Russound R290DS User manual

R290DS
Dual Source Power Amplier
Installation Manual

2 Russound R290DS Installation Manual
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
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
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 Warnings - All warnings on the appliance in the
operating instructions should be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions - All operating and user 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.
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.
6. Cleaning - The appliance should be cleaned only as
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.
7. 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 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.
8. Heat - The appliance should be situated away from heat
sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
appliances (including ampliers) that produce heat.
9. Grounding or Polarization - Precaution should be taken so
that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is
not defeated.
10. 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 cords at plugs, receptacles, and the point where
they exit from the appliance.
11. 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.
12. Main Power Disconnect - The power switch is a single-pole
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.
13. Non-Use Periods - The power cord of the appliance should
be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long
period of time.
14. Attachments - Only use attachments/accessories specied by
the manufacturer.
15. Carts and Stands - The appliance should 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.
16. Wall or Ceiling Mounting - The appliance should be
mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the
manufacturer.
17. Location of the Amplier - Do not mount this unit under a
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.
18. Object and Liquid Entry - Care should be taken so that objects
do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure
through the openings.
19. Servicing - The user should not attempt to service the
appliancebeyondthat describedintheoperatinginstructions.
All other servicing should be referred to qualied service
personnel.
20. Damage Requiring Service - The appliance should be
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.

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Russound R290DS Installation Manual
Safety Instructions .................................................................................................................. 2
Product Overview .................................................................................................................. 4
Front and Rear Panels ............................................................................................................ 5
System Conguration - Stereo Mode............................................................................... 6
System Diagram - Stereo Mode.......................................................................................... 7
System Conguration - Bridged Mode............................................................................ 8
System Conguration - External Volume Control........................................................ 9
Technical specications ......................................................................................................10
Warranty ...................................................................................................................................11
TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 Russound R290DS Installation Manual
Introduction
The Russound R290DS is a 2-channel 90 watt dual source power amplier with
auto-source switching. It features Primary and Secondary audio line inputs with
a loop out to another zone, receiver, or device from the Primary source. A signal
only available as a speaker input can be connected and assigned as either the
primary or secondary source.
Thisampliercanbeused forpowerupgradesinspeciczones,forlargespeaker
selector or volume control systems and for long series-parallel speaker runs
(e.g., large outdoor zones).
The R290DS is rated at 90 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and 110 watts into 4
ohms. With the Stereo/Bridge Mono switch in the Bridge Mono position, both
amplier channels are combined for a higher powered mono output. In Bridge
mode the R290DS is rated at 250 watts of power into a single 8 ohm load. Each
amplier output channel incorporates robust protection circuitry for safety and
reliability under extreme circumstances.
The 12V Trigger In/Out allows the R290DS to be activated by other electronics
or to activate other electronics via a 3.5 mm mini phone plug cable.
Thermal Protection
All Russound ampliers are designed with special circuitry to safeguard the
amplier under a thermal overload condition. Thermal protection mode will
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. In thermal protection mode the
amplier will automatically stop output and the status indicator LED will go OFF.
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.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Protection Circuitry
Special circuitry has been designed into the amplier to safeguard 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.
Rack Mounting
The R290DS 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 two
rack spaces with the feet removed.
If mounted in a rack , one open rack space above and below is recommended
to allow for ventilation and heat dissipation.
+
+
Side View Rack Ear
Front View
Rack Ear
Side View
Rack Ear
Screw Holes

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Russound R290DS Installation Manual
FRONT AND REAR PANEL
12V Trigger In / Out Delay Time
Speaker Level Input (Screw Down Connector)
Secondary Input Stereo / Bridge Switch
Voltage Selector
Power Inlet & Fuseholder
Primary Input/Output
Speaker Level Line Input Switch
Power Switch
Speaker Output
Left and Right Channel Controls
Status Indicator LED
Red - Standby
Green - Active
Orange -Short Circuit Protection

