of our amplifiers is almost non-existent. This is small comfort to the few, but take it easy and give us a call if you have problems.
Now that the channels are up and running, we can take a moment to note a few things. The meter lights are blue, subtle lighting in daylight, a little more dramatic at night. The meters themselves read the amount of current going through the amplifier, and that is why they sit near the
The bias current seen by the meters will vary slightly, going down a bit as the amplifiers warm up. Two channels will not always be at exactly the same position. Don’t worry about it. If they drift upwards or vary dramatically from each other, give us a call.
Later, as you start listening to music at higher levels, you will start to see the meters move up above the bias point. Basically, the amplifier will be operating in pure Class A at current levels that do not cause the meters to move. As the current to the speaker exceeds the bias level, you will see the meter bounce upward from the idle reading.
It’s pretty simple: If the meter isn’t moving, you are still in pure Class A mode. You will probably be surprised how loud you have to play it before the meter moves.
The meter has been calibrated to reflect the 600 watts idle draw of the amplifier, which is about
People are interested in how long it takes for these amplifiers to break in. It takes about an hour for them to warm up, and this is where we adjust them first. Then we adjust them again and again over a couple of days, keeping the bias and offset in the sweet spot. Our environment is about 23 degrees Centigrade, room temperature, and the heat sinks will rise to about 22 degrees C. above that, for a heat sink temperature of 45 degrees C.
In your setup the temperature may vary a bit due to line voltage and ventilation, but it is not a big deal. You should be able to put your hands on the heat sinks without discomfort.
The amplifier has a thermal cutout that will disconnect AC power if the temperature exceeds 75 degrees Centigrade. This should never occur in real life.
The front end of the amplifier draws about 25 watts even in
Again, it is our experience that a 1 hour warm up is adequate for even the most critical listening experience.
More things to know: You can remotely operate the
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