7. Do not block ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or another apparatus that produces
heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one
wider than the other. A grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third
prong is provided for safety. If the provided plug does not fit into the outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of
the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the
point where they exit from the apparatus. Unplug mains cord during transportation.
11. Only use attachments and accessories specified by the manufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the
apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury
from tip over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any
way, such as when the power cord or plug has been damaged; liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the
apparatus; or the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
15. No naked flame sources, such as candles, should be placed on the apparatus.
WARNING:TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
The lightning flash with the 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
Please read all instructions and precautions carefully and completely
before operating your Simaudio MOON Nēo
1. ALWAYS disconnect your entire system from the AC mains before connecting or disconnecting any cables,
or when cleaning any component. To completely disconnect this apparatus from the AC mains, disconnect
the power supply cord plug from the AC receptacle.
2. The MOON 260D 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. Connect the
MOON 260D only to an AC source of the proper voltage; Both the shipping box and rear panel serial number
label will indicate the correct voltage. Use of any other voltage will likely damage the unit and void the
warranty
3. AC extension cords are NOT recommended for use with this product. The mains plug of the power supply
cord shall remain readily accessible.
4. NEVER use flammable or combustible chemicals for cleaning audio components.
5. NEVER operate the MOON 260D with any covers removed. There are no user-serviceable parts inside. An
open unit, especially if it is still connected to an AC source, presents a potentially lethal shock hazard. Refer
all questions to authorized service personnel only.
6. NEVER wet the inside of the MOON 260D with any liquid. If a liquid substance does enter your MOON
260D, immediately disconnect it from the AC mains and take it to your MOON dealer for a complete checkup.
7. NEVER spill or pour liquids directly onto the MOON 260D.
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 the MOON 260D. If a problem occurs contact your MOON dealer.
12. NEVER expose the MOON 260D to extremely high or low temperatures.
13. NEVER operate the MOON 260D in an explosive atmosphere.
14. ALWAYS keep electrical equipment out of reach of children.
15. ALWAYS unplug sensitive electronic equipment during lightning storms.
16. WARNING: Do not expose batteries or battery pack to excessive heat such as sunshine, or fire or the like.
Thank you for selecting the MOON Nēo 260D CD
Transport as a part of your music/cinema system.
This component has been designed to offer state-ofthe-art high-end performance in an elegant
package, while retaining all the sonic hallmarks on
which Simaudio has made its reputation. We have
spared no effort to ensure that it is amongst
CD Transports available in its class. We have
finest
been building high-performance audio equipment for
over 30 years, and the know-how gained through
our cumulative experience is an important reason
why MOON digital audio products are so musically
satisfying.
The performance of your Nēo 260D will continue to
improve during the first 400 hours of listening. This
is the result of a “break-in” period required for the
Your Nēo 260D CD Transport incorporates many
significant design features to achieve its “world
Proprietary CD drive system with in-house developed
hardware & software.
CD drive system mounted on our M-Quattro gel-based 4point floating suspension for vibration damping, allowing
ambient and spatial cues in your recordings to come to life
like never before.
Two (2) digital outputs – S/PDIF and AES/EBU.
Oversized power supply with up to 13 stages of
voltage regulation (5 for Transport and 8 for the DAC).
RS-232 port for (i) full unsolicited bidirectional feedback
and (ii) firmware updates; IR input for external control
with aftermarket infrared remote control receivers and
SimLink
communications between other MOON components.
Rigid chassis construction to minimize the effects of
external vibrations.
TM
controller ports that allow for 2-way
the
numerous high quality electronic parts used
throughout this CD Transport.
Before setting up your new 260D, we encourage
you to please read this manual thoroughly to
properly acquaint yourself with its features. We
hope you enjoy listening to the Nēo 260D CD
Transport as much as the pride we have taken in
creating this fine audio product. We understand the
power and emotion of music and build our products
with the goal of faithfully capturing these elusive
qualities.
The information contained in this manual is subject
to change without notice. The most current version
of this manual is available on our official website at
http://www.simaudio.com
class” level of performance. This is an abbreviated
list of the more important features:
With Optional
32-bit asynchronous DAC.
