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NAD Electronics S170 User's Manual

1. 170 AV Surround Sound Pre amplifier 0000000000 G 3 Owner s Manual SAFETY INFORMATION EXPLANATION OF GRAPHICAL SYMBOLS The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK 5 i eao tape K DO NOT OPEN 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 CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER OR BACK NO USER SERVICEABLE RETS so PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL l i irae ieee f of important operating and maintenance servicing instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance PRECAUTIONS Read the Operating Instructions carefully and completely before operating the unit Be sure to keep the Operating Instructions for future reference All warnings and cautions in the Operating Instructions and on the unit should be strictly followed as well as the safety suggestions below INSTALLATION 1 Water and Moisture Do not use this unit near water such as near a bathtub washbowl swimming pool or the like 2 Heat Do not use this unit near sources of heat including heating vents stoves or other appliances that generate heat It also should
2. S70 remote s PREAMP menu select PRESET 1 5 then press the ePreset1 through Preset5 key to engage the desired Preset Keying Exit returns to the PREAMP menu but leaves the last selected Preset in force NOTE THAT e The selected Preset remains in force until you select a different Preset or cycle the 5170 through its Standby mode e A Preset applies regardless of what source is selected or what listening mode is in operation e Cycling the S170 through its Standby mode cancels any selected Preset reverting both tone and all level settings to those set on the S70 remote s LEVELS or MODE MULTI S screens or the 170 preamp s lt Audio setup gt OSD menu above e A Preset s channel levels are added to the setup levels established on the 5170 preamp s lt Levels setup gt OSD menu a Preset s tone control settings override those established on the lt Audio setup gt OSD menu or the MODE MULTI S remote page entirely 25 USING THE 170 FRONT PANEL OPERATIONS It is possible to perform every function directly from the 170 Preamplifier s front panel without the S70 26 remote controller To change input sources or listening modes press AUDIO or Video or MODE the VOLUME SETUP knob will now cycle bi directionally through all audio video or audio only sources or listening modes The source or mode names appear on the OSD as well as the front panel readout After five seconds of inactivity the display and the knob wil
3. Switch off to disconnect the 170 from all AC power and exit the Standby mode Switching POWER on both reconnects the AC and actively power up the preamp 2 STANDBY Illumina when preamp is on 3 AUDIO Press to sel SETUP knob see es when the S170 is in the Standby mode dark or powered off ect audio inputs sequentially using the VOLUME Front Panel Operations below 4 VIDEO Press to select audio inputs sequentially using the VOLUME SETUP knob see Front Panel Operations below 5 TAPE MONITOR Press to engage the Tape Monitor loop The signal present at the rear panel TAPE MONITOR IN jacks will be heard see Front Panel Operat ions below 6 MULTISOURCE Press to select the signal output by the rear panel MULTISOURCE OUT jacks using the VOLUME SETUP knob see Listening in a Remote Zone below 7 SPEAKERS Press to access the lt Speaker setup gt menu on the front panel readout and to select parameters using the using the VOLUME SETUP knob and subsequent presses of the SPEAKERS key see Configuring Your 170 and Front Panel Operations below 10 DELAY LEVELS BRIGHTNESS TONE MODE 13 8 DELAY Press to access the lt Delay setup gt menu on the front panel readout and to select parameters using the using the VOLUME SETUP knob and subsequent presses of the DELAY key see Configuring Your 170 and Front Panel Operations below 9 LEVELS Press to acc
4. THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE C This product is manufactured to comply with the radio interference requirements of EEC DIRECTIVE 89 68 EEC and 73 23 EEC SAFETY INFORMATION ELECTRIC POWER 1 Power Sources Connect this unit only to power sources specified in the Operating Instructions and as marked on the unit 2 Polarization As a safety feature some units are equipped with polarized AC power plugs which can only be inserted one way into a power outlet If it is difficult or impossible to insert the AC power plug into an outlet turn the plug over and try again If it still does not easily insert into the outlet please call a qualified service technician to service or replace the outlet To avoid defeating the safety feature of the polarized plug do not force it into a power outlet 3 AC power cord When disconnecting the AC power cord pull it out by the AC power plug Do not pull the cord itself e Never handle the AC power plug with wet hands as this could result in fire or shock e Power cords should be routed to avoid being severely bent pinched or walked upon Pay particular attention to the cord from the unit to the power socket e Avoid overloading AC outlets and extension cords beyond their capacity as this could result in fire or shock 4 Extension cord To help prevent electric shock do not use a polarized AC power plug with an extension cord receptacle or other outlet unless the polarized plug can be complet
5. chair for example can do as well Just be sure that no large acoustically reflective surfaces obstruct or are near the microphone element Orient the meter with its microphone usually at one end pointing straight up toward the ceiling not forward toward the speakers and make sure that its C weighting scale is selected To calibrate your system to play at the same objective loudness as a high quality commercial cinema set the meter to display 75 dB SPL On Radio Shack meters this necessitates either setting the meter to its 80 dB range and taking your readings at the 5 point or selecting the 70 dB range and reading at the 5 point This 75 dB SPL point is the official cinema and THX reference level However we note that no law requires you to use this level and in fact this reference seems too loud for some users for home cinema playback Many people find instead that calibrating to 70 dB SPL is just about right 17 CONFIGURING THE S170 18 CONFIGURING LEVELS From the OSD Main menu select the lt Level setup gt item using the remote s Cursor up down and Enter keys Activate the test noise signal with the remote s Test key third from the bottom you will here a surf noise that cycles through your speakers beginning with the left front If you do not hear the test noise check your Audio Connections above and your lt Speaker setup gt OSD menu settings above On the left most column of the OSD you ll se
6. have any Back speakers installed in that case you would set the lt Back speakers gt setup item to No CONFIGURING SPEAKERS From the OSD Main menu select the lt Speaker setup gt item using the remote s Cursor up down and Enter keys Using the Cursor lt gt keys set lt Main speakers gt to Large or Small Using the same remote keys set the lt Center speaker gt lt Surround speakers gt and lt Backspeakers gt to Large Small or No according to your system s loudspeaker population Set lt Subwoofer gt to Yes only if you have a subwoofer connected to the 5170 s SUB preamp analog output jack NOTE THAT The 170 permits you to set Subwoofer to Yes even with Large front speakers In this case bass content from any channels you set to Small will be routed to both the subwoofer and to the front speakers LFE channel signal will pass only to the sub You might want to try this arrangement way if your front speakers roll off naturally at about the 80 Hz crossover frequency and can handle strong bass signals without distortion or damage In most systems using a subwoofer setting front speakers to Small is usually the best option LEVEL SETUP Setting the relative balance of your system s loudspeakers is perhaps the most important single function of setting up your S170 First this process ensures that surround sound recordings whether music or film soundtracks will play back with the balance of effects musi
7. loudspeakers in a correctly deployed surround home theater system achieving a more consistent tonal characteristic from sounds originating from any point around the audience positions e Decorrelation mitigates the monaural surround channel delivered by all Pro Logic recordings and some Dolby Digital and DTS sources yielding more spacious natural reproduction of a film s ambience and virtual acoustics ENGAGING THX From the From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select MODE MULTI S then press the THX key THX surround will be engaged Subsequent presses of the THX key will toggle between standard THX and THX Surround EX modes To defeat the THX modes altogether and return to the listening mode selected by the Cursor up down keys without additional enhancement press the Mode key again NOTE THAT e THX modes are only available to digital input sources Dolby Digital DTS PCM e For PCM sources the Dolby Pro Logic listening mode must previously have been engaged via the remote s MODE MULTI S page e Incompatible Source will appear on the OSD and front panel readout when THX is invoked for an analog source when Pro Logic is not the current listening mode or when THX Surround EX is invoked for a PCM source or a Dolby Digital or DTS non discrete surround source 2 0 0 2 1 0 3 1 1 etc 23 USING THE 170 24 ABOUT THE LATE NIGHT MODE The 170 incorporate a Late Night mode available only to Dolby Digital reco
8. may prove useful in a number of circumstances for example to increase or tone down a film s dialog clarity by raising lowering the center channel to enhance or inhibit subjective ambience from a music recording reproduced via EARS by raising lowering the surround channels level to mitigate excessive deep bass or enhance deep bass by lowering raising the subwoofer level CHANGING CHANNEL LEVELS From the From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select LEVELS Use the three vertically paired up down key pairs Sub W Center and Surr to adjust Subwoofer Center channel or Surround channels relative levels the changing levels will be displayed on the OSD and the front panel readout NOTE THAT e Level settings are added to the setup levels established on the 170 preamp s lt Levels setup gt OSD menu above For example If your lt Level setup gt establishes lt Center gt at 3 dB and you manipulate Center up down level to 2 dB the net overall effect will be a center channel level of 1 dB e Changes made on the LEVELS page are canceled by cycling the 5170 through its Standby mode e Ifa Preset was is in force previously selected the levels from which LEVELS page s three controls start will reflect any levels stored by the preset See Configuring Presets above e The LEVELS page will show and permit adjustment of a channel that is not present in the lt Speaker setup gt OSD menu For example Even if you have
