ATI Technologies AT6012 User manual

Table o Contents
Functional Description .............................. Page 3
Unpacking ............................................... Page 3
Precautions .............................................. Page 4
Safety Instructions .................................... Page 5
Notes On “Hu ” ........................................ Page 6
Cooling .................................................... Page 7
Place ent ................................................ Page 7
Rack Mounting ......................................... Page 7
Electrical Connections ............................... Page 8
Input Connections ..................................... Page 8
Zone Volu e Controls ................................ Page 8
Output Connections .................................. Page 8
Loudspeaker Phasing ................................ Page 8
Hook-Up Diagra ..................................... Page 9
Loudspeaker Ratings ................................ Page 10
Operation ............................................... Page 10
Power Switch .......................................... Page 10
Re ote-Power-On ................................... Page 10
Optic Protection Circuit ............................ Page 10
Circuitry ................................................. Page 11
AC Line Connector And Power Cord ........... Page 11
AC Fuse .................................................. Page 11
Detachable Modular Co ponent (DMC4) ... Page 11
AT6012 Specifications .............................. Page 12
General Maintenance And Service ............. Page 13
Warranty ................................................ Page 14
Obligation To Make Changes .................... Page 14
Save For Your Reference ........................... Page 15
Page 2

Functional Description
The AT6012 is a 12-channel, 6-zone power a plifier designed to provide audiophile-quality sound in ulti-roo
installations. The AT6012 consists of six 2-channel odules (DMC4). Each zone’s volu e (gain) can be re otely
adjusted via a “dry” 3-wire connection fro control devices such as Crestron, Xantech, Phast etc. Please consult the
instruction anuals fro those co panies to ensure co patibility. The AT6012 can be activated re otely via a DC
current of 3 to 24 V. An Optic Protection Circuit will protect each a plifier odule fro overloads and shorts and will
auto atically reset itself.
Unpacking
The AT6012 has been carefully inspected, tested and packed before leaving the factory. I ediately upon receiving
your a plifier, inspect the carton for evidence of ishandling during ship ent. Then, carefully unpack the a plifier
and inspect it for da age. We suggest that you open the carton fro the botto , then carefully turn the box over and
lift the carton away fro the a plifier, thus facilitating access to the unit.
Please save the shipping carton and all inner packing aterials in the event that the a plifier needs to be shipped for
service or oved to a new location. Should you discover that the a plifier has been da aged during shipping, please
contact your dealer or ATI i ediately and request the na e of the carrier so a written clai can be ade.
THE RIGHT TO A CLAIM AGAINST A PUBLIC CARRIER CAN BE FORFEITED IF THE CARRIER IS NOT NOTIFIED
PROMPTLY IN WRITING AND IF THE SHIPPING CARTON AND PACKING MATERIALS ARE NOT AVAILABLE
FOR INSPECTION BY THE CARRIER. SAVE ALL PACKING MATERIALS UNTIL THE CLAIM HAS BEEN SETTLED.
Page 3

Precautions
The a plifier is a wideband design with substantial power output capability. Certain precautions ust be taken to
ensure proper operation.
1. Never expose the unit to oisture.
2. Never plug an input cable into the a plifier while the a plifier is turned on.
3. Never apply the “thu b test” (touching the “hot” lead of the input cable with your finger) to the tip of the input
cable or input jack of the a plifier. RF rectification and/or hu will be created and al ost surely will da age the
loudspeakers. ATI will not be responsible for da age to the loudspeakers due to i proper use of the equip ent.
4. Under no circu stances should the output ter inals of the a plifier be short-circuited.
5. Avoid restricting the airflow around the unit. Good airflow is necessary to help ensure proper operation.
6. Be sure that the loudspeakers connected can handle the output power of the a plifier at the loudspeakers’ rated
i pedance. The warranty on the a plifier does not cover da age to loudspeakers that have inadequate power
handling capabilities.
7. Do not stack other syste co ponents or any other aterials directly on top of the unit. The heat-dissipating
syste of the a plifier depends on free flowing air around the chassis.
WARNING: DO NOT OPEN AMPLIFIER, RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK! DO NOT ATTEMPT SERVICING
THIS UNIT YOURSELF. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
Page 4

