Russound R1250MC User manual

R1250MC
6-Zone, 12-Channel Power Amplier
Installation Manual

2 Russound R1250MC Installation Manual Rev. 3
The lightning ash with arrowhead symbol,
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert
the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous
voltage within the product’s enclosure that may
be of sucient 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.
Safety Instructions
Read Instructions - All the safety and operating instructions1.
should be read before the appliance is operated.
Retain Instructions - The safety and operating instructions
2.
should be retained for future reference.
Heed Warnings - All warnings on the appliance in the
3.
operating instructions should be adhered to.
Follow Instructions - All operating and user instructions
4.
should be followed.
Water and Moisture - The appliance should not be used near
5.
water; for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink,
laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool.
The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing
liquids and no objects lled with liquids, such as vases, shall
be placed on the apparatus. Do not touch the appliance
with wet hands. Do not handle the appliance or power cord
with wet or damp hands. If water or any other liquid enters
the appliance cabinet, take it to qualied service personnel
for inspection.
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Cleaning - The appliance should be cleaned only as6.
recommended by the manufacturer. From time to time you
should wipe o the front and side panels and the cabinet
with a soft cloth. Do not use rough material, thinners, alcohol
or other chemical solvents or cloths since this may damage
the nish or remove the panel lettering.
Ventilation - The appliance should be situated so that
7.
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 ow of air through the ventilation openings. Place the
unit in a well-ventilated location, leaving at least 2 inches
(5 cm) of clearance on all sides, top and rear of unit for air
ow. If ventilation is blocked, the unit may overheat and
malfunction.
Heat - The appliance should be situated away from heat
8.
sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
appliances (including ampliers) that produce heat.
Grounding or Polarization - Precaution should be taken so
9.
that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is
not defeated.
Power Cord Protection - Power supply cords should be
10.
routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched
by items placed upon or against them, paying particular
attention to cords at plugs, receptacles, and the point where
they exit from the appliance.
Power Sources - The appliance should be connected to a
11.
power supply only of the type described in the operating
instructions or as marked on the appliance.
Main Power Disconnect - The power switch is a single-pole
12.
switch. When the switch is in the“O” position, the appliance
is not completely disconnected from the main power. The
main power plug is used as the disconnect device and shall
remain readily operable. When installing the product, ensure
that the plug is easily accessible.
Non-Use Periods - The power cord of the appliance should
13.
be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long
period of time.
Attachments - Only use attachments/accessories specied
14.
by the manufacturer.
Carts and Stands - The appliance should
15.
be used only with a cart or stand that is
recommended by the manufacturer. 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.
Wall or Ceiling Mounting - The appliance should be
16.
mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the
manufacturer.
Location of the Amplier - Do not mount this unit under a
17.
kitchen cabinet. Do not expose the amplier to direct sun
light or heating units as the amplier internal components’
temperature may rise and shorten the life of the components.
Avoid damp and dusty places.
Object and Liquid Entry - Care should be taken so that
18.
objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the
enclosure through the openings.
Servicing - The user should not attempt to service the
19.
appliance beyond that described in the operating
instructions. All other servicing should be referred to
qualied service personnel.
Damage Requiring Service - The appliance should be
20.
serviced by qualied service personnel when: A. The power
supply cord or the plug has been damaged; B. Objects have
fallen, liquid has been spilled into the appliance; C. The
appliance has been exposed to rain; or D. The appliance does
not appear to operate normally; or E. The appliance has been
dropped or the enclosure is damaged.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER. NO USER-
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING
TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE
OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of
the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which
can be determined by turning the equipment o and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of or
more of the following measures: reorient or relocate the receiving
antenna; increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver; connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit
dierent from that to which the receiver is connected, or consult
the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme
NMB-003 du Canada.

3
Russound R1250MC Installation Manual
Rev. 3
Introduction
The Russound R1250MC is a 12-channel power amplier and is ideal for use
as the main amplier in home theater and distributed audio systems. The 12
channels are arranged in pairs to provide amplication for six stereo zones. The
R1250MC provides an array of useful features such as bridge mode operation,
independent zone triggering, bus inputs and multiple speaker outputs per
zone to meet a wide variety of applications and congurations.
The R1250MC is rated at 50 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 80 watts
per channel into 4 ohms. With the Stereo/Bridge Mono switch in the Bridged
Mono position, both channels in the zone are combined for a higher powered
mono output. In bridged mode, the R1250MC is rated at 140 watts of power
into a single 8 ohm load. All this power is backed by three high output torodial
transformers. Each amplier output channel incorporates robust protection
circuitry for safety and reliability under extreme circumstances.
Thermal Protection
All Russound ampliers are designed with special circuitry to safeguard the
amplier under a thermal overload condition. Thermal protection mode can
only engage when the unit has been run at high volume for extended periods
of time without adequate ventilation and/or when speaker impedances are
below the minimum levels for the amplier. If this fault occurs, turn o the
amplier, and check that the speaker impedance rating is above the minimum
rating. Also check for adequate ventilation around the amplier and make
adjustments if necessary.
Once the unit has cooled to safe operating temperatures, the amplier may
be powered back on.
Protection Circuitry
All Russound ampliers are designed with special circuitry to safeguard the
amplier under a short-circuit condition. A faulty speaker can also cause a short
circuit condition. The front panel LED illuminates orange when the amplier is
in short circuit protection. If this fault condition occurs, turn o the amplier
and check speakers for short circuit conditions when appropriate.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Rack Mounting
The R1250MC amplier can be rack mounted using the included rack-mount
ears and hardware to attach the ears to the amplier. The amplier will take
three rack spaces with the feet removed.
+
+
R1250MC Side View
Rack Ear
Front View
Rack Ear
Side View
Rack Ear
Screw Holes

