Proton Audio: A Breed Apart
It's an audio jungle out there-a confused forest of claims and counterclaims. There are too many competing products. each hoping to stand out from the pack with differentiating cosmetics or gimmicks. But most have cone up with the same tired "solutions"; functions and features seemingly designed to appeal to aspiring airline pilots, pin-ball wizards, or juke-box impresarios. The qualities that make a product truly impressive-functions design and impeccable sonic performance-have been generally ignored .n favor of commercial frazzle-dazzle. Until now, that is.
Proton--Designed For the Real World
Each Proton product is engineered to deliver the finest possible sound quality in your home...under real-life reception and playback conditions, driving real-world loudspeakers. Faddish circuitry directed at the latest "popular" distortion is ignored in favor of truly innovative designs with clearly audible benefits. Test bench results are backed up with intensive listening sessions--and "conventional audio wisdom" is under constant close scrutiny for its truths and fallacies.
For many companies, audio design has reached a dead end, simply because they are stuck on the path of least resistance: technical gimmickry for the sake of a technical claim and, at course, ever more lights and knobs For Proton, however, each new product on the drawing board represents an opportunity to take á fresh, hard, reality-based look at what we consider to be the important issues. Does the new circuitry contribute toward a more natural, noise-free sound in the listener's home' Do the features truly enhance convenience and performance, or only add visual and ergonomic complexity? You'll find our carefully thought out answers to those questions embodied in every Proton component--from our simplest digital FM/AM high-fidelity clock radio to our highly acclaimed video-monitor systems.
Real World Performance
What do we mean by "real-world performance"? Simply this: it is our design philosophy that products should be engineered to cope with the actual reception and reproduction conditions likely to be encountered in a real-world listeners' home environment, rot merely to provide good measurements in the test lab.
Our amplifiers provide excellent examples of the practical application of this philosophy. Because we know that loudspeakers "nominally" rated at 8 ohms can fall as low as 2 ohms when playing music (and 4-ohm speakers can go even lower), we design all our amplifiers with the current capacities to handle very low impedance loads. Perhaps "handle" is too modest a term--the fact of the matter is the moderately priced 930, our 30-watt-per-channel receiver (as measured into 8 ohms), is able to provide an instantaneous output of 115 watts per channel (!) to handle musical peaks when the load falls to 2 ohms.
And for those few signals that exceed even a Proton's power capabilities, a soft-clipping circuit reduces the damaging effects of short- and long-term overloads.
You will find a host of other practical, real-world audio performance features detailed in the individual product descriptions later in this catalog. See the technical descriptions of the 520 Integrated Amplifier and 930 Digitally Synthesized Stereo Receiver.
Enhanced FM Performance
Proton has certainly not neglected FM reception in our on-going reappraisal and analysis of audio design.
The tuners in all Proton audio components use the latest designs of Larry Schotz, an FM-circuit engineer who is generally acknowledged to be the innovative leader in the field. The latest Schotz tuner designs go far beyond conventional technology: sophisticated circuits automatically compensate for real-world reception problems.
Weak, noisy, multipath-ridden signals are processed by one or more special Schotz circuits for enhanced listenability. Previously unlistenable stations are raised to acceptability, and weak, problematic stations come in loud and clear, untroubled by interference, noise, and distortion. For further technical details on the remarkable Schotz-designed tuners, see the product descriptions for the 440 Stereo FM/AM Tuner and 930 Digitally Synthesized Stereo Receiver.
Esthetics and Ergonomics
Proton equipment is designed to appeal to more than the critical ear; we feel the eye and the hand must be satisfied also. The equipment must sound good, look good, and feel good. Toward that end, our pure black styling will coordinate unobtrusively with any decor, and the clean, functional front panels are self-explanatory--even to an audio novice. And all controls have the smooth silken feel that confirms Proton's dedication to quality.
Proton Audio-specifically designed for the listening environment. Nothing sounds like it...nothing looks like it...nothing performs like it...because it's pure Proton, by design.
PROTON 930 Stereo FM/AM Receiver
The 930 digitally synthesized stereo receiver-the only receiver that could be called a Proton.
It combines the technology of our 520 Integrated Amplifier and 440 FM/AM Tuner into one complete package, designed to deliver pure sound.
The 930 is packed with technology...starling with the Schotz Tuner. A Proton innovation, this Schotz Tuner employs a phase-locked-loop system that senses weak or noisy signals, then automatically cleans up the sound by varying the bandwidth.
