Rotel RT-870 User manual

owner’s.
manual
Quality. Uncompromised
RDTEl
RT-870
AM/FM STEREO TUNER
RT-870L
MW/LW/FM STEREO TUNER
ENGLISH.1
DEUTSCH.6
FRANCAIS.10
WARNING
TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD.
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO
RAIN OR MOISTURE
Write your SERIAL NUMBER here.
The number is located near the name
plate on the rear panel.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Warning: To reduce the risk of fire or
electric shock, do nol expose this
appliance to ram or moisture
CAUIKMI 10 orouci IN! Risk or mcnuc shock
DO HOI RIMOV! C0V!R lOR SACK)
NO US!RS!AVIC!A6U PARTS IRSID!
Bills S!RVICIRC 10 OUAtllliD StRVICi PERSONNII
The lightning flash with arrowhead
symbol, within an equilateral
triangle, is intended to alert the user
to the presence ol uninsulated
"dangerous voltage" within the
product's enclosure that may be ol
sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk ol electric shock to persons.
A The exclamation point within
an equilateral triangle is intended
to alert the user to the presence
of important operating and main¬
tenance (servicing) instructions in
the literature accompanying the
appliance
"Note to CATV system installer:
This reminder is provided to call the CATV
system installer s attention to Article 820 22 ol
the NEC that provides guidelines lor proper
grounding and. in parliculai specifics that the
cable ground shall be connected to the groun¬
ding system ol the building, as close to the
point ol cable entry as practical '
I Read Instructions — All the safety and
operating instructions should be read before
the appliance is operated
2. Retain Instructions — The salety and
operating instructions should be retained lor
future reference.
3 Heed Warnings - All warnings on the
appliance and in the operating instructions
should be adhered to
4. Follow Instructions — All operating and
use instructions should be followed.
5. Water and Moisture — The appliance
should not be used near water — lor ex¬
ample. near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen
sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or
near a swimming pool, and the like.
6 C arts and Stands — The appliance should
be used only with a cart or stand that is
recommended by the manufacturer
6A. An appliance and cart combination should
be moved with care Quick stops, excessive
force, and uneven surfaces may cause tho
appliance and carl combination to overturn
7 Wall or Ceiling Mounting — The appliance
should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only
as recommended by the manufacturer
8 Ventilation — The appliance should be
situated so that its location or position does
not interfere with its proper ventilation For
example, the appliance should nol be
situated on a bed. sofa. rug. or similar
surface 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 through the ventila¬
tion openings
9 Heat — The appliance should be situated
away from heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other appliances
(including amplifiers) that produce heat
!0 Power Sources — The appliance should be
connected to a power supply only of the type
described in the operating instructions or as
marked on the appliance
11. Grounding or Polarization — The pre¬
cautions that should be taken so that the
grounding or polarization means of an
appliance is not defeated.
12 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, paying par¬
ticular attention to cords at plugs, con¬
venience receptacles, and the point where
they exit from the appliance
13 Cleaning — The appliance should be
cleaned only as recommended by the
manufacturer.
14 Nonuse Periods — The power cord of the
appliance should be unplugged from the
outlet when left unused for a long period of
lime
15 Object and Liquid Entry — Care should be
taken so that obiects do not fall and liquids
are not spilled into the enclosure through
openings.
16 Damage Requiring Sevice — The
appliance should be serviced by qualified
factory authorized service personnel when:
A The power-supply cord or the plug has
been damaged; or
B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been
spilled into the appliance; or
C. The appliance has been exposed to rain,
or
D The appliance does not appear to operate
normally or exhibits a marked change in per¬
formance; or
E The appliance has been dropped, or the
enclosure damaged
17 Servicing — The user should not attempt
to service the appliance beyond that
described in the operating instructions All
other servicing should be referred to
qualified factory authorized service person-
nel.
Power Lines — An ouldoor antenna should be
located away from power lines.
iK.iunc
t-xuvr i * ni AU'cnrvi c jroun j no as 'ir ma'iomai iikm ils con iii.'.o: kjms
COM AINtU fl AH’Tlf A c - rlflK) AMS ff.fvriiow fcOifMMCMT
Outdoor Antenna Grounding — If an outside
antenna is connected to the receiver, be sure
the antenna system is grounded so as to pro¬
vide some protection against voltage surges and
built up static charges Section 810 of the
National Electrical Code. ANSI/NFPA No.
