Parasound TDQ-150 User manual

-1-
TDQ-150 Stereo Tuner
FM-AM Preset
On-Off Tune
105.35 15
MHz CH
STEREOFM
O W N E R ' S M A N U A L
TDQ-150 StereoTuner

-2-
Special Features of the Parasound TDQ-150
Ultra Wideband IF Section
Fully Remote Controlled
Thirty Station Presets
AC Line and DC-Triggering Capability
Long-Term Preset Memory
Automatic, Manual, and Preset Tuning
CMOS Solid State Switching
Regulated Power Supply
Rear Panel IR Connection
Audiophile-Grade Components
One Rack Space Panel Height
TableofContents
Important Safety Instructions .............................................................................................3
Front, Rear Panel, and Remote Control Drawings.............................................................4
Introduction ........................................................................................................................5
Installing and Rack Mounting.............................................................................................5
Making Connections to Your TDQ-150 ...............................................................................5
Audio Connections.....................................................................................................6
FM Antenna Connections ..........................................................................................6
AM Antenna Connections ..........................................................................................6
External Remote Control Connections ......................................................................7
AC Line Cord..............................................................................................................7
OperatingYourTDQ-150....................................................................................................7
Front Panel Operation ................................................................................................8
Front Panel Display ....................................................................................................8
TDQ-150 Power Activation Options ...................................................................................8
MaintainingYour TDQ-150 .................................................................................................9
In Case of Trouble ..............................................................................................................9
Specifications.....................................................................................................................10

-3-
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
The lightning flash with the arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to
the presence of “dangerous voltage” inside the product that may constitute a risk of electric shock.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance instructions in the literature accompanying the product.
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE
PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL
1. Read Instructions — Read all the safety and operating instructions before operating this product.
2. Retain Instructions — Retain safety and operating instructions for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings — Adhere to all warnings on the product and in the operating instructions.
4. Follow Instructions — Follow all operating and use instructions.
5. Cleaning — Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. Clean the
outside of the product only.
6. Attachments — Do not use attachments that are not recommended by the product manufacturer; they may be
hazardous.
7. Water and Moisture — Do not use this product near water.
8. Accessories — Do not place this product on an unstable cart or stand. The product may fall causing bodily injury
and damage to the product. A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive
force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart to overturn.
9. Ventilation — Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the
product and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked or covered. This product should not
be placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided.
10. Power Sources — Operate this product only from the type of power source indicated on the label. If you
are not sure of the type of power supply to your home, consult your dealer or local power company. This product is
equipped with a three-prong grounding plug. This plug will only fit into a grounding power outlet. If you
are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the
safety purpose of the grounding plug.
11. Power Cord Protection — 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.
12. Lightning— Unplug the unit from the wall outlet for added protection during a lightning storm and when it is left
unattended and unused for long periods of time. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power
line surges.
13. Overloading — Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords. This can result in a fire or electric shock.
14. Inserting Objects into Unit - Never push objects of any kind into this product through any openings; they may
touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in fire or electric shock.
15. Servicing — Do not attempt to repair or service this product yourself. Opening or removing covers may expose you
to dangerous voltage and other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
16. Damage Requiring Service — Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service
personnel under the following conditions: a) If the power-supply cord or plug is damaged. b) If liquid has been
spilled into the product. c) If the product has been exposed to rain or water. d) If the product does not operate
normally by following the operating instructions. e) If the product has been dropped or damaged in
any way. f) If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance.
17. Replacement Parts — When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement
parts specified by the manufacturer. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, and other hazards.
19. Safety Check — Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform
safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition.
20. Wall or Ceiling Mounting — Mount the product to a wall or ceiling only as recommended.
21. Heat — The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, and other
products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

-4-
R
L
Output CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
120 Vac/60 Hz 10 W
DC Trigger
External
remote
Input
AM
FM 75 Ohm
Antenna
GND
TDQ-150
Stereo Tuner
Parasound Products, Inc.
San Francisco, CA USA
FM-AM Preset
TDQ-150 Stereo Tuner
On-Off Tune
FM Antenna AM Antenna Output
Jacks DC TriggerExternal IR
Input
AC Receptacle
On-Off
Button FM/AM Button Preset Up/Down Buttons
On
Off
Memory Preset
FM/AM
Tuning
123
456
789
0
Off Key On Key
Preset Keys
Numerical Keys For
Preset Access
FM/AM Key
Memory Key
Tuning Keys
Tune Up/Down
Buttons Display
105.35 15
MHz CH
STEREOFM
TDQ-150 Front, Rear Panel and Remote Drawings

