Conrad-Johnson CA150 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson Owner’s Manual:

CA150 Control Amplifier

conrad-johnson It just sounds right.

CA150 Owner’s Manual

Thank you for selecting the CA150 control amplifier as the control

center and power amplifier for your audio system. The CA150

draws on three decades of research at conrad-johnson into the

reproduction of recorded music. The result is a control amplifier

with a remarkable ability to recreate the dynamics, textures,

tonalities, and ambience of live musical performances. With the

CA150, we believe that you will experience the excitement of

discovery in hearing more from your favorite recordings than ever

before.

At conrad-johnson, we expect our products to be a source of

satisfaction and of pride to their owners for many years to come.

Accordingly, circuit designs, parts and materials for all conrad-

johnson products are selected with a view to maintaining optimal

performance over the years. Our reputation for producing among

the industry's most reliable components is a natural consequence

of this engineering approach.

Although operation of the CA150 amplifier is quite straightforward,

please take a few minutes to read this manual for useful

information on its installation and operation.

In closing, we’d like to welcome you to the family of conrad-

johnson owners. We want you to enjoy your conrad-johnson

product to the fullest. To this end, our staff stands ready to answer

any questions you may have about the function and application of

your CA150, and to provide any needed service both during, and

after the warranty period. Our goal is to heighten your enjoyment of

recorded music.

CA150 Owner’s Manual

imited Warranty For Conrad-Johnson Components

Conrad-Johnson Design, Inc. will provide service under warranty to

the original owner on products sold new in the United States for the

lesser period of three years from the date of purchase by the

original purchaser, or five years from the date of shipment to the

authorized conrad-johnson dealer. During the warranty period,

conrad-johnson will repair defective units without charge for labor

or parts (with the exception of vacuum tubes and batteries).

Exclusions. The following are not covered under this warranty:

a) Units that have been damaged by misuse, abuse, or

accident.

b) Units that have been modified, altered, or improperly

repaired by anyone not specifically authorized by conrad-

johnson design, inc.

c) Units not purchased from an authorized conrad-johnson

dealer in the United States for use in the United States.

d) Normal wear

e) Incidental or consequential damages are not covered under

this warranty. Some states do not allow the exclusion of

incidental or consequential damages, so this exclusion may not

apply to you.

Obtaining Warranty Service: To obtain warranty service, the unit

must be shipped, along with evidence of purchase, in factory

packing to conrad-johnson design (or designated service center)

with freight and insurance prepaid by the owner. After repair, the

unit will be returned with freight and insurance prepaid by conrad-

johnson design to any destination in the United States.

All implied warranties, including merchantability and fitness for a

particular purpose are limited in duration to the duration of this

express warranty. Some states do not allow limitations on the

duration of implied warranties so the above limitations may not

apply to you.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also

have other rights that vary from state to state.

CA150 Owner’s Manual

Conrad-Johnson products purchased outside the United States are

covered by warranty terms of the importing distributor in the

country in which the product was originally purchased, which may

differ from the terms set out herein. Importing distributors are not

obligated to provide warranty service for products originally

purchased outside their country. Conrad-Johnson will provide

warranty service for products outside the United States, but in

these cases, the customer must pay all shipping, handling and

customs costs both to and from our Service Department.

Questions about this warranty should be addressed to:

Service Department

conrad-johnson design, inc.

2800K Dorr Avenue

Fairfax, VA 22031

The conrad-johnson service department can also be reached by e-

mail at [email protected], by phone at 703-698-8581,

or by fax at 703-560-5360.

Service

If your conrad-johnson audio component requires service, repack it

using the original box and packing material and ship to the Service

Department address above. Boxes and packing materials can be

purchased through our service department if you no longer have

yours. Include with the unit a note describing the problem you are

having in as much detail as possible. It is especially important for

our technician to know if the problem is intermittent. If you want an

estimate of cost for out of warranty service, be sure to request it in

this note. Be aware that requesting an estimate will delay service

to your unit, as we will have to contact you for approval before

commencing service.