Four (4) digital inputs (S/PDIF x 2, TosLink x 1 and
USB x 1) allowing for a connection to virtually any digital
source.
USB input with galvanic isolation which eliminates all
ground current (i.e. no electrical connection) between the
USB device (computer,music server, etc) and the 260D,
preserving the accuracy of the audio signal.
Advanced analog signal path using a DC servo circuit
The Nēo 260D CD Transport should be removed from its box with care.
The following accessories should be included inside the box with your CD Transport:
AC power cable
9
9
‘CRM-2’ remote control with two ‘AA’ batteries
9
‘SimLink’ cable with 1/8” mini plug terminations on each end
9
This owner’s manual
9
Warranty and product registration information (USA and Canada only)
Once the Nēo 260D is unpacked, inspect it
thoroughly and report any damage to your dealer
immediately. We suggest that you keep all of the
original packaging, storing it in a safe, dry place in
Please write the serial number of your new Nēo 260D in the space provided below for future reference.
Serial No.: ________________
case you’re required to transport this product. The
customized packaging is specially designed to
protect the 260D from any potential damage during
transit.
Installation & Placement
The Nēo 260D requires only minimal ventilation to
maintain an optimum and consistent operating
temperature. However, you should avoid placing it
near a heat source as this could compromise the CD
Transport’s performance and reliability. As well, it
should be placed on a solid level surface. The 260D
uses a toroidal transformer; even though it is well
shielded, you should not place the CD Transport too
close to source components sensitive to EMI, such
as a turntables.
Compact discs are easily damaged, and must be
kept very clean. Always store them in their cases.
Dirty or finger-marked discs will reproduce music
poorly. Moreover, the transport may even mute
parts of a track, or be unable to find some tracks. If
you need to clean a CD remember to use a soft lintfree cloth, using a radial action (i.e. starting from
the center and aiming towards the edges). Do not
attempt to clean a compact disc using a rotating
motion.
If you intend to use the Nēo 340i’s USB input
connection with a Windows-based computer,
you will need to install our USB HD driver,
which can be downloaded from the support
section of our website.
Note: Apple-based computers don’t require
this driver.
The front panel will look similar to Figure 1 (above).
The large digital display window indicates the track
number of the compact disc currently playing (or the
total number of tracks in stop mode) and
corresponding time information. For units equipped
with the
the selected digital input (“D1” thru “D4”) and the
corresponding sampling frequency in kHz (“44.1”
thru “192.0”) of the source material currently being
played.
The “Standby” button disengages all internal
circuitry from the power supply, except for the
controller circuit and the IR receiver. The blue
indicator LED turns off when the Nēo 260D is in
“Standby” mode. The 260D will automatically go
into standby mode after approximately 20 minutes
of inactivity. However, you can disable this
automatic standby
the “Program” button for two seconds until “0 EuP”
appears in the display window. To revert back to the
default mode, simply repeat this operation; press
and hold the “Program” button for two seconds until
appears “1 EuP” in the display window.
The “Program” button allows you to program a
selection of tracks to play in any desired order. After
loading a compact disc into the Nēo 260D, select
the first track you wish to listen to, using the or
buttons and then press “Program”. To program a
second track, select it the same way you did for the
first one and press “Program” again. Repeat this
operation as many times as you want to program
tracks to a maximum of 30 tracks. Once you’ve
completed programming your track selection(s), the
optional 32-bit DAC
feature by pressing and holding
, the display will indicate
digital display window will show the number of
tracks that have been programmed and their total
time. To begin playing your programmed selections,
simply press the X button. Pressing will only
suspend the playing of the programmed selection.
Pressing a second time will clear your program
selection from the 260D’s memory. As well,
opening the top drawer at any time will also clear
your program. After you begin creating your
program list, the LED immediately to the left of the
“Program” button will illuminate and remain on until
you clear your program from memory.
The “Display” button allows you to turn the digital
display on and off.
