KHV-111MKII - Hi-Fi Amplifier VINCENT - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL KHV-111MKII VINCENT

Instructions for use

english

we thank you for the confidence you prove in purchasing our product. It will match your high demands towards sound and manufacturing quality. Though it is understandable that you want to plug and play this product instantaneously, we encourage you to read this manual carefully before installation.

It will help you in handling and operating this machine in your system and obtaining the best possible performance, even if it was installed by your dealer.

Please follow the security precautions, though some of those things may seem obvious.

In the appendix to this manual you will find a glossary explaining some established technical terms.

If there are open questions your audio specialist dealer will help you. He also represents your contact person in case of needed warranty service or repairs after the warranty period and is interested to hear from your experiences with Vincent products.

We wish you plenty of joy with your / our product,

your Vincent-Team

Cher client,

Safety Guidelines 14
Other Instructions 15
Included in delivery 16
Description of the appliance 16
Cable Connections and Setup 18
Operating the appliance 20
Search for errors 21
Technical Specifications 22
Glossary 23

english

This appliance was produced under strict quality controls. It complies with all established international safety standards. Nonetheless, the following instructions should be fully read and observed in order to prevent any hazard:

Do not open the appliance! Risk of electric shock! There are no parts in the appliance that require maintenance by the user.

Maintenance/Alterations

All equipment that is connected to the domestic mains voltage can be dangerous to the user if not handled properly. Leave maintenance work to qualified professionals. The product is only permitted for connection to AC 230Volt/50Hz, for earthed sockets and use in enclosed areas. Altering the product or manipulating its serial number voids the warranty. After a fault, leave the appliance's fuse to be replaced only by a professional with one of the same kind.

Power Cable Connection

Always pull the plug and never the power cable if you want to disconnect the appliance from the mains power. Make sure when setting up the appliance that the power cable is not squashed, severely bent or damaged by sharp edges. Do not touch the power lead with wet or damp hands. Use the power cable supplied or another one from Vincent.

Switching Off

Switch the appliance off every time before you connect or remove other components or loudspeakers, disconnect or connect it to the mains power, leave it unused for a longer period or want to clean its outside. On all amplifiers and receivers, wait approx. 1 minute after this before disconnecting or reconnecting the cable.

Moisture/Heat/Vibration

Contact of electrically operated equipment with liquids, moisture, rain or water vapour is dangerous for such equipment and the user and must be avoi

ded without fail. Take care that no liquids or objects get inside the appliance (ventilation slots etc.). It must be disconnected from the mains power immediately and examined by a professional if this happens. Never expose the appliance to high temperatures (direct sunshine) or strong vibration.

Heat Build-up

Make sure that a gap of 5cm remains around the appliance and that the surrounding air can circulate (do not install in enclosed cupboards). Vents must not be covered up.

Volume

The maximum tolerable volume is always reached well below the maximum possible setting on the amplifier. Be careful with the volume setting, therefore, in order to prevent damage to hearing. So that you do not expose yourself to high volumes unintentionally, always set to a low level before changing the input channel.

Cleaning

Pull out the power plug before cleaning the outside of the product. Whenever possible, use a soft, lint-free cloth that has been dampened. Do not use abrasives, solvents, thinners, flammable chemicals, polishes and other cleaning products that leave marks.

OTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Setting up the appliance

How the system is set up has an effect on the sound quality. Therefore only place it on a suitable, stable surface. To make the most of your system's sound quality, we recommend placing the equipment on Vincent racks and not putting them on top of each other.

Old electronic equipment

This appliance is subject to the conditions set out in the European Directive 2002/96/EC. This is identified by the symbol of a crossed out waste bin on the appliance.

What this means for you as a consumer:

All old electrical and electronic equipment that is no longer used must be disposed of separately from domestic waste using places provided by the authorities. By doing so you can prevent damage to the environment and help to encourage manufacturers to produce more durable or reusable products. For further information about disposing your old appliance, please consult your local authority, waste disposal agency or the shop where you bought the product.

CE sign

This appliance complies with the current EU directives about attaining the CE mark and thus meets the requirements for electrical and electronic equipment (EMC regulations, safety regulations and regulations for low voltage equipment).