Sa ety Instructions
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS UNIT TO RAIN
OR MOISTURE.
Read all the safety and operating instructions before connecting or using this unit.
All warnings on the unit and in this operating anual should be adhered to.
All operating and use instructions should be followed.
Do not use this unit near water: for exa ple, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet base ent,
or near a swi ing pool.
This unit should be installed so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For exa ple,
it should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or si ilar surface that ay block the ventilation openings: or placed in a
built-in installation, such as bookcase or cabinet, that ay i pede the flow of air through its ventilation openings.
The unit should be situated away fro heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other devices
(including a plifiers) that produce heat.
The unit should be connected to a power-supply outlet only of the voltage and frequency arked on its rear panel.
The power-supply cord should be routed so that it is not likely to be walked on or pinched, especially near the plug,
convenience receptacles, or where the cord exits fro the unit.
Clean unit only as reco ended in this instruction anual.
The power-supply cord of the unit should be unplugged fro the wall outlet when it is to be unused for a long period of ti e.
Care should be taken so that objects do not fall, and liquids are not spilled, into the enclosure through any openings.
The unit should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
A. The power cord or the plug has been da aged; or
B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled, into the unit; or
C. The unit has been exposed to rain, or liquids of any kind; or
D. The unit does not appear to operate nor ally, or exhibits a arked change in perfor ance; or
E. The device has been dropped, or the enclosure da aged.
To prevent electric shock, do not use the polarized plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the blades
can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure.
Page 5

Notes On “Hum”
With the growing sophistication of ho e theater syste s, the potential for ground loops is enor ous. Do not
auto atically assu e that one or ore of your co ponents are at fault, or even defective. Lately, one of the biggest
culprits is the Cable-TV inco ing signal line.
Al ost 100% of the cases where hu has been a proble have been due to one or ore of the below conditions.
The following notes will help you to deter ine its cause:
Note 1:
Cable TV syste s can so eti es contribute to ground loop proble s which cause hu . To deter ine if your cable
syste is the contributing factor, disconnect the Cable TV inco ing signal line (round 75 Oh ) at the wall, or the
first co ponent the cable is connected to (i.e. the cable box, or VCR). If the hu is no longer present, you ust insert
a 75 Oh Ground Loop Isolator before reconnecting the line. You should check with your ATI dealer to obtain one.
If the 75 Oh Ground Loop Isolator works only partially, or not at all, then please read Note 2, Note 3 and Note 4 .
Note 2:
Turn the syste off and disconnect all inputs fro the a plifier. If the hu persists, consult with your dealer or ATI directly.
If the hu disappears, try another set of input cables. Connect one cable at a ti e to see if one specific cable is responsible.
If any or all cables cause the hu to appear, then your prea p or processor should be evaluated for proper operation.
Note 3:
When there is an audible “hu ” through your loudspeakers, even with the volu e control low or off, you have a
co on proble known as a “ground loop”. A “ground loop” is basically a difference in ground voltages between two
or ore co ponents which are connected electrically and which creates ultiple current paths where there should
be only one. This difference in potential causes a low-level noise we call “hu ”. AC ground-prong loop produces a fairly
loud hu . When installing a syste that uses three-wire AC cords with grounding-type plugs, note the units that have
the . An installation that has two or ore co ponents that use a 3-prong plug ay result in a ground-loop situation.
If it is i practical to rewire your house with an isolated star ground configuration, you ay want to try a power
isolation transfor er.
WARNING: DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LIFT THE GROUND (e iminate the round, 3rd prong)
FROM THE PLUG USED WITH THE AT6012–SEVERE SHOCK MAY RESULT!
Note 4:
Hu ay also be caused by faulty earth-grounds fro your house. In the past, cold water pipes often were relied upon
for earth ground. Check to ake sure that your ground connection is still valid and has not beco e loose or corroded.
The cold water pipe ethod ay no longer be valid because so e unicipalities require that the water eter be
isolated fro the water ains with a length of PVC pipe, thus interrupting the ground. The safest and ost reliable
approach is to provide your own ground. Drive at least five feet of copper-jacketed steel grounding rod into the earth
and use that for the ground. If you suspect a grounding proble , we suggest you call an electrician or your local
electric co pany to inspect/repair the proble .
If the hu still persists after you have tried ALL of the above, please contact your dealer or ATI’s Service Depart ent.
Page 6

