Primare CD21 User Guide

Copyright and acknowledgments
Copyright 2004-2006 Primare Systems AB. Allrights reserved. Primare Systems AB Renvgen 1 SE-Vxj Sweden http://www.primare.net Issue: CD21/2 The information in this guide is believed to be correct as of the date of publication. However, our policy is one of continuous development and so the information is subject to change without notice, and does not represent a commitment on the part of Primare Systems AB. Primare is a trademark of Primare Systems AB. This guide was produced by Human-Computer Interface Ltd, http://www.interface.co.uk

CAUTION

ATTENTION
RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electrical shock do not remove cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture. CAUTION: In Canada and the USA, to prevent electric shock, match the wide blade of the plug to the wide slot in the socket and insert the plug fully into the socket.
The lightning flash with an 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 sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product.
Important safety instructions
This product is designed and manufactured to meet strict quality and safety standards. However, you should be aware of the following installation and operation precautions. 1. Take heed of warnings and instructions You should read all the safety and operating instructions before operating this appliance. Retain this handbook for future reference and adhere to all warnings in the handbook or on the appliance. 2. Water and moisture The presence of electricity near water can be dangerous. Do not use the appliance near water for example next to a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool, etc. 3. Object or liquid entry Take care that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through any openings. Liquid-filled objects such as vases should not be placed on the equipment. 4. Ventilation Do not place the equipment on a bed, sofa, rug or similar soft surface, or in an enclosed bookcase or cabinet, since ventilation may be impeded. We recommend a minimum distance of 50mm around the sides and top of the appliance to provide adequate ventilation. 5. Heat Locate the appliance away from naked flames or heat producing equipment such as radiators, stoves or other appliances (including other amplifiers) that produce heat. 6. Climate The appliance has been designed for use in moderate climates. 7. Racks and stands Only use a rack or stand that is recommended for use with audio equipment. If the equipment is on a portable rack it should be moved with great care, to avoid overturning the combination. 8. Cleaning Unplug the unit from the mains supply before cleaning. The case should normally only require a wipe with a soft, damp, lint-free cloth. Do not use paint thinners or other chemical solvents for cleaning. We do not advise the use of furniture cleaning sprays or polishes as they can cause indelible white marks if the unit is subsequently wiped with a damp cloth. 9. Power sources Only connect the appliance to a power supply of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance. This is a Class 1 device and must be earthed. 10. Power-cord protection Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords and plugs, and the point where they exit from the appliance. 11. Grounding Ensure that the grounding means of the appliance is not defeated. 12. Power lines Locate any outdoor antenna/aerial away from power lines. 13. Non-use periods If the unit has a stand-by function, a small amount of current will continue to flow into the equipment in this mode. Unplug the power cord of the appliance from the outlet if left unused for a long period of time. 14. Abnormal smell If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected from the appliance, turn the power off immediately and unplug the unit from the wall outlet. Contact your dealer immediately. 15. Servicing You should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in this handbook. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. 16. Damage requiring service The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when: A. the power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged, or B. objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into the appliance, or C. the appliance has been exposed to rain, or D. the appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance, or E. the appliance has been dropped or the enclosure damaged.

Safety compliance

This product has been designed to meet the IEC 60065 international electrical safety standard.

Welcome

Welcome to the Primare CD21! Your CD21 is a high-quality compact disc player with analogue and digital outputs. This page shows how to set up your CD21 in four simple steps:

Data RS232

ANALOG OUTPUTS R L

DIGITAL OUTPUTS

Analogue outputs
SPDIF TOSlink AES/EBU Digital outputs

1 Unpack the CD21

Your CD21 is supplied with the following components:
2 Connect to a preamplifier
Analogue outputs The CD21 is designed to be connected to the line input of a preamplifier.

3 Connect power

Plug one end of the mains cable supplied with the CD21 into the power connector on the back panel, and connect the other end to a wall socket.

