Mark Levinson No 380 Owners manual
Owner’s Manual
Nº380
Preamplifier
Madrigal Audio Laboratories
R
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.
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.
Important Safety Instructions
Please read all instructions and precautions carefully and completely before operating your Mark
®
Levinson
preamplifier.
1. ALWAYS disconnect your entire system from the AC mains before connecting or dis-
connecting any cables, or when cleaning any component.
2. This product must be terminated 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.
3. AC extension cords are not recommended for use with 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
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.
®
retailer.
From all of us at Madrigal Audio Laboratories, thank you for choosing your Mark
Levinson Nº380 Preamplifier.
4
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.
Table of Contents
Unpacking and Placement .........................................................6
unpacking .......................................................................................... 6
installing the batteries in the remote control ....................................... 6
placement .......................................................................................... 6
ventilation .......................................................................................... 6
Operating Voltage..................................................................... 8
A Quick Start… .......................................................................... 9
Front Panel ............................................................................. 11
Rear Panel ............................................................................... 14
building a link cable ....................................................................... 17
using a turntable .............................................................................. 18
tip polarity for external IR input....................................................... 18
Remote Control .......................................................................19
Setup and Installation .............................................................21
connections and cables .................................................................... 21
setup overview ................................................................................. 22
available input names ....................................................................... 22
naming an input “EQ” ...................................................................... 23
programming input names ............................................................... 24
assigning record outputs .................................................................. 24
results of unrealistic tests ................................................................... 25
programming input offsets ............................................................... 26
programming an automatic volume level .......................................... 28
programming the mute function ...................................................... 29
volume lock ...................................................................................... 30
standby timer ................................................................................... 31
Operational Modes .................................................................. 32
the monitor mode ............................................................................ 32
the record select mode ..................................................................... 32
the balance mode ............................................................................ 33
balance control tip ........................................................................... 34
Using Surround Sound Processors ............................................35
the SSP must not come after the preamp .......................................... 35
the SSP must not come before the preamp........................................ 35
the SSP must not be in a tape loop ................................................... 36
the SSP & the Nº380 ......................................................................... 36
wiring diagram using an SSP ............................................................ 37
noise in a/v systems .......................................................................... 37
Linked Functions .....................................................................39
display intensity ................................................................................ 39
standby link ...................................................................................... 39
play link ........................................................................................... 39
record link ........................................................................................ 40
Care and Maintenance ............................................................. 41
U.S. and Canadian Warranty ....................................................42
90-day limited warranty .................................................................... 42
five year extended warranty ............................................................. 42
Obtaining Service .................................................................... 43
Specifications .......................................................................... 44
Dimensions ............................................................................. 45
5
Unpacking and Placement
unpacking
Unpack your Nº380 Preamplifier and keep all packing materials for future transport. Locate and remove all accessory items from the cartons.
Accessories include:
190° shielded AC power cord 1
1 Nº380 remote control 1
5
⁄64" Allen key
1
⁄8" Allen key
2 alkaline batteries
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.
installing the batteries
in the remote control
Using the supplied 5⁄64" Allen key, remove the two screws in the bottom
end cap of the remote control (i.e., the end opposite the IR transmitter
lens). Insert the two alkaline batteries found in the Accessories box, being careful to follow the polarity indications given on the inside of the
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battery compartment. Replace the end cap and the screws, using the
Allen key.
If at some point you notice that your remote control seems not to be
performing as well as it once did, its batteries are probably running low.
Check the batteries periodically, and replace batteries before they are
“dead.” (Fully discharged batteries are prone to leaking corrosive chemi-
cals—the greenish “gunk” you may have seen around battery terminals of
other remote controls.)
placement The Nº380 should be placed close to your source equipment, thus
keeping interconnect cabling short. We strongly recommend shelf
mounting to allow for proper ventilation.
The Nº380 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.
ventilation Be sure to allow 3 to 4 inches of clearance above the Nº380 to allow
heat dissipation through air circulation.
Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations
and custom cabinetry (see “Dimensions”).
