ROTEL RB-985 MKII User Manual [en, de, es, fr, it]

RB-985 MKII

FIVE CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER

AMPLIFICATEUR DE PUISSANCE À CINQ CANAUX

FÜNFKANAL-ENDSTUFE

AMPLIFICATORE DI POTENZA A CINQUE CANALI

ETAPA DE POTENCIA DE CINCO CANALES

MULTI CHANNEL

POWER AMPLIFIER

RB-985 MKII

PROTECTION

F/L CTR F/R

R/L R/R

POWER

Owner’s Manual

Guide d’utilisation

Bedienungsanleitung

Manuale di Istruzioni

Manual de Instrucciones

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO

NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

APPLICABLE FOR USA, CANADA OR WHERE
APPROVED FOR THE USAGE

CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE
OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT. INSERT FULLY.

ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES,
INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE
DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET
POUSSER JUSQU AU FOND.

WARNING:
There are no user serviceable parts inside. Refer all servicing to
qualified service personnel.

WARNING:
To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not expose the unit
to moisture or water. Do not allow foreign objects to get into the
enclosure. If the unit is exposed to moisture, or a foreign object
gets into the enclosure, immediately disconnect the power cord
from the wall. Take the unit to a qualified service person for in­spection and necessary repairs.

Read all the instructions before connecting or operating the unit. Keep this
manual so you can refer to these safety instructions.

Heed all warnings and safety information in these instructions and on the
product itself. Follow all operating instructions.

Clean the unit only with a dry cloth or a vacuum cleaner.

This symbol is to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated dangerous
voltages inside the product's enclosure
that may constitute a risk of electric shock.

This symbol is to alert the user to important
operating and maintenance (service)
instructions in this manual and literature
accompanying the product.

You must allow 10cm, or 4 inches, of unobstructed clearance around the unit.
Do not place the unit on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that could block the
ventilation slots. If the unit is placed in a bookcase or cabinet, there must be
sufficient clearance around the unit and ventilation of the cabinet to allow
proper cooling.

Keep the unit away from radiators, heat registers, stoves, or any other
appliance that produces heat.

The unit must be connected to a power supply only of the type and voltage
specified on the rear panel of the unit.

Connect the unit to the power outlet only with the supplied 2-pin polarized
power supply cable or an exact equivalent. Do not modify the supplied cable in
any way. Do not attempt to defeat grounding and/or polarization provisions. The
cable should be connected to a 2-pin polarized wall outlet, matching the wide
blade of the plug to the wide slot of the receptacle. Do not use extension cords.

Do not route the power cord where it will be crushed, pinched, bent at severe
angles, exposed to heat, or damaged in any way. Pay particular attention to the
power cord at the plug and where it exits the back of the unit.

The power cord should be unplugged from the wall outlet if the unit is to be left
unused for a long period of time.

Immediately stop using the unit and have it inspected and/or serviced by a
qualified service agency if:

• The power supply cord or plug has been damaged.

• Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled, into the unit.

• The unit has been exposed to rain.

• The unit shows signs of improper operation

• The unit has been dropped or damaged in any way

Place the unit on a fixed, level surface strong
enough to support its weight. Do not place the
unit on a moveable cart that could tip over.

Figure 1: Controls and Connections

Commandes et prises
Bedienelemente und Anschlüsse
Controlli e collegamenti
Controles y Conexiones

FIVE CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER RB-985 MKII

MULTI CHANNEL

POWER AMPLIFIER

RB-985 MKII

PROTECTION

F/L CTR F/R

R/L R/R

POWER

5

RIGHT

SURROUND FRONT

Manufactured under license from

Lucasfilm Ltd. Lucasfilm and THX are

registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd.