6 Russound R290DS Installation Manual
The R290DS has dual source capability. If two sources are used, connect the
source you want to have priority to the Primary input and the other source to
the Secondary input.
Whenever the Primary source is active, that signal will take priority over the
distributed audio signal on the Secondary line. The signal is still active on the
Secondary line, and once the Primary audio signal is muted or turned o the
R290DS will automatically switch back to the Secondary audio signal.
Stereo Mode
The R290DS can be congured as a power upgrade for specic zones, for
use with large speaker selectors, and for long parallel speaker runs (outdoor
zones)
1. Unplug the R290DS.
2. Set the Stereo/Bridge switch to Stereo.
3. Connect the audio line output from a stereo preamplier or source to
the left and right Primary input jacks of the R290DS. If the output is only
available as speaker level see Speaker Level Signal at right.
4. Connect the audio line output from the secondary source to the Secondary
input jacks in the same manner.
5. Connect your speakers to the terminals, observing proper polarity.
6. Restore power to the amplier. Both channel levels can be adjusted with
the corresponding channel level adjustments.
Dual source connections
Connect the source audio outputs to both Primary and Secondary inputs as
instructed above.
Set the delay with the DelayTime knob.The DelayTime adjustment determines
when the switch back to the Secondary signal will occur. Example: If the primary
source is a CD changer, increasing the delay time will prevent a switch back to
the secondary source while the disc is changing.
Note: This works with all incoming signals, line level or speaker level.
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION - STEREO MODE
Speaker Level Signal
If either of the sources is only available as a speaker level signal, connect it to
the Speaker In terminals, using the screw down terminal block and observing
proper polarity. Only one set of speaker level inputs can be utilized and assigned
by the selector switch.
Set the switch to Primary or Secondary.
Only one type of input (speaker or line) should be assigned to each line. For
typical connectivity, do not set speaker input switch to Primary and make
connections to the Primary line input.
Note: If there are two inputs assigned as Primary (Speaker and Line) the Line
input will take priority.
Typical Connections
Line Input Speaker Input
/ Switch Position Audible Output
Primary /
Secondary n/a Primary if signal present Secondary if no Primary signal
Primary Secondary
/ Secondary
Primary if signal present
Secondary if no Primary signal
Secondary Primary
/ Primary
Primary if signal present
Secondary if no Primary signal
Connections for Unique Solutions
Line Input Speaker Input
/ Switch Position Audible Output
Primary /
Secondary
Primary
/Primary
Primary Line Input if signal present
Speaker Input if no Primary Line signal
Secondary if no Primary Line or Speaker signal
Primary /
Secondary
Secondary
/Secondary
Primary Line Input if signal present
Secondary Line Input if no Primary signal
Speaker Input if no Line signal

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Russound R290DS Installation Manual
SYSTEM DIAGRAM - STEREO MODE
Stereo Mode Conguration with Dual Sources
(CD player signal takes precedence)
R290DS Amplier
MCA-C5 Multizone Controller
Line Out
RCA Cable
Speaker Cable
Source
Line Out
RCA Cable
8 ohm Speakers

8 Russound R290DS Installation Manual
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION - BRIDGED MODE
Bridged Mode
In this mode both the left and right channels are combined for a higher power
mono output. For proper operation, the left channel adjustment should be set
to the center position to start and then adjusted appropriately from there. The
right channel adjustment is not applicable.
1. Unplug the R290DS.
2. Set the Stereo/Bridge switch to Bridge Mono.
3. Connect the line out from a preamplier or source to the Left Primary input
jack of the R290DS. Do not connect any input to the right side, it will be
ignored.
4. Connect the negative lead (-) of the speaker cable to the R(+) terminal.
Connect the positive lead (+) of the speaker cable to the L(+) terminal. (See
the markings above the terminals on the rear panel). An 8 Ohm minimum
load is recommended.
5. Restore power to the amplier.
Bridged Mode Conguration
8 ohm Speaker
Line out from Source (+) Positive Speaker Cable
(-) Negative Speaker Cable
R290DS Amplier

9
Russound R290DS Installation Manual
INPUT
EXPANSIONS
SPEAKERS SPEAKERS
SPEAKERS SPEAKERS
RUSSOUND
INPUT
EXPANSIONS
SPEAKERS SPEAKERS
SPEAKERS SPEAKERS
RUSSOUND
Autoformer-based
Volume Control
EZB-1SC Modular
Connecting Block
IN
8 Ohm Speaker
Line out from Source
R290DS Amplier
System Conguration with External Volume Control
The R290DS can be congured for large autoformer-based volume control
systems/speaker selectors.
Conguration with Autoformer Volume Control
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION - EXTERNAL VOLUME CONTROL

10 Russound R290DS Installation Manual
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
R290DS Amplier
Continuous Output Power: 90W per channel at 8 ohms
(<0.1% THD=N) @ 1kHz 110W per channel at 4 ohms
250W at 8 ohms, 2 channels bridged
Distortion THD+N: <0.3% from 20Hz to 20kHz for 90W into 8 ohms
<0.05% from 20Hz to 20kHz for 1W into 8 ohms
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >110dB A-weighted
Channel Separation: > 70dB @ 1 kHz
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20kHz +/- 0.3dB
Input Sensitivity: 70mV for 1W at 8 ohms
680mV for 90W at 8 ohms
Input Impedance: 47kohms Line Input
Voltage Gain: 32dB
Power Requirements: North American Model:
120VAC 60Hz 5A
IEC 320 type connector with 3 terminal detachable power cord
Power Requirements: European Model:
230VAC 50Hz 2.5A
IEC 320 type connector with 3 terminal detachable power cord
Standby Power: <0.5W
Dimensions: 17”W x 14”D x 4.125”H
(43 x 35.5 x 10.5 cm)
Weight: 17.2 lbs. (7.8 kg)
The R290DS Amplier meets EU Standby Power Requirements