9. of very low frequency sounds it should not be confused with the 170 s Subwoofer output channel which may carry most or all bass information from some or all channels depending on he configuration of the lt Speaker setup gt menu page From the lt Audio setup gt menu select the lt LFE channel gt item using the remote s Cursor up down keys Using the Cursor lt gt keys you may decrease the LFE channel setting by as much as 10 dB in 1 dB decrements e In most systems the LFE channel setting may be left at O dB no change because the 170 s Bass Limiter see below will be set to prevent subwoofer overload However if your subwoofer s headroom is known to be limited or if the low frequency effects of film soundtracks generally seem excessive in your system you might profitably try decreasing the lt LFE channel gt setting by a modest degree THX DEFAULT From the lt Audio setup gt menu select the lt Default THX mode gt item using the remote s Cursor up down keys Using the Cursor lt gt you may set the THX default to EX on or EX off With lt Default THX mode gt set to EX on the 170 delivers 6 1 7 1 channel Surround EX processing whenever the THX mode is engaged and a Dolby Surround EX program source is detected with sources that are not Dolby Surround EX programs the S170 derives a center back channel to preserve 6 1 7 1 channel reproduction NOTE THX Surround EX creates a sixth center back chann
10. see table above NOTE THAT e The 170 s front panel readout and OSD depending on Display Setup above will always indicate the currently selected listening mode e You must re key Mode e if more than five seconds have passed since your last use of the Cursor up down to change listening modes e Neither changing the selected input cycling the 170 through Standby or powering down nor engaging mute will change the selected listening mode e Changing the type of signal will change the listening mode if the new signal is a digital multichannel recording or is incompatible with the selected mode For example After listening to a CD played on a DVD CD player via the EARS listening mode you remove the CD and replace with a 5 1 channel multichannel DTS CD recording The 170 will automatically engage DTS 5 1 playback ABOUT THE THX MODE In addition to certifying very high fundamental multichannel audio performance from components awarded the THX Ultra logo Lucasfilm Ltd s Home THX program also mandates that Ultra components include the THX mode This incorporates three fundamental surround audio enhancements e Re equalization contours high frequencies from the front channels to better match the tonal balance of the original film soundtrack as reproduced on the dubbing stage on which the director and sound mixers auditioned the film during its production e Timbre matching compensates for the lateral rearward placement of surround
11. set lt Center gt to No on the lt Speaker setup gt OSD menu the Center up down keys will appear on the LEVELS page they will have no effect even upon the phantom center channel when listening in any of the surround modes e If one or two surround back channels are configured as present in the lt Speaker setup gt OSD menu their levels will be raised and lowered by the LEVELS page s Surr up down keys in lockstep with the surround channels USING THE 170 ADJUSTING THE TONE CONTROLS From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select MODE MULTI S then press the eTone key Treble appears on the OSD and the front panel readout Use the remote s Cursor up down to boost or cut treble by 1 dB increments Press Tone again to adjust bass similarly using the Cursor up down keys Bass appears on the OSD and readout Press eTone again to exit the tone control function See also Audio Setup and Configuring Presets above NOTE THAT e Bass treble settings affect only the front channels left center and right and are active in all listening modes e Bass treble settings imposed via the S70 remote s eTone will override those stored on the lt Audio setup gt menu but they are temporary Cycling through the 170 s Standby mode or recalling the lt Audio setup gt menu or recalling a Preset will override them and revert to the settings selected by lt Audio setup gt or the recalled Preset USING PRESETS From the
12. the corresponding analog audio outputs of a multichannel source component such as a DVD Audio or multichannel SACD player There is no bass management or other processing available to these inputs see Selecting Sources below 17 12V TRIGGERS Connect to the 12 volt trigger inputs of compatible components such as power amplifiers and projector lifts see Trigger Setup below 18 AC power inlet Connect to the supplied IEC standard removable AC power cord or a compatible cord 11 SETTING UP THE S170 12 GETTING STARTED Before you make the first connection to your S170 you should have the arrangement of your listening room home theater components and furniture mapped out at least initially Unfortunately a discussion of the vital questions of loudspeaker placement and listening viewing positions is beyond our scope here Suffice it to say that these two questions will influence your system s ultimate performance every bit as powerfully as your selection of electronics and speakers Your NAD audio specialist dealer will be happy to advise you and to recommend reference materials USING THE S70 REMOTE You will likely find it most convenient to use the S70 remote handset to configure your 170 The remote isa paged display that is each set of commands or functions shows a new page of icons on its LCD screen The S70 is a powerful controller but you will find it simple and intuitive to use thanks to its self prompting LCD s
13. when a video input is selected in Auto mode the output mode will be selected according to the format of the incoming signal with S Video taking precedence where a source is connected via both formats NOTE The 170 preamplifier passes video signals even when it is switched to Standby This permits video sources such as TeleText or Web TV devices to be used even when the balance of the system is off e lt OSD output gt to Both SVideo Compos composite video or Off This controls which video outputs will carry the 5170 s on screen displays and menus When Both is selected OSDs will be present on both the S Video and composite video Monitor Outputs selecting SVideo or Compos confines on screen displays to each output alone and Off disables on screen displays altogether In all cases basic data remains readable via the 5170 s front panel readout so you can for example see what you re doing even with OSDs set to Off NOTE THAT e OSDs do not appear on the component video output e Enabling OSD for a video output causes the video source signals in that format to pass through the OSD circuitry Critical videophiles may wish to disable the OSD on the SVideo output for the most critical viewing recording functions switching to a composite video input for OSD use e lt Distance units gt to Feet or Meters This selects by which measurement units you will enter your speaker setup dimensions on the 170 s lt D
14. AMP ANALOG 7 1 OUTPUTS jacks with no processing other than master volume control Bass management and any other desired processing should be performed by the multichannel external source component ADJUSTING THE VOLUME Use the S70 remote s lt Volume up down gt keys to adjust the master volume of the 170 raising or lower all channels together NOTE THAT e A momentary keypress will change the master volume by 1 dB increments if you hold down lt Volume up down gt the master volume change will run on until the key is released e The 170 s OSD will show the volume setting as a line graphic relative to the reference level the mark on the line with a numeric display above in dB relative to the reference level If the lt Display setup gt lt Temporary disp gt item is set to Off the momentary volume indication will NOT appear Since recordings vary considerably in overall average level there is no imperative to listen at the reference level or any other particular setting A setting of 20 may sound as loud from one CD as 10 does from another e If muting has been activated below increasing the master volume via the S70 remote s Volume up down keys or the front panel knob automatically releases the mute function decreasing volume retains muting e The 170 will power up return from Standby mode at whatever master volume setting was last used however if the prior setting was greater than 20 dB the 5170 will power
15. S produces a subtle but highly natural and believable ambience from nearly all natural acoustic stereo recordings typically these include classical jazz and folk genres as well as numerous examples from others It s virtues include a realistic stable front stage sonic imaging and spacious but unexaggerated ambient virtual acoustics that remain faithful to the original recording NOTE When listening to FM broadcasts multipath distortion may be more clearly revealed by the EARS circuit This can be used to advantage in optimally orienting an FM antenna for a given FM station EARS cannot be applied to multichannel digital recordings Dolby Digital DTS these recordings incorporate their own surround and ambience by their very multichannel natures However EARS may be applied to these recordings when they are played back via the analog stereo outputs of a DVD or other player or when the DVD or other recording s soundtrack selection is set to stereo PCM rather than 5 1 or equivalent ANALOG BYPASS Stereo or monaural recordings from any S170 source s analog input jacks are routed directly to the left right front outputs with no processing whatsoever Use Analog Bypass to reproduce minimal signal path audiophile conditions for critical listening of two channel or monaural sources No bass management is performed in Analog Bypass mode so signals are reproduced by the left and right front channels full range regardles
