PH9

Thank you for choosing the PH9 as part of your high performance music system. Since 1970, Audio

Research has been creating some of the world’s finest audio equipment. Each piece is handcrafted in Minnesota, and has been designed to provide many years of listening enjoyment.

We understand you are eager to begin listening; however, please take a few minutes to read through this guide for useful information concerning the operation of your new phono preamplifier. Once installed, please allow an appropriate break-in period to fully appreciate the benefits this preamplifier will provide to your system.

After reading the user guide, if you have any further questions regarding your phono preamplifier, contact your dealer or Audio

Research customer service - they will be happy to help you make the most of your new component.

Happy Listening!

Thank You.

Warnings

Contents

5

Installation

Before Operating the PH9

In Your System

A Note about Vacuum Tubes

6

7

7

Connections

Back Panel Connections

Input Connectors

Output Connectors

Record Output

A.C. Power Connection

RS-232 and IR Input

9

9

8

9

9

9

Maintenance

Vacuum Tubes

Service

Cleaning

Disposal and Recycling Guidelines

Fuse Values and Locations

18

18

18

18

19

Warranty

20

Specifications

21

12

13

11

11

10

11

Operation

Front Panel Controls and Display

Start-Up

Shut-Down

Break-in

Front Panel Controls

Remote Only Functions

15

16

14

15

16

17

Settings Menu

System Settings - Menu Tree

Settings Menu

Auto Shutdown

Cartridge Settings

Tube Hours

Display Brightness

4

• To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose your PH9 to rain or moisture.

• Do not place objects containing water on top of this unit.

Warnings

• For continued protection against fire hazard, replace the fuse only with the same type and rating as specified at the fuse holder (see page 19 for fuse information).

• This unit is RoHS compliant.

• This unit contains voltages which can cause serious injury or death. Do not operate with covers removed. Refer servicing to your authorized Audio Research dealer or other qualified personnel.

• The detachable power cord on your PH9 is equipped with a heavy gauge, 3-conductor

(where applicable) cable and a standard three-prong grounding plug. For absolute protection, do not defeat the ground power plug. This provides power line grounding of the PH9 chassis to provide absolute protection from electrical shock.

• The appliance coupler (a.c. power connector) at the rear of this unit must be accessible for emergency power disconnect.

• The PH9 has automatic muting to help protect system components in the event of low line voltage. When sensing low line voltage, the preamp displays ‘Low Line’ and automatically goes into ‘Mute’. This condition will persist until the line voltage returns to a safe operating level; please note the unit will remain in ‘Mute’ even after ‘Low Line’ no longer appears.

• Note that automatic muting is only designed to protect against power line interruptions or severe voltage drop. It will not mute in the event of subsonic transmissions from a faulty input source, amplifier failure or speaker malfunction.

• The power button on the front of this unit, when off, does not disconnect all power from this unit. This unit is in sleep mode when not on. (In sleep mode, the tubes and audio circuit are powered off; the microprocessor that operates the PH9 remains on).

A note about packaging...

Save all packaging in a dry place away from fire hazard. Your PH9 preamplifier is a precision electronic instrument and should be properly cartoned any time shipment is made. You may not have occasion to return your unit to the factory for service, but if that should prove necessary, or another occasion requiring shipment occurs, the original packaging will protect your PH9 from unnecessary damage or delay.

5

Installation

V4

V5

V1

V2

V3

Before operating the PH9

Your PH9 preamplifier is shipped with the vacuum tubes packed in a separate foamlined carton. These must be unpacked and installed before you attempt to operate the phono preamplifier. Included are three 6H30 tubes for the analog stage, and a 6H30 and 6550WE used in the power supply. Proceed according to the following instructions.

Remove all screws fastening the top cover.

Carefully remove each vacuum tube from its protective foam and match its location ‘V’ number (written on the base of the tube) to the ‘V’ number printed next to each socket on the circuit board.

Firmly seat each tube in its matching socket, taking care to ‘key’ the tube pins to the socket holes. Retain the tube carton with other packing materials for possible future use. Refasten the top cover on the phono preamplifier.

