Filter
Top Products
28
7. communication ports
These communications ports allow the Nº390S to “link” to
certain compatible Mark Levinson components. (See “Special
Functions.”)
Linking Connections 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.)
Important: 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.)