Mark Levinson No 390-S Owners manual
Owner’s Manual
Nº390S
CD
Processor
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 Nº390S CD Processor.
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 .........................................................7
Unpacking the Nº390S ....................................................................... 7
Remove the Transport Screw ............................................................... 7
Placement of the Nº390S .................................................................... 7
Operating Voltage & Frequency................................................. 9
A Quick Start… ........................................................................ 10
Break-in period ................................................................................. 11
Special Design Features ........................................................... 12
A New Generation ........................................................................... 12
Digital Servo Control......................................................................... 13
Digital Input/Output Versatility ......................................................... 13
Industrial Design .............................................................................. 13
Convenience Features ...................................................................... 14
Communications Links ...................................................................... 14
Fully Balanced Design ...................................................................... 14
Advanced Digital Filter Techniques .................................................... 15
Digital to Analog Conversion ............................................................ 15
Balanced Analog Volume Control ..................................................... 16
State-of-the-art Output Buffer ............................................................ 16
Front Panel, Nº390S ................................................................ 17
the extended pause mode ................................................................ 23
sleep timer ....................................................................................... 24
Rear Panel, Nº390S ................................................................. 25
AC power cord polarity .................................................................. 26
IR input tip polarity ......................................................................... 29
Linking connections ....................................................................... 29
standard link cables........................................................................ 30
........................................................................
Remote Control, Nº390S .......................................................... 32
Random Play .................................................................................... 34
Analog Input Switching .................................................................... 36
Conditions that Affect IR Performance ............................................... 37
Optimum IR reception window ...................................................... 38
Setup and Installation .............................................................39
Connecting AC Mains ....................................................................... 39
Connecting Digital Audio Sources ..................................................... 39
Connecting the Digital Audio Outputs .............................................. 39
Making Link Connections .................................................................. 40
Connecting Analog Outputs ............................................................. 40
Basic Operation ....................................................................... 41
Loading a CD ................................................................................... 41
Playing a CD .................................................................................... 41
Random Play .................................................................................... 41
Navigating the Disc .......................................................................... 42
Direct Time Access ............................................................................ 42
Pause ............................................................................................... 43
5
Repeat Disc ...................................................................................... 43
Repeat Track ..................................................................................... 43
A-B Repeat ....................................................................................... 44
Polarity ............................................................................................. 44
Programming the Nº390S ........................................................ 45
Introduction to Playlists ..................................................................... 45
Assembling a Playlist ......................................................................... 46
Programming by Omission ............................................................... 46
Saving a Playlist ................................................................................ 47
Reviewing a Playlist .......................................................................... 47
Deleting a Track from a Playlist .......................................................... 47
Adding a Track to a Playlist ............................................................... 48
Overriding a Playlist .......................................................................... 48
Erasing Playlists from Memory ........................................................... 49
Why Polarity Programming? ............................................................. 49
Whole-Disc Polarity Programming ..................................................... 50
Track-by-Track Polarity Programming ................................................. 50
Overriding a Polarity Program ........................................................... 51
Special Functions .................................................................... 52
SOUND Menu Items: ........................................................................ 52
Fixed/Variable Volume ...................................................................... 52
Silent/Audible Cueing ....................................................................... 53
Balance Control ................................................................................ 53
Mute Control .................................................................................... 53
Locked Volume................................................................................. 53
LINK Menu items: ............................................................................. 54
6
Standby link ..................................................................................... 54
Name link......................................................................................... 54
Play link............................................................................................ 54
Display link ....................................................................................... 54
AUX IN’s Menu items ......................................................................... 54
Changing Link Options ..................................................................... 55
Sleep Timer....................................................................................... 56
Using Learning Remote Controls ............................................. 57
Teaching Nº390S Front Panel Commands ......................................... 57
Teaching Other Nº390S Commands .................................................. 58
special commands table ................................................................. 60
Troubleshooting ...................................................................... 61
Care and Maintenance .............................................................63
U.S. and Canadian Warranty ....................................................64
90-Day Limited Warranty .................................................................. 64
Five Year Extended Warranty ............................................................ 64
Obtaining Service .................................................................... 65
Specifications ..........................................................................66
Dimensions ............................................................................. 67
Installation Notes ....................................................................68
Unpacking and Placement
Unpacking the Nº390S Unpack your Nº390S CD Processor and remove all accessories from
the carton.
Important! Keep all packing materials for future transport of your
Nº390S. Shipping your new component in anything
other than its purpose-designed packing material may
result in damage that is not covered by the warranty.
