Opera Audio Cyber 30 User manual

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Cyber-30 signature edition
2A3 Edition
READ ENTIRE INSTRUCTION MANUAL BEFORE USING
1. SAFETY INSTRUCTION
Read Instructions-All safety and operating instructions should be read before the amplifier is operated
Retain Instructions -Safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
Heed warnings-All warnings on the amplifier and in the operating should be adhered to.
Follow instructions-All operating and use instructions should be followed.
Water and moisture-The equipment should not be used near water, e.g., near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen
sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool etc.
Ventilation-The equipment should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper
ventilation. So the equipment should not be situated on a bed, sofa, or similar surface, e.g., that may block the
ventilation openings, or placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the
flow of air. The equipment should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat register, stoves,
or other electronic appliances that produce heat, so it may not suitable for commercial use.
Power sources-The equipment should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in this
manual or as marked on the equipment.
Grounding or polarization-Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on
or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords and plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit from the amplifier.
Power lines-In case of connecting a tuner, an outdoor antenna should be located away from power lines. If
an outside antenna is connected to the system, be sure the antenna is grounded so as to provide some
protection against voltage surges and built up static charges.
Any Servicing-The user should not attempt to service the equipment r beyond that described in this manual.
All other servicing should be referred to qualified service technicians
CAUTION:
TO PREVENT THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated
“ dangerous voltage ” within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.
Congratulations!
Opera Audio welcomes you to the growing number of discerning audiophiles who own Opera audio products.
This manual has been prepared to help you to maximize your enjoyment of the performance and features of
your new Consonance equipment. Please study this manual carefully and become acquainted with all the
features, operation and capabilities of your new Consonance equipment. Should you have any questions, or
desire information on other Opera audio products, please contact your local Opera dealer.
2. WHEN YOU OPEN THE BOX
Before any Opera audio product leaves the factory it is carefully inspected for physical imperfections as a
routine part of Opera audio's systematic quality control. After you have unpacked the equipment, inspect it for

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any physical damage. Save the shipping carton and all packing materials, because they are essential to
reduce the possibility of transportation damage. Because some heat is generated by the equipment, adequate
air circulation is provided to maintain cool operation. Leave enough space around the unit (at least 3 cm on
the top and 3 cm on the sides and leave enough space on the back for the power card and interconnect
cables). If the equipment is going to be mounted in an enclosed cabinet, it is recommended that the rear of
the cabinet has vents to allow air to circulate around the unit. With these considerations implemented, the
equipment should provide exceptional performance in any reasonable environment. Of course, such normal
considerations as protection from excessive dust and moisture should always be observed. All the equipment
made by Opera audio has been carefully designed with high quality components so that Long-term
undiminished performance is operated in accordance with the instructions provided.
3. EQUIOMENT INSTALLATION AND GETTING STARTED
Power-Cord, plugs and sockets
The power cord should be routed so that it is not likely to be stepped on or pinched by items placed upon or
against it. All the plugs and sockets supplied with your Consonance equipment have been chosen because
they mark the best possible connection for their purpose. A poor contact will degrade the signal substantially
and plugs and sockets should look clean and free from corrosion. The easiest way to clean them is to switch
off the equipment, pull the plugs out of their sockets, and push them back in again. Special contact cleaners
and contact enhancers should not be used as they tend to deposit a film which is very difficult to remove and
may degrade the sound.
Switching on and off
Source components and power supplies for cd players, tuners, preamplifiers and crossovers should be
switched on before switching on the amplifier(s).
Always switch the amplifier(s) off and wait about 5 minute for its power supply capacitors to discharge before
connecting or disconnecting any leads. Always use the power switch on the produce rather than a mains
outlet switch.
Running in
Your Consonance equipment will take a considerable time to run-in before it performs at its best. The duration
varies, but under some conditions you will find that the sound continues to improve for as much as five weeks.
Better and more consistent performance will be achieved if the system is left switched on for long periods. It is
worth remembering however that all electronic equipment can be damaged by lightning. Please read the
warnings sectio
Power supply
Where fused plugs are used various amp fuses should be fitted . Fuses of a lower rating will fail after a period
of use. A hi-fi system usually shares a main circuit with other household equipment some of which can cause
distortion of the mains waveform. In some Consonance equipment such distortion can lead to a mechanical
hum from the transformers. The hum is not transmitted through the speakers and has no effect on the
performance of the system but is purely local to the transformer itself. A separate fused mains circuit (like that
reserved for electric cookers) will also have a lower impedance, supply cleaner power, and consequently
improve system performance.