POWER AMPLIFIER

MODEL NO. RB-985MKII

POWER CONSUMPTION: 800W

RIGHT

SURROUND

7

FRONT

1 32

5 56

INPUT

CENTER

SPEAKER IMPEDANCE

4 OHMS MINIMUM

SPEAKERS

CENTER

7 7

DB25 INPUT

WARNING:TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE

OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE
THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

LEFT

FRONT

SURROUND

LEFT

SURROUNDFRONT

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE–NE PAS OUVRIR

SERIAL NO.

4

Figure 2: Preamp Input and Speaker Output Connections

Prises d’entrée du préamplificateur et prises de sortie des enceintes
Anschlußdiagramm (Cinch-Eingänge und Lautsprecher)
Collegamenti di ingresso dal preamplificatore e delle uscite dei diffusori.
Conexiones de la Señal de Entrada y Salidas a las Cajas Acústicas

PREAMPLIFIER OR SIGNAL PROCESSOR

OUTPUTS

L

R

FRONT

SURROUND

CENTER

RIGHT SURROUND

RIGHT

SURROUND FRONT

Manufactured under license from

Lucasfilm Ltd. Lucasfilm and THX are

registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd.

POWER AMPLIFIER

MODEL NO. RB-985MKII

POWER CONSUMPTION: 800W

RIGHT

SURROUND

FRONT

INPUT

CENTER

SPEAKER IMPEDANCE

4 OHMS MINIMUM

SPEAKERS

CENTER

RIGHT FRONT CENTER

DB25 INPUT

WARNING:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE
OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE
THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

LEFT

SURROUND

FRONT

ROTEL RB-985 MKII

LEFT

SURROUNDFRONT

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

AVIS:

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE–NE PAS OUVRIR

SERIAL NO.

LEFT SURROUND

DO NOT OPEN

LEFT FRONT

English

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Contents (circled numbers refer to illustration)

About Rotel __________________________________________ 1
About the THX Ultra™ System ________________________ 1
Getting Started ______________________________________ 2

A Few Precautions 2

Placement 2

Power and Control ___________________________________ 2

Power Input

Power Switch

Protection Circuitry

4

1

and Power Indicator

3

2

Input Signal Connection ______________________________ 3

Input Signal Connection

DB25 Connector Input

5

6

Speaker Connection __________________________________ 3

Speaker Selection 3

Speaker Wire Selection 3

Polarity and Phasing 3

Speaker Connection

7

Troubleshooting ______________________________________ 4

Front Panel Power Indicator Is Not Lit 4

Fuse Replacement 4

No Sound 4

Protection Indicator Is Lit 4

Specifications _______________________________________ 25

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2

2

3

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About Rotel

A family whose passionate interest in music led them to manufac­ture high fidelity components of uncompromising quality founded
Rotel over 30 years ago. Through the years that passion has re­mained undiminished and the family goal of providing exceptional
value for audiophiles and music lovers, regardless of their budget,
is shared by all Rotel employees.

The engineers work as a close team, listening to, and fine tuning
each new product until it reaches their exacting musical stan­dards. They are free to choose components from around the
world in order to make that product the best they can. You are
likely to find capacitors from the United Kingdom and Germany,
semi conductors from Japan or the United States, while toroidal
power transformers are manufactured in Rotel’s own factory.

Rotel’s reputation for excellence has been earned through hun­dreds of good reviews and awards from the most respected re­viewers in the industry, who listen to music every day. Their
comments keep the company true to its goal – the pursuit of
equipment that is musical, reliable and affordable.

All of us at Rotel thank you for buying this product and hope it will
bring you many hours of enjoyment.

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About the THX Ultra™ System

THX is an exclusive set of standards and technologies established
by the world-renowned film production company, Lucasfilms Ltd.
THX grew from George Lucas' personal desire to make your expe­rience of the film soundtrack, in both movie theaters and in your
home theater, as faithful as possible to what the director intended.

