E-3 T

User Guide

Phono Equalizer AmplifierTable of Contents
Safety Precautions................................................................................................3Front Panel Names and Functions.......................................................................6Rear Panel Names and Functions........................................................................7
Features of This Product......................................................................................8Balanced Output...................................................................................................9
Attaching the Spike Pins.......................................................................................9
Protection Pads for Transport.............................................................................10About Installation................................................................................................10
Troubleshooting.................................................................................................. 11
Maintenance....................................................................................................... 11Specifications...................................................................................................... 11Supplied Accessories• User Guide (this manual)........................... 1• Spike pin.................................................... 3• Power cable............................................... 1• Hex key for spike pins................................ 1• Spike-receiving board................................ 1• Setting spacer............................................ 32

Safety Precautions

CAUTIONRISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICEPERSONNEL.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert
the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosurethat may be of sufﬁcient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to thepresence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literatureaccompanying the product.

WARNINGTO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO
RAIN OR MOISTURE.

A warning that an apparatus with CLASS I construction shall be connected to a MAINS socket outlet with aprotective earthing connection.

3

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONSREAD BEFORE OPERATING EQUIPMENT

This product was designed and manufactured to meet strict quality and safety standards.
There are, however, some installation and operation precautions which you should be particularly aware of.
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings.
Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (includingamplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and thepoint where they exit from the apparatus.
10. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
11. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, orsold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
12. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
13. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged
in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into
the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been
dropped.
14. Batteries shall not be exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire or the like.

CAUTION:•To completely disconnect this product from the mains, disconnect the plug from the wall socket outlet.
The mains plug is used to completely interrupt the power supply to the unit and must be within easy
access by the user.

•Never use the unit with any other cord except the supplied power cord.

NOTE ON USEWARNINGS• Avoid high temperatures.
Allow for sufficient heat dispersion when installed in a rack.
• Handle the power cord carefully.
Hold the plug when unplugging the cord.
• Keep the unit free from moisture, water, and dust.
• Unplug the power cord when not using the unit for long periods of time.
• Do not obstruct the ventilation holes.
• Do not let foreign objects into the unit.
• Do not let insecticides, benzene, and thinner come in contact with the unit.
• Never disassemble or modify the unit in any way.
• Ventilation should not be impeded by covering the ventilation openings with items, such as newspapers, tablecloths or curtains.
• Naked flame sources such as lighted candles should not be placed on the unit.
• Observe and follow local regulations regarding battery disposal.
• Do not expose the unit to dripping or splashing fluids.
• Do not place objects filled with liquids, such as vases, on the unit.
• Do not handle the mains cord with wet hands.
• When the switch is in the OFF position, the equipment is not completely switched off from MAINS.
• The equipment shall be installed near the power supply so that the power supply is easily accessible.

4

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
We declare under our sole responsibility that this product, to which this declaration relates, is in conformity with the following
standards:
EN60065, EN55032, EN55020.
Following the provisions of Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and EMC Directive 2014/30/EU.

A NOTE ABOUT RECYCLING:
This product’s packaging materials are recyclable and can be reused. Please dispose of any materials
in accordance with the local recycling regulations. When discarding the unit, comply with local rules orregulations.
Batteries should never be thrown away or incinerated but disposed of in accordance with the local
regulations concerning battery disposal. This product and the supplied accessories, excluding the batteries,
constitute the applicable product according to the WEEE directive.

CAUTIONS ON INSTALLATION****WallWandParoiParete* For proper heat dispersal, do not install this unit in a confined space, such as a bookcase orsimilar enclosure.
• Leave sufficient clearance (at least 10 cm) from the wall, (at least 5 cm) from top surface of the unit.
• Do not place any other equipment on this unit.

5Front Panel Names and Functions
③②④⑤

⑥

⑦

③

①

q Power Switch (POWER)

t Low-cut Button (LOW CUT)

Press to turn on the power, and press again to turn off.

When this button is pressed, the LED lights up cutting
out ultra-low range noise. Press again to cancel thesetting. This function is intended to be used when thespeaker woofer moves a lot due to, for example, curveof a record.
After the button operation, no sound is output for about
5 seconds.

w Power Indicator (POWER)
The power is on, the indicator turns blue.
Note:• When the GND switch on the rear panel is in theCONNECTION mode, the indicator is lit red.

e Mute Button (MUTE)
Press the button to mute the sound, and press thesame button again to cancel the mute. The samefunction buttons are located on the right and left
sides of the front panel. Use whichever one suits theinstallation location of your record player.
To cancel the mute, be sure to use the same button
you pressed to mute the sound. While muted, the LEDabove the button is lit yellow.

r Phase Inversion Button (INV)
When this button is pressed, the LED lights up inverting
output phase. Press again to cancel the phase inversion.
After the button operation, no sound is output for about
5 seconds.