16. SIBLE CAUSE S AC power unplugged power not switched on outlet is un powered Tape Monitor is engaged Faulty missing cables lt Speaker setup gt channel s set to No power amp or speaker connections faulty No surround listening mode is engaged surround channels set to No on lt Speaker setup gt menu surround channels level set too low on lt Levels setup gt menu Subwoofer is off unpowered or improperly connected subwoofer set to No on lt Speaker setup gt menu sub level set too low on lt Levels setup gt menu Source is a 2 0 etc Dolby Digital or DTS recording without center channel center set to No on lt Speaker setup gt menu center level set too low on lt Levels setup gt menu Source s digital output is not connected to an 5170 digital input Batteries are flat or incorrectly inserted IR transmitter window on remote or IR receiver window on 170 is obstructed S170 front panel is in very bright sunlight or ambient light Microprocessor error POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS S Check AC cable connection and outlet disengage Tape Monitor Check cables check lt Speaker setup gt menu check power amp cabling and speakers Select appropriate listening mode correct lt Speakers setup gt or lt Levels setup gt settings Power up subwoofer check sub s AC outlet or check connections correct lt Speakers setup gt or lt Levels setup gt settings Play a known 5 1 channel recording or select Dolby P
17. ack and re check your level setup after completing the Delay setup routine below DELAY SETUP Your system s channel delay settings are a subtle but important refinement of your setup By informing the S170 of the loudspeaker to listener dimensions of each speaker it will automatically impose the correct delays for each channel optimizing imaging intelligibility and surround sound ambience Enter your dimensions with precision within about 1 foot 30 cm CONFIGURING DELAYS From the OSD Main menu select the lt Delay setup gt item using the remote s Cursor up down and Enter keys Using the Cursor lt gt keys set lt Right gt to the distance between your principal listening position and the front surface of the front right loudspeaker Using the same remote keys set the remaining speakers each to the distances of your system layout Where a particular speaker is not present in your system None will be displayed and no distance setting will be possible SOURCE SETUP The 5170 is equipped with nine total inputs six audio video inputs labeled on the rear panel VIDEO1 6 and 3 audio only inputs labeled CD AUX and TUNER There is also an audio only TAPE MONITOR loop For each input position of the 5170 you may select a digital input to become active whenever that input is selected and you may assign a 7 character name which will be displayed on the front panel display and momentarily on the on screen display whenever that in
18. any years to come We urge you to take a few minutes now to read right through this manual Investing a little time here at the outset might save you a good deal of time later and is by far the best way to ensure that you make the most of your investment in the NAD S170 and get the most from this powerful and flexible home theater component One more thing We urge you to register your 170 ownership on the NAD Worldwide Web site HTTP NADELECTRONICS COM W REGISTRATION HTML This is by far the best way to ensure that we at NAD world headquarters can inform you of possible future software and firmware updates changes that might significantly enhance the performance and utility of your S170 Please also send in your warranty card so that your local NAD organization will have a record of your purchase and save your original purchase receipt This will assure you of warranty service in your area UNPACKING AND SETUP WHAT S IN THE BOX Packed with your S170 preamplifier you will find e Aremovable AC cable if you wish any IEC standard AC cable of suitable wattage may be substituted e 1 DC trigger cable e The S70 remote controller with operating manual and 9v PP 3 battery e A pair of white cotton gloves for handling your 170 during setup without fear of scratches or fingerprints marring its finish e This owner s manual SAVE THE PACKAGING Please save the box and all of the packaging in which your 170 arrived Should yo
19. b site and uploading to the S170 by connecting the preamp s RS 232 port to the PC s serial port See System Integration page 26 for more detailed information Alternatively the NAD audio specialist from whom you purchased your 170 will assist you in performing software upgrades ABOUT THE S70 SYSTEM REMOTE CONTROL Packed with your 170 is the NAD S70 LCD remote controller accompanied by a short dedicated operating manual covering its general function We strongly recommend that you scan this manual and familiarize yourself with the S70 s simple layout and operations before proceeding with setup of your 170 preamplifier you will find that this process takes but a few minutes The S70 remote controller is a paged display that is each set of commands or functions shows a new array of icons on its LCD screen This makes it a powerfully flexible commander however because we were careful to keep its menu structure very shallow there are never more than three levels between any command and the uppermost top screen you will find it simple and intuitive to use Chances are you will primarily use your 570 to command the 170 A V preamp but the remote can also operate other Silver Series and C Series NAD components such as a CD player or recorder cassette tape component and an AM FM tuner You will find the details of its function with these components in each of their owner s manuals QUICKSTART In case you simply cann
20. by set one Preset to all zeroes e Channel levels stored in presets or on the S70 remote s LEVELS screen below are added to the setup levels established on the S170 preamp s lt Levels setup gt OSD menu For example if your lt Level setup gt establishes lt Center gt at 3 dB and you dial in a Preset center channel level of 2 dB the net overall effect will be a center channel level of 1 dB By contrast tone control settings override lt Audio setup gt tone levels entirely RECALLING PRESETS From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select the PRESET 1 5 item Use the ePreset 1 through ePreset 5 keys to select the desired Preset the number of the preset invoked will appear briefly on the OSD and the S170 s front panel display See also Using Presets below CONFIGURING THE S170 SPEAKER SETUP Every surround sound system requires bass management to direct low frequency content from any or all channels to the speakers best able to reproduce it In order for this function to operate correctly it is very important that you correctly identify your speakers capabilities We use the terms Small and Large and No but note that physical size may be irrelevant e A Small speaker is any model without significant deep bass response that is below about 80 Hz e A Large speaker is any full range model that is one with deep bass response e A No speaker is one that is not present in your system For example you might not
21. c and dialog that the artists intended Second if your system incorporates a subwoofer it establishes a correct relationship between the volume of the subwoofer and the other speakers and thus of low frequencies bass to other sonic elements USING AN SPL METER It is perfectly possible to perform the S170 Level setup routines by ear and an experienced ear will usually produce acceptably accurate results However the timbral differences among front center and surround speakers can make accurate level matching difficult Therefore we strongly recommend the use of an inexpensive sound pressure level SPL meter such as Radio Shack part number 33 2050 for this task It is quick repeatable and reliable Ownership of such a meter may prove a very useful audio tool or your NAD audio specialist may be able to help you with temporary use of a meter Calibrating your system with an SPL meter also permits you to set its overall level so that when the 5170 s Master Volume control is set to 0 reference level the playback in your home theater matches the loudness of the same film projected in a well set up commercial cinema Of course you can still set the Master Volume wherever you like from day to day The SPL meter should be placed at the primary listening position at approximately the height of the seated listener s head A tripod is very useful but with a little duct tape almost anything a pole lamp music stand or ladder backed
22. ceria AE Sea sad 6 What sinithe Boxe at is a 6 Choosing a LOCAUON Isis id Set Hh rade ts 6 About the 170 cccccciccciceteaes ll 7 8 PP O 7 A 7 Caso USC arrastro ti thylensl Rie rd ed asa oe ae ade 7 IE QT AO Mints dr cuentas oe usario se See eee ane atte e Dare 7 Uporadability coin view Se vadsae toes oa eos S44 oe r ees Rae a Eia 8 About the S70 System Remote Control onanan annae 8 Quickstart 0423 BieBeterSeewnee eee ee dea ees teats a tees 9 Play a DVD Movie or Musie CDY o ocaso rre aebe been adas 9 Front Panel votacion ta a oa 10 ACI ir da aia ale a 10 Rear Panel oso ns datas A A A AS 11 Setting Up the S170 ii A A aon EN E 12 Get ng Started iia a ah dust abo d da ue ge 12 Using the SZO REMO tEn dad a Gab doe ante eegth a 2 Dealing With Hum and Noise 2 20 ete tenes 2 About the On Screen Displays OSD and Front Panel Readout 0o ooooocoooooo 13 Displaying the MENUS ceo aio corra mid na end wath ee ead mee ddd ds 3 Configuring the 170 2c ccccccceccec ri cecescersceae sete seeaseaes tE eeeeaeed 14 19 Display SetU ri er dees sidan used aged sala dad 4 O 5 Speaker Setup a is dde ba bs 7 Levels ada dd 17 A A en ate eee ended Ge Ra aE E aA aE EEE a wana Maeda aed 8 Source Setups ances thew dh ed Leap t ade a ld oe Baek a 8 MAJERS EUD i a 2 hee snd Re teehee beers a oe tee ae oe Sade aa E s 9 USING THES 170 osccisecinctece ra A A vba a 20 28 Selecting SOLITA pa a reia eb kel sn ies 20 Adjusting the Volumes ess
23. creen and because we were careful to keep its menu structure very shallow here are never more than three levels between any command and the uppermost top screen DEALING WITH HUM AND NOISE The S170 requires a grounded 3 prong AC outlet Employing a 3 to 2 adapter to eliminate the ground prong will not compromise electrical safety but it may increase susceptibility to hum and noise Hum and noise sometimes prove a challenge in complex multichannel audio systems Note these considerations to help prevent hum and noise problems e Power all your system s audio component from AC outlets originating from the same circuit of your house wiring As far as possible power all audio components from the same outlet or adjacent outlets on the same circuit It may be useful to power video displays and computers from outlets on another circuit especially if that circuit is supplied from the other leg of the house wiring e Do not bundle analog audio cables with AC power cables or with coaxial digital audio cables e Employ high quality well shielded audio cable throughout and ensure that all connections are secure e A pencil eraser can be used to burnish copper and gold plated contacts to ensure good low resistance contact specialized contact cleaners can also be useful Avoid unnecessary unplugging and re plugging since the gold or copper contact plating of typical cable connectors even very high quality ones is very thin and easily w
