Apex Digital CloudPower Series User manual

CloudPower Series
4 channel amplifier with DSP and remote control
O p e r a t i o n M a n u a l V1.0
CP 354
CP 704
CP 1504
CP 3004
TM

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Serial number of this product:
© 1999 - 2021 GIVA BVBA All rights reserved.
This manual may not be reproduced or transmitted, either in
part or as a whole, by any means, be they mechanical or elec-
tronic, without the express written permission of GIVA BVBA
CloudPower Series
4 channel amplifier with DSP and remote control

3
CAUTION: to reduce the risk of electric shock, do not
remove cover (or back). No user-serviceable parts
inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel.
The lightning flash with arrowhead
symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is
intended to alert the user to the presence
of an uninsulated “dangerous voltage”
within the product’s enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric
shock to persons.
The exclamation mark within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the
equipment.
Instructions
Before installing or operating the equipment, read all
safety instructions, warnings and operating instructions.
Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Keep all safety,
installation and operating instructions for future reference.
Installing and operation location
Do not use this apparatus near water. Do not expose this
apparatus to drips or splashes. Do not place any objects
filled with liquids, such as vases, on the apparatus.
Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including
amplifiers) that produce heat. No naked flames, such as
lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus.
Do not install the apparatus in a confined space such as
a book case or similar unit. Do not block any ventilation
openings.
Ensure that foreign objects and liquids cannot get into the
equipment.
Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Only use attachments/accessories specified by the man-
ufacturer.
Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table
specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus.
When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/
apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over .
The apparatus should be located close
enough to the AC outlet so that you can
easily grasp the power cord plug at any
time.
The mains plug, the appliance coupler or the mains
switch is used as the disconnect device. Either device
shall remain readily operable when the apparatus is
installed or used.
Power source and grounding
This product should be operated only from the power
source indicated on the apparatus or in the operating
instructions. If you are not sure of the type of power
supply to the premises where the equipment is to
be used, consult your product dealer or local power
company.
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarised or
grounding-type plug. A polarised plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
blade or the third prong is provided for your safety. If the
provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
Connect Class I construction apparatus to an AC outlet
with a protective grounding connection.
Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords or integral
convenience receptacles, as this can result in a risk of fire
or electric shock.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched,
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles and the
point where they exit from the apparatus.
Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.
Important safety instructions
Important safety instructions

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regulations including those governing the recovery
and recycling of waste electrical and electronic
equipment. Contact your local waste administration,
waste collection company or dealer.
Cleaning, maintenance and servicing
Unplug the apparatus from the wall outlet before
cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol
cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.
Do not attempt to service this product yourself,
as opening or removing covers may expose you
to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all
servicing to qualified service personal.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has
been damaged in any way, such as power-supply
cord or plug damaged, liquid has been spilled or
objects have fallen into the apparatus, the appara-
tus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally or has been dropped.
Intended use
The equipment may only be used for the purpose
described in the operation instructions. Never
carry out any work on the equipment other than as
specified in the operating manual.
Never push objects of any kind into this product
through openings, as they may touch dangerous
voltage points or short-cut parts, which could
result in a fire or electric shock.
Children should never use the apparatus without
close adult supervision.
WARNING: excessive sound pressure levels can
cause hearing loss.
Environmental precaution
Electrical and electronic equipment may contain
hazardous substances for humans and their envi-
ronment.
The “crossed out wheelie bin” symbol
present on the device and represented
above is there to remind one of the
obligation of selective collection of
waste. This label is applied to various
products to indicate that the product is not to be
thrown away as unsorted municipal waste. At the
end of life, dispose of this product by returning
it to the point of sale or to your local municipal
collection point for recycling of electric and
electronic devices.
Customer participation is important to minimize
the potential affects on the environment and
human health that can result from hazardous sub-
stances that may be contained in this product.
Please, dispose of this product and its packaging
in accordance with local and national disposal

