Zesto Audio Andros Allasso User manual

Zesto Audio 2017 Page #1
Andros Allasso
MC Step-Up Transformer
Owner’s Manual
Please read carefully before
installing and operating this equipment
Zesto Audio
3138 Calle Estepa
Thousand Oa s, California 91360
805-807-1840
www.zestoaudio.com
[e-mail]
Made in the USA
Using US and Imported Parts

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Dear Music Lover,
I wanted to personally than you for your purchase of my Andros Allasso Step Up Transformer.
I have loved music all my life – as a musician, record producer and audio engineer. That ma es me fussy about sound.
That’s a good thing.
Each unit is built by hand with precision and pride to produce the most enjoyable listening experience for you.
I am proud to put my name on it and honored to share this with you.
Wishing you many happy years of listening!
Sincerely,
-- George Counnas, President of Zesto Audio
FYI
Zesto is Gree for hot
Allasso is a Gree word to change one thing to another.
Andros is a Gree island and the home of my grandmother’s family.
Table of Contents
Than You ……………………………………..Page 2
Table of Contents……………………………...Page 2
What’s in the box………………………………Page 2
Warning and Caution………………………….Page 3 & 4
Front Panel Controls…………………………..Page 5
Rear Panel……………………………………..Page 5
Specifications ……………………………..…. Page 6
Gain/Ratio Chart …………………………….. Page 6
Hoo up, Settings and Adjustments………….Page 7 & 8
Quic Set Up ………………………………….Page 8
Warranty Information………………………….Page 9
What’s in the box?
Andros Allasso Step Up Transformer
Ground wire for turntable
Laminated Gain/ Ratio, Loading reference card
Not Included: Interconnect cables

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Warning and Caution
WARNING The triangle with the lightning flash symbol displayed on the unit advises the user of dangerous uninsulated
voltage inside the product’s enclosure.
CAUTION To reduce the ris of electric shoc , do not remove the cover. There are no user-serviceable parts inside; it is
recommended that only qualified personnel service this component.
1. OWNER’S MANUAL Before powering up the equipment, read all safety and operating instructions and follow them as
instructed. Retain the safety and operating instructions for future reference.
2. ATTACHMENTS Use only those attachments recommended by the unit manufacturer, as others may cause hazards.
3. ACCESSORIES Do not place the unit on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, brac et, or table. The unit may fall, causing
injury to a person or damage to the unit. Mount the unit according to the manufacturer’s instructions with the
suggested mounting accessory.
4. WALL OR CEILING MOUNTING Do not mount the unit on a wall or ceiling.
5. WATER AND MOISTURE Do not use the unit near water (for example, near a swimming pool, bath tub, wash bowl,
itchen sin , or laundry tub) or in a damp environment (li e a basement or outside in the rain).
6. OBJECT AND LIQUID ENTRY Do not push objects of any ind into the unit through openings as they could touch
dangerous voltage points and short-out parts, possibly resulting in a fire or electric shoc . Do not spill liquid of any
ind on the unit. If water or any metal object (such as a paper clip, coin, or staple) accidentally falls inside the unit,
disconnect it from the AC power source immediately and contact Zesto Audio for further instructions.
7. HEAT Position the unit away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other units (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
. VENTILATION Slots and openings in the enclosure create ventilation to protect the component from overheating. All of
these openings must remain unobstructed. Allow at least six inches of clearance above the unit, 0.5 inch below and
an opening behind the unit for airflow. Do not place the unit on a bed, sofa, rug, built-in boo case, or rac without
adequate ventilation.
9. GROUNDING OR POLARIZATION As a safety feature, the unit may be equipped with a polarized alternating current
line plug in which one blade is wider than the other and has an additional grounding blade. This plug will fit into the
power outlet only one way. If you cannot insert the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing the plug. If the plug still will
not fit, contact a licensed electrician to update your outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.
10. POWER SOURCES Operate the unit only from the power source indicated on the mar ing label on the bac of the
unit. If you are unsure of the type of power supplied to your home, consult your unit dealer or local power company.
11. POWER CORD PROTECTION Arrange power supply cords so that they do not suffer from foot traffic or pinching by
items placed on or against them. Pay close attention to cords where plugs enter the AC outlet and where they exit
from the unit.
12. LIGHTNING For added protection during a lightning storm or when the component is idle for long periods of time,
unplug the unit from the wall outlet. This will help protect the unit from lightning and power line surge damage.

