Cyrus aCA7 User manual

UserInstructions
CyrusaCA7

Cyrus aCA7
English

CAUTIONS Cyrus aCA7
English 2
Congratulations on the purchase of your Cyrus aCA7 pre-
amplifier. This piece of equipment is a precision
manufactured state-of-art product, constructed to the
highest standards and specifications. This manual contains
installation and operating instructions to enable the user to
connect and operate this pre-amplifier correctly, thus
ensuring the greatest satisfaction and long term use.
This instruction manual is divided into the following
sections.
Cautions.............................................................................2
Installation.........................................................................4
Operation...........................................................................7
Remote Control...............................................................10
Additional Information..................................................12
Trouble Shooting............................................................15
Remote Control of a Cyrus System ..............................17
Specifications...................................................................19
Guarantee........................................................................20
To enable you to make full use of the comprehensive
facilities of this pre-amplifier we suggest that you read
these sections which will explain the fundamental
operations of the unit.
Always follow the instruction handbook and retain it in a
safe place for future reference.
Before proceeding with installing the Cyrus aCA7, ensure
that the following items are included in the accessory box:
•Instruction Manual
•Power Cable
•Audio Commander Handset
•2 phono cables for MC-Bus connections
•Guarantee Card
After removing these items, please retain the packing for
future use.
UNPACKING
CAUTION
POLARISED CONNECTOR (115V PRODUCTS ONLY)
CONNECTOR POLARISE (PRODUITS 115V SEULEMENT)
To prevent electrical shock, match wide blade of plug to wide
slot and fully insert
Attention: Pour éviter les chocs électriques, introduire la lame la
plus large de la fiche dans la borne correspondante de la prise et
pousser jusqu'au fond.

Cyrus aCA7 CAUTIONS
3English
SUPPLY VOLTAGE
Your Cyrus aCA7 pre-amplifier is set to operate from the
mains supply voltage marked on the rear of the unit.
Ensure this voltage is the same as your mains supply, i.e.
230V Products Voltage Range 220V-240V
115V Products Voltage Range 110V-120V
Consult your Mission distributor to arrange for conversion
of your Cyrus aCA7 if you move to an area with a
different mains voltage.
LOCATION
Install the Cyrus aCA7 in a well ventilated location where
it will not be exposed to high temperature or humidity.
Avoid installing the Cyrus aCA7 in a location which is
exposed to direct rays of the sun, or near hot appliances or
radiators. Placing the unit on heat-generating sources or
installing it in damp or dusty conditions will affect
performance and may result in malfunction or accident.
POSITIONING THE UNIT
The Cyrus aCA7 may be positioned either free standing or
alongside another piece of audio equipment. Never stand
the Cyrus aCA7 under another unit. This may adversely
affect the cooling of the Cyrus aCA7. Never place the unit
on any surface which may hamper normal ventilation.
PRECAUTIONS REGARDING INSTALLATION
It is important not to allow any liquid or foreign object fall
into this unit. When routing the power cord avoid running
it over or near sharp objects. Do not stand objects on the
power cord.
If the Cyrus aCA7 is not to be used for a long period of
time, unplug the unit from the mains power supply.
This unit contains no user serviceable parts.
Never remove any panels from the unit or attempt to
service the unit. In the unlikely event of failure, please
refer to qualified service personnel.
Important Note for UK Customers
The mains lead of this unit is fitted with a UK 13A Plug. Do
NOT disassemble this plug. If for any reason you remove
the plug, dispose of it safely and do not attempt to re-use it.
The wires in the mains lead are coloured in accordance with
the following code: Blue - neutral, Brown - live.
If these colours do not correspond with the coloured
markings identifying the terminals on your new mains plug:
Connect the Blue wire to the terminal which is marked with
the letter Nor coloured Black.
Connect the Brown wire to the terminal which is marked
with the letter Lor coloured Red.
Ensure that your equipment is connected correctly. If in
doubt, consult a qualified electrician.

