Emotiva RPA-1 User Manual

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Installation and Connections
AC Power Considerations
Ensure that the unit is plugged into an outlet capable of supplying the correct voltage and current specified 
for your model. Remember to account for the electrical power that other components will require if they 
share a common wall socket or electrical circuit. The majority of household electrical sockets in places other 
than the kitchen and garage are 15 amperes maximum. Most CD players and other source components 
are fairly low current items. When both channels are driven, the Emotiva RPA-1 requires a minimum of 10 
amperes @ 120 volts or 5 amperes @ 230 volts when driven into 8 ohms. It should be sufficient to allow the 
other devices such as preamplifiers and A/V source units to share a wall socket, but power amplifiers such 
as the RPA-1 and a video display (big screen TV or video projector) should be provided a SEPARATE electrical 
connection on a SEPARATE circuit. As the RPA-1 has a minimum requirement that can consume nearly one 
entire circuit, please use a second (separate) electrical connection for other devices. DO NOT plug the RPA-1 
into a power strip or extension cord unless the device is specifically designed and rated for high current use.
Refer to your preamplifier, A/V source component(s), and video display owner’s manuals to learn the power 
requirements so you can safely plan your electrical power requirements for your home entertainment 
system. 
Upon powering up the RPA-1 with the front panel switch or via trigger input (switch on the rear panel must 
be set to “ON”), you will notice the front panel center LED status light illuminates blue. This indicates the 
amplifier is on, functioning normally, and ready for operation. If you experience a red LED light while the 
amplifier is on during high output operation, this indicates a “peak” condition (also called “clipping”). If the 
status LED in the center is solid red and the amplifier has shut down, this indicates a fault condition. For 
more information on diagnosing the fault, please refer to the troubleshooting section of this manual. 
Physical Placement
Place the RPA-1 on a flat, level surface. Please distribute the weight equally on the four feet. Please give this 
unit adequate ventilation for proper cooling when placing. If this unit is placed in a cabinet, please make 
sure that the cabinet’s rear is open to fresh air and there are at least 6 inches of free air space above the 
amplifier and 1 inch on each side. If the amplifier is located on a carpeted surface, place a board under the 
amplifier’s feet. If the cabinet’s design will not accommodate an open rear, install two small brushless DC 
fans (such as those used in computer cases) to provide continuous air flow into and out of the cabinet.
Do NOT block the ventilation holes on the RPA-1. The RPA-1 is equipped with massive toroidal power 
transformers. These transformers generate a magnetic field that could induce a hum in a turntable 
(particularly a turntable equipped with a moving coil cartridge). Do NOT place a turntable directly above or 
directly adjacent to the RPA-1.
Before placing the RPA-1 on a shelf, verify that the weight bearing capacity of the shelf is 45 lbs
or greater. The amplifier is heavy and should be placed toward the bottom of an audio rack to minimize the 
rack being unnecessarily top heavy.