NAD C420 - Owner's Manual Immediate Download

C420

Stereo AM/FM Tuner

Owner's Manual

Manuel d'Installation

Bedienungsanleitung

Manual del Usuario

Manuale delle Istruzioni

Manual do Proprietário

Bruksanvisning

Warning: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not

expose this unit to rain or moisture.

The lightning flash with an arrowhead symbol within an equilateral

triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated

"dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of

sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to

alert the user to the presence of important operating and

maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying

the product.

Do not place this unit on an unstable cart, stand or tripod, bracket

or table. The unit may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult

and serious damage to the unit. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod,

bracket or table recommended by the manufacturer or sold with

the unit. Any mounting of the device on a wall or ceiling should

follow the manufacturer's instructions and should use a mounting

accessory recommended by the manufacturer.

An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care.

Quick stops, excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the

appliance and cart combination to overturn.

Read and follow all the safety and operating instructions before

connecting or using this unit. Retain this notice and the owner's

manual for future reference.

All warnings on the unit and in its operating instructions should be

adhered to.

Do not use this unit near water; for example, near a bath tub,

washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement or near a

swimming pool.

The unit should be installed so that its location or position does not

interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, it should not be

situated on a bed, sofa, rug or similar surface that may block the

ventilation openings; or placed in a built-in installation, such as a

bookcase or cabinet, that may impede the flow of air through its

ventilation openings.

The unit should be situated from heat sources such as radiators,

heat registers, stoves or other devices (including amplifiers) that

produce heat.

The unit should be connected to a power supply outlet only of the

voltage and frequency marked on its rear panel.

The power supply cord should be routed so that it is not likely to be

walked on or pinched, especially near the plug, convenience

receptacles, or where the cord exits from the unit.

Unplug the unit from the wall outlet before cleaning. Never use

benzine, thinner or other solvents for cleaning. Use only a soft

damp cloth.

The power supply cord of the unit should be unplugged from the

wall outlet when it is to be unused for a long period of time.

Care should be taken so that objects do not fall, and liquids are not

spilled into the enclosure through any openings.

This unit should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:

A. The power cord or the plug has been damaged; or

B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the unit; or

C. The unit has been exposed to rain or liquids of any kind; or

D. The unit does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a

marked change in performance; or

E. The device has been dropped or the enclosure damaged.

DO NOT ATTEMPT SERVICING OF THIS UNIT

YOURSELF. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED

SERVICE PERSONNEL

Upon completion of any servicing or repairs, request the service

shop's assurance that only Factory Authorized Replacement Parts

with the same characteristics as the original parts have been used,

and that the routine safety checks have been performed to

guarantee that the equipment is in safe operating condition.

REPLACEMENT WITH UNAUTHORIZED PARTS MAY RESULT IN FIRE,

ELECTRIC SHOCK OR OTHER HAZARDS.

ATTENTION

POUR ÉVITER LES CHOC ELECTRIQUES, INTRODUIRE LA

LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE

CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU'AU

FOND.

CAUTION

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF

PLUG TO WIDE SLOT FULLY INSERT.

If an indoor antenna is used (either built into the set or installed

separately), never allow any part of the antenna to touch the metal

parts of other electrical appliances such as a lamp, TV set etc.

CAUTION

POWER LINES

Any outdoor antenna must be located away from all power lines.

OUTDOOR ANTENNA GROUNDING

If an outside antenna is connected to your tuner or tuner-

preamplifier, be sure the antenna system is grounded so as to

provide some protection against voltage surges and built-up static

charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA No.

70-1984, provides information with respect to proper grounding of

the mast and supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to

an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of

antenna discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes and

requirements for the grounding electrode.

a. Use No. 10 AWG (5.3mm2) copper, No. 8 AWG (8.4mm2)

aluminium, No. 17 AWG (1.0mm2) copper-clad steel or bronze

wire, or larger, as a ground wire.

b. Secure antenna lead-in and ground wires to house with stand-off

insulators spaced from 4-6 feet (1.22 - 1.83 m) apart.

c. Mount antenna discharge unit as close as possible to where lead-

in enters house.

d. Use jumper wire not smaller than No.6 AWG (13.3mm2) copper,

or the equivalent, when a separate antenna-grounding electrode

is used. see NEC Section 810-21 (j).

EXAMPLE OF ANTENNA GROUNDING AS PER NATIONAL ELECTRICAL

CODE INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN ARTICLE 810 - RADIO AND

TELEVISION EQUIPMENT.

NOTE TO CATV SYSTEM INSTALLER: This reminder is

provided to call the CATV system installer's attention to

Article 820-40 of the National Electrical Code that provides

guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies

that the ground cable ground shall be connected to the

grounding system of the building, as close to the point of

cable entry as practical.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC

SHOCK DO NOT OPEN

ATTENTION:

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE

NE PAS OUVRIR

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC

SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO

USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING

TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

NOTES ON INSTALLATION

Your NAD C420 should be placed on a firm, level surface. Avoid

placing the unit in direct sunlight, near sources of heat and damp

or in poorly ventilated positions. It comes with RCA leads for

connection to your amplifier. Ensure that leads and connectors are

not damaged in any way and all connectors are firmly pushed home.

