Step-by-step operating process – Constellation Audio Perseus Phono Preamplifier User Manual
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Step-by-step operating process
We’ve covered all of the basic controls and indicators of the Perseus. Here’s how you use them to
perform the basic operations of turning the unit on, selecting a source, adjusting the sound, and
turning the unit off.
STEP 1: If you are using the Perseus for the first time, set the Low EQ and High EQ switches on the back
panel to C.
If you are using the MM input for the first time, use a small screwdriver or a toothpick to set the MM
loading switches on the back panel according to the settings recommended by the manufacturer of
your cartridge. Feel free to experiment with different settings later if you wish. (See page 13 for more
information.)
STEP 2: To turn on the Perseus from the front panel, push the Standby button in the middle under the
LCD touchscreen. You may also tap the touchscreen to “wake it up,” then push the onscreen Power
button.
Whichever way you turn on the power, you will hear the Perseus’s internal relays click as the unit goes
into warm-up mode. In a few seconds, the front touchscreen will illuminate. The Input Select screen
will then appear, with the most recently used input selected.
STEP 3: If the input you want is not selected, select the desired input by pushing one of the onscreen
buttons for MC-1, MM, etc. The button for the selected input will go dark.
STEP 4: If you need to set up either of the MC inputs, push the Setup button on the front panel. Set the
operation for high gain or low gain, stereo or mono, as desired.
STEP 5: If you need to adjust resistive loading of the MC inputs, push the MC Load button on the Input
Setup screen. The settings of the load knobs in ohms will be displayed. Reach around to the back of the
Perseus and turn the right and left adjustment knobs until the settings are correct for your cartridge. If
the two readouts differ by an ohm or two, it doesn’t matter. If the level is set to 000, you will get no
sound.
STEP 6: If you wish to mute the output temporarily, such as when lowering the tonearm onto a record,
push the Mute button. An X will appear next to the speaker icon in the lower right corner of the
touchscreen. Press the Mute button again to restore the sound.
STEP 7: To turn the system off, stop playback on the source device. Press the Standby button in the
middle under the LCD touchscreen. The unit will enter cool-down mode for 10 seconds, during which no
buttons will work. After cool-down mode finishes, you can turn the unit back on again as described in
Step 2 above.