Registering The Warranty

Please return the enclosed card to the factory within 30 days of

purchase to register the warranty

CA150 Owner’s Manual

nstallation

As is the case with any power amplifier, the CA150 dissipates a

significant amount of heat. To maintain proper ventilation, mount

the unit on a flat, hard surface, taking care that the ventilation holes

in the bottom are unobstructed. Maintain at least three inches of

clearance above the unit, and at least three inches on the sides.

The cabinet or shelf should be open at both front and back. For

more restricted installations, cooling fans are recommended.

The CA150 is protected by a thermal sensor that will shut the

amplifier circuit down in the event of overheating. If this happens,

the front panel display will read “-- --“ and the mute led will turn on.

When the amp has cooled sufficiently it will automatically power on

in the default mode (level set at 30, CD input selected).

All CA150s sold in the United States are configured for operation

on a 60Hz ac power line producing between 108 and 126 volts.

Export versions of the CA150 will have the correct operating

voltage and frequency clearly marked on the back panel of the unit,

near the ac power cord. In all cases, the actual line voltage should

be within + 5/- 10% of the nominal rated voltage.

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)

Considerable care has been taken in the design of the CA150 to

minimize its susceptibility to radio frequency interference and other

forms of EMI. Choice of materials, physical layout, grounding

practice, and power supply design have all been specified with a

view to reducing the impact of electromagnetic fields on the

performance of this unit. Our primary goal, however, is the

accurate reproduction of recorded music in a normal home

environment. We have elected not to compromise this objective by

the application of heavy-handed RFI filters, or by using grounding

practices that reduce RFI at the expense of degraded audio

performance. We find that our approach works well, resulting in

only rare instances of EMI problems which could be treated locally

as needed, rather than compromising the performance of our

product in the 99.9% of installations where EMI is not a problem.

Care in installation can often avoid EMI induced problems.

Interconnect cables should be kept as short as possible (3 meters

or less), and shielded cable should be used (cable which has two

CA150 Owner’s Manual

center conductors, and a separate external shield connected at

only one end).

Physical location and cable “dress” can be an important factor in

minimizing hum pickup. Power (ac mains) cords should be dressed

to remain at least 4" (100mm) away from input/output cables.

onnection

SOURCES (PH/AUX1, TUNER, CD, VIDEO, AUX2): These high

level inputs are electronically equivalent. Connect the

corresponding source components to these inputs.

EPL1: A set of line-level inputs and outputs provided for

connection of external signal processors (e.g. parametric equalizer,

tone controls). These can also be used for the connection of a tape

recorder. In this case, connect the EPL OUT to the recording input

of your tape recorder, and the EPL IN to the output of your tape

recorder. The EPL IN connection can also be used as an additional

line level input.

THEATER: This is an external processor loop designed to

conveniently accommodate the addition of a surround-sound

processor (SSP) to a high-quality two-channel system without

compromising two-channel performance. Connect the front left and

front right channel outputs from your SSP to the THEATER input.

You can also connect the THEATER OUT to an input on your SSP,

allowing you to do matrix processing on selected two channel

sources. When THEATER is selected, the level controls are locked

to provide full power output with a 1.0 Volt input signal, and the

display reads “-- --“. Level and balance control is then

accomplished via your surround sound processor.

SUB OUT: This is a buffered line-level output intended for

connecting a subwoofer.

RIGHT OUTPUT, LEFT OUTUT: Five-way binding posts are

provided for connection of your loudspeakers, with correct spacing

to accept a standard "double banana" plug. They will also accept

spade lugs, bare wire, or pin connectors.

The two channels should be connected in correct "relative phase".

