Carver A-500x User manual

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A-500x

1. Safety

Instructions

9.

Power Cord Protection -Power-supply cords should

be

~

rou

ted

so

that they are not likeIy to

be

waI

ked

upon

or

pi

nc

hed

1.

Read Instructions -All the safety and operation by items placed upon or against them, paying particular

instructions should

be

read

before

the

Carver

Component

attention to

cords

at

plugs,

convenience

receptacles, and the

·"··'·

..

'.'·"·.I'.:

•.

'··

~.-.)

•.

"·.".:.

;:

is operated.

2.

Retain Instructions -

The safety and operating

instnlctions should be kept

for

future reference.

3.

Heed Warnings -

All

warnings

on

the

Compo

..

nent and

in

these operating

instnlctions should

be

followed.

4.

Follow

Instructions-

All

operating

and

other

instructions should be

followed.

5.

Water and

Moisture-

The

Component should

not

be used near water

...

for example, near a

bathtub, washbowl,

kitchen sink, laundry tubt

in

a wet basement, or near

a s\vimming pool, etc.

6.

Ventilation -The

Component

should

be

situated so that its

location or position does

not interfere with its

proper ventilation. For

examplef

the

Component

should not be situated

on

a bed,

sofa

t rug,

or

similar

surface that may

block

any ventilation openings;

or placed

in

a built-in

installati0 n such

as

a

bookcase or cabinet that

may

impede

the

flow

of

air through ventilation

openings.

7.

Heat -The Compo-

'.~::,,:

point

where

they exit

the

Component.

~

10,

Cleaning -

The

Component should

be

cleaned only as

recommended in this

manual.

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..

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..

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11.

Non-use

Periods-The

power cord ·of the

Conlpo~

(Li'

nent

should be unplugged

~

from the outlet when

unused

for

a long period

of time.

12.

Object and Liquid

Entry -Care should

be

taken so that objects

do

not

fall

into

and

liquids

are

not

spilled into

the

inside

of

the Component.

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I

13.

Damage Requiring

~

Service -The Compo-

nent should

be

serviced

only

by

qualified service

perS0I111e

I w

he

n:

A.

The

power-supply

cord

or

the

plug

has

been

damaged;

or

B. Objects have fallen, or

liquid has spilled into the

Component;

or

C.

The

Component

has

been exposed

to

rain; or

D.

The Component does

not appear to operate

normally or exhibits

a marked change

in

performance;

or

E.

The Component

has

been dropped, or

its

cabinet

damaged~

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC

SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION:

TO

REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)

NO

USER

..

SERVIC'EABLE

PARTS

INSIDE

REFER SERVICING

TO

QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL

The lightning flash

with

arrowhead

symbol

within an equilateral triangle is intended to

arert

the user

to

the

presence of uninsulated

Udangerous

voltage" within the

product1s

encJosure~

that may

be

of

sufficient magnitude

to constitute a risk of electric shock to

persons~

The exclamation

point

withjn

an

equilateral

tri

angle

is

intended

to

alert the user

of

the

presence

of

important operating

and

main

...

tenance (servicing) instructions

in

the literature

accompanying

the

appliance.

PORTABLE CART WARNING

Carts

and

stands

..

The

Component should

be

used

only with a cart

or

stand

that

is

recommended by

the

manufacturer.

A Component and cart

combination should

be

moved with care. Quick

stopSt

excessive force, and

uneven

surfaces

may

cause

the Component and cart

combination to overturn.

nent should be situated away from heat sources such

as

14.

Servicing -The user should not attempt

to

service the

radiators} or

other

devices which produce heat. Component beyond those means described

in

this

operating

8. Power Sources -

The

Component

should

be

connected manual. All other servicing should

be

referred

to

qualified

to

a

po

wer supply only

of

the

type described

in

these service personneL

operation instructions or as

marked

on

the

Component

It

15.

To

prevent electric shockt

do

not use this polarized plug

with

an

extension

cord,

receptacle

or

other

outlet

unless the

blades can be

fully

inserted to prevent blade exposure.

Pour preevenir les chocs electriques ne pas utiliser cette

fiche polarisee avec

un

pro}ongateur, un prise de courant

ou

un

e autre sortie

de

courant,

sau

f

si

Ies

1ames

peu

ven

t

etre inserees afond sans laisser aucune pariie adecouvert.

