Sunfire 300 Two Amplifier
Contents
1. peiura Sunfire Sunfire Signature 600 two and 300 two User s Manual CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER OR BACK NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL Safety Instructions 1 Read Instructions All the safety and operation instructions should be read before the Sunfire Component is operated 2 Retain Instructions The safety and operating instructions should be kept for future reference 3 Heed Warnings All warnings on the Component and in these operating instructions should be followed 4 Follow Instructions All operat ing and other instructions should be followed 5 Water and Moisture The Component should not be used near water for example near a bathtub washbowIl kitchen sink laundry tub in a wet basement or near a swimming pool etc 6 Ventilation The Component should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation For example the Component should not be situated on a bed sofa rug or similar surface that may block any ventilation openings or placed in a built in installation such as a bookcase cabinet or closed equip ment rack that may impede the flow of air through ventilation openings 7 Heat The Component should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators or oth2. This apparatus does not exceed the Class A Class B whichever is ap plicable limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Ca nadian Department of Communications ATTENTION Le pr sent appar eil num rique n met pas de bruits radio lectriques d passant las limites applicables aux appareils num riques de class A de class B selon le cas prescrites dans le r glement sur le brouillage radio lectrique dict par les ministere des communications du Canada WARNING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE CAUTION TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT FULLY INSERT ATTENTION POUR EVITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES INTRO DUIRE LALAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU AU FOND Contents A Safety Instructions ew Chapter 1 Introduction Unpacking and List of Features Installation Front Panel Features Rear Panel Features Chapter 2 System Configurations Stereo Parallel Mono Biwiring Biamping Appendix Series and Parallel Troubleshooting Guide Specifications Limited Warranty Service Assistance Please read the Safety Instructions carefully before connecting and using your Sunfire Amplifier Chapter 1 is a general introduction to the features details and installa tion of y
3. rized Sunfire Corporation Service Station or receive instructions to ship the unit to the factory Please save the original shipping carton and packing materials in case shipping is required Please do not ship Parcel Post NOTE Before sending in your unit for repair you must call Sunfire for return authorization Include a complete description of the problem indicating how you have it connected the associated equip ment in your system and a copy of your purchase receipt Initial shipping costs are not paid by Sunfire Corpora tion return ground shipping costs will be prepaid if repairs were covered by the scope of this Warranty 19 Sunfire User s Manual pb puerr Sunfire Sunfire Signature 600 two and 300 two Sunfire Corporation P O Box 1589 Snohomish WA 98291 Manual part number 913 111 00 Rev B
4. A The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged or B Objects have fallen or liquid has spilled into the Component or C The Component has been exposed to rain or D The Component does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in perfor mance or E The Component has been dropped or its cabinet damaged 14 Servicing The user should not attempt to service the Component beyond those means described in this operating manual All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel PORTABLE CART WARNING Carts and stands The Component should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer A Component and cart combination should be moved with care Quick stops excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the Component and cart combination to overturn Sunfire User s Manual 15 To prevent electric shock do not use this polarized plug with an exten sion cord receptacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure Pour pr evenir les chocs lectriques ne pas utiliser cette fiche polarise avec un prolongateur un prise de courant ou une autre sortie de cou rant sauf si les lames peuvent tre ins r es a fond sans laisser aucune parllle a d couvert 16 Grounding or Polarization Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of the Component is not defeated
