Perreaux Prisma 350 User manual

Prisma 350
Stereo Power Amplifier
Owners Manual

2
Perreaux Industries Limited makes no warranty for the use of its products, other than those
expressly contained in the warranty detailed herein. The Company assumes no responsibility for
any errors which may appear in this document, reserves the ri ht to chan e products or
specifications detailed herein at any time without notice, and does not make any commitment to
update the information contained herein. No licenses to patents or other intellectual property of
Perreaux are ranted by the Company in connection with the sale of Perreaux products, expressly or
by implication.
mboob^ru
®
is a re istered trademark of Perreaux Industries Ltd.
Terms and product names in this document may be trademarks of others.

3
i
ii
i Introducing the Perreaux
350 Power Amplifier
Con ratulations on your Perreaux 350 purchase. To realise the full potential of
your unit you need to appreciate all aspects of its operation.
Before installin the 350 into your system, read the entire manual carefully.
Endeavour to und
erstand every detail by familiarisin yourself with the controls
and features as you read. You will find it easier to install usin the relevant
sections of this manual as a reference.
We have attempted to explain every feature and operational facet clear
ly and
concisely. In the event that somethin is still unclear to you, your Perreaux
dealer will be happy to assist you further.
Read this manual, install your unit correctly and realise the sonic si nificance of
your investment in Perreaux.
Perreaux prod
ucts are desi ned to provide the utmost in sonic realism and
electronic reliability with a functional yet ele ant appearance that reflects the
care and craftsmanship applied durin all sta es of construction.
Features at a
Glance
 Balanced and Unbalanced inputs
 Ru ed build quality
 Ultra-stiff power supply
 Soft-Start circuit
 Hybrid Class A/AB output sta es
 MOSFET output devices
 Hi h power output
 Dual bindin posts per channel
 Remote tri er input and output
 Multiple protection systems
 Advanced PCB desi n and earthin techniques
 Earth isolation switch
To maintain the consistently hi h quality that you expect from us, and we expect
from ourselves, Perreaux products are essentially handcrafted.
We maintain the human-link throu hout, from desi n and constructi
on, throu h
to the ultimate test, your music, your system, your ears.
Because we too listen to our products, we know that with your Perreaux you will
discover many more of the musical secrets we strive to reveal.
From all of us at Perreaux Industries Lim
ited, thank you for choosin the
Perreaux Prisma Series 350 power amplifier.

4
ii
iiii
ii Important Safety Instructions
Note:
All safety and operation instructions should be read carefully before the
350 is operated. Keep the Owners Manual in a safe place for fut
ure
reference.

The 350 should not be used near water, for example near a bathtub, kitchen
sink, in a wet basement, near a swimmin pool, etc.
 Mountin to a wall or ceilin should be via a heavy-duty bracket or shelf
desi ned for audio equipment use.
 The 350 should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators,
stoves, or other appliances that produce excessive amounts of heat.
 Always ensure the 350 heat sinks have adequate ventilation enablin air
circulation both above and below.
 DO NOT place the 350 directly onto carpeted surfaces.
 Avoid exposin the 350 to extremely hi h or low temperatures.
 The 350 should be connected to a mains power supply only of the type
described in the operatin instructions, or as marked on the rear of the unit.
 DO NOT disconnect the mains earth from the system.
 The mains power supply cord should be routed so that it is not likely to be
walked on or pinched by items placed on or a ainst it.
 The power cord of the 350 should be unplu ed from the mains outlet
when the unit is to be left unused for lon periods or when attemptin to
connect or disconnect cables and before cleanin your unit.
 Care should be taken so that objects and/or liquids do not accidentally fall
inside the 350.
 Please keep electrical equipment out of reach of children.
 Please unplu sensitive electronic equipment durin electrical storms.
 Please replace any fuse with the value and type specified.
 Avoid operatin the 350 with the cover removed.
 DO NOT bypass any fuse.

5
 DO NOT attempt to repair the 350. In the event of a problem, please
contact your Perreaux dealer.
 DO NOT operate this product in an explosive atmosphere.
Caution!
he 350 is an extremely high powered, convection cooled amplifier. he
finned outer heat sinks may become very hot when d
elivering high
volume levels –
to avoid injury; care should be taken not to touch the
heat sinks during operation.