6

Installation

In your system

• To ensure normal component life and safe operation this unit must be operated only in an upright position. Adequate airflow and proper cooling can occur only if there is no restriction above and behind the unit and on either side.

• The ‘ambient’ operating temperature should never exceed 86° F and 30° C.

Improper installation will cause premature tube failure and will affect your warranty, as well as the service life of the unit.

• The special non-marring elastomer feet provide adequate spacing and stability only on a smooth, hard surface, and also assist to isolate the phono preamplifier from spurious vibrations. For upright stability and best performance, never operate the unit while it is sitting on a soft surface such as a thick rug or carpet.

• Due to its weight, this preamplifier must be supported on a surface specifically rated for such a load. Check with the manufacturer of your support system to be sure it is rated to handle this weight.

• It is normal for a vacuum tube preamplifier to run quite warm, and if used for prolonged periods, hot to the touch. All components within are operated at safe, conservative levels well within tolerances.

A Note about Vacuum Tubes

The vacuum tubes in your PH9 have been burned in, tested and electrically matched to provide the best performance and reliability of your preamplifier. That said, vacuum tubes must be replaced from time to time. The 6H30 tubes in the PH9 should have an expected life of approximately

4,000 hours, while the 6550WE tube in the power supply should have a life expectancy of approximately 2,000 hours. These life expectancies are only approximate. • If the unit is to be operated in an enclosure such as an equipment rack, make certain that adequate airflow above and to each side of the unit is provided. Audio Research recommends a minimum of 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) of clearance above the PH9 to maintain proper ambient operating temperature.

7

Ground Connection

Connections

Back Panel Connections

RS-232 connector

IR Input

Fuse Holder

Phono Input

Main Outputs

A.C. Mains connector

8

Connections

Input Connectors

The PH9 provides a pair of input connectors.

Connect the output of your tonearm/ turntable to these connectors.

IR Input

The IR input allows a remote IR sensor or repeater system to be connected to the PH9 for control purposes, utilizing a standard mono 1/8” connector.

Output Connectors

A pair of single-ended main outputs are provided. Connect the output of the PH9 to an input of your preamplifier or integrated amplifier.

A.C. Power Connection

It is important that the PH9 be connected via its supplied 15 amp IEC 14-gauge power cord to a secure, dedicated A.C. power receptacle. Never connect to convenience power receptacles on other equipment. Only use the power switch on the front of the PH9 for On/

Off control of the preamplifier, or the

IR input, RS232 or remote control.

Important

Use the best available speaker wires and interconnects. Audio Research cannot emphasize this enough. As better components and systems are developed, it becomes increasingly important to avoid the limitations of inferior system interconnections.

It is important sonically that your entire system be connected so that the audio signal arriving at the speakers has correct, or ‘absolute’ polarity (i.e., non-inverted).

RS-232 Input

The RS-232 input allows connection of a control or automation system.

9

Operation

Front Panel Controls and Display

Vacuum Fluorescent

Display

Power On/Off

Menu

Option

(used with Menu)

Mono

Enter

(used with Menu)

Mute

10

Start-Up

• Secure all rear-panel connections between

PH9, preamplifier, and input sources.

• Plug three-prong power cord from rear of chassis into grounded A.C. wall outlet. The Power switch defaults to ’off’ when the unit is plugged into a power receptacle.

• Press power switch (either on the remote or front panel). The phono preamplifier will begin the warm-up sequence, which lasts approximately two minutes, during which ‘MUTE’ will flash on the display.

After the warm-up sequence is complete, the unit will be muted. Depress the front panel ‘MUTE’ button or the Mute button on the remote to initiate normal operation. You may depress the Mute button prior to the unit completing the warm-up cycle; ‘MUTE OFF’ will flash on the display until the warm-up cycle is complete.

• Select input source and adjust the volume on your preamplifier as necessary.

Operation

Shut-Down

• Activate ‘MUTE’ function.

