Amplifiers
User’s manual
™
2
Introduction .................................................................................................3
Safety precautions ......................................................................................4
Installation...................................................................................................5
Rear panel connections .............................................................................5
Operating instructions................................................................................ 7
Connection Diagrams................................................................................. 8
Troubleshooting.........................................................................................13
Limited warranty....................................................................................... 14
CONTENTS
Amplifiers
3
Congratulations oon ppurchasing tthis CCambridge AAudio aamplifier. IIt hhas
been ddesigned uusing tthe rresults ffrom aan eextensive RResearch &&
Development pprogram uundertaken tto iidentify tthe ccircuitry aand
components ffundamental tto oour hhighly rregarded aand ccritically
acclaimed pproducts.
This kknowledge hhas rresulted iin aa rred
uced ccomponent ccount aand sshorter
signal ppaths wwhich pprovide ffurther eenhanced pperformance aand
improved rreliability. TThe qquality aand vvalue ffor mmoney ooffered bby
Cambridge AAudio pproducts nnow ssurpasses eeven oour hhigh sstandards.
The performance of any amplifier is ultimately limited by the dynamic
abilities of its power supply, and for this reason Cambridge amplifiers
feature generously over specified power transformers, discrete diode
rectification and selected high speed reservoir capacitors. Power
regulation is also used wherever possible and our transformers are
custom designed, low flux type, allowing for the instantaneous clean
delivery of current whenever it is needed.
Particular attention has also been paid to the quality of the passive
components where close tolerance metal film resistors and audio grade
signal coupling capacitors are used throughout. Critical line level circuits
are also protected from electrical noise by our custom designed gold
plated shielding cans.
Some Cambridge Audio amplifiers also incorporate tone controls, which
may be switched out of circuit in 'direct' mode for the shortest and
therefore purest signal path. Other features include increased
protection against accidental short circuits or sudden overload and dual
sets of high current loudspeaker terminals for easy bi-wiring.
To get the absolute best from this equipment we would encourage you
to use only high quality source components. Of course we particularly
recommend tuners and digital equipment from the Cambridge Audio
range, all of which have been designed to the same exacting standards
as our amplifiers. Many types of loudspeakers were used in the
development of these amplifiers to ensure maximum compatibility with
a wide variety of designs.
Interconnects and speaker cables are also something that shouldn't be
overlooked. Please do not compromise your system's performance by
using poor quality cables to connect source components to your
amplifier or the amplifiers output to your loudspeakers. A system is only
as good as its weakest link. For this reason we do not include cheap
"freebie" cables with any of our products. Your dealer can supply good
quality Cambridge Audio interconnects and Mordaunt-Short/Gale
loudspeaker cables that will make a noticeable improvement to the
sound quality of your system.
Now wwe iinvite yyou tto ssit bback, rrelax aand eenjoy!
Matthew Bramble
Technical Director
INTRODUCTION
4
Plug ffitting iinstructions ((UK only)
The cord supplied with this appliance is factory fitted with a 13A mains plug fitted
with a 3A fuse inside. If it is necessary to change the fuse, it is important that a 3A
one is used. If the plug needs to be changed because it is not suitable for your
socket, or becomes damaged, it should be cut off and an appropriate plug fitted
following the wiring instructions below. The plug must then be disposed of safely,
as insertion into a 13A socket is likely to cause an electrical hazard. Should it be
necessary to fit a 3-pin BS mains plug to the power cord the wires should be fitted
as shown in this diagram. The colours of the wires in the mains lead of this
appliance may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the
terminals in your plug. Connect them as follows:-
The wire which is coloured BLUE must be
connected to the terminal which is marked
with the letter 'N' or coloured BLACK.
The wire which is coloured BROWN must be
connected to the terminal which is marked
with the letter 'L' or coloured RED
The wire which is coloured GREEN/YELLOW
must be connected to the terminal which is
marked with the letter 'E' or coloured
GREEN.
If your model does not have an earth wire,
then disregard this instruction.