Included with your new Mark Levinson CD processor 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.
Remove the
Transport Screw
Warning! The transport screw must be removed before operating
Place the Nº390S CD Processor upside-down on a soft, clean surface.
Remove the transport screw from the bottom of the unit and save it
with the packing materials for future use.
transport
screw
the Nº390S, since it immobilizes the transport
mechanism during shipping to prevent damage. This
screw must also be replaced before shipping the unit.
7
Placement of the Nº390S
The Nº390S should be placed close to your digital audio processor, thus
keeping interconnect cabling reasonably short. It may be placed on a
shelf or in a cabinet where it is convenient to operate, but should not
be rack mounted, so as to leave access to the rear panel power switch.
The Nº390S is designed for continuous operation—hence the standby
button on the front panel rather than a power button. However, a rearpanel power switch is provided for your convenience should you want
to disconnect the unit from the AC mains (as when taking a vacation,
for example).
Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations
and custom cabinetry (see Dimensions).
8
Operating Voltage
& Frequency
The Nº390S CD Processor is set at the factory (internally) for 100V,
120V, 200V, 220V, or 240V AC mains operation as appropriate for the
country in which it is to be sold. Make sure that the label on the rear of
the Nº390S (adjacent to the power cord) indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your location, as attempting to operate the Nº390S at
an incorrect voltage can damage the unit.
The Nº390S CD Processor is also set at the factory for operation on
either 50 or 60 Hz AC line frequencies, as appropriate for the country
in which it is to be sold. It will not operate if it senses an incorrect line
frequency.
Warning! Neither the voltage nor the line frequency setting may
be changed by the user. There are no user serviceable
parts inside the Nº390S. Only qualified, authorized
service personnel may open the Nº390S CD Processor,
as hazardous voltages exist within the unit.
9
If the AC mains voltage or frequency indicated on your Nº390S is
incorrect, please contact your local, authorized Mark Levinson dealer
or distributor.
The Nº390S can easily 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.
10
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 with
the new product itself. We strongly recommend that you read this
manual thoroughly, as the Nº390S CD Processor incorporates many
unusual features that 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 CD player
while reading more about it. The goal here is simply to make some
music as quickly as possible. The following procedure assumes that you
have a relatively conventional system and it is already connected with
the exception of the Nº390S (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 Remove the transport screw from the bottom of the Nº390S
If you have not done so already, remove the knurled transport
screw from the bottom of the Nº390S now. Be sure to save it and
all packing material for possible future use. (Shipping the Nº390S
without proper packing material and without the transport screw in
its proper position may cause damage to the unit that would not be
covered by the warranty.)
3 Connect the Nº390S to AC power
Connect the AC cord to the Nº390S at the receptacle on the rear
panel, and then to your AC outlet. Then turn on the power switch
just above the AC power receptacle. (The international symbol for
“on” is a single vertical line: |. “Off” is symbolized by a circle: O.)
The Nº390S will take a few moments to initialize and will then be
ready to use.
4 Connect either the XLR or the RCA analog outputs on the
Nº390S to an appropriate input of your preamplifier
When properly implemented, balanced interconnection via XLR connectors and high quality balanced cables offers superior performance,
and is preferred to single-ended RCA interconnection. Both sets of
outputs on your Nº390S have been optimized to ensure maximum
compatibility in a wide range of systems. (Note that you should never
connect a line-level component such as a CD player to a phono input on
a preamplifier. Although no damage is likely to result to either CD player
or preamplifier, the sound will be badly distorted and the volume may be
much louder than you expect.)
4a If going direct from the Nº390S to an amplifier!
See Special Functions setup on page 52 to set the Nº390S to
variable output mode.
5 Power up the rest of the system, leaving the power
amplifiers for last
Always turn the power amplifer(s) off first, and on last. This good
habit minimizes the opportunity for unexpected transients to be
passed to your loudspeakers. Another good habit is to reduce the
volume on your preamplifier to minimum value before you restore power to the system. When the Nº390S is in its variable
preamp mode, it powers up at a low volume to minimize sudden
changes in volume.
11
Break-in period
6 Load a disc in the drawer and press Play; slowly raise the
volume on your preamplifier
Congratulations! You should now be able to enjoy your favorite
music while reading the rest of this manual. (Please, do read the
rest of this manual.)
Although your Mark Levinson Nº390S CD Processor delivers outstanding performance 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 300 hours, as the Nº390S
reaches thermal equilibrium and capacitors become fully formed. After
this initial break-in, its performance will remain quite constant.
