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Owner’s Manual
Nº383
Integrated
Amplifier
R
MADRIGAL AUDIO LABORATORIES
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WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of suffic
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From all of us at Madrigal Audio Laboratories, thank you for choosing the Mark Levinson Nº383 Integrated Amplifier. 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.
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Table of Contents Special Design Features of the Nº383 Integrated Amplifier ........7 why an integrated? ............................................................................ 7 the power supplies ............................................................................. 7 the preamplifier .................................................................................. 8 the volume control ............................................................................. 8 the power amplif
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Using the Nº383 with Learning Remote Controls .....................35 using the teach ir menu ................................................................... 35 available ir commands ...................................................................... 36 Modes of Operation ................................................................37 normal operation ............................................................................. 37 the balance mode ......................................
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the preamplifier Five analog input pairs are provided for use with balanced (2 pr. XLR) and single-ended (3 pr. RCA) sources. The inputs are independently buffered. As with other Mark Levinson preamplifiers, un-selected in- puts have both their signal and ground connections lifted, eliminating a possible path where noise may enter the chassis. The overall gain for the preamplifier section may be adjusted to opti- mize performance with each input, easily accommodating unusually high- and low- lin
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connected. Pre-filtering the AC line using capacitors and thermistors helps prevent damage from an occasional or prolonged influx of surges and spikes. An AC mains relay can be switched off when called upon by one of the Nº383’s other protection systems. Thermal protection is controlled by four sensors mounted on each rail of the left and right channel output stages. If a sensor detects exces- sive heat, it instructs the amplifier to switch itself off. Thermal switches located inside each transf
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construction Regardless of the technology used, numerous details must be executed to fully realize the potential of a Mark Levinson design. The quality of individual components, the care and craftsmanship with which they are assembled and the exhaustive inspection and testing we employ help raise the value of Mark Levinson products. The Nº383 is built to the same high construction standards as all other Mark Levinson prod- ucts. In addition to yielding the best performance, careful attention to
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Unpacking and Placement unpacking Unpack your Nº383 Integrated Amplifier and keep all packing materi- als for future transport. Locate and remove all accessory items from the Accessory Box within the Controller shipping carton. Accessories in- clude: 1 detachable AC power cord 1 Nº383 remote control 2 AAA alkaline batteries Also included with your new Mark Levinson component is a pair of knit, white gloves to assist you in the initial unpacking and placement of your new purchase. Please accept t
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ventilation Be sure to allow 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm) of clearance above the Nº383 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. Do not defeat a three- prong AC cords with “ground-lifter” or “cheater” adaptors, as doing so may allow dangerous voltages to build up between components. The pr
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Operating Voltage The Nº383 Integrated Amplifier is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V, 230V, 220V, 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 near the AC receptacle of the Nº383 indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your location. If the voltage indicated on your Nº383 is incorrect, or if you wish to change the AC operat
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A Quick Start… We recognize that many people are understandably eager to begin lis- tening 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 Nº383 Integrated Amplifier incorpo- rates many unusual features which enhance its operation. Fortunately, we can help you get some music up and running on your system quickly, so tha
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For example, if you are using only two or three inputs on your Nº383, you may disable the unused ones so that the select knob selects only among connectors you are actually using. For more information on customizing your integrated amplifier in this and other ways, please see “Customizing Your Nº383.” 3 Alphanumeric Display This twelve-character display provides a wide range of informa- tion concerning the operation of the Nº383. The information dis- played depends on what the Nº383 is doing. Th
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6 Display Intensity Button Cycles among four levels of brightness (including “off”) for the display, allowing adjustment for various ambient lighting condi- tions. When “off,” the display will turn on for a few seconds when- ever 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 infor- mation, see “Linked Functions.”) 7 Setup Button Pressing the setup button places th
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If you adjust the volume while mute is engaged, the preamplifier will adjust its volume from the muted level, and disengage the mute function. This approach prevents 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 “Cus- tomizing Your Nº383” for information on changing the factory de- fault setting.) 11 Standby Button The standby button toggles the Nº383 between normal opera- tion an
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1 2 3 4 5 6 1 MARK LEVINSON Nº383 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER m S/N Made in the U.S.A. control ports RS-232 comm trigger trigger PHASTLink™ compatible ir input input output right inputs left inputs right left 12 3 4 5 54 3 2 1 record out record out ~ ac mains 7 8 9 10 9 8 7 Rear Panel a note about the All left-channel inputs and outputs are on the left of the rear panel as 19 inputs and outputs seen from the front, and all right-channel inputs and outputs are on the right of the rear panel as seen from
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There are two recommended methods for connecting speaker cables to your amplifier. A high-quality spade lug or hook lug, sol- dered to the cable (or crimped with extremely high pressure), is best. Spade lug Hook lug Connect a + (positive or red) output post of the amplifier to the + (positive or red) input terminal of the appropriate loudspeaker. [If biwiring, repeat using the other + (positive or red) output post of the amplifier and the + (positive or red) input terminal of the loudspeaker.] C