70—1984. provides information with respect to
proper grounding of the mast and supporting
structure, grounding'of the lead-in wire to an
antenna discharge unit, size ol grounding con¬
ductors. location of antenna-discharge unit, con¬
nection to grounding electrodes, ana re¬
quirements for the grounding electrode See
T igure
u Use No 10 AWG (f> 3 mm 7 ) copper. No 8
AWG (8 4 mm*) aluminum. No 17 AWG (1 0
mm 7 ) copper-clad steel or bronze wire, or
larger, as a ground wire
^Secure antenna lead-in and ground wires lo
house with stand-off insulators spaced from
4 6 feet (1 22 -1 83 m) apart
c Mount antenna discharge unit as close as pos
sible to where lead-in enters house
separate antenna-grounding electrode is used
See NEC Section 810-21 (j) FOfl U.S.A. ONLY

ENGLISH
AM/FM STEREO TUNER RT-870
MW/LW/FM STEREO TUNER RT-870L
INTRODUCTION
ANTENNA INSTALLATION AND CONNECTION
We at Rotel want to thank you for purchasing our audio
product.
Rotel audio products are designed to use the latest elec¬
tronic technology, and they incorporate our long experience
as a specialist manufacturer of audio equipment. We are
confident that you will find satisfaction in the high quality
sound and top performance, and that you will find pleasure
in the functional beauty achieved through human-engineering
concept Before starting operation, please read this instruc¬
tion manual thoroughly and acquaint yourself with the
proper mode of using the unit and all its connections.
We hope you will enjoy top-notch performance for many
years to come.
INSTALLATION
Be sure to place the unit in a level and flat place where it
is free from humidity, vibration, high temperature and not to
place the unit in a highly enclosed place such as near a wall
or on a bookshelf. A poor ventilation will cause undesirable
effects to the unit.
POWER SUPPLY CONNECTION
For power the unit requires the normal house electrical cur¬
rent (AC). You may simply plug the unit into a wall outlet, or
into your amplifier’s (or receiver's) convenience AC outlet.
CAUTION: Do not apply power without first making sure the
proper connections are completed. If you live in U K. and your
unit comes with 2-core cord without a plug, be sure to read
the exclusive caution for U K.
EXCLUSIVE NOTE FOR U.K.
If your unit comes with a 2-core cable without a plug,
make certain live and neutral leads are connected to the
proper terminals. Check that the terminals are screwed
down firmly and no loose strands of wire are present.
IMPORTANT: The wires in this mains lead are coloured
in accordance with the following code:
BLUE: NEUTRAL
BROWN: LIVE
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this ap¬
paratus may not correspond with the coloured markings
identifying the terminals in your plug proceed as follows.
The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to
the terminal which is marked with he letter N or coloured
BLUE or BLACK. The wire which is coloured BROWN
must be connected to the terminal which is marked with
the letter L or coloured BROWN or RED.
CAUTION:
To prevent electric shock do not use this (polarized)
outlet unless the blades qan be fully inserted to prevent
blade exposure.
■ FM Antenna
Proper installation of antenna is the key to smooth signal
reception. To install the attached T-shape indoor antenna,
stretch it taut and secure horizontally along a wall or the like
in a location where signal reception is optimal. Securely
connect the antenna to FM antenna terminals marked "300fi"
on the rear panel if outdoor type FM antenna is installed, the
T-shape antenna is not necessary. For proper use of your
outdoor FM antenna, follow the instructions below.
1. Be sure to select the most appropriate type of antenna
for the signal reception conditions in your area.
2. A 75-ohm coaxial cable is recommended in connecting
the antenna to the unit.
3. Set the antenna in a position as high as possible if
buildings, mountains or other obstructions nearby affect
reception.
4. The 75-ohm coaxial antenna cable should be properly
hooked up to the designated antenna terminals on the rear
panel: Locate the terminals labeled "750”
750 COAXIAL ANTENNA
■ AM Antenna
The loop antenna is provided for optimum AM reception.
Attach the loop antenna onto the antenna holder on the rear
panel, and connect the lead wires to the antenna screw ter¬
minals marked "G and "AM”. If an outdoor antenna is
desired for better reception due to difficult reception area,
connect such antenna to the same screw terminals as the
loop antenna. Please note that the loop antenna should be
left connected to the terminals even when the external
antenna is connected.
LOOP AM ANTENNA
2

CONNECTION TO INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER
Using RCA pin cords, securely connect the OUTPUT ter¬
minals on the rear panel of the unit to the TUNER (or AUX)
terminals of amplifier. Make absolutely sure that RIGHT
terminal of one unit is connected to the RIGHT terminal
of the 'other, and LEFT to LEFT
SWITCHES AND CONTROLS
(1) Power Button
This button turns on the unit. The LED indicator above it will
glow when the power is on. Press the button a second time
to turn off the power
CAUTION
As long as the power cord is plugged into an AC outlet,
power is supplied to the unit regardless of the setting of
the Power Button.