The only exception to this rule is if power is removed from the unit for
more than a few minutes, allowing it to cool down. Depending on the
degree of cooling involved, you should expect a brief warm-up period
before the Nº390S’s sound quality is at its best. Unless your Nº390S was
allowed to become quite chilled, subsequent thermal re-stabilization
should not take long.
12
Special Design Features
Congratulations on your purchase of the Nº390S CD Processor. The
Madrigal design team is confident you will enjoy the outstanding performance of the Nº390S 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 CD player.
A New Generation The task of a CD player is easy to define: it must recover the correct
data from the disc and convert that data to a series of analog voltages
with neither amplitude nor timing errors (sometimes called “jitter”).
As simple as this sounds, achieving it in reality has been extremely
difficult—as evidenced by the significant sonic differences between
various CD players.
Conventional CD player design depends heavily on the quality of the
oscillator used to control the rate at which the disc spins. This oscillator
exists in an extremely “noisy” electrical environment close to the motor
that spins the disc. The electrical noise introduces timing errors in the
delivery of the digital signal that have come to be known as “jitter.”
Subsequent handling of the digital audio signal in traditional CD
player designs cannot improve upon this “jittery” signal, lacking a
better reference. To the contrary, the various stages of signal processing
between the laser pickup and the actual conversion to analog can only
contribute additional jitter of their own.
The Mark Levinson Nº390S leaps beyond conventional digital audio
technology by employing a proprietary, closed-loop jitter-reduction
system in conjunction with a double speed CD-ROM drive. Using a
custom-made crystal oscillator with better than five part-per-million
accuracy, the digital signal is reclocked immediately before its conversion to analog, eliminating transport-related jitter from the digital
audio signal. This same crystal oscillator controls the all-digital servo
used to control the rate at which the disc spins, and the digital to
analog conversion process.
In effect, the design of the Nº390S turns the accepted status quo on its
head. By placing the all-important reference clock immediately prior to
digital to analog conversion, and slaving all the mechanical subassemblies to it rather than the other way around, the signal presented to the
outputs of the Nº390S is uncontaminated by electrically- or mechanically-induced jitter. The sonic advantages of this design are immediately apparent in the clarity, warmth and stunning dynamic contrasts
exhibited by the Nº390S.
Digital Servo Control
The laser mechanism used in the Nº390S uses all digital servo controls
of its operations. Critical functions such as focus and tracking are
handled completely in the digital domain with mathematical precision.
A digital servo remains stable over time, never needing readjustment
under normal conditions.
Digital Input/Output
Versatility
The Nº390S CD player incorporates two digital inputs, allowing two
external digital sources such as a laserdisc player and digital cable radio
to benefit from the excellent digital processor incorporated within. The
two most common digital interfaces are supported for the widest compatibility:
EIAJ (sometimes called “TosLink™”) and S/PDIF coaxial, via an
RCA connector.
Two high quality digital output configurations are also supported in
the Nº390S. A new complementary driver for the balanced AES/EBU elec-
trical output delivers outstanding performance to the high quality XLR
connector. A single-ended S/PDIF electrical output is also provided via
an RCA connector. These digital outputs may be used to feed the input
of digital recorders or an outboard digital processor, and they both
benefit from the closed-loop jitter reduction circuitry described above.
(In effect, they duplicate the functionality and performance of the
corresponding outputs on a Mark Levinson Nº37 CD transport.)
All digital interfaces have been carefully optimized to deliver the finest
performance each interface standard allows. As a direct result, the
Nº390S performs optimally with any digital processor, without having
to resort to techniques which would limit its compatibility with other
products.
13
Industrial Design The Nº390S shares the handsome industrial design of other Mark
Levinson components such as the Nº380 preamplifier. The combina-
tion of the hand-brushed, black-anodized aluminum faceplate and
bead-blasted custom-machined buttons make operating the Nº390S a
tactile as well as a sonic pleasure.
A large, easily read display provides information as to the operational
status of the Nº390S from across the room, making the supplied remote
control more genuinely useful than on products lacking such a display.
In keeping with its sophisticated design, the Nº390S also incorporates
a Madrigal-designed loading mechanism. Contrasting strongly with
the bulky, plastic drawers commonly used, the slim 1⁄8 inch drawer is
machined from a solid piece of aluminum and rides on highly polished
bearings. Its variable-speed design opens and closes quickly, but
without jarring the disc contained within, nor risking a jam from
dislodging it.