6y Gain Low Button (GAIN LOW)
When this button is pressed, the LED lights up enabling
you to lower the output level by 7dB. Press again tocancel the setting. About 5 seconds is required forsound to be output after the button operation. Thisfunction is intended to be used when sound is distortedbecause input goes over the maximum allowable input
level (headroom) of the connected preamplifier orother devices.

u Low-Pass Filter Button (LPF)
Once the button is pressed, the LED turns on andthe analog low-pass filter is enabled, cutting highfrequency noise. Press the button again to disable thisfunction.
After the button operation, no sound is output for about
5 seconds.

Rear Panel Names and Functionssas

da Audio Input Terminals (INPUT)
These are optoelectronic cartridge input terminals.
Note:• As DC voltage is applied, never connect anythingother than optoelectronic cartridges to these terminals• The XLR terminals are dedicated for power supply
isolation phono cables. Be sure to use dedicated cables.
• For input, use only one of the input terminals.

s Output Terminals
Connect these to the line input terminals of devices
such as a preamplifier and pre-main amplifier.
Balanced output terminal
Connect an XLR cable to these terminals.
Unbalanced output terminal
Connect an RCA cable to these terminals.
Note:• For sound quality reasons, do not use balanced andunbalanced outputs at the same time. Also, even when
not in use, merely connecting results in a capacitanceload which can adversely affect the sound quality.
Using balanced and unbalanced outputs at the sametime will not cause a malfunction.

fd Grounding Terminals(SIGNAL GND)
Connect the grounding wire of each record player tothese terminals.

f AC Inlet (AC115V)
Connect to a 115 V AC wall outlet (mains) with thesupplied power cable.
Notes:• To maintain the audio quality, use the supplied powercable.
• Connect the power cable to the AC wall outlet (mains)by inserting the power plug prong with the engraved
OO symbols into the ground side (the longer hole).
If you reverse the orientation of the power plug, you
cannot fully enjoy the performance of the unit.
• Firmly insert the power cable into the end of the ACinlet.
• The ground terminal and the housing are not connected.
Cautions• Do not use any electrical contact cleaner orthe like in the AC inlet area.

7

Features of This ProductFeature 1: A new Type-R circuit, fully balanced non NFB

Newly developed discrete, non-NFB, balanced amplification circuit (New Type-R circuit) dedicated to opticalcartridges. Not only the voltage amplification, but also the output stage is a single system that operates entirely
with respect to GND, eliminating push-pull and bias circuits. From input to output, the signal passes throughonly four transistors. A very simple non-NFB circuit protects the freshness of the music signal with excellent
transient response of optical cartridges.

Feature 2: Super-strong power supply with 3 power transformers

The power supply consists of three transformers: a large transformer dedicated to the New Type-R Circuit withindependent left and right circuits, and a transformer for the LED power supply of the optical cartridge. For aphono amplifier of only 19W, the power consumption has a power supply capacity equivalent to that of a 500W
power amplifier. This margin supports unwavering music reproduction.A newly developed power transformer
with copper short ring is used as the analog power transformer.This further improves the fine expression bysuppressing noise caused by leakage flux.

Feature 3: Power Separated Phono Cable Compatible

The XLR input terminals are compatible with the “power supply separated phono cable” developed by DS
Audio and Uesugi Laboratories. By separating the paths of the fine phono signal and LED current, the SN anddynamism that are the characteristics of optical cartridges are further improved.

Feature 4: High-speed non-NFB power supply

For the rectifying capacitor, a specially selected high withstand voltage small capacitance low magnification
foil filter capacitor is used. To optimize the capacity, the number of units used was determined and the loadon the power transformer was reduced. This further improved the real regulation of the ultra-powerful powertransformer. For the rectifier diodes, SiC diodes of the latest specifications with enhanced allowable inrush
current are used. This is the most powerful and high-speed power supply configuration ever considered. Inaddition, two large power relays with excellent sound quality are used independently and without fixing as
power switches for the two main power transformer. In other words, the power switch on the front panel isdedicated to the control system sub-transformer. Independent power switch for each power transformer, which
is a high current contact point, is very effective in terms of sound quality.

Feature 5: Unfixed structure

The amplifier block, terminals, AC inlet, top cover, and bottom cover are all unfixed.

Feature 6: RSR-2-12D (Reference SOULNOTE Relay)

An ultra low loss glass tube sealed reed relay that performs similar to a mercury relay as a base has beenfurther customized. This is an original custom relay created by SOULNOTE that can reach sound quality levels
comparable to that of wire. The E-3 uses the RSR-2-12D for all relays through which audio signals pass.

