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Before you install the Altair II
Unpacking
Because of its machined aluminum top chassis, the Altair II is heavier than the average preamp. Have
an extra person nearby to help if you need it. You may wish to use gloves to protect your fingers.
NOTE: Prior to plugging in the Altair II, loosen the inner black 5/32" hex shipping set screws near
the feet by four turns.
Power supply setup
The Altair II's separate power supply (bottom component in the picture above) must be connected to
the Altair II main chassis (top component in the picture above) as shown above before you plug the unit
into a wall. Make sure the power switch on the power supply is in the off (O) position.
The supplied cables are spiral-wrapped, gold-plated copper designed for aerospace use, and can handle
up to 30 amps. Only these cables should be used between the power supply and the Altair II.
Connect one of the supplied cables to the Right Analog Power socket on the Altair II, then into the
Right Analog Power socket on the power supply as shown above. Repeat with the Left Analog Power
and Control Power connections. At this point you can plug the Altair II power supply into the wall
socket. Leave the master power switch off until you connect your other equipment to the Altair II.
DO NOT remove the power cables while the unit is powered on. If you do happen to accidently pull
one of them out, DO NOT plug it back in. Turn off the power supply using the hard switch on the
rear panel, unplug the unit, then replace the cable. Failure to power down the unit before
replacing a power cable can result in substantial damage to your Altair II.
If you will be using the Constellation Audio Centaur or Hercules amplifiers (or any other high-powered
amplifier), do not plug the Altair II into the same AC socket or into any other outlet connected on that
circuit. Constellation Audio amplifiers draw a great deal of power and could affect the Altair II’s
performance if the amplifier(s) and preamp are plugged into the same electrical circuit or AC outlet.
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 Altair II.
Summary of Contents for Altair II
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