Wadia a102 Owner's Manual

Wadia Digital, LLC. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699

a102 power amplifier

Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone] www.wadia.com

Owner’s Manual

The lightning ash with arrowhead, within an equilateral
triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s en­closure that may be of sufcient magnitude to constitute
a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.

WARNING - TO REDUCE RISK

OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL

SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE

THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR

MOISTURE.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONS!

PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE
OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radia­tors, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus

(including ampliers) that produce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized
or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two
blades with one wider than the other. A ground­ing type plug has two blades and a third ground­ing prong. The wide blade or the third prong are
provided for your safety. If the provided plug does

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS

INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

not t into your outlet, consult an electrician for

replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience re­ceptacles, and the point where they exit from the
apparatus.

11. Only use attachments/accessories specied by the

manufacturer.

12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or

table specied by the manufacturer,

or sold with the apparatus. When a
cart is used, use caution when mov­ing the cart/apparatus combination
to avoid injury from tip-over.

13. Unplug this apparatus during light­ning storms or when unused for long periods of
time.

14. Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel.

Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord
or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or
objects have fallen into the apparatus, the appara­tus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally, or has been dropped.

15. Do not expose this equipment to dripping or

To prevent the risk of electric

shock, do not remove cover or

back. No user-serviceable parts

inside.

splashing and ensure that no objects lled with liq­uids, such as vases, are placed on the equipment.

16. To completely disconnect this equipment from the
a.c. mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug
from the a.c. receptacle.

17. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall
remain readily operable.

18. Do not expose batteries to excessive heat such as

sunshine, re or the like.

19. Connect mains power supply cord only to a mains
socket outlet with a protective earthing connec­tion.

Bottom view of the Wadia a102

2

All of us at Wadia Digital would like to say thank you,
and congratulations for deciding to own this Wadia
a102 power amplifier. We sincerely believe this Wadia
product will bring you many years of musical enjoy­ment and satisfaction.
Please take a short time to read the information in this
manual. We want you to be as familiar as possible
with all the features and functions of your new Wadia
Product.

About Wadia ....

Wadia Digital, founded in 1988, is one of the
original companies dedicated to high performance
digital audio reproduction. Wadia is based on the
philosophy of applying advanced technology to
improve the performance of digital audio compo­nents.
Wadia has consistently raised the standard for
performance of Digital Audio playback. Some of
the technological innovations pioneered by Wadia
include:

• DigiMaster™ patented algorithm (lter opti­mized for reproducing music)

• ClockLink™ proprietary jitter reduction tech-

nology

• SwiftCurrent™ current to voltage conversion

technology

• First outboard Digital-to-Analog converter

• First to apply glass ber-optics to home audio

Our designs are born of a delicate balance of
technology shaped by a passion for music. Wadia

continues to re-dene the limits of digital music

playback.

Please Take A Moment

The serial number, purchase date and Wadia Dealer
name are important to you for possible insurance
claim or future service. The spaces below have been
provided for you to record that information:

Serial Number: _______________________________

Purchase Date: _______________________________

Dealer Name: ________________________________

Technical Assistance

If at any time you have questions about your Wadia
product, contact your Wadia Dealer who is familiar
with your Wadia equipment and any other brands that
may be part of your system. If you or your Dealer
wish additional help concerning a suspected problem,
you can receive technical assistance for all Wadia
products at:

Wadia Digital, LLC.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Customer Service

If it is determined that your Wadia product is in need
of repair, you can return it to your Dealer. You can
also return it to the Wadia Service Department. For
assistance on factory repair return procedure, contact
the Wadia Service Department at:

Wadia Digital, LLC.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Table of ContentsThank You

Safety Instructions ...................................................... 2

Thank You and About Wadia ......................................3

Please Take a Moment ................................................3

Technical Assistance and Customer Service .............. 3

Table of Contents ........................................................3

General Information ...................................................4

Connector and Cable Information ..............................4

Introduction .................................................................5

Performance Features ................................................. 5

Dimensions .................................................................6

Installation ..................................................................7

Rear Panel Connections and Switch ........................... 8

Connecting to a Preamplifier ...................................... 9

Output Terminals and How to Connect ............... 10 -11

Front Panel Display and Push-Button ....................... 12

How to Operate ......................................................... 13

Specifications ............................................................ 14

Packing Instruction ................................................... 15

Copyright 2014 © by Wadia Digital, LLC.