• Turn off power amplifier(s).

• Turn off preamplifier.

• Press Power switch to ‘off’ on PH9.

• Turn off input sources.

Note

The PH9 should be turned on before the preamplifier or amplifier in your system. If the PH9 is turned on after the preamplifier and amplifier, it will amplify any extraneous turn-on noises the PH9 might generate, which could potentially damage the loudspeakers.

Good operating practice dictates that the amplifier should be turned on last, and turned off first in an audio system.

Note

The two minute warm-up time is required for the circuit to come to an appropriate operating temperature, as well as for the power supply to stabilize. This is a normal function of the PH9.

Break-in

All quality stereo equipment benefits from a break-in period; during this time, the various components, wiring and solder connections change as electrical signals pass through them. While your PH9 will sound fantastic out of the box, it will only improve with continued use.

11

Front Panel Controls

The PH9 has six buttons: Power, Menu,

Option, Enter, Mono, and Mute.

Operation

Power On/Off

Supplies power from the A.C. wall outlet to preamp; indicated by active display window. The PH9 requires approximately 2 minutes to warm up; this time is required to stabilize the circuitry. See ‘Start-Up

Procedure’ on page 11 for details.

Mute

When activated, Mute electrically disables all outputs of the phono preamplifier; indicated by ‘MUTE’ in display window, in the bottom right corner. This control should be activated before switching inputs, changing connections or shutting down your audio system to help protect your amplifier and speakers from unexpected signal pulses.

Menu

The menu button enters the setup menu of the PH9 to allow customizing certain settings of the preamplifier. See page 15 for further details about using the setup menu.

Option

The Option button is used in conjunction with the Menu button to select the various options in the settings menu.

Enter

The Enter button is used in conjunction with the Menu button to make changes to the systems settings of the PH9.

Mono

Toggle between stereo and mono output.

12

Remote Only Functions

In addition to the controls found on the front panel, the remote control offers access to the following additional features of the PH9:

Hours

Pressing the ‘HOURS’ button will display the total accumulated hours of operation for the PH9. This is useful to determine the approximate number of hours the vacuum tubes have been in use. After five seconds, the display will revert to the normal operation screen. After replacing vacuum tubes, the hours counter should be reset (see instructions under ‘Settings Menu’ on page 16).

Note

The installed 6H30 vacuum tubes have an average life span of approximately

4,000 hours, and the 6550WE has an average life span of approximately 2,000 hours. By this time, we recommend replacing them to maintain the best performance of your preamplifier.

Operation

Display Brightness Adjustment

The front panel display has six brightness settings, as well as the ability to dim the display completely. To change the brightness, use the ‘DSP UP’ or ‘DSP DN’ buttons on the remote. Note that when the display is completely dimmed, a small square appears in the middle of the display to indicate the unit is powered on.

Cartridge Load

The five numbered buttons (47k, 1000,

500, 200, and 100 Ohms) provide resistive loading options for the PH9.

The display will indicate the currently selected load resistance. It is suggested that you select the loading value nearest the cartridge manufacturers loading recommendation to begin with and then listen to alternate loading if desired.

(Note that depending on the phono cartridge, the volume level may decrease as lower loading values are selected.)

13

Operation

System Settings - Menu Tree

14

Operation

Settings Menu

The PH9 has been designed with a simple, intuitive menu to allow adjustment of the various features of the phono preamplifier. To adjust the settings, press the ‘MENU’ button on the remote or front panel. If no further action is taken with the preamplifier or remote for five seconds, the PH9 reverts back to its normal operation screen. Continuing to press the ‘MENU’ button will step you through the different setting options:

While a menu item is displayed, press

‘OPTION’ on the front panel or remote to adjust the settings of that particular selecton. After making the appropriate change, pressing the ‘ENTER’ button will confirm the new setting, and the display will show ‘OKAY’ for five seconds before reverting back to the normal operation screen.

Note

For the following menu settings, please refer to the menu tree on page 14 for examples of the front panel display.