Feature 7: Ultra high-quality naked foil resistors

We have applied artificial satellite grade ultra-high precision foil resistors with exceptional temperature
properties and have made additional customizations with an emphasis on sound quality. These ultra-highsound quality resistors were developed in-house and employ a naked foil design to eliminate dumps with moldresin. The E-3 uses ultra high-quality naked foil resistors for all resistors related to sound quality.

• For more detailed information, refer to our website or Facebook page.
https://www.kcsr.co.jp/eu_soulnote.html

8Balanced Output

Attaching the Spike Pins

The XLR Connector is used for Balanced Output.
There are two types of connection, “European Type”
and “USA Type”.

 y replacing the feet with the supplied spike pins,B
you can tune the audio quality. Point grounding makes
the sound focus and auditory lateralization sharper.
Furthermore, the audio quality can be subtly tuned
by changing the material of the surface on which thisequipment is installed.

1. European Type (adapter for this unit)(pin 2 = HOT, pin 3 = COLD)HOTHOT

21GND

3GND
2 COLD
1INPUT
3COLD

GND
GND

INPUT

13GND
2 HOT
1INPUT
3HOT
INPUT

HOT

3HOT
1 COLD
2OUTPUT3COLD
OUTPUT

2. USA TypeGND
GND3 = HOT)
(pin COLD
2 = COLD,pin
2
1
1COLD

2GND

2COLD

Notes:• When replacing the feet with the spike pins, remove thecarbon washers from the feet, and then reattach themto the spike pins.
• When the spike pins are attached, it may be difficult
to keep weight balance stable. Take great care not tocarelessly apply a force on the corners of the main unit.

3COLD
1 HOT
2OUTPUT3
HOTOUTPUT

carbon washers

Cautions• When using the spike pins, be extremely careful
not to get injured, etc.
• When using the spike pins, be careful that the surface
on which the main unit is installed such as the surface
of a table, shelf, etc., may become damaged.Using
the spike-receiving board is highly recommended inorder to protect the installation surface.

9Protection Pads for Transport

About Installation

When unboxing this product, be sure to remove thetransport cushions. With the cushions left attached,
the intended sound quality of this product cannot befully enjoyed.

When this product is installed on your shelf or audiorack with the spike pins attached, the supplied spikereceiving board can protect the installation surface
from scratching.
Using the setting spacers along with the spikereceiving board ensures that there is space between
the installation surface and the spike-receiving board.
With that space, the air hole of the spike-receiving
board can be utilized. This can further improve thesound quality.
The setting spacers can also be used alone as spikereceivers.

• In order to obtain better sound quality, the top cover,the bottom cover, and the terminals on the rear panel
are not secured.
• If you shake the unit, you will hear a rattling sound. Itis not an abnormality.
• When you transport the unit, reattach the pads to theoriginal places.

Cushions
It is recommended to place
the setting spacers with theirsmaller surface facing thisproduct.

Cushions10

Troubleshooting

Specifications

No sound is output.
• Check that the power of the main unit is on.
• Check the connections of the external devices.
• Check that the power of the external devices is on.
• Check that the operations and settings on theexternal devices are correct.
• Check the connections of the speaker system.

Input sensitivity..................................... 50mV (1kHz)
Rated output
Balanced............................................. 2.54V(1kHz)
Unbalanced......................................... 1.27V(1kHz)
Maximum output
Balanced................................................ 12V(1kHz)
Unbalanced.............................................. 6V(1kHz)

Maintenance
When the unit has become dirty, wipe it clean usinga soft cloth. To remove stubborn stains, dilute someneutral dish-washing liquid in 5 or 6 times as muchwater, soak a soft cloth in the solution, wring it out well,
wipe away the stains, and then wipe the surfaces dry
with a dry cloth.
Never use alcohol, paint thinners, benzine, insecticides
or other volatile substances since they may mar orremove the surface gloss.
Bear in mind that rubbing surfaces with a chemicalcleaning cloth or leaving such a cloth in contact with asurface for an extended time may result in deterioration.

Gain *balanced input
Balanced.............................................. 34dB(1kHz)
Unbalanced.......................................... 28dB(1kHz)
RIAA deviation................................................±0.2dB
THD (1kH with 20kHz LPF)..........................................0.03% (balanced 2.54V)
Power voltage...................................115V AC , 60Hz
Power consumption.............................................19W (When no signal)
Maximum external dimensions
454 (W) x 189 (H) x 407 (D) mm
Weight............................................................... 27kg

11https://www.soulnote.link/

Printed in Japan

07/2024 45BA851170 TM