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GFA-5500
High Current
Power Amplifier
OWNER’S MANUAL
THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
ARE REQUIREMENTS OF UL AND CSA SAFETY REGULATIONS
Warning: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this unit to rain or moisture.
CAUTION
A |
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK |
1l |
DO NOT OPEN |
AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE-NE PAS OUVRIR,
The graphic symbol of a lightning flash with an arrow point within a triangle signifies that there is dangerous voltage within the unit and it poses a hazard to anyone removing the cover to gain access to the interior of the unit.Only qualified service personnel should make any such attempt.
The graphic symbol of an exclamation point within an equilateral triangle warns a user of the device that it is necessary to refer to the instruction manual and its warnings for proper operafion of the unit.
Do not place this unit on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The unit may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the unit. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the unit. Any mounting of the device should follow the man ufacturer's instructions, and should use a mounting ac cessory recommended by the manufacturer.
Read all the safety and operating instructions before connecting or using this unit.
Retain this notice and the owner's manual for future reference.
All warnings on the unit and in its operating instructions should be adhered to.
All operating and use instructions should be followed.
Do not use this unit near water: for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool.
The unit should be installed so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, it should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings: or placed in a built-in installation, such as bookcase or cabinet, that may impede the flow of air through its ventilation openings.
The unit should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other devices (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
The unit should be connected to a power-supply outlet only of the voltage and frequency marked on its rear panel.
The power-supply cord should be routed so that it is not likely to be walked on or pinched, especially near the plug, convenience receptacles, or where the cord exits from the unit.
Clean unit only as recommended in its instruction manual.
The power-supply cord of the unit should be unplugged from the wall outlet when it is to be unused for a long period of time.
Care should be taken so that objects do not fall, and liquids are not spilled, into the enclosure through any openings.
This unit should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
A.The power cord or the plug has been damaged: or
B.Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled, into the unit: or
C.The unit has been exposed to rain, or liquids of any kind: or
D.The unit does not appear to operate normally, or exhibits a marked change in performance: or
E.The device has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.
DO NOT ATTEMPT SERVICING OF THIS UNIT YOURSELF. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
ATTENTION
POUR PRÉVENIR LES CHOCS ÉLECTRIQUES NE PAS UTILISER CETTE FICHE POLARISÉE AVEC UN PROLONGATEUR, UNE PRISE DE COURANT OU UNE AUTRE SORTIE DE COURANT, SAUF SI LES LAMES PEUVENT ÊTRE INSÉRÉES À FOND SANS EN LAISSER AU CUNE PARTIE À DÉCOUVERT.
CAUTION
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT USE THIS POLARIZED PLUG WITH AN EXTENSION CORD, RECEPTACLE OR OTHER OUTLET UN LESS THE BLADES CAN BE FULLY INSERTED TO PREVENT BLADE EXPOSURE.
CAUTION
POWER LINES
Any outdoor antenna must be located away from all power lines,
OUTDOOR ANTENNA GROUNDING
If an outside antenna Is connected to your tuner or tuner-preamplifier, be sure the antenna system is grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Section 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA No. 70-1984, provides information with respect to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of antenna discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the grounding electrode.
a.Use No.10 AWG (5.3 mm^) copper, No.8 AWG (8.4 mm^) aluminum. No.17 AWG (1.0 mm") copper-clad steel or bronze wire, or larger, as a ground wire.
b.Secure antenna lead-in and ground wires to house with stand-off insulators spaced from 4-6 feet (1.22-1.83 m) apart.
c.Mount antenna discharge unit as close as possible to where lead-in enters house.
d.Use jumper wire not smaller than No.6 AWG (13.3 mm") copper, or the equivalent, when a separate antenna-grounding electrode is used. See NEC Section 810-21 (j).
EXAMPLE OF ANTENNA GROUNDING AS PER NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE INSTRUCTIONS
CONTAINED IN ARTICLE 810 ■ RADIO AND TELEVISION EQUIPMENT
POWER LINES
STANDOFF
INSULATORS, b
ANTENNA
LEAD-IN WIRE
|
TO EXTERNAL ANTENNA |
POWER SERVICE GROUNDING |
TERMINALS OF RADIO RECEIVER |
|
|
ELECTRODE SYSTEM |
GROUND WIRE, a,b |
(e. g. interior metal water pipe) |
GROUND CLAMPS |
|
|
BONDING JUMPER |
|
|
OPTIONAL ANTENNA GROUNDING |
|
ELECTRODE DRIVEN 8 FEET (2.44 M) INTO |
|
THE EARTH IF REQUIRED BY LOCAL |
|
CODES. SEE NEC SECTION 810-21 (I) |
NOTE TO CATV SYSTEM INSTALLER
This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer's attention to Article 820-22 of the National Electrical Code that provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as practical.
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your decision to purchase the GFA-5500 Stereo Power Amplifier. You have made a wise choice that
will reward |
you |
with |
exceptionally accurate and musical sound reproduction for years to come. To realize the full |
potential of |
your |
new |
amplifier, please read these operating and installation instructions thoroughly before attempting to |
connect it. Furthermore, it is a good idea to keep this manual handy for future reference.
FEATURES
Precision matched MOSFETs used throughout the signal path.
