Operating Manual Mark Levinson® Nº39 CD Processor Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc.
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.
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.
Table of Contents Unpacking and Placement ....................................................................... 6 Unpacking the Nº39 .......................................................................................... 6 Remove the Transport Screw ........................................................................... 6 Placement of the Nº39 ...................................................................................... 6 Operating Voltage & Frequency .....................................
Programming the Nº39 ............................................................................. 35 Introduction to Playlists .................................................................................... 35 Assembling a Playlist ........................................................................................ 36 Programming by Omission .............................................................................. 36 Saving a Playlist ..........................................................
Unpacking and Placement Unpacking the Nº39 Important! Unpack your Nº39 CD Processor and remove all accessories from the carton. Keep all packing materials for future transport of your Nº39. 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.
Operating Voltage & Frequency The Nº39 CD Processor is set at the factory (internally) for 1100V, 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 Nº39 (adjacent to the power cord) indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your location, as attempting to operate the Nº39 at an incorrect voltage can damage the unit.
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 Nº39 CD Processor incorporates many unusual features that enhance its operation.
Warm up/break-in period 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.
Special Design Features Congratulations on your purchase of the Nº39 CD Processor. The Madrigal design team is confident you will enjoy the outstanding performance of the Nº39 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.
Two high quality digital output configurations are also supported in the Nº39. A new complementary driver for the balanced AES/EBU electrical 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 short, the Mark Levinson Nº39 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. 24-bit digital architecture and HDCD® compatibility 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.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 display intensity 8 repeat mode R MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES Nº 39 CD PROCESSOR disc repeat – mode + 10 9 11 track repeat time on disc time remaing prev/rew next/f.fwd stop/drawer play pause 12 14 15 17 18 13 standby 19 16 Front Panel, Nº39 1 DISPLAY INTENSITY Pressing this button varies the brightness of the display. Four brightness levels are available, including “display off.
In addition to receiving IR commands, the Nº39 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.
* (Note that the volume control is only made available if the Nº39’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 function.
10 MODE – AND MODE + BUTTONS Using these two buttons in conjunction with the mode button, any of four different Nº39 functions can be controlled from the front panel : • • • • PROGRAM INPUTS TIMES VOLUME* (for (for (for (for creating custom playlists) selecting a digital source) selecting a time indication) controlling the volume of the Nº39*) * (Note that the volume control is only made available if the Nº39’s variable output mode is engaged; see Special Functions for more information.
14 NEXT/F.FWD BUTTON Pressing this button momentarily will advance the Nº39 to the beginning of the next track. Pressing and holding this button will instead perform a fast forward scan of the music, reminiscent of the fast forward 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.
PAUSE BUTTON Pressing this button once during play will pause the Nº39 at that point within the track; the display will show double bars (||) as a reminder that you are in the pause mode. Pressing the pause button a second time will resume play. After two minutes in pause, the Nº39 will go into an “extended pause” mode. Extended pause stops the disc and turns off the laser against the possibility that you have been called away and may not return for some time.
These options represent the length of time the Nº39 before it will automatically go into standby. Having made your selection, simply allow the Nº39 to timeout (when the display reverts to its normal operation, indicating disc information). You may change your Nº39 back to manual standby mode before it enters standby by reversing this process. The sleep timer will automatically reset itself to MANUAL after having been activated.
1 2 3 4 5 Processor CD PLAYER NºNº39 39 analog outputs right left designed and manufactured in U.S.A. by MADRIGAL S/N digital inputs digital outputs ® and High Definition Compatible Digital® are registered trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc. aes / ebu eiaj spdif external i.r. spdif communications por ts master / slave out ~ ac mains 6 slave in 7 Rear Panel, Nº39 1 Warning! AC POWER INPUT AND SWITCH This input accepts AC power from the AC mains (via the supplied AC cable).
Caution: Do not switch power off and on rapidly, as this interrupts the normal power-up sequence. We advise waiting at least five seconds between power cycles. 2 DIGITAL OUTPUTS These outputs provide digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with either XLR-type or RCA-type connectors to a digital audio processor. The XLR output conforms to the Audio Engineering Society/European Broadcast Union (AES/EBU) professional digital audio standard, which calls for a 110Ω transmission of the DAS.
The RCA input accepts 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, or digital broadcast receiver. The RCA 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.
The specifications for this IR input call for a triggering voltage of 5-12 volts at no more than 100 milliamperes of current, with the tip of the 1⁄8" miniplug having positive polarity, as below: – IR input tip polarity + 3-15volts volts@ @ 5-12 lessless than than100 100mA mA If you would like more information on the possibility of using an infrared repeater with your Nº39, please contact your Mark Levinson dealer.
