McIntosh MX 130 Owners Manual

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MX130 A/V TUNER CONTROL CENTER

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Mclntosh Laboratory has earned a world wide reputation tor the technical superiority of its contributions to high quality sound reproduction. The advanced level of Mclntosh product innovations has integrity proven by time. The legendary reliability of Mclntosh products is a matter of record since 1949. The "Classic Mclntosh" design is acknowledged as the most outstanding in the audio industry. Mclntosh products are designed to be maximum "User Friendly". Anyone can enjoy using them. Ease of maintenance is another Mclntosh design philosophy that contributes to the long useful operating life of all Mclntosh products. The MX130, A/V Tuner Control Center is a full featured remote control center tor a com- plete Mclntosh Home Theater System. It provides six audio channels with the added features of video switching. The MX130 includes all the required Dolby Pro Logic™ decoding circuits to reproduce Dolby Surround™ encoded movie soundtracks. You also can enjoy the enhanced movie sound track reproduction possible from Home THX® Audio processing circuits by having your Mclntosh dealer install the optional Mclntosh THX-M Module in your MX130. The Home THX® Audio System is a licensing program of Lucasfilm Ltd., which defines new technologies and quality standards for accuracy in home theaters. The MX130 includes a built-in noise generator and the controls necessary for ac- curate volume level calibration of all six channels when setting up a home theater. The MX130 has the added feature of the Mclntosh designed "HALL" signal processing circuits. The "HALL" feature allows you to enhance the realism of two channel program sources such as a compact disc. The Left and Right signals are reproduced through the Left and Right Front loudspeakers. The same signals are combined and fed to the center channel loudspeaker as mono center fill. The combined left and right are also fed to a digital pro- cessor with variable time delay for the surround loudspeakers. If a subwoofer is used in the system, it will also operate in the "HALL" mode. The MX130 includes a 25-pin connector on the rear panel to fit a single subrniniature "D" computer type cable that fits a similar connector on a Mclntosh MC7106 six channel power amplifier. This cable carries all six audio signals and AC power control to the MC7106 for a complete Mclntosh Home Theater System. The MX 130 has built-in capability for remotely controlling two separate listening areas. The LISTEN signals are defined as Area "A" which is usually the main area where all the equip- ment is located. The RECORD signals are available at a pair of outputs marked AREA B OUT, and can be used for a remote area with its own dedicated power amplifier and pair of speakers. The desired program can be selected in Area "B" with the MX130 Hand Held Remote Con- troller transmitting to a wall mounted IR sensor, or from a WK-1 or WK-2 keypad. Data ports are provided for twelve audio and video remote controlled accessories. This feature allows you to control a compatible unit by transmitting with its hand held remote con- troller directly to a MX 130 sensor. Another data port connects to the optional Mclntosh HC-1 Home Controller to allow control of accessories or appliances. The optional Model RCT-1, Remote Control Translator is also available to interconnect with the MX130. The RCT-1 is a learning device which will allow the MX130 to remotely control other brands of products. The convenience of MX 130 remote control operation is enhanced by its capability to directly interface with the Mclntosh CR10 Remote Control System. The CR10 can add an additional four remote areas of control. The MX130 includes twelve pairs of high level audio inputs in addition to the built-in AM- INTRODUCTION 6

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information is included in the manual section "MclNTOSH HOME THEATER SURROUND SOUND VOLUME LEVEL CALIBRATION." SUBWOOFER Home THX Audio spediciations require a subwoofer to be used in a home theater system. A subwoofer loudspeaker is designed to reproduce only the lowest audio frequencies, which are essentially non directional. The MX130 meets this requirement by combining the Left, Right and Center channel signals and feeding them through a filter that allows only the bass frequencies of 80Hz and lower to be fed to the subwoofer outputs. The non directional sound characteristics of a subwoofer allow it to be placed in a wide range of room locations. A well designed subwoofer will reproduce the low frequency music and sound effects pre- sent in today's action movie soundtracks with dramatic impact. Using a discretely placed subwoofer also allows the optional use of slightly smaller front loudspeakers. Detailed information on Home Theater loudspeaker setup is covered in the manual enclos- ed with your Mclntosh HT Series Home Theater loudspeakers. HOME THEATER AUDIO CHANNEL CONFIGURATION WITH DOLBY PRO LOGIC™ AND HOME THX® AUDIO The MX130 can be remotely controlled. Most of the operating functions performed at the front panel, also can be done by the MX130 Hand Held Remote Controller. The following information refers only to the front panel. Another section of this manual explains the functions and operation of the MX130 Hand Held Remote Controller. The last page of this manual folds out to show drawings of the front and rear panels of the MX130. This will help you in identifying and locating the front panel controls, switches, pushbuttons and the rear panel connectors and switches. The letters and numbers on the drawings refer to the information that follows. A. BASS AND TREBLE Provide 12dB boost and cut, with neutral flat response at the center detent position. The Bass and Treble controls affect the LEFT and RIGHT Balanced Outputs, the LEFT FRONT, CENTER, RIGHT FRONT and SUBWOOFer Unbalanced Outputs. These are all Area "A" Out- puts. The corresponding channels of the 6 CHANNEL OUTPUT connector are also affected. The VCR1, VCR2, TAPE1, TAPE2 and Area "B" Outputs are not affected by the Bass and Treble controls. B. RECORD Selects any of the 12 program signals that will feed to the TAPE 1, TAPE 2, VCR1. VCR2 and Area "B" Outputs. Area "B" must first be turned ON in Area "B", by a keypad or remote controller transmitting to an Area "B" sensor, before the Area "B" outputs will operate. Each time Area "B" is turned on, TUNER is automatically selected at a volume level 50dB below maximum. The audio signals for SATellite, TV, Laser Video, VCR1, VCR2 and V-AUX will have their cor- responding Video signals switched simultaneously. The selected video RECORD signals will appear at the MONitor B, VCR1 and VCR2 and VIDEO Outputs. This allows the selected pro- gram signals to be fed to an external TV monitor, as well as to one or two VCR units for record- ing purposes. All audio or video tape recording must be setup manually in Area "A" before a FRONT PANEL CONTROLS SWITCHES, AND PUSHBUTTONS 9