Abbingdon Music Research AM-777 User manual

AM-777
Pre-Main Amplifier
Owner’s Manual

2
FCC Declaration of Conformity - United States only
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
FCC WARNING:
Changesormodificationstothisunitnotexpresslyapprovedbytheparty
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
NOTE:
Thisequipment has been tested andfound to comply with thelimitsfora
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interferenceinaresidentialinstallation.Thisequipmentgenerates,uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordancewith the instructions, may cause harmfulinterferencetoradio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will
notoccurinaparticularinstallation.Ifthisequipmentdoescauseharmful
interferencetoradio or television reception, which can be determined by
turningthe equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which
the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Canadian Notice (Avis Canadien)
Class B Equipment
This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du
Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.
This products complies with the EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and the
Low Voltage Directive (73/23/EEC) issued by the Commission of the
European Community.
Compliance with these directives implies conformity to the following
European Norms (in parentheses are the equivalent international
standards and regulations):
o EN55022 (CISPR 22) - Electromagnetic Interference
o EN55024 (IEC61000-4-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11) - Electromagnetic Immunity
o EN61000-3-2 (IEC61000-3-2) - Power Line Harmonics
o EN61000-3-3 (IEC61000-3-3) - Power Line Flicker
o EN60950 (IEC60950) - Product Safety

3
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert
the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying this component.
WARNINGS
component and cart combination to overturn.
Any mounting of the device on a wall or ceiling should follow the
Manufacturer’s instructions and should use a mounting accessory
recommended by the manufacturer.
Read and follow all the safety and operating instructions before
connecting or using this component.
All warnings on the component and in its operating instructions should
be adhered to.
Retain this Owner’s Manual for future reference.
Do not use this unit near water; for example, near a bath tub, washbowl,
kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool.
Unplug the component from the wall outlet before cleaning. Never use
benzine, thinner or other solvents for cleaning; use only a soft damp
cloth.
Care should be taken so that objects do not fall, and liquids are not
spilled into the enclosure through any openings.
This component should be serviced only by qualified AMR service
personnel when:
A. The power cable or the power input socket has been damaged;
B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the component;
C. The component has been exposed to rain or liquids of any kind;
D. The component does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a
marked change in performance;
E. Thecomponent has been droppedorthe enclosure has beendamaged.
DO NOT ATTEMPT SERVICING OF THIS UNIT YOURSELF. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED AMR SERVICE PERSONNEL
Upon completion of any servicing or repairs, request the service point’s
assurance that onlyAMR Authorised Replacement Parts with the same
characteristics as the original parts have been used, and that the routine
safety checks have been performed to guarantee that the
component is in a safe operating condition.
REPLACEMENT WITH UNAUTHORIZED PARTS MAY RESULT IN
FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK OR OTHER HAZARDS
Thiscomponentweighs over 15 kilograms. Do not place this component
on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table as the component
may fall causing serious injury to a child or adult and serious damage to
the unit.An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care.
Quick stops, excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the
!

4
Precautions
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits set
outintheEMC Directive using a connection cable shorter than 3 metres.
On power sources
The mains power cable should be routed so that it is not likely to be
walkedon or pinched, especially nearthe plug or back panel receptacle.
The component should not be disconnected from the AC power source
as long as it is connected to the wall outlet, even if the component itself
has been turned off.
If this component is not going to be used for a long time, be sure to
disconnect the component from the wall outlet. To disconnect the AC
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
!
power cable, grasp the plug itself; never pull the cable.
On placement
TheAM-777 may become warm during normal operation. Given this, it
isimperative that theAM-777wheninstalled,itslocation or positionDOES
NOT interfere with its proper ventilation.
For example, it should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug or similar
surface that may block the top or bottom ventilation openings; or placed
in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet, that may impede
the flow of air through its top and bottom ventilation openings.
Do not place the component in a location near heat sources, or in a
place subject to direct sunlight, excessive dust, or mechanical shock.
Do not place the component in an inclined position.
It is designed to be operated in a horizontal position only. Do not place
heavy objects on the component.
Keep the component away from equipment with strong magnets, such
as microwave ovens or large loudspeakers.
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not place vessels filled with liquids,
such as vases, on the component.
Running-In
AMR estimates that the AM-777 may take between 300-500 operating
hours for all of the internal components to be fully-broken in. Please
anticipate the sonic performance of theAM-777 to settle only after it has
been used for this approximate length of time.

