Audio Note I Zero Technical manual
I Zero
INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER
OWNER’S INFORMATION
2
! IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION !
HUMIDITY: DO NOT STORE OR OPERATE THIS UNIT IN AREAS OF HIGH HUMIDITY, OR IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO WATER/DAMPINESS. DO NOT EXPOSE THE UNIT TO LIQUID.
EARTHING: THIS PRODUCT MUST BE EARTHED – ENSURE THAT THE MAINS SUPPLY CABLE IS
EARTHED.
SHOCK: INTERNAL OPERATING VOLTAGES ARE LETHAL! DO NOT REMOVE THE TOP COVER. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO REPLACE THE FUSE WITHOUT DISCONNECTING THE UNIT FROM THE MAINS
SUPPLY.
SAFETY COMPONENTS: INTERNAL FUSES AND OTHER SAFETY COMPONENTS ARE LOCATED INSIDE
THIS UNIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH BS 00 5 REQUIREMENTS.
IN THE EVENT OF SAFETY COMPONENT FAILURE, THEY MUST BE REPLACED WITH THE SAME PART
TYPES ONLY. SUCH REPLACEMENT MUST BE CARRIED OUT BY A QUALIFIED SERVICE TECHNICIAN.
PRECAUTION
Never touch the power cord with wet hands.
Always pull the power cord out by the plug, not by the cord.
Never expose the system to rain, moisture, excessive heat and magnetism.
Never let an inexperienced person repair or reassemble the unit.
Never put anything, especially metal, into the unit.
Never place excessive weight on the unit.
POWER REQUIREMENTS
Power requirements for electrical equipment differ from area to area. Please ensure that
your unit meets the power requirements in your area. The power requirement for your phono
stage is marked on the serial number plate on the rear panel.
If you are in doubt, please contact your dealer before plugging the unit into the mains
supply!
CE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
We declare under our sole responsibility that this product is in conformity with the following
standards or standardized documents:
BS EN 00 5 in accordance with the regulations 73/23/EEC, 89/33 /EEC (from 1
st
January 1997),
2/499/EEC, 87/308/EEC standard.
CE 94
Peter Qvortrup
Director
Audio Note (UK) Limited
25 Montefiore Road,
Hove,
East Sussex
BN3 1RD
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1273 220 511
Fax: +44 (0)1273 731 498
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 PRECAUTIONS
4 UNPACKING & INSTALLATION
5 OPERATION
SPECIFICATIONS
4
GENERAL
Congratulations
on your purchase of the Audio Note I Zero amplifier.
The I Zero is stereo integrated line amplifier with an output power rated at about 8 watts.
We choose to use the now little used triode pentode ECL82 which was widely used in small
radios and early televisions as an output valve, the ECL82 is run in Class A until 80% of its rated
power and close to max power I Zero switches to class AB, which provides low-heat, reliable and
long life.
Please read over this manual carefully in order to obtain the best possible performance
and longevity from amplifier.
UNPACKING & INSTALLATION
We recommend that you store the packaging materials in case the unit requires shipping
at a later date. Also, check that no transit damage has occurred before installing the amplifier.
Next, select a suitable location for the unit, not next to any large mains unit or damp
areas.
Worthwhile improvements may be obtained by locating the amplifier on a support
system specifically designed to reduce and absorb any vibrations.
AFTER CARE
Cleaning: No special maintenance is required for the I Zero. A soft cloth or brush similar to those
sold by photographic stores for lens cleaning applications is best used for cleaning.
Use a cloth lighty dampened with a mildly warm, weak soap solution to clean off grease
or oily substances. Strong or alcohol based solvents may damage the finish of this amplifier.
Tube replacement: The valves used in the amplifiers should provide approximately 000 hours
of operation.
These valves are specially selected and carefully matched by Audio Note for use with the
I Zero and should only be replaced with matched pairs. Please consult your Audio Note
dealer should the performance of the amplifiers deteriorate so that arrangements for valve
replacements can be made.
CONNECTIONS:
5
CONNECTIONS - INPUTS
Four line inputs are available for connection to CD, AUX1, AUX2 and Tuner. All four inputs
have the same specifications and can be used as line inputs for CD, DVD players, Tape recorders,
VCRs etc.
CONNECTIONS - SPEAKERS
Each channel is equipped with 2 colour coded binding posts for connection to your
speakers. Looking from the front of the amplifier, the 2 binding posts to the left are for the left
channel and the 2 binding posts to the right are for the right channel.
Connect the amplifiers black speaker output binding post marked as “ - ” to the black
terminal (also marked “ – “) on the speaker.
Connect the amplifiers red speaker output binding post MARKED AS “ + ” to the red
terminal (also marked “ + “) on the speaker.
Special Note: make sure that all connections are tight and clean. For best performance,
use good quality audio interconnectS and speaker cables. Although several companies
manufacture good quality interconnects, those manufactured by
A
udio Note are excellent!
CONNECTIONS – MAINS
The I Zero utilizes an IEC 320 mains inlet socket. Use the supplied mains cable to connect
the unit to the local mains supply.
USING THE I ZERO
Once all the connections are completed and checked, ensure that the volume control is at
the minimum setting (rotated all the way left). Turn on the amplifier by using the rocker switch
located on the rear top right of the back panel just above mains inlet socket. The red front panel
light should now be lit. The amplifier requires approximately two minutes to initialize before it is
ready for operation.
Functi n Select r – Turn the selector to the input you wish to hear music from.
V lume C ntr l – This control adjusts the listening level or loudness, set as desired.
Bedding in time: The new amplifier requires about 200 hours of initial use (called “bedding in
time”) before the circuitry becomes stable and optimum performance is realised. As the amplifier
“beds in”, the sound will become more lucid, detailed and expansive.
Once the I Zero is “bedded in”, a warm-up time of approximately 30 to 45 minutes is
required each time the unit is turned on before
optimum
sonic performance is reached.
6
TECHNICAL OVERVIEW
The I Zero meets the requirements of Level Zero and the basic technological requirements
of all Audio Note™ products. Audio Note™ use a technique called “Comparison by Contrast”
*
during the development of our products. This method of aural evaluation is a system currently
unique to Audio Note. High quality parts are used throughout the amplifier. The circuitry is simple
and incredibly effective, yielding a high level of sonic performance.
* An essay titled ‘Audio Hell’ that describes the Comparison by Contrast technique is available on Audio Note web
site under link http://www.audionote.co.uk/articles/art_audio_hell.shtml.
WARRANTY AND SERVICING
Audio Note™ warrants this product free from defects in materials and workmanship for
one year from original date of purchase from an appointed Audio Note dealer. The vacuum tubes
are warranted for three months.
In the event that your Audio Note™ product requires servicing, please contact your Audio
Note™ dealer. If the component needs to be shipped, please use the original packaging materials
and include a copy of the sales purchase with a note, explaining, in as much detail as possible,
the problems that you are experiencing with the unit.
If you require technical support, new vacuum tubes or have any questions, please direct
them to your local Audio Note™ dealer.
SPECIFICATIONS
Power source: AC 100-120V/220-240V 50/ 0 Hz
Fuse: 220/240V – 1A Anti-surge
100/120V – 2A Anti-surge
Input Impedance: 100k Ohm
Input Sensitivity: 400mV for full output
Maximum Output: 8W RMS per channel into ohms load
Channel Balance: +/-0.3dB
Valve Compliment: 4 x ECL82
Max power consumption: 75W
Dimensions: 300 (W) x 9 (H) x 310 (D) mm
(incl. knobs and connectors)
Weight: 7kg
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