-5-
Introduction
Congratulationsonyourpurchaseofthisprecisionaudiocomponentand thank you for your selection of
Parasound. The broadcast reference quality of the Parasound TDQ-150 makes it an excellent choice for
your main system and its unique size and features make it particularly useful in custom and multi-zone
installations. Please take a few moments now to read these instructions thoroughly so you may fully
understand the capabilities of your new tuner.
Unpacking and Installation
Carefully unpack your TDQ-150 and remove all the enclosed accessories:
• Remote control with batteries
• Detachable AC cord
• FM Folded Dipole 300 Ω Antenna
• FM 300 ohm to 75 Ω balun matching transformer
• AM loop antenna with self-adhesive bracket
Be sure to inspect the unit for any possible shipping damage. If you see any, contact your Parasound
Dealer immediately. Save the carton all of the packing materials in case you need to ship the unit for
repair. Before you proceed, find the serial number located on the rear panel and record it here for future
reference:
Serial #____________________ Date of Purchase____________________
Installation and Rack Mounting
Your TDQ-150 should be placed on a sturdy surface, out of direct sunlight that may interfere with its
remote control sensor. It should be in a well-ventilated area, away from heating ducts or radiators. Do
notplaceyourTDQ-150near digital equipment suchascomputersordigital processors that couldcause
interference with broadcast reception.
The TDQ-150 is a one rack space height (1.75”) x half rack width (9 .5") unit. It can be mounted in a
standard19-inchwideequipmentrackside-by-sidewithasecondTDQ-150orwithotherParasoundhalf-
widthcomponents.Anoptionalmetalplateandboltsareavailabletofastentwohalf-widthunitstogether.
Making Connections to your TDQ-150
Before making any connections, turn off the power to your preamplifier and power amplifier. Make
certain that all your connections are secure and that there is no tension on the cables which could cause
them to pull loose later.
Audio Connections
Connect a pair of high-quality interconnect cables from the Output jacks of your TDQ-150 to any line
level input jacks on your preamplifier or system controller preferably marked Tuner.

-6-
FM Antenna Connections
AdequateFMreceptionandsubsequentsoundqualityislargelydependentuponyourchoiceandlocation
oftheantenna.There are severaloptionstoconsider when selectinganantennaandconnecting ittoyour
TDQ-150
Dipole Antenna
A standard FM “folded dipole” wire antenna is included with your TDQ-150. This antenna is adequate
for most urban and suburban locations and is very easy to install. Simply connect its spade connectors
to the screws marked 300 Ω on the supplied small balun 300 Ω to 75 Ω adapter and push the adapter
carefully on to the round “F” 75 Ω coaxial antenna connector.
Youshouldbepreparedtoadjustthepositionofthedipoleantennatooptimizereception.Clearreception
of certain stations may require a different antenna orientation.
Outdoor Antenna
For best reception and maximum noise rejection, we recommend the use of a high-quality outdoor FM
antenna.Althoughthisrequiresalittleextraeffort,theadditionalstationsyoucanreceiveandthesuperior
soundqualitywillbewellworthwhile.Forbestnoiserejection,use75Ωcablewithan“F”connectorand
connect it directly to the 75 Ωcoaxial antenna connector on your TDQ-150. If you use 300 Ω twin lead
cable, use the balun adapter as described above.
Cable Transmission
Many cable companies transmit FM stations and cable TV audio signals along with the cable TV
channels. With some cable operators, the quality of the FM radio signal can be very good, depending on
thequalityoftheirequipment.CheckwithyourlocalcablecompanyabouttheavailabilityofFMstations
and possible additional charges for this service. Connection to your TDQ-150 is the same as connecting
a second television: Connect a signal splitter to the incoming cable connection and use a 75 Ω F -type
connector to connect your television to one output of the splitter and the tuner to the other output.
Powered Antennas
A small powered indoor antenna is sometimes useful when it's impractical to install an outdoor antenna
orwhereFMtransmissionisnotavailableviacableoracommunityTV/FMantenna.However,powered
antennassometimesaddnoiseanddistortiontotheRFsignal.Inmostcases,youcanreceivesignalsbetter
with the supplied dipole antenna.
AM Antenna Connections
A molded plastic loop antenna is supplied with your TDQ-150. To install the antenna, attach the self-
adhesivereceptacletoaconvenient position ontheTDQ-150rearpanel and connectthetwowirestothe
antenna terminals labeled AM and GND. Swivel the antenna away from the rear panel for better AM
reception. Never try to use the AM antenna to lift your TDQ-150, it will not support the weight of the
chassis.