Pressing the “Repeat” button once results in the
entire disc being played again once it has reached
the end of the final track. Pressing “Repeat” a
second time will result in the track currently playing
being repeated again once it has ended. To cancel
this mode, simply press the “Repeat” button a third
time or open the CD drawer. There are two (2)
LED’s located to the left of the “Repeat” button; The
top one will illuminate when the current track is
being repeated and both will illuminate when the
entire disc is being repeated. If you have created a
program of selected tracks, pressing “Repeat” once
will result in your entire program repeating itself
once it has completed its cycle; Pressing “Repeat” a
second time will result in the current track from your
program being played again once it has ended;
Pressing “Repeat” a third time will terminate the
“Repeat” mode.
For units equipped with the
“Input” button is used to select an external digital
source by sequentially scrolling through four (4)
digital inputs: D1 and D2 use an RCA connector for
a S/PDIF digital signal; D3 uses a TosLink connector
for an optical digital signal and D4 uses a USB type
B connector for use with a computer equipped with
a USB port and music player software such as
iTunes, J-River, Winamp, etc.
connect a USB flash drive or external hard drive to
the “D4” input. When you change inputs, the display
window will show the new digital input and briefly,
four (4) dashes “----”. These dashes indicate that
the Nēo 260D is in the process of locking onto a
digital signal – this may take several seconds.
Once the Nēo 260D successfully locks onto the
digital signal, the four dashes will be replaced by the
sampling rate frequency of this digital signal. When
the DAC cannot lock onto the selected digital input
signal, “----” remains in the display window. The
260D’s DAC is capable of processing a digital signal
at one of the following six (6) different sampling
rates: “44.1”, “48.0”, “88.2”, “96.0” , “176.4” and
“192.0” (all in kHz). To return back to the disc input,
simply press the “Input” button; the disc input
follows the “D4” input.
The “Random” button, when pressed, will play each
of the tracks on a compact disc in a completely
random order, as opposed to the sequential order as
they appear on the disc. If you have already created
a program of selected tracks, it will play these
programmed tracks in a random order. The LED
located immediately to the left of the “Random”
button will illuminate when you’ve engaged the
random mode.
The “Time” button allows you to scroll through the
four (4) different display modes for time related
information. Each time you press the “Time” button,
the system scrolls to the next time information
mode. By default, the Nēo 260D will display the
elapsed time of the track currently playing. The
scrolling order is as follows:
1. Elapsed time of the current track
2. Remaining time of the current track
3. Elapsed time of the entire disc (or program)
4. Remaining time of the entire disc (or program)
optional 32-bit DAC
Note: you cannot
, the
If you want to turn the display off, press and hold
the “Display” button for 3 seconds. When the
display is turned off, it will still come back on for a
short period of time whenever you press any of the
buttons located on the front panel or the remote
control; the display will automatically turn off again
once you are done. To turn the display back on,
simply press and hold the “Display” button for 3
seconds. Finally, the display mode that you select
will continue to be used until you either select
another mode or power down the Nēo 260D using
the main power switch located on the rear panel.
To load a compact disc into the Nēo 260D, press S
to open the drawer. While the drawer is opened,
four (4) dashes “----” will appear in the display.
Place the CD in the drawer with the label side facing
up. To close the drawer, press S again; Once the
CD is successfully read, the total number of tracks
and total playing time will appear in the display
window. As a result of various copy protection
schemes, some CDs will take longer to read than
others.
When you load a CD that contains no musical tracks
(i.e. data only), the word ‘DATA’ will appear in the
display window. As well, if you load a disc that is not
compatible with the 260D (i.e. SACD, DVD-A, DVDVideo etc), the phrase ‘NO DISC’ will appear in the
display window. Finally, when you inadvertently
leave the drawer open, it will automatically
close after approximately three (3) minutes.
Press X to begin playing a compact disc. Pressing
X while a track is already playing will result in the
current track immediately playing again, starting
from the beginning. Press to search backward or
to search forward through the compact disc’s
tracks. When you’ve located the track number, press
X to begin playing that track. When you initiate a
forward or backward track change while a disc is
already playing, it will automatically start playing the
track you select; you need not press X.
Press to pause the compact disc currently playing.
The disc will continue spinning and the laser will be
suspended in its current position. Press a second
time or X to resume playing the disc. Press to
stop the compact disc from playing. The laser will
return to the start position of the disc.