Convenience Features
Too often, high performance CD players have eschewed convenience in
the hopes of seeming more “performance-oriented.” While there were
good arguments for such a “minimalist” design in the days of analog
turntables, the time is long gone when the audiophile needed to give up
operational convenience for musical performance. After all, convenience features in a digital product are largely a matter of writing appropriate software, and have no affect on the quality of the digital data
itself.
The Nº390S supports a variety of custom programming options, including “delete programming” wherein selected tracks are omitted
from the playlist. This allows the user to skip the one or two songs on
an otherwise good disc that have been overplayed ad nauseam. The
Nº390S will remember such programs for thousands of discs, should
you want to save that many programs.
Communications Links As with all Mark Levinson 30-series components, the Nº390S incorpo-
rates a sophisticated inter-component communications bus. Unique
among high performance audio systems, Mark Levinson 30-series
components offer a degree of system integration that makes even
complex systems a pleasure to use.
14
For example, bringing the Nº390S CD Processor out of standby will
also bring the Linked preamplifier and power amplifier(s) out of
standby, and select the appropriate inputs on the preamplifier so
that a CD can be enjoyed. Even a sophisticated system with many
components can thus offer one-button simplicity of operation.
In short, the Mark Levinson Nº390S establishes a new standard for
performance and practicality among high end CD players and should
be auditioned by anyone who desires the finest in digital audio.
Fully Balanced Design The Nº390S is fully ballanced in both the analog and digital domains.
Information from the disc and single-ended digital inputs are immediately converted to balanced signals and routed to balanced DACs by
way of an LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signal) transmission line.
This design technique, borrowed from separate Mark Levinson digital
processors, preserves the faultless timing of the digital audio signal
made possible by our Closed Loop Jitter Reduction (CLJR) system
mentioned earlier in this manual.
An Arlon 25N® printed circuit board provides the foundation for the critical analog audio circuit. First used in the Nº32 Reference Preamplifier, this
superior material offers superb dielectric properties and helps the Nº390S
achieve remarkable performance with complex audio signals.
Design of the fully balanced DAC/analog output module follows the Mark
Levinson tradition of rigorous component selection. An unusual hybrid
design approach incorporating both advanced Surface-Mount and
“through-hole” technologies, allows us to utilize the optimum part at each
location in the circuit, without the constraints on parts selection normally
associated with traditional PCB assembly practices. Every active device has
been painstakingly selected for top technical performance, with final selections of top performing devices determined by numerous, controlled sonic
evaluations.
Advanced Digital
Filter Techniques
Just as with Mark Levinson separate Digital Audio Processors, such as
our Nº30.6 Reference, the Nº390S incorporates advanced digital filter
techniques carefully chosen to optimize the sonic performance of its
on-board digital processor. Whether playing a CD, or decoding a digital
signal received through an auxiliary input, sample depth is increased to
24 bits and sample rate increased to 352.8 kHZ or 384kHz (input rate
dependent) prior to conversion to an analog signal. This sophisticated
“processing” of the digital signal before conversion (referred to vari-
ously as “unconversion”, “upsampling”, or “oversampling”) is a funda-
mental contributor to the excellent sound achieved by all Mark
Levinson digital processors. The Nº390S confirms its internal conver-
sion rate on its front panel display each time a disc is loaded, or an
auxiliary input is chosen and locked.
The Nº390S also incorporates High Definition Compatible Digital®
decoding to take full advantage of the resolution available from HDCD
encoded 16-bit CDs. The HDCD format retains more of the resolution
inherent in modern high resolution recordings than can be
accomodated by the normal CD standard by encoding information
more efficiently within the 16-bit space available on the disc.
15
Digital to Analog
Conversion
Digital to analog conversion within the Nº390S is performed at an
extraordinarily high level and features a Madrigal-developed, balanced
implementation of the Analog Devices AD1853—a new class of multi-bit
Sigma/Delta DAC devices delivering superb technical performance. In
addition to its unusual multi-bit architecture and unlike typical Sigma/
Delta devices, the AD-1853 has a differential current output stage, which
allows us to optimize the critical current-to-voltage(I/V) conversion stage
with dedicated operational amplifiers posessing superlative rise time and
bandwidth characteristics. Following this, a new active analog filter circuit,
implemented in a differential amplifier, sums both halves of the balanced
signal and provides superb common mode noise rejection in addition to
its outstanding filter characteristics.