5. Dual Banana a Banana According to your musical taste you may select the Current Source for driving electrostatic planar magnetic or ribbon speakers Select the Volt age Source for driving subwoofers For cone based systems use either For a biwired system use the Current Source for midrange and treble driv ers and use the Voltage Source for the subwoofer s These are sugges tions only By all means please feel free to experiment with other wiring options D gt QE ESF CHAPTER 1 NOTE The Current Source output is a Voltage Source modified to yield a Current Source impedance of one ohm This corresponds approximately to a vacuum tube amplifier output im pedance and constitutes the dominant factor in the soundstage delivery of classic vacuum tube power amplifiers 7 Current Source Fuses Each Current Source output has an in line fuse to protect your speakers If one ever opens there will be no out put to that speaker Turn off the power if you ever have to change a fuse 8 IEC connector The amplifier comes with a detach able Linecord which attaches here Make sure it is firmly pushed in place Connect the other end to an AC outlet which is properly configured for the type of plug and has the correct volt age for your model 9 AC Line fuse If this fuse fails replace it with the exact same type and current rating Note Always unplug the power cord from your AC outlet before removing the fu
6. current source output to the right speaker s upper range input terminals e Connect the amplifier s left voltage source output to the left speaker s woofer input terminals Connect the amplifier s left current source output to the left speaker s upper range input terminals Connect your preamplifier s outputs to the amplifier s cor responding inputs 12 UNBALANCED PREAMP OUTPUTS L Line level audio signals From Preamplifier main RCA outputs To Amplifier line level inputs Tapa CHANNEL 7 re Bale Speaker level audio outputs From Amplifier outputs To Speaker input posts RIGHT t Ea TWEETER RIGHT LEFT F CURRENT VOOFER TWEETER LEFT SOURCE orog CURRENT WOOFER OURCE SOURCE Mele LOUDSPEAKERS ie 34 Sunfire Users Manual Mono Biwire connections If you have two identical Sunfire e Connect the unused right input amplifiers and your speakers can be to the left input with a short biwired you can create a very power length of patch cord ful and efficient system as follows e Alternatively you can use a Connect one amplifier s right Y cable to split the preamp voltage source output to the output into two one to feed the right speaker s woofer input left input and one to feed the terminals right Connect the same amplifier s The left speaker connects to left current source output to your second amplifier in ex the right speaker
7. of the preampli fier until you identify the problem e Ground loop isolators are available for audio lines and video You can ask your Sunfire Dealer for assis tance Try moving the speaker cables away from any power cords Try just one speaker connecting it to each amplifier channel and see if one channel is bad Sunfire User s Manual Check that the interconnect cables to the amplifier do not have any broken connections If you are still having a problem remember that Sunfire s dealers and technical support staff will as sist you Other causes of noise Sunfire User s Manual Speaker noise may also be caused by interference or noise on your AC line Make sure there are no large appliances sharing the line or halogen lamps or lamps with dimmer controls Try connecting your system to an other AC socket on a separate line Keep power cords away from au dio cables Do not place the preamplifier di rectly on top of the amplifier If the hum is heard from within the amplifier and not through the speakers this may also be caused by interference on the AC or DC lines The power transformers may turn this interference into an audible noise Internal hum can be made worse by a shelf or cabinet resonating so try moving the am plifier to another shelf Try moving your preamplifier further away from your amplifier Sensitive preamp circuits may pick up hum from the amplifier tr
8. 0 two e 300 two The Signature 600 two has twice the power output and uses heavier output terminals compared to the 300 two Each Signature 600 two is personally signed on the front panel by Bob Carver This manual uses illustrations of the Signature 600 two 17 inch wide The operational details features and con nections to loudspeakers and pream plifiers are the same for both editions and both widths ESF CHAPTER 1 Signature 600 two 600 Watts per channel into 8 Q 1200 Watts per channel into 4 Q Sunfire Gra Load Invariant High Fidelity Super Definition Power Amplifier Signature 600 two mr Wats Watts per Channel by Tivo Channels 300 two 300 Watts per channel into 8 Q 600 Watts per channel into 4 Q Sunfire JOULES Load Invariant High Fidelity Super Definition Power Amplifier 300 two Three Hundred Watts per Channel by Two Channels 5 Sunfire User s Manual CHAPTER 1 Unpacking Your Sunfire Amplifier should reach you in perfect condition If you do notice any shipping damage please contact your Sunfire Dealer immedi ately Gently lift out the unit and remove all the packing material and acces sories It is important to save all the packing materials and the box in case your amplifier ever needs to be moved or shipped for repair Make sure that you keep your sales receipt It is the only way to establish the duration of your Limited Warranty and it may
