CANARY AUDIO

300B Mono Block Power Amplifier

Handcrafted in California

CA-303
Signature Edition

OWNER’S MANUAL

MADE IN USA
Dear Customer:
Please allow us to take this opportunity to thank you for purchasing this
CANARY AUDIO product.
We strongly recommend that you carefully study the Safety Instructions before
attempting to operate the unit.
After you have finished reading the instructions, please save this manual for
future reference.

WARNING:
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE
THE UNIT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION:
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT USE THIS POLARIZED AC PLUG
WITH AN EXTERSION CORD, RECEPTACLE OR OTHER OUTLET UNLESS
THE BLADES CAN BE FULLY INSERTED TO PREVENT BLADE EXPOSURE.

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE

COVER (OR BACK). NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SER-
VICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL ONLY.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol 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.

!
This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence
of important operating and maintenance (servicing)
instructions in the literature accompanying the unit.
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Power Source:

• The unit should be connected to an AC power source of the proper rated

voltage.
• Never replace the power supply’s line fuse with the one of incorrect
characteristics.

AC Cord Protection:

• Do not defeat the grounding or polarization feature of the AC cord.

• Make sure that the AC receptacle holds the AC cord plug firmly and securely.
• Keep the AC cord away from heating appliances.
• Never put heavy object on the AC cord.
• If smoke, malodors or noises are emitted from the unit, turn the power off and
disconnect the AC cord.

Keep Away from Water and Moisture:

• This unit should not be used near water.

• Keep the unit away from flower vases, bathtubs, washbowls, kitchen sinks,
laundry tubs, swimming pools, etc. If liquids are spilled into the unit, serious
damage could occur.

Ventilation:

• Slots and openings in the chassis and in the back or bottom are provided for
necessary ventilation.
• Do not place a cloth on top of the unit or block the provided ventilation slots
and openings in any other way.
• Do not place the unit on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface which may
block the slots and openings.
• Do not place the unit in a confined space, such as a bookcase or built-in
cabinet, unless proper ventilation is provided.

Non-Use Periods:

• When left unused for a long period of time, the unit should be unplugged from
the AC outlet.
PROPER CARE
Bias Settings:
• When replacing the 300B vacuum tubes, you must adjust the bias settings of
the amplifier to account for the new tubes. These adjustments best performed
by your Canary Audio dealer as an incorrect bias setting can cause damages
to the tube and to the amplifier.

Break-in Period:
• As with most audio components, the CA-303 Signature Edition requires a “break-
in” period. During this period the internal components will stabilize and reach
their normal operating parameters. There are no special procedures required
for this break-in period, just listening to your favorite music will accomplish
this task all by itself.
• The time required to break in the CA-303 Signature Edition is approximately 30 to
50 hours. Upon completion of the break-in period you will hear an
improvement in the overall sound quality of the amplifier.

No Fingers or Other Foreign Objects:

• Touching internal parts of this unit is dangerous and may cause serious
damage to the unit. Do not attempt to disassemble the unit.
• Do not put any foreign object into the unit through the ventilation slots and
openings.

Cleaning:
• A regular dusting with a soft, non-abrasive cloth will generally keep the finish
of the faceplate and chassis looking like new.

Packing Materials:
• The original packing materials and shipping boxes are custom designed to
prevent shipping damage from occurring.
• We recommend that you retain all of the packing materials and shipping
boxes for your CA-303 Signature Edition to be covered by warranty.

Registration Card:
• To ensure that your CA-303 Signature Edition is registered, please spend a
moment now to complete and return the Registration Card.
• Save a copy of the Registration Card and the bill of sale as proof of purchase
for future reference.
UNPACKING
• Open the shipping boxes and remove the top layer of foam.

• Remove the owner’s manual and other accessories from the packing box.

• Grasp the underside of the amplifier and lift it straight out of the packing box.
(2 People Needed)

• Place the amplifier in a safe location. Remove the protective plastic wrapping.