Movie sound tracks are mixed in special movie theaters called
dubbing stages and are designed to be played back in movie the­aters with similar equipment and conditions. The soundtrack cre­ated for movie theaters is then transferred directly onto Laserdisc,
VHS tape, DVD, etc., and is not changed for playback in a small
home theater environment. THX engineers developed patented
technologies to accurately translate the sound from the movie
theater environment into the home, correcting the tonal and spa­tial errors that occur.

Before any home theater component can be THX Ultra certified, it
must incorporate the THX technologies and also pass a rigorous
series of quality and performance tests. Only then can a product
feature the THX Ultra logo, which is your guarantee that the Home
Theater products you purchase will give you superb performance
for many years to come.

Lucasfilm and THX are trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd.
All rights reserved

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Getting Started

Thank you for purchasing the Rotel RB-985 MKII Power Amplifier.
When used in a high-quality music or home theater system, it will
provide years of musical enjoyment.

The RB-985 MKII is a high-power, five-channel power amplifier,
providing the highest level of audio performance. Discrete output
devices, a massive power supply, premium components, and
Rotel’s Balanced Design ensure superb sound quality. High cur­rent capability allows the RB-985 MKII to drive the most demand­ing loudspeakers.

Be aware that the RB-985 MKII is capable of high power levels, in
excess of 100 watts per channel. Make sure that your speakers
can handle the power of the RB-985 MKII. If in doubt about your
speakers, ask your authorized Rotel dealer for advice.

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English

Most likely, you will never see this protection circuitry in action.
However, should a faulty condition arise, the amplifier will stop
playing and an LED indicator on the front panel will light up.

If this happens, turn the amplifier off, let it cool down for several
minutes, and attempt to identify and correct the problem that
caused the protection circuitry to engage. When you turn the am­plifier back on, the protection circuit will automatically reset and
the indicator LED should go out.

In most cases, the protection circuitry activates because of a fault
condition such as shorted speaker wires, or inadequate ventila­tion leading to an overheating condition. In very rare cases, highly
reactive or extremely low impedance speaker loads could cause
the protection circuit to engage.

If the protection circuitry triggers repeatedly and you are unable
to isolate and correct the faulty condition, contact your Rotel au­dio retailer for assistance in troubleshooting.

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Input Signal Connection

[See Figure 2 for wiring illustration.]

The RB-985 MKII has conventional RCA type input connectors, the
type found on nearly all audio equipment.

Note: Do not connect inputs to both the RCA and DB25 inputs.
(See the following section.) Use one or the other.
Note: To prevent loud noises that neither you nor your speakers
will appreciate, make sure the amplifier is turned off when you
make any signal connections.

Use high quality audio interconnect cables. Connect the various
outputs of your preamplifier or signal processor to the corre­sponding inputs of the RB-985 MKII . Check these connections
carefully to be sure there are no incorrect connections.

DB25 Connector Input

The RB-985 MKII is also equiped with a DB25 type input. This input
is typically only used in professionally-installed custom systems.
The DB25 input duplicates the function of the five RCA inputs. For
information regarding how to use this input, contact your nearest
authorized Rotel service center.

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Speaker Connection

Speaker Selection

We recommend using loudspeakers with a nominal impedance of
4 ohms or higher with the RB-985 MKII. You should exercise some
caution in driving multiple pairs of speakers in parallel configura­tion, because the effective impedance the amplifier sees is cut in
half. For example, when driving two pair of 8 ohm speakers, the
amplifier sees a 4 ohm load. When driving multiple speakers in
parallel, it is recommended that you select speakers with a nomi­nal impedance of 8 ohms or higher. Speaker impedance ratings
are less than precise. In practice, very few loudspeakers will
present any problems for the RB-985 MKII. See your authorized
Rotel dealer if you have any questions.

Speaker Wire Selection

Use insulated two-conductor stranded wire to connect the RB-985
MKII to the speakers. The size and quality of the wire can have an
audible effect on the performance of the system. Standard
speaker wire will work, but can result in lower output or dimin­ished bass response, particularly over longer distances. In gen­eral, heavier wire will improve the sound. For best performance,
you may want to consider special high-quality speaker cables.
Your authorized Rotel dealer can help in the selection of appropri­ate cables for your system.