If the unit is not going to be used for some time, disconnect the

plug from the AC socket. Should water get into your NAD C420,

shut off the power to the unit and remove the plug from the AC

socket. Have the unit inspected by a qualified service technician

before attempting to use it again. Do not remove the cover,

there are no user-serviceable parts inside.

Use a dry soft cloth to clean the unit. If necessary, lightly dampen

the cloth with soapy water. Do not use solutions containing benzol

or other volatile agents.

QUICK START

Use the RCA-to-RCA lead to connect the NAD C420 left & right

outputs to the Tuner Input of your amplifier.

1. Plug in the AC power cord.

2. Connect C420's output to amplifier.

3. Connect AM and FM antenna.

4. Press the POWER button (No. 1) to turn on the NAD C420.

5. Press the AM/FM button (No. 6) to select AM or FM reception.

6. Press Preset/Tune button so that "PRESET" isn't lit in display;

the tuner is now in Tune mode.

7. Use TUNE/PRESET

to select a station.

REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

1. FM ANTENNA

A ribbon wire FM antenna is included and should be connected to

the FM connector at the rear of the unit using the supplied

"balun" adapter (see fig 1). The ribbon aerial should be mounted

on a vertical surface and placed so that it forms a "T".

Experiment with placement of the antenna to find the position that

gives the best signal strength and lowest background noise. An

inadequate FM signal normally results in high levels of hiss,

especially in stereo, and interference from external electrical

sources. In areas of poor FM reception, the tuner section's

performance can be improved by using an externally mounted FM

antenna. A qualified aerial installer will be able to advise and fit a

recommended aerial for your reception conditions.

2. AM ANTENNA

An AM loop antenna is supplied with the NAD C420 and is required

for AM reception. To connect the AM antenna, first press the keys

on the Antenna terminals downwards. Insert the bare antenna wires

into the two terminal holes and push the connector keys upwards

again to secure the connection (see fig 2). Test various positions for

the antenna but always ensure the loop is placed vertically for best

reception. Placing the antenna close to large metal items such as

metal shelves or radiators may interfere with reception.

3. OUTPUT

Using twin RCA-to-RCA leads, connect to the left (white) and right

(red) audio outputs to the "Tuner" input or other line-level input

such as "Aux" input of your amplifier. Do not connect this cable

to the amplifier's "Phono" input.

4. NAD-LINK IN OUT

The NAD-Link connector is used to pass commands from other

units fitted with NAD-Link connectors. This allows centralised

control of a complete system, and also allows some of the basic

functions of other NAD components (such as a CD player or

cassette-deck) also equipped with NAD-Link to be controlled with

an NAD system remote control. To function with such other units,

connect the C420's NAD-Link Out to the NAD-Link In on the other

unit. NAD-Link connectors can be daisy-chained, IN to OUT, so

that a whole system can be controlled from the remote control

facilities of one unit.

NOTES:

The NAD C420 has a built-in receiver for commands

from a remote control and doesn't need to rely on NAD Link to be

remotely operated. It is advisable not to connect NAD-Link if the

other units that have their own built-in remote control command

receiver and are positioned together, in direct view from the

remote control handset. If you are unsure, try operating the

products without NAD-Link first; If the unit responds to the remote

control command, it will not be necessary to connect NAD-Link.

Never loop the last unit back to the first NAD unit in the NAD-Link

chain. Unplug all units from the mains before connecting or

disconnecting NAD-Link.

5. 12V TRIGGER IN

This input allows the C420 to be switched remotely to Stand-by

and On by ancillary equipment such as an amplifier or preamp, AV

processor, etc. which are also equipped with a 12V trigger output.

For switching Stand-by/Power On of the C420 by an external

component, connect the12V-trigger input of the C420 to the

remote component's DC output jack. The plug required is a

standard 3.5mm Mini-Jack plug ("mono"): The tip is the live or

+ connection, the shaft of the input jack is the 12V-trigger - or

ground connection.

NOTES:

The C420's 12V Trigger will work within a range of 6 to

15 V DC level and typically draws less than 10mA of current.

Check the specifications of the Trigger output terminal on the

remote component to ensure it is compatible with the C420's 12V-

trigger input. NAD components equipped with 12V output triggers

are fully compatible with the C420's 12V input trigger.

Before making any connections to any 12V trigger input or output,

make sure all components are disconnected from the AC mains.

Failure to observe the above may result in damage to the C420 or

any ancillary components attached to it. If in doubt over the

connections, installation and operation of the 12V trigger output

consult your NAD dealer.

6. AC LINE CORD

Plug the AC power cord into a live AC wall socket or to an AC

convenience outlet at the rear of your amplifier.

NAD C420 Stereo AM/FM Tuner

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

1. POWER ON/OFF

POWER switches the tuner on or off. Pressing the Power switch

turns the Tuner on, the Display Panel and Power Status Indicator

(No. 2) will light up. Pressing the Power button again will switch

the unit off.