The rear panel will look similar to Figure 2 (above).
The analog outputs are on the left side; There are
two pairs, “Right” and “Left”, each with a singleended RCA and balanced XLR connector. These are
“Fixed Level” outputs, intended to be connected to a
line-level input on either your preamplifier or
integrated amplifier. We strongly recommend that
you use the balanced XLR connectors on your 260D
to maximize its level of performance. Both pairs of
analog outputs can be used simultaneously if
required. Don’t hesitate to use high quality
interconnect cables*. Poor quality interconnect
cables can degrade the overall sonic performance of
your system.
Next is a group of four (4) “Digital Inputs” labelled
“D1” thru “D4”. Inputs “D1” and “D2” are S/PDIF on
RCA connectors, benefitting most from cables with
an impedance of 75Ω. Input “D3” is Optical and
uses a Toslink connector. Finally, input “D4” is USB
type-B connector. Next, are two digital outputs;
AES/EBU on a XLR connector (that benefits most
from a 110Ω digital audio cable terminated with XLR
connectors) and SPDIF on an RCA connector. Don’t
hesitate to use high quality digital interconnect
cables*.
The right side of the rear panel has various
connectors for external communications. The Nēo 260D is equipped with full-function bi-directional
RS-232 port control and status for custom
integration or automation, as well as future software
updates. Next to the RS-232 port are two (2)
“SimLink™” connectors labeled “in” and “out” on
1/8” mini jacks. Please refer to the next section
entitled SimLink™ for more details. Then there is a
1/8” mini-jack input for use with aftermarket
infrared remote control receivers.
Finally on the far right side is the main power switch
(“0”=off, “1”=on), the IEC receptacle, labeled “AC
Input” for the included AC power cord, and the “AC
Fuse” socket cover. Connect the supplied AC power
cable to the IEC receptacle. Ensure that the AC wall
outlet you use has a functioning ground. For the
best sonic performance, it is preferable that you
plug your 260D directly into a dedicated AC outlet
and avoid using an extension cord.
* Please speak with your MOON Authorized Retailer about
the benefits of high quality cables for your system.
The main feature of SimLink™ on the Nēo 260D,
involves the “Standby” function. By pressing down
and holding the “Standby” button for 2 seconds on
the 260D, all other MOON components connected
via the SimLink will go into “Standby” mode along
with the 260D. The same logic applies when
switching from “Standby” to active mode.
The connection rules for the SimLink™ are very
straightforward. You must always connect the
supplied cable between one component’s “SimLink™
Out” jack and another component’s “SimLink™ In”
Operating the Nēo 260D
Turning on your Nēo 260D for the first time
Prior to turning the CD Transport on for the first
time, make sure that every cable is properly
connected to avoid any problems. Flick the main
rocker switch, located on the rear panel, labeled
“POWER” to the ‘1’ (on) position. Next, briefly press
On and Off Sequence
To avoid having any annoying noises (ie. “thumps”
and “pops”) emanate from your speakers when
powering your 260D on or off, you should always
power up your 260D before powering up your
jack. If you inadvertently connect the cable between
either two “SimLink™ In” or two “SimLink™ Out”
jacks, the SimLink™ communication feature may not
function. Also, there is no master component in a
SimLink™ chain; no one particular component
operates as the main communications controller. If
you are using your Nēo 260D with an older MOON
product such as a P-7, P-8 or i-7, you will need to
update the software of the older product to allow for
complete SimLink™ functionality. Contact your
retailer for further details.
the push button labeled “Standby” located on the
front panel. You will hear a very faint click sound
confirming that everything is in order. The blue LED
on the front panel will illuminate, indicating that the
260D is now powered up and ready for use.
preamplifier, integrated amplifier or power amplifier.
As well, always power down your 260D after
powering down your preamplifier, integrated
amplifier or power amplifier.
