TAG MCLAREN AUDIO 125M sl Owner's manual

Brand: TAG MCLAREN AUDIO

Model: 125M sl

Type: Owner's manual

monobloc 125M

power

LED power

button

OUTPUT 1

OUTPUT 2 INPUT OUTPUT

serial

number

220-240V

~ 50-60Hz

Fuse: T3.15A L250V

made in United Kingdom monobloc 125M

fuse

carrier output

socket

loudspeaker

terminals

ac supply

socket

input

socket

125 1234567

contents

02 welcome

08 key features

09 getting started

13 signal input and output

14 grounding

15 connecting loudspeakers

22 running in and warming up

23 care and maintenance

25 technical data

28 international standards

Specification shown may vary for different countries

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 1

We are convinced it will give you many hours of

listening pleasure.

The 125M is a very powerful,high-quality,single-channel

power amplifier (often referred to as ‘monobloc’) with an

output of outstanding clarity and purity.It complements our

PA20R and PA10 preamplifiers in performance and

appearance.The 125M is ideal for larger rooms or for high-

performance loudspeakers which require a large reserve of

power from the amplifier to give their best.

shorter cables, superior sound

You can place a single-channel amplifier

near to each loudspeaker to minimise the

length of the loudspeaker cable.Short

cables provide less resistance to the flow of

current into the loudspeaker,allowing the

combination of amplifier and loudspeaker

to reproduce the finest nuances of the

music with the utmost clarity and

precision.Furthermore,if you use two

125Ms for a stereo system interference

between channels is negligible.

low intermodulation distortion

The theoretically-ideal amplifier

reproduces sound perfectly over an infinite

range of frequencies – starting from well

below the audible range and extending far

welcome welcome

0504

Thank you for purchasing the TAG McLaren Audio monobloc 125M.

above the capabilities of human hearing.

Although sound outside the human hearing

range of approximately 20 to 20,000 Hz

cannot be heard,it can significantly distort

the quality of music reproduction through

an effect that audio engineers call

‘intermodulation distortion’.This type of

distortion moves imperfections that

originate outside the hearing range back

into the audible frequencies.To minimise

this effect,TAG McLaren Audio amplifiers

have a frequency response which extends

both above and below the range of normal

human hearing.

straight line technology

To prevent intermodulation distortion,

an ampliﬁer must respond to very low

frequencies but block any Direct Current

(DC).This is traditionally achieved using

monobloc 125M

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 5

capacitors, which also block some of the low-

frequency signal. In the 125M, a feedback

circuit eliminates DC offset voltages and

allows the signal path to be direct coupled

without any capacitors.This arrangement,

which we at TAG McLaren Audio call

‘Straight Line Technology’, is easy to describe

but not easy to realise.The design has taken

our expert engineers years to perfect.

supersonic high-frequency response

In order to reproduce high frequencies,the

125M is constructed using highly-rated,high-

precision components.The circuit has been

painstakingly designed to avoid any possibility

of signals picking up interference and to

minimise the effects of intermodulation.

sophisticated muting

The 125M has a sophisticated muting

system,which stops you hearing loud,

annoying switching noises and protects

the amplifier and loudspeakers.

convenient connections

A signal output is provided to connect

another power amplifier in multi-amplifier

systems.It may also be used to tailor the

input characteristics for special purposes.

The loudspeaker output terminals are

duplicated for your convenience in case

you wish to bi-wire your loudspeakers.

welcome welcome

0706

massive power

The 125M’s power rating of 125 watts

is very conservative,as the 125M can

typically provide 145 watts into 8 Ω,

240 watts into 4 Ω,and 320 watts into

2 Ωfor a short period. Performance of this

calibre is essential to drive even the least

sensitive loudspeakers without distortion,

and has been achieved through the use of a

very large power supply (which accounts

for the high weight of the 125M) and

highly-specified output circuitry.

The 125M gives you huge power with true

hi-performance,hi-fidelity.