4 Russound R1250MC Installation Manual Rev. 3
FRONT AND REAR PANEL
Speaker Outputs
Fuse Receptacle
Power Switch
Line input
Delay Time
Line/Bus Switch Gain Controls
Stereo/Bridge Mono Switch
Bus Output
R1250MC Rear Panel
12VDC Trigger in/out
R1250MC Front Panel
Zone LED
Power / Zone LED
AC Input
Bus Input

5
Russound R1250MC Installation Manual
Rev. 3
BACK PANEL FEATURES
Power LED
On start-up, the rst LED lights red to show power on. When the rst zone is
turned on, the LED lights green.
Zone LED
On start-up, zone LEDs are o (except Zone 1). When each zone powers on,
the corresponding LED lights green. When at least one zone is on, the rest
of the zone LEDs are red to show they are in standby mode. If a short circuit
happens on the speaker outputs, the LED will light amber.
Bus Input/Output
The bus line input is an optional input that can be used to connect a single
source to multiple zones. The bus line output is a passive passthrough of the
bus input and can be used to daisy chain the source to other ampliers in the
system.
Line Input
The line audio input for each zone is a dedicated sensing input that will
activate the zone when an audio signal from a source is present.
Line/Bus Switch
Sets the zone input to the Line Input or the Bus Input.
Speaker Outputs
The A and B speaker outputs are in parallel to the zone amplier output. The
minimum speaker impedance for stereo mode operation is 4 ohms for one pair
and 8 ohms for two pairs of speakers. The minimum impedance for bridged
mode operation is 8 ohms, Speaker B only.
Gain Controls
Left and Right gain controls independently adjust the sound level for each
channel. When used in the bridged mode only the Left control is used.
Power Switch
Turns the amplier on/o. This switch does not disconnect the main power
feed from the amplier; this requires that the power cord be unplugged from
the outlet.
Fuse Receptacle
Holds a replaceable fuse for AC power input connection. Fuse rating for North
America is T10AL 250V and for Europe is T5AL 250V.
AC Input / Voltage Switch
Voltage is set with a selectable switch for 110V or 240V operation. The AC
voltage input for the North American model is 120VAC at 60Hz (European
model, 230VAC at 50Hz). This receptacle accepts a 3-prong IEC 320 type
connector. A detachable 3- terminal power cord is included.
12VDC Trigger In/Out
The 12V Trigger In is used to activate the zone. The Trigger Out provides
100mA 12V max. This can be used to drive other 12V triggered devices. The
delay and audio sensing are bypassed when the 12V trigger input is used.
Delay Time
Muting delay can be adjusted from about 0.5 minute to 4.5 minutes. When
an audio signal is not present, the amplier will automatically go into standby
mode after the preset period of time.
Standby Mode
The amplier will go into Standby mode when no audio signal or trigger is
present, and after the minimum delay time has timed out. The amplier will go
into a 0.5 Watt or less standby power mode.
Stereo/Bridge Mono Switch
Sets each zone amplier for stereo or bridged mono operation.

6 Russound R1250MC Installation Manual Rev. 3
TYPICAL SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
Connections for audio distribution preamp outputs
R1250MC
Amplifier
MCA-C5
Controller
Bridged Independent Stereo Bus Input
The R1250MC can be congured as the main amplier for an audio distribution
system or home theater system.
When used with an audio distribution preamp, each zone can independently
drive one of several dierent sources by using each zone’s individual line audio
inputs, or a pair of zones can be bridged to create a higher powered zone.
When the R1250MC is used as a home theater amplier, three zones can
be bridged to provide high power for the front and center channels and the
remaining zone can be used for the surround eects.

