RQ-970BX - Audio Equalizer ROTEL - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL RQ-970BX ROTEL

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 electrical 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 unit. 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 unit only with a dry cloth or a vacuum cleaner.

Keep the ventilation inlets on the unit unobstructed. For example, do not place the unit on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that could block the ventilation slots. If the unit is placed in a bookcase or cabinet, there must be sufficient clearance around the unit and ventilation of the cabinet to allow proper cooling.

Keep the unit 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 unit to the power outlet only with the supplied 2-pin polarized 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. The cable should be connected to a 2-pin polarized wall outlet, matching the wide blade of the plug to the wide slot of the receptacle. 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 unit 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 the unit on a moveable cart that could tip over.

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Figure 1: Controls and Connections

Figure 2: Typical System Connection

Contents (circled numbers refer to illustration)

About Rotel 1

Getting Started 1

A Few Precautions 2

Placement 2

Cables 2

AC Power and Control 2

AC Power Input 7 2

Power Switch 2 and Power Indicator 1 2

Input Connection 2

Phono Input Selector Switch (MM/MC) 3 2

Phono Input Connection 4 and

Ground Terminal 5

Output Connections 6 3

Troubleshooting 3

Power Indicator Not Lit 3

No Sound 3

Specifications 3

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. Through the years that passion has remained undiminished and the family 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, while toroidal power transformers are 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 RQ-970BX Phono Preamp Equalizer. When used in a high-quality music audio system, it will provide years of musical enjoyment.

With the increased use of digitally based audio media, many modern high performance audio components lack the circuitry needed to handle the signals produced by phono systems. The RQ-970BX is a high performance phono equalizer. The output signal from the RQ-970BX can be plugged into any line level input. The RQ-970BX uses the same sophisticated circuit designs and high quality components that have made Rotel a world-wide standard of performance. This type of design is more expensive to manufacture, but it is better for the music.

The RQ-970BX is straightforward in its installation and operation. If you have experience with other stereo systems, you shouldn't find anything perplexing. Simply plug in the associated components and enjoy.

A Few Precautions

Please read this manual carefully. It provides complete information on how to incorporate the RQ-970BX into your system as well as general information that will help you get optimum sound performance. 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 RQ-970BX shipping carton and all enclosed packing material for future use. Shipping or moving the RQ-970BX in anything other than the original packing material may result in severe damage to your amplifier.

Fill out and send in the owner's registration card packed with the RQ-970BX. Also 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

Like all audio components that handle low-level signals, the RQ-970BX can be affected by its environment. Do not stack the RQ-970BX on top of a power amplifier. This will minimize the chance it will pick up hum or interference. We recommend installing the RQ-970BX in furniture designed to house audio components. Such furniture is designed to reduce or suppress vibration which can adversely affect sound quality. Ask your authorized Rotel dealer for advice about component furniture and proper installation of audio components.

Cables

Be sure to keep the power cords, digital signal cables and regular audio signal cables in your installation away from each other. This will minimize the chance of the regular audio signal cables picking up noise or interference from the power cords or digital cables. Using only high quality, shielded cables will also help to prevent noise or interference from degrading the sound quality of your system. If you have any questions see your authorized Rotel dealer for advice about the best cable to use with your system.

AC Power and Control

AC Power Input 7

The RQ-970BX does not use a significant amount of power. The most convenient power source may be a switched power outlet on another component. Then you can leave the power switch of the RQ-970 in the "on" position and it will be turned on and off with the other components.

Your RQ-970 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 the back panel.

Note: Should you move your RQ-970 to another country, it is possible to reconfigure your amplifier for use on a different line voltage. Do not attempt to perform this conversion yourself. Opening the enclosure of the RQ-970 exposes you to dangerous voltages. Consult a qualified service person 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 the RQ-970 (as well as other audio and video components) while you are away.

Power Switch 2 and Power Indicator 1

The Power switch is located on the left side of the front panel. When it is pressed the RQ-970 is turned on and the Power Indicator light is illuminated. Pressing the Power switch again will turn the RQ-970 off.

Input Connection

[See Figure 2 for typical system connection illustration.]

The RQ-970BX has conventional RCA type input connectors, the type found on nearly all audio equipment.

Note: To prevent loud noises that neither you nor your speakers will appreciate, be sure to turn off the power to all the components in the system before you make any signal connections.

Phono Input Selector Switch (MM/MC) 3

The RQ-970BX can accept inputs from moving magnet (MM) or moving coil (MC) phono cartridges. Set the Phono Input Selector Switch as appropriate for the phono cartridge you are using. Leave the switch button in the out position for a moving magnet cartridge; push the switch in for a moving coil cartridge. Some high output moving coil cartridges are designed to operate in the moving magnet position. If you are in doubt about the correct setting, check the instruction manual for your phono cartridge for information regarding its output voltage and the expected input impedance. The Phono input has 47 kOhms input impedance and 2.5mV sensitivity in the MM position, and 100 Ohms input impedance and 210~ V sensitivity in the MC position. If you still have questions about the proper setting of the phono input selector switch, consult your authorized Rotel dealer.

Phono Input Connection 4 and Ground Terminal 5

Plug the cable from the turntable into the appropriate left and right phono inputs. If the turntable has a "ground" wire connect it to the screw terminal 5 to the right of the inputs. It will help prevent hum and noise.

Output Connections 6

[See Figure 2 for typical system connection illustration.]

Most power amplifiers have RCA-type input connectors that are compatible with the outputs of the RQ-970BX. Connect a set of cables between the outputs of the RQ-970BX and one of the line level inputs of the amplifier. As always, use high quality cables and be sure to connect the Left and Right channel outputs of the RQ-970BX to the correct channels of the amplifier.

Troubleshooting

Most difficulties in audio systems are the result of incorrect 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 RQ-970BX, refer to the suggestions for the following conditions:

Power Indicator Is Not Lit

The Power Indicator should be lit whenever the RQ-970BX is plugged into the wall power outlet and the power switch is turned on. If it does not light, test the power outlet with another electrical device, such as a lamp. Be sure the power outlet being used is not controlled by a switch that has been turned off.

No Sound

Be sure the phonograph is functioning properly. Check the wiring from the back of the phono cartridge to the phonograph tone arm. Make sure the cables from the phonograph to the RQ-970BX inputs are connected properly. Be sure the input selector on the control preamplifier (or integrated amplifier or receiver) is set to the proper input. Check all the other components in the signal path for power and proper operation. If the system has a separate preamplifier and power amplifier, check the wiring between them. Also check the wiring between the speaker outputs and the speakers.

Specifications

Total Harmonic Distortion (20Hz-20kHz)	< 0.004%
Intermodulation Distortion (60 Hz : 7 kHz, 4:1)	< 0.004% at 1V output
Input Sensitivity / Impedance
Phono - MC	210 μV / 100 ohms
Phono - MM	2.5 mV / 47 kOhms
Phono Overload (MC/MM)	16 mV / 160 mV
Output Sensitivity / Impedance	150 mV/ 100 Ohms
Frequency Response	20Hz-20kHz, ±0.2dB
Signal to Noise Ratio (IHF “A” weighted)
MC	70 dB
MM	75 dB
Power Requirements	115 Volts, 60 Hz or 230 Volts, 50 Hz
Power Consumption	10 Watts
Dimensions (W x H x D)	440 x 72 x 195 mm
	173/8 x 27/8 x 73/4"
Weight (net)	3.1 kg, 6.8 lbs.

All specifications are accurate at the time of printing.

Rotel reserves the right to make improvements without notice.

AVERTISSEMENT

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England

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