Adcom GFA-5400 Owner's Manual page 3

Congratulations on your decision to purchase the GFA-5400 Stereo Power Amplifier. You have made
a
wise choice
that
will reward
you with
exceptionally
accurate
and musical sound reproduction for years
to
come. To realize
the full
potential
of your new amplifier, please read these operating and installation instructions thoroughly before attempting to connect
it.
FEATURES
• Precision matched MOSFETs used throughout the signal path.
• Over 50,000 pF of power supply filter capacitance with low ESR for greater reserve capacity.
• Low number of gain stages improves signal reproduction accuracy.
• Custom toroidal power transformer provides better regulation and greater peak current capability.
• High quality, gold plated binding posts.
• Independent thermal overload and distortion LEDs for each channel.
• Gold plated RCA jacks.
• Large internal heatsinks for greater cooling capability of output devices.
• Heavy gauge anodized aluminum front panel.
• Powder coated, baked chassis and top cover for greater durability.
• Cooling vents on top cover for greater efficiency and cooler operation while driving low impedance loads.
ADCOM PROTECTION PLAN (USA ONLY)
ADCOM offers the enclosed valuable Limited Warranty. Please read the details on the Warranty Card carefully to
understand the extent of the protection offered by the Warranty, its reasonable limitations, and what you should do in order to
obtain its benefits. Be sure to verify that the serial number printed on the rear panel matches the serial number on the outer
carton. If any number is altered or missing, you should notify us immediately in order to ensure that you have received a
genuine ADCOM product which has not been opened, mishandled, or tampered with in any way.
UNPACKING
Before your new GFA-5400 left our factory, it was carefully inspected for physical imperfections and tested for all
electrical parameters as a routine part of ADCOM's systematic quality control. This, along with full operational and mechanical
testing,
should
ensure a
product flawless in both appearance
and performance. After
you
have unpacked the GFA-5400,
inspect it for physical damage. Save the shipping carton and all packing material as they are intended to reduce the possibility
of transportation damage, should the amplifier ever need to be shipped again. In the unlikely event damage has occurred,
notify your
dealer immediately and request the name of the carrier so a written claim to cover shipping damages can be
initiated. THE RIGHT TO A CLAIM AGAINST A PUBLIC CARRIER CAN BE FORFEITED IF THE CARRIER IS NOT NOTIFIED
PROMPTLY IN WRITING AND IF THE SHIPPING CARTON AND PACKING MATERIALS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR
INSPECTION BY THE CARRIER. SAVE ALL PACKING MATERIALS UNTIL THE CLAIM HAS BEEN SETTLED.
INSTALLING THE GFA-5400
During normal home operation the internal heatsinks of the GFA-5400 may become warm. However, there are
instances during high-level playback into low impedance when the heatsinks will become much warmer than usual.
To
ensure
the amplifier's long-term, trouble-free operation it is necessary to provide adequate ventilation for the heatsinks. Therefore, the
GFA-5400 should be kept away from external sources of heat such as radiators and hot-air ducts. The GFA-5400 should never
be placed with other heat-producing
components
in a
cabinet or enclosure
lacking
free airflow.
If you require that the GFA-5400 be mounted in an enclosed cabinet, it is recommended that the rear panel
of the
cabinet be provided with ventilation openings at the top and bottom to allow air to circulate freely in the cabinet. The
top and
bottom panels of the amplifier's chassis have
been
provided with
vents to
allow the necessary cooling of the internal
components. It is imperative that these vents are not obstructed in any way.
We recommend that you do not stack other components on top of the GFA-5400. This is particularly important if your
system includes low-impedance loudspeakers that are difficult to drive or if you will consistently demand high volume levels
from the amplifier and speaker system. Heat generated by the amplifier will not only affect the performance of equipment
stacked on top of the GFA-5400, but the free flow of air through the ventilating slots in the amplifier may be partially obstructed.
If you observe these recommendations, the GFA-5400 will perform reliably in any reasonable environment. You
should also pay attention to such normal considerations as protection from excessive dust and moisture. Occasional
vacuuming of accumulated dust on the chassis, heatsinks, panels and around the ventilating slots should be all that is required.
The optimal performance of your new GFA-5400 will ultimately depend on the care with which you make the
connections
between the amplifier, preamplifier and the loudspeakers. All input and output signal connections should be made
only with high quality, low-loss, low capacitance cables following the recommendations in the following relevant sections.
2