Declarations

This document was written by Andreas Boer. It is a product of Sintron Vertriebs GmbH, 76473 Iffezheim and may not be copied or distributed partly or in full without express, written consent.

Vincent is a registered trademark of Sintron Vertriebs GmbH, 76473 Iffezheim.

Vincent works continually to improve and develop its products. Therefore, the appearance and technical design of the appliance are subject to changes, as long as they are in the interest of progress.

The content of these instructions is for information purposes only. It can be changed at any time without prior notice and does not constitute any obligation on the part of the trademark's owner. The latter assumes no responsibility or liability for errors or inaccuracies, which may be included in these operating instructions.

Storage of the packaging

We strongly recommend that you keep the original packaging in case you need to transport the equipment again at a later date. Transport damages are mainly caused by improper packaging of the HiFi-devices. Because the original packaging fits the equipment accurately it will reduce the risk of damage if transport is necessary.

Explanation of the symbols

The lightening bolt tells you that dangerous voltages are present in the appliance, which can cause an electric shock.

This symbol brings your attention to particularly important information regarding operation and maintenance.

This symbol identifies useful information and advice about how to handle the appliance.

INCLUDED IN DELIVERY

Please check the contents of the packaging, which in addition to the appliance should contain the following accessories:

1 power cable
- this manual

DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLIANCE

The KHV-1 1 MKII is a compact headphone amplifier for one input source. It is easily integrated into most stereo systems. Its special feature is the amplifier circuitry that is designed as a hybrid of

transistor and tube designs combining both advantages. This advanced technology has its focus on the pure stereo sound quality.

INFORMATION ON VACUUM TUBES

Tubes are more sensitive than transistors and may be damaged under inappropriate transport circumstances. Vacuum tubes cannot reach the life span of transistors, even under normal circumstances. But tubes, as they are installed in this appliance, generally operate for several thousand hours. The amount of annual operating hours has an impact on the life expectation of a tube. We recommend switching off the head-Phone amplifier when you will not use it for several hours. That way most of the tubes will work for many years, but might have to be replaced a few times during the life span of the appliance. It rarely happens that a tube already fails after a short time. Please have the tubes of the amplifier checked if you observe exceptionally high background noise, considerably lower spatiality or stronger distortion. Please contact your dealer in such cases. Your dealer will also advice you, when you are not sure, whether replacing the tubes would be suggestive or not in terms of sound after perennial use of the amplifier.

Tubes are wearing parts and are thus excluded from warranty claims!

FRONT VIEW

1. POWER LED

This LED is lit as long as the KHV-111MKII is switched on and ready for use.

2. POWER: mains switch

Use this switch to turn the headphone amplifier on and off. When switched off the device is internally separated from the mains power.

3. LEFT, RIGHT: Volume Controls and Balance

These knobs control the left and right channel Volume of the headphones separately.

4. Tube Display Window

5. PHONES: headphone socket

The jack plug of your headphone must be connected to this socket. The used headphone must have an electrical impedance of 32 - 600

REAR VIEW

6. IN: connectors for the music source

You have the choice of making a connection to either the stereo audio source itself (CD player, tuner etc.) or the recording output (REC OUT) of an amplifier.

7. Out

a.) Direct Out:

direct output to be connected to the source-input of your amplifier.

b.) Tube Out:

output which is going through the tube of KHV-111 MK II to be connected to your amplifier, so that warm tube sound can also be heard through your amplifier. Only Direct Out or Tube out to be connected with your amplifier!

8. Power Connector with Fuse holder

To establish the power supply, connect the plugs of the power cable to the device and to a suitable wall outlet. The small plastic housing holds the fuse. Refer to the security precautions.

INSTALLATION

Set up the cable links in a sequence as follows. Connect the power cable between device and power supply only after all other connections have been made.

DURING INSTALLATION PLEASE OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING ADVICE:

Protective caps

Prior to the first installation the protective plastic caps must be removed from all the connections

used at the rear of the unit.

RCA connections

Mechanically identical RCA plugs are available for analogue and digital outputs. Make sure that you do not get these connections confused during

installation!

Make sure that you do not mix up the analogue connectors for right and left. The RCA plugs for these are mostly colour coded as follows: red for the right channel, black or white for the left channel.

