Beresford Capella Quick start guide

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BeresfordCapellaHeadphoneAmplifier
Owner’sReferencemanualREV‐2.5
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Introduction
TheCapellaisahigh‐endheadphoneamplifierdesignedforaudiophilelistening.Itcan
acceptaudiosignalsfromananaloguesource.AuniquefeatureoftheCapellaarethe
variousrotarycontrols.Togethertheyhelpyoutoadjustyourheadphonesforthemost
pleasantlisteningexperience.TheCapellaissuitableforusewithheadphonesfrom12Ohms
to600Ohms.
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BoxContent
Thefollowingitemsareincluded:
UserManual
PowerCord
12VoltACtoDCpowersupply
BeresfordCapellaHeadphoneamplifier
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ImportantSafetyInstructions
ReadtheseinstructionsHeedallwarningsFollowallinstructions
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‐Onlyusea12Voltregulatedpowersupply,ora12VoltbatterypacktopowertheCapella.
‐Toreducetheriskoffireorelectricalshock,donotexposethisapparatustorainor
moisture.
‐Protectthepowercordfrombeingwalkedonorpinched.
‐UnplugtheCapellafromthemainsduringlightningstormsorwhenunusedforlongperiods
oftime.
‐SwitchOFFyourequipmentbeforeconnectingtheCapellatoanything.
‐Therearenouser‐serviceablepartsinsidethisproduct.Referallservicingtoqualified
servicepersonnel.ThereisauserreplaceableinternalfuseinsidetheCapella.However,this
fuseshouldnotbereplacedwithoutfirstconsultingthefactoryservicecentreforadvice.
‐SwitchofftheCapellawhenitisnotbeingused.
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Cautionlisteningtooloudly
Notethatlisteningtoheadphonesatextremelyloudlisteninglevelsmaydamageyour
hearing.Enjoyyourmusic,enjoytheCapella,butprotectyourears.
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UsageNotes
SwitchONtheCapellabeforeswitchingONanyotherequipmentconnectedtotheLINEOUT
oftheCapella.Thisistoavoidanyrelayswitchonnoises.
Waitatleast20secondsbeforeyoupowerontheCapellaafterpoweringitoff.Waitanother
8secondsfortheprotectionrelaytodisengage,beforeanyaudiowillbeaudible.Inthecase
ofamalfunction,pleasepowertheunitoff,waitfor20seconds,andthenpoweritbackon.
Iftheissuepersists,pleaseconsultthetroubleshootingtableorcontactus
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WhatvoltagescanIruntheCapellaon?
TheincludedpowersupplyistheonerecommendedforusewiththeCapella.Ifyoudo
decideorneedtousetheCapellawithadifferentmainspowersupply,makesureitisnot
higherthan12Voltsregulated.Alternativelya12VoltLithium,Li‐ion,orLI‐Pobatterypack
canalsobeused.Leadacidbatterypackscanproducealowlevelnoiseinsomecases.So
theiruseisnotrecommended.
Failuretoobservethiscautionarynotewillvoidyourwarranty.Contactusforfurtheradvice
ifrequired.
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FrontPanelControls
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1.PowerON/OFFSwitch
2.PowerStatusIndicator
3.GainAdjustmentKnob
4.LowFrequencyDampingAdjustmentSelector(4positions)
5.HighFrequencyAdjustmentKnob
6.6.35mmHeadphoneSocket
7.DepthAdjustmentKnob
8.BalanceControlKnob
9.VolumeControlKnob
10.PeakDetectorLEDs
11.3.5mmINPUTSocket
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1.PowerOn/Off
LiftingthePowerSwitchtotheupwardspositionswitchesONtheCapella.
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2.PowerLED
ThePowerStatusIndicatorturnsgreenwhenthepowerswitchisintheupwardsposition,
andthepowersupplyiscorrectlyconnected.