Important: slave out display intensity R mode Nº39 aes/ebu polarity invert 1 MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES emphasis 2 3 4 5 6 teach ir COMPACT DISC DRIVE Nº 37 standby slave in digital output Link cable master digital input display intensity Nº36 R mode aes/ebu polarity invert 1 MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES DIGITAL PROCESSOR Nº 36 emphasis 2 3 4 If a compatible Mark Levinson preamplifier (such as the Nº38 or Nº38S) is Linked, it must be the last of the line-level components in th
Remote Control, Nº39 1 1 IR TRANSMITTER WINDOW The Nº39’s Remote Control sends infrared (IR) commands through its projection lens, and the Nº39 receives IR commands through its Remote sensor window. (See “Front Panel, Nº39”). If either of these lenses is obstructed, no IR commands can be received by the Nº39. If you notice IR performance deteriorating, you may want to clean these lenses with a soft cloth and some glass cleaner.
3 A/B REPEAT BUTTON The Nº39 may be set to repeat any contiguous segment of a disc: A-B: Press once to establish a beginning point (point A) for an endless playback loop. The display will flash the letter B to indicate that it is ready to accept your designated ending point (point B). (Note that A must precede B on the disc.) Once this has been done, the Nº39 will repeat the segment of the disc between points A and B until you press stop or A-B again.
These numbers may also be used in conjunction with other features, such as programming and direct access by time. For example, when in the stop mode, you may press 5 and press the prog – button to delete track 5 from your playlist. In this case, the Nº39 would play that particular disc normally, except that it would automatically skip from track 4 to track 6. Selecting a particular track does not affect the operating mode.
(–) volume: Pressing this button on the Nº39 remote control will transparently and automatically lower the volume of a Linked Mark Levinson preamplifier, minimizing the need to juggle multiple remotes. Since this function depends on the ability of the Nº39 to pass the instruction to the Nº38 (for example), the two components must be connected by a Link cable. (See Special Functions for more information.
If possible, install the Nº39 directly opposite from where you’ll normally operate the Remote Control. In practice, the Remote Control will operate the Nº39 at up to 30 degrees to either side of this direct line. To either side of this line, successful IR communication will depend on bounce and ambient lighting. (Please refer to diagram).
Setup and Installation Caution! Connecting AC Mains For your protection, review “Important Safety Instructions” before you install your Nº39. Plug the female end of the AC power cord into the appropriate socket on the rear panel of the Nº39, being certain to seat it firmly, all the way into the receptacle.
Making Link Connections The Nº39 incorporates sophisticated inter-component communications capabilities when Linked to compatible Mark Levinson components. (See “Communication Ports” in Rear panel, Nº39.) If you own compatible Mark Levinson components, connect them to the Nº39 with an eight-conductor modular cable as described on p. 25.
Basic Operation Before operating your Nº39, take a minute to become familiar with its controls and their locations. (See “Front Panel” and “Remote Control.”) Loading a CD To load a CD: 1. Make sure that the main power switch is set to the “|” position. 2. Press stop/drawer to open the drawer. 3. Place a CD into the recess of the drawer, label side up. Handle the CD by the outer edges and center hole only. 4. Press stop/drawer.
the reduced-volume audible scan available during these modes to search the CD until the laser pickup reaches the passage you want to hear. (Assuming your CD player is set for audible rather than silent scanning. If not, see Special Functions.) As soon as you release the button, play resumes. If you search past the beginning or end of a track, the laser pickup will move on to the previous (or next) track.
again two more times (to cycle through track repeat to normal play). Pressing stop will also restore the Nº39 to normal (non-repeating) operation. Repeat Track To repeat (continuously) the track in (normal) play, press repeat (or rpt disc/trk on the remote) twice to cycle through disc repeat to track repeat. While the track repeat function is active, the LED above the button is lit. This feature is helpful (for example) when trying to learn how to play a particular song by playing along with the disc.
Programming the Nº39 Introduction to Playlists Rather than playing an entire CD, you may choose to play only certain selections. To do this, you create a “playlist.” If this is a one-time playlist, it may be used immediately upon being created (and will vanish when a new playlist is created).
Assembling a Playlist To assemble a new playlist: 1. Load a CD, and wait for the display to show the number of tracks and their total playing time. 2. Make sure that the Nº39 is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display. 3. Using the next and previous buttons (or the numbered buttons on the Remote Control), select the first track in your playlist. 4. Add the first selection to your playlist by pressing mode +.
Note: If you try to review a nonexistent playlist, the display will show NO PGM. 4. To view the next selection, press mode + again, and so on. 5. After you view the last selection, one more press of mode + will cause the display to show END PGM momentarily, and then move on to show the first track in the playlist. Deleting a Track from a Playlist You may delete any selection from a playlist. To delete a selection: 1.