3

General Information

1. For additional connection information, refer to the

owner’s manual(s) for any component(s) connected

to the Wadia a102.

2. The Wadia a102 mutes the speaker output for ap­proximately two seconds when first turned on.

3. For the best performance and safety it is important
to always match the impedance of the Loudspeaker
to the Wadia a102 Power Amplifier Connections (4

or 8 ohms). Refer to “How to Connect” pages 8 thru

11.

Note: The impedance of a Loudspeaker actually var-

ies as the Loudspeaker reproduces different
frequencies. As a result, the nominal impedance
rating of the Loudspeaker (usually measured at
a midrange frequency) might not always agree
with the impedance of the Loudspeaker at low
frequencies where the greatest amount of power
is required. Contact the Loudspeaker Manufac­turer for additional information about the actual
impedance of the Loudspeaker before connecting

it to the Wadia a102.

4. In the event the Wadia a102 over heats, due to
improper ventilation and/or high ambient tempera­ture, the protection circuits will activate. The Front
Panel Standby/ON LED will start flashing. When
the Wadia a102 has returned to a safe operating
temperature, normal operation will resume.

5. The protection circuits will also activate when
improper connections are made to the Loudpeaker
Output Terminals.

Caution: The Loudspeaker Output - Negative

Terminal Connections are not connected to
chassis ground. Do not combine any of the
Loudspeaker Ouput Terimals ( + Positive or

- Negative) connections together, ground
them or connect with another amplifier.

General Information and Connector Information

6. When discarding the unit, comply with local rules
or regulations. Batteries should never be
thrown away or incinerated but disposed
of in accordance with the local regulations
concerning battery disposal.

7. For additional information on the Wadia a102 and
other Wadia Products please visit the Wadia Web
Site at www.wadia.com.

Connector and Cable Information

XLR Connectors

Below is the Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced
Input Connectors on the a102. Refer to the diagram for
connections:
PIN 1: Shield/Ground
PIN 2: + Output
PIN 3: - Output

Trigger Control Connector

The Wadia a102 Trigger Control Input receives an On/
Off signal from +5 to +12 volts.
The Trigger Control Output
will in turn provide a +12 volt
Output Signal with a total cur­rent up to 50mA.

Output Terminal Connector

When cables with spade lugs are used
for Loudspeaker Connection, the spade
lugs need an opening of at least 3/10 inch

(7. 6 m m).

PIN 2 PIN 1

PIN 3

Trigger
Control

N/C

Ground

3/10 of an inch
(7.6millimeters)

4

Introduction

The Wadia a102 Power Amplifier is one of the fin­est Digital Power Amplifiers available today. The 50
watts output per channel will drive any high qual­ity Loudspeaker. The a102 reproduction is sonically
transparent and absolutely accurate.

Performance Features

• Balanced and Unbalanced Inputs

Balanced connections allow long cable runs without
compromising sound quality.

• Amplifier and Loudspeaker Protection

Built-in Thermal Protection Circuit guards against
overheating. Provides Loudspeaker Protection when
Direct Current is detected.

• Power Supply

The a102 Power Amplifier has several regulated
power supplies, each one extremely stable to ensure
noise free operation even though the power line varies.

Introduction and Performance Features

• LED Front Panel Indicator

A long life Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are used to

indicate the operational status of the a102.

• Die Cast Aluminium Chassis

Maintains cool operating temperatures of the internal

circuitry by the heat dissipating properties of the die
cast aluminium chassis. The aluminium chassis with
glass top panel is very durable and will retain its ap­pearance for many years to come.

• Trigger Input and Output Connections

The Trigger Input and Output connection provides
convenient Turn-On/Off of additional Power Ampli­fiers and/or Source Components.

• Gold Plated Connectors

The Input and Output Connectors Contacts are gold
plated for superior corrosion resistance and high elec­trical conductivity.

• Custom Binding Posts

Patented gold plated output terminals deliver high
current output. They accept large diameter wire and
spade lugs. Banana plugs may also be used only in the
United States and Canada.

5

Dimensions

The following dimensions can assist in determining
the best location for your a102. There is additional
information on the next page pertaining to installing
the a102 into cabinets.

