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Absoluta Sound and Space Partenope User Manual

Integrated amplifier
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Partenope

Integrated Amplifier

User Manual
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Summary of Contents for Absoluta Sound and Space Partenope

  • Page 1: Integrated Amplifier

    Partenope Integrated Amplifier User Manual...

  • Page 2: Important Safety Instructions

    Important Safety Instructions 1. Read these instructions. 2. Save these instructions. 3. Pay attention to all advice. 4. Always follow instructions. 5. Do not use this unit in presence of water. 6. Clean with a dry cloth only. 7. Do not obstruct venting holes and heat sinks. Install as indicated by the manufacturer. 8.
  • Page 3 Warning! Changes or modifications not authorized by the manufacturer can invalidate the compliance to CE regulations and cause the unit not to be suitable for use any longer. The manufacturer rejects any responsibility regarding damages to people or to things due to the use of a unit which has been subject to unauthorized modifications or due to misuse or to malfunction of a unit which has been subject to unauthorized modifications.
  • Page 4 ABSOLUTA SOUND AND SPACE “Absoluta Sound and Space” and the logo Absoluta are registered trademarks of Absoluta Sound and Via Matteotti, 21bis/A Space Srl. 30032 Fiesso d’Artico (VE) © Absoluta Sound and Space Srl. All right reserved. Ph. : +39.049.8935377 Fax. +39.049.8953721 Web: www.absoluta.it...
  • Page 5 Safety Terms and Symbols This document contains instructions on generic safety, installation and use for Partenope integrated amplifier. It’s important to read this document before trying to use this amplifier. Pay particular attention to safety instructions. Appears on the unit to indicate the presence...
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  • Page 7: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Introduction ..............9 Special Design Features ........... 9 Unpacking ............... 13 Installation Considerations ..........14 Power Requirements ............16 Operation ............... 18 Front Panel ..............18 Back Panel ..............21 Remote Control ............... 26 Optional Phono Stage ............. 29 Connections ..............
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  • Page 9: Introduction

    ’‡…‹ƒŽ ‡•‹‰ ‡ƒ–—”‡• Special Design Features Design Principles Dear Customer, thank you for purchasing Partenope integrated amplifier. Partenope combines the performance, versatility, purity and definition of a great multi-chassis unit with the small form factor of an integrated amplifier. It delivers the great sound, that only the best products can deliver, and has an original and captivating look.
  • Page 10 410VA transformers allow for an exemplar behavior of the Partenope with every loudspeaker, even with impedances less than 4 . Actually, The output stage of Partenope behaves as a real I-V converter, imposing to the load a faithful copy of...
  • Page 11 Partenope may also be set in standby, mode in which its power consumption is strongly reduced, while complete switch-off is obtained by operating the main power switch on the back panel, close to the mains socket.

  • Page 13: Unpacking

    Partenope is a heavy and massive amplifier. Its weight is 31 kg (68.34 lbs.) without packaging, 43 kg (94.80 lbs.) with packaging. Don’t get fooled by its small size: its weight is enough to cause injuries to your spine, more so when it’s not...

  • Page 14: Installation Considerations

    DO review “Important Safety Instructions” and “Power Placement Requirements” before installing Partenope. Do place Partenope on a solid, flat, level surface, such as a table, a shelf or the floor. DO position Partenope close to the associated loudspeakers to keep loudspeakers wires as short as possible. If necessary use longer interconnect cables between Partenope and other sources.
  • Page 15 The hot air coming out of these holes finds it way thanks to a particular design of the external shell. When Partenope is placed in a position in which a correct air flow is provided, its proper operation is ensured at every listening level and with every loudspeaker.

  • Page 16: Power Requirements

    (provided that the tubes have gone through period an initial warm up phase while Partenope is in muting mode), its performance will continue to improve as the power amplifier reaches its normal operating temperature and various components “break-in”.
  • Page 17 Partenope is not operative but can be switched on activating the trigger output of the device to which its trigger input is connected.