1. make sure that the Nº39 is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display 2. press mode – while the CD is loaded, but before play has started. 3. the display will show CLEARED to indicate that the program has been temporarily overridden The display will show the total number of tracks and the total time on the disc (as it would if there were no playlist associated with the disc). The P that denotes playlist will be turned off.
the track display will be preceded by a P, and indicate the total number of tracks and time of the program, not the disc. You must not have a preexisting program if you wish to save a single polarity for the entire disc in one step. To erase a preexisting program, press and hold the mode – button.) 2 Make sure that the Nº39 is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display. 3 Choose your preferred polarity.
HOLD MODE MODE BUTTON ➜ .............SET UP ➜ .............SOUND ➜ BALANCE ➜............................MODE + ➜ .......SHIFTS RIGHT (<– – – –>) MODE – ➜ .......SHIFTS LEFT HOLD MODE BUTTON PRESS MODE BUTTON MUTE LEVEL ➜........................MODE + ➜ .......MORE ATTENUATION MODE – ➜ .......LESS ATTENUATION VOL. LOCK ➜ .........................MODE + ➜ .......LOCKED MODE – ➜ .......UNLOCKED PREAMP ➜ ..............................MODE + ➜ .......VARIABLE MODE – ➜ .......
Nº38S Preamplifier, and the Nº33 and 300-series power amplifiers). Note: Silent/Audible Cueing Balance Control To take advantage of linked functions, you must connect the Nº39 to the other components via their communication ports. (See Rear Panel and Setup and Installation.) The Nº39 also gives you the option of hearing a reduced-volume scan of the program material during fast forward or rewind, or of having the scan be silent.
wish to use your digital processor with some digital source other than the Nº39). • If CD 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 If you use the Nº39 as a transport with a Linked processor with your Nº39 (via one of the digital outputs), having the NAME link on will allow the Nº39 to show up in the display of the processor by name, e.g., No39 rather than a generic CD.
of the two auxiliary inputs and not the other, setting the unused input to “N.U.” will change the input selection process to a simple toggle between the two used inputs. Labelling both auxiliary inputs “N.U.” will effectively disable the input selection process on the Nº39, although it will still control the analog inputs of a Linked preamplifier..
Using Learning Remote Controls The Nº39 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. Specifically, the Nº39 can send all of the necessary IR commands from its display 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.
4 WHEN FINISHED, EXIT THE TEACH IR MODE BY ALLOWING THE Nº39 TO “TIMEOUT” You may wish to teach your remote control some of the Nº39’s special commands (those for which there is no corresponding front panel button); in this case, you should go directly to the next section. Otherwise, simply avoid pressing any buttons for about ten seconds, and the Nº39 will automatically return to normal operation.
special commands table Command Display positive control for operate OPERATE positive control for standby STANDBY positive control for stop JUST STOP set display intensity to off DISPLAY 0 set display intensity to medium DISPLAY 2 positive control for unpause UNPAUSE positive control for pause PAUSE positive control for leaving the repeat mode NO REPEAT positive control for open drawer OPEN positive control for close drawer CLOSE positive control for random play RANDOM positive control for selecting analo
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 Nº39 WON’T FUNCTION, AND THE DISPLAY IS DARK. ✓ The unit is in standby. Press the standby button. ✓ The Nº39 isn’t plugged into the AC mains or the main power switch isn’t turned on.
✓ Try turning off/disconnecting AC power from both the preamplifier and the Nº39. After several seconds, restore AC power to the preamplifier, then turn on the Nº39’s main power switch. Never operate the main power switch without first making sure that power is turned off to your receiver, integrated amplifier, or preamplifier/power amplifier. ✓ You may have older versions of the system software in your associated Mark Levinson components which do not fully support all Linked functions.
Care and Maintenance To remove dust from the cabinet of the Nº39, 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 Nº39 with the dampened cloth. Never pour or spray even small amounts of any liquid directly on the Nº39, as doing so may allow the liquid to reach the circuitry inside the unit.
U.S. and Canadian Warranty 90-Day Limited Warranty This Mark Levinson® product is warranted to be free from defects in material and 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.
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.
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 Nº39 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.
Dimensions 20.56" 52.21 cm 13.38" 34 cm 0.425" 1.1 cm 7.68" 19.5 cm 2.85" 7.24 cm 0.10" 2.00" 5.1 cm 5.45" 13.8 cm 5.25" 13.3 cm 12.25" 31.1 cm 15.55" 39.5 cm 6.25" 15.9 cm 11.55" 29.3 cm 15.75" 40 cm 12.25" 31.1 cm 5.45" 13.8 cm 2.00" 5.1 cm 0.10" 2.5 mm 0.925" 2.3 cm 13.38" 34 cm 0.08" 2 mm 2.96" 7.5 cm 3.76" 9.5 cm 3.125" 3.84" 7.9 cm 9.75 cm .45" 1.1 cm 2.25" 5.7 cm 2.25" 5.7 cm 0.08" 2 mm 0.925" 2.3 cm 12.25" 31.1 cm 14.31" 36.
Installation Notes 54
Installation Notes 55
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 630160-4 © 6/1998 Madrigal Audio Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