Cooling
WARNING: AN AMPLIFIER’S PERFORMANCE MAY DETERIORATE IF IT OVERHEATS. TEMPERATURE AND
VENTILATION ARE KEY FACTORS IN PROPER OPERATION. NOT ONLY SHOULD YOU PROVIDE ENOUGH
SPACE AROUND THE UNIT, BUT ALSO ENSURE THAT AIR CAN FLOW FREELY AND ESCAPE FROM THE
AMPLIFIER’S SURROUNDINGS.
Placement
During nor al ho e operation, the heatsinks of the AT6012 will beco e war . However, there are instances during
high-level playback into low i pedance speakers when the heatsinks will beco e uch war er than usual. To ensure
the a plifier’s trouble-free operation, it is necessary to provide adequate ventilation for the heatsinks. The AT6012
should be kept away fro external sources of heat such as radiators and hot-air ducts. The AT6012 should never be
placed with other heat-producing co ponents in a cabinet or enclosure lacking free air flow.
If you ust ount the AT6012 in an enclosed cabinet, it is reco ended that the rear panel of the cabinet be provided
with ventilation openings at the top and botto to allow air to circulate freely in the cabinet. The top and botto
panels of the a plifier’s chassis have been engineered with vents to allow the necessary cooling of the internal
co ponents. Do not obstruct these openings in any way.
Do not stack other co ponents on top of the AT6012. This is critical if you are using low i pedance loudspeakers
which are difficult to drive, or if you constantly play your syste at high levels.
Rack Mounting
Your a plifier ay be ounted in a standard 19-inch rack by using the optional Rack Mount Panel.
CAUTION: THE RACK MOUNT PANEL CANNOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF YOUR AMPLIFIER.
BE SURE TO MOUNT THE UNIT ON A STRONG, WELL-SUPPORTED SHELF.
Page 7

Page 8
Electrical Connections
In order to have the wiring concealed, all electrical connections are ade in the rear of the a plifier.
CAUTION: ALL CONNECTIONS SHOULD BE MADE WITH THE AC POWER CORD UNPLUGGED AND
THE POWER SWITCH IN THE STANDBY (OFF) POSITION. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD
CONNECTIONS TO EITHER THE INPUT OR OUTPUT JACKS BE MADE WITH THE POWER ON.
Input Connections
Well-shielded audio cables should be used for the input connections. The input jacks have been gold-plated to provide
low contact resistance, long life, and ini al susceptibility to corrosion. Be sure to use only high-quality coaxial cables
with standard RCA-type pin jacks to connect the a plifier to a prea plifier or the ain output ter inals of the control
unit. DO NOT co on ground the input grounds with the output ground (black) ter inals.
Zone Volume Controls
The AT6012 is equipped with six 2-channel connectors arked Zone 1 through Zone 6. These connectors are Phoenix™
type 3-pin connectors. The volu e controls are otorized to ensure the quietest operation and lowest possible distortion.
Adjust ent of these controls ay be ade via cabling fro a control source or anually by using “ o entary
switches”. The controls ay also be adjusted by si ply closing the contact of the “up” or “down” with the “co on.
Output Connections
The output connections are gold-plated binding posts which will accept bare or soldered wire, spade lugs, or banana
jacks. This type of connector provides a solid connection with the speaker wires and eli inates the potential for
electric shock. The outputs are arked Zone 1 through Zone 6.
Loudspeaker Phasing
To obtain proper phasing and correct bass response, it is necessary that all channels be connected in phase.
The correct phasing occurs when speakers ove in and out in unison (in phase) on onophonic progra aterial.
Speakers connected in phase ensure proper i aging (place ent of instru ent and vocalist) while an out-of-phase
connection causes indistinct or confused i aging. The si plest way to effect proper phasing is to closely inspect the
cable being used for so e for of wire coding. So e for s of wire arkings are a ridge or a groove on one side of
the wire, one lead copper colored while the other is silver colored, or a colored stripe on one edge. The arked side
should be attached to the positive (red) ter inals of each loudspeaker and the other end attached to the positive (red)
ter inal of the corresponding channel’s binding post. Follow this procedure for all channels.