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Important safety instructions 3
Introduction 7
Product highlights 7
Foreword 7
Before you get started 8
About this manual 8
Inspection and unpacking 8
Operating environment 8
Power requirements 8
Installation 8
Front and rear panel description 9
Front panel 9
Rear panel 10
Signal Flow 12
Presets 15
Front panel operation 16
Front panel homepage menu 16
Settings menu 17
Audio menu 17
Audio menu source 18
Audio menu gain 18
Audio menu delay 18
Presets menu 19
Hotspot menu 20
Cloud menu 20
Network menu 21
Notes on network 22
About menu 23
Apex IntelliCloud 24
Home page menu 24
User gain menu 25
User delay menu 25
User PEQ menu 26
User X-over menu 29
User Limiter menu 31
Speaker preset menu 32
Stereo link option 32
Group menu 33
Group gain menu 35
Group delay menu 35
Group PEQ menu 36
Settings menu 37
Global device audio preset 37
Device name 37
Device status 38
Network menu 39
Table of contents
Table of contents

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Stream services 40
Firmware update 40
About menu 41
Application examples 43
Specifications 46
Limited waranty 48

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Introduction
Dear customer
Thank you for choosing the Apex CloudPowerTM for your sound reinforcement needs. The all-
new CloudPowerTM series is a professional amplifier series with feature built-in DSP and remote
control over the cloud – securely. Log in to APEX Cloud and remotely-manage your amplifi-
ers from your office. Save time and money by monitoring performance and adjusting functions
Product highlights
• Remote management over Apex Cloud
• WebUI with built-in Wi-Fi Hotspot
• Internal streaming source supporting Spotify
and Apple Airplay
• Daylight viewable colour OLED dis-
play
• Four-input analog and network options
• On board 64bit DSP with free configurable
signal path. IIR+FIR filter capability.
• User processing DSP facilities:
• Gain adjustment and phase inversion
• Delay 250 ms (combined with group
delay)
• 12-band parametric filtering, with choice
of 16 filter types
• Peak/RMS limiter
• Speaker processing DSP facilities
• Delay (30 ms Max.)
• 12-band parametric filtering, with choice
of 16 filter types
• High- and low-pass crossover filtering with
choice of filter types
• FIR/IIR filter implementation
• Peak/RMS limiter
• Group processing DSP facilities
• Group Delay (combined with user delay)
• Group12-band parametric filtering, with
choice of 16 filter types
• Group gain
• Internal Global and speaker preset library
• All models can directly-drive low impedance
or 70/100v loudspeakers
• Four class D, DC coupled amplifiers(4x 350w,
4x 750w 4x 1500w, 4 x 3000w )
• Apex GlidePath technology
• Our proprietary control loop provides a load
independent frequency response and low
harmonic and intermodulation distortion.
• Power supply with worldwide operation from
100-240Vac. Its active power factor correc-
tion circuitry ensures efficient use of the
mains power system
• Low idle loss (heat) through the use of a
proprietary control loop which relaxes the
output stages dead time.
Foreword
The APEX CloudPowerTM Series professional
amplifiers feature built-in DSP and remote control
over the cloud securely. Easily connect the
amplifier to the WebUI on any HTML5 capable
browser (MAC, PC, IOS, Android) with the built-in
WiFi hotspot, or to a local area network via cat5
cable. The unique internal streaming source option
makes it possible to playback Spotify and Apple
airplay sources straight from your mobile device
without the need for external hardware.
Multiple amplifiers can be controlled through the
same webUI using the trusted and comprehensive
work-flow of our IntelliCloud software package.
Featuring high-end studio-grade analogue circuit
designs, the APEX CloudPowerTM Series sets a
new benchmark in powered system management
and speaker processing design. The proprietary
Class-D amplifier control loop features GlidePath
technology and exceptionally low intermodulation
figures resulting in wide stereo imaging.
CloudPowerTM is founded on our proprietary
GlidePath architecture, with DSP and amplifier
circuits fully integrated for outstanding
performance. GlidePath employs DC coupling
throughout the signal path, dramatically reducing
the time offsets and distortion associated with AC
coupling. The result: crisper, punchier bass and
brighter, more natural high frequencies, delivering
superb intelligibility and higher perceived volume..
Four models with power ratings ranging from 350W
to 3000W per channel fit all applications from small
commercial spaces to the largest theatre.
Whether the application is a standalone system
amplifier, or a comprehensive networked system
with multiple amplifiers, the APEX CloudPowerTM
Series is designed to provide the solution that our
clients demand. With comprehensive loudspeaker
preset capability, implementing CloudPowerTM
into your system couldn’t be easier.
Spotify and Spotify logos are trademarks of the Spotify Group.
Apple, the Apple logo, AirPlay, iPad, iPhone, iPod, iPod nano,
iPod touch, iTunes, Mac, and OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other countries