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13. POWER LINES Do not locate an outside antenna system in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light
or power circuits. When installing an outside antenna system, ta e extreme care to avoid touching the power lines or
circuits; contact with them could be fatal.
14. OVERLOADING Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or integral convenience receptacles as this increases
the ris of fire or electric shoc .
15. REPLACEMENT PARTS When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used
replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or those having the same characteristics as the original parts.
Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shoc or other hazards.
16. SAFETY CHECK Upon completion of any service or repairs to the unit, as the service technician to perform safety
chec s to ensure the unit is in proper operating condition.
17. IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE
• Before connecting a new product such as the Andros Allasso to your audio or home theater system, turn off all other
equipment (preferably unplugging them from the AC power source). Many audio components feature automatic
turn-on circuits that may activate during an installation, potentially causing damage to electronic components or
spea ers. This type of damage is not covered by product warranties, and Zesto Audio specifically disclaims
responsibility for any such damage.
18. RECORDING COPYRIGHT Recording of copyrighted material for other than personal use is illegal without
permission of the copyright holder.
19. FCC INFORMATION FOR USER
• CAUTION Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by Zesto Audio could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
• These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates and can radiate radio frequency energy, and if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions it 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 off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the equipment.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from where the receiver is connected.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from where the receiver is connected.

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Front Panel
 MC Load Controls both the left and right input loading.
 Gain/Ratio 4 position selector that controls the gain/ratio settings.
 Mono/Stereo Mono sends the left input to both outputs.
 All adjustments can be made “on the fly” while your system is on so you can hear the changes.
Rear Panel
 RCA Output The main output going to your phonostage.
 Ground binding posts Identical grounds, not left or right use either. The main ground point for the
unit, from the turntable and to your phonostage.
 MC Input Either use the RCA (Left and Right) or the XLR3 Balanced MC Input (Left and Right).
 Ground ON/OFF switches Unli e the binding posts these ground switches are Left and Right
which connects or disconnects the ground to the MC input.

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Specifications
 Frequency response:-3dB at 0.4Hz to 100 KHz
 Phase deviation: 1° typical at 20Hz
 Transformer noise: 1.2 dB @ 20 Ω, 1.8 dB @ 12 Ω
 Hum rejection: 125 dB @ 60 Hz
 Voltage gain: 12dB, 16dB, 18dB and 22dB
 Step up ratios: 1:4, 1:6, 1:8 and 1:12
 MC load:40 positions in Mono, 40 positions in Stereo
 Recommended output load: 47KΩ @ 200pF (MM input)
 Inputs: Balanced and Single Ended MC
 Outputs: Single Ended
 Grounds: Independent ground-lift switches
 Grounds: Two ground binding posts
 Mono: The left input goes to both outputs
 Dimensions: 4”H X 6”W X 8”L (101.6mm X 152.4mm X 203.2mm)
 Weight: 5lb (2.27Kg)
 Shipping weight: 8.5lb (3.85Kg)
 Box dimensions: 7”H X 11”W X 13”L (177.9mm X 279.4mm X 330.2mm)
Gain/Ratio Chart

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Hookup, Settings and Adjustments
Before you start you will need
 RCA output phono cables, left and right (preferably shielded), connects the Allasso to your phonostage.
Unshielded phono cables can create “Hum”.
 Turntable phono cables, RCA or XLR, left and right, connects to the input of the Allasso.
 Manufacturer specs on recommended loading and output level of your Phono cartridge.
Burn-in
Li e all high end audio equipment, the Allasso can ta e 50 hours to brea in.
Output Hook up Connect the Allasso to your phonostage.
Connect both the left and right color coded RCA shielded phono cables to the outputs of the Andros Allasso. Connect the
other end to the to the MM input of your phonostage.
Important
Do not plug into the MC inputs of your phonostage, only the MM.
Keep in mind the Andros Allasso is not a phonostage and does not have the RIAA playbac correction. This unit must be
connected to a phonostage.
Ground Wire (included with the Allasso)
Attach the Spade Lug to the ground binding posts on both the Allasso and your Phonostage.
Turntable Ground (This wire is not included)
If you are using an RCA phono cable; connect the turntable ground wire to the Allasso binding post.
If you are using an XLR cable, you do not need a separate ground wire from your turntable. XLR pin one is the ground.
Input Hook up
Attach to the left and right turntable phono cables, either RCA or XLR, to the inputs of the Allasso SUT.
Grounding
 The ground switches are designed to brea ground loops and wor independently.
 How to adjust ground switches: With your system on, with the volume up to your normal listening level and NO music
playing, adjust each ground switch for the lowest noise.
 Start with both ground switches up. Then try any switch position that sounds good.
 The ground switches are designed to isolate the grounds between the turntable and the phonostage.
 They affect only the input and not the output.
Gain/Ratio
 This 4 position switch adjusts the gain and ratio of the transformer.
 If you have a low output cartridge start with the 1:8 or 1:12 setting. If you have a high output cartridge start with the 1:4
or 1:6 setting.
 Unli e most Step up transformers that have a fixed gain/ratio, when changing the gain/ratio settings of the Allasso, you
are also changing the input impedance of the unit.
 Don’t loose site of the fact that it’s about the best sound, not the math. The combination of Gain/Ratio and Loading
switches should be adjusted for best sonic performance.

