Outlaw Audio 7700 - Manual (Page 5)

5 Model 7700/7500 Multi-Channel Power Amplifier
Owner’s Manual
Connecting Your Amplifier
Connecting Your Amplifier
When making connections between any source components and the ampli-
fier, or when making connections to any speaker, be certain that both the
input devices and the amplifier are turned off. To assure that there will be
no unwanted signal transients that can damage equipment or speakers, it is
always best to unplug all equipment before making any connections. Modern
electronic products often have a standby mode that may be activated even
though the product may appear to be turned off.
Audio Signal Connections
Connections with RCA type plugs:
When making connections with the “RCA” type plugs on interconnect cables,
make certain to gently, but firmly insert them into the jacks marked “unbal-
anced input” on the back of the Model 7700/7500. Place input toggle in the
“Unbalanced” position before attempting to operate. Loose connections can
cause intermittent sound and may damage your speakers. The barrel assembly
of some high quality RCA plugs may be very tight, and it is important to ensure
a proper connection between the interconnect cable and the input jack.
Connections with XLR (Balanced) audio type plugs:
When making connections with “XLR” type plugs on balanced interconnect
cables, make certain to gently, but firmly insert them into the jacks marked
“balanced input” on the back of the Model 7700/7500. Set the input toggle in
the “Balanced” position before attempting to operate. Loose connections can
cause intermittent sound and may damage your speakers.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When releasing an XLR connector from an input
jack, press the “plate” style tab on the input jack (male end of cable)
and pull the interconnect straight out. When releasing an XLR con-
nector from an output jack, press the “button” style tab on the XLR
connector (female end of cable) and pull the interconnect straight out.
Unlike “turbine” style RCA cables, twisting the interconnect will damage
the cable and input jack on your amplifier.
Speaker Connections
To assure that the high quality signals produced by your Outlaw amplifier are
carried to your speakers without loss of clarity or resolution, we recommend
that you use high quality speaker wire. Many brands of wire are available;
the choice may be influenced by the distance between your speakers and the
amplifier, the type of speakers you use, personal preferences, or other factors.
Regardless of the brand or type of speaker wire selected, we recommend that you
use a wire constructed of fine, multi-strand copper with a gauge of 14 or less.
Remember that in specifying wire, the lower the number, the thicker the cable.
Wire with a gauge of 16 may be used for short runs of less than ten feet. We do
not recommend that you use any wires with an AWG equivalent of 18 or higher
due to the power loss and degradation in performance that will occur.
To connect the amplifier to your speakers a pair of binding posts is provided for
each channel output. These posts will accept bare wire, spade lugs or banana
type plugs, when they are permitted by local safety agencies.
If bare wire is used for the connections, strip approximately 1/2 inch to 3/4
inch (20mm) of insulation from the end of each wire and carefully twist the
strands of each conductor together. Be careful not to cut the individual strands
or twist them off. For optimal performance, all strands must be used.
Correct polarity connections are important to maintain proper speaker phasing.
When speaker phasing is correct, all speakers move in and out at the same time,
preserving the imaging of the program material. Out-of-phase connections mean
that some speaker cones will be moving in, while others move out. This will
cause indistinct or confused imaging, and muddled and cloudy sounds. To avoid
incorrect phasing or polarity, be certain to use cable that has distinct markings,
colors, stripes, wording, or grooves on each side of the speaker cable. When mak-
ing connections to the amp and speakers, adhere to a consistent pattern of using
one side of the wire to the red terminals and the other side to the black terminals.
When using cable with markings on one side only, traditional convention is to
consider the marked side of the wire as the red, or positive (+) connection, and
the non-marked side as the black or negative (-) connection.
Next, loosen the knobs of the amplifier’s speaker output terminals, far enough
so that the pass through hole is revealed. Note that one conductor of the speaker
cable should have no markings, and the other should have a red line, brand
name markings, a colored thread, or some other positive indication. Follow the
proper connection instructions for your system with regard to which terminals
are used. Once the connections are made, twist the cap back so that the con-
nection is secured, but do not over tighten or use tools, as this may break the
delicate wire strands and decrease system performance.
If you are using spade lugs, connect them to the speaker wire using the man-
ufacturer’s instructions, then loosen the caps on the speaker terminals. Place
lugs between the plastic cap and the back of the terminal. Be sure to observe
proper polarity, using the appropriate speaker hook-up icons for your system’s
configuration. Using your fingers, tighten to obtain a positive contact.
When using banana plugs, connections may be made by simply inserting
the jack affixed to your speaker wire into the hole provided on the rear of the
colored screw caps on the binding posts. Before using banana type jacks make
certain that the plastic screw caps are firmly tightened down by turning them
in a clockwise direction until they are snug against the chassis. This will
insure that the maximum surface area of the plug is in contact with the jack.
Be certain to observe proper polarity.
Run the cables to the speaker locations. It is recommended that the length of wire
connecting any pair of speakers be similar. For example, make certain that the
wire length connecting the left and right front, or the left and right rear (surround)
speakers are similar in length, even though one speaker may be physically closer
to the amplifier than the other. Do not coil any excess cable, as this may become
an inductor that creates frequency response variations in your system.
Finally, connect the wires to the speakers, again being certain to observe proper
polarity. Remember to connect your negative, or black wire, to the matching
terminal on the speaker. The positive, or red wire, should be connected to the
matching terminal on the speaker.
NOTE: While most speaker manufacturers adhere to an industry conven-
tion of using red terminals for positive connections and black terminals
for negative, some manufacturers may vary from this configuration. To
assure proper phase connections, and optimal performance, consult the
identification plate on your speaker terminals, or the speaker’s manual
to verify polarity. If you do not know the polarity of your speaker, consult
the speaker’s manufacturer for further information.