Rotel RT-990BX User manual
RT-990BX
STEREO
FM
TUNER
OWNER’S
MANUAL
WARNING:
TO
PREVENT
FIRE
OR
SHOCK
HAZARD.
DO
NOT
EXPOSE
THIS
APPLIANCE
TO
RAIN
OR
MOISTURE.
Wilte
your
SERIAL
NUMBER
here.
The
number
Is
located
near
the
name
olate
on
the
rear
oanel
SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS
1.
Read
Instructions
—
All
the
safety
and
operating
Instructions
should
be
read
before
the
appliance
is
operated.
2.
Retain
Instructions
—
The
safety
and
operating
instructions
should
be
retained
for
future
reference.
3.
Heed
Wamirrgs
—
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
—
for
example,
near
a
bathtub,
washbowl,
kitchen
sink.
laundry
tub.
in
a
wet
basement,
or
near
a
swimming
pool,
and
the
like.
6.
Carts
and
Stands
—
The
appliance
PORTABLE
CART
should
be
used
only
with
a
cart
or
stand
that
WARNING
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
the
appliance
and
cart
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
not
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
ventilation
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.
10.
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
precautions
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
particular
attention
to
cads
at
plugs,
convenience
receptacles,
and
the
point
where
they
exit
from
the
appliance.
13.
Cleaning—The
appliance
should
bo
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
time.
15.
Object
and
Liquid
Entry
—
Care
should
be
taken
so
that
objects
do
not
fall
and
liquids
are
not
spilled
into
the
enclosure
through
openings.
16.
Damage
Requiring
Service
—
The
appliance
should
be
serviced
by
qualified
factory
authorized
service
personnel
when:
A.
The
power-
supply
cord
w
the
plug
has
been
damaged;
or
6.
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
performance;
or
£.
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
faaory
authorized
service
personnel.
WARNING:
To
reduce
the
risk
of,fire
or
electric
shock,
do
not
expose
this
appliance
to
rain
or
moisture
RISK
OF
ELECTRIC
SHOCK
DO
NOT
OPEN
CAUTION:
TO
REDUCE
THE
RISK
OF
ELECTRIC
SHOCK.
00
NOT
REMOVE
COVER
(OR
BACK).
NO
USER-
SERVICEABLE
PARTS
INSIDE.
REFER
SERVICING
TO
QUALIFIED
SERVICE
PERSONNEL
e
Explanation
of
Graphical
Symbols
The
lightning
flash
with
arrowhead
symbol,
within
an
equilateral
triangle,
is
intended
to
alert
the
user
to
the
presence
of
uninsulated
"dangerous
voltage"
svithin
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
user
to
the
presence
of
Important
operating
and
maintenance
(servicing)
instructions
In
the
literature
accompanying
the
appliance.
Power
Lines—An
ouldoa
antenna
should
be
located
away
from
pow¬
er
lines.
Outdoor
Antenna
Grounding
—
If
an
outside
antenna
is
connect¬
ed
to
the
receiver,
be
sure
the
antenna
system
is
grounded
so
as
to
provide
some
protection
against
voltage
surges
and
built
up
static
charges.
Section
810of
the
National
Electrical
Code.
ANSl/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
of
grounding
conductors,
location
of
antenna-discharge
unit,
connection
to
grounding
electrodes,
and
re¬
quirements
from
the
grounding
electrode.
See
Figure.
a-
Use
No.
10
AWG
(5.3
mm')
copper.
No.
8
AWG
(8.4
mm')aluminum.
Na
17
AWG
(1.0mm')copper-ciad
steel
a
bronze
wire,
of
larger,
as
a
ground
wire.
b-
Secure
antenna
lead-in
and
ground
wires
to
house
with
stand-off
insulators
spaced
from
4—6
feet
(1.22
—
133
m)
apart,
c-
Mount
antenna
discharge
unit
as
close
as
possible
to
where
lead-
in
enters
house.
d-
Use
jumper
vdre
not
smaller
than
No.
6
AWG
(133
mm')
copper,
or
the
equivalent,
when
a
separate
antenna-grounding
electrode
Is
used.
