Audiovalve LUMINARE 2015 Instruction Manual

LUMINARE

Instruction Manual

model – 2015

ultra highend mulit function

headphone amplifier

We congratulate you with the purchase of this superb AUDIOVALVE - HiFi component.

This handcrafted product has been manufactured with only your most demanding requirements in

mind. It was made to afford you many years of musical enjoyment.

AUDIOVALVE guarantees that this amplifier has been produced under the strictest of guidelines and with

respect for procedures acquired through decades of tube amplifier design. Your SUNILDA Pre-amplifier has

been thoroughly tried and tested in all details.

I personally guarantee the quality of this product

Helmut Becker, Design & Production

LUMINARE ultra highend headphone tube amplifier ___________________

Table of contents

- Introduction and general information

- Manufacturers information

- Safety precautions

- Intended use / Application / Factory assembly & getting started

- Operating instructions & technical features

- Set up and installation

- Warranty / CE confirmation

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Dear client, we congratulate you on your purchase of this superb AUDIOVALVE HiFi component.

To safeguard maximum functionality and to avoid operating problems, it is important for
you to carefully study this owners manual and to follow all instructions therein
precisely!

G e

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Important instructions, regarding safety, security and operational reliability while using the
SUNILDA Pre-Amplifier are highlighted throughout this manual.

F a

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ddr e

ss :

AUDIOVALVE, H. Becker,
Umbachsweg 70

D-34 123 KASSEL
GERMANY,

Tel.: 0049 - (0) 561 7013360
Fax: 0049 - (0) 561 6029293
Email: i

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website: w

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ud i

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LUMINARE ultra highend headphone tube amplifier ___________________

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Important: Study the owners manual before assembly and operation of the amplifier

Anyone, unable to comprehend the instructions stated in the owners manual should not operate the
device.

Children and minors are not to use the device and should be kept at a safe distance from the
device during it is running.

The user is responsible for operating the device in an appropriate fashion and it takes full
responsibility towards third parties. Before the amplifier can be used the first time, suitability of taken
precautions regarding electrical safety must be approved through professional assessment.

Check that the mains voltage printed on the rear panel of the amplifier corresponds with the line
voltage in the territory where you intend to use the amplifier.

Always check power-cords and plugs for damage before use.

Disconnect the power-cord before work is being done on the amplifier.
In the unlikely case of a failure of the device repairs may be performed by

AUDIOVALVE authorized technicians only. Use

ORIGINAL spare parts only!

Remove the foam under the top acryl glass

Please take note of the fact that we waive product liability for damages caused by our devices,
parts and components as a result of:

a) Unprofessional and / or faulty and / or correct repairs that have been performed in

other than the by AUDIOVALVE approved repair facilities,

b) Usage of other than ORIGINAL and approved spare parts.

c) use within a channel for exchange only possible tubes of one type from the same

manufacturer.

d) Use of headphones over 100 ohms the OTL mode and / or IMPEDANCER mode, use for

headphones with low impedances only the IMPEDANCER mode

The LUMINARE Amplifier is subject to and complies with German security class 1

for devices with metal housing. The device is grounded, and may not

–

by manipulation or otherwise ­be ungrounded for any reason! To prevent hum as a result of interconnecting your devices with the
Amplifier, the internal electrical circuitry has been designed to have no grounded mass !!

The RKV is capable of extremely high sound levels. This has the danger of severe hearing damage.

While listening to headphones we lack several feedback mechanisms on volume level that are present
when we listen to loudspeakers. Much less distortion, no feeling of the lower frequencies by our body
and no psychological restraints not to annoy our fellow-men easily seduces us to listen at volume
levels that are detrimental to our hearing. Hearing damage from regular exposure to high sound levels
progresses slowly but is irreversible and can result in permanent hearing loss.

!! Please choose your volume setting with caution !!

LUMINARE ultra highend headphone tube amplifier ___________________

The Luminare was developed especially for the highest-quality reproduction with earphone-sand serves
very well complete range of impedances from 8 up to 2000 ohms and electrostatic headphones. He
unfolds his big strength with roughly 5 watts per canal in 100 ohms.

The amplifier owns switchable entrances. Thus can be connected, e.g., CD player and TUNER at the
same time.

The circuit of the amplifier owns 4 tubes of the Type PCL 805 and prepares the signal for the output
stage tubes as OTL mode first line and support a step down / step up output transformer for STAX or
low impedance headphones.

The final tubes work constantly in Class A and are post-regulated automatically optimally in the Bias
closed current, so that tolerance and aging of the tubes do not matter.

The care tensions are won from a strong, free of litter, Torodial-Transfomator. The amplifier itself rests
on one single two-page printed circuit board and was adapted signal-technically optimally. All parts on
the PCB are of the best quality and selected carefully to do justice to the requirements of the
reproduction in every regard. The case is from metal and prevents interferences from the outside. It is
available in the colors black and silver as standard and in a new more expensive line named "IVORY
EDITION".

Like all products of AudioValve this amplifier also distinguishes itself especially by his exceptional
musicality which is based at last also on the fantastic technical values of the circuit and their stability. As
a user you will be able to enjoy this product in the highest perfection for many years enthusiastically and
come with it to the pleasure of fantastically detached musical reproduction with your headphones.

LUMINARE ultra highend headphone tube amplifier ___________________

Product Description

I do not really know why I have driven this project forward not many years ago. I think I was busy with a
lot of other developments as well as trivial things like earning money for example. Perhaps mine is
simply unaware that their headphones and amplifiers are experiencing a large hipe for years.

Anyway, the beginning of 2014 resulted in discussion with colleagues that I would have some products
in my program that seemed almost ideally suited to put with the requirements of the headphone market
apart.

No sooner said than done.

First, the IMPEDANCER befell a technical revision, it was expanding the range of applications for the
RKV Mark 2 significantly, especially as a female teflon connector for headphones STAX was inter
alternates. The bias voltage was obtained from the voltage signal, so no external power supply is in
advance required. VERTO was born and VERTO laid the foundation for all further considerations in this
topic, culminating now in the product with the name LUMINARE.

I can excuse at this point only for me actually that I started so fundamentally important development in
the headphones sector so late (I slept through) and had thus deprived the public a potentially
groundbreaking product. Many of you have their money invested now possibly poorly because there
was nothing else on the market - that really am sorry.

But now back to Luminare.

It seemed to me as the basis for such a project, the OTL circuit of the RKV downright awesome. First,
they had already claimed stable over decades in the market and on the other they had characteristics
that should prove to be just the Luminare be extremely efficient and more full development. There would
be for example the superior damping factor, low internal resistance, high bandwidth, and not least the
low harmonic distortion he always particularly distinguished the RKV.

Now it was in principle "only" about output transformers so be interconnected in the OTL principle,
which can be obtained if possible upright with transformer all these benefits. The advantage to couple a
outpt transformer to an OTL circuit is that the repercussions and influences on the circuit itself ( either
headphones or transformers ) are considerably lower. And this brings a projection on presence in the
music, the listener will appreciate very quickly.

Everything else on this project was for me then just "routine". A new circuit board develop, expand the
circuit according to the light of all electro - physical principles and my over 45 years of experience in this
topic.

And ladies and gentlemen, I am more than satisfied with my work, I hope you are there also - Helmut
Becker