Parasound HCA-600 Owner's Manual

O W N E R ‘ S M A N U A L

HCA-600 High Current Power Amplifier

Congratulations on your purchase of this precision audio component and thank you for your selection of
Parasound. Your HCA-600 is among the elite of the finest power amplifiers ever made. You have made an
outstanding investment in your musical and home theater pleasure for years to come.

Every part, every direct-coupled circuit, has been painstakingly selected for optimum musical quality on the
finest and most challenging music and loudspeaker loads. Take a look at the special features found near the
end of this manual to fully appreciate its sophisticated design.

Convenient switching permits two operating modes: as a two channel stereo amplifier or a single channel
monoblock amplifier.

The HCA-600 has greater operational flexibility and power than most other power amplifiers you may have
encountered, so please take a few moments now to read these instructions thoroughly so you may fully
understand the capabilities of your new Parasound power amplifier.

Save your carton and the packing inserts for future safe transport in case you move or your unit ever
requires shipping for repair. Note, the white printed carton is not itself strong enough for safe shipping, so
you absolutely must place it into the additional outer "overcarton" before shipment.

The AC cord is packed separately in the carton. This is a specially selected audiophile grade cord and is the
only cord we recommend for use with your HCA-600. Please don't lose it.

Before you proceed, find the serial number which is located on the rear panel of your unit and record it here
for future reference or in case of casualty loss or theft:__________________________

Unpacking

- 1 -

Rear Panel

1. Input Jacks

2. Input level controls

3. Mono bridge mode selector switch

4. Channels 1, 2 4 Ω - 8 Ω speaker terminals

5. AC cord connector

Front Panel

1. PowerSwitch

2. Standby-Operation LEDs

3. Current Overload LEDs

- 2 -

Placement of your HCA-600

Keep your Parasound HCA-600 out of direct sunlight and away from windows which could ever be left
open to let in rain. It should be placed away from heat sources such as hot air ducts or radiators.

Always place your unit horizontally. Do not place your unit directly on a carpet whose pile could interfere
with air flow into its bottom vent openings. If you place your HCA-600 on the floor near your speakers, put
its feet on a piece of wood to elevate it above the pile of the carpet. If you stack your components, it's better
to place your HCA-600 alongside your other components.

Your HCA-600 operates with high idling, or bias, current to reduce higher-order harmonic distortion. This
results in noticeably warm operation which could disturb components stacked on top of it. If it is inside a
cabinet, allow ample ventilation. You may require a small external fan to ensure adequate ventilation within
a cabinet. Very sensitive low-level sources placed too close to your HCA-600 might pick up some hum
radiated from its power supply.

Rack Mounting your HCA-600

Your HCA-600 will occupy a single rack space (1 3/4 inches) when mounted in a standard 19" wide rack.
Make sure you select heavy duty mounting bolts and nuts and use washers under the heads of the bolts to
avoid scratching your amplifier's anodized front panel. It's safest if you don't attempt to hold your unit in
place yourself while you attach the bolts and nuts.

The heat generated by your HCA-600 may require an external fan to assist air flow if you have another
component mounted directly above it in the rack.

Making Connections

Before making any signal or speaker connections, make sure your power amplifier is turned off.

When making connections, make sure there is no strain or tension on input leads or speaker wires that could
cause them to pull loose later on. You have several connection options, so please take care and do not rush.

Input Selections

Use the right and left channel RCA jacks for stereo operation. For bridged mono operation, use only the right
channel input jack and leave the left channel jack disconnected.

Speaker Connections - general recommendations

You may use solid or stranded wire up to AWG 12, 1/4" spade lugs, banana or 3/4" (19mm) dual-banana
plugs with the HCA-600 speaker terminals. If you use bare wire without plugs, make sure you strip off only
enough insulation so the bared wire fits through the hole that runs sideways through the terminal's metal
shaft. Before inserting the wire, twist all its strands tightly to prevent strays that could cause a short circuit
between + and -terminals. You may want to "tin" the stripped wire with solder to prevent it from fraying.

- 3 -