9. EFT CHANNEL NORMAL CURRENT SOURCE 6 AMP MDL Q 2 12 VDC Trigger Input Although the AUTO ON signal sensing turn on is adequate for most installations the 12 VDC trigger inputs are offered as an optional way to turn on the amplifier The Sunfire Theater Grand Il III and IV Processors have a compatible 12 VDC trigger output This can be used to automatically turn on the Sunfire amplifier when the Theater Grand Processor is turned on 1 8 mono mini jacks are provided for ease of installation along with a terminal strip to allow more flexibility for custom wired installations The terminal strip and both mini jacks are internally connected in parallel allow ing daisy chaining to turn on multiple amplifiers Any 1 8 miniplug mono or stereo interconnect cable will suffice to con nect the trigger output of the Theater Grand preamplifer to the amplifier Do not exceed 18 VDC on this input CAUTION Do not connect AC line voltage to this input 6 Sunfire Corporation A C LINE 15 AMP MDA 15 __ 120VAC 50 60HZ CURRENT SOURCE 6 AMP MDL Q The voltage range for the trigger input is from 5 to 18 VDC The input impedance is approximately 600 Q 20 mA 12V 3 RCA Inputs Your Sunfire amplifier has three sets of inputs for each channel Two are unbalanced RCA inputs and one is a balanced XLR type The two RCA inputs for each chan nel are joined together internally and eithe
10. amplifier used to power a center channel will not receive a signal if the preamplifier has been set to Phantom e The Auto on off switch might be in the off position e One of the fuses for the current source outputs may have blown 16 The amplifier shuts down often or the line fuse blows often e Check that the positive and nega tive speaker wires are not shorted together e Make sure that no speakers are shorted internally If you have an ohm meter disconnect the speaker wires and measure the resistance between the speaker s positive and negative terminals If the read ing is less than 2 ohms the speak ers may have an internal short Measure all speakers and check their impedance specifications e If you have connected speakers in Parallel the overall impedance may be too low It is recommended that you rearrange the speakers in Series to increase the overall impedance thus taking some of the load off the amplifier e Make sure that the amplifier has good ventilation and is not over heating Use the crystal base to al low good airflow underneath If the amplifier is in a closed rack open up the rear panel or use a quiet fan for improved ventilation A Hum is heard in your speakers This problem is more than likely caused by a ground loop in your sys tem rather than a fault in the amplifier Follow these steps to isolate the main cause of the hum there may even be more than one e If yo
11. ans former s magnetic field Try moving your components further away from the TV especially if you ever notice the screen has changed color in the area closest to the component If you have very high efficiency speakers these may show up noise which other speakers may not If you are still having a problem remember that Sunfire s dealers and technical support staff will as sist you Make a list of the things you have tried Poor bass performance e Make sure that your preamp does not have the bass level turned down Many surround preamplifiers have controls which can direct all the bass to subwoofers or let your main speakers play the full range Make sure that the preamplifier has been correctly set If you are not using a subwoofer set the speaker options to Large Check that the speaker wires have been connected correctly Make sure that the positive of each speaker connects to a positive out put of the amplifier and the neg ative of each speaker connects to a negative output If one speaker is wired incorrectly than it will be out of phase with the others resulting in poor bass performance If you have connected the amplifier using the XLR inputs make sure that the XLR cables are wired cor rectly If one has the hot and cold reversed then this will also cause a speaker to be out of phase Turn on and turn off thumps e Plug the amplifier into an unswitched AC outlet a
12. by Two Channels Overview Your Sunfire Amplifier has two channels of power amplification combined in one chassis for the pur pose of reproducing music or video soundtracks It accepts line level signals from a controlling preamplifier and amplifies them to a higher level suitable for driving powerful stereo and Home Theater speakers Sunfire Power Supply Energy 200 300 JOULES Load Invariant High Fidelity Super Definition Power Amplifier Meter The front panel meter indicates the total energy available from the track ing downconverter power supply It is calibrated in Joules and will normally indicate approximately 480 Joules for the Signature 600 two and 380 Joules for the 300 two Note that the needle does not move under normal use Crystal Base The glass base is intended to en sure proper airflow under the amplifier A good choice for the amplifier location is centered between the loudspeakers on the floor using the glass base to prevent the carpet from restricting the airflow If you choose to place the unit on a shelf or other hard surface the base will isolate the amp from vibration and will help make an attractive installa tion CHAPTER 1 Illumination The meter is illuminated by an incandescent lamp operating at a very warm color temperature have been influenced by the scale lighting of classic electronic equipment from the 1950 s with their warm dim glow usually with a head