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Before you get started
About this manual
Carefully read all instructions and warnings before
operating this device. Keep this manual in a safe
place so that it can be referred to when required.
The latest manual revision can be downloaded
from the download section of the Apex website:
http://www.apex-audio.be
This manual describes use of the CloudPowerTM-
series
Inspection and unpacking
This appliance has been carefully packed in the fac-
tory and the packaging was designed to withstand
rough handling. Should the unit appear to have
been damaged in transit, do not discard any of the
packing material and notify the carrier immediately
as they will be responsible.
Save all the packing materials for future use if you
ever need to ship the unit again.
Please check the list below against the contents of
the packaging. If any items are missing or damaged,
contact the Apex dealer or distributor where you
purchased the unit.
• Apex CloudPowerTM amplifier
• AC power cable Europe
• Network cable (“straight” type)
Operating environment
The CloudPowerTM is designed to operate in most
normal climates, at a temperature between 0 °C and
50 °C (32 - 122 °F), with relative humidity between
10% and 60%.
The Apex CloudPowerTM incorporates internal
fan-cooling, which should keep the unit within its
operating temperature. However, should the unit
be installed in an equipment rack it is important to
ensure that the temperature inside the rack does not
exceed the upper limit. Under such circumstances,
additional rack-mounted cooling fans may be
necessary.
Do not block any ventilation openings.
NOTE: Fit solid blanks (not ventilation blanks)
to unused rack spaces to ensure effective air
circulation. Leaving
gaps in between items of equipment degrades the
effectiveness of forced–air cooling.
Power requirements
BEFORE you connect any unit to the mains, please
make sure that the voltage of your local AC supply
is within the acceptable range of the unit.
The Apex CloudPowerTM is designed to work from
an AC supply between 100 V and 240 V, at a fre-
quency between 50 and 60 Hz. No AC voltage
selector is provided as the device automatically
adjusts to the incoming AC voltage.
Precautions should be taken so that the appliance
is properly grounded at all times. This unit must be
earthed.
Installation
If the unit is brought into a warm room from a cold
environment, internal condensation may occur.
Ensure that the unit has been allowed to reach
ambient temperature before switching it on. We
recommend one hour.
Although this unit is intended for installation in a
standard 19-inch rack it can nevertheless be used
free standing. If the unit is installed in a flight-case
or in an equipment rack, fix the unit with all four
screws through the front panel holes and the four
screws from the back panel. For normal use no extra
support is needed, but in more extreme conditions,
such as on the road, we recommend the unit is
supported at the rear.

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Front panel
The front panel design is very clean and intuitive, it contains only two hardware buttons and a daylight
viewable colour OLED display.
1
23
4
1Daylight viewable colour OLED display.
Function Icons
Rotary control for menu navigation, data entry,
etc. The control can also be pressed inwards, to
perform an “Enter” action in the menu system.
The CloudPower is powered on and off by a
frontpanel switch.
2
3
4
Front Panel

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Rear panel
1234 5 6
1IEC connector accepts worldwide operation
from 100-240Vac. CloudPower must be
grounded (earthed) with the safety ground
pin to the mains distribution system. NEVER
disconnect the earth (ground) pin on the
mains cable (AC power cord).
Amplifier output connectors are sturdy termi-
nal block connectors. Channels are located
from left to right. Each channel has a marked
hot (+) and cold (-) terminal.
Analog inputs are available on terminal block
connectors with clearly marked hot (+), cold
(-)and ground terminals. The use of twin-and-
screen cable is recommended.
2
3
4Terminal block connector for remote applica-
tions, EN-54 ready.
1 2
3
Balanced output (XLR)
1 = Ground
2 = Hot
3 = Cold
+
-
Unbalanced output (RCA)
Pin = Hot
Screen = Cold
If you connect the two standby pins to-
gether, the amplifier will go into standby.
The pins must be connected potential free
(you may not apply voltage to them).
C
NC
NO
RELAY
COIL
if the amp is off or there is a fault then C (cen-
ter) is connected to NC (normally closed). If
everything is OK, the relay picks up and C is
connected to NO (normally open)
Rear Panel