• After unpacking the CA-303 Signature Edition inspect it for any shipping damage
and contact us immediately if any is found. Do not plug the power supply into
any outlet if you find any shipping damage.

• Please keep all packing materials for future transport of your player. Shipping
the CA-303 Signature Edition in anything other than its original boxes may result
in damage that is not covered by warranty.

ACCESSORIES
The following items are included in the package aside from the main units:

• Owner’s manual
• Warranty card
• AC power cords
• Vacuum tubes

PLACEMENT
• Do not place the unit near a heating device or in a location where it is
exposed to direct sunlight.

• Do not place the unit in an excessively humid or dusty location.

• Avoid placing the unit in the areas of vibration, impact or where the surface is
tilted as the internal parts may be seriously damaged.

• Avoid placing the unit next to kitchen counters or other locations where it is
subjected to oily fumes.

• Place the unit in a horizontal position, and do not place anything heavy on it.

• Do not place the unit on any other equipment which may become hot.
CONNECTION STEPS

1. Place the CA-303SE in a rack, on a shelf or on the floor.

2. Turn off any associated components prior to connecting the CA-303SE.

This minimizes the chance of momentary electrical surges disturbing your
system.

3. Neatly arrange and organize wiring to and from the Evolution amplifier and
all components. Separate AC wires from audio cables to prevent
hum or other unwanted noise from being introduced into the system.

4. Install the vacuum tubes according to the instructions provided on the

following page of this owner’s manual.

5. Connect the outputs of your preamplifier or any audio source equipment

to the inputs on the back of the CA-303SE. Be sure to match up the left
and right conductors appropriately.

6. Connect the loudspeaker cables to the loudspeaker binding posts on the

back of the CA-303SE. Use only the binding post (4 or 8 ohms) that
matches the impedance of the loudspeaker.

Be sure to connect the polarity of the speaker cables correctly. Match the
positive (red) and negative (white) binding posts to the corresponding
speaker connections.

The custom made binding posts are capable of accepting speaker cable
with spade lug, banana plug, pin connector or bare wire.

7. With the power switch in the OFF position, attach the power cords to the
CA-303SE and connect them to your AC outlet.

Use the supplied AC power cord or an aftermarket cable. For optimum

results, we recommend the use of Canary Nickel PW-ONE power cable.

8. First, turn on your source equipment. Then, turn on the CA-303SE.

9. Bias the CA-303SE according to the instructions provided in the “Tube

Biasing” section.
INSTALLING THE TUBES
Be sure the amplifier is OFF before installing any tubes.

Avoid touching the tubes with bare hands to prevent skin oils from depositing on
the glass surface of the tubes.

Insert each tube in the corresponding socket. Refer to Diagram 1.1 for further
clarification.

The 6SN7 tubes are inserted into sockets designated as V5 and V6. Align the
center key of the tube base with the slot in the center of the socket. Carefully push
down the tube into the socket with a gentle rocking motion until it is firmly seated.

The 12AX7 tube is inserted into sockets designated as V7. Be sure to align the
pins with the socket holes when installing these tubes. Carefully push down the
tube into the socket with a gentle rocking motion until it is firmly seated.

The 300B tubes are inserted into sockets designated as V1 to V4. Pay extra
attention to the tube pins and socket holes for these tubes. Identify the two
larger pins and align the pins with the two larger holes on the socket. Carefully
push down the tube into the socket with a gentle rocking motion until it is firmly
seated.

V1 V2

V3 V4

V5 V6

Diagram 1.1 Overview of CA-303 SE

TUBE BIASING
Bias voltage applied to the grids of the power tubes in the output stage should be
checked from time to time to keep these tubes operation at the optimum
operating point. A properly biased power tube will have a longer life.

To check and adjust the bias voltage of the 300B tubes, simply follow the
following procedures.

Tools Required:
Digital Multimeter
Long-handled slotted screwdriver

Procedures:
1. Making sure that the power switch is in the OFF position.