Cable connections

Make sure that all plugs fit tightly. Inadequate connections can cause noise interference, failures and malfunctions.

To make the most of the components' sound potential, only high quality loudspeakers and connecting cables, for example Vincent cables, should be used. Your local stockist will be glad to advise you about this.

CONNECTION OF THE HEADPHONES

A set of headphones equipped with a 6.3mm jack can be plugged into the "PHONES" socket (5) on the front of the appliance. All headphones with an impedance of between 32 Ohm and 600 Ohm may be used. Unsuitable headphones with too low impedance may damage the amplifier or produce such unexpectedly loud volume that your hearing may be damaged. The Volume setting "LEFT" and "RIGHT" (3) should be reduced for safety reasons before a set of phones is connected.

KHV-111MKII
PHONES

6.3 mm jack connection

headphones

CONNECTION OF THE MUSIC SOURCE

The audio source must be connected to the RCA input "IN" (6). It must be equipped with standard RCA output connectors. You can choose between connecting the music source (e.g. a CD player) directly and making an interconnection to the recording line level output of an integrated amplifier or preamplifier. Use standard RCA cables. The output connectors of the music source are in most cases named "LINE OUT", "AUDIO OUT", "ANALOG OUT" or "FRONT OUT". You will find information about ways to connect source equipment in their operating manuals.

The stereo sound of appliances that use output connectors other than RCA (DIN plugs, jack plugs) can often also be used with the aid of adaptors.

Alternatively you can connect the input sockets to a recording output of an amplifier. In this case you have the option of switching between different audio sources at the amplifier. Make an RCA connection between the amplifier recording output and the headphone amplifier input "IN" (6). The recording output connectors of an amplifier are in most cases named "REC OUT", "LINE OUT".

If you also want to use your source-device (while using an amplifier without "REC OUT" or "LINE OUT") parallel on an amplifier without changing the cables, you can use either "Direct Out" or "Tube Out" to connect to your amplifier.

Check whether the electricity supply to your home is appropriate to the device. The required voltage and frequency can be read on the back of the device beside the socket for the mains. If the electricity supply is appropriate, push the inlet connector of the supplied mains cable firmly into socket for the mains on the back of the device (7). Connect the other end of the mains cable to a mains socket.

OPERATING THE APPLIANCE

Operation	Button(s)	Description
Switch on and off	POWER (2)	The headphone amplifier is switched on and off using this switch at the front panel. It has no standby option. If the switch has been pressed in the upper position the device is switched on. When switched off the device is internally separated from the AC power. When switched on the Power LED (1) is lit. As a precaution, before switching on, the Volume setting (3) should be reduced.
Change the headphone Volume	LEFT RIGHT (3)	Turn the knob “LEFT” and “RIGHT” clockwise to turn up the Volume of the headphones and counter-clockwise to turn it down. Before plugging in your headphones turn down the Volume as a precaution.

TIPS

Burn in/ Warm up

Your audio components need a certain time period until they reach maximum performance. The duration of this "warm up" time is very different for the various elements of your audio system. Higher and more homogeneous sound quality is achieved while keeping the device switched on.

Your audio specialist dealer has enough experience to give you more information.

Net frequency noise

Some audio source devices may in combination with the amplifier cause a humming noise at power line frequency audible from your speakers. Usually, its volume varies with the volume setting of the amplifier. This is no sign of a defect or fault of your audio products but has to be eliminated. Generally, every wall-powered device connected to the ground wire of the power plug can cause this problem when connected to the amplifier.

Experience shows that this problem is mainly caused by antenna-connected components (as TV-sets or Tuners), personal computers, electrostatic loudspeakers, subwoofer, record players or headpho

ne amplifiers that are connected to the audio inputs of the amplifier. Another possible reason for humming noise is electromagnetic interference of other components' power supplies with pick-up systems of record players (change the place of the record player for a test).

In most electric devices the ground potentials of all signals are connected to each other at one central point, where they have one common connection. If the device uses the protective conductor of the wall outlet, the corresponding wire of the line cord is connected intractably to the metal housing of the device. This is the point where the central grounding point is attached to. By doing this the housing is able to shield all signals from external radiated noise. Some main amplifiers are equipped with a "Ground Lift" switch. If it is activated, ground potential of the chassis and the protective ground wire are being separated from the central signal ground point. The protective ground wire keeps its function. Sometimes this helps prevent noise caused by errors in grounding.

