Pioneer sa 800 owners manual

Page 2

Thank you for buying the quality stereo amplifier SA-SOO.
To satisfy your todays stringent requirements, the SA-
800 is especially designed for professional use in stereo
sound reproduction, employing many features as described
below. To get the most from the SA-800, read through
the instructions.

FEATURES

OUASl-COMPLEMENTARY,

DIRECT COUPLED OUTPUT AMPLIFIER

The power amplifier stage is a quasi-complementary design
with direct coupling, i.e. without coupling capacitors be-
tween the individual stages. This results in a super-wide
frequency response curve ranging from near-DC to well
above the audible sound range. (For details, see the at-
tached frequency response curve).

To maintain high output power with good stability, a
positivenegative symmetrical power supply unit is em-
ployed. These design features make the SA-SOO power
amp stage one of the world's most advanced hi-fi amplifiers.

HIGH STABILITY
EOUALIZER/HEAD AMPLIFIER

The equalizer/head amplifier consists of three direct cou-
pled stages, possessing high gain and, therefore, a wide
dynamic range. Emitter-to-emitter feedback results in high
stability and extremely accurate equalizing characteristics.

FET-EQUIPPED CONTROL AMPLIFIER,
SWITCH-TYPE TONE CONTROLS

The tone controls are not continuous but accuratelygdimen-
sioned switch types, with each click-stop corresponding to
a 3dB change.

The control amplifier operates with NFB (negative feed-
back), eliminating mid-level fluctuations during tone adjust-
ments. Whats more, a lownoise FET (field effect tran»
sister) is employed in each of the first stages-the control
amplifier has three stages-in order to eliminate impedance
variations which would cause distortions. This design
assures higher, more stable impedance than conventional
transistor circuits, resulting in precise, as-calculated tone
control function.

COMPLETE CHOICE OF PROGRAM SOURCES
The SA-800 is equipped with terminals for a full range
of program sources including two turntables, a tuner, two
tape decks, micfophone plus two auxiliary sources such
as a cartridge tape player or TV sound track.

EASY COMPARISON
OF TURNTABLE CARTRIDGES

If two turntables (or two tonearms) are connected to the
PHONO inputs 1 and 2, phone cartridges can be compared
by simply flicking a switch. In addition, low-output moving
coil cartridges can be used by plugging in a separately
available phono input transformer (Pioneer model PP-402).

TAPE-TO-TAPE DUPLICATING

With two tape decks connected, duplicating and editing of
recorded tapes becomes extremely easy.

FULL RANGE OF EXTRAS

The SA~800 incorporates a wide range of extra features
which mark it as a truly advanced, versatile amplifier.
These include a speaker selector which enables two sets
of speakers to be used separately or together, a PRE &
MAIN switch permitting independent use of the pre- and
power amplifier sections in a multi-amp installation, an
audio muting switch, a mode switch and a loudness switch.

ADVANCED OUTPUT PROTECTOR CIRCUIT
To safeguard against damage to speakers and output tran-
sistors caused by accidental short-circuiting of the speaker
leads and every voltage drift, the SA-BOO is equipped with
a high-grade protector circuit. The protector, employing
relays and transistors, detects dangerous DC potential at
the speaker outputs and disconnects the output stage in
the case of a short-circuit.

STYLISH DESIGN MATCHED

WITH OTHER PIONEER HI-FI COMPONENTS
The SA-800 combinesa modern control panel with luxuri-
ous cabinet styling in natural wood. Used together with
other Pioneer hi-fi components, it presents an appearance
of perfectly matched, systemized elegance.

ASSEMBLING A STEREO SYSTEM

The SA-SOO is a stereo amplifier. It combines with a stereo
speaker system, turntable, AM/FM stereo tuner, tape deck
and microphone to create a highvperformance stereo system.

COMBINING COMPONENTS

A wide range of Pioneer speaker systems, turntables, AM/FM
stereo tuners, tape decks, electronic crossover networks and
other stereo components are available. By choosing from
this selection, you can construct a high-quality stereo system
to suit your budget and taste.

A WORD ABOUT ROOM
ACOUSTICS

The quality of reproduced sound varies according to the
size and shape of the room, the materials of walls, floor
and ceiling and the amount and arrangement of furniture.
Too harsh or bright a sound usually results from too
many hard reflecting surfaces, and/or too low a ceiling.
This condition is improved by having ample carpet area or
covering the wall (especially that facing the speakers) with
a thick curtain.

On the other hand, too many absorbing surfaces will tend
to soak up the sound, resulting in a certain deadness.
Furniture may be rearranged to provide irregular reflection
of the sound. In any event, the true stereo effect is lost if
the two speaker systems are placed too far apart. This may
be corrected by angling them slightly toward each other or
reducing the distance between them.

PIONEER

AM/FM
TURNTABLE STEREO TUNER TAPE DECK
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Fig. 1
AM/FM
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