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3.Gain
TheGaincontrolsetsthelevelofamplificationoftheinputsignalthatissenttothe
headphones.TurntheGainControltowardstheleftforlessgain,ortowardstherightfor
moregain.
TheGainControlcentrepositionissetfor64Ohms,whilstthemaximumsettingissetfor
600Ohms.Youcanalsoadjusttheheadphoneamplifiergaintoproperlydriveheadphones
thatareverysensitiveorrequireadditionalpower.
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4.Damping
Differentheadphonesizesandmaterialconstructionrequireadifferentlevelofdampingof
theconesinordertogetthebestbasspossible.The4‐positionrotaryDampingswitchoffers
fourpossibleoptionstogetabettercontrolledbasssound.Theleftmostpositionoffersless
dampingandthedeepestbass.Therightmostpositionoffersthemostdampingandthe
firmestbass.
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5.HF
Someheadphonesareeithertoobright,orcanseverelyaffectlistenerswhosufferfrom
tinnitus.TheHFcontrolcanreducethedynamicrangeofhighfrequencysignals,thereby
makingitfarmorecomfortabletolistentootherwisefartoobrightaudiotracks.
TurntheHFControltotheleftiftheforalesspronouncedhighfrequencyoutput.
TurntheHFControltotherightifyourequireamorepronouncedHFoutput.
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6.HeadphoneOutputConnection
ConnectyourheadphonestotheCapellausingastereo6.35mmplug.Usea3.5mmto6.35
mmstereoadapterifyourheadphonesterminateintoa3.5mmplug.
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7.Depth
Someaudiorecordingscanmakeaheadphonesoundeithertoolaidbackortooforward
sounding,especiallyinthemidrange.TheDepthControlcaninmanycasesadjustthedepth
ofthestereosignalthatisplacedinthecentreofarecording.Thiscanproduceamoreup
closeandpersonal,oramorefurtherawaysoundofespeciallycentreplacedvocalsand
instruments.ThechangesinresponsetotheoperationoftheDepthControltakeafew
secondstocomeintoeffect.

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TurntheDepthControltotheleftifyourequireamorelaidbacksound.
TurntheDepthControltotherightifyourequireamoreforwardsound.
8.Balance
TheBalanceControlvariesthesoundoutputlevelbetweentheLandRchannels.
TurntheBalanceControltotherighttoreducetheoutputintherightchannel.
TurntheBalanceControltothelefttoreducetheoutputintheleftchannel.
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9.Adjustingthevolume
RotatingtheVolumeKnobclockwiseorcounter‐clockwisewillincreaseordecreasethe
volumelevel.Theactualheadphonevolumeleveldependsontheheadphones’sensitivity,
theinputsignallevel,andtheHeadphoneGainsetting.
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10.PeakDetectorLED
TherearetwoPeakDetectorLEDsbehindtheVolumeControlknobthatwilllightupwhen
theinput‐1orinput‐2signalisreachingclippinglevel.Turndownthelevelofthesignal
comingintotheCAPELLAinputswherethatispracticallypossibleifthePeakDetectorLEDs
areconstantlyON.
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11.Input‐1
Youcanconnectaportableaudiodeviceviaitsheadphoneoutputsockettothe3.5mm
Input‐1byusinga3.5mmto3.5mmstereocable.Theanaloguesignalwillbeamplifiedand
senttotheheadphoneandVariableLINEOUToutput.
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6
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BackPanelConnectors
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1213141516
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12.GroundConnection
13.StereoRCAInputSocket
14.VariableRCAOutputSocket
15.DCInputSocket
16.DCpass‐throughOutputSocket
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12.Ground
TheseparateGroundconnectionpointonthebackoftheCapellacanbeconnectedtothe
Groundterminalofasourcedeviceoraudioamplifier,ifthereisoneprovided.Thismightbe
requiredinsomeinstallationswhereanoticeablehumispresentintheaudiosignal.
