Constellation Taurus Owner's Manual
Thank you for purchasing the Constellation Taurus power amplifier.
You are now the owner of one of the finest amplifiers ever built. Please take a few minutes to
read this manual before you use the amplifier. Because of its uncompromised design, it requires
extra care in installation in order to deliver maximum performance. This is especially true of the
Taurus Mono, which delivers double the power of the Taurus. A few extra minutes of reading
will lead to many years of greater musical enjoyment.
Contents
Page Topic
3 Warranty information
4 Before you install the Taurus
Unpacking
Installation notes
In the event of malfunction
5 Input and output connections
XLR and RCA inputs
Speaker outputs
AC power input
RS 232, USB and Trigger input
8 Controls / displays / indicators
Front panel
Rear panel
9 Step-by-step operating procedure
10 Maintenance
11 Troubleshooting
13 Specifications
14 For more information
2
Limited warranty
New Constellation Audio products are warranted to be free from manufacturing defects for ninety (90) days
from date of purchase from an authorized dealer or distributor. If the product is registered on our website:
https://www.constellationaudio.com/warranty/register within this period, the warranty shall be extended to
three (3) years from the original date of sale. The warranty includes parts and labor. Complete warranty details
are on the included warranty card.
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.
3
Before you install the Taurus
Unpacking
DO NOT lift the Taurus amplifier by the power button on the front panel. Lift it
only by the side edges as described below and shown at right.
At nearly 100 pounds each, the Taurus is too heavy for one person to lift safely. Two
strong people are required to lift each amplifier and to move it from place to place.
Likewise, do not place these amplifiers on surfaces that cannot safely support their
weight. Lightweight furniture and equipment racks should not be used to support
these amplifiers.
Lift each amplifier by hooking your fingers under the side edges, as indicated by the
arrows in the photos at right. It’s a good idea to wear soft gloves to protect your fingers and help avoid fingerprints on the amplifier.
AC connection
For best performance, each amplifier should be plugged into its own dedicated 15- or
20-amp AC outlet, with no other component but the amplifier connected to that AC circuit. It is especially important to provide a dedicated AC output if the amplifier is used with a speaker that has impedance dips down
into the 2- or 3-ohm range at certain frequencies, a high-level signal at these frequencies can draw potential
peaks well over 1,000 watts per channel. Do not plug the amplifier(s) into a power strip or AC line conditioner—few such products are designed to handle the current that these amps can pull.
While it may be tempting to plug two Taurus Monos into a single AC circuit, we strongly caution against it,
especially if you have 15-amp AC circuits. A single 15-amp circuit provides only 1,800 watts of power, which
isn’t sufficient to allow two Taurus Monos to reach their peak output capability, especially with low–impedance speakers. Not only will sound quality suffer, your listening sessions will likely be interrupted often when
the Taurus Monos’ considerable power draw trips your home’s circuit breaker.
Before you make or change any connections to the Taurus, 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 amplifier.
Location
The Taurus must be installed in an area with adequate ventilation. There should be at least 6 in/15 cm of clearance between the vents on the side of the amplifier(s) and the nearest wall or cabinet. Ensure that no curtains
or shades can be lowered in a way that will block the amplifier’s vents. If the amplifier is installed in a cabinet
or in an equipment closet, ensure that the cabinet/closet has adequate ventilation. Installation in an unventilated cabinet or closet may cause the amplifier to overheat.
The amplifier 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 amplifier in a place where it may be exposed to
direct sunlight, and do not install it next to a room heater, radiator, air conditioner, etc. Ambient temperature
can rise even more quickly with two Taurus Monos, so if you place both of them in an enclosed or tight space,
make extra sure to provide plenty of ventilation and air flow.
Make sure that the amplifier 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).
Installing the Taurus 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.
4
Speakers
The Taurus produces sufficient voltage and current to drive practically any loudspeaker made, regardless of the
speaker’s impedance, sensitivity or power rating. However, the Taurus Stereo and, especially, the Taurus Mono
have enough power to damage some loudspeakers if used carelessly. When you turn up the volume on your preamp, do it gradually. If you hear distortion, crackling noises, or mechanical thumps from the speaker, turn the volume down immediately. You can best appreciate the Taurus’s performance by connecting it to a full-range
loudspeakers. It will sound excellent with small speakers, too, but if you use small speakers, avoid turning the volume to maximum. Constellation Audio is not responsible for damage of any speaker connected to the Taurus.
Before you make or change any speaker connections, be sure to turn off the master power switch on the back panel
and let the unit cool down for at least 1 minute.
BE VERY CAUTIOUS if you intend to connect the output of the Taurus to the speaker-level input of a powered
subwoofer or subwoofer amplifier. It could result in serious damage to the Taurus amplifier. Before attempting
this, read the full explanation on page 6.
In the event of malfunction
Do not under any circumstances open the cabinet of the amplifier. There are no user-serviceable parts inside.
Opening the cabinet can present a shock hazard even if the AC power is disconnected. Any alteration or modification of the amplifier’s internal parts or circuit will immediately void your warranty. If your amplifier 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 Audio dealer. If any liquid is spilled on the amp, or if any metal object
(such as a staple or a paper clip) is inadvertently forced in through the vents, immediately disconnect the AC power and contact your Constellation Audio dealer.
Input and output connections
1. BAL input
Use this XLR balanced input for connection to balanced-output preamps
of other brands. To select this input, set the input switch to BAL (upper
position). To remove the XLR plug, push on the tab above the jack and
pull the plug out.
2. Direct input
Use this XLR balanced input only with the Constellation Audio Pictor,
Virgo, Altair or Inspiration Preamp 1.0 preamps. This connection forms
Constellation Direct—an interface that is precisely balanced, and which
bypasses the Taurus’s input stage. To select this input, set the input switch
to Direct (middle position). To remove the XLR plug, push on the tab
above the jack and pull the plug out.
3. RCA input
This input is provided as a convenience.
Use it if you elect to feed the amplifier
with an unbalanced signal source. To
select this input, set the input switch to
RCA (lower position). However, to get
the best performance from the Taurus
you must use an XLR input.
Taurus Mono inputs
Taurus Stereo inputs
5
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