[chzplz]

Does anyone have a manual for this amp? I just picked one up, and am baffled by several things (as I usually am), including (if anyone knows):

The top (horizontally-aligned) RCA jacks on back - preamp outputs? Something else?

Toggle switch on back- would expect it to be power, but it doesn't seem to have any effect

The seller mentioned that he ran it with batteries - I'm waiting for him to explain, but any ideas how this is done?

It seems to be a great amp (although I'm still going to have it checked over for Mikhail-itis), but I'd love more info about it, both operation-wise and specs-wise.

Thanks

Ira

 

[bdr529]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chzplz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Toggle switch on back- would expect it to be power, but it doesn't seem to have any effect Ira

3 clicks to arm the device, 3 more to disarm.

 

[chzplz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdr529 /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3 clicks to arm the device, 3 more to disarm.

And then it "goes off like a hand grenade" as some have stated is likely with SP amps. But there's a whole other thread devoted to that.

 

[spritzer]

Just look inside the amp and see where the wires go is the simplest solution. Post pics if you don't know what you are looking at.

If the amp has a mix of RCA and XLR inputs then the switch could be used to ground the - part of the amp when used with RCA's but it isn't something Mikhail ever did on his other amps.

 

[kevin gilmore]

The switch is the single ended vs balanced switch.

You can run it on a pair of 12 volt SLA batteries.

 

[chzplz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin gilmore /img/forum/go_quote.gif The switch is the single ended vs balanced switch. You can run it on a pair of 12 volt SLA batteries.

Thanks everyone

Here's the innards: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260512977094 If that link still works, it should have pics of the insides from two angles.

There's no single ended output, why would a switch be needed for balanced/SE? And any idea why I hear zero difference regardless of its position?

And where would the battery go?

Forgive any obviously ignorant questions, I've never dwelled in the world of balanced hardware before.

Thanks again

Ira

 

[vcoheda]

i'm only aware of one person on head-fi that ordered this amp. not sure if he ever received it and if he did, how well it sounded/worked.

i would love to see some pics (inside and out) and read some impressions too.

 

[kevin gilmore]

If you email me the pictures i will put them in a place that everyone can see
them, as the ebay thing just hangs. I do have pictures of another of these, possibly
the same one somewhere.

The switch shorts out the minus side of the xlr connector to ground. If you listen
in a quiet room, very carefully, one position will have slightly more noise than
the other position when using the single ended inputs.

As far as the batteries (you need 2 of them) they plug into the same din connector
that the power brick normally plugs into. Wired as +/-12. You would have to
find a way to seperately charge the batteries. Given the nature of some of the
single ended versions of these to completely melt a transistor or two, and fry
some resistors, a large current source like the batteries might not be such
a good idea without inline fuses.

Moar pictures required

 

[XXII]

The Harmony XLR is just a Squarewave XL except with a larger enclosure to fit a stepped attenuator in.

For what it's worth, I've been using a Squarewave XL (and so has headphoneaddict) for a while now without any operational problems. Dr. Gilmore also confirmed to us that it should be safe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chzplz /img/forum/go_quote.gif It seems to be a great amp (although I'm still going to have it checked over for Mikhail-itis), but I'd love more info about it, both operation-wise and specs-wise. Thanks Ira