16. Grounding

or

Polarization

-..

Precautions should

be

taken

so

that the grounding or polarization means ofthe

Component is not defeated.

17.

Intern

a1lExternal

Voltage

Selectors -Internal or

external line voltage selector switches, if

any,

should only

be

reset and re-equipped

with

a proper plug

for

alternate

vol

tage

by

a qualified service technician.

See

an

Author

..

ized Carver Dealer for

more

information.

<.

.'.'

_..

oX

~,::.::;:

.

~'.."

~.

~:.':

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..

18.

Attachment Plugs for Alternate

Line

Voltage (Dual

voltage models only) -

See

your Authorized Carver

• I

~.:

••

••••

•••

"

. '"

'A';o

-"5""0"0':

:',

",",~'o:;~

Dealer for information on the attachlnent plug for alternate

voltage use.

This

pertains

to

dual-voltage units

only.

This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B

(whichever

is

applicable) limits for radio

noise

emissions

from digital apparatus as set

out

in the radio interference

regulations of

the

Canadian Department of

Communica-

tions.

ATTENTION -Le present appareil numerique

n1emet

pas

de bruits radioelectriques depassant las limites applicables

aux

appareils nunleriques

de

class

Aide class B (selon

Ie

cas) prescrites dans

Ie

reglement sur

Ie

brouillage

radio61ectrique edicte par les ministere des communications

du Canada.

WARNING

-

TO

REDUCE

THE

RISK

OF

FIRE

OR

ELECTRIC

SHOCK,

DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION:

TO

PREVENT

ELECTRIC

SHOCK,

MATCH

WIDE

BLADE

OF PLUG

TO

WIDE

SLOT,

FULLY

INSERT.

ATTENTION:

POUR

EVITER

LES CHOCS

ELECTRIQUES,

INTRO-

DUIRE LA

LAME

LA PLVS LARGE

DE

LA FICHE

DANS

LA BORNE

CORRESPONDANTE

DE

LA

PRISE

ET

POUSSER

JUSQU'

AU

FOND.

Contents

1. Safety Instructions

~

+.It

••••••••••

t t

••••••••

~

•••••••••••.•••••••••••

2

2.

Prelude , 4

3.

Fea,tures

and

Specifications 61' , , ,

••

4.

Unpacking

and

Paperwork 7

5.

Installation , 8

l

..

ocation

and

General Precautions 8

Handle Removal

""

..

~

8

AC

Power Considerations , 9

Connection

Tips

~

9

Rear Panel

Connections

and

Controls

9n

6.

Operation

~ ~

, 10

Front

Panel Features 10

System

Configurations

12

A qUick

note

on

input/output

levels " 17

Amp-to.Preamp

Connections

17

Amp-to-Speaker

Connections

,

17

Wiring

.,

,

"'

17

Hook-up

~

17

Stereo Operation

~

18

Mono

Operation

~

"

18

Amplifier

Protection

19t

Speaker

Protection

19

7..

In

Case

of

Difficulty 21t

8. Care

and

Service Assistance , ,

~

23t e

..

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••••

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2. Prelude

Your

new

Carver

Magnified

Current™

THX

Power

Amplifier carries

with

it a

heritage of over 15 years

of

audio

research,

development

and

design

refinements.

Carver engineers

make

use

of

the

latest

advances

in

electronics

ma·nufacturing

techniques

to

provide

state

..

of-the-art

high-value audio

products

which

empha-

size

innovative

technologies

and

features

at

an

affordable price.

An

American

electronics

innovator

based

in

the

Pacific Northwest,

Carver

began

in

the

early 80s

with

a series

of

product

successes

such

as

the

C-4000

preamplifier

with

Auto-Correlator™

and

Sonic

Holography'11vi,

the

TX-l1

tuner

with

ACCDTM

(Asymmetrical

Charge-Coupled

Detector)

and

the

M-l.S

stereo

power

amplifier,

one

of

the

most

powerful ampli-

fiers available

at

tile

time

for

home

hi

..

fi

uset

.As

technology

has

evolvedt so have

Carver's products.