Front View of the a102

Dimensions

10"

25.4cm

3-5/32"

8cm

Side View of the a102

10-7/8"

27.6cm

10"

25.4cm

Rear View of the a102

10"

25.4cm

8"

20.3cm

8"

20.3cm

6

Installation

The a102 is designed to be placed upright on a table
or shelf, standing on its feet. The ventilation require­ments are shown.
Always provide adequate ventilation for your a102.
Cool operation ensures the longest possible operat­ing life for any electronic instrument. Do not install
the a102 directly above a heat generating device, such
as another Power Amplifier. Allow at least 2 inches

(5.1cm) above the top, 5/8 inches (1.6cm) below the
bottom and 2 inch (5.1cm) on each side of the a102, so
that airf low is not obstructed. Allow 13 inches (33cm)

of depth for airflow and cable connections.

a102 Front View

2"

5.1cm

Installation

2"

5.1cm

2"

5.1cm

a102 Side View

2"

5.1cm

13"

33cm

7

Rear Panel Connections

LEFT OUTPUT Connections for
a 4 ohm or 8 ohm Loudspeaker

RIGHT OUTPUT Connections for
a 4 ohm or 8 ohm Loudspeaker

INPUT MODE switch selects

between UNBALanced or
BALanced Input

TRIGger IN receives turn On/Off
signals from a audio component
TRIGger OUT sends turn On/Off
signals to the next audio Component

UNBALanced INPUTS
for an audio cable from a
Preamplifier audio output

AUTO OFF Power Save
Feature is either DISabled
or ENAbled

Connect the Wadia a102
power cord to a live AC outlet.
Refer to the rear panel to de­termine the correct voltage

Caution: The Loudspeaker Output - Negative Terminal Connections are not connected to chassis ground. Do not combine any of the Loudspeaker Ouput Terimals

( + Positive or - Negative) connections together, ground them or connect with another amplifier.

8

BALanced INPUTS for audio cables
from a Preamplifier audio output

Connectioning to a Preamplifier

The connection instructions below with the diagram
to the right is an example of a typical audio system.
Your system may vary from this, however the actual
components would be connected in a similar manner.

For additional information refer to “Connector and
Cable Information” on page 4.

1. For remote AC Power control of the a102, connect
a control cable from the Audio Preamplifier or
Source Device Trigger Out to the a102 TRIGGER
IN.

Note: When a Triger Control Cable is connected

between the a102 and Preamplifier/Source
Device, the AUTO OFF Feature is bypassed.

Refer to page 13.

2. Connect XLR cables from the Balanced Output

(L&R) of an Audio Preamplifier/Source Device
to the a102 BALanced INPUTS (Right and Left).

Note: An optional hookup is to use an unbalanced

cable(s) and place the INPUT MODE Switch
in the UNBALanced Position.

3. Proceed to “Output Terminals and How to con­nect” on page 10.

Connectioning to a Preamplifier

Preamplier

9

Figure H

Output Terminals

When connecting the Loudspeaker Hookup Cables
to the a102 Power Amplifier Output Terminals please
follow the steps below:

1. Rotate the top of the Output Terminal Post coun­terclockwise until an opening

appears. Refer to gures A and

B.

2. Insert the Loudspeaker hookup
cable into the Output Terminal
Post opening or the cable spade

Figu re A

Opening

Figu re B

lug around the center post of
the Output Terminal. Refer to

gure C.

3. Rotate the top of the Output
Terminal Post clockwise until

it is nger tight. Refer to gure

D.

Figu re C Figure D

4. Place the supplied Wadia
Wrench over the top of the
Output Terminal and rotate it

one quarter of a turn (90°) to

secure the Loudspeaker Cable
Connection. Do not over

Figu re E

tighten. Refer to gure E.

How to Connect

Caution: Do not connect the AC Power Cord to the a102

Rear Panel until after the Loudspeaker Con­nections are made. Failure to observe this could
result in Electric Shock.

This Wadia a102 Power Amplifier is designed for
Loudspeakers with an impedance of 4 ohms or 8
ohms. Connect a single Loudspeaker only to the Right
and Left Output Terminals.

