Cary Audio Design CAD 211 AE User manual

OWNER’SMANUAL
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CAD 211 AE
Mono Power Amplifier
NOTE: Before installing your new component, please read this manual carefully
as it will inform you of the product specifications, proper installation and correct
operating procedures for your unit. Also included in this manual are guidelines
on how to service and care for your new Cary Audio Design product.

Contents _________________________________________________
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3
Specifications.......................................................................................................................... 4
Features................................................................................................................................... 5
Installation........................................................................................................................... 6-7
Operation ............................................................................................................................... 7
Service and Care................................................................................................................... 8
Troubleshooting Guide ....................................................................................................... 9
Diagrams .........................................................................................................................10-11
Warranty ..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION ________________________________________
Congratulations!
You have just purchased one of the most outstanding amplifiers ever made. After ten years of continuous
production we proudly announce the CAD 211 Anniversary Edition! Operating the amplifier is a simple procedure.
Each unit is designed for long term stability in virtually any home operating situation. Note that if the unit is
operated outside the parameters outlined in this owner’s manual, damage may result. Please read this manual
carefully before operating your new CAD 211 AE power amplifier.
When the following cautionary terms are used in this manual, these definitions apply:
WARNING
Electrical hazard! Misuse or failure to follow instructions properly may result in personal
injury or death!
CAUTION
No risk or personal injury; however, misuse or failure to follow instructions may result in
damage to equipment.
NOTE
No risk of personal injury or equipment damage; however, misuse or failure to follow
instructions may prevent proper performance of the equipment.
3

SPECIFICATIONS ________________________________________
This section describes the basic specifications of the 211 AE amplifier at the time of printing. Specifications are
subject to change without notice or obligation.
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POWER OUTPUT 70 Watts Class A operation mode, 110 watts Class A-2
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FREQUENCY RESPONSE 20 to 20 kHz +0.5 dB
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AC POWER REQUIREMENTS 100, 110, 117, 220, 240, / 50-60 Hz, set by market
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POWER CONSUMPTION 230 watts – Operation, 76 watts – Standby
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INPUT IMPEDANCE 150,000 ohms (150k Ω)
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OUTPUT IMPEDANCE 4, 8 and 16 ohm speaker connection terminals
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NOISE > 80 dB below rated output
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SENSITIVITY 1.0 Volt @ zero feedback for full output
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COUPLING CAPACITORS Oil filled capacitors
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POWER SUPPLY CAPACITORS 4-1500 μF @ 450V
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TRANSFORMERS 1 - EI Laminated core power transformer
1 - Special air-gap output transformer
200% duty cycle on all transformers
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TUBE COMPLIMENT 1 - 1629/6U5 ‘Cat Eye’ tube
In each amplifier chassis 1 - 6SL7 input tube
1 - 6CA7 phase inverter
2 - 300B driver tubes
2 - 845 output tubes
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WARM-UP TIME 5 minutes, after initial break in period
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BREAK-IN PERIOD 100 hours of music playing time
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FINISH Jaguar ‘Anthracite Black’ chassis
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AC CORD 3 conductor cord, Detachable
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DIMENSIONS 10” H x 12.25” W x 24” D (25.4 x 31.2 x 61 cm)
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WEIGHT 90 lbs. (38.6 kg.)
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SHIPPING WEIGHT 126 lbs. (47.7 kg.)
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4

FEATURES_______________________________________________
Front Panel
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CAT EYE TUBE Indicates approximate power output level
When the eye is completely closed the amplifier is at full power output
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Top Panel
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OFF-ON TOGGLE SWITCH Turns AC power on in the rear position
The output tube will not light at this point
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STANDBY SWITCH Turns the filament of the output tube on in the rear position
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Rear Apron Features
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INPUT Signal input connection via shielded RCA interconnect cable
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OUTPUT Three 5-way binding posts provide output to the speaker
system (4, 8 or 16 ohm connections)
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FUSE AC power fuse. Never replace with any other value than
4 AMP SLOW BLOW FUSE! 250 VOLT!
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TUBE FUSE Never replace with any other fuse than 1/2 amp FAST BLOW FUSE!
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5