2. Install all the tubes to the corresponding sockets using a gentle rocking
motion. (See “Installing the Tubes” section for detail information on installing
the tubes.)

3. Connect your speaker leads, input cable and power cord to each amplifier.

4. Turn ON the amplifier.

5. Turn on the multimeter. Select the section for measuring up to DC 20V.

Attach and secure the negative test lead to the chassis or to the binding post.

6. Insert the positive test lead into the bias test point marked as “300B - 1”.

7. Carefully insert a long-handled slotted screwdriver into the bias adjustment

pot marked as 300B - 1. Slowly rotate the screwdriver to adjust the bias
voltage until it reaches 0.55V.

8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to adjust the bias voltage for the other 300B tube using
bias test point marked as “300B - 2” and bias adjustment pot marked as
“300B - 2”. You will need to go back and forth a few times until both of the
300B tubes are properly biased.

9. Once you have finished biasing the two 300B tubes, wait a few minutes and
recheck the settings again.

10. Repeat these procedures to adjust the bias voltage for the 300B tubes on the
other channel of the amplifier.

11. The CA-303 Signature Edition mono blocks power amplifier is now ready to
use.
SPECIFICATIONS

Model: CA-303 Signature Edition

Rated Power Output: 24 Watts RMS

Input Sensitivity: 0.72 Volts for full output

Input Impedance: 150,000 Ohms

Frequency Response: +/- 1 dB from 10 Hz to 65,000 Hz

Total Harmonic Distortion: < 0.4%

Signal-to-Noise ratio: -84 dB below 1 Watt

Damping Factor: 12.5

Power Consumption: 230 Watts (true RMS)

Output Impedance: 4, 8 Ohm

Tube Complement (per channel): 2-300B,

2-6SN7GTB,
2-5U4GB

Dimensions (per channel): 11” W x 23.5” D x 9” H

Weight (per channel): 48 lbs.

Note:
Specifications are subject to change without notice. Weight and dimensions are approximate.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Canary Audio warrants to the original purchaser that each CA-303 Signature Edition
power amplifier is free of manufacturing defects for a period of three (3) years
from the date of purchase. To receive this warranty, the original purchaser must
complete the enclosed Warranty Registration Card and mail it to Canary Audio
within thirty (30) days from the date of purchase. Canary Audio will then validate
the warranty to the original purchaser.

This warranty does not cover cosmetic damage or damage due to acts of God,
accident, misuse, abuse or negligence. This warranty does not cover damage
due to improper operation or maintenance, use with incompatible accessory,
connection to improper voltage supply, or attempted repair, modify or upgrade by
anyone other than Canary Audio or a facility authorized by Canary Audio. This
warranty does not cove any damages to the vacuum tubes and does not cover
normal maintenance.

Canary Audio shall not be responsible in any way for consequential or indirect
damages or liabilities resulting from the use and operation of the product covered
herein or resulting from any breach of this warranty or any implied warranty
relating to said product. Under no circumstances does Canary Audio assume
liability or responsibility for injury or damages sustained in the use or operation of
this equipment or for damages to any other equipment connected to it.

During this stated period, Canary Audio will repair or replace any defective
components free of charge. A Return Authorization Number (RA Number) is
required before any product is returned to our factory for any reason. This
number must be visible on the exterior of the shipping container(s).

Units to be repaired by Canary Audio must be sent shipping and insurance

prepaid by the original purchaser in the original packing material. Canary Audio
will accept no responsibility for any damage occurring to the unit that is shipped
in packing material other than the original packing material. A written description
of the defect and a copy of the original bill of sale should be accompanied with
the returned product.

This warranty applies only to the first end-user purchaser of a CA-303 Signature
Edition power amplifier that is purchased and used in the United States of America
and is not valid for subsequent purchasers. All other warranties or conditions
either written or implied are void.

Canary Audio
P.O. Box 6216, Rosemead, CA 91770, USA
Telephone: (626)500-6261
Http://www.canaryaudio.com