Constellation Inspiration Integrated 1.0 Owner's Manual

Contents

Page Topic
3 Warranty information
4 Before you install the Inspiration Integrated

Unpacking
Installation notes
In the event of malfunction

5 Input and output connections

XLR inputs
RCA inputs
Speaker outputs
Headphone output
XLR output
AC power input
RS 232 / control
USB / control
Trigger output

9 Controls / displays / indicators

Front panel knobs and buttons
Rear panel controls

11 Remote control
12 Control screens
14 Step-by-step operating procedure
15 Maintenance
15 Troubleshooting

CAUTION: NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. Do not open the amplifier chassis or remove any of its

screws. Contact Constellation or your dealer if you have service needs.
WARNING: Do not expose this amplifier to moisture or excessive humidity, and do not use it outdoors. Fire
hazard may result.

The lightning flash with arrowhead, within an
equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the us­er to the presence of uninsulated dangerous
voltage within the product enclosure that may
be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk
of electrical shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the literature accom­panying the appliance.

Limited warranty

Dear purchaser

This product has been designed and manufactured to the highest quality standards. Howev­er, if something does go wrong with this product, Constellation and its national distributors
warrant the replacement of defective parts including labor (exclusions may apply) in any
country served by an official Constellation distributor. This limited warranty is valid for a
period of 3 years from the date of purchase.

Terms and conditions

1. The warranty is limited to the repair of the equipment. In the event that your equipment requires service, the
customer must first obtain a return authorization from Constellation or its authorized distributor. The custom­er is responsible for returning the equipment to Constellation or its authorized distributor. In the event that the
repair is determined to be under warranty, Constellation will return the equipment to the customer at no
charge. Except as indicated, neither transportation, shipping, nor any other costs, nor any risk for removal,
transportation and installation of products are covered by this warranty.

2. With the exception explained below, this warranty is only valid for the original owner. It is not transferable.
It is valid only when purchased from an authorized Constellation dealer or distributor. A valid receipt show­ing the purchaser’s name, date of purchase, and dealer information must be submitted with all warranty
claims.

2A. In the event that this equipment is purchased as a used or trade-in equipment from an authorized Con­stellation dealer or distributor, the second owner shall receive the balance of the original warranty based
upon the original date of purchase. Valid receipts showing the purchaser’s name, date of purchase, and
dealer information for the current owner and the original purchase must be submitted with all warranty
claims.

3. This warranty will not be applicable in cases other than defects in materials and/or workmanship at the time
of purchase and will not be applicable for damages caused by incorrect installation, connection or packing; for
damages caused by any use other than correct use described in the user manual; for damages caused by negli­gence, modifications, or use of parts that are not made or authorized by Constellation, LLC; for damages
caused by faulty or unsuitable ancillary equipment; for damages caused by accidents, lightning, water, fire,
heat, extreme weather condition, war, public disturbances or any other cause beyond the reasonable control of
Constellation and its appointed distributors; for products whose serial number has been altered, deleted, re­moved or made illegible; or if repairs or modifications have been executed by an unauthorized person.

4. This guarantee complements any national/regional law obligations of dealers or national distributors and
does not affect your statutory rights as a customer.

5. Unauthorized dismantling of this product will render this warranty void.

6. Constellation strives to manufacture the very finest possible equipment, and therefore reserves the right to
make changes or improvements without notice.

Before you install the Inspiration Integrated

Unpacking

Take care when you remove the Inspiration Integrated from its packaging. Because of its machined aluminum
chassis components and large transformer and heat sinks, it is heavier than you might expect. Have an extra
person nearby to help if you need it. You may wish to use gloves to protect your fingers and avoid leaving fin­gerprints on the surface.

Installation notes

To avoid noise, the Inspiration Integrated uses passive cooling with no internal fans. It must be located in an
area with adequate ventilation so that cool air can flow through its heat sinks. There should be at least 6 in/15
cm of clearance between the sides and top of the integrated amp and the nearest wall or cabinet. If the Inspira­tion Integrated is installed in a cabinet or an equipment closet, ensure adequate ventilation. Installation in an
unventilated cabinet or closet may cause the Inspiration Integrated to overheat, reducing its lifespan.