If the problem occurs and cannot be solved by yourself your audio specialist dealer will help you.

SEARCH FOR ERRORS

Symptom	Possible cause	Countermeasure
Unit does not work after turning on the “POWER” switch	Mains cable is not connected to a suitable mains wall outlet.	Connect to a functioning socket using a suitable mains voltage.
	Mains cable has not been firmly inserted into wall power socket and the power supply mains socket. Mains cable is defective.	Check the power cable. If necessary, exchange it with a suitable mains cable and push its plug firmly into wall socket and the device’s power socket.
	Unit fuse or one of the appliances is defective.	Contact your dealer.
No sound on both channels although the unit is ready for use (the LED (1) is lit).	The audio source is giving no signal.	Switch on the source unit and begin playback.
	The output of the source device is not connec-ted or is not correctly connected to the pre-amplifier.	Correct the connection.
	Volume setting (3) is set too low.	Carefully increase the volume.
	The headphones are defective.	Make them be repaired or use another set of headphones.
Poor sound quality	The cable connections are not tight, the con-nectors are dirty or a cable is defective.	Check the cables and cable connections.
	The headphone amplifier has been connected to a preamplifier output (PRE OUT) of an amplifier.	Only connect the KHV-1 11MKII to line level outputs.
	The output level setting of the audio source is wrong.	Correct this setting.
Humming low frequency noise is audible, even as no audio source is playing back	See section “Net frequency noise” in the chapter “Tips”.	See section “Net frequency noise” in the chapter “Tips”.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Frequency Response:	10 Hz – 40 kHz (± 0.5 dB)
Nominal output power:	5 W
Input Sensibility:	5 mV
Total Harmonic Distortion:	< 0.1 % (1 kHz, 1 W)
Signal-Noise-Ratio:	> 90 dB
Power Connection Type:	230 V AC, 50 Hz
Inputs:	1x RCA stereo
Outputs:	1x 6.3 mm headphone jack
	1x Direct Out, 1x Tube Out
Dimensions (W × H × D):	215 × 95 × 305 mm
Weight:	3.3 kg
Colour:	black/silver

GLOSSARY

Audio Sources / Source devices

These are the components of your HiFi system and all other appliances, whose sound you want to hear over the system and are thus connected to the pre-amplifier, amplifier or receiver. This includes CD players, DVD players, tuners (radians), cassette players, DAT recorders, personal computers, record players, portable audio devices and many more.

dB Level

This is a way of describing any physical quantity; it is a common measurement for signal voltages and the volume. It is given in decibels (dB). Alternating signal voltages below 1V (RMS) are described as "line level" voltages, which are suitable as music signals for amplifier inputs. Inputs on amplifiers (mostly represented by RCA sockets), which are designed for signals on the CD player, tape recorder, DVD player etc. are also referred to as "line level inputs". Those signal inputs must not be confused with inputs that accept preamplified signals.

Dynamic

The volume difference between the quietest and the loudest sounds possible in audio signals (without distortion or transition to noise).

Input sensitivity

Term for the smallest average (RMS) input voltage which causes the maximum output power at the maximum volume setting on the amplifier. Examples: 100mV to 500mV (Millivolts) on line level inputs, 2 mV to 5mV on the phono MM input or 0.1mV to 0.5mV on the phono MC input.

RCA

RCA is the American name for a type of coaxial connectors and sockets, originally the abbreviation for "Radio Corporation of America", the name of a United States company. Both the plug and cable consist of a rod-shaped inner lead and a cylindrical-shaped outer lead. This enables a mono audio signal or a video signal to be transmitted. Compared to the XLR plug connector, this type of connection is also called "unbalanced signal connection".

CONSIGNES DE SECURITE

INDICATIONS POUR DES TUBES

RACCORDEMENT D'UN APPAREIL SOURCE

Please keep the receipt, store it together with this manual. The receipt is your proof for the beginning of the warranty period. Note the serial number in the following box, you can read it from the rear side of the device.

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