Page 9
OUTPUTS
FROM ZONE
CONTROLLER
INPUTS TO
POWER
AMPLIFIER
RCA
CABLES
OUTPUTS
TO
SPEAKERS
SPEAKER
CABLES
CH 2
SPEAKER
CH 4
SPEAKER
CH 6
SPEAKER
CH 8
SPEAKER
CH 10
SPEAKER
CH 12
SPEAKER
CH 1
SPEAKER
CH 3
SPEAKER
CH 5
SPEAKER
CH 7
SPEAKER
CH 9
SPEAKER
CH 11
SPEAKER
REMOTE
TRIGGER
3.5mm
MINIPLUG
ZONE
VOLUME
CONTROLS
ATTACH
POWER
CORD

Loudspeaker Ratings
Virtually any loudspeakers can be connected to, and driven by the AT6012. The AT6012 can drive low i pedance
speakers at ore than adequate power levels with no difficulty. Many loudspeaker syste s which are no inally rated
at 4 Oh s will drop in i pedance in so e parts of their frequency range, often to 2 Oh s. You should not experience
any proble s at these low i pedances unless you de and excessively high volu e levels. Because the power output
capability of the AT6012 is very high, it is i portant to deter ine the axi u input power rating of your speaker
syste . The speaker power rating ust equal or exceed the power output rating (at corresponding i pedance) of the
a plifier to protect the speakers fro possible da age. ATI cannot be held responsible for da age to a speaker syste
or individual co ponent whose power rating is lower than that of the a plifier.
Operation
Your AT6012 is equipped with a special Re ote-Power-On feature which is used to turn the a plifier on re otely fro
another source (see Re ote-Power-On). If you are using this feature you ust be sure that the volu e control of your
control unit or prea plifier is turned all the way down to prevent possible da age to your loudspeakers.
The AT6012 is equipped with a Ti e-Activated-Delay (TAD) circuit that will delay operation of the a plifier for
approxi ately 3 seconds upon turn-on. The TAD enables a special Optic Protection Circuit to deter ine if any potentially
har ful conditions such as shorts or voltage spikes fro your prea p or control panel exist before allowing output.
Power Switch
The AT6012 is equipped with a front-panel on/off switch. Unless using the Re ote-Power-On feature, this switch should
be used in the nor al anner. The power switch ust be in the “on” position in order for the Re ote-Power-On
feature to work. NOTE: The power switch is always active and will override the DC signal of the Re ote-Power-On
feature if switched to the “off” position.
Remote-Power-On
This standard feature allows the AT6012 to be turned on and off re otely via a control console or prea plifier that has
a re ote trigger with an output of 3 to 24 VDC, or a si ple 12V DC transfor er (wall ount). The Re ote-Power-On
feature is activated via a high-current relay inside the AT6012 and connected via a 3.5 ini jack. The polarity of
the connection is uni portant.
Optic Protection Circuit
The AT6012 is equipped with a unique Optic Protection Circuit that auto atically senses loudspeaker shorts or
conditions where the a plifier is over-driven. If one of these conditions is prevalent, the circuit will engage and the
affected zone(s) will ute until the condition is rectified. Should the Optic Protection Circuit engage, it will ter inate
the output and sa ple the operating state of the a plifier every 10 to 15 seconds. This unique Optic Protection Circuit
is totally optical-coupled without any wire coupling thereby eli inating any potential conta ination of the audio signal.
Page 10