This approach to the Digital-to-Analog circuit block yields distortion
and noise levels that are extraordinarily low and contributes greatly to
the natural sound of the Nº390S.
16
Balanced Analog
Volume Control
State-of-the-art
Output Buffer
Rather than use the digital attenuator on-board the DAC, the Nº390S
incorporates a fully balanced analog volume control similar to that
found in Mark Levinson separate preamplifiers. When activated (by
turning on the variable output function under setup: sound), the output of the Nº390S may be attenuated in precise 0.1dB steps through
most of the range. Significantly, the Nº390S maintains the full performance of its remarkable DACs at all volume levels—something impossible with digital volume controls, regardless of what techniques may
be employed to mask the sonic consequences of this design approach.
The balanced discrete output buffer circuitry used in the Nº390S employs the same topology used in the remarkable Mark Levinson Nº32
Reference Preamplifier. A hallmark of Mark Levinson preamplifier and
digital processor design, this circuit has proven itself time and time
again to be both sonically transparent and exceptionally immune to adverse interactions with interconnecting cables and unusual input impedance characteristics of power amplifiers or preamplifiers. The
Nº390S features a new, ultra compact, implementation of the Mark
Levinson output buffer circuit pushing noise coupling and parasitic effects to vanishingly small levels. This exceptionally robust output stage
allows the Nº390S to make the most of what whatever combination of
preamplifier, power amplifier, or cables you choose to use.
1 2 4 6 7 8
53
9
display
intensity
–
disc repeat
mode
+ prev/rew next/f.fwd stop/drawer play
track repeat time on disc time remaing
th
11 13 16
Front Panel, Nº390S
1 display intensity
Pressing this button varies the brightness of the display. Four
brightness levels are available, including “display off.” All other
front panel LEDs change their brightness levels appropriately,
except that they remain at the dimmest level when the display
itself is off.
mode
repeat
pause
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
Nº 390S CD PR
OCESSOR
standby
19181715141210
R
17
When power is first applied to the Nº390S (or when power is
restored after an interruption), the display is automatically set
to its “medium” level.
Pressing the display intensity button once dims the display one
level; pressing it again turns the display off; pressing display in-
tensity
once more returns the display to its brightest level; pressing it a fourth time will return it to medium. (If other Mark
Levinson components in the system are “Linked” to the Nº390S,
all display intensities can change in unison. See Special Functions
for more information.)
If the display is set to “off,” pressing any key will cause it to light
at medium intensity for approximately four seconds in order to
display the action of the key press.
2 Infrared Transceiver (within display)
Infrared commands transmitted from the remote control are
received by a receiver behind this section of the display. Remote
control of the Nº390S may be unreliable if there is not a clear
line of sight between the remote control and the receiver (if the
remote is far off-axis, or if the Nº390S is within a cabinet, for
example). In such a case consider using a third-party IR repeater
to route the signal to the IR input jack on the rear panel (see Rear
Panel, Nº390S).
In addition to receiving IR commands, the Nº390S has the ability
to teach a learning remote control its own commands from an IR
transmitter located in this same area. (See Using Learning Remote
Controls for more information.)
3 Special Mode Indicator
The first character in the display is reserved for indication of
special modes of operation. For example, a P is displayed in this
space to indicate a Program (a special sequence of tracks) is being
played: A and B alternate while an A-B loop is being repeated.
Similarly, an R is displayed to denote random play, and || || is
displayed to denote pause.
18
4 Track Indicator
The next two characters are used to indicate the number of the
track being played. When a compact disc is loaded but the transport is in the stop mode, this same space indicates the total number of tracks on the disc (or in the program for the current disc,
if programmed).
5 Time Indicator
The time section of the display can be set to display any of the
following four indications of time in minutes and seconds:
• time elapsed in track (neither LED lit)
• time elapsed on disc (time on disc LED lit)
• time remaining on track (time remaining LED lit)
• time remaining on disc (time on disc and time remaining LEDs lit)
In effect, the Nº390S assumes you will be most interested seeing
elapsed time on the current track; only departures from that assumption are denoted by LEDs. The Nº390S will remember the
last display mode selected and continue to display that information until you change it, except in stop (when it always defaults to
showing the time remaining on disc, or in the disc’s playlist if it
has been programmed). Once in stop, the time indication may be
changed to show any of the other display modes (if desired).
These four options are accessed by pressing the mode button to
the right of the display until TIMES is shown in the display (see 6,
below). Then, use the
the four modes of time display, using the
remaining
LEDs to indicate which mode is chosen at any mo-
mode + or mode – keys to cycle through
time on disc and time
ment.
