RMB-1095 - Audio Amplifier ROTEL - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL RMB-1095 ROTEL

NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

APPLICABLE FOR USA, CANADA OR WHERE APPROVED FOR THE USAGE

CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE

OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT. INSERT FULLY.

ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES CHOCSE ELECTRIQUES,

INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANSLA GORDENANDNITE DEL A DNN

DANS LA BOHRNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU AU FOND.

This symbol is to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltages inside the product's enclosure that may constitute a risk of electric shock.

This symbol is to alert the user to important operating and maintenance (service) instructions in this manual and literature accompanying the product.

WARNING: There are no user serviceable parts inside. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose the unit to moisture or water. Do not allow foreign objects to get into the enclosure. If the unit is exposed to moisture, or a foreign object gets into the enclosure, immediately disconnect the power cord from the wall. Take the unit to a qualified service person for inspection and necessary repairs.

Read all the instructions before connecting or operating the component. Keep this manual so you can refer to these safety instructions.

Heed all warnings and safety information in these instructions and on the product itself. Follow all operating instructions.

Clean the enclosure only with a dry cloth or a vacuum cleaner.

You must allow 10cm or 4 inches of unobstructed clearance around the unit. Do not place the unit on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that could block the ventilation slots. If the component is placed in a bookcase or cabinet, there must be ventilation of the cabinet to allow proper cooling.

Keep the component away from radiators, heat registers, stoves, or any other appliance that produces heat.

The unit must be connected to a power supply only of the type and voltage specified on the rear panel of the unit.

Connect the component to the power outlet only with the supplied power supply cable or an exact equivalent. Do not modify the supplied cable in any way. Do not attempt to defeat grounding and/or polarization provisions. Do not use extension cords.

Do not route the power cord where it will be crushed, pinched, bent at severe angles, exposed to heat, or damaged in any way. Pay particular attention to the power cord at the plug and where it exits the back of the unit.

The power cord should be unplugged from the wall outlet if the unit is to be left unused for a long period of time.

Immediately stop using the component and have it inspected and/or serviced by a qualified service agency if:

• The power supply cord or plug has been damaged.
• Objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the unit.
  The unit has been exposed to rain.
• The unit shows signs of improper operation
• The unit has been dropped or damaged in any way

Place the unit on a fixed, level surface strong enough to support its weight. Do not place it on a moveable cart that could tip over.

Figure 1: Controls and Connections

Figure 3: Balanced Inputs Connection

Contents

Figure 1: Controls and Connections 3

Figure 2: RCA Inputs / Speakers Outputs 4

Figure 3: Balanced Inputs Connection 5

About Rotel 6

Getting Started 6

A Few Precautions 6

Placement 7

About THX UltraTM 7

AC Power and Control 7

AC Power Input 7

Power Switch 1 and Power Indicator 2 7

Trigger ON/OFF Mode Selector 7

12V Trigger Input 8 and Output 9 7

Protection Circuitry 3 8

Input Signal Connections 8

RCA Inputs (unbalanced) 4 8

XLR Inputs (balanced) 5 8

DB25 Connector Input 6 8

Speakers 8

Speaker Selection 8

Speaker Wire Selection 8

Polarity and Phasing 8

Connecting the Speakers 10 9

Troubleshooting 9

Front Panel Power Indicator Is Not Lit 9

No Sound 9

Protection Indicator Is Lit 9

Specifications 9

About Rotel

A family whose passionate interest in music led them to manufacture high fidelity components of uncompromising quality founded Rotel over 30 years ago. Over the years that passion has remained undiminished and the goal of providing exceptional value for audiophiles and music lovers regardless of their budget, is shared by all Rotel employees.

The engineers work as a close team, listening to, and fine tuning each new product until it reaches their exacting musical standards. They are free to choose components from around the world in order to make that product the best they can. You are likely to find capacitors from the United Kingdom and Germany, semi-conductors from Japan or the United States, and toroidal power transformers manufactured in Rotel's own factory.