Circuitry
The a plifier is totally co ple entary fro input to output. This is achieved by using dual-differential input stages.
Full-co pli entary push-pull pre-drivers follow the input stages. These in turn are direct-coupled (all stages after the
AC coupled input are DC coupled) to two push-pull drivers. All stages up to this point are operated in true Class A.
The drivers then drive the full co ple entary output stage.
The power supply section of the a plifier consists of a highly efficient silicon steel (grain oriented) toroidal transfor er
core that has separate bifilar wound secondaries to provide excellent voltage regulation and current reserve. A further
benefit of this transfor er design is the low operating te peratures. The filtering section of the power supply for each
channel consists of two 8,200 icrofarad capacitors. Thus, the AT6012 has a total of 196,800 icrofarads capacitance.
The AT6012 is equipped with a ther al protection circuit for each zone. If the te perature of a heatsink reaches 850C,
that zone will shut down. The ther al protection circuit ay be triggered by excessive power de ands into lower
i pedance speakers than the a plifier is designed to drive or by inadequate ventilation. The a plifier will resu e
nor al operation when the heatsink returns to a safe operating te perature. Lowering the volu e, correcting the low
i pedance proble or providing proper ventilation ay re edy this condition.
AC Line Connector And Power Cord
The AT6012 is supplied with a 15 A pere, internationally-approved (IEC) power line connector which accepts the
supplied detachable, high-current capacity, power cord.
WARNING: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD THE ROUND THIRD PRONG BE CUT, BENT OR IN ANY
WAY DEFEATED AS THIS MAY RESULT IN SEVERE SHOCK.
AC Fuse
Your a plifier is supplied with a 15 A p, 125V 3AB fuse. The fuse is located on the back panel. Should the fuse blow,
replace only with the sa e value. Use of any other value ay cause da age to the a plifier and void the warranty.
WARNING: ALWAYS TURN OFF THE AMPLIFIER AND UNPLUG THE POWER CORD BEFORE REPLACING
ANY FUSE OR MAKING ANY ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS.
Detachable Modular Component (DMC4)
Your AT6012 e ploys a unique Detachable Modular Co ponent (DMC4) design which provides unit-to-unit quality
consistency as well as efficient serviceability. In the unlikely event of a channel failure, the odule ay be re oved
for servicing thereby eli inating the need to return the whole unit.
CAUTION: IN NO CASE SHOULD YOU REMOVE THE MODULE BY YOURSELF. CONSULT WITH YOUR
DEALER OR ATI FOR PROPER DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM.
Page 11

AT6012 Speci ications
Page 12
The following applies to all 12 channels being driven si ultaneously with
8 oh loads and an input sensitivity of 28dB gain unless otherwise specified.
Frequency Response
±0.1dB fro 20Hz to 20kHz at 1 watt
Phase Response
+5 to -15 degrees fro 20Hz to 20kHz at 1 watt
Signal-to-Noise Ratio “A-Weighted”
Greater than 100dB below rated FTC Full Bandwidth Power
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
Less than 0.05% at full rated FTC power fro 20Hz to 20kHz
Intermodulation Distortion (IMD)
Less than 0.05% fro 250 illiwatts to full rated FTC power
EIA 1kHz Output Power*
75 watts @ 8 oh s, 120 watts @ 4 oh s
FTC Full Bandwidth Output Power**
60 watts @ 8 oh s, 90 watts @ 4 oh s
Power Bandwidth FTC
+0-3db fro 5Hz to 100kHz
Damping Factor
Greater than 400 fro 10Hz to 400Hz
Crosstalk
Greater than 90dB fro 20Hz to 20kHz
Gain
Voltage gain of 28dB
Slew Rate
30V/ icrosecond
Input Impedance
No inally 28k oh s
Input Sensitivity
1.0 volts for full rated power.
Load Impedance
Safe with all types of loads. Rated for 4 to 16 oh s
DC Output O set
Less than ±5 V
Trans ormer
2kVA
Chassis Dimensions (WHD)
17 x 7 x 16 inches (431.8 x 177.8 x 406.4 )
Rack Mount Panel (Optional)
Standard 19 inches (482.6 ) rack ounting (EIA RS-310-B)
Weight
Net 73 lbs (33.18 kg) Shipping 82 lbs (37.27 kg)
**EIA 1kHz Power refers to axi u average power in watts
at 1kHz with 0.005% THD and noise.
**FTC Full Bandwidth Power refers to axi u average power
in watts fro 20Hz to 20kHz with 0.03% THD and noise.
All descriptions and specifications are subject to change without notice.

