Sonic Frontiers SFC-1 Owners manual

2790 Brighton Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6H 5T4 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

SFC-1

CONTROL AMPLIFIER

OPERATING MANUAL

We at Sonic Frontiers are sure that you will derive many years of listening pleasure with your new SFC-1 Control Amplifier. This brief operating manual contains important information regarding the operation and care of the amplifier, so be sure to read this manual carefully and follow these simple instructions in order to keep it looking, operating and sounding its best!

VACUUM TUBES

Handling

We suggest that you do not handle the large power tubes with your bare hands or fingers as skin oils deposited on the glass surface can “leach” through the glass envelope and cause the tube to become “gassy.” In other words, your tube life may be shortened unnecessarily. Use a paper towel or one of the cotton gloves (supplied) instead . This is also the recommended procedure for handling the small input tubes. Also, check to be sure that none of the 12AT7A/12AU7A tube pins are bent when you install them.

Installation

Whenever you remove or insert the input or power tubes into their sockets, handle them gently and do not force them into the sockets. Instead, ‘rock’them slightly as you slowly push them into place, making sure that they are proper ly seated. Over-enthusiastic ‘rocking” may snap-off the molded keying lug (orientation pin) at the base of the tube (not covered under warranty)!

Recommended Tube Types

Your SFC-1 amplifier is supplied from the factory with one (1) 12AT7A for the stereo input tube (Vl) and two (2) 12AU7A for the phase splitter/driver tubes (V2, LV2). Alternative choices for the 12Al7A tube type are 6201 or ECC81 and ECC82 or 5814LA for the 12AU7A,

The power tubes are factory supplied matched pair E34L (mil-spec EL34/6CA7 types) type but you may also use EL34’s, 6CA7’s or 6550/655OA/KT88/KT90/KT99a types. Although not essential, we recommend the use of matched pairs of power output tubes for lowest distortion.

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OPERATE/MUTE

The “MUTE/OPERATE”switch serves to mute the outputs without having to change the Volume control setting.

TROUBLE-SHOOTING GUIDE

If at any time your SFC-1 amplifier fails to work, follow this simple checklist:

1.Make certain that the A.C. power cord is plugged in firmly at the A.C. wall socket.

2.Make sure that you have biased the output tubes.

3.Open the fuseholder. Check that:

A .	A “slo-blo” f u s e, with a rating of 2 1/2 Amp 250V (0.25” x 1.25”), is installed or 1 1/4 Amp 250V
	(5mm x 20mm) for European and Asian versions.

B.Th at the A.C. power fuse is intact and has not blown.

4 .	If the power line fuse has blown, replace it with a same size and type fuse of the same rating (2 1/2 Amp 25OV. slo-bl o
	- 100 to 120 Volt / 1 1/4 Amp 25OV - 200 to 240 Vo l t ) .
5 .	Tu rn on the amplifi e r. If the amplifier fails to operat e, t u rn off the amplifi e r, u n s c rew and lift off the top cover and re m ove
	the four (4) EL34/E34L power tubes (using a glove, cloth or paper towel) and turn the amp on again. If the three (3)
	small 12AT 7 A / 1 2 AU7A type tubes glow and the A.C. line fuse remains intact, it is like ly that one of the four (4) powe r
	tubes has shorted and should be rep l a c e d.
6 .	If the fuse bl ows again without the power tubes installed, then you should re t u rn the amplifier to your dealer or to a
	s e rvice depot for rep a i r.
	NOTE:	Under no circumstances should you replace the A.C. powerfuse with one of a higher current rating! Doing so
		m ay cause further damage to the amplifier in the event of a fault condition and will also void your
		wa rranty! In add i t i o n , your continued protection from the risk of fi re or shock would be seri o u s ly compro m i s e d.
	N OT E :	Thesurge cap abilities of slo-blo fuses from diffe rent manu fa c t u re rs va ry. If in doubt, replace your fuse with one
		supplied by SONIC FRONTIERS or your distri bu t o r.
7 .	If at anytime you are unable to adjust the meter pointer to read at least “ 3 5 ” on the meter, for any one of the four power tubes,
	you should replace the tube as it is nearing the end of its useful life.
8 .	If you ex p e rience a slight “ H U M ” in your system, you may have a “ G round Loop.” This is caused by having more than one
	grounded component in your system when all these components run off the same AC circuit. To eliminate this probl e m , “ l i f t
	the gro u n d ” (either re m ove the ground prong off your AC cord or use a 3-to-2 adapter plug) on one of the components,

preferably a source component such as a Pre a m p l i fi e r. If you are still unsure, please contact your dealer for further assistance.

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