Rotel's reputation for excellence has been earned through hundreds of good reviews and awards from the most respected reviewers in the industry, who listen to music every day. Their comments keep the company true to its goal - the pursuit of equipment that is musical, reliable and affordable.

All of us at Rotel thank you for buying this product and hope it will bring you many hours of enjoyment.

Getting Started

Thank you for purchasing the Rotel RMB-1095 Five Channel Power Amplifier. When used in a high-quality music or home theater system, your Rotel amplifier will provide years of musical enjoyment.

There is nothing understated about the RMB-1095. It is a massive five-channel power amplifier, capable of providing extremely high power output in the most demanding applications. In fact, the limiting factor in the RMB-1095's output levels will often be the capacity of your home's electrical supply. Discrete output devices, a massive power supply with toroidal transformers, premium components, and Rotel's Balanced Design ensure superb sound quality. High current capability allows the RMB-1095 to drive difficult speaker loads with ease.

Be aware that the RMB-1095 is capable of high power levels, in excess of 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 330 watts into 4 ohms. Make sure that your speakers can handle the power of the RMB-1095. If in doubt about your speakers, ask your authorized Rotel dealer for advice.

The RMB-1095 is straightforward in its installation and operation. If you have experience with other stereo power amplifiers, you shouldn't find anything perplexing. Connect high-quality RCA cables between your preamp or signal processor and the amplifier inputs, wire up your speakers, and enjoy.

Alternatively, the RMB-1095 provides balanced inputs for use with preamps or processors that offer these low-noise XLR-connections.

A Few Precautions

Please read this manual carefully. In addition to basic installation and operating instructions, it provides valuable information on various RMB-1095 system configurations as well as general information that will help you get optimum performance from your system. Please contact your authorized Rotel dealer for answers to any questions you might have. In addition, all of us at Rotel welcome your questions and comments.

Save the RMB-1095 shipping carton and all enclosed packing material for future use. Shipping or moving the RMB-1095 in anything other than the original packing material may result in severe damage to your amplifier.

Be sure to keep the original sales receipt. It is your best record of the date of purchase, which you will need in the event warranty service is ever required.

Placement

The RMB-1095 generates heat as part of its normal operation. The heat sinks and ventilation openings in the amplifier are designed to dissipate this heat. The ventilation slots in the top cover must be open. There should be 10cm (4 inches) of clearance around the chassis, and reasonable airflow through the installation location, to prevent the amplifier from overheating.

Likewise, remember the weight of the amplifier when you select an installation location. Make sure that the shelf or cabinet can support its considerable bulk. Again, use common sense.

NOTE: The RMB-1095 has caster wheels at the rear to help position it.

About THX Ultra™

THX is an exclusive set of standards and technologies established by the world-renowned film production company, Lucasfilm Ltd. THX grew from George Lucas' personal desire to make your experience of the film soundtrack, in both movie theaters and in your home theater, as faithful as possible to what the director intended.

Movie sound tracks are mixed in special movie theaters called dubbing stages and are designed to be played back in movie theaters with similar equipment and conditions. The soundtrack created for movie theaters is then transferred directly onto Laserdisc, VHS tape, DVD, etc., and is not changed for playback in a small home theater environment. THX engineers developed patented technologies to accurately translate the sound from the movie theater environment into the home, correcting the tonal and spatial errors that occur.

Before any home theater component can be THX Ultra certified, it must incorporate the THX technologies and also pass a rigorous series of quality and performance tests. Only then can a product feature the THX Ultra logo, which is your guarantee that the Home Theater products you purchase will give you superb performance for many years to come.

THX and the THX logo are trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

AC Power and Control

AC Power Input 11

Because of its high power rating, the RMB-1095 can draw considerable current and may tax your home's electrical circuit. Therefore, it should be plugged directly into a 3-pin polarized wall outlet. Do not use an extension cord. A heavy duty multi-tap power outlet strip may be used, but only if it (and the wall outlet) is rated to handle the current demanded by the RMB-1095.