This means that when the same signal is applied to both channels,

the right and left channels speaker diaphragms will move

synchronously - in and out together. Terminals on speakers are

usually coded - one designated "C", "ground", "-" or black, the

CA150 Owner’s Manual

other designated "+" or red. "In phase" connection of the speakers

can normally be achieved by taking care to connect the wire from

the "+" amplifier terminal to the red or "+" coded terminal on each

speaker, and connecting the "-" terminal to the black or "-" coded

terminal on each speaker. In phase connection of the speakers can

be readily ascertained by ear. Listen to a recording of a solo

vocalist (use a mono recording if available). With the speakers in

phase the voice should be clearly focused between the two

speakers. With the speakers connected out of phase, the voice will

be diffused, with no identifiable source. Relative phase may be

reversed by switching the "+" and "-" leads at one speaker only.

ontrols

<power>: Press the switch labeled power to switch the CA150 on.

When first connected to ac mains, or after an interruption of power,

the CA150 will turn on in a default mode, with the level set at 30,

and the CD input selected. In subsequent sessions, as long as the

ac mains supply has not suffered a power outage, the unit will turn

on at the last used volume setting and input.

<mute>: Pressing the mute button will silence the CA150s speaker

and SUB WOOFER outputs, and set the level display to zero on

both channels. Pressing the mute button again will restore the

previously selected level setting.

<vol up>, <vol dn>: Level setting on the CA150 can be adjusted

in 1.0 dB increments. The level setting can be changed by pressing

the vol up and vol dn buttons on the front panel. Each time a button

is pressed, the level will move up or down one step in 1.0 dB

increments. If a button is pressed and held, the level control will

cycle through the steps at an accelerating rate. Balance can only

be set using the remote control and is also adjusted in 1.0 dB

increments.

<source>: Pressing the button labeled source will cause the unit

to step through the five source inputs (ph/aux1, tuner, cd, video,

aux2). The selected input will be indicated by an illuminated led.

<epl/thtr>: Pressing the epl/thtr button will cause the unit to step

from source through epl1 and theater. When source is selected,

the input selected by the source selector will be passed directly to

the volume control. When the EPL1 or THEATER inputs are

CA150 Owner’s Manual

selected, the selected source will first pass through the external

processor loop before being routed to the volume control. When

THEATER is selected, the level will be locked at a fixed gain so

that overall level and balance can be set by the surround sound

processor.

Remote Control

All operations of the CA150 can be controlled by the wireless

remote unit.

MUTE: Pressing the mute button will cause the main outputs to

mute and the level display to be zero. Pressing it again will restore

the last level setting. Pressing and holding the mute button for

more than three seconds will switch the CA150 into standby mode

(amplifier circuitry switched off). Pressing and holding the mute

button when the unit is in standby mode will switch it back on.

SELECTORS (PH/AUX1, TUNER, CD, VIDEO, AUX2): You can

directly access any of these inputs by pressing the associated

button on the remote.

EPLS (EPL1, EPL2): Pressing the EPL buttons inserts the

associated processor in the signal path. Pressing the button again

will re-establish a direct connection to the selected source.

Pressing the EPL2 button selects the THEATER input which locks

the level control to a fixed gain..

LEVEL (+, -): Duplicates the function of the front panel <vol up>,

<vol dn> controls.

BALANCE: Allows attenuation of either channel independently of

the other. Pressing the right balance button will reduce the left

channel level setting by one step. Pressing and holding the right

balance button will cause the left channel to cycle down through its

level settings at an accelerating rate. Pressing the left balance

button will attenuate the right channel in the same manner.

CA150 Owner’s Manual

etting The Most From Your CA150 Control Amplifier

In a system of commensurate high quality components, the

conrad-johnson CA150 offers an unparalleled level of

sophistication and refinement in music reproduction. To get the

best performance out of any audio system, there are a number of

important details that must be attended to.