7
Russound R1250MC Installation Manual
Rev. 3
Connections for bridged mode operation
BRIDGED OPERATION
Line In L R
In
Speaker
A
Zone 1
L+
L-
R-
R+
L+
L-
R-
R+
Speaker
B
Line In
Bus In
DelayTime
L
R
+
-Stereo
Bridge Mono
Stereo mode
4minimum
impedance
Bridge mode
8minimum
impedance
Out Trigger In
12V 100mA
RCA Cable from source
Line In L R
BridgeBridge
In
Speaker
A
Zone
L+
L-
R-
R+
L+
L-
R-
R+
Speaker
B
Line In
Bus In
DelayTime
L
R
+
-Ster eo
Bridge Mono
Stereo mode
4minimum
impedance
Bridge mode
8minimum
impedance
Out Trigger In
12V 100mA
2
Left In Right In
Right Speaker
8 ohm
(+)Positive
(-)Negative
Left Speaker
8 ohm
Speaker
cable
(+)Positive
(-)Negative
Speaker
cable
When the amplier is in Bridged mode operation, both the left and right
channels are combined for a higher power mono output.
For bridged amplier operation, turn o the power to the amplier and
connect an 8-ohm minimum load to the Speaker B output.
Following the Bridge mode markings in red on the back of the amplier:
Connect the negative lead (-) of the speaker cable to the R+ terminal. Connect
the positive lead (+) of the speaker cable to the L+ terminal. Set the Stereo/
Bridge Mono switch to Bridge Mono, connect the Line In feed from a source to
the Left Line In connection and restore power to the amplier.

8 Russound R1250MC Installation Manual Rev. 3
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
R1250MC Amplier
Single Zone Maximum Output Power: 50W per channel, 2 channels at 8 ohms
(0.1% THD+N; f=1 kHz) 80W per channel,
2 channels at 4 ohms
140W at 8 ohms, 2 channels bridged
All Zones Continuous Output Power: 35W per channel, 12 channels at 8 ohms
50W per channel, 12 channels at 4 ohms
100W at 8 ohms, each zone bridged
Distortion THD+N <0.05% 8 Ohm, from 20Hz to 20kHz
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >100dB
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20KHz +/- 0.3dB
Input Sensitivity: 70mV for 1W at 8 ohms
500mV for 50W at 8 ohms
Input Impedance: 47kohms Line Input
Voltage Gain: 32dB
Delay Time: 0.5 to 4.5 minutes
Input Trigger: 12VDC 10 kohms
Output Trigger: 12VDC 100 mA
Power Requirements: North American Model:
100-120VAC 60Hz 1000W
IEC 320 type connector with 3 terminal
detachable power cord.
Fuse Rating: T10AL 250V
Power Requirements: European Model:
220-240VAC 50Hz 1000W
IEC 320 type connector with 3 terminal
detachable power cord.
Fuse Rating: T5AL 250V
Standby Power: < 0.5 W
Dimensions: 17" W x 16.5"D x 5.875"H (43 x 42 x 15 cm)
Weight: 35.05 lbs. (15.77 kg)
The R1250MC Amplier meets EU Standby Power Requirements

9
Russound R1250MC Installation Manual
Rev. 3
WARRANTY
Warranty
The Russound R1250MC Amplier is fully guaranteed against all defects in
materials and workmanship for two (2) years from the date of purchase. During
this period, Russound will replace any defective parts and correct any defect in
workmanship without charge for either parts or labor.
For this warranty to apply, the unit must be installed and used according
to its written instructions. If service is necessary, it must be performed by
Russound. The unit must be returned to Russound at the owner’s expense and
with prior written permission. Accidental damage and shipping damage are
not considered defects, nor is damage resulting from abuse or from servicing
by an agency or person not specically authorized in writing by Russound.
This Warranty does not cover:
Damage caused by abuse, accident, misuse, negligence, or improper•
installation or operation
Power surges and lightning strikes•
Normal wear and maintenance•
Products that have been altered or modied•
Any product whose identifying number, decal, serial number, etc. has been•
altered, defaced or removed.
Russound sells products only through authorized Dealers and Distributors
to ensure that customers obtain proper support and service. Any Russound
product purchased from an unauthorized dealer or other source, including
retailers, mail order sellers and online sellers will not be honored or serviced
under existing Russound warranty policy. Any sale of products by an
unauthorized source or other manner not authorized by Russound shall void
the warranty on the applicable product.
Damage to or destruction of components due to application of excessive
power voids the warranty on those parts. In these cases, repairs will be made
on the basis of the retail value of the parts and labor. To return for repairs,
the unit must be shipped to Russound at the owner’s expense, along with a
note explaining the nature of service required. Be sure to pack the unit in a
corrugated container with at least three (3) inches of resilient material to
protect the unit from damage in transit.
Before returning a unit for repair, call Russound at [phone] for a Return
Authorization number. Write this number on the shipping label and ship to:
Russound
ATTN: Service
5 Forbes Road
Newmarket, NH 03857
Due to continual eorts to improve product quality as new technology and
techniques become available, Russound/FMP, Inc. reserves the right to revise
system specications without notice.

10 Russound R1250MC Installation Manual Rev. 3
NOTES