-7-
External Remote Control Connection
Your TDQ-150 accepts the infrared signal of any popular infrared repeater system to facilitate remote
control operation from another room or when your tuner is installed within a closed cabinet. This
connector is a 1/8" (3.5 mm) two conductor mini jack; its center conductor is +, its outer conductor
is - . For further details contact your Parasound dealer or custom installer.
DC Trigger Connection
The TDQ-150 can be turned on automatically with voltage from any external DC source such as one of
thetriggersontheParasoundAVC-2500AudioVideoController. Thebarrel-typeDCtriggerconnector
requires an external DC voltage source ranging from +9 Vdc to + 12 Vdc and requires only 0.2 mA of
current to turn on the tuner. When the DC trigger is connected, the On and Off commands on the front
panel and remote control are defeated. We have supplied a barrel-type connector for use with the DC
trigger. The center conductor should be wired positive and the sleeve should be wired negative.
AC Line Cord
The high-quality IEC standard AC cord supplied with your TDQ-150 should preferably be connected
directly to an AC wall outlet or to an unswitched outlet on your preamplifier that is always “live.” This
will insure that your preset station memory will remain programmed even when your system is turned
off for an extended time. Once you have connected your audio cables and antennas, plug the female end
of the AC cord firmly into the rear mounted AC receptacle and make sure that it is properly seated, then
connect the male end to the AC power source.
Operating your TDQ-150
Front Panel Operation
On-Off Button
Press this button once to turn on and press it again to turn off. The front panel display lights when the
TDQ-150 is powered on.
AM/FM Button
Press this button to toggle between the FM and AM frequency bands.
Preset t s Buttons
These buttons select one of the 30 previous or next preset stations that you stored into memory.
Tuning t s Buttons
Pressthesebuttonsmomentarily tomanuallytunefrequencies in 200kHzsteps(50 kHzstepsforexport
units),whetherastationisbroadcastingornot.Manualtuningisusefultodeliberately“de-tune”astation
whose reception is compromised by very strong adjacent stations. By pressing and holding the buttons
a few seconds longer, the tuning mode becomes automatic and they will select the previous or next
available station. "AUTO" appears in the front panel display while in the automatic tuning mode.

-8-
Remote Control Operation
The remote control has a range of approximately 20 feet. Use only AA alkaline batteries in the handset
and observe the correct polarity marked in the case. The remote control duplicates every function on the
front panel of your TDQ-150 with the following exceptions:
Separate On and Off Buttons
Separate on and off buttons facilitate programming individual on and off commands into a system
controller or a macro sequence on a learning remote control.
Preset Buttons 1-0
There are separate preset buttons for direct access to each preset station on the remote control. Press the
desiredbuttonforstoredpresetstations.Toselectstationsabovepreset9,firstpressthetensplacebutton.
For example, to select preset 23, first press 2, then 3.
Memory Button
The TDQ-150 has the capability of storing up to 30 stations into memory. The first preset is number is
00 and the last preset number is 29.
To store preset stations into memory:
1. Tune to the radio frequency you want to store into memory.
2. Press the Memory button on the remote control, the Memory indicator lights up in the front panel
display.
3. Pressthe number button on theremote to select the desired presetnumber such as 3 forpresetnumber
3, or 1 and 5 for Preset 15. After you have selected the preset number, the Memory indicator goes out.
Front Panel Display
The front panel display of your TDQ-150 shows the following information:
• The selected broadcast frequency such as 102.1 MHz for FM or 810 kHz for AM.
• The selected FM or AM band selected frequency range, MHz for FM, kHz for AM
• The selected station preset between 00 and 29. If the frequency selected was not already entered as a
preset station, this indicator will not light.
• The Memory indicator to let you know that one of 30 preset stations are ready to store into memory.
• A Stereo and Mono indicator. When the RF signal drops below 15 µV, the Stereo indicator will go off
and the Mono indicator lights up.
TDQ-150 Power Activation Options
TheTDQ-150canbeturnedonwitheithertheOn-Offbuttononitsfrontpanel,ortheOnandOffbuttons
on the remote control. The TDQ-150 can also be turned on by applying a +12V DC voltage to the DC
trigger jack on the rear panel. When the DC trigger jack is connected, the On and Off commands from
thebuttonsonthefrontpanelandremotecontrolaredefeated.Thetunerautomaticallyturnsonwhenever
ACvoltage isapplied. Thismakes itconvenient toconnect theTDQ-150 toa switched outlet.The TDQ-
150dependsonacontinuouslyliveAClinetopoweritspresetmemory,howeveritcanmaintainmemory
for over a month if its AC source is inactive. Each time the tuner is operated, the energy storage for its
memory function is recharged.