5
Thank you for purchasing this AMR reference class component.
We hope you derive as much pleasure from using this component as we have enjoyed making it for
you.
1.1 Unpacking
This section refers to the unpacking of the AM-777 and its subsequent setup.
Upon unpacking, please find:
i. AM-777 Reference Class Dual-Mono Pre-Main Amplifier.
ii. RC-777 Remote Commander (with 2 x AAAbatteries).
iii. Mains power cable.
iv. AM-777 Owner’s Manual.
v. AMR Warranty Card.
Please ensure that all items are present. Should an item be missing, please contact your AMR
distributor/dealer.
Please check
that all contents
are present
Section 1 - Setup

6
Warning: ensure
no speaker
connector is in
contact with the
chassis to
cause a short-
circuit!
Default pre-
main mode: the
AM-777 as an
integrated
amplifier
1.2 Setup
Pre-Main Stereo Amplifier Connection (8 Ohm Speakers)
The following diagram illustrate the standard connection of the AM-777 in pre-main stereo amplifier
mode. This is the default factory setting and is suitable for the majority of audio systems.
!
Outputs
R
Great Britain
Compact Disk Processor CD 777
-
Outputs
L
Digital
Input
Output
CAUTION ATTENTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE
NE PAS OUVRIR
No User Serviceable Components Inside.
,
.
.
For service contact your Authorised
Dealer or Distributor Any modifications to
this equipment will void all warranties
CLASS 1
LASER PRODUCT
～
AC
SERIAL NO.
!
USB
Input IR
Link
Power
On Off
Interconnect Cable Interconnect Cable
Speaker R
HF
LF
HF
LF
Speaker L
RL
～
AC
Power
On Off
LR
M
MM
SERIAL NO.
!
14
3
2
Pre
Out
USB
Input
IR
Link
L
R
Speaker
Outputs
Inputs
R
L
No User Serviceable Components Inside.
,
.
.
For service contact your Authorised
Dealer or Distributor Any modifications to
this equipment will void all warranties
CLASS 1
LASER PRODUCT
CAUTION ATTENTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE
NE PAS OUVRIR
8R
4R
Input 1
Great Britain
Pre Main Amplifier AM 777
--
RL
～
AC
Power
On Off
LR
M
MM
SERIAL NO.
!
14
3
2
Pre
Out
USB
Input
IR
Link
L
R
Speaker
Outputs
Inputs
R
L
No User Serviceable Components Inside.
,
.
.
For service contact your Authorised
Dealer or Distributor Any modifications to
this equipment will void all warranties
CLASS 1
LASER PRODUCT
CAUTION ATTENTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE
NE PAS OUVRIR
8R
4R
Input 1
CD 777-
CD 777-
AM 777-
AM 777-
Speaker CableSpeaker Cable
MM
LR
M
MM
8R
4R

7
2.1 AM-777 Front Fascia
Section 2 - Component Overview
F1. STANDBY: to place the AM-777 in active or standby mode.
F2. SOURCE : to select between the different inputs.
F3. VOLUME : to adjust the volume level.
The plastic
protective film
covering the
display may be
removed
F2 F3
F1

8
2.2 AM-777 Rear Panel
Warning: en-
sure that the
correct mains
voltage and
speaker
impedance are
selected!
R4
R3
R2
R1
R6
R5
R8
R7
R9
R10
R11
R12
R13
!

9
R1. SPADE/BANANA outputs: for connection of standard termination speaker cables.
R2. USB input: to allow direct connection to a computer.
R3. HIFI/PRO: to allow for a source with transformer balanced output.
R4. POWER: to switch on mains electricity to the AM-777.
R5. 115V/230V: to switch to the correct local mains voltage.
R6. INPUT 1: shared XLR and RCA input
R7. INPUTS 2-4: RCA inputs
R8. IEC power connector: for the connection of a mains power cable to the AM-777.
R9. Preamplifier output: to drive other amplifiers.
R10. MODE: to alternate between Stereo/Monoblock/Bi-Amplification settings.
R11. INT/POWER Amp: to alternate between Pre-Main and Power Amplification setings.
R12. 4R/8R speaker: to select the correct speaker impedance.
R13. Infra-Red Link: for connection of a wireline remote control.
In the majority of audio systems, the AM-777 is most likely to be operated as a Pre-Main Amplifier.
Please inspect the rear panel of theAM-777 to verify that the default settings (in bold) are as follows:
1. HIFI/PRO switches are set to HiFi (left position)
2. MODE switch is set to LR (middle position)
3. INT/POWER switch is set to Int (right position)
4. 4R/8R switch is set to 8R (unless speakers with 4R or lower impedance are used)

10
2.3 RC-777 Remote Control
RC1. MENU: to enter Advanced Features mode*.
RC2. STANDBY: to place theAM-777 in active or standby mode.
RC3. SOURCE: to select between the 5 different inputs.
RC4. VOLUME: to adjust the volume level.
RC5. MUTE: to mute (temporarily turn off sound) theAM-777.
RC6. BRIGHTNESS: to adjust brightness levels*.
RC7. OK : to be used in Advanced Features mode*.
* Please refer to Section 4 - Menu Setting section for more details
RC4
RC3
RC1
RC6
RC2
RC5
RC7