13. ce metal film Critical capacitors are film devices with high dielectric strength and ultra low absorp tion characteristics An enormous Sunfire power source built around a massive power transformer provides the ultimate muscle for limitless dynamics could go on and on but here s the best part I ve included two kinds of left and right outputs 1 astandard voltage source i e near zero impedance output for all typical applications and 2 a higher impedance current source output which many prefer for electrostatic planar magnetic or ribbon speak ers Or you can biwire your system with the voltage source driving the woofer s and the current source driving the upper part of the system In many cases this provides by far the best possible interface between the amplifier and the speaker system Whichever way you decide to hook up the Sunfire power amplifier it will create a multilayered soundstage that is deep wide three dimensional and utterly believable The optional current source output can coax forth a sensuous delicately detailed musical voice long associated with low powered classic tube amplifiers The current source characteristic of vacuum tubes is the dominant factor in the soundstage delivery of classic tube amplifiers fob me Sunfire User s Manual Sunfire Editions The Sunfire two channel power amplifier is available in two editions each with a 17 wide version and a 19 wide version e Signature 60
14. come in useful for insur ance purposes Please take a moment to fill out and mail the Sunfire Customer Response card Also read the serial number lo cated on the rear panel or the under side of the chassis and record it here Serial Purchased at Installation Read and follow all safety instruc tions shown on pages 2 and 3 Observe the following precautions when choosing a location for your Sunfire Amplifier e Protect it from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and other direct sources of heat such as heating vents and radiators Do not expose the unit to rain or moisture If fluid or a for eign object should enter the unit immediately turn off the power and contact your Sunfire Dealer e Avoid excessive exposure to extreme cold or dust e Do not place heavy objects on top of the unit e Allow adequate ventilation around the amplifier do not cover the ventilation slots AC Power Considerations Ensure that the unit is plugged into an outlet capable of supplying the cor rect voltage specified for your model The outlet should be capable of sup plying 15 amps for the 120 V model 8 amps for the 230 V model Care If you need to clean the front sur face first turn off the power and then use a dry soft cloth rubbing with the grain Be careful not to scratch the display window Connection Tips Before setting up your new system please consider the followin
15. e The 17 model is also available in a light titanium finish 2005 Sunfire Corporation All rights reserved Sunfire Corpora tion reserves the right to improve its products at any time Therefore specifications are subject to change without notice Manual part 913 111 00 Rev B Sunfire User s Manual Limited Warranty Sunfire Corporation is proud of its products which have been built with care using advanced technology and premium component parts Your unit has been crafted to perform properly for many years Sunfire Corporation offers the following Warranty to you the owner of a new Sunfire product The Sunfire Corporation Warranty for the Sunfire Amplifier is in effect for FIVE years from the date of original retail purchase The Sunfire Corpo ration Warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship The fol lowing however are excluded a Damage caused during ship ment b Damage caused by accident misuse abuse of operation contrary to the instructions specified in the Sunfire Corpo ration user s manual c Units where the serial number has been defaced modified or removed d Damage resulting from modi fication or attempted repair by any person not authorized in writing by Sunfire Corporation e Units purchased from unau thorized dealers The Sunfire Corporation War ranty extends to the original owner or subsequent owner s during the five year warranty period so long as
