VAC Avatar Super User Manual

Valve Amplification Company

Avatar Super

Integrated Tube Amplifier

Instructions

28 July 2003

Please read carefully before installing

Copyright 2003 by Valve Amplification Company. All rights reserved.

WELCOME

Congratulations on your purchase of the VAC Avatar Super, and welcome to the family of
VAC owners!

Your VAC is designed not to the latest fad but to substance, providing the highest quality
of sound. Time spent familiarizing yourself with this manual will be well rewarded.

It is our goal to provide instruments of the highest quality, be informative to all of our
customers, and to provide responsive, effective customer service.

Please feel free to contact us if we can be of assistance. We can be reached:

Telephone[phone]
Fax[phone]
E-mail [e-mail]
Website www.vac-amps.com

We look forward to being of service, even as you have many years of enjoyment from your
Avatar Super.

Kevin M. Hayes
President, VAC

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, integrated amplifiers have become the fastest-growing product category in
consumer audio electronics. Given this popularity, and the demand among audiophiles for
higher performance integrateds than were previously available, VAC proudly presents
Avatar Super, the finest integrated amplifier ever created.

Rather than simply focusing upon the size and cost benefits inherent to the integrated
amplifier, VAC took advantage of the performance advantages which are unique to the
genre. By building a preamplifier and power amplifier on a single chassis, each component
has been optimized to complement the other in a way not possible with separates. The result
is a level of sound quality which only the largest and most costly amp/preamp combinations
can approach. Ergonomically intuitive and functionally complete, Avatar Super has been
designed to exceed the expectations of the most sophisticated music lovers.

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GENERAL PRECAUTIONS & SAFETY NOTES

1.DO NOT REMOVE CHASSIS COVER UNTIL UNIT HAS BEEN SWITCHED
OFF FOR 5 MINUTES. TUBES BECOME HOT IN USE, AND CAN CAUSE
INJURY. DO NOT EXPOSE CHASSIS TO MOISTURE. DO NOT PLUG INTO
AN AC SOURCE UNTIL ALL CONNECTIONS ARE COMPLETED.

2.Complete all signal (interconnect and speaker cable) connections before connecting
the AC cord to the wall outlet and turning the unit on. Similarly, always turn the
amplifier off and remove the AC power cord before detaching cabling. Failure to
observe this sequence can result in damage to the amplifier, speakers or associated
components.

3.At turn on, all volume controls should be full counter-clockwise and the mode switch
should be set to “Mute”. Allow one (1) minute for warm up before commencing
playback. Note: Mute is automatically engaged when switching on the unit.

4.For protection of your speakers and power amplifier, always switch amplifier to
“Mute” before switching the power off or on. Note: Mute is automatically engaged
when switching on the unit.

5.THESE UNITS CONTAIN NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS. DO NOT
REMOVE THE BOTTOM COVER. LETHAL VOLTAGES ARE PRESENT
WITHIN THE CHASSIS. DO NOT OPERATE THE UNITS IF THEY ARE WET.

6.VACUUM TUBES BECOME HOT ENOUGH TO CAUSE SERIOUS BURNS.
NEVER TOUCH A TUBE WHEN THE UNIT IS ON. IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL
MINUTES FOR THE TUBES TO COOL DOWN AFTER THE UNIT IS
SWITCHED OFF. FOR THIS REASON THE TOP CAGE SHOULD ALWAYS BE
LEFT SECURELY IN PLACE.

7.The Avatar Super is heavy. Please exercise caution in lifting the unit, and take care
to install Avatar Super securely in a sturdy, well designed stand so that it will not fall
or tip over (this could cause serious, possibly fatal injury).

8.DO NOT TURN THE SMALL PLASTIC SCREW ON THE METER. IF YOU DO,
THE UNIT MUST BE RETURNED TO VAC FOR RECALIBRATION.

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INSTALLING Avatar Super

Physical requirements:

1)Provide Adequate Ventilation-Allow at least three inches of free air space above and
two inches to either side of Avatar Super.

2)Do not place Avatar Super in a completely enclosed cabinet. If equipment cabinet has
a solid front door, a “boxer” fan will be necessary to ensure proper airflow.

3)Do not stack other components (or any objects which could impede proper
ventilation) on top of Avatar Super.

4)Do not operate Avatar Super on carpet, or on any other surface that might restrict
airflow.

5)Avatar Super’s chassis cover will become very warm during normal use.

6)Avatar Super must be installed in a secure, sturdy, properly built (and ventilated)
stand, cabinet or enclosure. Avatar Super is heavy, and could inflict serious injury or
property damage if it falls, or if the stand upon which it is place tips over. This
concern is particularly important in households with small children who might try to
climb furniture.

Basic Hookup:

1)Connect line level inputs (CD, Tuner, Tape, etc.) to the appropriate RCA input jacks
on Avatar Super’s rear panel. Note: with the exception of Phono, all Avatar Super
inputs are “line level”. Any non-phono source component may be connected to any
input EXCEPT FOR phono.

2)Connect phono cables to the rear panel RCA input labeled “Phono.” Connect the
ground wire from the turntable or phono cable to the “Ground” terminal provided on
Avatar Super’s rear panel. (See “Phono Section” for cartridge types appropriate for
use with Avatar Super)

3)Connect loudspeaker cables to the five-way binding posts on Avatar Super’s rear
panel. Make sure that all connections are tight (Do NOT over tighten, or damage to
amplifier or speaker cable may result), and that heavy or bulky cables are properly
strain-relieved. You will notice that Avatar Super includes four posts for each of the
two (i.e., left and right) amplifier channels; use the positive connections that best

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match your speaker’s impedance (2, 4, or 8 ohms).

Note: The line stage of the Avatar Super inverts absolute phase. If you are concerned
about absolute phase, you may correct for this by inverting your loudspeaker
connections, i.e., connect the positive speaker lead to the “G” terminal, and the
negative speaker lead to “2”, “4”, or “8”.

4)Connect the AC power cord to the IEC connector on Avatar Super’s rear panel.
ALWAYS connect power cord to component before plugging it into an AC outlet,
and make sure that unit’s power switch is set to the “off” position before making the
final connection. For best performance, try to route the power cord away from signal
cables.

5)Mute is automatically engaged when switching on the Avatar Super.

6)Allow Avatar Super to warm up for a few minutes, then adjust output tube bias. (See
“Output Tube Bias Adjustment”, below)

As with all high performance audio products, the sonic characteristics of all VAC products
will continue to improve during the first several hundred hours of use.

OPERATING VOLTAGE

The Avatar Super may be set to run from 100, 120, 220, or 240 volt ac power sources. If
your local voltage is between these, select the one just higher than your local voltage. For
example, if your power is at 230 volts, set Avatar Super for 240 volts, not 220 volts.

Voltage is set by means of the voltage configuration card, located behind the main fuse. The
setting is indicated by the number which is visible on the installed card.

THE FUSE MUST MATCH THAT SPECIFIED FOR YOUR LOCAL POWER !

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