Do not wire voltage dependent resistors or noise suppressors into mains plugs. They degrade the mains
supply and the sound.
Locating the equipment
Power supplies and amplifiers should be located a reasonable distance away from other equipment. This
separation will stop transformer reasonable causing hum audible from the loudspeakers. The minimum
recommended distance is 300mm (12 inches), and that allowed by the standard interconnect lead is the
maximum.
Some Consonance equipment is extremely heavy. Ensure than your equipment rack or table can easily
support the weight and is stable.
Cables, connections and speaker Impedance
Loudspeaker leads are also very important leads to suit your equipment installation. The leads should each
be at least 3.5 meters long and of equal length. The recommended maximum is 20 meters. The loudspeaker
connectors supplied with all Consonance amplifiers and loudspeakers have been specifically designed to
make a tight mechanical connection. It is essential that these are used in order to comply with local safety
regulations.
For best performance, the load presented by the speaker has to match the amplifier's output impedance.
Refer to the manufacture's information for your speaker nominal impedance. All the vacuum tube amplifier
made by Opera audio are factory set to match the speakers at 8 ohms and 4 ohms.
If you have a problem

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Legal consumer protection varies from country to country. A problem may be due to a fault in any part of the
system or its installation so it is essential to make full use of your local dealer’s diagnostic skills on site.
Please contact your local distributor, or Opera Audio at the address in the back of this manual, if any
difficulties cannot be resolved. Some Consonance equipment is made in special versions for different
territories and this makes it impracticable to arrange international guarantees. Please establish the guarantee
arrangements with your own dealer at the time of sale. We are always available to offer help and advice.
It is essential that repairs and updates are only carried out by an authorized Consonance dealer, or at the
factory by Opera Audio itself. Many components are made, tested or matched specially for Consonance and
appropriate replacements are often unobtainable from non-specialist sources.
The equipment should be serviced by opera audio company or any qualified service personnel when:
–The Power-supply cord or plug has been damaged.
–Objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the equipment.
–The equipment does not appear to act normally or exhibits a marked change in performance.
–The equipment has been dropped or the enclosure damaged.
Our dealer will have all relevant information about the service in your area and will ensure that you unit is
serviced without delay. If for some reason, there are no service facilities available in your area, please ship
the equipment to the following address:
The Opera Audio Co., Ltd.
NO.2,JiuXianQiaoLu,Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Post Code: 100015, Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected] ,Website: www.operaudio.com
You are responsible for all shipping charges, insurance, re-importation to your country, and duty
arrangements. When shipping a product to factory for service, always include the following:
–A sales slip or other proof of purchase if repair is claimed under warranty.
–A proforma invoice with value of the goods, stating that the amplifier is returned to china for repair.
–An accompanying letter describing faults, symptoms or problems with the amplifier.
–Always ship the amplifier in its original carton and packaging material to prevent damage in transit.
The Opera Audio will not accept responsibility for any damage caused in transit, no matter whatever caused.
Warnings
Consonance equipment is designed to offer the finest sound quality that can be achieved, avoiding
compromise wherever possible. This can lead to circumstances that may be unfamiliar. The material that
follows contains advice specifically related to Consonance equipment as well as more general warning about
the use of domestic audio products. Please read it carefully.
The transformers in Consonance power amplifiers and power supplies may sometimes make a mechanical
noise caused by distortion of the mains waveform. Consonance transformers are large in size and have heavy
gauge secondary windings making them relatively sensitive to such distortion. A separate mains circuit for
your hi-fi system may reduce the effect while also giving an overall improvement in sound quality. It may be
necessary however to take account of mechanical transformer noise when placing your equipment.
In some circumstances, depending on where you live and the grounding arrangements in your home, you
may experience radio frequency interference. Controls on broadcasting in some territories allow very high
levers of radio frequency radiation and both the choice and exact place of equipment may be critical. If there
is a known problem in your locality it is advisable to arrange for a home demonstration before purchase to find
out if Consonance equipment is likely to be affected. Susceptibility to radio frequency interference is related to
the wide internal bandwidth necessary for high sound quality. Systems incorporating moving coil phono
preamplifiers and active crossovers are more likely to suffer.
Your Consonance hi-fi system can be damaged by lightning. Power amplifiers are particularly at risk and
should be turned off when there is risk of lightning strike. For complete protection all mains plugs and any
aerial cables should be disconnected when not in use.
