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Operating your HCA-1200II
Power Switch
Press the upper side to turn the unit on; press the lower side to turn the unit off.
Standby/Operation LEDs
The red Standby LED will come on red whenever you first turn the unit on. It will light for about four to five
seconds while the amplifier circuits are stabilizing before the protection relays start to energize. At this time
the red LED will turn off and the green Operate LED will come on to signal normal operation is available. It
will also light up red whenever there is a short circuit or fault which triggers the protection circuits. When-
ever the red LED illuminates, no sound can be heard. lf the red Standby LED lights up during operation, it
could indicate that more DC than its servos can handle is present at the input, an overload, a short circuited
speaker line or possible internal fault. The protection circuits automatically reset. Turn the unit off for at
least 10 minutes while you check your connections, then try again. lf the red LED continues to glow, you
should contact your Dealer, Installer or Parasound Technical Service for further advice.
Current Overload LEDs
The Current Overload LEDs for left and right channels will only illuminate if the unit is driven at its maxi-
mum current capacity. These LEDs will indicate overload of the power supply just before the onset audible
distortion. In virtually all imaginable listening situations, these LEDs will rarely illuminate.
Level Controls
Each channel has a separate input level control. When your HCA-1200II is used in a THX installation, each
level control must be set at its maximum, which corresponds to THX reference Ievel.
The HCA- 1200II will sound best with its level controls set to maximum, or "THX Level," where they are
effectively out of the audio signal path. However, if your preamplifier has very high gain, and its volume
control cannot trace properly for left-right channel balance near its minimum position, it may be necessary
to reduce the input level control settings on the HCA-1200II.
However, for correct THX operation, the controls must be at maximum.
We deliberately have located the level controls on the rear panel, so they can be set once and forgotten, out
of the reach of curious children or guest.
Breaking-in your HCA-1200II
Like other great power amplifiers, the HCA-1200II requires at least 72 hours of continuous operation after
it is first turned on to sound its best. This gives the materials in various parts a chance to "form" so audio
signals achieve greater definition, smoothness and transparency.
Although the unit will sound spectacular when you first operate it, you will find it worthwhile to listen again
after a few days and you'll discover details in your music and videos you may not have guessed were there.