  • Page 18: Operation

    Do not place any obstacles between them and the remote. 2. Standby/muting knob By this knob it is possible to activate Partenope or to put it into standby. It is also possible, when the unit is on, to activate or to defeat the muting that reduces the listening level to 20dB.
  • Page 19 5. Standby and protection activation indicator This indicator lights up steadily when Partenope is in standby. The Indicator blinks during tubes warm-up after activation and every time the DC offset protections engages. If the indicator doesn’t stop blinking after some seconds, it’s...
  • Page 20 Front Panel (continued) 8. Input selection knob Source selection for listening is performed with this knob. Note This is a continuous rotation knob: when No5 input is selected by rotating it clockwise and the rotation is continued, No1 input will be selected next. In the same way, when No1 input is selected by rotating it anticlockwise and the rotation is continued, No5 input will be selected next.

  • Page 21: Back Panel

    MC pick-ups or as line input. 2. Single-ended line inputs Partenope is provided with three single-ended (unbalanced) line inputs. They can be used to connect sources to Partenope, like CD players, tape recorders, tuners and other sources provided with analog outputs with voltages between 150mV and 2,5V.
  • Page 22 Pay attention to the setting of the hot and cold poles in the Note balanced input connector of the source connected to Partenope. There are two standards: one used in Japan and sometimes in the USA and one used in Europe and often in the USA. In the two standards the hot and cold poles are opposite.
  • Page 23 Pay attention to the layout of hot and cold poles (“send” e “return”) in the balanced input connector of the power amplifier used with Partenope. Two standards can be found, one used in Japan and, sometimes, in USA; the other used in Europe and, often in USA.
  • Page 24 10. Trigger input connector 3,5mm jack socket for trigger input. By applying a 12V DC voltage to this socket Partenope is activated, no matter the state Note of the power main switch. The trigger input and the main power switch are in parallel, thus the trigger input is not operative when the main power switch in on “1”...
  • Page 25 Partenope. 13. Mains socket Provides supply to Partenope when the provided power cord is connected. Before switching Partenope on, make sure that the label on the Note back panel showing the operating voltage is indicating the right voltage...

  • Page 26: Remote Control

    “1” or trigger input driver and indicator No5 lit), it is activated by pressing this button: the indicator No5 starts blinking and the tube warm-up phase begins. When Partenope is active (indicator No4 lit), it is put into standby by pressing this button: the indicator No4 turns off, the...
  • Page 27 Remote control (continued) 5. Phase selection button When Partenope is active, the phase of the selected input can be changed by pressing this button: when phase is not inverting, it becomes inverting and vice versa. The selected input indicator changes color accordingly with the phase setting: blue for non-inverting and red for inverting.
  • Page 28 Remote control (continued) 8. Front panel’s indicators switch-off button When Partenope is active or in warm-up (indicator No4 lit or indicator No5 flashing), the front panel indicators can be turned on and off by pressing this button. This feature can be...

  • Page 29: Optional Phono Stage

    Optional Phono Stage There are two optional phono stage printed circuit boards that can be installed inside Partenope and will allow you to connect it to a turntable. These printed circuit boards are designed to offer maximum connection flexibility. Their configuration must be made by Absoluta of by another authorized technician.
  • Page 30 Optional phone stage (continued) JP101/JP201: capacitance selection Valore OFF OFF 100pF OFF OFF 220pF OFF OFF 320pF 330pF 430pF 470pF 550pF 570pF 650pF 690pF 790pF 800pF 900pF 1020pF 1120pF JP102/JP202: selezione resistenza Valore OFF OFF OFF OFF 23.5k OFF OFF 23.5 k is the right value for some high output pick-ups in the Note event that the standard value of 47k (commonly recommended...