The 930 achieves excellent sensitivity, and that translates into superior reception compared to conventional tuners. And the Schotz tuner contributes to lower overall FM distortion for clean pure sound. The tuner section incorporates a four-gang triple JFET frontend, designed and manufactured by Proton.
The 930 delivers 30 watts per channel minimum rms into 8-ohm speakers, with no more than 0.02% total harmonic distortion, and has "high current capability" That means the 930 has all the dynamic power and headroom necessary to faithfully reproduce even the most demanding music in real-life listening situations.
The 930 features our Anti Clipping Circuit. It's designed so you can achieve effectively higher volume levels without distortion or danger to your speakers-pure clean sound with none of the harshness normally associated with waveform clipping.
There's also a special Bass Equalization Circuit to compensate for bass deficiency common in most acoustic suspension speakers and typical listening environments.
Other features include a digital tuning indicator with LED frequency display, memory presets for 5 FM and 5 AM stations, automatic bi-directional search control and video input jacks.
The Proton 930-unsurpassed sonic performance that's the heart of your audio system, or your Proton audio and video system.
PROTON 440 Stereo FM/AM Tuner
Pure sonic performance. The perfect tuner for any home audio system.
The heart of the 440 is our famed Schotz Tuner.
It's uniquely Proton. You'll be impressed with the sound reproduction of the 440-pure and true.
The 440 delivers great FM reception because of our superior sensitiivty-1.8mV. And because of this sensitivity, the 440 can receive many more stations.
And while other manufacturers tout their MOS FET frontends, the Proton 440 tuner incorporates a more expensive, but vastly superior, four-gang triple JFET frontend. The four-gang triple JFET front-end allows a ten-time higher input level before it overloads, ensuring the highest quality performance over a wide range of weak to strong stations. Plus, it's designed and manufactured completely by Proton for the strictest quality control.
Some tuners now use Dolby noise reduction circuitry for FM. This noise reduction system is only effective on those few FM stations Broadcasting Dolby NR encoded information.
On the other hand, the 440 tuner features our Schotz Noise Reduction (SNR) system. This circuit independently improves FM performance, electronically eliminating annoying background hiss, common in medium-strength FM signals and it works on every station.
Proton's latest tuner technology provides unmatched ease of operation. You can pre-select six FM and six AM stations, then store them in memory.
And in the “search" mode, you can rapidly scar the available stations up or down.
The 440 Stereo FM/AM Tuner-Proton power... Schotz precision.
PROTON 520 Integrated Amplifier
The ultimate power source and an excellent choice for any home audio system. The 520 delivers 20 watts per channel minimum rms into 8-ohm speakers, with typically no more than 0.005% total harmonic distortion. That's clarity you can hear.
Proton Audio components are designed to deliver sonic performance in real-life situations. For example, while the 520 is rated at 20 watts per channel, that figure is relative when compared to conventional amplifiers. The 520 has "high current capability" This high current capability combined with 4.7 dB of dynamic headroom allows the 520 to accurately reproduce the entire dynamic range of today's program material.
The 520 features a highly sophisticated, versatile "phono" section. Internally, there are two programmable phono pre-amps for optimum performance. So whether you're using a low output moving coil cartridge, or a conventional moving magnet cartridge, you can fine tune the 520 to deliver the cleanest sound from any phono cartridge. It also offers a low signal-to-noise ratio, 90 dB and a high phono overload, 250mV for added clarity and performance.
The 520 features Proton's Anti-Clipping Circuit--that electronically eliminates the hard edge clipping distortion occurring when music requires more power than what's available. This allows you to achieve effectively higher volume levels without distorting your music...or endangering your speakers.
And the 520 has a special Bass Equalization Circuit (±10 dB at 55 Hz). This circuit allows you to correct bass response to match your particular speakers, compensating for the bass deficiency common in most acoustically suspended speakers and typical listening environments.
The 520 can also receive direct audio from a video tuner source (VCR, video disc player or broadcast tuner). And there's a DAD input for a Digital Audio Disc player.
PROTON 720 Stereo Cassette Deck
This tape deck is packed with Proton performance. It accurately records even the most demanding music, then faithfully plays it back, time after time, note after note.
The Proton 720 Cassette Deck is the perfect complement to the Proton 520 Integrated Amplifier, Proton 930 'FM/AM Stereo Receiver, or the Proton 300 Table Radio.
The 720 is a perfect example of Proton's innovative engineering responding to the needs of today's complex music. When the 720 was designed, we added new bias circuits to reduce crosstalk and improve channel separation. The benefit-you hear a noticeably superior stereo image
As a byproduct, this new technology also increases the dynamic range of the 720 for superior musical reproduction.