If a 13 Amp (BS 1363) plug is used, a 3 Amp fuse must be fitted, or if any other
type of plug is used a 3 Amp or 5 Amp fuse must be fitted, either in the plug or
adaptor, or on the distribution board.
Checking tthe ppower ssupply rrating
For your own safety please read the following instructions carefully before
attempting to connect this unit to the mains.
Check that the rear of your unit indicates the correct supply voltage. If your mains
supply voltage is different, consult your dealer.
This unit is designed to operate only on the supply voltage and type that is
indicated on the rear panel of the unit. Connecting to other power sources may
damage the unit.
This equipment must be switched to Standby mode when not in use, unplugged if
not used for long periods of time, and must not be used unless correctly earthed.
To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the unit's cover (or back). There
are no user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel.
If the power cord is fitted with a moulded mains plug the unit must not be used if
the plastic fuse carrier is not in place. Should you lose the fuse carrier the correct
part must be reordered from your Cambridge Audio dealer.
The lightning flash with the arrowhead symbol within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated
'dangerous voltage' within the product's enclosure that 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 the presence of important operating and
maintenance instructions in the service literature relevant to this
appliance.
This product complies with European Low Voltage (73/23/EEC)
and Electromagnetic Compatibility (89/336/EEC) Directives
when used and installed according to this instruction manual. For
continued compliance only Cambridge Audio accessories should
be used with this product and servicing must be referred to
qualified service personnel.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Amplifiers
5
Please take a moment to read these notes before installing your
amplifier, they will enable you to get the best performance and prolong
the life of the product.
This unit should be installed on a sturdy, level surface. Due to stray
magnetic fields turntables should not be located nearby due to
interference.
The unit requires ventilation above and below. Do not situate it on a rug
or other soft surface and do not obstruct the air inlet and outlet grilles
on the underside and top cover. Do not place in an enclosed area such
as a bookcase or in a cabinet.
This unit must not be exposed to dripping or splashing water or other
liquids. No objects filled with liquid, such as vases, shall be placed on
the unit. In the event, switch off immediately, disconnect from the mains
supply and contact your dealer for advice.
Do not route the power cable so that it can be walked upon or damaged
by other items near it.
Electronic audio components have a running in period of around a week
(if used several hours per day). This will allow the new components to
settle down, the sonic properties will improve over this time.
Do not plug a source component directly into a
power
amplifier unless it
has a variable output level.
Always turn a control amplifier on before a power amplifier.
Never turn on a power amplifier when no control amplifier is connected.
It is recommended that when bi-amping, the same type power amplifiers
are used.
If you do not intend to use this unit for a long period of time, switch it off
and unplug it from the mains socket.
To clean the unit, wipe it’s case with a moist, lint-free cloth. Do not use
any cleaning fluids containing alcohol, ammonia or abrasives. Do not
spray an aerosol at or near the amplifier.
These units are not user serviceable, never attempt to repair,
disassemble or reconstruct the unit if there seems to be a problem. A
serious electric shock could result if this precautionary measure is
ignored. In the event of a problem or failure, please contact your dealer.
REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS
Note: SSome ffeatures mmay nnot aapply tto aall mmodels. RRefer tto tthe ddiagram
on yyour aaccompanying OOwners’ CCertificate.
A & C SERIES (INTEGRATED & CONTROL AMPLIFIERS)
Ground cconnection
If you are connecting a turntable to your amplifier then its ground wire
should be attached to this point.
Aux/Phono
Connect any 'line level' source equipment to these sockets i.e. CD player
or DAB tuner. Alternatively a turntable can be connected, but first a
phono stage must be installed. Please contact your Cambridge Audio
dealer who can supply and install a phono stage to your amplifier.
These
inputs aare ffor aanalog aaudio ssignals oonly. TThey sshould nnot bbe cconnected
to tthe ddigital ooutput oof aa CCD pplayer oor aany oother ddigital ddevice.
AV/DVD/MD/Tape 22
Connect a video derived audio signal to these sockets, such as the
audio monitor / receiver or Television decoder. Alternatively, any line
level audio signal may be connected here, including a second tape deck
or MiniDisc player.
INSTALLATION