EXAMPLE
OF
ANTENNA
GROUNDING
AS
PER
NATIONAL
ELEC¬
TRICAL
CODE
INSTRUCTIONS
POWER
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32898
OPTIONAL
ANTENNA
GROUNOINO
ELECTBOOE
DRIVEN
8
FEET
(Z.A4
m)
INTO
THE
EARTH
IF
REQUIRED
BY
LOCAL
COOES.
SEE
NEC
FOR
U.S.A.
ONLY
section
9ie-2i
(i)
INTRODUCTION
A
WORD
FROM
ROTEL
We
at
Rote!
take
this
opportunity
to
thank
you
for
choosing
our
RT-990BX
Tuner.
Our
commitment
and
dedication
to
the
design
and
manufacturing
of
high
fideiity
products
for
more
than
thirty
years
has
guided
our
creation
of
equipment
vwth
the
highest
level
in
sound
reproduction.
We
are
confident
that
you
will
enjoy
this
Rotei
tuner,
now
and
for
many
years
to
come.
Please
read
this
instruction
manuai
thoroughly
before
you
start
using
your
tuner
and
keep
it
in
a
safe
place
for
future
reference.
Please
keep
the
box
in
case
the
unit
should
need
service
or
if
you
move.
Thank
you
for
purchasing
the
RT-990BX
tuner.
INTRODUCING
THE
RT-990BX
TUNER
The
Rotei
RT-990BX
Is
a
FM
only
tuner
designed
for
audiophiles
who
require
few
functions,
but
insist
on
the
purest
sound.
The
circuitry
employs
a
highly
sophisticated
grounding
technique
to
achieve
a
very
low
noise
floor
and
improved
selectivity.
The
entire
tuner
circuitry
is
built
on
a
main
board
to
ensure
common
grounding
between
all
sections,
except
the
power
supply
and
front
panel
control
sections,
which
are
placed
on
separate
boards
to
prevent
hum
and
noise
interference.
All
components
are
specially
selected
for
their
sound
performance,
longevity
and
close
tolerances,
and
are
dimensioned
to
withstand
wide
temperature
variations
without
deviation.
Custom-made
components,
such
as
the
transformer
and
stereo
decoder,
provide
optimum
performance.
The
entire
high
frequency
tuner
section
is
shielded
in
a
copper
enclosure
to
eliminate
any
possible
interference
with
other
circuits.
The
audio
outputs
are
buffered
by
high
speed
operational
amplifiers,
providing
a
low-
impedance
high-cument
output,
capable
of
driving
any
possible
combination
of
interconnects
and
amplifiers.
The
power
switch
incoiporates
a
standby
function,
similar
to
the
‘ofT
state
of
conventional
equipment,
but
it
ensures
that
the
tuner's
internal
circuitry
remains
at
a
constant
operating
temperature.
This
provides
the
best
possible
sound
at
any
time
without
the
need
to
wait
until
the
unit
is
warmed-up
after
turning
the
power
on.
Automatic
tuning
is
incorporated
to
ease
selection
of
broadcast
stations,
and
sixteen
presets
are
provided
to
store
your
preferred
stations
for
effortless
recall.
Other
features
include:
automatic
muting
of
weak
stations,
a
mono/stereo
selector,
an
RF
attenuator,
a
wide
bandwidth
selector,
and
a
comprehensive
display
showing
the
preset
number,
receiving
frequency
and
signal
strength.
Display
and
control
functions
are
minimized
to
prevent
any
adverse
effects
on
the
received
signal.
A
remote
control
is
induded
providing
control
of
all
basic
functions
as
well
as
controlling
the
basic
functions
of
our
RC-990BX
control
amplifier.
UNPACKING
AND
INSTALLING
CONTENTS
OF
PACKAGING
BOX
•
RT-9908X
tuner
•
RR-909
remote
control
unit
and
batteries
•
Stereo
interconnecting
cable
and
indoor-antenna
wire
•
300
ohm
to
75
ohm
adapter
(North
America
only)
•
Instruction
manual
If
any
of
these
Items
is
missing,
please
contact
your
dealer
immediately.