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 7

‘Straight Line Technology’ with direct coupled signal and

feedback paths

High-quality audio components

Precision metal-ﬁlm resistors

Ceraﬁne power supply capacitors

Epoxy glass circuit board

Rated 125 W, typically 145 W into 8 Ωcontinuous (rated

200 W, typ. 240 W into 4 Ωand rated 275 W, typ. 320 W

into 2 Ωfor short periods)

Duplicated loudspeaker terminals (for bi-wiring or multi-room)

Signal output to connect to another power ampliﬁer or to modify

input characteristics

Sorbothane®sonic isolation feet, specially designed by

TAG McLaren Audio(1)

We know you are keen to get your 125M working. This section will

have you listening to your favourite music as quickly as possible.

If you fold out the front cover of this manual you will locate

diagrams which will help you ﬁnd your way around your 125M(1).

Make sure that all the components of your audio system are

disconnected from the AC supply whenever you change any

connections.

On the back of your 125M you will ﬁnd two pairs of loudspeaker

terminals, each pair consisting of one red and one black.

The terminals on the back of the 125M use BFA(2) sockets.

The BFA plug pushes into the middle of the terminal.

08 09

key features getting started

•

before

you start

loudspeaker

terminals

1. Throughout this instruction manual (except in titles), bold print indicates the

lettering that you will find on the panels of your 125M

2. In models for countries where the AC supply is 115 V, the terminals accept 4 mm

‘banana’ plugs instead of BFA plugs. 4 mm plugs are not permitted in Europe.

Please see page 15 for more details of the terminals

1. For the very best performance we recommend that our units are placed on

individual shelves and are not stacked one on top of another

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 9

Use high-quality loudspeaker cable terminated in BFA plugs(1) to

connect the red terminal of your right loudspeaker to the red

terminal marked OUTPUT 1 on the back of your 125M(2).

Then connect the black terminal of your loudspeaker to the black

terminal marked OUTPUT 1 on the back of your 125M.

loudspeaker

connection

You will need a preampliﬁer (such as our PA10 or PA20R)

connected to a sound source (such as our CD player CD20R or

tuner T20) to feed into your 125M. Use a good-quality, screened

phono-phono audio cable to connect the left or right output of

your preampliﬁer to the socket marked INPUT on the back of

your 125M(1).

Check that the power button is out so that power is off when you

plug in(2). Using the cable supplied, connect the socket on the

back of your 125M to an AC supply outlet. For the best sound

quality, we recommend that you do not use multi-plug adaptors.

preamplifier

connection

power

connection

10 11

getting started getting started

1. Your 125M is a single-channel amplifier and can only accept a mono input. If

you want to use the 125M for stereo, you will need two units. See page 15 for

more information on connecting amplifiers and loudspeakers

2. The power button is a latching switch. One press will hold it in, the next will

release it

1. If you prefer to use a cable which does not have BFA plugs, please see page 16.

2. If your loudspeaker terminals are not colour coded – red corresponds to positive

(+) or signal and black corresponds to negative (-). OUTPUT 1 and OUTPUT 2 are

connected together

3. The diagram is for illustrative purposes only. It is not to scale and does not show

all connections. See page 15 for more details on connecting loudspeakers

OUTPUT 1

OUTPUT 2

The diagram shows a

standard loudspeaker

arrangement(3)

speaker

outin

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 11

Press the power button in. The blue power LED will come on.

Wait for about 10 seconds for the muting system to switch off(1).

Start playing your sound source.

Turn up the volume, sit back and enjoy the music.

switch on

getting started

1. The output is muted when the power is switched on to allow all the voltages to

stabilize. This protects your 125M and your loudspeakers and prevents

unpleasant noises from upsetting your listening experience

signal input and output

The INPUT on the back panel of your 125M accepts the output of

a high-quality preampliﬁer (such as our PA10 or PA20R(1)).