INSTALLATION Cyrus aCA7
English 4
1. Headphone Output
2. MC-BUS System Connection
3. Pre-amplifier Output 2
4. Pre-amplifier Output 1
5. Tape Output 2
6. Tape Output 1
7. Tape Input 2
8. Tape Input 1
9. Auxiliary Input 2
Fig. 1 Cyrus aCA7 (rear view)
10. Auxiliary Input 1
11. Audio Visual Input
12. Tuner Input
13. CD Input
14. PSX-R Connection
15. Power Inlet
16. Mains Fuse
17. Balanced Output (L. Channel)
18. Balanced Output (R. Channel)
BAL OUT
RL
L
R
MC-BUS PREOUT2HEADPHONES PREOUT1 TAPE2 TAPE2
OUTPUTS INPUTS
TAPE1 TAPE1 AUX2 AV TU CDAUX1
USE
PSX-R
ONLY

Cyrus aCA7 INSTALLATION
5English
CONNECTING POWER TO THE UNIT
Refer to figure 1, rear panel drawing on page 4.
Plug the moulded IEC connector of the supplied mains
lead into the power inlet on the rear of the unit.
The mains fuse is located on the rear panel. It must only
be replaced with the following types:
U.K. / Europe - 230V T200mA/20mm
N. America / Far East - 115V T400mA/20mm
In the U.K., the Cyrus aCA7 power lead is supplied fitted
with a mains plug. If the plug fuse should need replacing
ensure that it is replaced only with a 3 Amp Fuse.
CONNECTING A CYRUS PSX-R
If a Cyrus PSX-R is to be used with the Cyrus aCA7,
connect the umbilical cord of the PSX-R to the 5-pin
Cannon input socket of the Cyrus aCA7. When correctly
fitted the connector will latch into place in the socket.
No other connections or internal modifications to the
Cyrus aCA7 are needed for PSX-R connection.
Note: Please ensure that the Cyrus aCA7 and the PSX-R
are unplugged from the mains before connecting the units.
When a PSX-R is in use, both the Cyrus PSX-R power
supply and the Cyrus aCA7 will require mains power. For
more details refer to the Cyrus PSX-R Instruction Manual.
CONNECTING SOURCE INPUTS
Connect a quality RCA phono cable between each system
component and the appropriate rear panel socket. Observe
the colour coding of the phono cable for left and right
channel identification. The standard convention is– Right
Channel RED, Left Channel WHITE or BLACK.
The Cyrus aCA7 provides connections for a CD Player –
CD 1#, a tuner – TU 1@, an Audio Visual processor– AV
1!, two auxiliary inputs– AUX1 1) and AUX2 jand two
tape decks TP1 iand TP2 h.
The AUX inputs can be used for connection of a wide
variety of products such as a second CD player, an
electronic keyboard, etc.
Always check the technical specification of source
products before connecting them to your Cyrus aCA7.
Consult your dealer if in doubt.
CONNECTING A TURNTABLE
The Cyrus aCA7 is a line level pre-amplifier. To play a
turntable through your unit you require an external phono
pre-amplifier. The Cyrus aEQ7 phono pre-amplifier is
available from Cyrus which fully integrates with the Cyrus
aCA7 and has comprehensive facilities for both moving
coil and moving magnet cartridges.

INSTALLATION Cyrus aCA7
English 6
CONNECTING A TAPE RECORDER
Two tape decks may be connected to the Cyrus aCA7.
Tape 1 is suitable for all tape decks and other recording
units but does not feature off-tape monitoring.
Tape 2 has a conventional tape loop with full monitoring
facilities suitable for all tape decks including three-head
models with off-tape monitoring.
To connect a tape recorder:
Firstly, connect a phono cable from the Output or
Playback sockets of the tape recorder to the required Tape
Input sockets- hor iof the Cyrus aCA7. Now connect a
second phono cable from the Input or Record sockets of
the tape recorder to the Tape Output sockets for gof the
Cyrus aCA7.
A three head tape recorder should be connected to the
Tape 2 sockets. For other units we suggest Tape 1.
For a fuller treatment of recording topics refer to
Additional Information on page 12. Refer to your recorder
handbook if you are in any doubt.
CONNECTING HEADPHONES
The HEADPHONES socket bis a standard ¼" stereo jack
socket for connection to a pair of conventional
headphones. It should not be used with Electrostatic units.
CONNECTING A POWER AMPLIFIER
The Cyrus aCA7 must be connected to a power amplifier
in order to drive the system loudspeakers. RCA phono and
Balanced XLR connection systems are provided, the
appropriate connection depending on each individual
installation. Where the Cyrus aCA7 is placed close to the
power amplifier we recommend using the RCA phono
connections. If the power amplifier is some distance from
the Cyrus aCA7 (e.g. beside the loudspeakers) balanced
XLR connections may give improved performance.
Connecting RCA phono cables to a power amplifier
Two pairs of RCA output sockets (PRE OUT) dand e
are available on the Cyrus aCA7. Connect a quality phono
cable from one PRE OUT pair to the left and right inputs
of the power amplifier. The other pair may be used for bi-
amping, etc. – see Additional Information on Page 12.
Connecting Balanced XLR cables to a power amplifier
Connect a 3 pin XLR cable between each channel of the
Cyrus aCA7 balanced outputs 1& and 1* and the
corresponding XLR input of the power amplifier.
Note: If RCA and XLR outputs are simultaneously used
to power two stereo amplifiers (or two monobloc pairs),
they must all be Cyrus units. Never connect RCA and
XLR cables to alternate channels of the same amplifier.

