Modes of Operation

normal operation The majority of time you spend with your Nº383 will be spent in normal operation. During normal operation, the display indicates the name of the input you have selected and the listening volume (in deci- bels). The volume knob increases or decreases the volume in 0.1 dB increments above 38.5. The select knob selects the source to be listened to at any point in time. In short, in normal operation, the Nº383 acts precisely as you would expect an integrated amplifier to act.

There are several refinements which may not be immediately apparent to the casual user, however. When turned quickly by hand, the effect of the volume knob will accelerate (i.e., yield a greater change per revolution of the knob) so as to reach your preferred volume more quickly. Conversely, when the knob is turned slowly, the volume changes at maximum resolution to facilitate fine adjustments and precise level control (0.1 dB through most of the range).

However, if the volume knob is spun too quickly (as though it were a flywheel), the rate of change will decrease again. This design helps avoid accidental bumps of the preamplifier’s volume knob sending

potentially dangerous signal levels to your loudspeakers.

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Lastly, the corresponding buttons on the remote control behave in a similar fashion when in normal operation. If the volume +/- buttons are held for more than approximately 1.5 seconds, the Nº383 infers that you would like to make a larger change in volume, and accelerates the volume change accordingly.

the balance mode The balance mode gives you extremely fine control over the relative volumes of the Left and Right channels, by changing the volume of one relative to the other in increments of 0.1 dB, up to 20.0 dB. (Beyond this point, the balance control will mute the output of the reduced channel entirely.) Once set, this inter-channel difference in volume remains the same regardless of output level and selected input, until it is changed again in the balance mode.

To enter the balance mode from normal operation, press the balance button. The balance indicator LED will light and the display will change. When the balance is set to a neutral position, favoring neither channel over the other, the display will show a double-headed arrow and “0.0” decibels—that is, that the channels are balanced with respect to one another.