Equipment must not be exposed to dripping or splashing and no objects filled with liquid, such as vases,
should be placed on the equipment.

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Important
Do not under any circumstances allow anyone to modify your Consonance equipment without first checking
with the factory, your dealer, or your distributor. Unauthorized modifications will invalidate your guarantee.
For your own safety do not under any circumstances open Consonance equipment without first disconnecting
the mains.
Warning : Danger of electric shock and burns. Keep the unit away from rain or moisture. Do not attempt any
of the instructions in this manual unless the unit has been unplugged for at least 10 minutes. If after reading
the entire manual you feel any of the operations listed below are beyond your ability, please seek qualified
technical assistance.
UNPACKING & SET-UP
1. Check shipping package for sign of improper handling. Remove unit from plastic bag and inspect for
damage, as well as the adjunct tool for biasing.
2. AC Power connection 240V / 230V / 220V / 115V / 100V AC dependent on country.
3. Locate the 2A3 vacuum tubes and insert them into their sockets. Use the top chassis drawing for socket
location and proper tube orientation. Be sure to hold the tube by its base when inserting and removing.
This will minimize the chance of breaking the glue between the socket and the glass.
4. Place the unit away from heat source and allow for air flow under and around the chassis.
5. Connect the input source to the amplifier’s right and left channel RCA jacks. Refer to rear chassis drawing,
these jacks are labeled
with colored washers: red
for right and black for left.
6. Connect the speakers
cables. Refer to rear
chassis drawing for
speaker connector
location. Be sure the
positive speaker lead is
connected to the plus
symbol on the speaker
connector (In this case,
red to red, black to black)
Note: Never turn the
amplifier on unless there are speakers or headphone connected to the output terminals. Operation
of the amplifier without a load can damage the output transformers.
FUNCTION
1 Power switch
2 Input select switch
3 Power indicator
4 Remote control window
5 Volume control
6 Input jacks
7,8 Speaker connector
9 Power plug
10 Fuse
11 Adjustable potentiometer and
2A3 tubes
12 6SL7 tubes
13 5AR4 tubes
WHAT TO DO IF …
Power indicator and filaments do not light:
Check fuse and make sure the amplifier is plugged into a working power outlet.
Sound out of one speaker/headphone only:

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Turn volume control fully counter-clockwise and reverse input connectors. If sound changes from one
speaker/ headphone to the other,
check source or replace inter-
connect wires. If the sound is still
coming out of the same
speaker/headphone only, check
speakers/headphone on another
piece of equipment for proper
operation.
Static, noise, or hum:
Adjust the potentiometer near the
output tube.
DAMAGE REQUIRING SERVICE
The amplifier should be serviced by
Opera Audio or qualified service
personnel when:
The Power-supply cord or plug has
been damaged.
Objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the amplifier.
The amplifier does not appear to act normally or exhibits a marked change in performance.
The amplifier has been dropped or the enclosure damaged.
Power-Cord
The power cord should be routed so that it is not likely to be stepped on or pinched by items placed upon or
against it.
Cleaning
Dust periodically with a clean, soft paint brush. Fingerprints can be removed with a moist polishing cloth.
Never clean with furniture polish, benzene, or volatile liquids.
Speaker Impedance
For best performance, the load presented by the speaker have to match the Cyber-30 signature edition 2A3
edition’s output impedance. Refer to the manufacture’s information for your speakers nominal impedance.
The Cyber-30 signature edition 2A3 edition is factory set to match the speakers at 4 ohms and 8 ohms.
Headphones
Cyber-30 signature edition 2A3 edition is also an outstanding headphone amplifier. It could drive any dynamic
headphone. If you are using Cyber-30 signature edition 2A3 edition exclusively for headphone listening, just
put the mode switch at headphone position on the front panel. In fact, when playing headphones, the
headphone jack will disable the rear panel speaker terminals. Note: Please disconnected the speaker
connection for properly playing of headphones, in the case of using 4 ohm speaker terminals (no
such need if you use 8 ohm speaker terminals).