INSTALLATION__________________________________________
This section describes the unpacking and installation procedures for your new component.
Unpacking
All Cary Audio Design shipping crates have been specially designed to protect their contents and special care has
been taken to prevent damage under normal shipping conditions. Mishandling should be evident upon inspection of
the shipping container. If shipping damage is found after visual inspection, take care not to destroy the evidence. If
necessary, document the damage with photographs and contact the transport carrier immediately.
Carefully remove your new component from its packing carton and examine it closely for signs of shipping damage.
We strongly recommend saving all original packing cartons to protect your component from damage should you
wish to store it or ship it for after-sales service.
Warranty Card
IN THE USA: If you are the original purchaser of a new unit from an AUTHORIZED CARY AUDIO DESIGN
DEALER, please fill out the enclosed warranty registration card and return it to Cary Audio Design within 15 days
of your purchase. Cary Audio Design also suggests that you keep your original packing cartons in case you ever
need to ship the unit when moving to a new home. Warranty restrictions apply. Consult the warranty section at
the end of this manual for details. Please be certain to keep a copy of the original sales receipt from your
AUTHORIZED CARY AUDIO DESIGN DEALER to validate the warranty if ever needed. The warranty is for the
original purchaser only and does not transfer to any subsequent owner.
OUTSIDE THE USA: Your local Authorized Cary Audio Design Distributor will make his own warranty policy
for your country. Please check with them for the terms of warranty for your new amplifier.
Placement
The CAD 211 AE is designed for use in homes. It must be protected from the elements and temperature
extremes. For example, avoid placing the unit in extremely hot locations such as near radiators or other heating
units. Its location among the user’s audio components is not critical; however, certain precautions must be taken.
Avoid moisture, direct sunlight, and dusty areas.
Power Requirements
The CAD 211 AE is designed to operate from house current AC mains. The design voltage is 117 Volts AC at
50/60Hz (Foreign units 234 Volts AC at 50/60Hz).
Speaker Cables
The speaker cables from the output posts of the CAD 211 AE to the speaker system can be any length that your
setup requires. Select speaker cables of sufficient size to preserve the outstanding performance capabilities and
sound quality of your new power amplifiers.
Heavy duty #14 gauge wire is suitable for distances up to 15 feet; #10 gauge is good for 25-30 feet. Most audio
dealers have high performance speaker cable in stock for this purpose. We strongly urge you to try several types
to find the best ones for your combination of components and speakers.
Interconnect Cables
Signal input connection is made via the RCA input jack on the rear of the amplifier located next to the output
binding posts. The input interconnect cables from the output of the preamplifier can be any length your installation
requires. A shielded high quality interconnect cable is important to reduce chances for hum or interference. Ask
your Authorized Cary Audio Design audio dealer for advice.
WARNING!
Page 10 shows correct tube placement positions, 300B tube bias settings and ‘Cat Eye’
tube brightness adjustment. Page 11 shows 300B tube pin configuration. FAILURE TO
6

INSTALL THE TUBES CORRECTLY WILL DAMAGE THE UNIT. Watch the tube pins
carefully on the 300B tube during installation as it is possible to force the tube to plug in
‘wrong’ during installation. The 300B tube has no ‘safety key’ center pin on the tube to
prevent incorrect installation. It has two large pins and two slightly smaller pins. Please
look carefully at the tube pins and the tube socket holes to note the two different size
connections prior to installation. Incorrectly plugging in the 300B driver tube will possibly
damage the amplifier and is not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
OPERATION _____________________________________________
Your new amplifier is ready for operation after the speaker cables, interconnect cables and the tubes have been
installed.
On-Off Power Switch
Push the AC toggle switch toward the rear, to the “ON” position. The 6SL7 input tube, 6CA7 phase inverter,
1629 Cat Eye tube and the 300B driver tube will light up in this setting.
Standby Toggle Switch
Push the toggle switch toward the rear of the unit to operate. The installed output tube will light up.
Break In Period
The tubes, capacitors and the output transformers take approximately 100 hours of music playing to fully settle in
for peak performance. Small imperfections in the tube surfaces will ‘boil off’ during the break in period as well. The
amplifier will sound good right out of the box but it will improve as break in occurs. After the first couple of hours
you will notice increased depth and tighter bass. This break in period is true with most high performance audio
amplifiers.
7