(2) Signal Strength Indicator
A tuning condition is indicated by the digital display from
"0” to "5”. The higher the number, better the reception. “5"
indicates an optimal reception. “0” is on usually between
station.
(3) Stereo Indicator
Glows when stereo broadcasting signal is tuned in Note that
when stereo signal is very weak, the unit will not give stereo
reproduction, and the indicator will not light up.
(4) Frequency Display
Indicates frequency currently tuned in, along with 1 notation
“FM" and "MHZ” in FM reception, or “AM” and “KHZ” in
AM reception The word “MEMO" will appear when Memory
Program button is pressed.
(5) Station Buttons
These buttons are used to tune in to desired preset stations,
or to preset given station frequencies in unit's memory. Each
station selected will be indicated by LED
(6) Tuning Button, UP
Used when tuning in a station whose frequency is higher
than the reading on (he frequency display
(7) Tuning Button, DOWN
Used when tuning in a station whose frequency is lower
than the reading on the frequency display
(8) Memory Button
To enter a given station frequency into the unit’s memory
circuit, press this button first, and then tap the desired sta¬
tion button.
AMPLIFIER RT-870
(9) FM Auto Tuning Button
Depressing this button changes FM tuning mode from manual
to automatic. This button has no effect on AM tuning, which
can be done in manual mode only.
(10) FM Wide Button
Push this button on to WIDE for a wider bandwidth to en¬
joy better FM sound. If there is too much hiss or noise
from neighbouring stations, etc., push the button to the off
position for a normal bandwidth to cut off such noise as mu¬
ch as possible.
(11) RF ATT Button
This button is used only when you have a strong signal
station nearby which gives too much noise at reception. The
button when activated will attenuate the RF gain by 6 dB to
reduce such noise.
(12) FM Mute Off/Mono Button
When this button is pressed to ON, any FM broadcast is
received monaurally. Be sure to leave the button in the
released (OFF) position during normal stereo FM reception
In the OFF position, interstation noise generated when tun¬
ing in an FM station will be reduced.
(13) Hi-Blend Button
Allows you to reduce annoying noise mixed in with signal.
This switch, however, should not be always left at OFF po¬
sition unless it is necessary.
(14) AM Wide Button
Push this button on to WIDE for a wider bandwidth to enjoy
better AM sound. If there is too much hiss or noise from
neighbouring stations, etc., push the button to the off
position for a normal bandwidth to cut off such noise as
much as possible.
(15) AM/FM Selector
Press AM button for AM signal reception, and FM button
for FM signal reception.
RT-870L gives AM reception in either MW or LW mode
Depress MW button for middle-wave reception, and LW
button for long-wave reception.

OPERATION
• The RT-870 (RT-870L) employs a quartz PLL syn-
thesier for easy and accurate tuning. Tuning frequency is
visible on the digital readout, and you can tune in to the
desired station accurately. With the unit’s memory circuit,
you can preset memory tuning. This is a feature only a syn¬
thesized tuner can offer, letting you recall a stored station
frequency instantly with a single tap of a button.
• One station button can store one AM or one FM station
in its memory. The RT-870 permits a total of 16 stations to
be stored, be each station AM or an FM. For example, you
could store 12 FM and 4 AM station randomly.
• The power source of the unit’s memory citcuit is the
capacitor back-up type. If power cord is unplugged, or if there
is a power failure, the electrical energy accumulated in the
capacitor while the unit was ON will retain the frequencies
stored in the memory circuit for three days. (The memory
is retained as long as the power cord is plugged into an AC
outlet, regardless of the position of the POWER button.) If
you leave the power cord unplugged for over three days,
the stored frequencies will be lost.
• Before commencing operation, check to make sure all
antenna, amplifier and power connections are properly
made.
1. Set the volume control on the amplifier to minimum
position, and amplifier function switch to TUNER position
(or to AUX position if the tuner is connected to AUX
terminal).
2. Turn on the amplifier and press the POWER button on
the tuner.
3. Depress FM or AM button of the tuner function selector
On RT-870L select among FM. MW. and LW buttons.
4. Tune in to the desired station by means of tuning or
station buttons. (See section on “Tuning".)
5. Raise the volume to the desired level, and enjoy
listening
Tuning
The unit is designed to permit three modes of tuning: auto
tuning, manual tuning, and preset memory tuning.
