Amp-To-Preamp Connections; Amp-To-Speaker Connections; Wiring; Hook-Up - Carver A-500X Owner's Manual

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A qUick note on input/output levels
Input and
output
levels for
audio
equipment
are
usually divided into three categories.
Phono Level:
This is a very low level signal that
comes from the
cartridge
of your turntable.
Because
of its extremely low voltage, it has a special input
connection
provided
on most
preamplifiers
and
receivers.
It provides
extra
gain to increase the signal,
as well as reverse RIAA equalization
to
restore the
flat
frequency response that was altered by the equaliza­
tion used in making
phonogr~ph
records. Only
a
turntable should be connected to the PHONO input
jacks.
Line Level.: This is the signal level that COines out of
alnlost all audio components produced today, except
for power amplifiers.
It
ranges from several hundred
111illivolts to several volts (AC). Your preamplifier
produces a line level signal that can be connected to
the input of the A-SOOx.
Speaker Level:
This is the signal level that
comes
out
of the speaker
output terminals on
a
power
a.mplifier
or receiver. It can
range from
several volts to several
tens of volts (AC). Some high powered amplifiers can
reach voltage levels approaching that present on a
household AC outlet! These connections should only
be
made
to a
speaker.,
"/
Amp..to-Preamp Connections
The A-SOOx is designed to be compatible
with virtually any quality preamplifier, pream ­
plifier/tuner,
surround sound
processor or
THX controller. Use standard RCA-type audio
cables to connect the RIGHT and LEFT OUT ­
PUTS of the preamplifier to the RIGHT and
LEFT INPUTS
on
the
rear panel
of the A-SOOx.
It might help to refer to the owner's manual
for
your
other components at this
point.
System hook-up variations are shown in the
diagrams on pages 12 through 16.
Amp-to-Speaker Connections
The A-SOOx is designed for use with any
type of loudspeaker, including Home THX­
certifie.d loudspeakers.
Wiring
Use thick wire for
speaker
connections.
V.our Carver dealer can
recommelld
a brand of
speaker cable. You may choose 11igh quality,
oxygen-free copper (OFe) cable. Or common
uzip-cord" from a hardware store can be
employed if
care is taken to use the proper
gauge. This will depend on the distance from
the A-SOOx and
your
speakers. Use the follow ­
ing chart as a .guide:
Wi.re Length
Gauge of Zip Cord
Up
to 2S ft.
16 gauge
2S
to
40
ft~
14
gauge
40 to 60 ft. 12 gauge
60 to 100 ft. 10
gauge
The greater the distance between
your
A-SOOx and speakers, the larger the diameter
the wire should be (wire thickness specifica­
tions
or
Ugauges"
get larger
as the
wire gets
thinner; thus
IO-gauge wire
is thicker
than
16-gauge wire).
Hook-up
The A-SOOx speaker terminals are designed
to
accept bare wire or
standard banana plugs.
For bare wire connections:
1) Strip 1/2
11
of insulation off each wire and
make sure to carefully twist all the fine
strands together. If even
one is loose
and
can touch the opposite terminal, a short
circuit
may
result.
2) Unscrew the binding post speaker termi­
nals and insert the wire (see Figure 12).
Tig-hten the connection down on the wire
(finger tight is fine; DO NOT use a
wrench!)o
3) Although the speaker
terminals are
de ­
signed to accept up to 10 gauge wire,
larger-gauge liaudiophile" speaker cables
may
be too thick to be
inserted directly
into the speaker
terminals. They may
require special connections or adapters.
Consult your Carver dealer for advice.
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