24. d for all channels A single high precision master clock runs all digital circuits to eliminate the timing errors jitter that otherwise occur between digital stages compromising sonic performance The result is legitimately state of the art surround decoding from Dolby Digital and DTS sources in both 5 1 channel and 6 1 7 1 channel output modes and genuinely superior sound quality in all modes ABOUT THX The S170 preamplifier is certified by Lucasfilm Ltd as meeting the rigorous requirements of its home THX Ultra program for surround controllers This means that it is capable of delivering an audio experience equal to that of the finest commercial cinemas when its superb fundamental performance is combined with the surround enhancements mandated by the THX Ultra program EASE OF USE While we expended enormous effort to ensure that the 170 preamplifier s sonic performance is second to none we invested no less in making it powerfully easy to use Its design is unusually simple for so sophisticated a component and the S70 LCD remote controller s functioning is uniquely self prompting and intuitive as are the S170 s own front panel and on screen displays A simple yet powerful system of presets will permit you to fine tune your listening setup for different conditions and to recall these multiple parameters with a single keypress INTEGRATION The S170 preamplifier offers extensive flexible system integration options through its two conf
25. d channel speakers plus a subwoofer if any The surround channel s response is rolled off above 7 kHz to discourage localization of surround speaker locations in DPL mode Pro Logic mode is best reserved for surround encoded recordings intended for Dolby Surround or compatible system reproduction These include most films on videotape and many on LaserDisc television cable programming produced for surround sound and most older LaserDiscs Most DVD recordings even those that do not exploit multichannel surround include a Dolby Digital and or DTS soundtrack in 1 or 2 channel modes where available this will usually deliver better performance With rare exceptions NAD s proprietary EARS listening mode will produce superior results from stereo music recordings than will Pro Logic 21 USING THE 170 22 EARS Stereo recordings and surround encoded stereo recordings whether in PCM digital or analog form are reproduced with proprietary NAD surround processing with signals output to the left center and right front channels and both surround channel speakers plus surround back and subwoofer if any EARS extracts the natural ambience present in nearly all well produced stereo recordings It does not synthesize any ambience or other sonic elements and thus remains far truer to the sound of the original musical performance than most other music surround options Select EARS for listening to stereo music recordings and broadcasts EAR
26. e an gt pointing toward lt Left gt if the gt points to another other line use the remote s Cursor up down keys to move it to lt Left gt Now use the remote s Cursor lt gt keys to adjust the level of the noise output from the Left left front speaker the test noise will automatically move there and the level offset reading on the right will change by 0 5 dB increments If you are using an SPL meter adjust the Left output to produce a reading of 75 dB SPL C weighted or whatever other reference level you have chosen to adopt If you are balancing levels by ear you will have to choose one speaker usually the center as a reference and adjust each of the others so that is sounds as loud as the reference Using the remote s Cursor up down and Cursor lt gt keys adjust each speaker in turn to produce the same SPL meter reading or subjective loudness within 1 dB or better the S170 s ability to calibrate outputs by 0 5 dB steps should facilitate this precision NOTE THAT e All speakers must be in their final locations before level setting e Your subwoofer if any should be set with its integral crossover defeated or set to its highest possible frequency if you are using the 170 s SUBWOOFER output e Due to the effects of room acoustics matched pair speakers front surround back will not always calibrate to exactly the same level offset readings e If you are particularly meticulous you may wish to come b
27. e positions For example with your DVD CD player connected to the COAX1 digital input you might choose to assign COAX to both the CD and VIDEO1 inputs renaming VIDEO1 to DVD The following characters are available ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789 abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Using the Cursor down key scroll down to the lt Component video gt menu item Use the Cursor lt gt keys to set Component video to On or Off When a source is set to Component video On the video signal present at the 5170 5 COMPONENT VIDEO IN Y Cb Cr jacks will be sent to its COMPONENT VIDEO OUT jacks whenever that input is selected e OSDs do not appear on the component video output TRIGGER SETUP The S170 is equipped with two 12 volt trigger outputs that may be used to turn on activate or otherwise control ancillary components or systems such as power amplifiers projector lifts lighting systems and more A trigger s function could be as simple as powering up and down your NAD 250 power amplifier or as complex as readying an entire home theater room for use Each trigger may be independently configured for delay before trigger duration of trigger and polarity 12v or 12v of its output Trigger 2 is equipped with two parallel output jacks for convenience in controlling multiple components or systems For more technical information on the 170 s 12 volt trigger outputs see Appendix 1 or consult your in
28. eft at their calibrated points but set Preset 2 for music surround listening with slightly elevated surround and subwoofer channel levels slightly reduced center channel levels and modified bass or treble Presets may be configured in any way for any purpose you see fit CONFIGURING PRESETS From the lt Audio setup gt menu use the remote s Cursor up down and Enter keys to select the lt Preset setup gt item Using the same keys select the Preset to be configured on the lt Preset gt item then invoke the bass and treble settings desired for that preset using the same keys With the same keys again set the relative levels of Center Surround and Subwoofer channels for that preset NOTE THAT e Ifsurround back speaker s are configured as present in the lt Speaker setup gt OSD menu below their levels will be controlled along with the surround channels levels e Once configured a Preset remains unchanged until you edit it via the lt Preset setup gt OSD menu e A Preset applies regardless of what source is selected or what listening mode is in operation e Cycling the 170 through its Standby mode will cancel any previously selected Preset reverting both tone and all level settings to those set on the 70 remote s LEVELS or MODE MULTI S screens below or via the 170 preamp s lt Audio setup gt above OSD menu If you would like to be able to set all channel levels and tone control values to zero without cycling through Stand
29. el intended for reproduction by one or more loudspeakers located behind the listening area With recordings bearing the Dolby Surround EX mark this delivers a specifically engineered center back channel that is encoded into the left right surround channels much as the center channel was encoded into the left right front channels in matrix encoded Dolby Surround mixes BASS LIMITER The S170 incorporates a Bass Limiter that you can set to eliminate any chance of your subwoofer producing audible distortion You will do this by auditioning a built in test noise signal the 170 sends to your subwoofer and increasing the Bass Limiter s headroom setting to the point of audible distortion The Bass Limiter now prevents any program material signals exceeding this level from being sent to the subwoofer 15 CONFIGURING THE S170 16 CONFIGURING THE BASS LIMITER From the lt Audio setup gt menu use the remote s Cursor up down and Enter keys to select the lt Bass limiter setup gt item Using the same keys set lt Bass limiter gt to On and lt Limiter noise gt to On you will hear a soft rumbling from your subwoofer If you do not hear sound from the sub check your subwoofer audio and power connections check Speaker Setup below and or check the subwoofer s own hardware control settings Now use the remote s Cursor up down keys to move to the lt Limiter level gt item and Cursor lt to decrease the limiter setting by 1 dB incr
30. elay setup gt menu page see below CONFIGURING THE S170 AUDIO SETUP The lt Audio setup gt menu enables you to modify tone control settings and other listening options Modifications you make on this menu will remain in affect until changed again or until a Preset containing different settings is recalled see below This menu also serves to calibrate the S170 s Bass limiter a function that will generally be a one time setup task BASS TREBLE From the lt Audio setup gt menu select the lt Bass gt or lt Treble gt item using the remote s Cursor up down keys Using the Cursor lt gt keys you may increase or decrease Bass or Treble settings by 12 dB by 1 dB steps e Bass treble settings affect only the front channels left center and right and are active in all listening modes e It is often better to cut a minus setting than boost a plus setting for a warmer overall sound try reducing Treble by a few dB instead of boosting Bass and vice versa e If you frequently find yourself selecting large tone control settings you may be better served by reexamining your choice of loudspeakers and your loudspeaker and listening position locations to better exploit your room s acoustics LFE CHANNEL The Low Frequency Effects channel the point one channel in 5 1 6 1 7 1 is active only with Dolby Digital or DTS multichannel sources LFE is employed most often as a supplementary channel to enhance he dynamic range