The ‘MENU’, ‘OPTION’, and ‘ENTER’ buttons

(found on the front panel and remote) are used to make changes to the menu settings. Note that the ‘MENU’ button can also be used to back out of a menu selection, returning to the main settings options.

Auto Shutdown

The PH9 is equipped with an auto shut-off feature, designed to turn the preamplifier off after a period of time during which it is not used. The auto shut-off feature senses any interaction with the preamplifier, such as button presses, remote usage, etc.

To change/disengage the auto shutdown feature, press the ‘MENU’ button until the ‘AUTO SHUTDOWN’ screen is displayed. Pressing the ‘OPTION’ button on the front panel or on the remote, the PH9 will scroll through the options for ‘off’ (no auto shutdown), or 1-8 hours. Once you have made a selection, press ‘ENTER’ to confirm. The display will show ‘OKAY’ before reverting back to the normal operation screen.

Note

The auto shutdown feature is not in the signal path of the phono preamplifier and has no deleterious sonic effect.

15

Operation

Load Setting

The Load Settings menu offers adjustable cartridge impedance loading on the PH9.

The setting is stored in the unit’s memory and will be retained until changed.

To change the load setting, press the ‘MENU’ button until the Load Setting menu is displayed. Pressing the ‘OPTION’ button will toggle through the various settings.

Once the desired setting to be changed is reached, press the ‘ENTER’ button.

Press ‘ENTER’, and the display will read

‘ENTER TO CONFIRM’. A final press of the

‘ENTER’ button, and the display will show

‘OKAY’ with the selected load setting.

Tube Hours

The tube hours display shows the accumulated time the PH9 has been powered on. This is useful for determining the number of usage hours of the installed vacuum tubes. See A Note about Vacuum

Tubes on page 7 for specific information regarding the tubes in the PH9.

To reset the tube hours counter, press the

‘MENU’ button until ‘TUBE HOURS’ is shown. Press the ‘OPTION’ button to display ‘ENTER TO RESET’. Press ‘ENTER’, and the display will read ‘ENTER TO

CONFIRM’. A final press of the ‘ENTER’ button will reset the tube hour counter to 0 and the display will show ‘OKAY’.

Note

The load setting can also be changed directly from the remote control using the number buttons at the top.

Note

Once the hour counter has been reset, the total accumulated hours cannot be recalled.

16

Operation

Display Brightness

The display brightness feature offers six different settings (including off) for the vacuum fluorescent display on the front panel. When the lowest setting (off) is selected, the display will remain on for five seconds after any button is pushed, after which it will revert to a black screen with a small, illuminated square in the center to indicate the unit is powered on.

To change the display brightness, press the ‘MENU’ button until ‘DISPLAY

BRIGHTNESS’ appears. Press the ‘OPTION’ button. Continue to press the ‘OPTION’ button to change the display brightness to your preference. Once you have selected the appropriate brightness, there is no need to press ‘ENTER’ or any further buttons.

Note

The remote control offers direct control of the display brightness via two buttons labeled ‘DISP UP’ and ‘DISP DN’. You can choose to use these buttons as an alternate to the settings menu.

17

Maintenance

Vacuum Tubes

It is recommended that you replace the

6H30 vacuum tubes of your PH9 in sets.

All of the tubes in your preamplifier have been matched to have similar operating characteristics, to provide the best sound quality and reliability.

Servicing

Because of its careful design and exacting standards of manufacture, your PH9 preamplifier should normally require only minimal maintenance to maintain its high level of performance.

Should you need service, please contact your authorized Audio Research dealer or other qualified technician. Additional questions regarding the operation, maintenance or servicing of your preamplifier, please contact the Customer Support Department of Audio Research Corporation at [email protected] or call

763-577-9700. You may also initiate a service request by visiting the Audio

Research website

(www.audioresearch.com) and selecting ‘Service Repair’ at the top right of the home page.

Caution

Your PH9 preamplifier contains sufficient levels of voltage and current to be lethal.

Do not tamper with a component or part inside the unit. Even with the power turned off, a charge remains in the energy storage capacitors for hours, or even days.