Absolute Phase

Musical notes are heard through the ear’s response to waves of

alternating rise and fall of air pressure. Musical transients are

almost exclusively positive: that is, the initial effect is a rise in

pressure. The ear is capable of distinguishing these positive

transients from the musically unnatural alternative of a negative

transient (an initial fall in air pressure). In terms of your stereo

system, these transients are created by your loudspeakers. If the

speakers respond to musical transients by first moving out, they

are creating a rise in pressure, and the system is said to be phase

correct. If they respond by moving in, they create a fall in pressure

and the system is said to be phase inverting. Each component in

the stereo system either preserves the phase of the incoming

signal, and is said to be phase correct, or inverts the phase and is

said to be phase inverting. It is unimportant whether an individual

component is phase correct or phase inverting, as long as the

system as a whole is phase correct. This will be the case if the

number of phase inversions is even (or zero).

The CA150 is phase correct (non-inverting). If your system has an

odd number of inversions, (for example, if you have a phase

inverting preamplifier) then you must add one phase inversion.

This is conveniently done by reversing the positive and negative

connections to your speakers (be sure to reverse both channels). If

you are not sure about the phase of every piece in your system,

you can establish correct absolute phase by careful listening.

When the system is in correct phase, transients will be noticeably

cleaner and more sharply defined. The effect is especially apparent

on plucked string sounds. A final warning - not all recordings are

phase correct (including some “audiophile” recordings), so listen to

several before concluding your investigation of absolute phase.

CA150 Owner’s Manual

The Importance Of Wires

Interconnect and speaker wires are an important element in your

stereo system. Interconnects are available which will permit a

reference quality system to blossom and fulfill its promise of

musical reality. Others will strangle the system to the point where it

becomes little better than average. To complicate matters, our

experience suggests that the choice of interconnects will be

system dependent - those that are top ranked on one system may

be a poor choice for a different system. Consult your conrad-

johnson dealer for recommendations for your specific system.

Performance Tip

Warm up the CA150 before listening: The sonic performance of the

CA150 improves noticeably as the unit warms up. The midrange

becomes more lucid, the highs smoother, and the soundstage

expands. The warm up period can be expected to last about fifteen

minutes.

Questions: If you have questions about the installation or function

of your CA150 do not hesitate to call Customer Service at (703)

698-8581.

Tabla de contenidos

Otros manuales de Amplificador de Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson PV11 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson MV100 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson LP260M Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson ART 27A Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson Premier Four Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson ART 300 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson MF200 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson ET7 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson Premier 18LS Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson ART 150 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson PV8 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson PV-3 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson MV60SE Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson MET1 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson Sonographe SA400 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson MF80 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson MV45 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson 16LS Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson LP70S Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson MF2100 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson CAV50 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson PV10A Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson Classic 2 Manual de usuario

Conrad-Johnson

Conrad-Johnson ACT2 Manual de usuario

Manuales populares de Amplificador de otras marcas

ASTRO

ASTRO HVO V40 P Manual de usuario

Marantz

Marantz SUPERSCOPE BLA-545 Instrucciones de montaje

NAD

NAD CI980 Manual de usuario

Technics

Technics SE-CH770 Manual de usuario

Harman Kardon

Harman Kardon HK6300 Manual de usuario

NAD

NAD T975 Manual de usuario

McIntosh

McIntosh MA6850 Manual de usuario

Electro-Harmonix

Electro-Harmonix ENGLISH MUFF’N Manual de usuario

Viatron

Viatron Autrix Manual de usuario

GME

GME GA9800 Manual de usuario

Atlas

Atlas CP700 Manual de usuario

Roland

Roland KC-1000 Manual de usuario

Pyle

Pyle PFMRA350BW Manual de usuario

Advantage

Advantage S-250 Manual de usuario

IRT Electronics

IRT Electronics DVA-3007 Manual de usuario

Dimavery

Dimavery BA-100 Series Manual de usuario

Sony

Sony XM-S400D Manual de usuario

Schertler

Schertler ROY X Manual de usuario