16. e line fuse or pop your circuit break er If this happens you should reduce the number of speakers wired in parallel rewire them in series or use more than one power amplifier 15 Sunfire User s Manual APPENDIX Troubleshooting Guide The Sunfire Amplifier is expertly designed and built to provide years of trouble free performance Most prob lems that occur can usually be solved by checking your setup or making sure that the audio and video compo nents connected to the processor are on and fully operational The following information will help you deal with common setup problems you may experience during normal use of your unit If the problems still persist please contact your Sunfire Dealer for assistance No sound from one or more speakers e Speaker cables may have come undone Turn off your system and check the cables and tighten the amplifier and speaker binding posts Broken audio cable e The preamplifier volume level is low for the channels concerned Recheck the preamplifier calibra tion procedure e The preamplifier Mute switch is on or an external processor loop or a tape monitor loop is engaged e Check that your preamplifier or source is running the correct sur round sound mode Maybe it is set for stereo when you were expect ing 5 1 surround sound e Check in case any missing chan nels have been turned off in a preamplifier setup menu For ex ample an
17. er devices which produce heat 2 8 Power Sources The Component should be connected to a power sup ply only of the type described in these operation instructions or as marked on the Component 9 Power Cord Protection Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked upon or pinched by items placed upon or against them paying particular at tention to cords at plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit the Component 10 Cleaning The Compo nent should be cleaned only as recommended in this manual 11 Non use Periods The power cord of the Component should be un plugged from the outlet when unused for a long period of time 12 Object and Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not fall into and liquids are not spilled into the inside of the Component The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user of the presence of important operating and main tenance servicing instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance 13 Damage Requiring Service The Component should be serviced only by qualified service personnel when
18. g A Always make sure that your components are all turned OFF before making or changing connections Make sure that the power cords of all your components are attached to the same outlet or at least to the same circuit This will reduce the possibility of a ground loop in the system A e Use the XLR inputs if your preamplifier has XLR outputs These balanced connections provide superior noise rejec tion Make sure that the total cur rent draw does not exceed the current rating of your AC outlet or power strip Whenever possible keep the power cords away from the signal cables or speaker wires to prevent any hum or audio interference being heard in the speakers e Choose reliable hookup cables also called patch cords or RCA cables They should be fully shielded and as short as pos sible for the job Some patch cords can be a very tight fit and there is usu ally a preferred method of get ting them off Some have to be removed with a twisting action Be gentle or you may damage the jacks of the amplifier or your other components Some special patch cords can only be hooked up in one direction these are usually marked with arrows e It is usual for the right patch cord plugs to be red and the left connections to be white grey or black Video connec tions are usually yellow Sunfir User s Manual Front Panel Features AM Signature 600 two Six Hundred Watts per Channel
19. imit Dimensions W x Hx D 17 0 x 5 9 x 16 7 19 0 x 6 5 x 16 7 Height includes feet depth mea sured to tips of connectors Weight 36 Ibs for 17 and 19 models Finish Brushed aluminum with black anodize The 17 model is also available in a light titanium finish 300 two Power output 300 watts continuous per chan nel all channels driven into eight ohms from 20 Hz 20 kHz with no more than 0 5 T H D Power at clipping min 600 watts per channel into four ohms 1200 watts per channel into two ohms time limited basis Hum and Noise 115 dB A Weighted Maximum output current 80 amperes peak to peak per ch Maximum output voltage 49 0 Vrms Output impedance Voltage source Approx zero ohms Current source Approx one ohm RCA Input impedance 24 KQ Input sensitivity for rated output Unbalanced 1 64 Vrms Balanced 0 82 Vrms XLR Input impedance 10 KQ each leg balanced to ground Female XLR 3 Pin 1 is ground Pin 2 is positive hot C Pin 3 is negative cold 3 12 VDC Trigger Inputs Input voltage range 5 18 VDC Impedance approx 600 Q 20 mA 12 V Removable terminal block and dual 1 8 mini jacks for daisy chaining Power Consumption 45 W At idle 150 W Typical 1 8th power 1800W Absolute Max Fuse Limit Dimensions W x Hx D 17 0 x 5 9 x 16 7 19 0 x 6 5 x 16 7 Weight 33 Ibs for 17 and 19 models Finish Brushed aluminum with black anodiz