NOTE: The RMB-1095 has a built-in surge attenuator to prevent opening the electrical circuit's breaker or fuse at turn-on.

Be sure the POWER SWITCH on the front panel of the RMB-1095 is turned off (in the out position). Then, connect the supplied power cord to the POWER CONNECTOR on the back panel of the amplifier and to the AC power outlet.

Your RMB-1095 is configured at the factory for the proper AC line voltage in the country where you purchased it (either 115 volts AC or 230 volts AC with a line frequency of either 50Hz or 60Hz ). The AC line configuration is noted on a label on the back panel.

NOTE: Should you move your RMB-1095 to another country, it is possible to configure your amplifier for use on a different line voltage. Do not attempt to perform this conversion yourself. Opening the enclosure of the RMB-1095 exposes you to dangerous voltages. Consult a qualified technician or the Rotel factory service department for information.

If you are going to be away from home for an extended period of time such as a month-long vacation, it is a sensible precaution to unplug your amplifier while you are away.

Power Switch 1 and Power Indicator 2

The power switch is located in the center of the front panel of your amplifier. To turn the amplifier on, push the switch in. The LED indicator above the switch will light, indicating that the amplifier is turned on. To turn the amplifier off, push the button again and return it to the out position.

Trigger ON/OFF Mode Selector 7

The Amplifier provides the option for manual or automatic power on/off operation. These modes are selectable using a toggle switch on the back panel.

With the switch in the +12V TRIGGER ON position, the amplifier is turned on automatically when a 12V trigger signal is present at the 3.5mm Jack of TRIGGER IN on the rear panel. The amplifier will go into standby mode if the +12V signal is not present. The front panel POWER SWITCH overrides this function. It must be ON for the +12V trigger to work. Turning the switch OFF cuts power to the amplifier, regardless of whether or not a trigger signal is present.

12V Trigger Input 8 and Output 9

The jack labeled IN is for connecting the 3.5mm Plug/Cable carrying a +12 volt trigger signal to turn the amplifier on and off. To use this feature the toggle switch must be set to the ON position. This input accepts any control signal (AC or DC) ranging from 3 volts to 30 volts.

The jack labeled OUT is for connecting another 3.5mm plug/cable to provide a 12V trigger signal to other components. The 12V output signal is available whenever a +12 volt trigger signal is applied to the IN connector.

Protection Circuitry 3

The RMB-1095 features a thermal protection circuit that protects the amplifier against potential damage in the event of extreme or faulty operating conditions. Unlike many designs, the RMB-1095 protection circuit is independent of the audio signal and has no impact on sonic performance. Instead, the protection circuit monitors the temperature of the output devices and shuts down the amplifier if temperatures exceed safe limits.

In addition, the RMB-1095 includes overcurrent protection which operates only when load impedances drop below 2 ohms. This protection is independent for the left, right and center channels with separate front panel PROTECTION LEDs for each.

Most likely, you will never see this protection circuitry in action. However, should a faulty condition arise, the amplifier will stop playing and the PROTECTION LEDs on the front panel will light.

If this happens, turn the amplifier off, let it cool down for several minutes, and attempt to identify and correct the problem. When you turn the amplifier back on, the protection circuit will automatically reset and the PROTECTION LEDs should go out.

In most cases, the protection circuitry activates because of a fault condition such as shorted speaker wires, or inadequate ventilation leading to an overheating condition. In very rare cases, highly reactive or extremely low impedance speaker loads could cause the protection circuit to engage.

Input Signal Connections

The RMB-1095 gives you a choice of two different kinds of input connections — conventional unbalanced RCA type connections (such as found on nearly all audio equipment) or balanced XLR-type connections for use with some high-end preamps or digital processors featuring this lower noise connection.

