Rear Panel Features - Sunfire Series II User Manual

User's Manual

Rear Panel Features

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1. RCA Normal Inputs
Your Sunfire Amplifier has three sets of
inputs for each of the channels. Two are
unbalanced RCA inputs and one is a bal-
anced XLR type.
The Normal RCA inputs will not respond
to any DC voltages, and you can use these
inputs for connection to your preamplifier's
RCA outputs.
If you are using the Normal inputs, you
can use the Lab Direct inputs as a daisy-
chaining output, sending the preamplifier
output signal to another channel or to another
amplifier.
2. RCA Lab Direct Inputs
The Lab Direct inputs are directly coupled
and will respond to DC voltages. The Lab
Direct inputs have less components in the
signal path than the Normal inputs, giving a
more direct sound.
If you have a high quality preamplifier
which is reliable and stable with minimum DC
offset, use the Lab Direct inputs, otherwise
use the Normal inputs.
Use the Lab Direct inputs with caution.
The amount of DC offset coming from a
correctly functioning preamp is very
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small, normally less than 5mV. If a fault
occurs within your preamp, and it sends a
large DC offset into the Lab Direct inputs of
the Sunfire amplifier, this could easily damage
or destroy your speakers. The Lab Direct
inputs would pass the DC voltage into the
amplifier and the output terminals would pass
a larger DC offset into your speakers, heating
up and damaging the voice coils. The Normal
inputs would not let this DC voltage pass into
the amplifier.
3. XLR Inputs
If your preamplifier has XLR outputs,
connect them to these XLR inputs. Use them
instead of the RCA inputs because balanced
connections offer superior noise rejection.
The female XLR inputs are wired
as follows:
Pin 1 is ground
Pin 2 is negative (cold)
Pin 3 is positive (hot)
Balanced connections pass the
input signal along two conductors. If there is
any external noise and interference passing
into the audio lines, both conductors will
receive the same amount of noise. This noise
is then rejected in the balanced input stage of
the Sunfire Amplifier.
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