Polarity and Phasing

The polarity — the positive/negative orientation of the connec­tions — for every speaker and amplifier connection must be con­sistent so all the speakers will be in phase. If the polarity of one
connection is mistakenly reversed, bass output will be very weak
and stereo imaging degraded. All wire is marked so you can iden­tify the two conductors. There may be ribs or a stripe on the insu­lation of one conductor. The wire may have clear insulation with
different color conductors (copper and silver). There may be po­larity indications printed on the insulation. Identify the positive
and negative conductors and be consistent with every speaker
and amplifier connection.

Speaker Connection

The RB-985 MKII has five pairs of color coded binding posts on
the back panel. These connectors accept bare wire, connector
lugs, or dual banana type connectors (except in the European
Community countries where their use is not permitted).

The negative connectors for all the channels are black. The posi­tive connectors for the right front and surround speakers are red.
The positive connectors for the left front and surround speakers
are blue. The positive connector for the center speaker is green.

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FIVE CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER RB-985 MKII

Route the wire from the RB-985 MKII to the speakers. Give your­self enough slack so you can move the components enough to al­low access to the speaker connectors.

If you are using dual banana plugs, connect them to the wires and
then plug into the backs of the binding posts. The hexagonal
thumbscrews of the binding posts should be screwed in all the
way (clockwise).

If you are using terminal lugs, connect them to the wires. If you
are attaching bare wires directly to the binding posts, separate
the wire conductors and strip back the insulation from the end of
each conductor. Be careful not to cut into the wire strands. Un­screw (turn counterclockwise) the binding post hexagonal thumb­screws. Place the connector lug or wire around the binding post
shaft. Turn the hexagonal thumbscrews clockwise to clamp the
connector lug or wire firmly in place.

Note:

Be sure there are no loose wire strands that could touch

adjacent wires or connectors.

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Troubleshooting

Most difficulties in audio systems are the result of poor or wrong
connections, or improper control settings. If you encounter prob­lems, isolate the area of the difficulty, check the control settings,
determine the cause of the fault and make the necessary
changes. If you are unable to get sound from the RB-985 MKII, re­fer to the suggestions for the following conditions:

Front Panel Power Indicator Is Not Lit

No main power to the RB-985 MKII. Check the front panel power
switch. Make sure that it is set to the on position. Check power
connections at the amplifier and the outlet.

Fuse Replacement

If everything checks out correctly and you still cannot get the am­plifier to turn on, the internal power fuse may have blown. If you
believe this has happened, contact your authorized Rotel dealer
for information on where to take your amplifier to get the fuse re­placed.

No Sound

If the amp is getting power, but is producing no sound, check the
Protection indicator on the front panel. If it is lit, see below. If not,
check all of your connections and control settings on associated
components.

Protection Indicator Is Lit

The front panel indicator lights when the RB-985 MKII protection
circuits have shut off the amplifier. Typically, this occurs only
when the ventilation openings are blocked, when there is faulty
speaker wiring, or after a period of extreme use. Turn off the sys­tem and wait for the amp to cool. Then push the front panel power
switch in and out to reset the protection devices. If the problem is
not corrected or reoccurs, there is a problem with the system or
the amplifier itself.

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Français

3

AVERTISSEMENT

Il n’y a à l’intérieur de cet appareil aucune pièce utilisable par
l’usager. Confier les réparations à un technicien qualifié.

AVERTISSEMENT

Pour réduire les risques d’incendie et de décharge électrique, on ne
doit pas exposer l’amplificateur à l’humidité ou à l’eau. On ne doit
pas permettre à des objets de pénétrer à l’intérieur de l’appareil.
S’il a été exposé à l’humidité ou si un objet y a pénétré,
débrancher immédiatement l’appareil et le faire inspecter ou
réparer par un technicien qualifié.

