Summary of RE290
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Re 290
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3 introduction congratulations and thank you for choosing octave! Re 290 you are now the owner of one of the world's most innovative and reliable amplifiers. Look after it, and it will provide you many years of listening pleasure. You often hear people claim that tube amplifier design has not progre...
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5 contents page introduction ................................................................................................. 3 1. Description of the re 290 ............................................................................ 7 2. Safety instructions ...........................................
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7 1. Description of the re 290 the new octave re 290 stereo power amplifier is a push-pull pentode design delivering 2 x 100 w rms output power (into 4 ohms loads). As with all octave models, all research and development (r&d) and production has been conducted exclusively in-house, and the amplifier...
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8 2. Safety instructions 2.1. Before you begin before using the re 290 for the first time, remove the grille and install the power tubes! (see section 3.2 "removing the grille"). Replace the grille before switching the re 290 on. Operating the amplifier without its protective grille is dangerous and...
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9 2. Safety instructions 2.2. Placement 1. Location octave equipment is designed strictly for use in a dry domestic environment. Do not use it in the open air or in damp environments! Never place plants or liquid-filled containers on your octave equipment. Take care to avoid dropping objects or spil...
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10 3. Getting started 3.1. Unpack and check the contents of the box. Package contents standard - re 290 serial equipped with 5 x kt120 power tubes - 5 power tubes packed separately with tube layout diagram - power cord - 4.0 x 100 flat-bladed screwdriver for adjusting the bias - owner's manual with ...
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11 3. Getting started 3.3. Installing the power tubes the power tubes are packed in a separate box in the tube compartment insert the power tubes into their sockets as shown on the tube layout. Ensure that you correctly locate the anti-rotation lug on each of the tubes. Anti-rotation recess on the t...
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12 3. Getting started 3.5. Checking the power tubes – setting the bias for the first function check you don’t have to connect the loudspeakers or the preamp. The trim pots are located next to their respective tubes. Next to each trim pot you will see a pilot lamp, which shows which tubes have been s...
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13 4. Front panel controls mains power push button switch to switch on the amplifier, push the knob. The led next to the knob lights up gradually. Important! : do not pull on the knob when it has been pushed in, as this could damage the retaining mechanism. Make sure that access to the power switch ...
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14 5. Rear panel connections rca inputs rca cinch input input for preamplifier (using rca cinch interconnect) ecomode switch eco off: ecomode automatic is off. Eco on: ecomode automatic is on. During ecomode on the ecomode led lights up in green. After 10 minutes without signal the ecomode turns the...
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15 5. Rear panel connections black-box-connector the (super) black box is an outboard power supply capacitance upgrade for the power amplifier section (see chapter 8). You should switch off the re 290 using the power switch before connecting and disconnecting the black box! Power selector sliding sw...
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16 6. Advanced functions 6.1. Power selector, alternative output tubes position „high“: kt120 position „low“: kt88, 6550, kt90, kt100 (el34 with restrictions) the power selector allows adjusting the re 290 in accordance to the output tubes. Position high is reserved for the standard kt 120 tubes. In...
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17 6. Advanced functions 6.2. Electronic protection system the re 290 features a comprehensive electronic monitoring and protection system. This system will automatically switch off the re 290 in case of a fault occurring in the power section. The protection system has been designed to keep the unit...
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18 6. Advanced functions 6.4. Ecomode (power saving mode) the ecomode serves to reduce heat and unnecessary power consumption when the unit is switched on but not in use. After 10 minutes without receiving signal, the re 290 ecomode is activated, turning down the power. In this “sleep” mode, the re ...
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19 7. Tubes 7.1. Removing the grille operating the amplifier without its protective grille is dangerous and not recommended. To remove the grille: 1. For your own safety, switch the amplifier off using the on/off switch or disconnect the power cord. 2. Pull the grille upward to remove. See chapter 3...
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20 7. Tubes 7.3. Bias measurement facility the bias measurement facility makes it easy for you to check and adjust the idle current of the output tubes. Getting the bias setting right for all four tubes is critical for both the sound of the power amplifier section and for the service life of the tub...
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21 7. Tubes how to set the bias make sure that no signal is playing through the amplifier when you are adjusting the bias. It is sufficient to turn your preamp volume control to 0; there is no need to disconnect the speakers. The tubes should have reached operating temperature. The unit should run a...
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22 7. Tubes led graphs, advanced adjustments of the bias setting there is an upper adjustment limit to the "high" bias setting, which is indicated by the green and red leds lighting up at the same time, and a lower limit to the "low setting, where the yellow and green leds light up. The lower limit ...
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23 7. Tubes 7.4. Replacing the tubes driver tubes replacement driver tubes require no adjustment. Output tubes general procedure: 1. Switch off the amplifier and allow it to cool down for 10 minutes. Remove the old tubes and fit the new ones. 2. Before you switch the amplifier back on, turn all bias...
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24 8. Using the (super) black box description octave, with the black box technology, offers an instrument for optimizing the octave amplifier in respect to the speaker. This flexibility is a unique feature of the octave brand. The dynamic and tonal stability of an amplifier is strongly dependent upo...
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25 8. Using the (super) black box 8.2. Super black box option operation blue power led the blue "power" led illuminates when the power amplifier is switched on via the amplifier's power on/off switch. Yellow unload led the yellow "unload" led (discharge control circuit) lights up for approximately t...
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26 9. Troubleshooting h um in the speakers possible cause: multiple grounds hum in an audio system is often caused by several system components having their own separate grounds. It is particularly common in systems containing tuners, vcrs or satellite receivers, as these components are connected ...
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27 10. Specifications and dimensions power amplifier. Configuration: push pull pentode circuit, class a/b; negative grid voltage adjustable separate for each power tube through ten turn precision regulators. Special wideband output transformers using high efficient pmz core. Output power into 4 ohms...
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28 12. Specifications and dimensions dimensions: diagrams thd at 4v into 4 ohms from 30 hz to 20 khz at a variety of bias settings diagramm 1 curve 1: bias adjusted correctly curve 2: bias 10% out curve 3: bias 30% out.
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29 12. Specifications and dimensions graph 2: power bandwidth power bandwidth of both positions of the power selector. The maximum output power of 100 w in position “high” and 70 w in position “low” is constant in the range from 25 hz up to 30 khz. Graph 3: noise spectrum -180 +20 -160 -140 -120 -10...
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30 11. Faq 1. Can you operate the re 290 when no loudspeakers are connected? Yes. The re290, like all octave amplifiers, is fully protected against open circuit operation, i.E. The amplifier will come to no harm if it is operated without loudspeakers connected. 2. How do you recognize a faulty tube?...
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Octave audio germany www.Octave.De we reserve the right to alter and improve the specifications in pursuit of better. Octave logo is a registered trade mark of andreas hofmann. Copyright by andreas hofmann. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited. Edited en2011.