4 Play a CD

Hold down the */ button on the front panel, or on the remote control, to open the tray. Place the CD in the tray with the label facing upwards. Press the */ button on the front panel or the remote control to close the tray. Press the > button on the front panel, or the >/= button on the remote control to play the disc.
Mains cable. C22 remote control. Two batteries for the remote control.
If any of these items are missing please contact your supplier. We recommend you retain the packaging in case you need to transport the unit at a later date.
Connect the ANALOG OUTPUTS to a suitable line input using a pair of analogue RCA leads.
If this cable is not suitable for your power outlets please contact your supplier for an alternative cable.
Digital outputs Alternatively the CD21 Compact Disc Player provides one SPDIF, one TOSlink, and one AES/ EBU digital output for connection to a digital preamplifier or digital surround processor.
WARNING: Always disconnect the CD21 from the mains power before connecting or disconnecting any cables.
Switch on the CD21, using the switch under the left-hand edge of the housing.
For more information about playing a CD, see Using the CD21, page 2.
Connect the appropriate output to your preamplifier or surround processor using a suitable cable.
The standby indicator will light up on the front panel. To switch on from standby or to standby Pressing O on the front panel or on the remote control, will change the standby mode.

Using the CD21

This page explains how to operate your CD21, with an explanation of the function of each of the front panel controls.

Repeat Previous Next

Display

Open/Close Play Standby

Front panel controls
Repeat Repeats a track, or the entire disc. Previous [ Restarts the current track, or steps to the previous track. Next ] Steps to the next track. Open/Close */ Opens or closes the CD tray and also stops the disc. Play > Plays or pauses the disc. Standby O Switches the CD21 to standby, or switches it on from standby.

Playing a disc

To insert a disc
While a disc is playing the front panel display shows the current track number and the elapsed time of the current track. The track number is flashing in the tracking list. To stop play
Locating a position on the disc
You can step between tracks to locate a particular track on the disc, or you can scan forwards or backwards to locate a position within a track. To step between tracks
Hold down the */ button on the front panel, or on the remote control, to open the tray. Place the CD in the tray with the label facing upwards. Press the */ button on the front panel or the remote control to close the tray.
Press the */ button on the front panel or the remote control.

To pause a CD

The front panel display shows the total number of tracks on the disc, the total duration of the disc, and the tracklist.
Press the > button on the front panel or the >/= button on the remote control.
Press the [ or ] buttons on the front panel or the remote control.
The > symbol will disappear from the display but the track number in the tracklist will still be flashing You can then resume play by pressing the > button on the front panel or the >/= button on the remote control.
The front panel display shows the number of the track as you step. When you release the button the current track starts playing from the beginning. To scan through the disc

To play a disc

Press the > button on the front panel, or the >/= button on the remote control. Alternatively press one of the buttons 1-9 and, if required, +10 on the remote control to start playing a specific track.
Press the button once to reverse scanning or the button once to start forward scanning. You can use the button on the front panel or the remote control.
You can increase the scanning by pressing the button (reverse) or the button (forward) again. There are four different scan speeds. As you scan the disc, the front panel display shows the current track and the position within the track.

For example: To play track 16; press the +10 button followed by the 6 button. To play track 22; press the +10 button twice, followed by the 2 button.
Press the > button on the front panel, or the >/= button on the remote control to start playing from the position you have located.

Using the remote control

This page explains how to use the C22 remote control to operate the CD21, and how to fit the batteries into the remote control.

Dim display

You can operate all the functions of the CD21 using the C22 remote control:

Switch on/off

Fitting the batteries
Before using the remote control you need to insert the two AAA batteries supplied with the C22.

Enter track number

Clear number entry Enter number >10
Gently slide open the cover on the back of the remote control:
Decrease volume of preamplifier/processor
Increase volume of preamplifier/processor
Insert the two batteries, observing the polarity printed on the bottom of battery compartment:
Open or close the CD tray, or stop the disc Restart the current track, or step to the previous track Repeat the track or disc Program a selection of tracks
Play or pause the disc Step to the next track Forward scan Reverse scan Display options Repeat a section of the disc Play a random selection of tracks
Slide back the cover until it clips into place:
Note: Replace only with alkaline batteries type AAA, LR03, or equivalent. Dispose of old batteries considerately.

Programming the CD21

This chapter explains how to use the more advanced features of the CD21 Compact Disc Player which you can access from the remote control.
Changing the front panel display
You can change the front panel time display to show elapsed time for the current track, remaining time for the current track, or remaining time for the entire disc. To change the time display

Repeating playback

To repeat the current track
Programming a selection of tracks
The CD21 Compact Disc Player allows you to program a selection of tracks on the current disc. You can then play just the tracks you have selected. To program a selection of tracks