31. ely inserted to prevent exposure of the blades of the plug 5 When not in use Unplug the AC power cord from the AC outlet if the unit will not be used for several months or more When the cord is plugged in a small amount of current continues to flow to the unit even when the power is turned off CAUTION Modifications or adjustments to this product which are not expressly approved by the manufacturer may void the user s right or authority to operate this product MAINTENANCE Clean the unit only as recommended in the Operating Instructions DAMAGE REQUIRING SERVICE Have the unit serviced by a qualified service technician if e The AC power plug has been damaged e Foreign objects or liquid have gotten inside the unit e The unit has been exposed to rain or water The unit does not seem to operate normally e The unit exhibits a marked change in performance e The unit has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SERVICE THE UNIT YOURSELF OWNER S RECORD For your convenience record the model number and serial number you will find them on the rear of your set in the space provided below Please refer to them when you contact your dealer in case of difficulty Model No Serial No TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Safety Information 6 6 00 cee ieee eae see a a 2 3 Getting the Most from the NAD S170 00 c cece eee eee 5 Unpacking and Setup i e ccccccc citieeiiser
32. ements As you do the test noise from the subwoofer will increase in level Listen for the point at which audible distortions harshening clacking chuffing or other extraneous elements become evident then use Cursor gt to return increase the limiter level by 1 or 2 dB until the distortion ceases This establishes the distortion free limit for your current subwoofer setup It is advisable to return and re check your Bass Limiter setup after you have completed the Level Setup routines see below e Even after the Bass Limiter is set you may usefully engage its test noise to search and destroy the room rattles that are inevitably excited by high level subwoofer output Window treatments electrical wall plates and hanging artwork are three common sources e Should you ever change subwoofers or reposition your current subwoofer or listening position you should repeat the Bass Limiter setup routine e With a high performance subwoofer this routine can get rather loud It is often best to await an opportune moment when spouses children pets are not at home to perform Bass Limiter setup fully PRESET SETUP The S170 incorporates five Presets memory locations to which you may store five different combinations of tone control and relative center surround subwoofer channel levels to suit different requirements For example You might configure Preset 1 for movie surround with tone controls set to zero and relative channel levels l
33. ens erresire pe nann ara deere sea Ad Rees dee ow Was 20 Setting Listening Modes ooo ara a ee ac 21 Adjusting Channel Levels 0 ociosos is A ele bes 24 Adjusting the Tone Controls o rintos arar ar aa eee hears aa 25 DS O AR 25 Front Panel Operator erae eena dod Gee eee ena w ames eee 26 Listening in a Remote Zone MultiSource 2 eee 27 NAD ko edo ae 28 System Integration ARSE232 dis in a ld a ai 28 Troubleshootind siringi rai cr a a AA al echoed By 29 Specification viii A Meee decade Maan Men 30 GETTING THE MOST FROM THE NAD 5170 Thank you for choosing NAD The 5170 A V Surround Sound Preamplifier is one of the most technologically advanced surround audio processor preamplifiers yet devised incorporating advanced ultra high speed 32 bit digital signal processing an architecture that is fully upgradeable in both hardware and software and extraordinarily precise 24 bit precision 96 kHz sampling digital to analog conversion for all channels More importantly it is among the most musically transparent and spatially accurate designs available the culmination of everything we ve learned over a quarter century about music and home theater sound reproduction With our company s Music First design philosophy as its guiding design principle we re confident that the S170 will make good on our promise to you of delivering both a state of the art surround home theater experience and genuinely audiophile quality music listening for m
34. ess the lt Levels setup gt menu on the front panel readout and to select parameters using the using the VOLUME SETUP knob and subsequent presses of the LEVELS key see Configuring Your 170 and Front Panel Operations below 10 BRIGHTNESS Press to dim the S170 s front panel readout press again to restore full brightness 11 TONE Press to adjust treble using the VOLUME SETUP knob press again to adjust bass and a third time to exit tone control adjustment 12 MODE Press to select listening modes sequentially using the VOLUME SETUP knob see Setting Listening Modes and Front Panel Operations below REAR PANEL CaN svi Q ov QS E CAIN CEN Suir svofour CEST MoNuT sVEZN svar n sven s ufaut vonk our DIGTAL2 DIGITAL a VIDEO ANALOG REC OUT TAPE MONITOR JOT VIDEO1 VIDEQ2 VIDEO3 VIDEQ4 VIDEOS VIDEOS O65O0OS 0 00000000 cai A NAD 2001 5170 PREAMP ANALOG 7 1 OUTPUTS EXTERNAL 5 1 INPUTS FRONTL US LEFT CENTER FRONT L CENTER Oo OTI COO O ATTENTION Please make all connections to your S170 preamplifier with the unit powered off or unplugged lt is equally wise to power down or unplug all associated components while making or breaking any signal or AC power connections 1 COMPOSITE VIDEO IN 1 6 Connect Video Inputs 1 6 to composite video from source components see Source Setup be
35. f the A D converter converter of analog signals to digital for surround processing and does not require the user to make any adjustments But you may want to adjust the input level manually so that each source plays at the same subjective loudness level Since the automatic adjustment only looks at peak signals sources with a wide dynamic range classical music CDs will sound subjectively softer than sources with a narrow or compressed dynamic range rock music radio broadcasts To adjust INPUT LEVEL first enter the OSD On Screen Display by pressing the RIGHT CURSOR KEY and scroll down to SOURCE SETUP with the DOWN ARROW KEY and press ENTER From the SOURCE SETUP MENU select ANALOG SENSITIVITY and use the RIGHT LEFT CURSOR KEY to adjust the INPUT LEVEL The range of adjustment is 5dB to 10dB You can also select ANALOG MON to view a vertical bar graph display with Peak Hold function of input level In this mode use the UP DOWN CURSOR KEY to expand the meter scale from 20dB to OdB to 40dB to OdB 3 SPEAKER SETUP Page 17 There are three additional features in the SPEAKER SETUP menu Adjustable Crossover Frequency selectable in 10 Hz increments from 40 Hz to 140 Hz This adjusts both the High Pass 2nd order 12 dB octave feed to the loudspeaker and the Low Pass 4th order 24dB octave feed to the subwoofer Defeatable Subwoofer Filter This allows you to use your powered subwoofer s internal crossover This can be beneficial t
36. igurable DC triggers outputs as well as via NAD s proprietary NAD Link inter component communications protocol Additionally an RS 232 serial port stands ready to integrate the preamp with still more sophisticated controllers such as touch screen systems and whole house automation installations by offering two way communication ABOUT THE 5170 UPGRADABILITY We engineered the S170 preamplifier with selectively modular construction All of its digital control and processing intelligence is located on a single plug in module This sophisticated yet accessible architecture simplifies servicing while maintaining signal path integrity making potential hardware upgrades possible That said given the S170 s extraordinary processing power and speed we do not foresee the need for hardware upgrades at this time Nevertheless you may feel confident that the 5170 will not become obsolete in the foreseeable future Software upgrades are a more likely scenario and are easily accomplished via the high speed RS 232 port on the rear panel of the 5170 Owners who have registered their S170s on our international web site at www NADelectronics com will be advised of updates see Getting the Most from the NAD S170 above Updates may be free of charge or in some cases may require royalty payments for proprietary decoding systems and the like Computer sawy users can perform these upgrades by downloading the files and an installer application from our we
37. l Press the MULTISOURCE key once the Then use the VOLUME SETUP to adjust the volume The front panel readout s bottom line will show Z v 40 for example to indicate the volume setting After five seconds of inactivity the display and the knob will return to their normal functions NOTE THAT e Only signals entering the S170 preamp in analog format are available to the MULTISOURCE OUT jacks e The EXT5 1 input is not available to the MULTISOURCE OUT jacks e A source may be available to the 170 s main and MultiSource outputs simultaneously e Signals at the MULTISOURCE OUT jacks are always in stereo mode regardless of the listening mode selected even for the same source for the 170 s main outputs e MultiSource commands and functions do not appear on the OSD e It is possible to use the composite video MON OUT jack to send video to the MultiSource remote room for casual viewing and OSDs though over long runs a certain amount of video loss must be expected It is not recommended to use the S Video monitor output over such long runs 27 SAFETY INFORMATION 28 NAD LINK The S170 s rear panel NAD LINK OUT jack can relay remote control commands to other products equipped with an NAD Link or compatible input sending out the same control codes it receives from the 70 remote handset via IR infra red NAD Link thus creates a hard wired connection between the 170 and another NAD component employing any coaxial cable termi
38. l return to their normal functions Press TAPE MONITOR to hear the component or signal connected to the rear panel TAPE MONITOR IN OUT jacks press Tape MONITOR again to bypass the tape monitor loop lt Tape Monitor On gt and lt Tape Monitor Off gt appears on the OSD To adjust the treble press TONE once and use the VOLUME SETUP knob to raise or lower the setting press TONE a second time to adjust bass the new tone settings appear on both the OSD and the front panel readout Press TONE a third time to return the readout and VOLUME SETUP knob to their normal functions Press BRIGHTNESS once to dim the front panel readout press the key again to return the readout to its normal brightness The SPEAKERS key accesses the same functions as the lt Speaker setup gt OSD menu see Speaker Setup above The OSD will not appear but the necessary information will display on the front panel readout Each subsequent press of SPEAKERS moves through Main Center Surround Back and Subwoofer options while any is selected the VOLUME SETUP knob cycles bi directionally through the available options such as No Small Large for the Center position Press the SPEAKERS key one more time beyond Subwoofer to return the readout and knob to their normal functions The DELAY key works similarly adjusting channel delays for each channel present See the paragraph directly above The LEVELS key works similarly adjusting channel levels for each channel prese