The Inspiration Integrated requires a room-temperature environment to operation properly. Ambient tempera­ture should be about 70°F/21°C, plus or minus 10°F/5°C. Never install the Inspiration Integrated in a place
where it may be exposed to direct sunlight, and do not install it next to a heater, radiator, air conditioner, etc.

Make sure the Inspiration Integrated will not be exposed to moisture. Do not locate it in an area where it might
be spilled on, and do not place it in a humid location (such as an unfinished basement).

Before you make or change any connections to the Inspiration Integrated, be sure to turn off the master power
switch on the back panel and let the unit cool down for at least 1 minute.

When you connect or disconnect the AC cord, always grasp it by the plug, not by the cord itself. Pulling the
plug out by the cord can damage the cord, the AC socket, and/or the Inspiration Integrated.

Installing the Inspiration Integrated in a place where it will be exposed to direct sunlight or moisture, or where
it will not have adequate ventilation, will void your warranty.

Use of external amplifiers and subwoofers

The Inspiration Integrated is equipped with XLR line-level outputs. These allow you to connect a separate,
more powerful amplifier, such as our Hercules or Centaur amps; to connect a second amplifier to drive a sec­ond speaker system in another room; or to connect a powered subwoofer. Should the device you’re connecting
to have only RCA line-level inputs, you’ll have to use XLR-to-RCA adapters between the Inspiration Integrated
and the connected device. Please consult your Constellation dealer if you need adapters.

BE VERY CAUTIOUS if you intend to connect the speaker outputs of the Inspiration Integrated to the
speaker-level input of a powered subwoofer or subwoofer amplifier. It could result in serious damage to
the Inspiration Integrated. Before attempting this, read the full explanation on page 6.

Source components

The Inspiration Integrated has four analog audio inputs—two balanced (XLR) and two unbalanced (RCA)—
and can be used with any audio source component with line-level analog outputs. An XLR connection will pro­vide the highest quality signal, and should be used when possible. If you are using a record turntable, you will
need to connect a high-quality phono preamp, such as the Constellation Perseus, between the turntable and the
Inspiration Integrated.

In the event of malfunction

Do not under any circumstances open the chassis of the Inspiration Integrated. There are no user-serviceable
parts inside. Opening the chassis can present a shock hazard even if the AC power is disconnected. Any altera­tion or modification of the Inspiration Integrated’s internal parts or circuit will void your warranty. If your In­spiration Integrated does not function correctly, refer to the Troubleshooting section at the end of this manual.
If you are still unable to resolve the problem, contact your Constellation dealer. If liquid is spilled on the Inspi­ration Integrated, or if any metal object (such as a staple or a paper clip) is inadvertently forced inside, immedi­ately disconnect the AC power and contact your Constellation dealer.

Input and output connections

1. XLR inputs

On the rear of the Inspiration Integrated are four XLR inputs, two on each side. As you are looking at the rear panel, the
left two XLR inputs are for the right channel, the right two inputs are for the left channel. Underneath each jack is the cor­responding input number. Use of XLR connections is recommended for the best possible audio quality. To remove an
XLR plug, push on the tab above the jack and pull the plug out.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To preserve true dual-mono operation, the Inspiration Integrated uses a symmetrical circuit layout.
This configuration requires that the amplifier’s back panel connections be laid out a little differently from those on most
integrated amps. For example, the left-channel connection for Input 1 is on the right side of the back panel, and the right­channel connection is at the left side. Connecting the cables in the usual side-by-side fashion will result in an incorrect in­stallation and the mixing of sounds from different source devices.

2. RCA inputs

These unbalanced inputs are provided as a convenience for use with unbalanced signal sources. Whenever possible, we
recommend using XLR connections instead. Connecting to an unbalanced source is handled in the same way an XLR bal­anced source. To remove an RCA plug, grasp the plug and pull it out. Do not pull on the cable.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To preserve true dual-mono operation, the Inspiration Integrated uses a symmetrical circuit layout.
This configuration requires that the amplifier’s back panel connections be laid out a little differently from those on most
integrated amps. For example, the left-channel connection for Input 1 is on the right side of the back panel, and the right­channel connection is at the left side. Connecting the cables in the usual side-by-side fashion will result in an incorrect in­stallation and the mixing of sounds from different source devices.