20. light effect from the lamp incorporated that historical look and feel into this meter lighting It is decidedly not evenly back lit nor with a cool to cold color temperature hope you like my unusual meter light ing treatment A switch has been provided on the underside of the unit toward the front This switch gives you the ability to dim the meter lamp to reduce distrac tions in a Home Theater environment like the brighter of the two settings as it illuminates the meter nicely and matches my other Sunfire equipment Feel free to choose the setting that suits you 7 Sunfire User s Manual CHAPTER 1 Rear Panel Features trigger D INPUTS 12VDCTO TURNON Built under one or more of the following patents 4 218 660 4 484 150 5 748 753 1 AUTO ON OFF Switch Your Sunfire amplifier is designed with an automatic on off circuit Inthe AUTO ON position the amplifier will automatically turn on if an audio signal is present at the inputs or if it receives a 12 VDC input voltage at the trigger inputs The amplifier will automatically turn off after a few seconds if the trigger voltage is removed or after approximately 30 minutes in the absence of an audio signal Inthe ON position the ampli fier is always on regardless of input signals or 12 VDC trigger e Inthe OFF position the ampli fier is always off regardless of input signals or 12 VDC trigger L
21. nd use the AUTO ON feature This will allow the amplifier to turn on and off with good manners Current source outputs not working e If you are biamping or biwiring make sure that the current source fuses have not blown If these fuses blow often it is acceptable to replace with a slo blo 7 ampere fuse Check all of your speaker wiring and speakers for any problems first APPENDIX APPENDIX Specifications Signature 600 two Power output 600 watts continuous per chan nel all channels driven into eight ohms from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with no more than 0 5 T H D Power at clipping min 1200 watts per channel into four ohms 2400 watts per channel into two ohms time limited basis Hum and Noise 118 dB A Weighted Maximum output current 100 amps peak to peak per ch Maximum output voltage 69 3 Vrms Output impedance Voltage source Approx zero ohms Current source Approx one ohm RCA Input impedance 24 KQ Input sensitivity for rated output Unbalanced 2 3 Vrms Balanced 1 16 Vrms XLR Input impedance 10 kQ each leg balanced to ground Female XLR 1 Pin 1 is ground 3 Pin 2 is positive hot Pin 3 is negative cold 2 12 VDC Trigger Inputs Input voltage range 5 18 VDC Impedance approx 600 Q 20 mA 12 V Removable terminal block and dual 1 8 mini jacks for daisy chaining 18 Power Consumption 45W At idle 300 W Typical 1 8th power 1800 W Absolute Max Fuse L
22. nput posts RIGHT M 7 EFT LOUDSPEAKERS BALANCED RIGHT LEFT Balanced line level audio signals From Preamplifier XLR outputs To Amplifier XLR inputs i 7 8 Digs SE LS 2 f WS gt D m Speaker level audio outputs From Amplifier outputs To Speaker input posts RIGHT 7 EFT LOUDSPEAKERS x Sunfire User s Manual Parallel Mono The Sunfire Amplifier can be con nected in Parallel Mono to create an immensely powerful system You will need one amplifier for each speaker unless you are driving a single sub woofer or gigantic center speaker for example e Using insulated speaker wire join the amplifier s right and left positive current source outputs together e Using insulated speaker wire join the amplifier s right and left negative current source outputs together Connect your speaker to the current source outputs as shown Your speaker will receive the combined power of both amplifier channels Never use the voltage source outputs for Paral lel Mono as this will may cause overheating distor tion and shutdown Connect your preamplifier s right output to one of the amplifier s right input jacks UNBALANCE D Line level audio signals LEFT From Preamplifier main RCA outputs To Amplifier line level inputs CHANNEL L a are A Speaker level audio outputs From Amplifier outputs To Speaker input posts CS Speake
23. our amplifier Chapter 2 shows some typical con nections to a preamplifier and speakers The Appendix shows some addition al information including a trouble shooting guide the Warranty and service assistance details To find out more about this and other Sunfire products please visit our website www sunfire com 3 Sunfire User s Manual CHAPTER 1 Introduction pb poor a Sunfire Bob Carver Amplifier Designer Physicist Dear Friend Thank you for purchasing my Sunfire two channel power amplifier hope you enjoy it and the music it makes as much as have enjoyed creating it for you This magnificent amplifier represents my very latest thinking and my best amplifier design ever I ve spent over twenty years developing it and cannot imagine how could make it any better or refine it any further No matter what its perfor mance is at first somewhat difficult to believe The Signature 600 two can produce 600 watts rms per channel into 8 ohms and 1200 watts rms into 4 ohms The 300 two can produce 300 watts rms per channel into 8 ohms and 600 watts rms into 4 ohms The big breakthrough feature of the Sunfire amplifier is its uncanny tracking downconverter which uses 18 Herculean Mosfets in the Signature 600 two and 12 in the 300 two The circuit boards are heavy glass epoxy double sided with a Faraday shield on the back side All resistors in the sig nal path are 1 toleran