Balanced Operation
When using an unbalanced interconnect, the audio
signal runs through both the center wire and the
shield/ground wire. Any noise picked up by this
interconnect (ie. nearby magnetic fields such as an
AC power cord) will be reproduced by both the
preamplifier and amplifier, then heard through the
loudspeakers. Conversely, a balanced interconnect
has three separate conductors; one for the ground
and two for the actual signal. These two signals are
identical except that one is 180 degrees out of
phase with the other. For example, when one
conductor is carrying a signal of +4 Volts, the other
will be carrying a signal of –4 Volts. When these two
inverted signals on a balanced line are output from
the Nēo 260D, any noise picked up by the
interconnect will be eliminated since a differential
circuit amplifies only the difference between these
two signals: Noise on a balanced interconnect will be
equal on both conductors and therefore cancel out.
11
Page 12
260D CD Transport w/ Optional DAC
Remote Control Operation
The Nēo 260D CD Transport uses the ‘CRM-2’ full-function remote
control (figure 3). It operates on the Philips RC-5 communication
protocol and is can be used with other MOON components.
The ‘CRM-2’ remote uses two AA batteries (included). To install them,
simply slide the back plate off in the direction of the arrow; insert the
batteries in the correct direction and then replace the back plate.
To engage the ‘CRM-2’ remote for use with the 260D CD Player, you
must first press the button labeled CD.
The POWER button located on the upper left will switch the CD Player
to either ‘Stand by’ or ‘On’ mode.
Certain buttons found on this remote control perform identical functions
to their corresponding button located on the 260D’s front panel. Please
refer to page 8 for a more detailed description of the “RANDOM”,
“REPEAT”, “PROG” and “TIME” buttons.
0 thru 9 Direct access track number selection
OPEN/CLOSE Open/Close the Compact Disc drawer
DISPLAY Turns the front panel display on and off
TIME Changes the time display mode on front panel
(refer to TIME button on page 8 for more details)
◄INPUT► To switch from listening to the disc loaded in the
player to an external digital source connected to
the player
Stop playing the CD’s current track
Pauses the player
X Play the compact disc loaded into the player
Press Once: Go back to the previous track on the disc
Figure 3: CRM-2
Remote Control
For Nēo 260D units equipped with the optional 32bit DAC, you can sequentially scroll, either backwards or
forwards, through all four (4) available inputs using the 2
buttons labelled
◄ INPUT ►. For example, to switch
Press and hold: Scan backward through current track
Press Once: Skip to the next track on the disc
Press and hold: Scan forward through current track
from “D4” to “D1” you may press either ◄ INPUT three
(3) times or INPUT
holding down either of these buttons results in only
In figure 4 we have a 180 MiND Music Streamer
connected to a Nēo 260D CD Transport via their
respective SimLink™ ports (using a 1/8” mini-jack
cable), and the 260D connected to a 340i
Integrated Amplifier also via their respective
SimLink™ ports. When you launch the MiND App on
your Apple smart device (full list on the MiND page
of our website) and select this system’s ZONE, the
180 MiND, 260D and 340i will alll turn on. As well,
the 260D, equipped with the optional DAC, will
automatically switch to the default MiND input “D1”.
To shut down the system, press “Off” for this ZONE
in the MiND app.
In figure 5 we have a Nēo 260D CD Transport
connected to a 350P Preamplifier via their
respective SimLink™ ports (using a 1/8” mini-jack
cable), and the 350P is connected to a 330A
Amplifier via their respective 12V triggers (also using
Figure 5: Remote Operation with SimLink™ and 12V Trigger
a 1/8” mini-jack cable). When you turn on the 260D
via remote control (or its Standby button), both the
350P and 330A will turn on automatically. The
same rule applies when you put the 260D into
Standby mode.
Bit-depth range / Sampling Frequency .............. 16 to 24 bits / 44.1kHz to 192kHz
Digital Inputs (4)............................................ 2x S/PDIF (RCA), 1x TosLink (Optical), 1x USB
Balanced Pin Assignment:
Pin 1........................... Ground
NOTE: If you require the RS-232 codes for your Nēo 260D, please visit the "Contact Us" page
and complete the "Information request" form on our website at
Fuse Replacement: F1 : 0.5A slow blow (5 x 20mm size).
F2 : 120V version use a 0.2A slow blow (5 x 20mm size).
230V version use a 0.1A slow blow (5 x 20mm size).