HP N31.5 - Manual (Page 11)

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bandwidth Hewlett Packard ® part for superior performance. A high quality EIAJ
optical interface has also been included for maximum compatibility, although in
our experience it should be the interface of last resort. (It offers the least poten-
tial for high performance of any of the standard digital interfaces.)
All digital interfaces have been carefully optimized to deliver the finest perfor-
mance each interface standard allows. As a direct result, the Nº31.5 performs opti-
mally with any digital processor, without having to resort to techniques which
would limit its compatibility to other Mark Levinson products.
Industrial Design The Nº31.5 shares the striking industrial design of other Mark Levinson compo-
nents such as the Nº30.5 digital audio processor. The combination of the hand-
brushed, black-anodized aluminum faceplate and bead-blasted custom-machined
buttons make operating the Nº31.5 a tactile as well as a sonic pleasure.
A large, easily read display provides information as to the operational status of the
Nº31.5 from across the room, making the supplied remote control more genuinely
useful than on products lacking such a display.
Convenience Features Too often, high performance CD transports have eschewed convenience in the
hopes of seeming more “performance-oriented.” While there were good argu-
ments for such a “minimalist” design in the days of analog turntables, the time is
long gone when the audiophile needed to give up operational convenience for
musical performance. After all, convenience features in a digital product are
largely a matter of writing appropriate software, and have no affect on the quality
of the digital data itself.
For example, the Nº31.5 supports custom programs, including “delete program-
ming” wherein selected tracks are omitted from the playlist. This allows the user
to skip the one or two songs on an otherwise good disc that have been over-
played ad nauseam. The Nº31.5 will remember such programs for thousands of
discs, should you want to save that many programs.
Communications Links As with all Mark Levinson 30-series components, the Nº31.5 incorporates a so-
phisticated inter-component communications bus. Unique among high perfor-
mance audio systems, Mark Levinson 30-series components offer a degree of sys-
tem integration that makes even complex systems easy to use.
For example, bringing the Nº31.5 Reference CD Transport out of standby will also
bring the Linked digital audio processor, preamplifier and power amplifier(s) out
of standby, and select the appropriate inputs on both processor and preamplifier
so that a CD can be enjoyed. Even a sophisticated system with many compo-
nents can thus offer one-button simplicity of operation.
In short, the Mark Levinson Nº31.5 establishes a new standard for performance and
practicality among high end CD transports and should be auditioned by anyone
who desires the finest in digital audio.