Parasound HCA-2003 Owners manual

O W N E R ' S M A N U A L

HCA-2003 High Current Multi Amplifier

LUCASFILM

LUCASFILM

¤

®

Congratulations on your purchase of this precision audio component and thank you for your selection of
Parasound. Your HCA-2003 was designed by renowned circuit designer John Curl to meet or surpass
the stringent standards required by Lucasfilm for use in THX Home Cinema systems. Each part within
your HCA-2003 has been painstakingly selected for optimum sound quality on even the most
challenging music and film soundtracks. Please take a few moments to read these instructions so you
may fully understand the capabilities of your new Parasound power amplifier.

U

L

LUCASFILM

ulti Am

M

L

I

F

S

A

C

d

a

rlo

e

v

t O

n

rre

u

C

Current Overload

1

H

CH 1

C

3

H

CH 3

C

2

H

CH 2

C

ra

e

p

O

Operation

n

ta

Stand by

S

igh Current M

A-2003 H

C

H

HCA-2003 High Current Multi Amplifier

r

e

w

o

P

Power

n

tio

y

b

d

plifier

Unpacking Your HCA-2003

The HCA-2003 is packed in two cartons. To unpack the amplifier, open both cartons and use the front
and rear handles to facilitate remove of the HCA-2003 from its inner carton. Be careful not to cut or
scratch yourself on the exposed extruded metal heatsinks on either side of the unit. Save your cartons
and packing inserts for safe transport in case you move or if the unit ever requires shipping. Due to the
weight of the HCA-2003, the white inner carton is not strong enough for safe shipping by itself. You
must place it into the additional outer carton before shipment. The audiophile grade AC cord is packed
separately in the inner carton. This is the only cord we recommend for use with your HCA-2003.
Please take the time now to find the serial number located on the rear panel of your unit. Record it here
for future reference or in case of casualty loss or theft:

Serial Number: _____________

-1-

Placement of Your HCA-2003

Place your HCA-2003 away from heat sources such as air ducts or radiators. Always mount the
HCA-2003 horizontally and make sure that your cabinet or shelf can support its weight. It is best to
provide a separate shelf for your HCA-2003 rather that stacking it directly above or below your other
components.

Rack Mounting Your HCA-2003

Your HCA-2003 can be mounted into a standard 19 inch equipment rack and will occupy four rack
spaces. If you decide to rack mount your HCA-2003, make sure you select heavy duty mounting bolts
and nuts and use nylon washers under the heads of the bolts to avoid scratching the amplifier’s front
panel. Do not attempt to hold your unit in place yourself while you attach the bolts and nuts. Have
someone help support the unit as it is being fastened to the rack rails.

Ventilation Requirements for Your HCA-2003

Your Parasound power amplifier is designed to operate with high idling, or bias, current to reduce
higher-order harmonic distortion. This bias optimization of all Parasound power amplifiers results in
noticeably warm operation even when no signal is present. This is a normal condition. While many
other amplifier manufacturers have chosen to bias their amplifiers at a lower level to run cooler, we
bias our amplifiers so the output transistors are allowed to operate in a much more linear region.
Although the amplifier may run a little warmer than other amplifiers, we feel the resulting sonic
improvements are significant and more than justified.

To insure safe and reliable operation, it is very important that the amplifier has plenty of ventilation to
prevent overheating and automatic shut down from its thermal protection circuitry. Please observe the
following ventilation guidelines when installing your Parasound power amplifier in a cabinet or other
enclosed area:

1. If you are not using a fan, allow at least six inches on each side and above the amplifier, and
do not close off the front with a cabinet door or panel.

2. If you are enclosing the amplifier in an equipment cabinet, use a fan to draw in cool air and
exhaust warm air. In either case, two vent holes are required: one for intake and one for exhaust.

3. Do not place the amplifier on carpeting which will obstruct the air flow into the bottom of the
amplifier chassis and heatsinks.

4. If you plan on stacking power amplifiers, you must use a fan to circulate the warm air that quickly
becomes trapped between them.

Minimum Impedance Precautions

You may connect loudspeakers with a 4 Ω or 8 Ω nominal impedance for normal operation. Your
HCA-2003 is capable of driving speakers with occasional impedance dips well below 2 Ω. However,
sustained high power operation into loads of less than 4 Ω may cause overheating and is not
recommended.

-2-

HCA-2003 Front and Rear Panel Drawings

Input Connectors

and Level Controls

LUCASFILM

Manufactured under license
from LucasArts Entertainment
Company. U.S. and Foreign
Patents pending. Lucasfilm
THX Audioand Home THX
Symbols are Trademarks of
LucasArts Entertainment
CompanyLucasfilm is a
Trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd.

WARNING:
TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK
HAZARD.DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
UNIT TO RAINOR MOISTURE.

CAUTION:
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOTREMOVE COVER. NO USER
SERVICEABLEPARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TOQUALIFIED SERVICE
PERSONNEL.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

Channel 1

Input

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

THX
Level

Input

Channel 2

THX
Level

Input

Speaker Connectors

Figure #1 HCA-2003 Rear Panel

Channel 3

THX
Level

HCA - 2003

High Current Multi-Amplifier
Parasound Products, Inc
San Francisco, CA U.S.A.

Fuse 15 A

Power

AC 120V

60Hz

Power Consumption: 1320 W

AC Cord Connector

Main Fuse

Carry Handle

Standby/Operation

LEDs

O

S

peration

tand by

HCA-2003 High Current Multi Amplifier

er

ow

P

LUCASFILMLUCASFILM

Power Switch

Figure #2 HCA-2003 Front Panel

-3-

verload

urrent O

C

1

H

C

3

H

C

2

H

C

Current Overload LEDs

Rack
Mount Holes

Carry Handle