RockCrusher
™
Owner’s Manual Version 1.0 Dec. 01, 2010
Congratulations and welcome to the Rivera® family of outstanding products!
We hand-build this fine product in our facility in Burbank, California, USA, using the most robust, finest-
quality components from North America, Germany, and Japan. With correct use and care, you will experience
many years of enjoyment with the RockCrusher. It is an invaluable tool on stage as well as in the studio.
WARNINGS! PLEASE READ BEFORE USING!
YOU MUST HAVE A LOAD OF THE PROPER IMPEDANCE CONNECTED TO THE SPEAKER OUTPUTS OF THE
ROCKCRUSHER WHEN OPERATING IN THE BYPASS POSITION! IF NOT, YOUR AMPLIFIER WILL POTENTIALLY
SEE AN OPEN LOAD CONDITION, WHICH MAY RESULT IN SEVERE DAMAGE TO YOUR AMPLIFIER!
YOU MUST MAKE SURE THAT THE IMPEDANCE OF THE AMPLIFIER’S SPEAKER OUTPUT MATCHES THE
SETTINGS ON THE ROCKCRUSHER (8 OR 16 OHM), AND THAT THE SPEAKER(S) CONNECTED TO THE
ROCKCRUSHER IS OF THE SAME IMPEDANCE. IF MULTIPLE SPEAKERS ARE CONNECTED (ROCKCRUSHER
SPEAKER OUTPUT JACKS ARE IN PARALLEL), THEIR COMBINED LOAD IMPEDANCE MUST MATCH THE
SETTINGS ON THE AMPLIFIER AND ON THE ROCKCRUSHER. AN IMPEDANCE MISMATCH CAN POTENTIALLY
RESULT IN DAMAGE TO YOUR AMPLIFIER, AND EXCESSIVE HEATING TO THE ROCKCRUSHER INTERNAL
COMPONENTS. DO NOT USE THE ROCKCRUSHER ON AMPLIFIERS THAT ARE HARDWIRED FOR 2 OR 4 OHMS,
OR DO NOT HAVE 8 OR 16 OHM OUTPUT IMPEDANCE CAPABILITY. DO NOT USE THE ROCKCRUSHER WITH
ANY SPEAKER LOAD LOWER THAN 8 OHMS IMPEDANCE.
ON THE BACK OF THE ROCKCRUSHER, YOU MUST USE THE SPEAKER JACK #1, FIRST.
YOU MAY NOT EXCEED THE 120W RMS POWER RATING OF THE ROCKCRUSHER.
DO NOT COVER THE TOP OR BOTTOM OF THE ROCKCRUSHER, AS PROPER VENTILATION IS REQUIRED TO
DISSIPATE THE POTENTIAL HEAT GENERATED.
DO NOT EXPOSE THE ROCKCRUSHER TO ANY MOISTURE OF ANY SORT, AS A POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL
SHOCK HAZARD OR DAMAGE TO THE ROCKCRUSHER MAY BE POSSIBLE.
EXCESSIVE USE OF YOUR AMPLIFIER’S OUTPUT POWER WILL PLACE THERMAL STRESS ON THE OUTPUT
TUBES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS, AS WELL AS ON THE OUTPUT TRANSFORMER, AND MAY
RESULT IN DAMAGE TO YOUR AMPLIFIER. OLDER VINTAGE AMPLIFIERS MAY HAVE CRITICAL COMPONENTS
WHICH HAVE DETERIORATED, SUCH AS COUPLING AND FILTER CAPACITORS, WIRING INSULATION, TUBE
SOCKETS, GRID RESISTORS, AND THE INSULATION PROPERTIES OF THE OUTPUT TRANSFORMER WINDINGS.
THESE COMPONENTS MAY BE EXCESSIVELY STRESSED WHEN SUSTAINING HIGH POWER LEVELS OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME AND MAY FAIL. ASIAN- AND EASTERN EUROPEAN-BUILT AMPLIFIERS ARE FOR THE MOST
PART NOTORIOUS FOR POOR QUALITY COMPONENTS, AND SUCH COMPONENTS MAY EASILY FAIL IF
STRESSED.
PLEASE CHECK THE CONDITION OF YOUR OUTPUT TUBES, AND REPLACE THEM IF THEY ARE OLD OR
FRAGILE, BEFORE USING THE AMPLIFIER AT HIGH POWER LEVELS WITH THE ROCKCRUSHER. WEAK AND
OLD OUTPUT TUBES ARE THE LINK THAT CAN EASILY BREAK WHEN STRESSED. IF THERE IS OUTPUT TUBE
FAILURE, OTHER ANCILLARY COMPONENTS MAY BE DAMAGED AS WELL.
BY RESPECTING THE CORRECT USE OF THE ROCKCRUSHER, YOU WILL AVOID POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO
YOUR AMPLIFIER AS WELL AS THE ROCKCRUSHER.
ROCKCRUSHER IS NOT INTENDED FOR USE WITH SOLID STATE AMPLIFIERS THAT USE CURRENT FEEDBACK
AND AN UNGROUNDED OUTPUT. AS THE LINE OUTPUT GROUND IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED
TO THE
AMPLIFIER INPUT GROUND, OSCILLATION WILL OCCUR WITH POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO THE
AMPLIFIER. IT IS ALSO NOT INTENDED FOR USE WITH CLASS D OR PWM AMPLIFIERS.
RIVERA AMPLIFICATION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR AMPLIFIER THAT MAY
OCCUR THROUGH ANY USE OF THE ROCKCRUSHER.
Front Panel Features and Functions
Rivera Amplification. Burbank, California, USA