THEORY OF OPERATION
Cyber-30 signature edition 2A3 edition is a single-ended class A integrated amplifier. It uses no global
feedback. The 6SL7 is a dual triode, which acts as input and drive tube. The 2A3 is self biased . AC voltage
applied to the input goes first to the front panel volume control and then to the 6SL7. The 6SL7 provides
voltage gain and drives the 2A3 output tube. The 2A3 is transformer-coupled to the load.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE FOR SPEAKER: 16 , 4
OUTPUT POWER: 3.5 W x 2 RMS 1kHz
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 40kHz - 3dB (1W)
HARMONIC DISTORTION: <1% (1W, 1KHz)
S/N RATIO: 90dB
INPUT SENSITIVITY:750mV
INPUT CONNECTOR:4 set (RCA)
POWER CONSUMPTION: 86W
VACUUM TUBES: 6SL7 x 2, 5AR4 x 1 , 2A3 x2
DIMENSION: 430 (L) x 290 (W) x 190(H) mm
WEIGHT: 25kg
SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

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USING TUBES
A. Bias
Bias is a negative voltage applied to a power tube's control grid, to set the amount of idle current the tube
draws. It is important to bias a tube to stay within its rated dissipation. Otherwise, you DO NOT need to worry
about small deviances from the manufacturer's recommendations. Many times we have customers asking us
things like, "I replaced the tubes, the old tubes ran at 35 mA, the new ones run at 38 mA. I'm worried that I
have to rebias the amp." This is NOT worth worrying about. Anyway many consonance amps have bias
adjustments. In that case, rebiasing is necessary. And some of them are designed so that you do not need to
concern yourself with bias. This includes all self sustained single-ended triode hi-fi amps.
B. When should I replace the tubes?
Practically speaking, you should only replace tubes in an audio amplifier when you start to notice changes in
the sound quality. Usually the tone will become "dull", and transients will seem to be blunted. Also, the gain of
the amplifier will decrease noticeably. This is usually enough of a warning for tube replacement.
C. Blue Glow -- what causes it?
Glass tubes have visible glow inside them. Most audio types use oxide-coated cathodes, which glow a cheery
warm orange color. And thoriated-filament tubes show both a white-hot glow from their filaments and (in some
amplifiers) a slight orange glow from their plates. All of these are normal effects. Some newcomers to the
tube-audio world have also noticed that some of their tubes emit a bluish-colored glow. There are TWO
causes for this glow in audio power tubes; one of them is normal and harmless, the other occurs only in a bad
audio tube.
1) Most glass power tubes show FLUORESCENCE GLOW. This is a very deep blue color. It can appear
wherever the electrons from the cathode can strike a solid object. It is caused by minor impurities, such as
cobalt, in the object. The fast-moving electrons strike the impurity molecules, excite them, and produce
photons of light of a characteristic color. This is usually observed on the interior of the plate, on the surface of
the mica spacers, or on the inside of the glass envelope. THIS GLOW IS HARMLESS. It is normal and does
not indicate a tube failure. Enjoy it. Many people feel it improves the appearance of the tube while in operation.
2) Occasionally a tube will develop a small leak. When air gets into the tube, AND when the high plate voltage
is applied, the air molecules can ionize. The glow of ionized air is quite different from the fluorescence glow
above--ionized air is a strong purple color, almost pink. This color usually appears INSIDE the plate of the
tube (though not always). It does not cling to surfaces, like fluorescence, but appears in the spaces
BETWEEN elements. A tube showing this glow should be replaced right away, since the gas can cause the
plate current to run away and (possibly) damage the amplifier.
D. What is Class A, B, AB, ultralinear, etc?
1. Class A means that the power tube conducts the same amount of current all the time, whether idling or
producing full power. Class A is very inefficient with electricity but usually gives very low distortion.
There are single-ended class-A, or SE, amplifiers. They use one or more tubes in parallel, which are all in
phase with each other. This is commonly used in smaller guitar amps and in exotic high-end amplifiers. Many
audiophiles prefer the SE amplifier, even though it has relatively high levels of even-order distortion. Most
300B high-end amplifiers are SE. Negative feedback, which can be used to decrease the distortion of an
amplifier, is felt by some people to sound inferior. Most SE amps have no feedback.
Push-pull class-A amplifiers also exist--they use two, four or more tubes (always in pairs) which are driven in
opposite phase to each other. This cancels out the even-order distortion and gives very clean sound. An
example of a class-A push-pull amplifier is the M100S. Push-pull Class A operation usually involves low plate
voltages and high plate currents, compared to Class AB operation below. The high currents might tend to
wear out the tube cathodes faster than in an AB amplifier.
2. Class AB applies only to push-pull amplifiers. It means that when one tube's grid is driven until its plate
current cuts off (stops) completely, the other tube takes over and handles the power output. This gives greater
efficiency than Class A. It also results in increased distortion, unless the amplifier is carefully designed and
uses some negative feedback.