Playing a random selection of tracks
Press the MODE button on the remote control. The front panel display will show RANDOM:
Press the H button on the front panel, or the Repeat button on the remote control.
The front panel shows REPEAT 1:
Press the DISP button on the remote control. To repeat the entire disc
Press the MEM button on the remote control while the disc is stopped.
Press the >/= button on the remote control.
The display switches between the following three options: Elapsed time for the current track
The front panel display shows PROGRAM.
Press the H button on the front panel, or the Repeat button on the remote control twice.
Select with buttons 1-9 and, if required, the +10 button.
The compact disc player selects random tracks from your CD. The current track flashes in the tracklist.
The front panel shows REPEAT ALL:
Remaining time for the current track To repeat a specific section of a disc (Repeat A-B) Remaining time for the entire disc During this operation the disc has to be running.
As you select tracks the front panel display shows the number of the track you are programming and the number of the step in the program, the duration of the track. A selected track numbered higher than 15 will be indicated by a flashing 15+ symbol on the front panel display. The track number also flashes in the track list on the right-hand side of the display:

PROGRAM

Press the */ button on the remote control to stop the CD. Press the MODE button on the remote control and the compact disc player will revert to normal playing mode.
Press the TOP button on the remote control at the start of the section you want to repeat.
The front panel display shows A-: To dim the front panel display
Press the DIM button on the remote control.
The display will blank. Press the DIM button again to restore the normal display.
Press the TOP button again at the end of the section you want to repeat.
To play the selection you have programmed

The front panel display shows A-B:
The currently played track always flashes in the tracklist on the front panel display.
The compact disc player will then automatically return to the start of the section you have marked and play back repeatedly. To turn off repeat
Press the */ button on the remote control to stop the CD. Press the MEM button for a new selection or press the MEM button twice and the compact disc player reverts to normal playing mode.
Press the TOP button again.
The A-B symbol in the front panel display will be cleared.

Technical specification

Features
Every component of the CD21, from the CD transport to the audio output stage, has been designed to achieve the highest possible audio performance. Extremely low jitter The Primare CD21 Compact Disc Player uses a precision crystal clock oscillator, and a Burr-Brown DIR1703 for jitter correction, giving excellent audio performance. Precision digital to analogue conversion Digital to analogue conversion is performed by two 24 bit Burr-Brown PCM 1738 D/A converters and filter, capable of handling up to 24 bit input data at a 192kHz sampling rate. They are configured in an internally balanced topology to perform a THD cancellation process. In addition to providing standard RCA audio outputs the CD21 includes a gold-plated SPDIF digital output, an optical TOSlink, and advanced AES/EBU. No compromise power supply for the highest possible performance The Primare CD21 Compact Disc Player uses eight separate isolated power supplies for the digital, analogue circuits, and transport mechanism, for maximum isolation. For the analogue part, discrete and ultrafast regulation is used.The result is an extremely high signal to noise ratio, allowing you to take full advantage of the dynamic range possible with CD. Careful design for mechanical stability As with all Primare units, the CD21 Compact Disc Player is housed in an alloy heavy gauge steel chassis, which provides strength, rigidity, and screening, while being effective at damping vibrations from external sources. The front panel design isolates the display circuitry from the audio circuitry to avoid interference.

Additional information

The RS232 connector allows your dealer to upgrade the firmware on your CD21, or control the CD21 as part of a multi-room system. Do not connect anything to this socket unless instructed by your dealer.
RCA connector, 2.5V RMS, 100

IR input

The CD21 is controlled by an infra-red remote control pointed at the front panel. The CD21 can also be controlled by using the IRinput on the back panel.

Digital outputs

Coax output: SPDIF (RCA connector), 75 Optical output: TOSlink connector AES/EBU output: 110 PCM Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
Switch off the CD21 using the main switch at

the back panel.

Hold down the ] button at the front and then
switch on again by using the main switch. The standby indicator lamp will blink three times.

General

D/A Converter: 2 x Burr-Brown PCM 1738 Frequency Response: 20Hz 20kHz (+0/0.2dB) Signal to Noise Ratio: 105dBA Harmonic Distortion: <0.01% (20Hz 20kHz) Power Consumption: Standby <16W Dimensions: 430 x 385 x 100mm Weight: 10kg
For security reasons this setting disappears every time the CD21 player is switched off by using the main switch. To reactivate the IR-input at the back panel the above described procedure has to be repeated.
Primare Systems AB, Renvgen 1, SE-Vxj, Sweden. http://www.primare.net