Cyrus aCA7 OPERATION
7English
1. Mute
2. Standby Switch
3. Standby Light
4. Headphones Switch
5. Remote Eye
6. Level Control
Fig. 2 Cyrus aCA7 (front view)
7. Tape 2
8. Tape 1
9. Auxiliary 2
10. Auxiliary 1
11. AV (Video)
12. Tuner
13. CD
CD
MUTE PHONES
TU AV AU1 AU2 TP1 TP2

OPERATION Cyrus aCA7
English 8
POWER CONTROL
Refer to figure 2, front panel drawing on page 7.
The STANDBY key cis used for power control. The
Standby light dwill show Red when the Cyrus aCA7 is off
and Green when operating. Selecting any input source will
also switch on the Cyrus aCA7.
SELECTING AN INPUT
The INPUT SELECT keys j - 1# switch between selected
input sources. When an input key is selected, the red
indicator above the key will turn on.
TAPE PLAYBACK
To replay a tape source connected to the TAPE 1 sockets
press the TP1 key i.
To replay a tape source connected to the TAPE 2 sockets
press the TP2 key h. The indicator above the TP2 key will
now light in addition to the selected source. A further press
of the TP2 key will return to the current selected source.
Additionally, the Tape 2 input provides an off-tape monitor
facility. If your tape deck is equipped with three-heads,
selecting the TP2 key enables a recording to be monitored,
whilst recording.
TAPE RECORDING
The signal from the selected source is sent to Tape
Recorders connected to both TAPE 1 and TAPE 2 circuits
automatically. Tape recordings may therefore be made
from the selected source to either, or both of the Tape
Recorders. In addition, tape copying is possible by playing
the tape recorder connected to the TAPE 1 input and
recording to TAPE 2 (See Page 12 for a fuller treatment of
tape recording).
VOLUME CONTROL
The LEVEL CONTROL gof the Cyrus aCA7 performs
the dual functions of volume and balance. The light ring
display around the rotary knob indicates either volume or
balance depending on the current mode of operation.
The Level Control of the Cyrus aCA7 controls the volume
level in 1dB steps. The light ring around the knob is
calibrated to show the current loudness level. When the
volume is at minimum the first indicator on the light ring
will be RED. As the volume increases, a GREEN light will
move clockwise around the ring.
BALANCE CONTROL
The Cyrus aCA7 is equipped with a BALANCE key on the
remote handset. Page 11 has the full procedure for
adjusting channel balance.

Cyrus aCA7 OPERATION
9English
MUTE
Pressing the MUTE Key bwill fade the volume to
minimum. The RED minimum level indicator will light in
addition to the existing GREEN light to show that the
output is muted. Moving the volume knob or pressing the
Mute key fades the signal up to the original setting.
If the level was set very high when the Cyrus aCA7 was
muted, when unmuted it will return at a safe lower setting.
USING HEADPHONES
The HEADPHONES key eon the Cyrus aCA7 front panel
is a special form of Mute switch. When you press the
HEADPHONES key, the main output from the Cyrus
aCA7 to the power amplifier is muted so that you can listen
to the headphones without the speakers. To restore
loudspeaker operation, press this key again.
When Headphones operation is selected, the MUTE light
at the bottom of the light ring will glow Orange
Note: The HEADPHONES key is operational only when
headphones are connected.
Caution: If you have been listening to headphones at high
volume, be sure to turn the level down before you switch to
normal loudspeaker operation.
Volume and Mute Indications
The Cyrus aCA7 always reverts to its last setting when the
MUTE key is toggled. If, when listening to headphones
(Orange mute on) you press the MUTE key, the Mute light
will change to Red and the full system will mute. If you
press the Mute key again the Orange mute light will return.
Standby
If you set the Cyrus aCA7 to Standby when you are in
Headphone mode, when you next bring the unit out of
Standby it will revert to Headphone operation.
If you unplug the headphones after you have set Standby,
when you next switch on the Cyrus aCA7, loudspeaker
operation will be restored.
Refer to Additional Information on Page 12 for more
details.
Normal listening level
Orange mute- ‘phones
Red mute- Full mute
Normal listening level
Normal operation