Cleaning

To maintain the new appearance of this preamplifier, occasionally wipe the front panel and top cover with a soft, damp (not wet) cloth to remove dust.

A mild, non-alkaline soap solution may be used to remove fingerprints or similar smudges. Cleaners containing abrasives should not be used as they will damage the anodized finish of the front panel. A small, soft paintbrush is effective in removing dust from bevels, and other features of the front panel.

Disposal and Recycling Guidelines

To dispose of this electronic product, do not place in landfill. In accordance with the European Union Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive effective August 2005, this product may contain regulated materials which upon disposal require special reuse and recycling processing.

Please contact your dealer or importing distributor for instructions on proper disposal of this product in your country.

Or, contact Audio Research Corporation

(763.577.9700) for the name of your importing distributor and how to contact them. Packing and shipping materials may be disposed of in a normal manner.

18

19

Warranty

Audio Research Corporation products are covered by a 3-Year Limited Warranty or a 90-Day Limited Warranty (vacuum tubes). This Limited Warranty initiates from the date of purchase, and is limited to the original purchaser, or in the case of demonstration equipment, limited to the balance of warranty remaining after original shipment to the retailer or importer.

In the United States, the specific terms, conditions and remedies for fulfillment of this Limited Warranty are listed on the warranty card accompanying the product in its shipping carton. The warranty terms are also available on the internet at www.audioresearch.com/ en-us/company/warranty-statement.

Outside the United States, the authorized importing retailer or distributor has accepted the responsibility for warranty of

Audio Research products sold by them.

The specific terms and remedies for fulfillment of the Limited Warranty may vary from country to country. Warranty service should normally be obtained from the importing retailer or distributor from whom the product was purchased.

In the unlikely event that technical service beyond the ability of the importer is required, Audio Research will fulfill the terms and conditions of the Limited

Warranty. Such product must be returned at the purchaser’s expense to the Audio Research factory, along with a photocopy of the dated purchase receipt for the product, a written description of the problem(s) encountered, and any information necessary for return shipment. The cost of return shipment is the responsibility of the purchaser.

20

Specifications

Frequency Response: ±.2 dB of RIAA, 5 Hz to 20kHz; 1 dB points below 0.3Hz and above 80 kHz.

Distortion: Less than .015% at 3V RMS 1kHz output.

Gain: 58 dB at 1 kHz

Input Impedance: Selectable loads: 47k, 1000, 500, 200, 100 Ohms.

Output Impedance: 200 ohms. Recommended load 50k-100k Ohms and 100 pF. (10k Ohms minimum and 2000 pF maximum).

Output Polarity: Non-inverting.

Maximum Input: 80 mV RMS at 1kHz.

Rated Outputs: 0.5V RMS 10 Hz to 60 kHz, into 100K ohm load (maximum balanced output capability is 0.46V RMS at less than 0.5% THD at 1kHz).

Controls: 6 Push Buttons: Power, Menu, Option, Enter, Input, Mute.

Power Supplies: Electronically regulated low and high voltage supplies. Automatic 2 minute warm-up/brown-out mute. Line regulation better than .01%.

Noise: >77 dB, shorted inputs.

Tube Complement: (3)-6H30P dual triodes, plus (1 each) 6550WE and 6H30P in power supply.

Power Requirements: 100-125VAC 60Hz (200-250VAC 50/60Hz) 120 watts maximum. Standby: 2 watts.

Dimensions:

Width

Height

Depth

19” (48 cm)

6.5” (13.7 cm)

13.7” (34.8 cm)

Handles extend 1.6” (4 cm) forward of the front panel.

Weight: 15.4 lbs. (7 kg) Net; 23.5 lbs. (10.7 kg) Shipping.

21

3900 Annapolis Lane North

Plymouth, MN 55447 www.audioresearch.com

Specifications subject to change without notice.

©2016 Audio Research Corporation. Reproduction of this document in part or whole is expressly forbidden without written consent from Audio Research Corporation.

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