The connection instructions below, together with

the illustration on the next page, is an example of

connecting typical Loudspeakers to the a102. Your
Loudspeakers may vary from this, however the actual
connections would be made in a similar manner.

When connecting Loudspeakers to the a102 it is
very important to use cables of adequate size, so there
is little to no power loss in the cables. The size is
specified in Gauge Numbers or AWG (American Wire

Gauge). The smaller the Gauge number, the larger the

wire size:

Loudspeaker Cable Distance vs Wire Gauge Guide

Loudspeaker

Impedance

4 Ohms

8 Ohms

25 feet

(7.62 meters)

or less

14AWG 12AWG 10AWG

16AWG 14AWG 12AWG

50 feet

(15.24 meters)

or less

100 fe et

(30. 48 m eters)

or less

1. Prepare the Loudspeaker Hookup Cable for attach­ment to the a102 Power Amplifier:

Bare wire cable ends:
Carefully remove sufficient insulation from the
cable ends, refer to figures 2, 3 & 4. If the cable
is stranded, carefully twist the strands together
as tightly as possible.

Figure 2

Notes: 1. If desired, the twisted ends can be tinned

with solder to keep the strands together.

2. The prepared bare wire cable ends may be
inserted into spade lug connectors.

3. Banana plugs are for use in the United
States and Canada only.

Figure 3 Figure 4

Banana Plugs are for use in the United States and
Canada only:

2. Attach the previously prepared bare wire cable ends

into the banana plugs and secure the
connections. Refer to figure F.

3. Rotate the top of the Output Terminal

Post clockwise until it is nger tight.

Figure F

Refer to gure G. Then using the Wadia

Wrench, rotate the top of the Output

Terminal one quarter of a turn (90°).
Do not over tighten. Refer to gure E.

4. Referring to figure H, connect the

Figu re G

Loudspeaker hookup cables
with banana plugs into the hole
at the end of the a102 Negative
and Positive Output Terminals,

Figure H

being careful to observe the
correct polarities.

Refer to “General Information” Note 3 on page 4 for

additional information.

WARNING: Loudspeaker terminals are hazardous

live and present a risk of electric shock.
For additional instruction on mak­ing Loudspeaker Connections contact
your Wadia Dealer or Wadia Technical
Support.

5. Connect the a102 Power Cord to an active AC
outlet.

Spade Lug or Wire Connections:

6. Connect the Loudspeaker hookup cables to the
a102 Negative Output Terminal and Positive
Output Terminal, being careful to observe the cor­rect polarities. Insert the spade lug connector or
prepared section of the cable end into the terminal
side access hole, and tighten the terminal cap until
the cable is firmly clamped into the terminals so
the lugs or wire cannot slip out. Refer to figures 5
and 6.

10

Figure 5

Figure 6

Refer to “General Information” Note 3 on page 4 for

additional information.

Output Terminals and How to Connect

WARNING: Loudspeaker terminals are hazard-

ous live and present a risk of electric
shock. For additional instruction on
making Loudspeaker Connections
contact your Wadia Dealer or Wadia
Technical Support.

7. Connect the a102 Power Cord to an active AC
outlet.

Right Loudspeaker

Connect to
a live AC
Outlet

Caution: The Loudspeaker Output - Negative Terminal Connections are not connected to chassis ground. Do not combine any of the Loudspeaker Ouput Terimals

( + Positive or - Negative) connections together, ground them or connect with another amplifier.

Left Loudspeaker

11

Front Panel Display and Push-button

12

STANDBY/ON Push-button
with indicator, switches the

a102 ON or OFF (Standby)

How to Operate

Power On/Off

Momentarily press the POWER Push-button to switch

the a102 On or Off. Refer to figure 7.

Note: There must be a Trigger Control

Connection between the a102 and
the Audio Preamplifier or Source
Device, in order for the remote
power turn-on to function.

Input Mode Switch

The Input Mode Switch, which is located on the Rear

Panel of the a102, allows selection of
either the BALanced or UNBALanced
Inputs. Refer to figure 9.

Figure 9

How to Operate

Auto Off

Figure 7

The a102 incorporates a Power Save Feature to
automatically switch power Off to the Power Ampli­fier approximately 30 minutes after there has been an
absence of an audio input signal.