Caution! It is extremely important that all components in your
system be properly grounded. Under no circumstances
should you defeat a three-prong AC cord with a
“ground-lifter” or “cheater” adaptor, as doing so may
allow dangerous voltages to build up between
components. The presence of these voltages would
pose a threat to both your person and your
equipment.
7
Operating Voltage
The Nº380 Preamplifier is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V,
200V, 230V, 21…ˆ, or 240V AC mains operation @ 50 or 60Hz. (230V/
50Hz only in European Union countries, in compliance with CE regulations.) This voltage setting cannot be changed by the user.
Make sure that the label on the bottom panel of the Nº380 (adjacent to
the AC cord) indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your location.
If the voltage indicated on your Nº380 is incorrect, or if you wish to
change the AC operating voltage of your Nº380 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 Nº380 is easily 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.
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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 Nº380 Preamplifier incorporates many
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 preamplifier
while reading more about it. The goal here is simply to make some music quickly. (The following procedure assumes that the rest of your system
is already connected; e.g., power amplifier to speakers, etc.)
1 Turn off your Associated Components
This minimizes the opportunity for a momentary electrical surge
to disturb your system while making connections. If you have a
large power amplifier, allow its power supply to fully discharge before proceeding.
2 Connect a source to Input 1 (
Connect the output of your CD player to the Left and Right Input
1 XLR jacks on the rear panel of your Nº380 preamplifier. (Use the
Input 3 RCA jacks if your source is single-ended. If used, press the
Input 3 button on the face of the Nº380 to select this input.) High
quality interconnecting cables such as Madrigal CZ Gel will yield
superior results, and are strongly recommended.
3 Connect the Nº380 outputs to your power amp
The Left and Right Main Out jacks on the rear panel of the Nº380
should be connected to the corresponding inputs of your power
amplifier. If your power amplifier has balanced inputs and you
have appropriate high-quality cables (with XLR plugs at both
ends), we recommend using the Balanced Main Outs. Otherwise,
use the (single-ended) Main Outs from the preamplifier to your
power amplifier. Once again, high quality interconnecting cables
such as Madrigal CZ Gel will yield superior results, and are
strongly recommended.
Input 3 if single-ended
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)
4 Plug the Nº380 into the wall outlet
Connect the AC cord to the male IEC connector on the center of
the bottom panel of the Nº380, then connect the AC cord to the
AC mains. When power is first applied, the Nº380 will initialize
(showing all current input names), automatically select the first
available input (CD1), and set its output level to OFF. (If you used
input 3, select it now.)
5 Turn on your source component; Turn on your power ampli-
fier; Slowly raise the volume on the Nº380 to a comfortable
level
Congratulations! You should now be able to enjoy your favorite
music while reading the rest of this manual.
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display
intensity
mono
321 5
mode
monitor record select balance
123456
inverted
polarity
mute
64
PREAMPLIFIER Nº 380
standby
987
10
Front Panel
1 Display Intensity Button
Cycles among four levels of brightness (including “off”) for the
display, allowing adjustment for various ambient lighting conditions. When “off,” the display will turn on for a few seconds whenever a setting is changed. When used in conjunction with certain
compatible Mark Levinson components, this button will control
the display intensity of all linked components. (For more information, see “Linked Functions.” )
2 Alphanumeric Display
Provides a wide range of information concerning the operational
status of the Nº380. The information displayed depends on the
operating mode the Nº380 is in (determined by the mode button). The information displayed is summarized below:
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monitor Selected (audible) Source and Volume
record select “RECD” and Source to be recorded
balance Direction and Magnitude of Offset
In addition, when used with Mark Levinson power amplifiers that
incorporate our communications link circuitry, this display is
used to indicate the presence of a fault condition (if any) in the
amplifier. Please refer to the owner’s manual of your amplifier for
more information. For more detailed information on the
preamplifier’s use of this display, see “Operational Modes.”
3 Mode Indicators
Three LEDs give visual confirmation of the operational mode the
Nº380 is in at any moment. When the
Nº380 is “off-center,” the
balance LED remains lit as a reminder,
balance control of the
in addition to other mode indicators that might be on to indicate either
4 Mode Button
monitor or record select.