6
iii
iiiiii
iii Table of Contents
i
ii
i Introducing the Perreaux 350 Power Amplifier ........................................................3
ii
iiii
ii Important Safety Instructions ........................................................................................
iii
iiiiii
iii Table of Contents ..............................................................................................................6
1
11
1 Unpacking and Placement..............................................................................................7
2
22
2 Instant Install......................................................................................................................9
3
33
3 Front Panel Functions................................................................................................... 11
Rear Panel Functions..................................................................................................... 12
5
55
5 Special Design Philosophies ........................................................................................ 16
6
66
6 Special Design Features................................................................................................ 18
7
77
7 Maximising System Potential ...................................................................................... 20
8
88
8 The Power MOSFET....................................................................................................... 22
9
99
9 Care and Maintainance................................................................................................ 25
10
1010
10 Warranty Information and Obtaining Service........................................................ 26
11
1111
11 Extended Warranty Registration Form.................................................................... 27
12
1212
12 Faultfinding Your System............................................................................................. 28
13
1313
13 Specifications................................................................................................................... 33
1
11
1 Physical Dimensions ...................................................................................................... 36
15
1515
15 Contact Details................................................................................................................ 37

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Unpacking and Placement
The 350 is packa ed for maximum protection. Please care
fully read the
instructions below before proceedin to unpack the unit. Be extremely careful.
Unpacking
Procedure
 Inspect both ends of the cardboard box and open at the end without the
central staple by slittin the reinforced tape at either side.
 Fold back the flaps and tip the packa e on end and the inner box will
slide out.
 Lay the inner box down flat and upri ht, open it conventionally by
separatin the top tray from the bottom.
 The product can now be removed from the bottom packa in . This will
be easier if you have someone to help you by holdin the base of the
box.
 Alternately, the bottom tray and amplifier could be tipped upside down
and the bottom packa in removed. If opened in this manner, please
ensure that you turn the contents over a ain.
Note:
Be very careful to secure the unit if you are planning to flip the package
upside down.
 Remove the two white polystyrene protectors off either side of the
amplifier, leavin the black material coverin .
 Pull back the material and remove the protective black tissue from the
front panel.
The amplifier is now unpacked and ready for further installation.
Note:
Please retain all packaging material for future transport.
Box
Contents
1 x 350 Power amplifier
1 x 350 Product manual
1 x Detachable AC power cord
3 x Performance analysis charts
Placing
Your 350
The 350 should enerally be placed close to your preamplifier, keepin the
interconnect cablin short.
We stron ly recommend keepin the 350 on it’s own separate shelf to allow for
proper ventilation.

8
Ventilation
Requirements
The 350 is a hi h-powered amplifier. For optimal performance, the unit M UST
receive adequate ventilation.
 Please do not install in a sealed cabinet.
 Please do not stack products directly on top of the unit.
 Please do not cover the product with a cloth or similar.
 Please do not mount the 350 directly onto carpeted surfaces.
 As a “rule of thumb”, allow 80-100mm (3-4 inches) around all sides of
the product and mount the 350 on a flat surface, ensurin that the unit
has adequate access to free flowin air.
 In the event that the 350 is to be incorporated into custom cabinetry,
please refer to Chapter 14 “Physical Dimensions”.
Note:
Please take all necessary steps to ensure that the unit receives adequate
ventilation

9
2
22
2 Instant Install
If you are like us, the first thin you will want to do is to play your favourite
piece of music throu h your new 350. The followin instructions are written to
enable you to achieve this as quickly as possible. These are not comprehensive
instructions, but are desi ned to enable you to play music now!
Note:
Please take the time to read the 350 manual thoroughly as it incorporates
many features, which will enhance its operation.
Placement
The 350 is a hi h-power amplifier and best results wi
ll be achieved when placed
on a solid surface with adequate ventilation. DO NOT place on
a carpeted floor
or cover the amplifier!
Turn off associated components
This minimises the potential to dama e any other components when connectin
your 350 into the system.
Connect preamplifier to 350
Connect the output of your preamplifier to either the balanced (XLR) or un-
balanced (RCA
) inputs at the rear of the 350 and set the input confi uration
to le switch at the rear to the correct position.
Note:
ry to
keep all interconnect cables as far from loudspeaker cables as
possible and well away from all AC mains leads.
Connect speaker cables to the left and right speaker terminals
We recommend usin hi h quality connectors for your speaker cables, spade
lu s
are the preferable option as they combine a lar er surface area with the
possibility of a stron mechanical connection; however, hi h quality banana
terminals are also acceptable.
Note:
Be careful to maintain channel integrity, i.e. left to left, right to
right, and
phase integrity, positive (+) to positive (+), negative (-) to negative (-).
Switch on preamplifier
Turn on the preamplifier and set the volume to the minimum level. Select the
respective input to which your source component is connected.
Switch on 350
After checkin the supply volta e compatibility with the volta e ratin on the
350 rear panel, insert the power cord-
set supplied into the rear of the unit and
into the wall. Switch on the socket at the wall and power up the 350 usin the
switch on the rear panel.

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Start your source component
Switch on the source component both at the wall and on its front panel. Ensure
you have some source material inserted and press play.
Increase the volume
Slowly increase the preamplifier volume co
ntrol to achieve a comfortable
listenin level.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Now that you have achieved your first objective, sit back, relax and please read
the rest of the manual at your own pace, in your favourite armchair, whilst
sippin a hot cup of coffee. Yo
u’ll find the whole experience much more
pleasurable whilst listenin to music.