80,000 pF of power supply filter capacitance with low ESR for greater reserve capacity.
Low number of gain stages improves signal reproduction accuracy.
Custom toroidal power transformer provides better regulation and greater peak current capability.
High quality, gold plated binding posts.
Independent thermal overload and distortion LEDs for each channel.
Gold plated, brass RCA jacks with Teflon insulators.
Large, exposed heatsinks for greater cooling capability of output devices.
Heavy gauge, anodized aluminum front panel.
Powder coated, baked chassis and top cover for greater durability.
Increased cooling vents on top cover for greater efficiency and cooler operation while driving low impedance loads.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
ADCOM PROTECTION PLAN
(USA ONLY)
ADCOM offers the enclosed valuable Limited Warranty. Please read the details on the Warranty Card carefully to understand the extent of the protection offered by the Warranty, its reasonable limitations, and what you should do in order to obtain its benefits.
Be sure to verify that the serial number printed on the rear panel matches the serial number on the outer carton. If any number is altered or missing, or if the ADCOM Warranty Card is not included in the carton, you should notify us immediately in order to ensure that you have received a genuine ADCOM product which has not been opened, mishandled, or tampered with in any way.
UNPACKING
Before your new GFA-5500 left our factory, it was carefully inspected for physical imperfections and tested for all electrical parameters as a routine part of ADCOM's systematic quality control. This, along with full operational and mechanical testing, should ensure a product flawless in both appearance and performance. After you have unpacked the GFA-5500, inspect it for physical damage. Save the shipping carton and all packing material as they are intended to reduce the possibility of transportation damage, should the amplifier ever need to be shipped again. In the unlikely event damage has occurred, notify your dealer immediately and request the name of the carrier so a written claim to cover shipping damages can be initiated
THE RIGHT TO A CLAIM AGAINST A PUBLIC CARRIER CAN BE FORFEITED IF THE CARRIER IS NOT NOTIFIED PROMPTLY IN WRITING AND IF THE SHIPPING CARTON AND PACKING MATERIALS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY THE CARRIER. SAVE ALL PACKING MATERIALS UNTIL THE CLAIM HAS BEEN SETTLED.
INSTALLING THE GFA-5500
During normal home operation the external heatsinks of the GFA-5500 will become warm. However, there are instances during high-level playback into low impedances when the heatsinks will become much warmer than usual. To ensure the amplifier's long-term, trouble-free operation it is necessary to provide adequate ventilation for the heatsinks. Therefore, the GFA-5500 should be kept away from external sources of heat such as radiators and hot-air ducts. The GFA-5500 should never be placed with other heat-producing components in a cabinet or enclosure lacking free air flow.
If you require that the GFA-5500 be mounted in an enclosed cabinet, it is recommended that the rear panel of the cabinet be provided with ventilation openings at the top and bottom to allow air to circulate freely in the cabinet. The top and bottom panel of the amplifier’s chassis have been provided with vents to allow the necessary cooling of the internal components. It is imperative that these vents are not obstructed in any way.
We recommend that you do not stack other components on top of the GFA-5500. This is particularly important If your system includes low-impedance loudspeakers which are difficult to drive, or if you will consistently demand high volume levels from the amplifier and speaker system. Not only will heat generated by the amplifier affect the performance of equipment stacked on top of the GFA-5500, but the free flow of air through the ventilating slots in the amplifier may be partially obstructed.
If you observe these recommendations, the GFA-5500 will perform reliably in any reasonable environment. You should also pay attention to such normal considerations as protection from excessive dust and moisture. Occasional vacuuming of accumulated dust on the chassis, heatsinks, panels and around the ventilating slots should be all that is required.
The optimal performance of your new GFA-5500 will ultimately depend on the care with which you make the connections between the amplifier, preamplifier and the loudspeakers. All input and output signal connections should be made only with high quality, low-loss, low capacitance cables following the recommendations in the following relevant sections. Please refer to the rear panel diagram to identify all the connector locations.
WARNING
DO NOT EXPOSE THE AMPLIFIER TO RAIN, WATER, OR MOISTURE OF ANY KIND.
RIGHT/LEFT INPUT CD
The audio inputs to the GFA-5500 are through two high quality, gold plated RCA jacks to minimize high frequency losses, noise, etc. They will accept standard RCA type plugs, one for each channel, LEFT and RIGHT, usually supplied at the ends of interconnecting cables. To ensure that the performance designed into the GFA-5500 is realized, you should use the highest quality cables feasible. There are many cables which are designed specifically for these applications and your ADCOM dealer can be of help in selecting the best cable for your application. Whatever cable you finally select, it should have low capacitance. This is particularly important if you use a long run between the preamplifier and amplifier. Generally speaking, a cable with a capacitance of less than 100 pF will work best
The load impedance which the GFA-5500 inputs present to the source preamplifier or tuner-preamplifier is 49.9k ohms. This load impedance results in minimal amplifier noise when used with a source component of low output impedance such as an ADCOM preamplifier or tuner/preamplifier.
To preserve the correct stereophonic effects, please be certain to connect the left output of the preamplifier or tunerpreamplifier to the RCA jack on the GFA-5500 labeled LEFT INPUT and the right output of the source component to the RIGHT INPUT jack.
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