8
the PWR CONTROL IN jack. When the Meter
Control Knob is in the WATTS or HOLD position,
“The Left Knob” on page 8, the MC830 will
follow an On or Off signal for the Meter light from
a connected Preamplifier (or A/V Control Center).
AC Power
This connection is essential. Plug the female end of
the supplied AC Power Cord into the AC connector
(standard 15 ampere IEC) located in the rear right
corner of the MC830. Plug the male end of the AC
Power Cord into a grounded and functioning AC
outlet.
Auto Off
This switch Enables (ENA) or Disables (DIS) the
Auto Off feature. When the Auto Off feature is
enabled the MC830 will Power Off if no input is
recieved for 30 minutes if the Power Control Knob
(Right Knob) is in the ON position. When the
Power Control Knob is in the REMOTE position,
the MC830 will follow the power status of the unit
connected to the PWR CONTROL IN jack.
Sentry Monitor
The MC830 incorporates McIntosh’s patented
Sentry Monitor output transistor protection circuit.
Built-in thermal protection circuits guard against
overheating. There is absolutely no compromise in
sonic performance with this circuit, and it ensures
safe operation of the amplifier under even the most
extreme operating conditions, and contributes to a
long safe operating life of the MC830.
The Front Panel
The MC830’s glass and metal Front Panel provides
two control knobs and an Illuminated Power Meter.
There are also two status indicator LEDs.
The Left Knob
The Left Knob is also called the
Meter Control
Knob
. The Meter Control Knob has three switch
positions:
•
LIGHTS OFF
- the Meter light will be off.
The Meter will still respond to output
•
WATTS
- the Meter responds to all output and
the Meter Light is on unless controlled by
another unit as noted below
•
HOLD
- the Meter needle will lock on
the highest peak in a series of peaks. When
a higher peak is reached, the needle will
hold that value. If no greater power level
is reached, the needle will lower its level
at a rate of approximately 6dB per minute
returning to a lower power peak or resting
position
Note that when in the WATTS or HOLD position,
the Meter Light will be powered On or Off by a
Preamplifier (or A/V Control Center) connected
by a Power Control Cable if that unit has Power
Control capabilities.
The Meter
The MC830’s Meter provides an accurate
measurement of power to safely know what wattage
is sent to the attached speakers, and thus, providing
the knowledge to avoid any potential damage
caused by exceeding the speaker’s power limitation.
The top numbers show the MC830’s output in Watts
for an 8 Ohm connected Loudspeaker. The bottom
numbers are for a 4 Ohm connected Loudspeaker.
A logarithmic scale is used to provide visibly useful
movement at low volumes.
The Right Knob
The Right Knob is also known as the
Power
Control Knob
. The Power Control Knob has three
switch positions:
•
OFF
- the MC830 will Power Off no matter
what signal may be received from a unit
connected by a Power Control cable
•
REMOTE
- the MC830 can be powered On
and Off by a Preamplifier or A/V Control Center
connected by a Power Control Cable. ( See “Power
Control (Trigger) Outputs” on page 7.)
•
ON-
this position will Power the MC830 On
The Power Guard
®
LED
Power Guard
®
continuously monitors input and
output signals and can dynamically adjust input
levels to insure maximum output while avoiding
harsh clipping or distortion. Patented Power
Guard
®
technology allows its circuitry to remain
completely outside the signal path unless needed.
When Power Guard is engaged, the effect is very
subtle especially when compared with clipping and
distortion of other overdriven Amplifiers.
Power Guard’s amber LED indicates by flashing
when Power Guard
®
is engaged.
The Standby LED
The Standby LED will glow red anytime the MC830
is connected to a live AC outlet.