General Maintenance And Service
Great care has been taken to ensure that your a plifier is as flawless in appearance as it is in perfor ance. The front
panel is finished with a high-grade anodizing process for durability as well as beauty. It is best cleaned with a soft cloth
da pened with a ild solution of liquid detergent and water.
CAUTION: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A LYE SOLUTION, POWDERED CLEANSER, OR
ABRASIVE CLEANER BE USED ON THE UNIT.
In the event that the unit ust be returned to the factory, a Return Authorization Nu ber (R.A.#) ust be requested
fro A plifier Technologies, Inc. prior to shipping the unit to ATI. Under no circu stances should the unit be shipped
to ATI without prior authorization.
Please contact: A plifier Technologies, Inc.
1749 Chapin Road
Montebello, CA 90640
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
It is i portant that you include a note describing the proble you are experiencing with the unit so that repair
technicians ay provide better service. The unit ust be sent freight PREPAID to ATI and we will return it to you
on a prepaid basis (continental U.S. only).
In order to assure its safety, use only the original packing and carton. If you no longer have the proper packing
aterials, a duplicate set ay be ordered for a ini al charge. Always ship via UPS or other approved carrier.
Never ship your unit via Parcel Post.
Page 13

Warranty (USA Only)
LIMITED SEVEN-YEAR WARRANTY
This ATI product is warrantied against defects in aterials and work anship for seven years fro the date of purchase
by the original owner. The date of purchase shall be established by the original owner presenting to the ATI Custo er
Service Facility the original owner’s purchase receipt or sales slip showing fro who the product was purchased,
the date of purchase and the purchase price of the unit. In the event that proof of purchase cannot be established as
stated in the preceding sentence, the warranty period shall co ence on the date of anufacture, provided the serial
nu ber on the unit has not been altered in any anner. During the warranty period, ATI will repair, or at its option,
replace at no charge, co ponents that prove to be defective provided the product is returned in accordance with the
shipping instructions which are contained in the unit. The unit is to be sent PREPAID via UPS to ATI in the event it
needs factory servicing. ATI will return it prepaid to you upon co pletion of the service.
This warranty does not apply if the product has been da aged by accident or isuse or as a result of odification by
other than the ATI factory service facility.
ATI shall not be held liable for consequential da ages. So e states do not allow the exclusion or li itation of
incidental or consequential da ages, so the above li itation or exclusion ay not apply to you.
THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES GIVEN BY ATI WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTION ON THE
FACE HEREOF. ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR PURPOSE SOLD, MERCHANTABILITY,
DESCRIPTION, QUALITY PRODUCTIVENESS OR ANY OTHER MATTERS ARE LIMITED TO THE
SEVEN-YEAR TERM OF THE EXPRESS WARRANTY HEREIN STATED.
So e states do not allow li itations on how long an i plied warranty ay last, so the above li itation ay not
apply to you.
Obligation To Make Changes
Products are sold on the basis of specifications applicable at the ti e of sales. ATI shall have no obligation to odify
or to update products once sold.
This warranty gives you specific rights and you ay also have other rights which vary fro state to state.
This warranty is applicable only in the United States.
Page 14

Save For Your Re erence
Date of Purchase _________________________________
Model Nu ber ___________________________________
Serial Nu ber ___________________________________
Where Purchased _________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Notes ______________________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________________
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Page 15

Amplier Technologies, Inc.
1749 Chapin Road
Montebello, CA 90640 USA
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.ati-amp.com [e-mail]