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OPERATIONAL NOTES
SWITCHING ON -- SOFT START
The MANLEY NEO-CLASSIC 250's & 500's are equipped with a SOFT-START circuit which
reduces the cold-start current draw which makes things easier for your house breakers and the
poor tubes and capacitors in the amps. We recommend that you use this soft start turn-on feature
sequence whenever you turn the amplifier on and especially when you turn it on from cold.
1. Ensure that the right-most "mains" switch on the front panel is in the "off" or "0" or DOWN
position and the OPERATE / STANDBY switch is also DOWN in the STANDBY mode.
2. Turn on preamplifiers and all your source components and let them warm up for a minute.
3. Switch the right-hand mains power switch to the ON position and allow the amplifier a minute
or so to 'warm up'. The blinking LED will indicate that the amplifier is in STANDBY mode.
4. After a minute or so, or more if you like, engage the soft-start switch UP to the OPERATE
position. The blinking standby LED will extinguish.
5. The MUTE switch just prevents tunes coming into the amplifier. It grounds them out. UN-
MUTE this switch if you had it on, turn up the volume on your preamp and enjoy.
6. To shut the amps off, you can flip the mains power switch down first, which will shut off power
to the amplifier.
THE EVER-WARM MODE
After your listening session, if you wish to leave the amplifier in the energy-saving and 'EVER-WARM'
STANDBY mode, engage the OPERATE/STANDBY switch to the STANDBY position. The standby
blinking LED will remind you that the amplifier is in STANDBY mode. The amplifier will draw only
400mA (30 watts @120VAC) from the mains outlet-- certainly an energy saving way to keep your
amplifiers warmed up and always ready to listen to!
TRIODE / TETRODE OPERATION:
With the TRIODE / TETRODE switch, the amplifier may be set for TRIODE or TETRODE
operation. When the switch is in the lower position, the amplifier is in TETRODE mode which will
produce just over 250 watts in the 250 model, and, as you might expect, just over 500 watts in the 500
model. When the switch is in the upper position, the amplifier is in TRIODE mode which will
produce about half the power of TETRODE operation. For some more demanding energetic music,
large rooms, or for power hungry inefficient loadspeakers, you might find you will need the extra
power of tetrode operation. Other times and other situations will find you very well satisfied with the
sweet and seductive triode mode. One major rule applies for switching between triode and tetrode:
THE AMPLIFIER MUST BE TURNED OFF BEFORE SWITCHING BETWEEN
TRIODE AND TETRODE!!!!
Follow turn on SOFT START procedure above when re-powering up the unit. Do not ever flip rapidly
back and forth between triode and tetrode or you'll probably blow something up. Set it. And forget it.
TUBE LIFE
You should expect extended life from the tubes in your MANLEY 250's & 500's if you adhere to the
procedures described above and check your bias at least once every 2-3 months.
FUSES
The fuses used in your amplifier are standard 1/4" x 1 1/4" SLO-BLO Ceramic types. The correctly
rated fuse has been installed at the factory for your country's voltage. If replacing a fuse, always
unplug the amplifier's power cord from the wall outlet and always use the exact same type and ampere
rating fuse as the one you are replacing. Failure to do so will void your warranty and can be a
dangerous fire hazard. NEVER replace a fuse with thick wire, tin foil, gum wrappers, or anything else
other than the correct fuse!
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