The 720 features both Dolby-B"-type and "C"-type noise reduction circuits. These Dolby systems dramatically improve sound quality by reducing the level of audible tape hiss on your recordings.
Like all Proton Audio components, the 720 is designed to perform under real-life conditions. For example, FM stereo stations utilize a 'pilot tone" when they broadcast. For the most part, this tone goes unnoticed. But when you record from an FM stereo broadcast, this 'pilot tone" can cause inaccurate operation of Dolby noise reduction systems...but not with the 720. We've included a special MPX filter lo remove this nigh frequency interference improving the quality of your recording.
When you're ready to record-you're ready for the Proton 720 Stereo Cassette Deck.
PROTON 300 Table Radio, and 301 Powered Speaker
The Proton 300 Table Radio and the 301 Powered Speaker let you put the music wherever you want it.
The 300 is elegantly understated in appearance. Pure black. And all the nonessential controls are conveniently located out of sight.
But looks are only part of the story. This Table Radio features advanced electronics and our own Schotz Tuner. It pulls in more stations with less distortion than many higher priced conventional tuners.
And you can really enjoy the sound, too. The 300 features a sophisticated bi-amplified speaker system.
Bi-amplification technology means there is a separate power amplifier for each speaker driver-one 20 wait amplifier powers the 4-1/2" woofer, and a second 5 watt amp drives the 1-3/4" ferrofluid cooled tweeter. Each amplifier is designed to function best within its own assigned portion of the frequency spectrum. That's sound quality you can hear.
The 300 Table Radio offers the essential versatility of a component system--uncompromising FM and AM reception--plus connections for an optional cassette deck (like the Proton 720). You can enjoy the Proton 300 in stereo with the addition of the optional Proton 301 Powered Speaker.
The 301 is more than just an extension speaker it features the same bi-amplification technology and drivers found in the 300, and is powered by its own 25 watt amplifier.
And because each speaker has its own amplifier, additional speakers may be added to bring stereo to as many as ten different locations at once. All controlled simply and accurately by the 300 Table Radio.
PROTON 320 Digital FM/AM Clock Radio
The Proton 320 Digital FM/AM Clock Radio-eye-opening sound with up-to-the-minute convenience.
The 320 goes beyond every conventional clock radio and ventures into the world of sophisticated, quality home audio The 320 Clock Radio brings high fidelity sound into your bedroom or any other room in your home.
There's a full-range 5-inch speaker. And the 3 watt amplifier has a low 0.2% total harmonic distortion.
Together, they offer fidelity and power previously unknown in a clock radio.
The Clock Radio also features separate treble and bass controls, plus automatic loudness compensation.
The 320 is packed with features you'll really appreciate. Our Ramp-up Volume control brings the music or alarm up gradually, so you're awakened gently out of your sleep ... not scared out of it.
And for your convenience, there are two independent programmable alarms that you can set either forwards or backwards, and a six-minute snooze control.
You can even go to sleep with music, thanks to our Sleep Control.
Plus the LED display automatically adjusts to the light level in the room. The clock even has battery back-up, so you don't lose time when you lose power.
The 320-pure Proton by design.
Proton--Pure Audio Meets Pure Video
The Proton Video System is without equal. Ever since its introduction, Proton Video components have been consistently acclaimed as "the best" by leading industry sources.
And now, that Proton performance is available in both video and audio systems. Proton systems are specifically designed to complement ... to interface ... to combine, delivering "super real" video and audio.
Proton video and audio components are cosmetically compatible, too. Everything is pure black. Our monitors, tuners, receivers, cassette decks, televisions ...everything.
Now you can enjoy the performance of fine video and fine audio componentry. These purely superb electronic components give you the flexibility and choice to build your ultimate home entertainment system.
Proton Video and Audio componentry. Nothing looks like it. Nothing sounds like it. Because it's pure Proton, by design.
PROTON 302/303 Loudspeakers
The perfect Proton addition to the ultimate home entertainment system. Both speakers deliver rich, expanded high fidelity. Each has an acoustically suspended 1-3/4" ferro-fluid cooled Tweeter and a 4-1/2" woofer for wider. more dynamic response.
And these speakers also match our video monitors in performance, height and finish. The 302 speakers go with the Proton 600 System (19" monitor), while the 303 speakers coordinate with the Proton 602 System (25" monitor).
Also see:
Proton D540 High Current Amplifier (July 1985)
Proton 440 Tuner (Equip. Profile, July 1985)
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