Grounding switches g1 through g4:
The four small grounding switches g1, g2, g3, g4 will most often be set in the forward position as
shown in the preceding photographs. If you are experiencing excessive hum you can try moving
them in the various possible configurations g1, g3 forward g2, g4 to the rear, etc.. Some
cartridges that share internal grounding between channels may require that one channel be
grounded while the other is not (e.g. g1, g2 forward and g3, g4 to the rear).
OPERATING THE ARES
Once the Ares has been installed in your system and set up according to your
cartridge requirements it is ready to be turned on. The Ares has a timer circuit
built into it to minimize turn on thumps and noises. Nonetheless, the Ares should
always be turned on before the preamplifier and turned off after the preamplifier
has been turned off. The on/off power switch is located on the left rear of the unit.
After poweringon the Ares the timer circuit will delay any output for
approximately 30 seconds while the tubes warm up and the circuit stabilizes.
Note β The Ares will not ouput any signal for the first 30 seconds of
operation while the circuitry is being energized.
The tube circuitry in the Ares is also quite flexible and can accommodate several
different tube types. If you find that you would like a bit more gain you can
replace the two 12AU7 tubes with 12AT7 or 12AX7 tubes. This may be
particularly useful in the case of low output Moving Magnet cartridges.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Excessive hum
ο·Improper grounding of an outboard phono sections can often result in
excessive hum. Since the grounding on every sytem is different, it is
impossible to provide a uniform grounding strategy that will work for every
system. Be assured that with correct grounding almost all audible hum can be
eliminated. If you are experiencing some hum, try the following:
1. Be sure to have the Ares plugged into the same outlet or power strip as your
preamplifier.
2. Connect the turntable ground to the ground lug on the rear of the Ares
3. You may need to connect a ground wire from the Ares to your preamplifier.
4. Try different combinations of the internal grounding switches g1-g4 under the
Ares access panel
Some or all of the above should eliminate most hum. If this fails to cure the hum,
call customer service at Rogue Audio for further advice 570-992-9901.
Excessive hiss
ο·The Ares is an all tube phono with very high gain and it is normal to hear a
small amount of hiss when turned up to very high volumes. If you have
excessive hiss you may need to replace one or more of the tubes.
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