Manley STINGRAY original version rev.2 6/2005 - 9/2009 MSTX - Manual (Page 5)

OPERATIONAL NOTES
PREPARATION FOR INSTALLATION
Budget a suitable space in which to place the amplifier and associated interconnect and mains power cable. This
space should be free of strong external magnetic and RF fields, and reasonably removed from strong loudspeaker-
generated acoustical fields. This space should also be free of excessive heat or dust and large enough to permit easy
flow of cool air to the top, bottom and sides of the amps. Do not connect the STINGRAY to the AC mains until the
other interconnections and items outlined below have been completed.
Keep other associated equipment some distance away from the amplifiers. This will help keep airflow unrestricted,
and cut down interference from radiated magnetic hum fields that can eminate from certain power supplies. Notice
that the output tube’s glass envelopes are capable of reaching high temperatures, depending on operating
circumstances. As with other equipment of this sort, it is best to keep the STINGRAY out of reach of pets or
children, or be careful to keep children and pets away from the amplifier when in use. Or train them. Not too hard.
People sometimes ask us why we don't supply a cage to protect children and pets from the scary exposed tubes. I
always answer that I grew up with a tube receiver and survived ok and a cage would look ugly. The only physical
harm that came to any of my family growing up from that tube receiver was once The Moving People dropped it on
my mother's toe and broke it. (Broke the toe, not the receiver. It worked fine for many years after that. And Mom's
toe is fine too.) And so did my little nephew who had one of my amps with scary exposed tubes from the time he
was a wee lad. He not only survived and is in college now, but when he was three years old he knew how to fire up
the whole hifi even before his mom did. So don't underestimate how smart your kids or pets are unless they are
already prone to burning themselves on light bulbs. Or just put this amp up on a tall shelf out of the way. Actually
I'd be more worried about little kids breaking my $3000 moving coil cartridge needle. Or The Cleaning People...
Before plugging in your interconnects, take a quick visual inspection of the tubes. Sometimes either through
shipping or unpacking things get jostled. Make sure all tubes are firmly in their sockets. You might also verify that
none have turned white inside. That indicates that air has leaked inside the tube (or the vacuum leaked out!).
Though it is rare, a tube is sometimes cracked or broken in shipping. It would need to be replaced before powering
up the unit. Give us a holler if this happens to you.
SWITCHING ON
The power switch is located on the back panel. You shouldn't need to turn the Stingray around or get yourself
behind it. You should be able to "feel" the rocker switch located next to the AC power cord. Flip the switch away
from the power cord to turn on the Stingray or towards the power cord to turn off the unit. Easy 'nuff.
RUNNING
It is not recommended that you leave your Stingray always switched on. This only wastes electricity and tube life.
Do you leave your lights on when you are not home? The Stingray reaches peak operating condition in
approximately 30 minutes. Break-in from new is about a week although some people report it takes much longer.
TUBE LIFE
As with all tubes, their quality degrades with age. This is due to decreasing cathode emission, a natural process
found in all tubes. We recommend that you have your amplifier checked every 4-5 years, depending on usage. An
excessive increase in noise level or very unstable output tube bias can indicate the need to replace a tube.
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