7
INITIAL POWER-ON
Once you have your M-3000 MK2 in place and all
connections have been made to your source(s) and
preamplifier, you are ready to turn on the power for
your M-3000 MK2. Before you power up the M-3000
MK2, though, be sure you have:
•
removed ALL the cushion materials (cardboard and
“O” rings) from inside the tube chimneys/on tubes.
•
selected the input connection that you want to use,
single ended (RCA) or balanced (XLR), on the switch
on the back of the chassis and have the interconnect
firmly attached.
•
turned on your source(s) and your preamplifier, and
turned the preamplifier’s volume control down to
zero or otherwise muted its output
•
securely and correctly fastened the speaker cables
and ensured that they are also connected properly
to the speakers
•
checked that all tubes are snug in their sockets
Turn on the M-3000 MK2 by pushing in the power switch
button located at the right of the front panel (facing the
front of the unit) to the “on” position. The “on” position
is with the button switch depressed. Of course, the off
position is the reverse. After about a thirty to forty (30 -
40) second delay (the soft start), the M-3000 MK2 will
be powered on.
OPERATION
When the power is on, the current meters on the top
plate of the chassis will illuminate. From this point on,
operation is straight-forward. When you are finished
listening, turn off your M-3000 MK2(s) monoblock(s)
first; then, turn off your preamplifier and sources.
If the
M-3000 MK2’s are in triode mode at turn-off, they will
produce a sound through the speakers as the
amplifier’s relays turn off. Though this sound is
harmless to speakers, some users may prefer not to
hear it. To avoid the sound, simply switch the M-3000
MK2’s to pentode mode prior to turning them off (see
the “On-the-Fly Triode/Pentode Switching section
below).
In the case of any failure, please contact Audiomentors
for assistance.
“ON-THE-FLY” TRIODE/PENTODE SWITCHING
You can use the Triode/Pentode “Mode Selector” button
at any time during operation to switch back and forth
from Triode to Pentode operation. Press the mode
selector button down to have the M-3000 MK2 operate
in Triode mode; press the button again so it is in the
raised position to have the M-3000 MK2 operate in
Pentode mode.
THE CURRENT METERS
These illuminated meters indicate the current supply to
each of the four KT150 gain tubes in the M-3000 MK2.
There is one current meter for each KT150 power tube.
There is also a potentiometer and a fuse for each KT150.
When you turn on the M-3000 MK2, the needle of each
current meter should be between the two parallel lines
on the meter face. Any error of current supply to or
failure of a KT150 tube is indicated by the needle on the
KT150 tube’s respective meter moving out from
between these two parallel lines.
TUBES AND TUBE BIAS
Each M-3000 MK2 monoblock uses the following tubes:
•
Four (4) x KT150
•
Two (2) x E282F
•
One (1) x 6AK6
Because of the individual bias for each KT150, it is not
necessary to use a matched quad of these power tubes
in the M-3000 MK2.
If the needle of a current meter for a KT150 has moved
to the left of the parallel lines on the meter face, using
an appropriately bladed screwdriver, adjust the
potentiometer directly in front of that tube’s location by
turning it clockwise until the needle has returned to
between the meter’s parallel lines. If the meter needle
has moved to the right of the parallel lines on the meter