24. r Wires Connect the amplifier s unused right input to the left input with a short patch cord Alternatively you can use a Y cable to split the preamp output into two one to feed the left input and one to feed the right input The left speaker connects to your second amplifier in ex actly the same way as shown The left preamp output con nects to the right input jack of the second amplifier TO SECOND AMPLIFIER Two short lengths of insulated speaker wires joining e The current source right positive output post to the left positive post The current source right negative output post to the left negative post 11 Sunfire User s Manual Biwiring If your speakers can be biwired or biamped they will have separate input terminals for the woofer section and the upper range Make sure that any links A between the woofer and upper range posts are removed from the speakers when you want to biamp or biwire them Consult your speaker owner s manual for details Each channel of the Sunfire Ampli fier has two pairs of outputs One idea is to use the voltage source to drive the woofer and the current source to drive the upper range This will offer improved performance compared to conventional wiring Stereo Biwire Connections Connect the amplifier s right voltage source output to the right speaker s woofer input terminals Connect the amplifier s right
25. r one can be connected to the corresponding output of your pream plifier The other can be used as a daisy chaining output sending the preamplifier output signal to the other channel or to another amplifier Sunfir User s Manual 4 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 1 Pin 2 is positive hot 2 Pin 3 is negative cold 2 Balanced connections pass the input signal along two conductors If there is any external noise and inter ference 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 5 Current Source Outputs and 6 Voltage Source Outputs The left and right channels have two sets of outputs The voltage source output has a source imped ance of approximately zero ohms The current source has a source imped ance of approximately one ohm The top post of each binding post pair is the positive output and con nects to the positive red post of your speaker The bottom post of each pair is the negative and connects to the negative black post of your speaker The posts can accept bare wire spade terminals and dual or single banana connectors on z E ois D i a
26. s together For example two four ohm speak ers in series is an eight ohm load e Series connections are easier on the amplifier than parallel connections as the total imped ance is higher than driving a single speaker Parallel For example if you want to parallel connect two speakers to the front right channel of the amplifier Amplifier Outputs U The positive output terminal of the right channel connects to the positive input post of the first speaker and to the positive post of the second speaker The negative output terminal of the right channel connects to the negative input post of the first speaker and to the negative post of the second speaker The total impedance of equal speakers in parallel is found by dividing the impedance of one speaker by the number of speakers For example two eight ohm speakers in parallel is a four ohm load eight ohms divided by two four eight ohm speakers in parallel is a two ohm load eight ohms divided by four Parallel connections are harder on the amplifier than series connections as the total im pedance is lower compared to driving a single speaker and the amplifier must produce more current to drive them e APPENDIX Ideally the total average impedance should be no less than 2 ohms per channel You must make sure that the lower impedance does not cause the amplifier to over heat shut down blow th
27. s upper range actly the same way as shown input terminals The left preamp output con m nects to the right input jack of e Connect your preamplifiers the second amplifier right output to one of the amplifier s right input jacks UNBALANCE D GHT Line level audio signals LEFT From Preamplifier main RCA outputs To Amplifier line level inputs TO SECOND AMPLIFIER LEFT CHANNEL Bacs BALANCED ACNE URCE aen ac Speaker level audio outputs From Amplifier outputs 4 To Speaker input posts RIGHT RIGHT TER TWEETER VOLTAGE CURRENT SOURCE SOURCE RIGHT LOUDSPEAKER 13 Sunfire User s Manual CHAPTER 2 Biamping connections This diagram shows how to cre ate a very efficient system with an external active crossover The cross over will split your incoming preamp signal into two frequency ranges one above and one below the crossover frequency True biamping is very efficient because each amplifier channel only receives and amplifies the range Make sure that you adjust the crossover frequency to suit your speakers Check the speaker s speci fications An alternative connection method is to have one amplifier running the two woofers and the other running the two tweeters This is useful if your ampli fiers have different power ratings Use the more powerful amplifier to run the required for its driver For example in woofers the diagram below