To simplify multiple power ampliﬁer conﬁgurations, an additional

OUTPUT socket is provided. This socket is connected in parallel

with the INPUT socket.

In addition the OUTPUT socket provides the facility to modify the

input impedance of the 125M by using a phono plug loading

module. Please consult your retailer for further information.

audio input

audio output

1. The INPUT can accept a line output from a signal source such as a CD player

but, unless the source has a wide-ranging variable output, there will be no

volume control and the sound level may be excessive. This could result in

damage to your loudspeakers

INPUT OUTPUT

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 13

loudspeaker

terminals

The AC mains supply normally operates at either 50 or 60 Hz

(depending on which country you are in). Under some

circumstances, this can cause an audible hum in your

loudspeakers.

Should you have any problems with hum in your system,

please contact your retailer.

To minimise the possibility of mains hum in your system:

do not link the ground terminals of separate audio units

together.

use screened cable for your signal connections and keep

the left and right channel cables close together.

All the units in the TAG McLaren Audio F3 Series are double

insulated and do not require safety ground connections.

Your system does not need to be connected to ground (audio

engineers call this ‘ﬂoating’). However, if you want to ground

your system, please contact your retailer who will be able to

assist you.

avoiding hum

grounding

your system

14 15

grounding connecting loudspeakers

The connection between your 125M and your loudspeakers is

crucial to the sound quality of your entire audio system.

Please follow these recommendations to achieve the best results.

Your 125M is speciﬁed to operate with 8 Ωloudspeakers, but it

can be used with 4 Ωloudspeakers. The 125M may also be

connected to loudspeakers which have a transient impedance of

less than 4 Ω(1).

Always switch off your 125M before changing any connections.

Always use high-quality loudspeaker cable.

On the back of your 125M you will ﬁnd a pair of black terminals

and a pair of red terminals. This duplication of the terminals

allows you to bi-wire a loudspeaker as explained on page 19.

OUTPUT 1

OUTPUT 2

1. These ratings are for music signals only. If the 125M is amplifying a continuous

sine wave, an 8 Ωload must be used

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 15

We recommend that you use loudspeaker cables terminated in

BFA plugs or spade terminals. These plugs are designed to ﬁt the

terminals on the back of the 125M(1). The BFA plug and socket

ensures that you cannot touch the high-voltage output conductors.

Screw the knob of the terminal all the way in and push the plug

into the centre of the knob.

If you do not have BFA plugs, you can use ‘spade’ connectors.

Unscrew the terminal enough to push the spade into the slot in the

side of the terminal, then tighten the terminal by hand. You should

not use tools to tighten the terminal; over-tightening will reduce

the sound quality.

If you choose to use bare wire, there is a hole in the side of the

terminal to accommodate it. Make sure that there are no strands

of wire sticking out of the terminal.

The simplest way to connect your loudspeaker is to run a single

cable (consisting of two wires). Connect the red terminal on the

loudspeaker to the red terminal on the 125M. Repeat for the

black terminal(1).

If your loudspeaker has separate connections for high and low

frequencies, make sure these are linked together.

connection

methods

standard

connection

16 17

connecting loudspeakers connecting loudspeakers

1. The BFA connector complies with current EU safety standards, which do not

allow the use of 4 mm ‘banana’ plugs. 4 mm terminals are permitted (and are

fitted to the 125M) in countries where the AC supply is 115 volts

1. Connecting black to black and red to red ensures that the ‘phasing’ is correct. If

this is wrong it can affect the sound. If your loudspeaker terminals are not colour-

coded, black corresponds to negative (-) and red corresponds to positive (+) or

signal. Please refer to your loudspeaker manual for details

2. This diagram, and those that follow, are for illustrative purposes only; they are

not to scale and do not show all connections

This diagram shows a

125M connected to a

loudspeaker with a

single input(2)

speaker

outin

OUTPUT 1

OUTPUT 2

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 17

Your 125M is a single-channel ampliﬁer and can only accept a

mono input. If you want to use the125M for stereo, you will need

one for each channel.