In

fact, a

number

of

audio technologies an·d features consid-

ered

standard

today-

including

surround-

sound

and

advanced

signal

processing-

had

their

first successful

consumer

appli

w

cations

in

a Carver component! Many

Carver

products

are

now

considered

"clas-

sics",

and

most

are still

in

use

with

their

original

owners

who

routinely upgrade

their Carver-based systems

rather

than

replace

them.

As

it

has

since

our

company!s

beginning,

the

Carver

name

remains

synonymous

with

leading

edge

technology

expressed

in

audio

compo-

nents

that

never

become

obsolete.

At Carvers

technology

is

regarded

as

a

tool

used for

one

purpose:

to

advance

the

science

of

reproducing

sound

in

the

home. Every

Carver

employee

has

this

common

goal,

from

our

CEO

and

Board

of

Directors,

our

Engineering,

Sales

and

Marketing,

Accounting

and

Finance,

Customer

Service

and

Technical

SUPJ?ort

Staff

to

the

Manufacturing

and

QualIty

Control

people

who

actually

put

the

products

together

here

in

Lynnwood,

Washington.

We love

home

entertain-

ment.

The

vigilant

pursuit

of

I?roviding

0,

quality

and

reliable

products

aImed

at

reproducing

audio

with

absolute

accuracy

-

whether

it

be

from

a treasured

I.,P

vinyl

recording

or

the

digital

formats

of

tomor-

row

-

is

our

corporate

vision.

To

this end,

the

A-SOOx

was developed

with

a

number

of

important design

fea

..

tures

and

goals

in

mind.

A power

ampli-

fier

has

only

one

job,

but

a

very

important

one:

amplifying

the

audio

signal

without

being

disturbed by

the

loudspeaker

load.

Ideally,

the

signal

coming

out of an ampli-

fier

should

be

iderttical

in

every

way

ex-

cept

magnitude

to

the

signal

that

went

into

itt

In

realitr'

there

are subtle ways

in

which

the

signa

can

be

changed

by

an

amplifier,

which

are

described by

measure-

ments

such

as

THD, noise,

DC

offset,

crosstalk

and

phase

shift. All

these

techni

..

cal

terms

boil

dow.n

to

one

thing

-

the

signal

has

been

changed

(distorted)

in

some

way

from

its original

form

by

the

amplifier. I

There

are a

number

of

ways

to

mini-

mize

this

distortion.

One

of

the

most

effective

and

efficient is

to

minimize

the

signal

path~

While

that

may

sound

simpleJ

it

is

actually

very

difficult

to

achieve.

OUf

engineers

went

to

great

lengths

to

shorten

the

signal

path

(pun

intended!)

as

much

as

technology

and

physics allow. A

short

signal

path

pre-

vents

corruption

of

the

signal from

the

effects

of

EMI, strayfield

magnetic

radia-

tion

and

cumulative

reactance

in

the

critical signal

conductors.

l~he

result

is

a

much

cleaner

(and

very

nearly

perfect)

reproduction

of

the

signal

at

the

amplifier's

output.

The

A-SOOx

is

rated

conservatively at

250

watts

per

channel

into

8

ohms

and

delivers

over

400

watts

per

channel

into

4

ohms.

It

also

has

the

flexibility

and

power

®

(-

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L._

L

I.

L

1,."

1'.:

....

:.

L

I·:·:::··

J

I'·

L

k

L

--

reserves

to

become

an

800

watt+

bridged

mono amplifier

when

even

higher

power

levels are needed. This is

an

enormous

am'ount

of

power,

made

possible through

the

development

of

a

new

multi·state

hybrid power amRlifier design

we

call

Magnifled

Current

. It uses

two

160

amp

peak current

power

MOSFETs

per

channel,

with nanosecond sWitching speed

to

assign twice

the

continuous

voltage

to

the

·

output

stage

when

high

voltages are re-

quired}

or

more

than

twice

the

continuous

Ctlrrent

when

higher

current is needed.

This maximizes

both

the

voltage

and

current

capability (peak

or

continuous)

available for any

loudspeaker

load;

even

thos.e

that

have

a

substantial

reactive

component

that is difficult for conven-

tional

amplifiers

to

drive.

As

a result

of

this

difficulty

in

driving

demanding

loudspeaker loads,

conven-

tional

amp1ifiers

use

stabilizing

inductors

on

the

output

of

the

amplifier

to

keep

the

amplifier from oscillating

and

even

self-

destructing.