• Auto Tuning (for FM Reception Only)
Set FM Auto Tuning button to the depressed position. Press
Tuning button, UP or DOWN. Automatic scanning of FM
band begins. Scanning stops when it reaches a point where
the input signal exceeds a certain acceptable level. To tune
in to another station, press DOWN or UP button according
to the frequency of the desired station.
• Manual Tuning
Set FM Auto Tuning button to the released position. A tap
of the tuning button, DOWN or UP, will shift the tuning
frequency in specified increments. If you keep the button
pressed down, the frequency will change continuously.
Release the button to stop frequency change.
• Preset Memory Tuning
Tune in to the desired station in either auto or manual tuning
mode. Press the Memory Program button Then, press any
station button, 1 through 16,to enter the frequency into the
memory circuit. Thereafter, you may recall the same
frequency any time simply by pressing the same button.
Note: that once the Memory Program button is pressed, you
must press the appropriate station button within several
seconds to enter the station frequency. If more time elapses
before you press the station button, entry cannot be made.
In that case start again, following the above procedures. The
above procedures should also be followed to change the
station preset for a given station button
Note: If you have turned off the unit, and turn it on again,
the unit will tune in to the station frequency to which it was
tuned immediately before turn-off.
HUM AND NOISE
Hum often accompanies activation of power supply. If hum
is generated, try replugging the power cord into the wall
outlet, reversing the plug this time. Other possible causes
of hum include improper routing of connecting cords (try
changing cord position), or incorrect pin-plug insertion.
Check all connections if hum persists
If noise is introduced, it is usually caused by improper
positioning of antenna cable or improper antenna installation.
Use a 75-ohm cable for outdoor FM antenna and minimize
multipath to obtain optimal signal reception. Note that during
signal reception the unit may pick up noise from other
household electric appliances (as when switching power on
or off). In that case, check the relative location of the
appliances and keep them away from the unit, or vice versa,
as necessary.
Note 1: In a location near a broadcasting station, very strong
signals may cause noise or distortion, depending on the type
of antenna used. In that case, install an attenuator between
the antenna and the tuner.
Note 2: Inside a concrete building. FM signals are weakened
and satisfactory reception may be difficult. An outdoor FM
antenna will best remedy such a situation.
VOLTAGE SELECTION
Not availble for U.K., Canada and Scandinavia
The unit is a variable voltage equipment that can run on
120V, 220V or 240V power supply Your unit should already
be preset at the proper voltage for use in your area. However,
if you move to an area where the power supply voltage is
different, consult your dealer

SPECIFICATIONS
FM TUNER SECTION
Usable Sensitivity.
50dB Quieting Sensitivity:
Mono.
Stereo.
Signal-to-Noise Ratiofat 65dBf):
Mono .
Stereo.
Harmonic Distortion(at 65dBf):
1 kHz.
Frequency Response.
Capture Ratio.
Alternate Channel Selectivity
Wide/Narrow.
Adjacent Channel Selectivity. ..
Spurious Response Ratio.
Image Response Ratio.
IF Response Ratio.
AM Suppression Ratio.
Stereo Separation:
10OHz/1 kHz/10kHz.
Subcarrier Product Ratio.
SCA Rejection Ratio.
Antenna Input.
10 8dBf/0.95/iV(75 ohms)
, 1 4.8dBf/1,5*iV(75 ohms)
37 2dBf/20|iV(75 ohms)
80dB
75dB
.0.07%(mono). 0.25%(stereo)
.30 to 15.000 Hz, + 0 5dB. -0.5dB
I.OdB
60dB/80dB
15dB (Narrow)
lOOdB
70dB
,95dB
58dB
43dB/48dB/38dB
55dB
70dB
.75 ohms unbalanced.
300 ohms balanced
AM TUNER SECTION MW LW (RT-870L)
Sensitivity.350)<V/m 750^V/m
Selectivity (Wide/Narrow).27df5/42dB 25dB/40dB
Singal-to-Noise Ratio.52dB 52dB
Image Response Ratio.40dB 40dB
IF Response Ratio..40dB 40dB
Antenna..Loop antenna
MISCELLANEOPUS
Power Requirement.
Power consumption.
Dimensions (overall)
Weight (net).
120V/60 Hz. 220V/50 Hz.
240V/50 Hz. or 120, 220.
240V/50-60 Hz (switchable)
(depending on destinations)
.10 watts
.444W X 66H x 327D mm
17'/T x2'Vi6” x 127a"
3.9kg/8 58 lbs
• Specifications and design subject to possible modification without
notice.
5