UNPACKING
&
LOCATION
Carefully
unpack
your
tuner.
We
advise
you
to
keep
the
packaging
material
for
future
use
in
case
you
move
or
need
to
return
the
unit
for
servidng.
Please
ensure
that
you
place
the
unit
on
a
Oat
surface
where
it
will
be
free
from
excessive
humidity,
vibration,
high
temperatures
and
direct
sunlight.
INTERFERENCE
Certain
equipment,
such
as
computers,
may
cause
reception
interference
to
your
tuner.
One
or
a
combination
of
the
following
measures
may
be
required
to
eliminate
this
interference:
•
Reonent
or
relocate
the
indoor-antenna,
or
use
an
outdoor-antenna
instead.
•
Increase
the
distance
between
the
tuner
and
the
interfering
apparatus.
•
Connect
the
tuner
into
a
mains
outlet
on
a
drcuit
different
to
that
which
the
interfering
apparatus
is
connected.
Contact
vour
dealer
for
further
advice.
ELECTRICAL
REQUIREMENTS
Your
equipment
has
been
designed
to
be
powered
by
your
local
AC
(mains)
supply.
Before
connecting
it
to
the
AC
outlet,
check
the
voltage
rating
at
the
name
plate
found
on
the
rear
panel.
Never
plug
the
unit
into
an
outlet
of
voltage
different
to
that
specified.
The
wrong
voltage
can
cause
a
serious
fire
hazard.
Consult
your
dealer
if
in
doubt.
EXCLUSIVE
NOTE
FOR
U.K.-\f
your
unit
comes
with
a
2-core
mains
lead
without
a
plug,
neither
core
is
to
be
connected
to
the
earth
terminal
of
a
three
pin
plug,
marke
certain
they
are
connect^
according
to
the
following
instrution,
to
the
proper
terminals.
Check
that
the
terminals
are
screwed
down
firmly
and
no
loose
strands
of
wire
are
present.
IMPORTANT:
The
wires
in
the
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
apparatus
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
the
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.
THE
CABINET
There
are
no
user-serviceable
parts
inside
the
unit.
Do
not
attempt
to
open
the
cabinet,
as
this
could
damage
your
unit
and
void
your
warranty.
If
the
tuner
is
dropped,
damaged
or
does
not
seem
to
function
properly,
disconnect
the
power
cord
immediately
and
consult
your
dealer.
If
your
unit
becomes
dirty,
wipe
it
gently
with
a
soft,
dry
cloth.
Never
use
solvents
of
any
kind.
REMOTE
CONTROL
UNIT
Remove
the
battery
cover
-
on
the
back
of
the
remote
control
unit
and
insert
two
batteries
in
the
correct
position,
as
indicated.
Close
the
cover,
to
secure
the
batteries
properly.
To
ensure
the
proper
functioning
and
safe-keeping
of
the
remote
control
unit:
•
Keep
remote
control
unit
away
from
extremely
hot
or
humid
places;
•
Avoid
dropping
and
spilling
liquids
on
or
into
the
remote
control
unit;
•
Avoid
exposing
the
remote
sensor
to
direct
sunlight
or
lighting
apparatus.
•
Remove
the
batteries
when
the
remote
control
unit
will
not
be
used
for
a
long
time,
to
avoid
leakage
of
the
batteries
that
could
damage
your
remote
control
unit.
NOTE:
The
average
lifetime
of
the
batteries
is
approximately
one
year,
but
may
vary
depending
on
the
intensity
of
usage.
When
the
tuner
no
longer
responds
to
remote
commands,
the
batteries
should
be
replaced.
MAKING
THE
CONNECTIONS
__
See
Illustration
-
Rear
Panel,
to
visualize
where
the
connections
should
be
made
1.
CONNECTING
TO
AN
INTEGRATED
AMPLIFIER
OR
PREAMPLIFIER
tuner
and
amplifier
are
switched
off
before
you
connect
them.
