Constellation Audio Centaur and Centaur Mono - Manual (Page 4)

4
Before you install the amplifier
Unpacking
At nearly 100 pounds each, the Centaur Mono and Centaur
are too heavy for one person to lift safely. Two strong
people are required to lift each amplifier and to move it
from place to place.
Likewise, do not place these amplifiers on surfaces that
cannot safely support their weight. Lightweight furniture
and equipment racks should not be used to support these
amplifiers.
Lift each amplifier by hooking your fingers under the side
edges, as indicated by the arrows in the photos at right. It’s
a good idea to wear soft gloves to protect your fingers and
help avoid fingerprints on the amplifier.
AC connection
For best performance, each amplifier should be plugged into its own dedicated 15- or 20-amp AC outlet, with
no other component but the amplifier connected to that AC circuit.
It is especially important to provide a dedicated AC output if the amplifier is used with a speaker that has
impedance dips down into the 2- or 3-ohm range at certain frequencies, a high-level signal at these
frequencies can draw potential peaks well over 1,000 watts per channel.
While it may be tempting to plug two Centaur Monos into a single AC circuit, we strongly caution against it,
especially if you have 15-amp AC circuits. A single 15-amp circuit provides only 1,800 watts of power, which
isn’t sufficient to allow two Centaur Monos to reach their peak output capability, especially with low-
impedance speakers. Not only will sound quality suffer, your listening sessions will likely be interrupted often
when the Centaur Monos’ considerable power draw trips your home’s circuit breaker.
Do not plug the amplifier(s) into a power strip or AC line conditioner—few such products are designed to
handle the current that these amps can pull.
When you connect or disconnect the AC cord, always grasp it by the plug, not by the cord itself. Pulling the
plug out by the cord can damage the cord, the AC socket, and/or the amplifier.