NOTES:

The C420 has a receiver for remote control commands

built-in. Most NAD system remote control handsets with an On/Off

toggle button or separate On and Off button will be able to switch

the tuner from On to Stand-by and vice-versa.

The C420 uses a memory back-up system to store Preset

information. This information is retained for several weeks, even

if the unit is switched off completely or unplugged. When

switching power On, the C420 will go back to the station last tuned

to before the unit was turned off. This will allow you to make timer

recordings using an external timer and recorder.

2. POWER STATUS INDICATOR

The Power Status Indicator will light up green when Power is on.

When the tuner is switched to Stand-by mode (through either a

remote control or the 12V trigger input) the indicator will light up

amber. When the unit is switched off completely, it is off.

3. BLEND

Weak or remote stereo radio stations are sometimes received with

noise and hiss as the antenna signal is too weak. By switching the

tuner to mono will reduce the amount of noise and hiss but at the

expense of any stereo information. The NAD Blend feature will

allow you to reduce the amount noise and hiss but still retain

some level of stereo separation, instead of mono. The Blend

button toggles between engaging or disengaging the Blend feature;

when engaged, "BLEND" lights up in the display.

NOTE:

The "Blend" status can be stored for individual presets.

Refer to the separate chapter "Storing, Recalling and Labelling

Presets" for more information.

4. MEMORY

The Memory is used to store stations into the Preset Memory bank

and to store user defined names for non-RDS Preset stations.

When Memory is pressed during normal operation, the Preset

number and the red "MEMORY" indicator will flash in the Display

Panel. If no other buttons are pressed within 12 seconds, the

tuner will revert to its previous state. Refer to the separate chapter

"Storing, Recalling and Labelling Presets" for more information.

5. FM MUTE/MODE

This button combines two functions; it switches the tuner from

Stereo to Mono and disengages the muting circuitry at the same

time. The muting circuit will mute the tuner in between radio

stations when searching or tuning. This way the tuning noise is

avoided. The muting circuit however may suppress very weak

radio station signals. If a weak station is in stereo it will have a

high level of background hiss. Switching to Mono Mode and

disengaging the muting circuit by depressing the FM MUTE/MODE

button will allow the station to be heard and will cancel most or

all of this background noise.

In normal operation the mute circuit is engaged, the display

indicates "FM MUTE". Press the FM Mute/Mode button to

disengage the muting circuit and switch from stereo to mono

reception. "FM MUTE" in the display will extinguish. Press the FM

Mute/Mode switch again to return to Auto Stereo FM operation.

NOTE:

The "FM Mute/Mode" status can be stored for individual

presets. Refer to the separate chapter "Storing, Recalling and

Labelling Presets" for more information.

6. AM/FM

The AM/FM button switches the tuner from the AM band to the FM

band and vice-versa. The Display Panel shows the frequency of the

tuned station and which band is selected. The FM tuning is in 0.05

MHz increments, AM tuning is in 9 kHz or 10 kHz increments,

depending on the version.

7. DISPLAY

With stations carrying RDS information, The Display button scrolls

between three different display modes, each successive push of

the button engages the next one of the three modes:

a) In the default mode, the station's RDS name is displayed,

Program Service (PS; normally the station's calling letters, BBC

R3, for instance).

b) From the default mode, press the button once to view Radio

Text (RT). This can be additional information such as the

presenter's or program's name; what song is playing, etc. This

text scrolls continuously over the 8 alphanumeric display

segments.

c) Press the button from the display RT mode to display the station

frequency. Press again to return to the default mode (a).

When tuned to a non-RDS station

The Display button toggles the display to show either the station

frequency or user entered station name. If no user name was

entered the display will indicate "NO RDS". The Display button is

also used to label non-RDS stations with a name. Refer to the

separate chapter "Storing, Recalling and Labelling Presets" for

more information.

8. PRESET/TUNE

The Search/Preset button toggles between two different modes:

a) Preset mode: In this mode you can use the Tune/Preset button

(No. 10) to select a Preset. When Preset Mode is selected

"PRESET" will scroll once through the display and the PRESET

indicator lights up in the display.

b) Tune mode: By pressing the Tune/Preset button (10)

you can engage automatic or manual tuning respectively

down or up the frequency band. When Tune mode is selected,

"TUNE" will scroll through the display once.

9. DISPLAY AREA

The display area gives all vital information on the status of the

tuner. Displayed are:

· Band and frequency of current station, RDS PS (station name),

or RDS Radio Text. The latter two only if RDS is available; select

using the Display button (No. 7).

· If an FM Stereo broadcast is received.

· If the FM station also broadcasts RDS.

· If "Memory" has been engaged

· Preset number if the current station is stored in the tuner's

memory bank.

· If Blend and FM Mute/Mode are switched On.

· Radio Signal Strength. The bars just below "ANTENNA" indicate

the radio station's signal strength. The more bars are lit, the

stronger the station.

NOTE:

The infrared sensor, which receives commands from a

remote control (not supplied), is located on the left side of the

display window. There must be a clear line-of-sight path from the

remote control to this window; if that path is obstructed, the

remote control may not work.