6 mode button
The mode button beside the display cycles through the four functions that can be controlled by the mode + and mode – buttons
(either on the front panel or the remote control). These four
modes are:
• PROGRAM (for creating custom playlists)
• INPUTS (for selecting a digital source)
• TIMES (for selecting a time indication)
• VOLUME* (for controlling the volume of the Nº390S*)
* (Note that the volume control is only made available
if the Nº390S’s variable output mode is engaged; see
Special Functions for more information.)
Any of these four modes (three modes if using the fixed output)
may be accessed by repeatedly pressing the mode button, thereby
cycling through the options.
Once a particular mode is chosen, pressing the mode + and
mode – buttons increments or decrements that particular func-
tion. For example, mode + would either: add a track to a playlist;
select the next digital input; advance to the next time indication;
or raise the volume.
Along with mode + and mode –, the mode button is also used to
change the option settings. (See Special Functions.)
19
7 Repeat button
You may choose to either repeat the entire disc (including any
programs you might have entered for that particular disc) or an
individual track by pressing the repeat button. From normal
operation, the first press of the repeat button will light the disc
repeat
illustration). Pressing the
repeat
LED below the display (number 11 in the front panel
repeat button again will light the track
LED (number 13 in the front panel illustration). Pressing
it a third time will cycle out of any repeating mode, as will pressing stop/drawer at any time. In either case, both repeat LEDs will
be extinguished to indicate the absence of any repeat mode.
8 Drawer
The Nº390S employs an elegant, slim drawer that is machined from a
solid piece of aluminum. It is normally opened and closed by pressing
the
stop/drawer button (number 15 in the front panel illustration).
If opened, it may also be closed simply by gently pushing the front
edge inward (as though you were going to close it manually). The
Nº390S will interpret this as a request to close the drawer and take
over for you, smoothly closing the drawer.
20
If the Nº390S senses an obstruction during opening of the drawer
mechanism, it will attempt to re-close. If successful, it will read the
disc’s table of contents and display the disc’s number of tracks and
total time (followed by the playlist’s track and time information, if
one exists). If for any reason the drawer does not close fully, the
display will show DRAWER to indicate the problem. After removing the obstruction, press the stop/drawer button again to close
the drawer normally.
Similarly, if the Nº390S senses an obstruction during the closing of its
drawer, it is designed to stop immediately and will attempt to reopen.
If the nature of the obstruction prevents this also, it will stop where it
is and wait for your intervention, displaying STOPPED! to indicate
the problem. After removing the obstruction, press the stop/drawer
button again to close the drawer.
9 HDCD® indicator
This LED will illuminate when the Nº390S is playing HDCD-
encoded material, whether from the CD transport or from
an external digital source.
10 mode – and mode + buttons
Using these two buttons in conjunction with the mode button,
any of four different Nº390S functions can be controlled from the
front panel :
PROGRAM (for creating custom playlists)
•
•
INPUTS (for selecting a digital source)
• TIMES (for selecting a time indication)
VOLUME* (for controlling the volume of the Nº390S*)
•
* (Note that the
volume control is only made available
if the Nº390S’s variable output mode is engaged; see
Special Functions for more information.)
Any of these four modes (three modes if using the fixed output)
may be accessed by repeatedly pressing the mode button, thereby
cycling through the options.
Once a particular mode is chosen, pressing the mode + and
mode – buttons increments or decrements that particular func-
tion. For example, mode + would either: add a track to a playlist;
select the next digital input; advance to the next time indication;
or raise the volume.
Along with mode + and mode –, the mode button is also used to
change the option settings. (See Special Functions.)
For detailed information on programming the Nº390S, see
Programming the Nº390S later in this manual.
21
11 disc repeat LED
This LED is lit when the Nº390S is set to repeat a disc (or a disc’s
program, if it has one) endlessly. This feature is accessed using the
repeat button (see number 7, above).
12 prev/rew button
Pressing this button momentarily will return you to the beginning
of the previous track. Pressing and holding this button will instead
perform a reverse scan of the music, reminiscent of the rewind
function found on many tape decks. This scanning mode may be
either audible or silent (according to your choice in the setup:
sound
menu; see Special Functions), and it allows you to quickly
find a particular point within a track. (Incidentally, if you wish to
listen to the current track over again from the beginning, simply
press play while the track is playing.)
Loading...