Unfortunately,

these

in·due-

tors also cause low

damping

at

high

fre-

quencies

which

can

create

high

frequency

coloration.

Carver

has

developed

Total

Direct

Coupling™

(TDC)

to

combat

this

problem.

TDC

means

that

the

output

circuitry is

directly

connected

to.

the

loudspeaker

without

the

usual

stabilizin~

inductor

networks

between

the

amplIfier

output

and the loudspeaker termInals. Due

to

the

wide

open

loop

bandwidth,

ideal stability

and

load

immunity

of

the

new

Carver

amplifier module, the traditional sound

altering Ustability

bandaids"

of

conven-

tional

amplifiers are

no

longer

necessary.

This

not

only

cre'ates

a totally stable power

amplifier

into

all speaker loads,

it

also

provides

high

damping

factor

at

all

frequencies-

not

just

i.n

the

bass region.

lUCASFllM

.

.'

··A-500x·:

That

means

full

control

in

th'e bass,

midrange and

high

frequencies.

No

more

harsh

or

rolled

off

highs, just

pure

and

natural clarity from top to bottom.

In

addition

to

new

audio

technologyj

Carver engineers also designed the

A-500x

to

set

new

stand~rds

in

reliability

and

value. The

A-SOOx

makes full

use

of

their

modular

d'esign

philosophy

and

open-

frame

architecture

for efficient

and

cost

...

effective

assembly_

This

has

the

added

benefit

of

providIng

superior

channel

isolation, eliminating the

detrimental

effects

of

interchannel

crosstalk.

The

amplifier's

enclosure

is·

designed

to

pro-

vide open air access

to

the

heatsinks. This

affords

more

efficient dissipation of

heat

away from

the

triple-diffused

planar

high-

current

output

devices,

which

results

in

greater reliability

and

longevity

of

the

amplifier.

The

THX logo

on

the

front

panel

of

the

Carver

A-SOOx

is

another

important

fea-

ture

of

the

amplifier. THX certification

means

that

the

A-SOOx

meets

a set of strict

performance

standards

which

ensure

that

the

soundtrack's

reproduction

is

faithful

to

the

director's

intent~

The

Carver

A

..

500x

can

be

used

with

other

THX

certi-

fied

audio

equipment

to

create a

true

Home

TH.X

Audio System.

Other

features are

included

to

provide

convenience

and

flexibility

such

as

vari

...

able

input

sensitivity controls, removable

handles

and

front

panel

analog

meters

with

two

sensitivity settings.

The Carver

A-SOOx

was designed

and

manufactured

by

people

with

a lifetime

commitment

to

providing

the

world's

finest

components

for

sound

reproduction

and

home

entertainment.

Thanks

for

placing

your

confidence

in

Carver. We

know

your

new

amplifier will provide

many

years

of

listening

enjoyment.

If you have

access

to

the

Internet,

you

can

check

out

the

full line

of

Carver

products

and

company

an

..

nouncements

·on

our

World Wide·

Web page (http://www.carver.com).

o.:':'·A··"':··"S:···:'·O'O·

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3. Features and Specifications

~

A-500x Special Features [

0 250 watts

per

channel

into

8

ohms

o Fully-complementary

differential

cirCllitry

400 watts

per

channel

into

4

ohms

using low-noise,

high

speed transistors

t~;~::'

750

watts

per

channel

into

2

ohms

throughout

lL

(IHF

dynamic

power) o DC Servo correction using new Texas

800

watts

bridged

mono

into 8

ohms

Instrument

Excalibur™

operating

point

":,".','

a Certified

by

Lucasfilm Ltd. for use

in

controller 1

;~.

Home

THX Audio Systems

~

a Double-stage

ground

isolation system

o Magnified

Current™

technology

for in- prevents

gro~nd

loops and

RF

inte-rference

creased voltage

and

current

capability o Triple-diffused

planar

high-current

otttput

l~

L..

o Total Direct Coupling™ for

high

damping

devices

with

a

cOlnbined

output

safe

factor

at

all frequencies

operating

capability

of

1000

watts

o Each channel

protected

by: o Dual

analog

lighted

meters

with

range l

Individual

fusing

selection

switch

DC fault sense o

Meter

light

On/Off

switch

t:.