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InputSignalConnections
TheCapellasupportstwodifferentkindsofanalogueinputconnections.Dependingonyour
intendedusage,pleaseconnecttherequiredoutputsourcestotheCapella.
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13.AUXIN(Input‐2)
YoucanconnectanaudiodevicewithRCAanalogueoutputsintotheCapellaAUXINusinga
pairofRCA/PHONOcables.Theanaloguesignalwillbeamplifiedandsenttotheheadphone
andVariableLINEOUToutput.
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Notes:

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The3.5mmInput‐1socketandtheRCAInput‐2socketcannotbeusedsimultaneously.When
astereo3.5mmconnectorispluggedintotheInput‐1socket,theInput‐2socketismuted.
Whenpluggingandunplugginga3.5mmconnectorintotheInput‐1socket,donotleavethe
connectorpartiallypluggedin.
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14.VariableLINEOUT
TheCapellacanbeusedasapre‐amplifierbyconnectingtheLINEOUTtoapoweramplifier
orapairofactivespeakers.TheoutputleveliscontrolledbytheVolumeKnob.Theoutputis
mutedwhenaheadphoneispluggedin.
Note:OnlytheVolumeControlandBalanceControlareactiveontheLINEoutput.
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15.DCinputsocket
InserttheDCplugfromtheCapellapowersupplyintothisDCsocket.
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16.DCoutputsocket
Inserta2.1mmto2.1mmDCplug‐to‐plugflyleadinthissocketandconnecttheotherendto
theDCinputsocketofoneofourrecentDACsifyouwishtoshareonepowersupply
betweentwounits.Butmakesurethatthevoltagefromthepowersupplyis12Volts.
Allofourpowersuppliesareabletopowertwoofourowndevices.
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Installation
InserttheCapellaintoyouraudiosystembyfirstconnectingtheCapellatoananalogue
audiosource.AnalogueaudiosourceswouldincludetheRCAsingleendedoutputofaCD
player,DVDplayer,tuner,phonopreamplifier,oroutputsofapreamplifier.Youcan
integratetheCAPELLAintoanexistingconnectionbetweenyouraudiosourceandan
additionaldevice.Bywayofexampleofanamplifierasanadditionaldevice,thischapter
describeshowtointegratetheCAPELLAintoanexistingconnection.
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PullouttheplugofthestereoRCAcablefromtheinputINontheamplifier.
ConnectthisplugtotheAUXINontheCAPELLA.
ConnectasecondstereoRCAcabletotheinputINontheamplifierandtotheLINEOUTon
theCAPELLA.
UsetheVolumeControlontheCAPELLAtoadjusttheaudiolevelofthesignalgoingtothe
amplifier.
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8
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QuickStartGuide
Pluginyourheadphonestothefrontpanel,makingsuretheVolumeControlisturneddown.
PlugtheCAPELLApowersupplyintoanACpowerpoint.
OncetheCAPELLAhasbeenswitchedON,wait8secondsforthemutingrelaytoswitchoff
beforeturninguptheVolumeControl.
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HeadphoneGainSelection
Foroptimalsoundquality,youcanadjusttheGainsettinginordertoproperlymatchthe
sensitivityandimpedanceoftheheadphonesinuse.Theruleofthumbforselectingthe
propergainlevelistofindacomfortablelisteningvolumethatutilizestheupperrangeof
theVolumeKnob.ItisgenerallybettertohavetheVolumeKnobsettoahighvolumelevel
whenadjustingtheGainControl.
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NOTE:whenadjustingtheGainControlwithoutasignalbeingpresent,thegainbiasing
voltagemightbeaudibleasafaintscratchingnoise.Thisisquitenormal.
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Atthispointyoushouldbereadytoenjoythebenefitsofhighendaudioplayedthroughthe
CAPELLAHeadphoneAmplifier.
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‐Pleasecontact[email protected]ifyouhaveanyquestionsnotaddressedinthis
referencemanual.