IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to receive the full five year product warranty, please mail this completed form together with a copy of your sales receipt to Balanced Audio Technology at the address below, within thirty days of purchase. Failure to do so will result in the product being warrantied for one year from the date of manufacture.
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VK-32SE Vacuum Tube Balanced Stereo Preamplifier Owner's Manual 1300 First Stat Blvd. Suite A W ilmington DE 19804 Tel: 302-999-8855 Fax: 302-999-8818...
Vacuum Tube Current Sources in VK-32SE Your VK-32SE incorporates a unique feature that allows you to optimize its sound to tailor it to your individual taste or system requirements. The Vacuum Tube current sources incorporated in the VK-32SE, being part of the signal gain stage, have a direct effect on the unit’s sound.
In order to change the tube type the user needs to remove the installed Current Source board, and replace it with either another board, designed for a particular tube type, or install the 5881 tubes as a direct plug-in. Only the 5881 tubes can be used directly upon the removal of the 6C19 current source board. Please consult the factory regarding options for other tube types that may be available in the future.
TABLE OF CONTENT CURRENT SOURCES CHANGING CURRENT SOURCES INTRODUCTION Package Content Physical Placement Connecting to your system FRONT PANEL CONTROLS VK-32SE Power On sequence Turning the VK-32SE Off PHASE Button and LED MONO button and LED MUTE button and LED INPUT selection VOLUME knob DISPLAY format...
INTRODUCTION Thank you for your purchase of the Balanced Audio Technology VK-32SE preamplifier. Please read this owner's manual to obtain the full benefit of the VK-32SE in your system. It will provide you with the needed safety information and operating procedures for this exceptional unit.
Pin 3: negative For the VK-32SE, use the Main 1 XLR Output for connection to your balanced power amplifier. The Output 2 is configured as an RCA connector output. Single-Ended Components Single-ended components have RCA connectors. The VK-32SE preamplifier is designed to work with mix of single-ended and balanced components connected to its inputs and outputs.
VK-32SE FRONT PANEL CONTROLS STANDBY Button and LED The Standby button is used to turn the unit ON and OFF and to switch the preamplifier into its Standby mode. The LED indicates the status of the unit’s power circuitry and has four state: LED OFF Display OFF Unit is in OFF state...
PHASE button and LED This button allows the user to invert the absolute polarity of the signal to compensate for some recordings that are made out-of-phase. The LED indicates whether the unit is in its INVERTING or NONINVERTING mode. This function is also accessible via the VK-R3 remote control. LED OFF Non Inverting operation LED ON...
DISPLAY FORMAT: The VK-32SE Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) is capable of showing up to twelve alphanumeric characters. Its format depends on the mode of operation. In the normal PLAY mode the display has the following format: 1. One character indicating the selected input number. 2.
DISPLAY Brightness Function Changing the Display Brightness: The VK-32SE display can be dimmed or turned completely OFF by simply pressing the DISPLAY button on your VK-R3 remote control transmitter. Each press will reduce the brightness of display and LED indicators in steps from full ON to OFF, and then one press back to full ON.
VK-32SE PROGRAMABLE FUNCTIONS The VK-32SE programming functions allow the user to optimize the unit configuration for any particular system set up. The flexible programming facility defines each signal input with a group of user-selectable parameters that are then stored in the unit’s memory. Every time a particular input is selected, its unique combination of parameters is loaded into the operating memory.
Parameter Definitions: Every input of the VK-32SE is defined with the following set of parameters. 1. Input name (Examples include CD1, DVD1, PH-1, VKD5, or any other combination of up to four characters including the Latin, Cyrillic and Greek alphabet as well as digits) 2.
RELATIVE Volume adjustment. It is quite common to have sources with very different output levels connected to a preamplifier. In this case, switching between different inputs is usually accomplished by a large change in volume. The VK-32SE allows the user to avoid this inconvenience by setting volume offsets between different inputs (using ANY input as a reference).
PHASE programming. Select the desired input. Press the Function button three times. The display will read: PHASE NINV. Use the volume knob to set the condition to NINV, INV or LAST. Exit the programming mode by pressing and holding the Function button. NOTE: In the LAST mode, the state of the PHASE switch will be the same as used the last time for that particular input.
FIXED Gain mode In some systems (some A/V installations, for example) it is desirable to set a particular input to a fixed gain, that is then becomes unaffected by the volume knob. Most often it is required to set the preamplifier gain to Unity (Gain of 1).
INPUT NAME programming: The VK-32SE allows the user to assign any a custom name to any input. Those names may include up to four characters. The default names for the inputs are as follows: TAPE AUX1 AUX2 (It will automatically switch to PH1 if the optional phono card is installed) Any combination of up to four Latin, Cyrillic, Greek alphabet characters or digits can be used to name the source.
REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS: The optional VK-R3 remote control that comes with your VK-32SE has the following functions: Volume Up and Volume Down control Mute function Fade Down/Fade Up function Input Source Selection 1 through 5 Phase switch Function switch Display/POWER switch. The following describes these functions.
1.5A 250V Slow Blow Factory supplied fuses should be only replaced with the same type and rating parts. Servicing The Balanced Audio Technology VK-32SE should require no service in normal operation. Please direct any further service inquiries to the factory. Cleaning To remove dust, occasionally wipe the front and top surfaces of your VK-32SE with a damp soft cloth.
RESETTING THE VK-32SE: Under certain conditions it might become desirable to reset the internal microprocessor that controls all the functions of the VK-32SE. Doing so will erase ALL user programmed setpoints, and will return the unit to its factory default state. In order to RESET the VK-32SE, do the following: 1.
Specifications Inputs: 2 XLR’s + 3 RCA’s Outputs: Main: 1 XLR + 1 RCA Tape Out 1 RCA Maximum Gain: 20dB Global Feedback: None Volume Control Resolution: .5dB Volume Control Number of Steps: Frequency Response: 2 Hz to 200 kHz Input Impedance (minimum:) 100kOhm each phase Output Impedance...
If this product contains a materials, manufacturing, or workmanship defect that cannot be repaired at the dealership where the product was purchased, it must be packed in original packaging and returned to Balanced Audio Technology via insured freight, at the owners expense. If replacement packaging materials are required, they will be supplied by the factory at a nominal charge.
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