Mark Levinson N390S owner manual Communication ports, Linking Connections

Linking Connections

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Important:

7. communication ports

These communications ports allow the Nº390S to “link” to certain compatible Mark Levinson components. (See “Special Functions.”)

The Mark Levinson Linking system provides for inter-component communications. Normally, the digital processor in the system would serve as the “master” of this communications system, while other components including the transport would be “slaves” to that master. (The master acts as a central clearing- house for that information—sort of like the Post Office, but quite a bit faster.) Since the Nº390S is both a digital transport and a digital processor in one component, it automatically configures itself as either a master or a slave, based on the needs of the rest of the system. (Technically, if the Nº390S senses another master on the communications bus, it automatically configures itself as a slave.)

The most common configuration for systems incorporating the Nº390S is illustrated at left. The Nº390S’s master out port normally sits at the beginning of the chain, and is connected to the slave port of a Mark Levinson preamplifier using a “straight-through” eight conductor modular cable. The preamplifier, in turn, serves as the “master” for the power amplifier(s) with which it is used. (See diagram at left for clarification.)

Alternatively, if you elect to use the variable output feature of the Nº390S to drive a power amplifier directly, it may serve as the power amplifier’s “master” using a special eight-to-six conductor Link cable described below. Using this cable automatically configures the Nº390S as though it were a Mark Levinson preamplifier in order to control the Mark Levinson power amplifier. (See diagram at left for clarification.)

Finally, if at some point you end up using your Nº390S as a transport in conjunction with a separate Mark Levinson digital processor, simply insert it between the processor and the preamplifier (connecting the processor’s master port to the Nº390S’s slave in port, and the Nº390S’s slave out port to the preamplifier’s slave port) to keep the daisy chain going. Sensing another “master” on the communications bus, the Nº390S will automatically configure itself as a slave to that master (hence the master/slave out nomenclature on the rear panel jack). (See illustration on page 24 for clarification.)

If a compatible Mark Levinson preamplifier (i.e., the Nº380 or Nº380S) is Linked, it must be the last of the line-level components in the daisy chain. (Technically, it serves to terminate the communications bus used by the source components.)