39. low 2 COMPOSITE VIDEO OUT 4 6 OUT MON OUT Connect to composite video record inputs of recording components connect MON OUT to the composite video input of the video monitor TV 3 S VID1 IN S VID6 IN Connect Video Inputs 1 6 to S Video from source components see Source Setup below 4 S VID4 OUT SVID6 OUT MON OUT Connect to S Video record inputs of recording components connect MON OUT to the S Video input of the video monitor TV 5 COMPONENT VIDEO IN upper OUT lower Connect inputs to component video signal or wide band component video from a source component such as a DVD player or HDTV tuner connect outputs to the component video inputs of the video monitor TV Be sure to observe consistency in connecting the Y CB and CR jacks to the corresponding sources inputs see Source Setup below 6 NAD LINK IN OUT Connect to the corresponding NAD Link jacks input to output and vice versa of compatible NAD components see NAD Link below 7 DIGITAL 1 3 DIGITAL IN DIGITAL OUT Connect DIGITAL 1 3 to coaxial S PDIF format digital sources such as CD or DVD players connect DIGITAL IN to a high quality S PDIF format source via BNC cabling connect DIGITAL OUT to the coaxial S PDIF digital input of a recording component such as a CD recorder DAT deck or computer soundcard see Source Setup below 8 OPTICAL DIGITAL IN 1 2 DIGITAL IN OPTICAL DIGITAL OUT Connect OPTICAL DIGITAL 1 2 to optical S PDIF format digital s
40. nated with RCA Jacks Similarly the 5170 s NAD LINK IN jack can receive commands from an external IR sensor a radio frequency wireless remote extender system or from a hard wired remote room control pad from third party suppliers such as Xantach Niles or Russound Commands received by the NAD LINK IN jack are also relayed to the NAD LINK OUT jack permitting pass through command of additional components such as a CD or DVD player By daisy chaining the NAD LINK OUT from one component to the NAD LINK IN of another full system control can be achieved NOTE THAT NAD Link permits some or all components to be located out of sight to IR remote commands while maintaining complete responsiveness A component receiving the same command simultaneously from its own front panel IR sensor and via NAD Link may not respond correctly Do not link components liable to see the same IR remote command at he same time as would be the case with components stacked or placed adjacently SYSTEM INTEGRATION RS 232 The 170 s RS 232 port offers extensive integration to sophisticated media system and home automation control and permits full control of all of the 5170 s features Using this port the 170 can be connected o any other device with an RS 232 port such as a personal computer or a home automation system Any command or function that can be issued from the front panel or the S70 remote controller can be performed via the RS 232 port and info
41. not be placed in temperatures less than 5 C 41 F or greater then 35 C 95 F 3 Mounting surface Place the unit on a flat even surface Ventilation The unit should be situated with adequate space around it so that proper ventilation is assured allow 10 cm 4 in clearance from the rear and the top of the unit and 5 cm 2 in from each side Do not place on a bed rug or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings Do not install the unit in a bookcase cabinet or airtight rack where ventilation may be impeded 5 Objects and liquid entry Take care that objects or liquids do not get inside the unit through the ventilation openings 6 Carts and stands When placed or mounted on a stand or cart the unit should be moved with care Quick stops excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the unit and cart to overturn or fall 7 Condensation Moisture may form on the CD pickup lens when e The unit is moved from a cold spot to a warm spot e The heating system has just been turned on e The unit is used in a very humid room e The unit is cooled by an air conditioner When this unit has condensation inside it may not function normally Should this occur leave the unit for a few hours then try to operate again 8 Wall or ceiling mounting The unit should not be mounted on a wall or ceiling unless specified in the Operating Instructions WARNING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRONIC SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE
42. nt See the paragraphs directly above You can adjust the remote room s audio using the MULTISOURCE key Press MULTISOURCE once to adjust remote room volume using the VOLUME SETUP knob press MULTISOURCE a second time to cycle the source sent to the REMOTE ROOM rear panel jacks through the audio only sources using the VOLUME SETUP knob bi directionally Press MULTISOURCE a third time to return the readout and knob to their normal functions the normal functions will also return automatically after five seconds of inactivity NOTE THAT Mute THX LateNight Standby and Presets can t be accessed from the front panel USING THE 170 LISTENING IN A REMOTE ZONE MULTISOURCE The 170 can provide line level signals in stereo mode only to a second room or zone via its rear panel MULTISOURCE OUT jacks These jacks may output stereo signals from any analog source completely independent from or the same as the one currently selected at the 170 s main output jacks and they enjoy entirely independent volume control The remote room or zone retains independent remote control of signal source and volume even if the S170 is being operated simultaneously from the primary listening room home theater NOTE THAT e The line level MULTISOURCE OUT jacks must connect to a power amplifier or to the line input of an integrated amp or receiver you cannot connect the remote room zone s loudspeakers directly to these jacks e Only analog inp
43. o tame difficult room acoustics problems by setting the subwoofer crossover to a different frequency than the S170 s High Pass filter to create a notch or an overlap in the response Enhanced Bass when selected always has the subwoofer active regardless of speaker settings for maximum boom www NADelectronics com 02001 NAD ELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced stored or transmitted in any form without the written permission of NAD Electronics International S170 Manual 06 01 Printed in Korea
44. o video system We have recently developed a product to answer this demand the HTR 2 So in addition to the S70 unit remote described in the Owners Manual there is also an HTR 2 and an HTR 2 Owner s Manual included with this S170 The HTR 2 should already be set for the S170 commands but if for some reason it isn t or has been inadvertently reset for another NAD component it is very easy to reset the code library to the S170 commands Press both the AMP and the AV PRESET key for 3 seconds and the LEARN LED will turn green Use the numeric keys to enter 102 and press ENTER to save the selected S170 code library New V3 03 Operating System Software One of the benefits of the S170 Preamp Processor is its capability for software upgrades As NAD develops new features we issue new operational software This S170 has software Version 3 03 installed There are several new features that are not described in the Owner s Manual that are outlined below along with the page reference to the original instruction 1 STANDBY Page 10 2 The STANDBY LED is now illuminated when the 170 is in either the ON or the STANDBY mode It only goes dark when the POWER switch is in the OFF position 2 SELECTING SOURCES Page 20 The new V3 03 software has added an adjustable INPUT LEVEL CONTROL for the analog sources with an INPUT LEVEL METER to make adjustment easy and accurate This circuit will automatically adjust the individual input to prevent overload o
45. orn Track down hum noise problems one component at a time working backwards from the power amplifier s That is Connect the speakers to the power amplifier only and check for hum Then connect the preamplifier alone with no other components connected to the preamp to the power and check for hum Then connect one source component a CD player for example to the preamplifier and check for hum At each stage if hum noise appears examine the audio cabling and AC power routing of the new component In some cases moving the new component s AC cord to a different outlet or installing a ground lift 3 to 2 prong adapter on its power cord will eliminate the hum ABOUT THE ON SCREEN DISPLAYS OSD AND FRONT PANEL READOUT The S170 preamplifier employs a simple self explanatory system of on screen display menus that will appear on the connected video monitor TV useful both during setup and in day to day operation While the OSDs are always helpful it is also perfectly possible to operate or even set up the S170 without them because the same basic data is always shown though sometimes in shortened form on the preamp s own front panel readout DISPLAYING THE MENUS Select the S70 remote s PREAMP screen from the S70 main menu press the remote key opposite the PREAMP LCD screen Press the OSD key then Cursor gt The OSD will appear on your video monitor TV e If the OSD does not appear check your Monitor Out connections and o
46. ot wait to experience the performance of your new S170 preamplifier we provide the following Quickstart instructions to get you underway They assume that the DVD CD player is connected to the VIDEO1 input and that the appropriate audio and video connections have been made PLAY A DVD MOVIE OR MUSIC CD From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select Source then press the Source up key until VIDEO 1 appears on the front panel readout and on screen display if this is enabled see Display setup below Use the S70 remote s VOLUME up down keys to adjust the volume Start playback of the DVD CD player From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select MODE MULTI S then press the Mode e key the Cursor up down keys will now cycle through all of the 170 listening modes that are available for the current input signal type see About the S170 s Listening Modes below Depending on the signals format and connections you have made some listening modes may not yet be available see Configuring the 170 below You may need to use the DVD player s on screen menu system to select a surround capable signal format Enjoy the movie or music but be sure to set aside time to read this manual thoroughly and to set up calibrate and configure your 170 carefully FRONT PANEL NAD 2001 5170 A V Surround Sount Preamplifier 170 VOLUME SET UP AUDIO VIDEO TAPE MONITOR MULTI SOURCE SPEAKERS 1 POWER