CD21 CD PLAYER Every component of the CD21, from the CD transport to the audio output stage, has been designed to achieve the highest possible audio performance. Careful design for mechanical stability The Primare CD21 Compact Disc Player uses an advanced DVS mechanism. As with all Primare units, the CD21 Compact Disc Player is housed in an alloy heavy gauge steel chassis, which provides strength, rigidity, and screening, while being effective at damping vibrations from external sources. Display and audio circuits are isolated The front panel design isolates the display circuitry from the audio circuitry to avoid interference The purest digital stream From the CD-transport we extract the SPDIF signal, which is fed to a DIR1703 digital receiver. DIR 1703 has excellent jitter suppression abilities ensuring that the DACs receive as clean a digital signal as possible giving the most natural sound. We have chosen not to incorporate any other signal treatment such as up-sampling, which can colour the sound. Balanced internal design Digital to analogue conversion is performed by two excellent Burr-Brown 24bit/192kHz PCM1738 DACs, configured in an internally balanced topology to perform a THD cancellation process. Each DAC chip is dedicated to either the left or right channel and contains two DACs, which carry the same signal with opposite phase. On the receiver side the signals are mixed, and since any interference that has arisen during the transmission will be present in both lines with identical phase, such noise and distortion products are cancelled out leaving only the pure original signal. The current to voltage conversion is a half discrete circuit, which incorporates Philips NE5532 operational amplifiers, Burr-Browns OPA2134 and discrete MosFet transistors. The signal path is balanced until its last stage. The final output stage is single ended with a single Mosfet transistor driven by an active current source instead of the use of passive resistors. Shortest signal paths SMD technology is used whenever possibly to keep the signal path as short as possible. Clean power supply for the best possible performance Each part of an electronic design has specific power requirements. Primares forensic approach to ensuring that clean power is supplied throughout the design is a key part of its design philosophy and has significant sonic benefits.
An internal mains filter ensures that any high frequency disturbance is removed before it reaches the power transformer, which is placed as far away as possible from the delicate analogue circuits. The player incorporates a fantastic R-core transformer with separate windings for all of the players different power requirements (mechanical, analogue, digital, etc) eight in all! Each is individually regulated in ten steps to ensure that enough power is constantly available. For the critical analogue audio stage, the player incorporates ultra-fast discrete power regulation, ensuring that enough regulated power is available for even the deepest sonic transient that can be recorded on a compact disc. This power supply configuration gives the player the usually extremely high signal to noise ratio allowing you to take full advantage of the dynamic range possible with CD. Power in standby mode: analogue audio sections are supplied with mains power in standbymode. This means that no run-in time is necessary for the player when activated from standby mode. Its performance will be the same as if it were left in operating mode continuously. Inputs/Outputs Analogue output The analogue output is unbalanced RCA for connection with an appropriate stereo amplifier. Digital output The CD21 Compact Disc Player provides one RCA co-axial 75 ohm S/PDIF, one optical TOSlink and one professional XLR 110 ohm AES/EBU digital output for connection to a digital preamplifier or digital surround processor. Inputs DATA The DATA input is intended for use with future products. RS232 The RS232 port will allow you to connect to a home automation installation system. It will also allow you authorised personnel to connect to the CD21 for service and future upgrades. IR For independent IR control by home automation systems, the CD21 can be controlled by using the IR-input on the back panel. Intuitive user interface In keeping with the philosophy of the Primare range of systems, the CD21 can be controlled through a very simple and intuitive interface, designed so that it will not distract you from the pleasure of listening to music on your system. In fact most of the features of the CD21 can be accessed through just six front panel push buttons. The full set of functions, including scan and programming, is available using the remote control supplied with the CD21. Alternatively, all the functions of the CD21 can be controlled by the C22 remote control, along with the other Primare components in your system.

The main functions of the CD21 Compact disc player can be accessed using the 6 front panel push buttons. Although the CD21 Compact Disc Player is flexible enough to work with virtually any other equipment you have in your system, it is ideally suited for use with the Primare I21 Integrated Amplifier. A particular benefit of using the CD21 with a Primare preamplifier is that you can control your entire system with a single remote control, to give you a fully integrated system with the simplest possible user interface. Specifications Mechanism DVS "Ultra Silent" D/A Converter 2 x Burr-Brown PCM 1738 Output Analogue 2.0 VRMS Output Impedance 100 Frequency Response 20Hz 20kHz (+0/0.2dB) Signal to Noise Ratio 105dBA Harmonic Distortion <0.01% (20Hz 20kHz) Digital Output 75 coaxial (SPDIF) 110 AES/EBU TOSlink Power Consumption Standby <16W Dimensions 430 x 385 x 100mm Weight 10kg