  • Page 31: Connections

    If you wish to use an amplifier other than Partenope (passive Passive bi-amping multiamping, p. 36) this must be connected to the pre out output of Partenope (see p.
  • Page 32 Connect the pre out output of Partenope to the input of the electronic crossover; connect the high frequencies output of the crossover to the to the main in input of Partenope (see p. 23, n.7); connect the output for low frequencies of the crossover to the external amplifier input.
  • Page 33 Both outputs are operative, no matter the selected input: thus, it is possible to connect the power amplifier to Partenope via the balanced connection and to listen to any single-ended source, and vice versa.

  • Page 34: General Connections Scheme

    Connections (continued) General Connections scheme Partenope is typically connected to the sources of the audio system and to the speakers, even if it’s possible to make multi- amplified configurations using one or more power amplifiers or using active electronic crossovers.
  • Page 35 Should this convention not be respected, no damage risk arises for the source and for Partenope, but music will be heard with channels exchanged, thus the soundstage will be mirrored with respect to the original event. This may not be a problem with...

  • Page 36: Biamping With External Power Amplifier

    In order to do so the speakers must have 2 couples of binding posts, one couple for each independent connection. Partenope has only one power amplifier per channel, so it is necessary to use another power amplifier (for instance Absoluta Tersicore)to receive the signal from Partenope. In order to create this connection you must connect the pre out output of Partenope (p.

  • Page 37: Use Of A Signal Processor Or Of An Electronic Crossover

    USE OF A SIGNAL PROCESSOR OR OF AN ELECTRONIC CROSSOVER It is possible to separate the pre-amplifying section of Partenope from its amplifying section. (p.28, n.9). The output of the pre- amplifying section is always available on the PRE OUT connenctors.
  • Page 38 Connections (continued) equalizer, a DRC processor..), or electronic crossover. Connecting an electronic crossover will allow to implement an active bi-amping with the speakers.

  • Page 39: Troubleshooting And Maintanance

    Potentially dangerous voltages are present inside Warning! Warning! Partenope, even when the unit is off. DO NOT try any Warning! servicing inside the unit. DO NOT open the unit. Contact your authorized Absoluta dealer for servicing.
  • Page 40 Disconnect the source and take it to a technician for assistance. DC offset is present on Partenope’s outputs due to a fault. Contact your authorized Absoluta dealer for assistance. One or more tubes are worn-out and must be replaced.
  • Page 41 One or more tubes are worn-out and must be replaced. Contact your authorized Absoluta dealer for replacement. A strong DC offset is present at the Partenope’s input selected for listening (see item 3 to solve this problem). The unit is damaged. Switch Partenope off and contact your authorized Absoluta dealer.
  • Page 42 The preamplier section of Partenope has been damaged or is faulty and it generates a strong DC offset. Turn off Partenope and contact an authorized Absoluta dealer servicing. In all other cases not covered by this section, switch unit off and...

  • Page 43: Maintenance

    Maintenance Partenope has been designed to give his owner years of trouble- free use. The unit doesn’t require any maintenance on a regular basis, nor adjustments of any kind. The only special required maintenance is the replacement of the 6 tubes used in audio circuits.

  • Page 44: Technical Specifications

    Specifications Preamplifier 3.5Vrms (Single-ended) Output voltage 7Vrms (Balanced) 220 (Single-ended) Output impedance Pre Out 440 (Balanced) Input impedance 47k (Single-ended, line) 100k (Balanced) 47k , 23.5k , 1k , 100 , 33 selectable ( Optional Phono) Input capacitance 100pF,1120pF,(selectable) MM Phono 16dB (Line) Gain 40dB (MM) - 60dB(MC) (@ 1kHz, phono)

  • Page 45: Mains Voltage

    Specifications (continued) 0.05% @ 1W/8 , 1kHz TDH Power Amplifier Peak current 15A p.c. 820VA Absorbtion Read lable on back panel. It can be selected internally, please Mains voltage contact Absoluta. Size 470 x 159.5 x 514.3mm (see section on dimensions) With packing: 43Kg Weight Net: 31kg...

  • Page 46: Dimensions

    Dimensions...

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