Cary Audio Design VT-500 Owner's Manual

Vacuum tube phono preamplifier

Table of Contents

Quick Links

Download this manual

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

VT-500

Vacuum Tube Phono Preamplifier

NOTE: Before installing your new component, please read this manual

carefully as it will inform you of the product specifications, proper

installation and correct operating procedures for your unit. Also included

in this manual are guidelines on how to service and care for your new

Cary Audio Design product.

Table of Contents

Need help?

Do you have a question about the VT-500 and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Summary of Contents for Cary Audio Design VT-500

Page 1 NOTE: Before installing your new component, please read this manual carefully as it will inform you of the product specifications, proper installation and correct operating procedures for your unit. Also included in this manual are guidelines on how to service and care for your new Cary Audio Design product.
Page 2: Table Of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS Important Safety Instructions ....................... 2 Welcome ..............................5 Product Features ............................ 6 Specifications ............................7 Installation Unpacking ............................. 8 Warranty Card ............................8 Placement .............................. 8 Power Requirements ..........................8 Operation Front ..............................9 Rear ..............................9 Power Pack ............................
Page 3: Important Safety Instructions
(such as a paper clip, coin, or staple) accidentally falls inside the unit, disconnect it from the AC power source immediately and contact Cary Audio Design for further instructions. Position the unit away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other units (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Page 4 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 22. Before connecting a new product to your audio or home theater system, turn off all other equipment (preferably unplugging them from the AC power source). Many audio components feature automatic turn-on circuits that may activate during an installation, potentially causing damage to electronic components and/or speakers.
Page 5 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Disposal Instructions NORTH AMERICAN WASTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT DIRECTIVE 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. EUROPEAN UNION (EU) WASTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT (WEEE) DIRECTIVE The European Union’s WEEE directive requires that products sold into EU countries must have the crossed out trashbin label on the product (or the package in some cases).
Page 6: Welcome
WELCOME THANK YOU Cary Audio would like to thank you for purchasing our products. Since its founding in 1989, Cary Audio has stayed at the forefront of home entertainment equipment by stubbornly adhering to the principles of quality and musicality upon which it was founded. It’s not enough just to be able to build great sounding gear, but it needs to be well-made, reliable, and maintain its performance and value for many years.
Page 7: Product Features
This will optimize the response to best match your cartridge. For the analog lover, the VT-500 is a magical blend of art and technology that will add to your music listening enjoyment hour after hour. You’ll hear subtle shadings and exciting dynamic contrasts on all types of music.
Page 8: Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS This section describes the basic specifications of the VT-500 phono preamplifier at the time of printing. Specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation................................CIRCUIT TYPE Direct Coupled, Single-ended Class A ................................FREQUENCY RESPONSE RIAA Curve + 0.5 dB, passive RIAA circuit design ................................
Page 9: Installation
PLACEMENT In general, the location of your new VT-500 is not critical. Certain precautions must be taken to ensure optimum performance. Avoid extremely hot locations such as near radiators or other heating units. Keep the top of the VT-500 clear of books, paper or other equipment to protect against overheating! DO NOT place your VT-500 in a closed bookcase - overheating will damage the amplifier! Allow 8 to 10 inches above the unit for proper ventilation.
Page 10: Operation
OPERATION 1. POWER BUTTON – Press in to turn on and off. Button will blink while powering up. When button stops blinking, unit is ready to operate. 2. MM/MC BUTTON – The button is set for MM operation. To engage MC operation, press button. The ring around the button should show (blue).
Page 11: Power Pack
The tubes, capacitors and output transformers take approximately 100 hours of music playing to fully settle in for peak performance. The VT-500 will sound good from the start and after the first couple of hours you will notice increased depth and tighter bass. This break-in period defies all engineering theory...
Page 12: Service And Care
SERVICE AND CARE CARE AND CLEANING The cabinet housing and front panel of the VT-500 may be cleaned with a soft cloth and Windex or a window cleaner. The frequency of cleaning will be governed by how many hours the VT-500 is operated and by operating environment cleanliness.
Page 13: Non-Warranty Repair
WARNINGS • MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO PUT THE VT-500 IN SERVICE WITH THE BOTTOM PLATE REMOVED. CONTACT WITH HIGH VOLTAGES FOUND IN THE UNIT CAN BE FATAL. COMPLETELY REMOVE AC POWER PLUG FROM THE WALL AND ALLOW 30 MINUTES FOR THE HIGH VOLTAGE CAPACITORS TO...
Page 14: Limited Warranty
LIMITED WARRANTY This warranty has been included with a Cary Audio product that is intended to be sold and used only within the United States and Canada. Accordingly, this Warranty only applies to Products which are purchased in the United States or Canada, and only applies while such products are used in the United States or Canada.
Page 15 LIMITED WARRANTY 2. Cleaning, initial set-up, check-ups with no defects found, or charges incurred for installation, removal or reinstallation of the product. 3. Any product, on which the serial number has been defaced, modified or removed. 4. Batteries. 5. Accessories, including but not limited to, batteries, cables, mounting hardware and brackets, cleaning accessories, antenna and detachable power cords.
Page 16 LIMITED WARRANTY a. With all freight and insurance charges prepaid and in its original packing container or equivalent, ship the component to Cary Audio, 6301 Chapel Hill Road, Raleigh, NC 27607. b. Hand-deliver the product to Cary Audio (address noted above) or the nearest authorized service facility.
Page 17 CARY AUDIO 6301 Chapel Hill Road Raleigh, NC 27607 919.355.0010 caryaudio.com carydirect.com o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o...