NOTE: To prevent loud potentially damaging noises, make sure the amplifier is turned off when you make any signal connections.

RCA Inputs (unbalanced) 4

See Figure 2

When a component with RCA connectors - such as a preamplifier or surround sound processor - supplies signals to the RMB-1095, the RCA-type phono plug inputs should be used.

Select high quality audio interconnect cables. Connect each of the outputs from the preamplifier or signal processor to the corresponding UNBALANCED INPUT of the RMB-1095.

XLR Inputs (balanced) 5

See Figure 3

If you are using one of the high-end preamplifiers or processors with low-noise balanced signal outputs to drive your RMB-1095, you may choose to use these low-noise XLR-type connections. See your authorized Rotel dealer for the appropriate cables.

Connect XLR audio interconnect cables from each of the outputs from the preamplifier or signal processor to the corresponding BALANCED INPUT of the RMB-1095.

DB25 Connector Input 6

The RMB-1095 is also equipped with a DB25 type input. This input is typically only used in professionally-installed custom systems. The DB25 input duplicates the function of the five RCA inputs. For information regarding how to use this input, contact your nearest authorized Rotel service center.

NOTE: When using the DB25 input you must insert the supplied open-circuit RCA plugs into the unbalanced inputs. Use only the open circuit plugs supplied with the RMB-1095; do not use "shorting plugs". The open circuit plugs engage a switch under the center pin of the RCA connector that ensures the DB25 connector input has the proper impedance.

Speakers

Speaker Selection

The nominal impedance of the loudspeaker(s) connected to the RMB-1095 should be at least 4 ohms. As a general rule, only one speaker should be connected to each of the sets of speaker terminals. When two speakers are connected in parallel to one of the speaker terminals, the effective impedance the amplifier sees is cut in half. For example, when driving two pair of 8 ohm speakers, the amplifier sees a 4 ohm load. If you plan on connecting two speakers to one of the terminals of the RMB-1095, select speakers with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms or higher. Speaker impedance ratings are less than precise. In practice, very few loudspeakers will present any problems for the RMB-1095. See your authorized Rotel dealer if you have any questions.

Speaker Wire Selection

Use insulated two-conductor stranded wire to connect the RMB-1095 to the speakers. The size and quality of the wire can have an audible effect on the performance of the system. Standard speaker wire will work, but can result in lower output or diminished bass response, particularly over longer distances. In general, heavier wire will improve the sound. For best performance, you may want to consider special high-quality speaker cables. Your authorized Rotel dealer can help in the selection of appropriate cables for your system.

Polarity and Phasing

The polarity – the positive/negative orientation of the connections – for every speaker and amplifier connection must be consistent so all the speakers will be in phase. If the polarity of one connection is mistakenly reversed, bass output will be reduced and stereo imaging degraded. All wire is marked so you can identify the two conductors. There may be ribs or a stripe on the insulation of one conductor. The wire may have clear insulation with different color conductors (copper and silver). There may be polarity indications printed on the insulation. Identify the positive and negative conductors and be consistent with every speaker and amplifier connection.

Connecting the Speakers 10

See Figure 2

The RMB-1095 has five sets of color coded binding posts. These SPEAKER CONNECTORS accept bare wire, connector lugs, or dual banana type connectors (except in the European Community countries where their use is not permitted).

Route the wire from the RMB-1095 to the speakers. Give yourself enough slack so you can move the components enough to allow access to the SPEAKER CONNECTORS.

If you are using dual banana plugs, connect them to the wires and then plug into the backs of the SPEAKER CONNECTORS. The collars of the SPEAKER CONNECTORS should be screwed in all the way (clockwise).

If you are using terminal lugs, connect them to the wires. If you are attaching bare wires directly to the SPEAKER CONNECTORS, separate the wire conductors and strip back the insulation from the end of each conductor. Be careful not to cut into the wire strands. Unscrew (turn counterclockwise) the SPEAKER CONNECTORS collars. Place the connector lug around the shaft, or insert the bundled wire into the hole in the shaft. Turn the collars clockwise to clamp the connector lug or wire firmly in place.

