the unit poses a hazard to both the user and to
the unit, and must be avoided.
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U.S. and Canadian Warranty
90-Day Limited Warranty This Mark Levinson
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.
Five Year Extended Warranty The extended warranty for this Mark Levinson product is five (5) years from the
date of purchase. During the warranty period, any Mark Levinson component exhibiting defects in materials and/or workmanship will be repaired or replaced, at
our option, without charge for either parts or labor, at our factory. The warranty
will not apply to any Mark Levinson component that has been misused, abused
or altered.
Any Mark Levinson component not performing satisfactorily may be returned to
the factory for evaluation. Return authorization must first be obtained by either
calling or writing the factory prior to shipping the component. The factory will
pay for return shipping charges only in the event that the component is found to
be defective as above mentioned. There are other stipulations that may apply to
shipping charges.
There is no other express warranty on this component. Neither this warranty nor
any other warranty, express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness, shall extend beyond the warranty period. No responsibility
is assumed for any incidental or consequential damages. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts and other states do not
allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so that
the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.
®
product is warranted to be free from defects in material and
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights
which vary from state to state. This warranty is applicable in the United States and
Canada only. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, please contact your local, autho-
rized Mark Levinson distributor for warranty and service information.
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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. The Madrigal Technical Services Department works
closely with your dealer to solve your service needs expediently.
Important! Return authorization must be obtained from Madrigal’s
Technical Services Department BEFORE a unit is shipped for
service.
It is extremely important that information about a problem be explicit and complete. A specific, comprehensive description of the problem helps your dealer and
the Madrigal Technical Services Department locate and repair the difficulty as
quickly as possible.
A copy of the original bill of sale will serve to verify warranty status. Please include it with the unit when it is brought in for warranty service.
Warning! All returned units must be properly packaged (preferably in
their original packing material), and the proper return
authorization numbers must be marked on the outer carton
for identification. If the packaging to protect the unit is, in our
opinion or that of our dealer, inadequate to protect the unit,
we reserve the right to repackage it for return shipment at the
owner’s expense. Neither Madrigal nor your dealer can be
responsible for shipping damage due to improper (that is,
non-original) packaging.
Your dealer can order a new set of shipping materials for you if you need to ship
your component and no longer have the original materials. There will be a
charge for this service. We strongly recommend saving all packing materials in
case you need to ship your unit some day.
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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 Nº36S yield excellent results by any standards. However, only
those specifications that apply to its actual operation are included here.
■ Frequency response: 10Hz - 20kHz +0dB, –0.2dB
■ Total harmonic distortion (THD): 0.001% @ 1 kHz, 0dB, A-weighted
■ Dynamic range: 98dB (or better)
■ Signal-to-noise ratio: 105dB
■ Channel separation: Better than 110 dB
■ Intermodulation distortion (SMPTE IMD): Less than 0.005%
■ Digital-to-analog conversion: Dual differential 20-bit DACs
■ Digital filter: 8x oversampling, 24 bit throughput
■ Analog filter: Bessel-tuned, linear phase to 40kHz
■ Low-level linearity: Deviation unmeasurable to below –70dB,
approximately +1.7dB below –90dB
(undithered, referenced to 0dB @ 1kHz)
■ FIFO mode jitter (44.1 kHz or 48 kHz): under 20 ps, uncorrelated
■ Recover mode jitter (32 kHz): under 200 ps
■ Output impedance: Less than 6Ω
■ Mains voltage: 100V, 120V, 200V, 220V, 240V
■ Mains frequency: 50/60 Hz
■ Mains consumption: 50 watts
■ Overall dimensions: See “Dimensions”
■ Shipping weight: 35 lbs. (16 kg)
■ Input complement, Nº36S: 2 XLR-type female connectors
1 RCA-type female connectors
1 BNC-type female connectors
1 ST-type connector
1 EIAJ-type connectors
1 IEC mains connector (on bottom)
1
1
⁄8" mini-jack connector for IR repeater
1 IEC AC mains receptacle
■ Output complement, Nº36S: 1 pair XLR-type male connectors (analog)
1 pair RCA-type female connectors (analog)
1 XLR-type male connector (digital)
1 RJ-45 communications port
Madrigal provides an owner-transferable, five year limited warranty on all Mark
Levinson products within the U. S. and Canada ONLY. Warranty and service
policies outside the U. S. and Canada are set by the local, authorized
distributor and are applicable in the country of purchase ONLY. Madrigal
products are designed to operate at set voltages appropriate for the country
of sale and may be damaged if operated at the wrong voltage.
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Dimensions
2.85"
7.24 cm
13.38"
34 cm
7.68"
19.5 cm
0.425"
1.1 cm
15.55"
39.5 cm
2.00"
5.1 cm
11.55"
29.3 cm
2.00"
5.1 cm
0.875"
2.2 cm
7.34"
18.6 cm
1.19"
3 cm
7.34"
18.6 cm
6.5"
16.5 cm
0.10"
0.10"
2.5 mm
0.925"
2.3 cm
15.75"
40 cm
38
3.76"
9.5 cm
2.96"
7.5 cm
2.25"
5.7 cm
13.38"
34 cm
(AC input)
2.25"
5.7 cm
0.08"
2 mm
0.08"
2 mm
0.925"
2.3 cm
3.125"
7.9 cm
Page 39
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Page 40
Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc.
2081 South Main Street, P.O. Box 781
Middletown, Connecticut 06457 USA
Telephone: (860) 346-0896
Fax: (860) 346-1540
http://www.madrigal.com/
R
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
is a registered trademark of Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc.
a Harman International company
HDCD® and High Definition Compatible Digital® are registered trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc.
630219-6 © 6/1998 Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
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