Cycles among the three primary operational modes of the Nº380:
monitor (the source being listened to); record select (the source
being provided to the Record Outputs); and
balance (the relative
volumes of the Left and Right channels). Confirmation of these
operating modes is given by the
phanumeric display
5 Inverted Polarity Indicator
. (See 3, above.)
mode indicators below the al-
The polarity (sometimes inaccurately called “absolute phase”) of
the output of the Nº380 may be inverted via the Nº380 remote
control, in which case this LED will light as confirmation. A second press of the polarity button on the remote control will restore the polarity of the output to its original, non-inverted state.
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6 Volume Knob
This control is normally used to adjust the listening volume, and
does not effect the level of the signal being sent to the Record Outputs. When in balance mode, this knob is used to vary the relative output of the Left and Right channels. It is also used during
setup for various adjustments; see “Setup and Installation.”
7 Mono Button
This button toggles between stereo and mono operation. When
in mono, it activates circuitry which combines left and right input
signals, and sends the resulting monophonic signal to both left and
right outputs. This circuit is particularly useful when listening to
older, monophonic source material, since significant noise reduction is often realized by listening to mono recordings in mono.
8 Source Selector Buttons
Inputs 1–6 are selected by pressing their respective buttons. When
in the monitor mode, pressing one of these buttons will select the
source to be heard (i.e., sent to the main outputs); when in record
select mode, pressing one of these buttons will select the source to
be recorded (i.e., sent to the record outputs).
9 Mute Button
Pressing the mute button will reduce the main output level of the
preamplifier by a user-modifiable amount, ranging from 1 to 60
decibels. Pressing the Mute button a second time without adjusting the volume will return it to its previous setting.
If you adjust the volume with either the volume knob or the remote control while mute is engaged, the preamplifier will adjust
its volume from the muted volume and disengage the
mute func-
tion. (This to prevent an unpleasant surprise when, having increased the volume while muted, someone un-mutes the system.)
The factory default setting of the Mute circuit is -20 dB. (See
“Setup and Installation” for information on changing the factory
default setting.)
10 Standby Button
Toggles the Nº380 between normal operation and standby,
wherein the display is turned off, the outputs are disconnected,
and all controls are inoperable. All critical circuitry remains powered-up during standby to ensure immediate, optimal performance when you are ready to listen to music.
The LED above the standby button will blink slowly when the
Nº380 is in standby, indicating that power is still being provided
to the unit. (If the Nº380 is Linked to other Mark Levinson components which are also in standby, they will blink in unison.)
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1 3 4 4
2
5
14
right balanced
main out
right
rec out 1
rec out 2
right balanced
right main out left main out
right balanced
input 1
PUSH PUSH PUSH PUSH
input 2
right
input 3
input 4
communication ports
right
right
slave external master
right
right
input 5
input 6
7
6
7
left
input 6
left
rec out 2
left
left
input 5
input 4
6 3
left
rec out 1
left
input 3
PREAMPLIFIER Nº380
PREAMPLIFIER Nº38
designed and manufactured in U.S.A.
by
MADRIGAL S/N
left balanced
input 2
left balanced
input 1
2
Rear Panel
Note: All left-channel inputs and outputs are on the left of the rear
panel as seen from the front, and all right-channel inputs and outputs
are on the right of the rear panel as seen from the front. This design
minimizes any possible confusion when changing connections once the
unit is installed, while also maximizing channel separation in this dual
monaural preamplifier.
left balanced
main out
1
1 Balanced Main Outputs
If your power amplifier is equipped with balanced (sometimes
called “differential”) inputs, it is best to use these balanced outputs
on your Nº380. A balanced signal from preamplifier to power amplifier will offer the highest possible performance with the best
immunity from common-mode noise, such as radio frequency interference (RFI). The balanced output signal is made available by
way of precision male XLR connectors (requiring female XLRs on
the preamplifier end of the interconnecting cable).
The pin assignments of these XLR-type male outputs are:
Pin 1: Signal ground
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3
Pin 2: Signal + (non-inverting)
Pin 3: Signal – (inverting)
Connector ground lug: chassis ground
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