NOTE: Be sure there are no loose wire strands that could touch adjacent wires or connectors.

Troubleshooting

Most difficulties in audio systems are the result of poor or wrong connections, or improper control settings. If you encounter problems, isolate the area of the difficulty, check the control settings, determine the cause of the fault and make the necessary changes. If you are unable to get sound from the RMB-1095, refer to the suggestions for the following conditions:

Front Panel Power Indicator Is Not Lit

No main power to the RMB-1095. Check the front panel POWER SWITCH. Make sure that it is set to the ON position. Check AC power connections at the amplifier and the AC outlet.

No Sound

If the amp is getting AC power, but is producing no sound, check the PROTECTION INDICATORS on the front panel. If lit, see below. If not, check all of your connections and control settings on associated components. Check the INPUT SELECTOR SWITCH on the RMB-1095 back panel to be sure that its setting matches the type of input you are using.

Protection Indicator Is Lit

The front panel PROTECTION INDICATORS light when the RMB-1095 protection circuits have shut off the amplifier. Typically, this occurs only when the ventilation openings are blocked, when there is faulty speaker wiring, or after a period of extreme use. Turn off the system and wait for the amp to cool. Then push the front panel POWER SWITCH in and out to reset the protection devices. If the problem is not corrected or reoccurs, there is a problem with the system or the amplifier itself.

Specifications

Continuous Power Output (20-20 kHz, < 0.03%) 200 watts/ch into 8 ohms

DIN Power Output (1kHz, 1%) 330 watts/ch into 4 ohms

Total Harmonic Distortion (20Hz-20kHz, 8 ohms) < 0.03%

Intermodulation Distortion (60 Hz : 7 kHz, 4:1) < 0.03%

Frequency Response (+0.5 dB, -3 dB) 15Hz-100kHz

Damping Factor (20-20,000 Hz, 8 ohms) 400

Signal to Noise Ratio (IHFA network) 116 dB

Input Impedance/Sensitivity 33 k Ohms/1.5 volt (unbalanced)

33 k Ohms/±1.5 volt (balanced)

Power Requirements 115 Volts, 60 Hz (U.S. version) 230 Volts, 50 Hz (European version)

Power Consumption 800 Watts

Dimensions (W x H x D) 440 x 240 x 398 mm

173/8 x 91/2 x 153/4 in

Weight (net) 34kg,75lb.

North Reading, MA 01864-2699

USA

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Rotel Europe

Meadow Road

Worthing, West Sussex BN11 2RX

England

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Rotel Deutschland

Kleine Heide 12

This Amplifier provides the option for manual or automatic power on/off operation. These modes are selectable using a toggle switch on the back panel marked 12 V Trigger.

Normal Power On/Off Operation

Switch the small toggle switch on the rear panel to Off and then use the main front panel power button to switch between power On and Power Off.

Automatic Power On/Off

Switch the small toggle switch on the rear panel to On and push the main power button on the front panel to On. The main power button must always be in the On position for the trigger function to operate correctly.

Use of 12 volt trigger system requires a connection between the amplifier 3.5mm socket marked 12 volt trigger IN and a pre-amp or processor socket marked 12 volt trigger OUT. A 3.5mm mono jack to 3.5mm jack is required to make the connection. The power function cannot work unless a connecting wire is used.

12V Trigger Output

Another component may be automatically switched On and Off using this system when it is connected via a 3.5mm mono jack to 3.5mm jack to the back of the amplifier. From the OUT socket connect the lead to another IN socket of the other component. This TRIGGER INPUT accepts any control signal (AC or DC) ranging from 3 volts to 30 volts.

Trigger ON/OFF Mode Selector

12V TRIGGER