SERVICE AND CARE _____________________________________
The chassis may be cleaned with a soft towel and Windex® (or a similar window cleaner). Spray it on the cleaning
cloth to moisten it, not on the component. Do not use solvents or harsh chemicals as they may remove the labels
from the chassis. The frequency and need of cleaning will be governed by operating environmental conditions.
Avoid letting the component become dusty or wet. A ‘feather duster’ type cleaner will also work well for cleaning
the component.
Replacing Vacuum Tubes
If it becomes necessary to replace the tubes, the same brand as installed new should be used. A complete new
tube kit is available from Cary Audio Design. Although useful tube life varies depending on the nature and degree
of use, under normal home use, the 845 output tubes and the 300B driver tubes should last many years in the
CAD 211. The 6SL7 input tube should last even longer.
NOTE: Any current production or New Old Stock (NOS) types of 845, 6SL7, 6CA7 or 300B tubes will work fine
in the CAD 211 Anniversary Edition amplifier. The voltages are fine for all available types.
WARNING
Make sure the amplifier is unplugged 30 minutes from the AC mains before replacing the
tubes to avoid risk of shock and high heat from the 845 tube.
Factory Service
Careful consideration has been given to the design of this product to keep maintenance problems to a minimum. If
problems arise, refer to the trouble-shooting guide at the end of this manual. If the problem is not easily solved,
we suggest that you contact our Customer Service Department by phone at [phone], 1–5 pm Eastern
Standard Time, to describe your problem in detail. Do not return the component to the factory without a Return
Authorization Number (RA) from the Customer Service Department.
Cary Audio Design assumes no responsibility if the transportation company refuses to pay a damage claim due to
your improper packing or lack of insurance should the unit be lost in shipment. We strongly suggest using the
original packing cartons for shipping any Cary Audio Design component.
Non-Warranty Repairs
Cary Audio Design will provide repair service for its products charging on a time and expense basis. At this time,
the standard non warranty service bench fee is $125 with all parts used for repair charged extra. This may change
with time and is not a quote for service. Please call us at 919-355-0010 for more information about out of
warranty service and repair fees.
WARNING
Make no attempt to put the CAD 211 in service outside of the cabinet or with the
cabinet open! Contact with the high voltages found inside the unit can be fatal! Remove
the AC power plug from the wall and allow 30 minutes for the high voltage capacitors to
discharge through bleeder resistors before attempting to change the tubes or to clean
the inside the amplifier.
CAUTION
Never remove or insert the AC plug when the unit is on or the AC power switch is in the
“ON” position. Obstruction of the top portion of the amplifier will result in the tubes
overheating.
8

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE ____________________________
SYMPTOM CAUSE REMEDY
Hum or “Buzzing” in speakers Ground loop
300B tube with high plate current
too high
Intermittent or poor connection of
interconnect
Install 2-pin adapter
on AC cord to float the ground
Check bias of 845’s. If high,
readjust to proper bias setting of
100 mA
Replace bad interconnect cable
“Popping” or “Spitting” noise Noisy tube
Check bias of output tubes
If noise is in one channel
through the speaker, swap one
section of tubes at a time until the
noise swaps channels. Replace the
noisy tube.
If high or fluctuating rapidly,
replace output tube
AC fuse blows Line voltage surge Replace fuse
Tube fuse blows Shorted tube (300B &
845 have separate fuses.)
Replace tube
9