Manley SNAPPER - Manual (Page 5)

GETTING STARTED
PREPARATION FOR INSTALLATION
Budget a suitable space in which to place the amplifiers and associated interconnect and mains power cables. 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 SNAPPERS 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 SNAPPER out of reach of pets or
children, or be careful to keep children and pets away from the amplifier when in use.
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.
RCA AND XLR INPUTS
Choice of unbalanced [single-ended] RCA or balanced XLR input signal formats are made convenient by the use of
two discrete jacks at the rear of the amplifier. The amplifier does not invert the unbalanced input signal, and is
wired for the now more popular pin-2-high XLR convention. Pin 1 = Ground, Pin 2 = High(+), Pin 3 = Low(-)
An adjacent toggle switch facilitates choice of input signal format, permitting instantaneous selection of either the
RCA or XLR input. **NOTE** The following feature was removed in July of 2008. However, it is present on
units numbered up to and including MSN524: The balanced XLR input of these units also features an input
termination switch. When engaged, the termination switch lowers the balanced input impedance of the amplifier
from approximately 15Kohms to 600 ohms. Use of this resistive 600 ohm termination is only suggested when using
the SNAPPER with balanced signal sources whose output signals are transformer-coupled to the balanced line.
Proper line termination often helps in wheedling the best behavior from such sources.
Unbalanced input drive voltages of 750 millivolts RMS into the RCA jacks or 1.5V RMS into the XLR balanced
inputs will produce full output power.
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
Never operate the amplifier without a speaker load, or suddenly disconnect the speaker
load while the amplifier is producing a signal. This risks punch-through of the enamel
insulation covering the transformer’s internal magnet wire. Permanent damage to the
output transformer may result and for that, you will be made to pay dearly, dear.
Never allow either speaker terminal signal to touch chassis or system ground. Treat each
speaker lead as a “hot” lead. Do not tie either speaker lead to a common switching or
loading point in your system. The negative speaker binding post is NOT ground!
So there you have it. The beautiful WBT binding posts fitted to the Snapper are for hooking up your speakers
cables. RED is positive and WHITE is negative. Get these to your speakers by way of nice speaker cabling
terminated with bare wire, bananas, or spades and do not ground out either lead. The WBT's feature a nice
slipping clutch action which will clamp down on your terminals without spinning them. No need to tighten them
like a gorilla or you might break something. Consider yourself well warned.
5