47. ources such as CD or DVD players connect OPTICAL DIGITAL OUT to the optical S PDIF digital input of a recording component such as a CD recorder DAT deck or computer soundcard 9 RS 232 Connect to the RS 232 serial port of a home automation system or personal computer see System Integration below 10 VIDEO 1 6 Analog Audio Inputs Connect to stereo analog outputs of audio video sources see Source Setup below 11 VIDEO ANALOG REC OUT 4 6 Connect to stereo analog inputs of recording audio video components such as videocassette recorders 12 CD AUX TUNER Inputs Connect to stereo analog outputs of audio components 13 TAPE MONITOR IN OUT Connect OUT to the stereo analog inputs and IN to the outputs of an audio recording components such as a cassette deck or CD recorder or of an analog audio processor such as a stereo equalizer 14 MULTISOURCE OUT Connect to the inputs of the stereo amplifier integrated amp receiver that will power the remote zone s loudspeakers see Listening in a Remote Zone below 15 PREAMP ANALOG 7 1 OUTPUTS Connect L R and CENTER to the channel inputs of the power amplifier s driving the front channels connect LS and RS to the power amplifier driving the surround speakers and LEFT B and RIGHT B to that driving the surround back speakers if any connect sub to the line input of a powered subwoofer or to the amplifier driving a passive sub if any 16 EXTERNAL 5 1 INPUTS Connect to
48. put is selected CONFIGURING SOURCES From the OSD Main menu select the lt Source setup gt menu item using the remote s Cursor up down and Enter keys Using the Cursor lt gt keys call up the source you wish to configure Sources are numbered 1 9 which correspond in order to VIDEO1 6 CD AUX and TUNER on the rear panel the TAPE MONITOR loop is not configurable and will not appear in the rotation Use the Cursor down key to move to the lt Title gt menu item and press the Enter key You may now edit the default title Video 1 CD etc to a more meaningful name up to 7 characters The Cursor up down keys scroll through the complete list of available characters while the Cursor lt gt keys move left and right across the six characters you may back up and change characters freely When you are finished with the title press Enter to return to the lt Source setup gt menu CONFIGURING THE S170 Using the Cursor down key scroll down to the lt Digital input gt menu item Use the Cursor lt gt keys to assign a digital input to the current source The digital inputs will appear in order Coax1 4 OPT 1 and Opt 2 followed by Off You would set a source s lt Digital input gt to Off if you wished to ensure that that source would not play an incoming digital bitstream NOTE You may freely assign any digital input to any source position and you may assign a digital input to two or more sourc
49. r the settings of the lt Video format gt and lt OSD display gt items of the lt Display setup gt menu see below using the 170 s front panel readout NOTE The OSD does not appear on the 170 s component video outputs NAVIGATING THE OSD AND MAKING CHANGES Use the remote s Cursor up down keys to move up or down among any OSD menu s list of items use the Cursor lt gt keys to change the parameter value setting of any item use the remote s Enter key to select an OSD menu item NOTE THAT e Selecting the on screen lt Exit gt item from any on screen menu press the remote s enter key to select returns up one level to the next higher menu or from the Main menu exits the OSD altogether e Keying the S70 remote s LCD labeled Exit key from any OSD menu performs two functions simultaneously It exits the OSD altogether turning off any and all current on screen displays while simultaneously recording your changes if any to the 170 s memory selecting lt Exit gt from the Main menu also saves changes e By contrast keying the S70 remote s LCD labeled Cancel key quits the OSD menu system altogether from any menu while abandoning any changes you have made since the last Exit save operation This is worth repeating the S70 remote s Exit key saves changes its Cancel key abandons changes the on screen lt Exit gt command moves up one level 13 CONFIGURING THE 170 14 You may set up your S170
50. rder beginning with the most recently selected one Or you may use the CD Tuner Tapemon Tape Monitor or Ext5 1 5 1 channel external input keys to select directly those sources NOTE THAT e When an audio only source is selected the most recently selected video signal remains selected until another audio video input is selected e When you change sources the OSD will depending on the Display setup settings above momentarily show information about the new input The level of detail depends on the setting of the lt Temporary disp gt item Full will show all information about the newly selected input s audio digital and video signals Simple will show only the new input name and Off will prevent any display from appearing e Anewly selected input s listening mode Stereo EARS Dolby Digital etc will revert to the mode that was employed the last time that input was chosen except that a multichannel digital source Dolby Digital or DTS source will automatically switch to 5 1 or 6 1 7 1 channel surround even if that input was last used in another mode such as Stereo or EARS e The Ext5 1 input participates in the 170 s source rotation like any other audio only source However since the Ext5 1 input is a straight through source it does not receive bass management tone control or any other preamp functions signals appearing at the rear panel s EXTERNAL 5 1 INPUTS pass directly to the corresponding six of the PRE
51. rdings This engages dynamic range compression to make widely dynamic material such as many movie soundtracks more useful at modest master volume settings such as those likely to be employed late at night hence the name Late Night mode NOTE THAT e Late Night mode is not available to DTS recordings e Late Night mode depends on compression instructions coded into the recording by its producers it is not adjustable But while the overall effect may at first seem subtle it will significantly reduce the peak loudness while maintaining full intelligibility of dialog and quieter details ENGAGING LATE NIGHT MODE From the From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select eL Night LateNight On will appear on the OSD and on the 170 s front panel readout LateN On If a Dolby Digital source is not playing or is paused Incompatible Source will appear on the OSD and readout Press eL Night again to disengage LateNight Off and LateN Off will appear on the OSD and readout CHANGING THE FRONT PANEL READOUT BRIGHTNESS From the gt From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select Bright the S170 s front panel readout will dim Press eBright again to restore the original level of illumination See also Front Panel Operations below ADJUSTING CHANNEL LEVELS You may make temporary changes to the relative levels of center surround and subwoofer outputs without abandoning the permanent levels calibrated from the OSD s Level setup item This
52. rmation feedback of the S170 s current settings including ultiSource status is transmitted from the preamp s RS 232 port to the connected PC or device The 5170 s MultiSource features are thus also fully controllable via RS 232 command TECHNICAL DETAILS The RS 232 port uses the following standard pin out arrangement DB 9 Pin Function 2 Transmit Data 3 Receive Data 5 Signal Ground NOTE e A standard straight through serial cable not a null modem cable must be employed to connect the 170 to a PC or other serial device e 170 serial communications must employ 8 data bits no parity and 1 stop bit the data rate is 12000 bps baud Some serial devices are unable to communicate at 12000 bps a bit rate converter to convert 170 communications to 9600 bps is available as a separate accessory contact your installing NAD audio specialist A Windows 95 98 ME compatible application for serial control of the S170 from a PC as well as complete details of the 5170 s serial communications protocols are available for download from the NAD website HTTP AWWW NADELECTRONICS COM See your NAD installing specialist for more information SPECIFICATIONS CONDITION NO SOUND FROM ALL CHANNELS NO SOUND FROM SOME CHANNELS NO SOUND FROM SURROUND CHANNELS NO SOUND FROM SUBWOOFER NO SOUND FROM CENTER CHANNEL NO DOLBY DIGITAL DTS S170 DOES NOT RESPOND TO S70 REMOTE S170 DOES NOT RESPOND TO FRONT PANEL COMMANDS POS
53. ro Logic or Mono mode correct lt Speakers setup gt or lt Levels setup gt settings Check connections Check batteries check IR windows and ensure clear line of sight from remote to 170 reduce sunlight room lighting Power down the S170 via the front panel Power key and unplug it from the AC outlet wait five minutes re connect and power up 29 SPECIFICATIONS 30 Decoding formats Sampling rates Modes STEREO ANALOG BYPASS Analog input impedance Analog frequency response Maximum input level Signal noise ratio Dynamic range Analog channel separation Crosstalk Maximum output level OUTPUT IMPEDANCE Main pre out Tape out Multi room output TONE CONTROL Bass Treble DIGITAL INPUT PERFORMANCE THD N Bandwidth 10Hz 20kHz Digital input impedance VIDEO Input and output impedance PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS Size W x H x D Net weight Shipping weight Dolby Digital Dolby Pro Logic DTS THX Surround EX 32kHz 44 1kHz 48kHz 96kHz EARS 16kQ 100pF 20Hz 20kHz 0 2dB 3V rms THD N 0 005 gt 900B 95dB gt 95dB gt 90dB 6V rms 470 4702 20Hz 12dB 20kHz 12dB 0 005 75Q 17 3 4x 3 7 8 x 11 1 4 450 x 97 x 285 mm 11 lbs 4 99kg 13 lbs 5 89kg S170 Owner s Manual Addendum New HTR 2 Learning Remote Control Since the S170 was first introduced we have been asked by many of our customers for a remote control that will operate their entire audi
54. s Lt Rt left right total or downmixed signals Select Stereo mode for listening to stereo recordings when you do not wish surround sound to be in effect or for multichannel recordings when only two channel playback is possible or desired DIRECT DOLBY DIGITAL DTS SOURCES ONLY ultichannel digital recordings Dolby Digital or DTS are reproduced via only the channels employed in he original recording For example a 5 1 channel Dolby Digital 3 2 1 recording will reproduce via the ront left center right surround left right and subwoofer speakers plus surround back speaker s if any a Dolby Digital 2 0 0 recording will reproduce via only the front left and right speakers and the subwoofer if these were set to Small on the lt Speaker setup gt OSD menu and so on SURROUND 6 1 ultichannel digital recordings Dolby Digital or DTS are reproduced via the full suite of front surround and one or two back channel speakers plus subwoofer if any If Dolby Digital EX DTS ES encoding is present in the original recording its logic is used to derive the back channels otherwise the S170 preamplifier derives a single surround back channel from the left right surround channels DOLBY PRO LOGIC Surround encoded recordings and stereo recordings that are not encoded are reproduced with Pro Logic Dolby Surround decoding with output to left center and right front channels and a single monaural surround signal sent to both surroun