28. se With a flat ended screwdriver push the fuse carrier in slightly and turn it counter clockwise to release 9 Sunfire User s Manual CHAPTER 2 system Configurations The following pages show some typical connections that you might make in your installation They show how the inputs and outputs of the amplifier are connected to your preamplifier and speakers Unbalanced Connections If your preamplifier has RCA out puts it can be connected to the ampli fier inputs as shown The amplifier will boost the preamplifier s output up to a level suitable for driving speakers This diagram also shows how the Current Source outputs connect to the input posts of your speakers The Voltage Source outputs can be used instead see below Make sure that the positive speaker wires do not touch the negative speaker wires or any chassis metal This will cause a short circuit and may damage your amplifier or speakers Balanced Connections If your preamplifier has XLR out puts it can be connected to the XLR inputs as shown This diagram also shows the voltage source output con nections to the speaker inputs The current source outputs can be used instead as shown above 10 UNBALANCE PREAMP OU D TPUTS RIGHT Line level audio signals M LEFT From Preamplifier main RCA outputs 7 To Amplifier line level inputs ern CHANNEL Speaker level audio outputs From Amplifier outputs To Speaker i
29. the original dated purchase receipt is presented whenever warranty service is required All implied warranties including warranties or merchantability and fitness for particular purposes are lim ited in duration to the five year length of this Warranty unless otherwise provided by state law Sunfire Corporation s liability is limited to the repair or replacement at our option of any defective prod uct and shall not in any event include property or any other incidental or consequential damages which may result from the failure of this product Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts and or do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you This Warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state We suggest that you attach your purchase receipt to this Warranty and keep these in a safe place Thank you for your choice of a Sunfire Corpo ration product APPENDIX Service Assistance We suggest that you read the Limited Warranty completely to fully under stand your Warranty Service cover age If your Sunfire Corporation product ever requires service write to us or call Sunfire Corporation Technical Services Department P O Box 1589 Snohomish WA 98291 Tel 425 335 4748 Fax 425 335 4746 You will be directed to an autho
30. the right channel only amplifies the low frequencies and the left channel only amplifies the high frequencies UNBALANCED PREAMP OUTPUTS Line level audio signals From Preamplifier main RCA outputs RIGHT Amplifier line level inputs LEFT To EXTERNAL ACTIVE CROSSOVER ES on Von SECOND AMPLIFIER HIGH RTE Bates 14 ENT source Speaker level audio outputs From Amplifier outputs To Speaker input posts 4 s Sun rre User s Manual Series and Parallel speaker connections The connection of more than one speaker per channel will tend to degrade the speaker s frequency response and may make the amplifier run hot For the best results use one speaker per channel If you do want to connect more than one speaker per channel there are two main ways Series or Parallel Series For example if you want to series connect two speakers to the front right channel of the amplifier Amplifier Outputs The positive output terminal of the right channel connects to the positive input post of the first speaker The negative input post of the first speaker connects to the positive input post of the sec ond speaker The negative input post of the second speaker connects to the negative output terminal of the right channel e The total impedance of speak ers in series is found by adding their impedance
31. ur preamplifier has XLR bal anced outputs use them because they offer greater immunity to noise fields Remember to turn off all compo nents in your system including the amplifier before disconnecting or connecting any cables during troubleshooting e Try to have all of your equipment on the same electrical outlet or circuit Group all the low power components preamp CD player DVD etc on a single outlet or power strip This is provided that the overall current draw from your equipment does not exceed the rating of the outlet or breaker e Disconnect all cables which come from outside the room and check if the hum goes away This in cludes such connections as cable TV satellite TV or roof top an tennas Make sure that they are disconnected where they first enter the room so they are making no connection to the preamplifier or the TV or any other component If the hum is caused by the cable TV line then you will need a ground loop isolator This is an inexpen sive device fitted in line with the coaxial cable feed Contact your cable company or your Sunfire Dealer for assistance e Disconnect all connections from the preamplifier to your TV VCR or DVD e As a test disconnect any other component which has a grounded power cord NOTE Never remove the ground pin from any power cords This is very dangerous e Ifthe hum persists disconnect all the source components one at a time from the back
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