Note: If the Power Save Feature has activated and

switched the a102 Off, the Power Save Fea­ture can be reset by momentarily pressing the
STANDBY/ON Push-button.

When there is a Trigger Control Connection be­tween the a102 and a Preamplifier or Source Device,
the Power Save Feature in the a102 is bypassed.

With the a102 connected (via Trigger Control) to
a Preamplifier (Source Device) with the Power Save

Feature and the feature is active, the a102 will switch

Off with the Preamplifier (Source Device) after a

period of inactivity.

There may be times when it would be desirable to
bypass the Power Save Feature, which by default is ac-

tive. This can be implemented by placing the “AUTO
OFF” Switch, located on the a102 Rear
Panel, in the DIS (Disable) position.

Refer to figure 8.

Figure 8

13

Specifications

Specications

Power Output

Minimum sine wave continuous average power output

per channel, with both channels operating at 0.5%
Total Harmonic Distortion is:
50 watts into 8 ohm load
80 watts into 4 ohm load

Output Load Impedance

8 or 4 ohms

Rated Power Band

20Hz to 20,000Hz

Total Harmonic Distortion

0.2% maximum harmonic distortion at any level from
250 milliwatts to one-half of rated power output, 20Hz
to 20,000Hz.

0.5% maximum harmonic distortion at any level from
one-half to full rated power output, 20Hz to 20,000Hz.

Dynamic Headroom

1dB, 8 ohm load

1.3dB, 4 ohm load

Frequency Response

+0, -0.5dB from 20Hz to 20,000Hz
+0, -3.0dB from 10Hz to 50,000Hz

Intermodulation Distortion

0.1% maximum if the instantaneous peak power
output does not exceed the rated power output, for any
combination of frequencies from 20Hz to 20,000Hz.

Wide Band Damping Factor

Greater than 200, 8 Ohm load
Greater than 100, 4 Ohm load

Input Impedance

15,000 ohms Balanced
15,000 ohms Unbalanced

Voltage Gain

29dB

Trigger Input

5-15VDC, less than 1mA

Trigger Output

12VDC, 50mA maximum
Output is delayed 0.2 seconds from turn On

Note: All Specifications are with AC Line voltage of 120V.

General Specications

Power Requirements

Field AC Voltage conversion of the a102 is not pos­sible. The a102 is factory configured for one of the
following AC Voltages:

100V ~ 50/60Hz at 35 Watts
110V ~ 50/60Hz at 35 Watts
120V ~ 50/60Hz at 35 Watts
220V ~ 50/60Hz at 35 Watts
230V ~ 50/60Hz at 35 Watts
240V ~ 50/60Hz at 35 Watts
Standby: less than 0.5 watt

Note: Refer to the rear panel of the a102 for the correct

voltage.

Overall Dimensions

Width is 10 inches (25.4cm)
Height is 3-5/32 inches (8cm) including feet
Depth is 13 inches (33cm) including the Cables

Weight

8.5 pounds (3.9 kg) net, 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in shipping

carton

Shipping Carton Dimensions

Width is 14-1/8 inches (35.9cm)
Height is 8 inches (20.3cm)
Depth is 14-1/8 inches (35.9cm)

Input Sensitivity (for rated output)

1.4 Volts Balanced

0.7 Volts Unbalanced

Signal To Noise Ratio (A-Weighted)

96dB (113dB below rated output) Balanced
93dB (110dB below rated output) Unbalanced

14

Packing Instructions

In the event it is necessary to repack the equipment for
shipment, the equipment must be packed exactly as
shown below. It is very important to ensure the proper
equipment location between the bottom and top foam
pads. Failure to do this will result in shipping damage.

Use the original shipping carton and interior parts

only if they are all in good serviceable condition. If

a shipping carton or any of the interior part(s) are

needed, please call or write Customer Service Depart­ment of Wadia. Refer to page 4. Please see the Part
List for the correct part numbers.

Quantity Part Number Description
1 03456100 Shipping carton only

1 03456200 Top foam pad
1 03456000 Bottom foam pad

Packing Instructions

15

Wadia Digital, LLC

2 Chambers Street

Binghamton, NY 13903

www.wadia.com

The continuous improvement of its products is
the policy of Wadia Digital who reserve the right
to improve design without notice. Printed in the
U.S.A.

Wadia Digital Part No. 04153101