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5
6
RJ-45 Ethernet connectors for optional digital audio network.
Each optional Audio network card has two network ports; a
primary and a secondary.
When the device is connected to an active network, the yel-
low LINK LED illuminates above the connector in use.
Data activity on the network is indicated by illumination of the
green ACT LED. It is normal for the ACT LED to flicker either
sporadically or continuously.
The switched 100/1000 Base-T network connections au-
to-sense whether standard or crossover Cat-5e cables are
in use. The green ACT LED illuminates (flashes) to show net-
work activity, and when a 100 Mbps connection is present;
the orange LED illuminates (static) to indicate a 1000 Mbps
connection.
The secondary network port on the CloudPowerTM devices
can be configured for redundancy of the primary network
port. If a parallel network is created, any single cable or switch
failure is overcome without loss of audio.
By default, the secondary ports are configured in dual redun-
dancy mode to support a second redundant network.
The alternate configuration for the two ports is a switch mode
which allows daisy–chaining of devices in a single
network. Daisy chain mode is not recommended for more
than a few devices.
Pre-made cables with moulded RJ45 plugs are recommend-
ed. If it is necessary to make up custom Cat-5e network ca-
bles, use pinout described below.
RJ-45 Ethernet connector for control.
Note: The USB connector is for service only.
Rear Panel
Pin No. Color
RJ45 Wiring and Pin Out Description

12 12
Signal Flow
Signal Flow
User Group Speaker
User
The User block contains the following controls:
Input selector
Mute
Gain
Polarity
IIR HPF
IIR LPF
PEQ x 12
Delay User
RMS Limiter
Peak Limiter
selection for primary and secondary input, analog or digital. ( Note digital is
not possible as a secondary input when analog is primary)
Mute selector for each source
Input gain control for each source. Range from -80dB to 15dB
Polarity selector for each channel +/-
Infinite impulse response HPF
infinite impulse response LPF
12 x EQ for each source with a choice of 16 EQ types
Delay option up to 250 ms for each channel
Adjustable RMS limiter for each input
Adjustable peak limiter for each input
Note: RMS and peak limiter are processed after the group processing

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Group
Groups provide powerful control over all channels in a system. Amplifier channels can be assigned to mul-
tiple Groups, and each amplifier channel can be a member of up to 6 different Groups. Adjusting group
parameters will affect all amplifier channels across the network assigned to that group.
Multiple Groups can be used to logically partition a large-scale system. For instance, amplifier channels
powering
a restaurant zone can be grouped to create a restaurant sub-master. A master Group can be created to
enable a system-wide interface for EQ and Levels, allowing instant adjustments to all amplifier channels
on the network.
The Group block contains the following controls:
Mute
Gain
Polarity
PEQ x 12
Delay
Mute selector will mute all members of the group.
Input gain control for each group. Range from -80dB to 15dB
Polarity selector for each group +/-
12 x EQ for each group with a choice of 16 EQ types
Delay option up to 250 ms for each group
Signal Flow

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Signal Flow
Speaker
A speaker preset file contains one channel of loudspeaker setting information which can be recalled on an
amplifier channel. The red properties below indicate the speaker preset parameters. The end user chooses
a brand/type of loudspeaker in a list and doesn’t have to worry about the actual parameters.
These speaker presets are created in the WebUI by the speaker OEM and can be uploaded and stored in
the amplifier speaker preset folders.
Gain
Polarity
Delay
IIR HPF
IIR LPF
FIR
PEQ x 12
RMS Limiter
Peak Limiter
Output gain control for each speaker. Range from -60dB to 15dB
Polarity selector for each speaker +/-
Delay option up to 30 ms for each speaker
Infinite impulse response HPF
infinite impulse response LPF
Each speaker preset can contain a 1024 tabs FIR filter
12 x EQ for each source with a choice of 16 EQ types
Adjustable RMS limiter for each input
Adjustable peak limiter for each input

