Valve Amplification Company Standard 220 Monoblock Tube Amplifier Instructions 9 September 2003 Please read carefully before installing Copyright 2003 by Valve Amplification Company. All rights reserved.
WELCOME Congratulations on your purchase of the VAC Standard 220, and welcome to the family of VAC owners! Your VAC is designed not to the latest fad but to substance, providing the highest quality of sound. Time spent familiarizing yourself with this manual will be well rewarded. It is our goal to provide instruments of the highest quality, be informative to all of our customers, and to provide responsive, effective customer service. Please feel free to contact us if we can be of assistance.
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS & SAFETY NOTES 1. DO NOT REMOVE CHASSIS COVER UNTIL UNIT HAS BEEN SWITCHED OFF FOR 5 MINUTES. TUBES BECOME HOT IN USE, AND CAN CAUSE INJURY. DO NOT EXPOSE CHASSIS TO MOISTURE. DO NOT PLUG INTO AN AC SOURCE UNTIL ALL CONNECTIONS ARE COMPLETED. 2. Complete all signal (interconnect and speaker cable) connections before connecting the AC cord to the wall outlet and turning the unit on. Similarly, always turn the amplifier off and remove the AC power cord before detaching cabling.
INSTALLING Standard 220 Physical requirements: 1) Provide Adequate Ventilation-Allow at least three inches of free air space above and two inches to either side of Standard 220. 2) Do not place Standard 220 in a completely enclosed cabinet. If equipment cabinet has a solid front door, a “boxer” fan will be necessary to ensure proper airflow. 3) Do not stack other components (or any objects which could impede proper ventilation) on top of Standard 220.
Basic Hookup: 1) Connect a volume-controlled line-level source to the input RCA 2) Connect loudspeaker cables to the five-way binding posts on Standard 220’s rear panel. Make sure that all connections are tight (Do NOT over tighten, or damage to amplifier or speaker cable may result), and that heavy or bulky cables are properly strain-relieved. 3) Set the output impedance selector switch to match the impedance of your loudspeaker.
OBTAINING THE BEST PERFORMANCE FROM Standard 220 Although surprisingly simple to use, Standard 220 is also remarkably versatile, and has been outfitted with an assortment of useful features that enable it to excel in a broad range of applications. Familiarity with these facilities will assure that Standard 220 performs optimally in your system. Output Tube Bias Adjustment: Your Standard 220 has been shipped with the output tube bias properly set.
Matching Standard 220 To Your Loudspeakers Like many modern tube amplifiers, Standard 220 includes multiple settings for the speaker outputs. Do NOT assume that the setting which corresponds to your speakers’ published impedance specification will yield the best sound. Due to the various standards by which impedance can be measured, not to mention the fact that a speaker’s impedance varies with frequency, it is impossible to assert with certainty which output tap will yield the best sound.
VAC will be happy to test tubes for concerned customers. Installing New Tubes: Original Equipment Replacement tubes are available from VAC. These tubes ensure your Standard 220 will meet or exceed all factory performance specifications. Before replacing tubes, all power must be off. Mute unit, place power switch in the “off” position and unplug power cord. Remove cover and old tubes ONLY after the unit has cooled down (In normal use, tubes become hot enough to cause serious burns.
WARRANTY Your equipment is warranted for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of purchase. In addition, if the registration form is received by VAC along with a copy of your sales receipt from an authorized VAC dealer within this thirty days, a service contract will be extended to cover your equipment for three (3) years (tubes excepted). It is the responsibility of the customer and dealer to determine that this unit is suitable for a particular application.
VAC Standard 220 REGISTRATION FORM mail to VAC soon as possible.
