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E. Positioning
Power supplies and amplifiers should be located at a reasonable distance away from other
equipments in the system. Adequate spacing will prevent the generation of transformer
resonance which in turns causing audible hum to be heard from the loudspeakers. The
minimum recommended distance is 300mm (12 inches), and that allowed by the standard
interconnect lead being maximum.
Many of the Consonance equipments, due to stringent requirements for ultimate sonic
reproduction, are extremely heavy in weight. If you are placing the equipments on equipment
rack or table please ensure that the frame is structural sound for supporting the total weight
of the equipments.
F. Cables, connections and speaker Impedance
Loudspeaker leads are also very important leads to suit your equipment installation. The
leads should each be at least 3.5 meters long and of equal length. The recommended
maximum is 20 meters. The loudspeaker connectors supplied with all Consonance amplifiers
and loudspeakers have been specifically designed to make a tight mechanical connection. It
is essential that these are used in order to comply with local safety regulations.
For best performance, the load presented by the speaker has to match the amplifier's output
impedance. Refer to the manufacturer's information for your speaker nominal impedance. All
vacuum tube amplifier made by Opera Audio are factory set to match the speakers at 8
ohms and 4 ohms.
General Warnings
Every piece of Consonance equipment is designed to produce the finest sound quality that
can be achieved, by avoiding compromise wherever possible. This can lead to
circumstances that may be unfamiliar to the equipment owner. The material that follows
contains advice specifically related to Consonance equipment as well as more general
warning about the use of domestic audio products.
Please read it carefully:
The transformers in Consonance amplifiers and power supplies may sometimes make a
mechanical noise caused by distortion of the mains waveform. Consonance transformers are
large in size and have heavy gauge secondary windings making them relatively sensitive to
such distortion. A separate mains circuit for your hi-fi system may reduce the effect while
also giving an overall improvement in sound quality. It may be necessary however to take
account of mechanical transformer noise when placing your equipment.
In some circumstances, depending on where you live and the grounding arrangements in
your home, you may experience radio frequency interference. Controls on broadcasting in
some territories allow very high levels of radio frequency radiation and both the choice and
exact placement of equipment may be critical. If there is a known problem in your locality it is
advisable to arrange for a home demonstration before purchase to ensure that your selected
Consonance equipment can be operated normally. Susceptibility to radio frequency
interference is related to the wide internal bandwidth necessary for high sound quality.
Systems incorporating moving coil phono preamplifiers and active crossovers are more likely
to suffer.
Troubleshooting Guide