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MC Load Adjustments
 10 load positions in each of the 4 ratio/gain settings, giving you 40 options in Mono and 40 options in stereo.
 Load settings can be done while your system is on.
 Start with Load position 5 in the middle. Find the setting that sounds best in your system and feel free to experiment with
any setting.
 The loading on the Andros Allasso is different because it loads on the secondary of the step-up transformer. This
method transfers the entire signal from the cartridge to the primary side of the transformer without any interference
from other components li e resistors.
 You may find a need to adjust the loading as your Cartridge brea s in.
 You may also want to revisit the load settings after any adjustments to your turntable/tone arm.
When to use the Mono/Stereo switch
 All Stereo cartridges have 4 pins, 2 lefts and 2 rights, use the stereo setting.
 Most modern Mono cartridges have 4 pins, the left and right pins are tied together in the cartridge; use the Mono or
Stereo setting, it ma es no difference.
 If your Mono cartridge has 2 pins; use the Mono setting.
 Mono 2 pin set up example hoo up the 2 pins of the cartridge to the 2 left connectors of the tonearm. Then hoo up
the left connector of the phono cable to the left input of the Allasso. Switch the setting to Mono, this sends the input
signal to both spea ers.
 If you switch it to Mono and don’t hear music, swap the right and left inputs at the Allasso.
 Note: The Mono setting on the Allasso only accepts a signal from the left input.
Andros Allasso Quick Set Up
1. Recommended you use shielded phono cables.
2. Connect phono cable from your turntable to the Allasso.
3. Connect your Allasso to your phonostage into the MM input.
4. Connect the ground wire from your turntable to the Allasso. If you are using XLR balanced cables to the Allasso, you do
not need this ground wire.
5. Connect the ground wire from the Allasso to the ground of the phonostage.
6. Adjust ground switches: With your system on, with the volume up to your normal listening level and NO music playing,
adjust each ground switch for the lowest noise.
7. Ratio/gain adjustments: Low output cartridges, start with the 1:8 ratio.
8. High output cartridges start with the 1:4 ratio.
9. Load adjustments: start at position 5.
10. Do adjustments while your system is on so you can hear the changes.
11. Ta e advantage of the flexibility of the Allasso and feel free to experiment with 40 options available until you find the
setting that sounds best to you.
12. Store your laminated Gain/ Ratio, Loading card under the unit for a quic reference.
13. Best setting: “Trust your Ears!”
You are now free to roam the cartridge planet!

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Warranty
All Zesto Audio equipment is covered by a 2 year limited warranty for parts and labor to cover defects in materials and
wor manship from date of purchase.
To obtain this original owner warranty the completed warranty registration must be received by email at the factory within
15 days from date of purchase. The warranty is not transferable.
This warranty is void if the product has not been used in accordance with the instructions found in this owner’s manual, or
if it has been misused, abused, damaged by accident or neglect, or in transport once in possession of purchaser. The
warranty is also void if the product has been tampered with or has been repaired or modified by anyone other than Zesto
Audio or its specifically authorized representatives. This limited warranty only applies to Zesto Audio equipment and
carries no responsibility for any other equipment attached to this unit.
To return the product it must be pac ed in its original pac aging and returned to Zesto Audio or its authorized
representative via insured freight at the owner's expense. Returned products must be accompanied by written description
of the defect and a return authorization number that is available from Zesto Audio or the authorized representative. Upon
receipt of the defective product Zesto Audio or the authorized representative agrees to repair the product without charge
for parts and or labor if within the 2 year warranty period. The product will then be returned via prepaid insured freight with
a carrier at the sole determination of Zesto Audio or the authorized representative.
Zesto Audio and its partners reserve the right to modify their products or change specifications at any time without
obligation or liability to previous purchasers.
Warranty will cover ownership outside the USA, but shipping is the sole responsibility of the owner. See your local dealer
for factory approved service in your area.
Factory service on non-warranty items will be billed at an hourly rate to be quoted before wor is done.