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Presets
Presets

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Front panel operation
Front panel operation
The homepage will indicate output level, IP status, cloud connection status, current preset or output
name for each output channel and global preset loaded.
The network symbol turns green when
a wired network is connected. The cloud symbol turns green when
a cloud connection is established.
The Hotspot symbol lights
up green when active.
An inwards button click on the
encoder toggles between mute
and unmute.
A click on the settings
wheel symbol will launch
the setting menu.
The level, limit and fault in-
dicators are always visible
in the home page.
Home page menu

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Audio Menu
Front panel operation
Pressing the encoder inwards will activate the selected settings submenu.
The Audio Menu is where the basic audio parameters and settings can be adjusted. The top page of the
Audio Menu offers three further sub menus.
Settings menu
Pressing will always return the menu up one
level from every menu or sub menu.
Source Gain Delay

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Audio Menu / Source
Front panel operation
From the source sub menu, you can select the type of in-
put for each amplifier channel. There are four input op-
tions for each channel. Analog 1- 4, Stream L, Stream R,
Network 1 - 4. The digital option card options are DANTE
or AVB.
Audio Menu / Gain
From this menu, the gain can be adjusted for the input
stage of the selected Input analog source . The default
gain setting is 0 dB, but can be set to any value from -80
dB to +15 dB, in 0.1 dB increments.
Audio Menu / Delay
Each Source of the CloudPowerTM may have up to 250 ms
of delay inserted.
Note: The total amount of delay per channel is 250 ms shared
between the channel and the groups that are assigned from
that channel.
Be careful when scrolling the inputsource list, the routing
works in real time and stream levels can be very loud !

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Front panel operation
Presets Menu
The CloudPowerTM amplifier has two types of preset libraries, global and speaker presets. A global pre-
set file contains all audio DSP settings of the four channels of the amplifier.(User,group and preset set-
tings)
A speaker preset file contains one channel’s loudspeaker settings information which can be recalled
and inserted on the amplifier channel.
These speaker presets are created in the Web user interface by the speaker OEM and can be uploaded
Global Speaker
From the Global library
menu you can open the
global folders menu
Global preset folder con-
tains Global preset files.
From the Speaker library
menu you can open the
Speakers folders menu
Speaker preset folder con-
tains Speaker preset files.

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Hotspot Menu
Turn Hotspot function on/off
Every CloudPowerTM amplifier has an Hotspot option. This allows the user to control the amplifier with
any mobile device. (Smartphone, Tablet or laptop). The software of the CloudPowerTM s web based, so
there is no need for a software installation. From the frontpanel,turn the Hotspot option on and search for
the amp in your device wifi networks. Connect to the Hotspot and enter the IP address 172.24.0.1 in your
browser and the IntelliCloud software will open on your device automatically.
The SSID name is displayed
here
The Password for the Hotspot is displayed
here
Cloud Menu
Turn Cloud function on/off
Every CloudPowerTM amplifier has a unique Cloud option. This allow the user to control the amplifier from
a remote location over the internet. The Remote connector must be connected to a router with internet
connection. Using a secure connection allows the user to communicate with the amplifier(s) from any
place in the world. Just open your browser on your device and enter: http://amplifier1.apexconnect.me,
and IntelliCloud will open from the connected CloudPowerTM amplifier. (where amplifier1 refers to the
amplifier’s name given from the settings menu see page 38 for more details). The amp will ask for a login
and password, both are by default “admin”and can be changed in the settings menu.
Note: amplifier1 refers to the custom amplifier name entered in IntelliCloud, Apex cloud connect settings
menu.
User name is displayed here
Front panel operation
The Password for the Cloud login is
displayed here
Pressing will apply the changes and return
the menu up one level.
Pressing will apply the changes
and return the menu up one level.