55. s levels modes and options in any order it is not necessary to follow the order employed here However it is advisable to begin by configuring the S170 s on screen display options since certain of these will affect the options made available to other setup routines DISPLAY SETUP From the 5170 OSD s Main menu select the lt Display setup gt item using the remote s Cursor up down and Enter keys Using the Cursor lt gt keys set lt TV system gt to NTSC for North American use or PAL for European use Using the same remote keys set e lt Superimpose gt to On or Off When Off is selected on screen menus will appear against a blue background obscuring the current video program if any when On is selected menus will appear in white text superimposed upon the current video program if any e lt Temporary disp gt to Full Simple or Off This controls how much information the 170 will display monetarily in on screen text whenever powering on selecting or changing a source or listening mode or changing types of input signals In Full mode a complete screen of data including input name audio signal input type format and listening mode and video signal type and input in Simple mode only input name will appear In Off mode no temporary on screen info will be displayed e lt Video format gt to Auto SVideo or Compos composite video This controls which 170 video outputs will be active
56. s of the settings entered on the S170 s Speaker setup page The table below indicates which listening modes are available with the three possible types of signal sources digital input 2 channel whether the actual signal is monaural stereo or surround encoded analog input 2 channel mono stereo or surround encoded or digital multichannel Dolby Digital or DTS Where a listening mode is not available to a given signal source it will not appear in the lt Mode gt selection rotation 2 ch PCM 2 ch analog Multi ch DD DTS Mono Mono Stereo Pro Logi EARS If setup with Back speaker s USING THE 170 Note that the 5170 s front panel readout and momentarily the OSD if so enabled see Display Setup above will always indicate the signal format of the currently selected source The table below lists the primary readings multichannel readouts show the number of channels employed in the format front surround LFE or simply front surround Source Readout OSD Analog Analog Digital PCM Digital PCM Multichannel Dolby Digital Dolby D 3 2 1 full surround Dolby D 3 1 1 Dolby D 2 0 etc dts 3 2 1 full surround dts 3 1 1 dts 2 0 etc Multichannel DTS SELECTING LISTENING MODES From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select MODE MULTI S then press the Mode e key the Cursor up down keys will now cycle through all of the S170 listening modes that are available for the current input signal type
57. stalling NAD audio specialist Simple 12 Volt Trigger Configuration Example Powering the NAD S250 Power Amplifier The following example employs the 5170 s 12V Trigger 1 to turn the S250 amplifier on and off in concert with the preamplifier Using the 12V Trigger cable supplied with the S170 connect the S170 s rear panel 12V TRIGGERS jack marked 1 to the 12V TRIGGER input jack on the S250 power amplifier Note that this custom cable provides an 1 8th inch mini plug on one end for the 5170 and a special DC style plug on the other to fit he 250 amplifier s trigger input gt From the OSD Main menu select the lt Trigger setup gt item using the remote s Cursor up down and Enter keys The lt Trigger 1 gt listings should appear as follows these are the defaults polarity Posit delay No duration Infin If any other settings are in place use the remote s Cursor up down and Cursor lt gt keys to change them to the above conditions 19 USING THE 170 20 You may operate the 170 preamplifier equally from its front panel or via the S70 remote controller Since the remote will be the primary controller for most cases we will focus on remote controlled operations Be sure to read the section Front Panel Operations below SELECTING SOURCES From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select Source then use the Source up down keys to cycle through all ten 170 inputs in o
58. u move or otherwise need to transport your preamplifier this is by far the safest container in which to do so We ve seen too many otherwise perfect components damaged in transit for lack of a proper shipping carton so please Save that box CHOOSING A LOCATION We hope you will agree that the S170 s finish quality and appearance earn it pride of place in any home theater or music system Choose a location that is well ventilated with at least several inches to both sides and behind and that will provide a clear line of sight within 25 feet 8 meters between the preamp s front panel and your primary listening viewing position this will ensure reliable infrared remote control communications Due to the 170 s high speed DSP hardware and high current audio circuits it generates a modest amount of heat but nothing that should trouble any adjacent components It is perfectly safe to stack additional components atop the S170 or vice versa but it is generally preferable and considerably handsomer if the 170 stands alone The one exception is a power amplifier or receiver or any other unit that generates substantial heat The 170 should not be stacked above or below any such component ABOUT THE S170 Though the S170 AM preamp is among the most powerful and sophisticated digital surround decoder processors available we worked hard to make it one of the most musically transparent home theater components as well this is what we mean by NAD s M
59. up to 20 dB This prevents inadvertently beginning a session at excessive volume MUTING THE SOUND Use the S70 remote s lt Mute gt key to silence all channels completely Muting is always available regardless of source or listening mode selections NOTE THAT e Cycling through Standby or powering off releases muting the 170 will always power up or return from Standby with muting off e Changing input or listening mode selections does not release muting e Increasing the master volume via the S70 remote s Volume up down keys or the front panel knob automatically releases the mute function decreasing volume retains muting USING THE 170 SETTING LISTENING MODES ABOUT THE S170 S LISTENING MODES The 170 preamplifier offers seven distinct listening modes tailored for different types of recordings or program material MONO All output is directed to the center channel low frequencies are directed to the subwoofer if one is present in the Speaker setup Mono mode is best selected for monaural recordings originally produced in single channel format including classic films and historic music recordings It ensures a stable clear monaural presentation with correct bass management STEREO Stereo recordings whether in PCM digital or analog form and wither surround encoded or not encoded are reproduced as recorded multichannel digital recordings Dolby Digital and DTS are reproduced via the left and right front channels only a
60. usic First design philosophy Here are just a few examples e The S170 employs the latest most sonically pure high performance FET components throughout its analog audio circuits e Exceedingly low output impedance from all channels long an NAD hallmark eliminates sonic impact from cables and amplifier input impedances e Output muting is via reliable sonically transparent gold contact relays rather than sound coloring electronics e Gold surfaced connectors are employed throughout both internally and externally to ensure unimpeded signal transfer E A R S A key element of the 170 s unique musicality is NAD s proprietary Enhanced Ambience Recovery System EARS In sharp contrast to many ambience synthesis music surround modes EARS exploits the 170 s substantial DSP power to route the ambient content that is encrypted in virtually all natural acoustic recordings to the appropriate main center and surround speakers without resorting to artificially generated reflections or regeneration EARS natural ambience yields a subtle but exceptionally effective surround mode that naturally enhances the spatial presentation in a fashion suitable for serious music listening On the digital side the 170 combines extraordinarily high speed DSP processing employing one of the most advanced high speed DSP engines available with fully 24 bit 96 kHz sampling capable D A converters and A D conversion for analog inputs processed for surround soun
61. ut sources are available for selection at the MULTISOURCE OUT jacks For example If a DVD CD player is connected to the 5170 only via its digital output its playback will not be heard from the MULTISOURCE OUT jacks to make it available for MultiSource use also connect the DVD CD player s stereo analog outputs to the 170 s corresponding VIDEO1 5 analog input Alternately you can connect the player s analog signals to a different analog input CD or AUX are the logical choices SELECTING THE MULTISOURCE From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select MODE MULTI S then use the e MULTI S key to cycle through all nine available 170 inputs in order beginning with the most recently selected one Or from the front panel Press the MULTISOURCE key twice the front panel readout s top line will show Zone CD for example Then use the VOLUME SETUP knob to cycle bi directionally through all nine audio video or audio only sources available to the MULTISOURCE OUT jacks source names appear on the front panel readout After five seconds of inactivity the display and the knob will return to their normal functions CONTROLLING MULTISOURCE VOLUME From the S70 remote s PREAMP menu select MODE MULTI S then use the M S VOL up down keys to adjust the volume NOTE THAT The S70 remote s lt Mute gt key will mute the remote zone output if keyed within 5 seconds of either M S VOL up down key to unmute press M S VOL up Or from the front pane

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