Connect
the
OUTPUT
jacks
on
the
WakP
INPUT
Jacks
of
your
amplifier,
using
the
interconnect
cord
supplied
with
your
tuner,
amniifiar
(RED)
and
the
left
(WHIT^
jacks
are
correctly
connected
to
the
corresponding
inputs
on
your
beiJa
nc^
hv
Conner
the
tuner
to
the
AUX
input
Jacks
on
your
amplifier
if
the
tuner
input
Is
already
being
used
by
another
tuner,
or
if
there
is
no
tuner
input
available.
2
2.
CONNECTING
THE
ANTENNA
Indoor
FM
Antenna
-
the
supplied
indoor
antenna
is
sufficient
for
the
reception
of
broadcast
stations
in
good
reception
areas.
To
install
H,
connect
the
antenna
wire
to
(the
adapter
that
converts
300
ohm
to
75
ohm,
and
push
this
on
•
N.
America
only)
the
antenna
INPUT
terminal
on
the
back
of
the
tuner.
Then
stretch
the
wire
out
and
secure
it
along
the
wail.
Repositioning
the
antenna
may
improve
reception
quality.
•
Applicable
for
U.S.A.,Canada
version
*
Applicable
for
European
version
FM
7S
Q
Outdoor
FM
Antenna
-
In
areas
of
average
to
weak
reception
conditions,
an
outdoor-antenna,
mounted
on
the
rooftop,
may
be
required
for
best
results.
To
install
it,
connect
the
antenna
plug
to
the
antqnna
INPUT
tenminal
on
the
back
of
the
tuner.
While
we
feel
that
an
indoor
antenna
will
give
adequate
reception,
only
an
outdoor
antenna
will
truly
let
the
tuner
perform
to
its
potential.
3.
CONNECTING
THE
POWER
CORD
Always
handle
the
power
cord
with
care
and
never
pull
the
plug
out
by
tugging
the
cord.
Connect
the
power
cord
to
the
mains
outlet.
The
tuner
will
automatically
go
into
STANDBY
mode
when
connected
to
a
mains
outlet.
NOTE:
Verify
that
all
connections
are
properly
made
and
that
the
tuner
and
amplifier
have
been
plugged
in.
Hum
and
noise
may
be
caused
either
by
improper
connection
between
tuner,
amplifier
and/
or
speakers,
or
as
a
result
of
different
grounding
or
location
of
the
components.
Check
that
the
audio
interconnect
cables
are
completely
inserted
into
their
sockets
on
both
tuner
and
amplifier.
LOCATiON
AND
OPERATION
OF
CONTROLS
■
Front
Panel
_
See
Illustration
-
Front
Panel,
to
visualize
the
location
of
the
&ont
panel
controls.
1.
S
TANDBY
BUTTON/INDICATOR
Press
this
button
to
turn
the
tuner
on,
and
press
it
again
back
to
Standby
mode,
the
Standby
indicator
will
glow
constantly.
The
tuner
is
always
at
STANDBY
mode
while
AC
power
is
connected.
When
the
tuner
is
switched
from
standby
to
on,
all
the
buttons
and
functions
that
had
been
activated
when
the
tuner
was
sv^ched
to
standby,
will
remain
activated.
The
Standby
button
is
also
available
from
the
remote
control
unit.
2.
REMOTE
CONTROL
SENSOR
Receives
the
control
commands
from
the
remote
control
unit.
The
remote
control
unit
should
be
aimed
toward
the
sensor
-
in
as
straight
a
line
as
possible
-
in
order
for
the
remote
functions
to
be
acknowledged.
3.
PRESET
DISPLAY
Indicates
the
selected
preset.
Until
the
presets
are
programmed
however,
the
preset
numbers
do
not
appear
on
the
display.
The
programming
of
the
presets
will
thus
enable
you
to
store
the
desired
frequencies
and
to
see
the
presets
on
the
display.
There
are
16
different
presets
available
on
the
remote
control
unit.
4.
FREQUENCY
DISPLAY
Indicates
the
received
frequency;
shows
the
word
STEREO
when
a
stereo
broadcast
station
is
received;
and
shows
the
word
MEMO
during
programming
of
presets.