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3. Class B applies only to push-pull amplifiers in audio; it SOMETIMES applies to RF power amplifiers with
one tube. It is like Class AB, except that the tubes idle at or near zero current. This gives even greater
efficiency than Class A or AB. It also results in increased distortion, unless the amplifier is carefully designed
and uses some negative feedback. If careful design is not undertaken, the result may be crossover distortion,
which appears at the midpoint of the output waveform and has very bad-sounding effects in audio. Most solid-
state audio amplifiers use class B, because the transistors undergo less heat stress when idling.
4. Ultralinear operation was invented by David Hafler and Herbert Keroes in 1951. It uses only beam tetrodes
or pentodes, and special taps on the output transformer. The taps connect to the screen grids of the tubes,
causing the screens to be driven with part of the output signal. This lowers distortion considerably. It is usually
seen only in hi-fi amplifiers that use power tubes such as the 6L6, 6550, EL84 or EL34.
E. Why are different kinds of power supplies used in various tube amplifiers? Why do some use tube
amplifiers? Why do some use tube rectifiers, while others use solid-state rectifiers, while still others
have electronic regulation?
Tube rectifiers are still used in power supplies of some hi-end amps, because the current a tube rectifier can
produce varies somewhat with the load. It is quite different in response from a solid-state rectifier. Many
audiophiles also prefer this classic design for much the same reasons. Also, inexpensive solid-state rectifiers
can put "hash" into a power supply, because of their slow transient capability while charging and recharging a
filter capacitor 50/60 times a second. Special high-speed silicon rectifiers are available at high cost. They are
rarely used in products other than a few high-end amplifiers. Tube rectifiers have faster transient response
than most solid-state rectifiers, also making them useful in some high-end designs.
Regulated DC plate power can be very helpful in a push-pull Class AB amplifier. Because the amp draws
greatly different current when at idle and when delivering full power, a regulated supply "sags" less at full
power, producing better transient response in the amplifier. It is expensive to regulate the high voltages in a
tube amplifier, so it is done only in expensive top-line models. Class A amplifiers have less need for regulation
since they draw nearly the same DC power at all times. It is dependent on the circuit design. The only way to
see if you need an amplifier with a regulated supply is to listen to it and carefully compare it with similar amps
with unregulated supplies.
F. There's all this talk about "parallel feed", "shunt feed", SRPP, "mu followers", and the like. Which
should I use? What's the difference?
Parallel feed and shunt feed are the same technique. Basically, a choke is used to load the power tube
(usually one, in SE mode), while the output transformer is coupled to the plate of the tube through a capacitor.
So, the plate current of the tube does not flow through the output transformer. This can be a very expensive
technique to implement, since the choke must be as carefully wound as the output transformer. It does offer a
possible performance improvement.
SRPP circuits and mu-follower circuits are special designs which use a lower tube (for gain), and an upper
tube which serves as the plate load for the lower tube. The upper tube also acts as both a cathode follower
and as a constant-current source for the lower tube. If properly designed, either circuit can offer improved
performance over an ordinary resistor-loaded tube stage. These circuits are used only in preamp stages and
in the driver stages of power amps, usually SE types, in high-end audio.
If you want to learn more of the technical details behind vacuum-tube electronic design, we recommend the
following books.
We recommend two recently-published books on circuit design, which the novice can derive much information
from:
THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO TUBE AUDIO DESIGN, by Bruce Rozenblit (ISBN 1-882580-13-3);
and PRINCIPLES OF POWER, by Kevin O'Connor (ISBN 0-9698-6081-1).

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Warranty
Opera audio guarantees each product manufactured by us to be free
from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use. Our
obligation under this warranty is limited to making good at our factory
any part or parts thereof which shall, within 1 year after delivery to the
original purchaser, be returned to us with transportation charges
prepaid, and which an examination shall disclose to have been thus
defective; this warranty being expressly in lieu of all other warranties
expressed or implied and of all other obligations or liabilities on our part.
This warranty shall not apply to any Opera audio product which shall
have been repaired or altered outside of our factory in any way so as to
affect its stability, nor which has been subject to misuse, negligence or
accident. Warranties of the vacuum tubes are by the respective
manufacturers, usually 90 days.
Please mail or e-mail the Registration Card to the
address as follow:
The Opera Audio Co., Ltd.
No.2 JiuXiaoQiaoLu
ChaoYang District
Beijing, China
Post Code: 100015
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[email protected]om
www.operaudio.com
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