Sanders Sound Systems Electrostatic Amplifier OWNERS MANUAL .............................................................................................................................................................................
Table of Contents Use left mouse button to go to location in manual INSTALLATION ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3 LOCATION.................................................................................................................................................................... 3 INPUT CONNECTIONS ................................................................
INSTALLATION LOCATION To provide for adequate ventilation, you should allow at least two inches of unobstructed space above and a couple of inches on each side of the amplifier. Because of its large power supply, the amplifier produces a small local magnetic field that may be picked up by low-level circuitry such as preamplifiers, turntables, and the like. For this reason, you should also provide at least four inches of space between the amplifier and these low-level components.
OPERATION THE ESL AMPLIFIER IS DESIGNED TO BE LEFT "ON" CONTINUALLY. It is extremely efficient. It only draws six watts at idle (less than most preamps), so feels cool and does not waste electricity. Although there is a power switch on the back panel, the amplifier is designed to be left on continually. Electronics last longer when they are left on, as repeatedly switching them on and off is stressful to them. You can expect an indefinite life-span if you just leave it on.
LINE FUSE AND VOLTAGE SELECTOR There are a pair of line fuses inside the fuse drawer that is located on the back of the amplifier. This drawer also has a window in it that shows the mains voltage that the amplifier uses. mains voltage in your location. If your mains voltage is 230, use 240 volts on the star. Orient the star so that your voltage will face outward from the amplifier and show through the window in the drawer, then push it back into the amplifier.
CARE AND CLEANING If you wish to clean your amplifier, use a diluted ammonia-based cleaner. Window cleaners like “Windex” also work well. Do not use any abrasive cleaners or chemical solvents like “Ajax”, acetone, or paint thinners. Use particular care not to damage the aluminum faceplate. Aluminum is a medium harness metal and although it is anodized, it can be easily scratched by the careless use of tools during installation.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY Conventional amplifiers have serious problems when forced to drive electrostatic loudspeakers. Roger Sanders has developed the first amplifier specifically designed to drive these unusual speakers: BACKGROUND Electrostatic loudspeakers (ESLs) are very different from conventional magnetic speakers and place unusual and difficult demands on the way amplifiers deliver power to them.
Voltage limitations ESLs are voltage operated devices. The higher an amplifier's power supply voltage, the louder it will be able to play an ESL (assuming it can also deliver sufficient current). state amplifiers. In fact, it is this and the introduction of large amounts of odd-order harmonic distortion from voltage clipping that is the cause of the dreaded “transistor sound” — not the use of transistors per se.
Efficiency Many modern amplifiers are extremely inefficient. Enormous amounts of their power, in fact most of it, is wasted as heat. Audiophiles who prefer to leave their amplifiers on continually have discovered that a large, inefficient power amplifier can add over $100 per month to their electric bill. In a ten-year period, their amplifier will cost them $12,000 in electricity! To produce so much waste heat, some of these amplifiers even require special mains wiring.
Build quality The quality of construction is typical of the finest components made today. Each channel uses eighteen individual output transistors with a combined power rating of 4500 watts and a bandwidth of 10 Mhz. All exterior and interior aluminum parts are anodized. Steel parts are powder-coated. The bias section is designed to produce a precision transition with no abrupt changes in distortion or output impedance.
SPECIFICATIONS Rated Power 1700 VA/channel, 20Hz to 20kHz, both channels driven into an electrostatic speaker of up to 4nF capacity. 600 Watts/channel, 20Hz to 20kHz into a resistive 4Ω load. 360 Watts/channel, 20Hz to 20kHz into a resistive 8Ω load. Bandwidth -3dB at 5Hz through 100kHz Distortion Less than 0.01% from 20 Hz to 20 KHz at full output Typically 0.