Connect the left output of a preampliﬁer (such as our PA20R) to

INPUT on one of the 125Ms and the right output on the

preampliﬁer to INPUT on the other 125M.

In this system, it is best to place each 125M as near as possible to

the loudspeaker it is feeding. You will get better sound quality if

the loudspeaker leads are short.

With many high-quality loudspeakers, you can make separate

connections to the high- and low-frequency drivers(1). In such

cases, you may want to run separate cables for the high and low

frequencies as shown in the diagram. To do this you will need to

remove the links, provided as part of the loudspeaker, which

connect the drivers. Please refer to your loudspeaker instructions

to ﬁnd out how to do this.

Bi-wiring provides separate paths for high- and low-frequency

signals, improving the sound quality in many cases.

stereo

connection

bi-wiring

18 19

connecting loudspeakers connecting loudspeakers

1. The ‘driver’ is the mechanism inside the case of the loudspeaker which actually

makes the sound. Most high-quality loudspeakers have drivers for high, low and

often middle frequencies and the capability to connect them separately.

However, the lack of this facility is not necessarily a sign of low quality (as some

of the finest loudspeakers in the world have proved)

This diagram shows two

125Ms connected to a

TAG McLaren Audio

PA20R preamplifier to

create a stereo system

This diagram shows a

125M bi-wired to a

loudspeaker

out

outin

left speaker

right speaker

outin

speaker

lf outin

INPUT OUTPUT

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 19

To improve the sound further, you can use separate ampliﬁers for

high and low frequencies. This will allow you to increase the

volume without distorting the sound. As each ampliﬁer is

operating in a smaller bandwidth, intermodulation distortion may

also be reduced.

Connect the output of one channel of a preampliﬁer (such as our

PA20R) to INPUT on one 125M. Connect OUTPUT of this 125M

to INPUT on another 125M. Connect one 125M to your

loudspeaker’s high-frequency driver and the other to the low-

frequency driver(1).

For stereo, you will need to duplicate this arrangement for the

other channel.

Some high-quality loudspeakers have separate drivers for the

middle frequency range as well as high and low. In such cases

it may be possible (for details refer to your loudspeaker

instructions) to run separate cables for each frequency range

to tri-wire the loudspeakers.

If you wish to do this, you will need to connect two wires to one

terminal. We recommend that you use stackable BFA plugs for

this purpose. These are available from your retailer.

The arrangements described above and on previous pages are

only suggestions and do not cover all the connection possibilities

for ampliﬁers and loudspeakers.

If you want to expand your audio system, please contact your

retailer who will be happy to discuss your speciﬁc requirements.

tri-wiring

other multiple

amplifier

arrangements

bi-amping

20 21

connecting loudspeakers connecting loudspeakers

1. This simple connection method works with any combination of TAG McLaren Audio

F3 Series amplifiers because they have matched gains. If you want to connect a

different manufacturer’s amplifier, you may need to use an active crossover or a

gain-setting facility. Please contact your retailer for advice if you wish to do this

This diagram shows two

125M mono power

amplifiers connected

together for bi-amping

outin

speaker

INPUT OUTPUT

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:03 Page 21

care and maintenance

There is a fuse in the power socket on the back of your 125M.

To change the fuse, unplug the power cable and pull out the fuse

carrier drawer(1).

The fuse carrier contains a spare fuse; this is the ﬁrst one that you

see when you open the carrier.

There are no other user-serviceable parts inside the 125M.

In order to maintain the appearance of your 125M, you can

clean it as follows:

before cleaning, always disconnect your 125M from the AC

supply.

any grease or dirt on the case may be removed with a soft,

lint-free cloth moistened slightly with a mild solution of warm

water and detergent or washing-up liquid. Do not use any

other solutions. Do not use any solvents or abrasives.

take great care not to get any liquid inside the case.

