Mark Levinson N 331, Operating Manual

Page: 17 / 38

17
2 SINGLE-ENDED INPUTS
These RCA connectors accept single-ended inputs from preamplifiers with
single-ended (RCA) outputs. Single-ended input signals are converted to
balanced signals immediately upon being received at the amplifier, and are
handled as balanced signals thereafter.
If your preamplifier does not support balanced connection to the power
amplifier, connect the single-ended output of your preamplifier to the RCA
input on the amplifier. To reduce the chance of noise pickup at the (other-
wise unterminated) inverting input of the XLR, insert the provided U-
shaped shorting strap between pins #1 and #3 of the XLR connector. (As
delivered from the factory, this shorting strap is already installed.)
3 COMMUNICATIONS LINKS
Your 300-series power amplifier may be controlled by a “linked” Mark
Levinson 30-series preamplifier when the
slave in
communications port is
connected to the
master
port of the preamplifier. Subsequent 300-series
amplifiers may be “daisy chained” from the first amplifier’s
slave out
to their
slave in
port, up to a maximum of six amplifiers total (to support multi-
amped systems, for example).
c o m m u n i c a t i o n p o r t s
r e m o t e t u r n - o n j a c k s
slave out slave in
A “straight-through,” six conductor Link cable with six-conductor modular
connectors on both ends is used to connect the preamplifier to the first
power amplifier. Such a cable is made (counter-intuitively) by incorporating
a 180
°
twist into the cable before terminating it, as shown below:
To Nº38 Master To Nº33 Slave In
Locking tab Locking tab
A different Link connector configuration is used for the “daisy-chain” of one
amplifier to the next, to minimize the opportunity for mis-wiring. In effect,
this cable is identical to the one between preamplifier and power amplifier
except that it uses pins 1 through 6 of an eight-conductor modular connec-
tor at one end, as shown on the next page:
To Nº33x Slave Out To Nº33x Slave In
Locking tab Locking tab
(Note that the pins are numbered 1 through 8 from left to right when the
locking tab is down and the metal contacts are pointing away from you.)
When connected in this manner, the power amplifiers will be toggled be-
tween
standby and fully on when the preamplifier goes between standby
and fully on .