-9-
Maintaining your TDQ-150
Your TDQ-150 requires no periodic maintenance and has no user serviceable parts inside. To keep it
clean use only a soft cloth and never use any solvents or abrasives. Fingerprints may be removed with
a soft cloth moistened only with a few drops of clear water. The remote control handset batteries should
be removed whenever it will be unused for an extended period. Remove the battery cover annually to
inspect and remove leaking batteries.
Power Fuse
If this fuse blows, it is an indication of internal parts failure. Do not replace it with any larger value to
avoid damage to internal parts. Substitution of a larger fuse will void your warranty.
In Case of Trouble
If you are experiencing problems with your TDQ-150, please refer to the troubleshooting chart below.
Problem Possible Remedy
One channel out Bad connection at preamplifier or power amplifier.
Check all audio interconnect cables and speaker connections.
Noisy reception Bad connection at antenna. Check antenna connections.
Poorly located antenna,try repositioning antenna or installing an
outdoor antenna.
Loses preset memory Power loss to the tuner for extended period of time. Make sure it
is plugged into an unswitchedpower outlet.
Remote does not operate Weak or dead batteries in remote. Replace batteries.
IR Interference. Insure that the front panel IR receiver is
not covered or exposed to direct sunlight, etc.
If All Else Fails...
CallyourParasounddealerorParasoundTechnicalServiceDepartment.Wecansuggestotherdiagnostic
tests you can easily perform. If we determine that your tuner should be returned to Parasound or an
Authorized Parasound Warranty Center for inspection and possible servicing, we will provide the
location of a warranty center near you or shipping instructions for return to Parasound.
Returning Products to Parasound for Service
Before you send your TDQ-150 to Parasound, you will need to obtain a Return Authorization (RA)
number. The RA number must be clearly marked on the outer carton only. Ship the unit with adequate
insuranceandacopyofyourpurchasereceiptinsidetovalidateyourwarranty. Warrantyrepairswillonly
be performed by Parasound or authorized warranty centers on units where your purchase receipt is from
an Authorized Parasound Dealer or Parasound Reseller. Units purchased from unauthorized dealers are
not eligible for warranty repair. Units that arrive without an RA number, without a suitable shipping
cartonor with evidence ofimproperinternal packing materials maybe refused. We do notaccept collect
shipments. After repair under warranty, the unit will be returned to you via prepaid UPS within the
Continental United States. In the case of a non-warranty repair, contact us and we will advise you of the
repair charges before you ship the unit to us. The same packing and RA number requirements apply.

-10-
TDQ-150 Specifications
Tuning Range
FM: 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz
AM: 520 kHz to 1610 kHz
FM Sensitivity
Mono IHF 11 dBf
Stereo IHF 37.2 dBf for 50 dB of quieting
AM Sensitivity
IHF 10 uV/m
Signal to Noise Ratio
>74 dB Stereo 65 dBf IHF Weighted
FM Stereo Separation
50 dB @ 1 kHz
40 dB @ 10 kHz
FM Selectivity
80 dB
AM Selectivity
30 dB
FM Frequency Response
30 Hz to 15 kHz +/- 1 dB
AM Frequency Response
20 Hz to 4.5 kHz +/- 2 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion
FM Mono < 0.08 %
FM Stereo < 0.2 %
Total Harmonic Distortion
AM < 0.5 %
Capture Ratio
< 1.5 dB
AM Suppression
60 dB
Dimensions
9 1/2" W x 1 3/4" H x 7" D
Power Requirements
110 V - 120 V AC, 8 W
Weight 4 lb.

-11-
© 1999 Parasound Products, Inc.
99216
Parasound Products, Inc. 950 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
415-397-7100 / FAX [phone] www.parasound.com