If this happens, you should have your 125M serviced.

fuses

cleaning

TAG McLaren Audio equipment is designed to give optimum

performance for many years.

Just like a high-quality car, the performance of your 125M will

improve during the ﬁrst few hours of operation. The electronic

components will then have reached and settled down to near-

perfect speciﬁcation.

Every time you switch on your125M, the performance will

improve until the components reach their optimum operating

temperature.

running in

warming up

running in and warming up

1. You cannot open the fuse carrier drawer while the plug is in the socket

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:04 Page 23

technical data

This section is for those of you who really want to know the ‘insides’

of your 125M. You will not miss out on any of the functions or

performance of your 125M if you choose not to read any further.

125 W into rated load impedance (8 Ω)

200 W into 4 Ωand 275 W into 2 Ωfor short periods

145 W into rated load impedance (8 Ω)

240 W into 4 Ωand 320 W into 2 Ωfor short periods

1.13 V rms

47 kΩnominal

29.0 dB at 1kHz

greater than 96 dB (relative to 0 dBW)

rated output

power

typical output

power

input for full

rated power

input impedance

gain

signal to noise

care and maintenance

The only service you should do to your 125M is described on the

previous page. All other servicing should only be carried out by

one of our authorised service agents.

If service is required, please contact your authorised TAG

McLaren Audio retailer. If your 125M is still under guarantee,

please refer to the guarantee card which gives you details on

how to claim against the guarantee.

Please keep the original packaging and use it whenever your

125M is transported.

service

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:04 Page 25

technical data

power

consumption

dimensions

(including feet,

terminals and controls)

We reserve the right to alter design and specification without notice

Specification may vary for different countries

less than 300 W

445 mm wide

75 mm high

333 mm deep

ac supply

voltage

0.1Hz – 75 kHz

± 0.3 dB

less than 0.05%

non-inverting for all inputs and outputs

10 – 35 ˚C

50 – 60 Hz

110 – 120 V or 220 – 240 V

The voltage is marked on the rear of the unit

total harmonic

distortion + noise

polarity (phase)

operating

temperature range

ac supply

frequency

frequency response

(20 Hz – 20 kHz)

frequency response

(-3 dB)

The rated and typical performance applies when the mains supply voltage is either

230 V AC for 220 - 240 V units or 115 V AC for 110 - 120 V units

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:04 Page 27

international standards

*115 V units are fitted with 4 mm terminals. They comply with 73/23/EEC, IEC65 and EN60065 in all other aspects

Your125M meets or exceeds all the legal requirements listed below:

directives

safety

emc emissions

emc immunity

89/336/EEC EMC Directive (as amended by 93/23/EEC)

*73/23/EEC Low Voltage Directive (as amended by 93/23/EEC)

* IEC65: 1985

* IEC65 A2: 1989

* IEC65 A3: 1992

* EN60065: 1993

EN50081 -1: 1992

EN55022 Class B: 1994

EN60555 -2: 1987

EN61000 -3-3: 1995

FCC Part 15 Class B: 1997

EN50082 -1: 1992

IEC801 -2: 1991 ± 8 kV air discharge

IEC801 -3: 1984 3 V/m

IEC801 -4: 1988 ± 1 kV AC power, ± 500 V other ports

EN61000 -4-2: 1995 ± 8 kV air, ± 4 kV contact discharge

EN61000 -4-4: 1995 ± 1 kV AC power, ± 500 V other ports

EN61000 -4-5: 1995 ± 2 kV common mode, ± 1 kV differential mode

EN61000 -4-11: 1994

GRA00046.1-[CA]125M 09/03/01 16:04 Page 29

TAG MCLAREN AUDIO 125M sl Owner's manual

Brand: TAG MCLAREN AUDIO

Model: 125M sl

Type: Owner's manual

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TAG MCLAREN AUDIO 125M sl Owner's manual

TAG MCLAREN AUDIO 125M sl Owner's manual

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