Lire attentivement toutes les consignes avant de brancher l’amplificateur. Con­server ce guide de façon à pouvoir consulter les consignes de sécurité qui y
sont données.

Lire attentivement toutes les mises en garde et les consignes de sécurité que
l’on retrouve dans ce guide d’utilisation et à l’arrière de l’appareil. On doit res­pecter les consignes d’utilisation de l’appareil.

Pour nettoyer l’appareil, n’utiliser qu’un chiffon sec ou un aspirateur.

Vous devez laisser libre tout autour de l’appareil un espace d’au moins 10 cm.
Ne posez pas l’appareil sur un lit, un canapé, une moquette épaisse, ou toute
autre surface non plane et rigide susceptible d’obstruer les ouïes d’aération. Si
l’appareil est placé dans une bibliothèque ou un meuble, il doit y avoir un
espace suffisant autour de lui et le meuble doit être ventilé s’il est clos.

Ne pas placer l’amplificateur près d’un radiateur, d’une bouche de chaleur, d’un
poêle ou d’un autre appareil qui produit de la chaleur.

L’amplificateur RB-985MKII ne doit être branché que dans une prise
de courant dont la tension correspond à celle qui est indiquée à
l’arrière de l’appareil.

N’utiliser que le cordon d’alimentation doté de fiches à 2 broches polarisées
fourni avec l’appareil ou un câble identique. On ne doit jamais modifier le cor­don d’alimentation fourni avec l’appareil, rendre inopérante la prise de terre ou
inverser la polarité des broches sur la prise. Le câble d’alimentation devrait
être branché dans une prise murale polarisée à deux broches. La broche la
plus large doit pénétrer dans l’orifice le plus large de la prise murale. Ne pas
utiliser de cordon de prolongation.

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Table des matières

(les chiffres encerclés sont des renvois aux illustrations)

Un mot sur Rotel _____________________________________ 6

MC

Un mot sur le système THX Ultra

___________________________________

Préliminaire __________________________________________ 6

Quelques précautions à prendre 6

Positionnement 7

Alimentation et commutateur général _________________ 7

Prise pour cordon d’alimentation

1

Commutateur général

témoin d’alimentation

et

2

4

Circuit de protection

Prises d’entrée _______________________________________ 8

Prises d’entrée

Branchement de la prise d’entrée DB25

5

6

Branchement des enceintes ___________________________ 8

Choix des enceintes 8

Choix des câbles d’enceintes 8

Polarité et mise en phase 8

Branchement des enceintes

7

Dépannage __________________________________________ 9

Le témoin d’alimentation ne s’allume pas 9

Remplacement du fusible 9

Absence de son 9

Le témoin de protection est allumé 9

Fiche technique _____________________________________ 25

6

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8

8

9

On ne doit pas passer le cordon d’alimentation de l’appareil dans un endroit où
il pourrait être écrasé, pincé, replié sur lui-même, exposé à la chaleur ou
endommagé. On doit porter une attention particulière aux deux extrémités du
cordon, là où l’on retrouve les deux prises.

L’appareil devrait être débranché de la prise murale s’il n’est pas utilisé pen­dant de longues périodes.

On doit immédiatement fermer l’appareil et le faire inspecter ou réparer par un
technicien qualifié si :

• Le cordon d’alimentation ou ses prises sont endommagés.

• Des objets ont pénétré dans l’appareil ou du liquide s’y est répandu.

• L’appareil a été exposé à la pluie.

• L’appareil montre des signes de mauvais fonctionnement.

• L’appareil a été échappé ou endommagé.

Placer l’amplificateur RB-985MKII sur une surface de niveau et suffisamment
solide pour supporter le poids de l’appareil. Ne pas placer l’appareil sur un
chariot mobile qui pourrait basculer.

5