S
SIGNAL
DISPLAY
Indicates
the
signal
strength
of
the
received
broadcast
station.
The
strongest
reception
is
indicated
by
lighting
all
five
LEDs.
The
weakest
reception
shows
no
LED
glowing.
R
MONO
BUTTON/INDICATOR
SwHches
from
stereo
to
mono
reception.
This
function
is
useful
for
reducing
background
noise
of
very
weak
stereo
broadcast
stations.
The
indicator
above
the
button
lights
up
when
the
function
is
activated.
7
MUTE
OFF
BUTTON/INDICATOR
Switches
the
automatic
mute
function
off,
enabling
the
reception
of
weak
stations.
The
indicator
above
the
button
lights
up
when
the
function
is
activated.
When
the
muting
is
on,
weak
stations
cannot
be
heard.
When
you
deactivate
the
muting
(i
e.
MUTE
OFF
indicator
lights
up),
weak
stations
may
be
received
in
mono.
8.
RF
ATTENUATE
BUTTON/INDICATOR
Reduces
sound
distortion
when
receiving
very
strong
broadcast
stations,
by
attenuating
the
incoming
antenna
signal.
This
function
is
also
useful
for
eliminating
interference
that
may
occur
when
a
broadcast
station
has
a
moderate
signal
levei
and
is
adjacent
to
a
station
that
has
a
very
strong
signal
level.
The
indicator
above
the
button
lights
up
when
the
function
is
activated.
9.
WIDE
BAND
BUTTON/INDICATOR
Enables
reception
of
broadcast
stations
at
their
full
broadcast
bandwidth.
By
deactivating
the
wide
function,
interference
is
eliminated
from
broadcast
stations
that
are
too
close
to
each
other,
by
switching
to
a
narrower
audio
bandvindth.
The
indicator
above
the
button
lights
up
when
the
function
is
activated.
10.
AUTO
TUNING
BUTTON/INDICATOR
Enables
automatic
tuning
of
broadcast
stations,
in
conjunction
with
the
<
TUNING
>
buttons.
Broadcast
stations
vrith
weak
to
moderate
signal
levels
are
automatically
skipped
during
automatic
tuning.
However,
when
the
MUTE
OFF
function
is
activated
(indicator
is
lit
up),
broadcast
stations
with
a
moderate
signal
level
will
also
be
automatically
tuned
in.
The
indicator
above
the
button
lights
up
when
the
function
is
activated.
This
function
is
also
available
from
the
remote
control
unit.
11
■
<3
TUNING
>
BUTTONS
Press
the
<3
TUNING
button
to
decrease
the
tuned
frequency.
Press
the
TUNING
>
button
to
increase
the
tuned
frequency.
The
TUNING
buttons
are
also
available
from
the
remote
control
unit.
When
auto
tuning
is
not
activated,
manual
tuning
is
enabled.
Pressing
the
TUNING
buttons
briefly
will
increase
or
decrease
the
frequency
in
a
single
step.
Pressing
the
TUNING
buttons
continuously
wiil
increase
or
deaease
the
frequency
until
the
button
is
released,
or
until
the
band
limit
is
reached.
When
auto
tuning
is
activated,
tuning
into
a
broadcast
station
is
done
automatically.
The
tuner
searches
continuously
until
a
broadcast
station
Is
received.
When
the
end
of
the
band
is
reached,
tuning
automatically
continues
in
the
opposHe
direction.
To
search
for
the
next
station,
press
one
of
the
TUNING
buttons
again.
LOCATION
AND
OPERATION
OF
CONTROLS
-
Remote
Control
Unit
_
See
Illustration
-
Remote
Control
Unit,
to
visualize
the
location
of
the
remote
controls.
The
remote
control
unit
duplicates
the
standby,
auto
tuning
and
tuning
buttons,
from
the
front
panel
section.
Please
refer
to
the
corresponding
front
panel
for
information
on
their
use.
This
remote
control
unit
operates
the
RT-990BX
tuner,
as
well
as
the
power,
volume
and
muting
functions
of
the
RC-990BX
control
amplifier,
when
used
together.
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