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RMB-1512 Twelve Channel Power Amplifier

12V Trigger Input 

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An input jack for connecting the wires carrying a +12 volt trigger 
signal from a Rotel preamp or surround sound processor to turn the 
amplifier on and off. To use this feature the adjacent slide switch must 
be placed to the left position (see previous section).

The TRIGGER INPUT accepts any control signal (AC or DC) ranging 
from 3 volts to 30 volts. Use a cable with mono 3.5 mm mini-plugs on 
both ends. The +12V DC signal appears at the “tip” connector.

12V Trigger Output 

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The 12V TRIG jack labeled OUT is used to pass the remote turn-on 
signal to a second Rotel amplifier. Any 12V Trigger signal at the 
INPUT jack will be passed through to the OUT jack.

Protection Indicators 

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A thermal protection circuit protects the amplifier against potential 
damage in the event of extreme or faulty operating conditions. Unlike 
many designs, the RMB-1512’s protection circuit is independent of the 
audio signal and has no impact on sonic performance. Instead, the 
protection circuit monitors the temperature of the output devices and 
shuts down the amplifier if temperatures exceed safe limits. 

In addition, the RMB-1512 includes overcurrent protection which 
operates only when load impedance drops too low.

Should a faulty condition arise, the amplifier will stop playing and 
one or more of the PROTECTION LEDS on the front panel will light. 
If this happens, turn the amplifier off, let it cool down for several 
minutes, and attempt to identify and correct the problem. There are 
independent PROTECTION LEDS for each pair of channels which may 
help in troubleshooting the cause of the problem. When you turn the 
amplifier back on, the protection circuit will automatically reset and the 
PROTECTION LEDS should go out.

In most cases, the protection circuitry activates because of a fault 
condition such as shorted speaker wires, or inadequate ventilation 
causing an overheating condition. In very rare cases, highly reactive 
or extremely low impedance speaker loads could cause the protection 
circuit to engage.

Note:

 The protection LED also light when the 12V Trigger system is 

being used and the amplifier is in Standby mode.

Signal Connections

The RMB-1512 provides standard conventional input connections 
— unbalanced RCA type connections as found on nearly all audio 
equipment.

In addition to the six groups of stereo inputs labeled INPUT 1 to 
INPUT 6, there is a pair of inputs labeled LINK IN. There is also 
a pair of SIGNAL OUTPUT LINK connections for passing the input 
signal connected to the LINK IN pair of inputs on to another audio 
component. 

Additionally, the input signal to the LINK IN connectors can be 
automatically linked to the inputs for any of the channel INPUTS 1-6, 
so that a separate input signal cable is not required for those channels, 

for example in large systems where the RMB-1512 is being used to 
drive multiple pairs of speakers.

RCA Inputs 

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See figure 2

are two RCA inputs for each of the six pair of amplifier channels. 
These RCA inputs accept audio signals from preamplifiers or surround 
sound processors. Use high quality audio interconnect cables for best 
performance.

For each pair of amplifier channels, connect the left channel output of 
your preamp to the LEFT INPUT on the RMB-1512. Connect the right 
channel of your preamp to the RIGHT INPUT. Make sure that the input 
slide switch to the right of the RCA inputs is in the STEREO position.

Linking the Inputs 

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You can link the inputs for any of the group 1–6 inputs by moving the 
input slide switch below each pair of RCA inputs to the LINK position. 
When linked, no input connection is required for that group. The 
input signal from the LINK IN connections is sent to the linked pair of 
channels, allowing you to use up to twelve amplifier channels with the 
same stereo input signals.

Mono Switch 

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For the groups INPUT 1 and INPUT 2, when the input slide switch is 
moved to the MONO position, the left and/or right channel input is 
provided to both speakers as a mono signal.

Input Level Controls 

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Six controls on the front panel, one for each pair of channels, provide 
input level adjustments. These allow you to adjust the gain of the 
amplifier to match other components in the system. The INPUT 1 level 
control changes the gain of the INPUT 1 channels; the INPUT 2 level 
control changes the INPUT 2 channels and so on. To adjust these 
controls, use a small, flatblade screwdriver. Turn the control clockwise 
to increase gain. Turn counterclockwise to reduce gain.

Signal Output Link 

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This pair of RCA connections can be used to pass unprocessed input 
signals to another audio component, for example to “daisy-chain” an 
additional amplifier to drive an additional set of speakers. The input 
signals connected to the LINK IN connectors is available at these LINK 
OUT outputs. This is typically used when the amplifier is part of a multi-
room system.

Note:

 The input signals from the LINK IN inputs can also be linked 

to any of the INPUT 1-6 inputs by moving the INPUT SELECT switch 
associated with that pair of channels to the LINK position.

Speakers

See Figure 2

The RMB-1512 has six groups of speaker connectors, one for each 
pair of amplifier channels. The twelve channels may be used in many 
different configurations. The Hook-up Illustration, Figure 2, shows just 
one example, with the connections for a typical six-speaker system. 
Here, the remaining six channels are still available to power up to six 
further speakers as required, whether these are additions to the main 
system or independent of it.