Shofted-load sense

Excess

temperature

sense o

Gold-plated

RCA

input

jacks

~:"

Powerwon delay o

International

safety

compliant

binding

o Minimal signal

path

design,

with

on-card posts

k,·

t

I/O

connectors

eliminating

internal

inter- o Individual calibrated level trim controls for

connect

cables

each

channel

'i-:;::."

0 Precision

passive

components used

in

all o Removable

handles

for

placement

in

17"

rf~

'if...

critical

signal

paths

(no

electrolytic

capaci

w wide

cabinet

space (with

trim

end

caps)

tors

in

signal

path)

o Made

in

USA

l

Sp'ecifications

!~""

fe',

Power

Output:

E,

L

Stereo operation:

f~,',

,

Power

FTC

20Hz-20kHz, 8 ohm

250

watts per channel with < 0.08%

THD

Damping Factor: > 150 l

400 watts per channel into 4 ohms

(20

to 20kHz) v

750 watts per channel into 2 ohms

t~;~,.

(IHF

dynamic power)

8.

Input Impedance: 47 kohms

Bridged mono operation:

r:

800

watts into 8 ohms Sensitivity:

~:::.

Per

THX

standard: L

}';"

Dynamic Headroom: 1.0V rms input for 1

DOW

output into 8 ohms

> 1.0dB @ 8 ohms both channels

drive'n

1.58V

rms

for rated power into 8

ohms

@1

kHz

t:::,

I

Frequency Response: 20

Hz

to

20

kHz Gain: 29.0 dB (+/-

O.5dB)

(+0,-0.2 dB)

F'

k

Input-to-Output

Phase: 0°

(±100)

__

Separation: >70

dB

@ 1kHz

1M

Distortion:

SMPTE

<

0.03%

CCIF <

O~01

%

THO: < 0.08%

Signal-to-Noise

Ratio: > 117

dB

A-weighted, referenced to rated power

> 93

dBW

A-weighted, referenced

to

1W

Power Consumption:

50W

at

idle

330W

with

musical

program

880W at full

power

into

8 Q (continuous)

Power

Requirements:

120VAC/60Hz

(USA

and

·Canada)

Other voltages as required

for

export

Display: 2 Analog Meters;

OdS

= 250

watts

into 8 n

or

25

watts

into

an

(x10 range)

Size

(H

x W x

D):

5.75'1

x 19·· X

18.8

11

146mm

x 483mm x

478mm

with

handles

5.75" x17

1f

x 17.8"

146mm

x

432mm

x

452mm

without

handles

Net Weight:

29

Ibs. (13.2 kgs)

Shipping

Weight: 34

Ib·s.

(15.4

kgs)

Features

and

specifications

are

subject

to

change

without

notice.

..

<

A~5()Ox·<'

, .

I.":

,'-

4. Unpacking and

Paperwork

Carefully

unpack

your

A-SOOx

and

keep

the

original carton

and

packin'g materials

for

future

moving,

shipment

or

long-term

storage~

After

opening

the

box, please check for

any

visible signs

of

damage

that

were

not

apparent

from

the

outside

of

the

box.

If you do encoun-

ter what appears

to

be concealed

damage,

please

consult

your

Carver Dealer before

proceeding

to

further

unpack

or

install

the

unit.

Important

Paperwork

Make

sure

to

save

your

sales

receipt.

Your receipt is

extremely

important

to

estabw

lish

the

duration

of

your

Limited Warranty}

and

for insurance purposes. Next,

make

a

note

of

the

serial

number

which

is located

on

the

back

of

the

amplifier. Record

it

in

the

space

provided below for convenient reference

..

Model: A-500x

Serial

Number:

_

Purchased at:

----0-..----

Date: _

Finally,

take

a

moment

to

fill

out

the

Cus-

tomer

Registration

Card

packed

with

the

amplifier

and

return

it

to

Carver

..

This allows

us

to

keep you

informed

of

new

products

and

technologies

as

they

become

available.

e

--

L

1"-

~

• • L

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\<::,!A7$

.

••.....•

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5.

Installation

Location and General

Precautions

Observe

the

following

precautions

when

choosing a

location

for

the

A-SOOx:

o Do

not

expose

the

unit

to

rain

or

moisture.

o Protect

from

prolonged

exposure

to

direct

sunlight.

o Avoid excessive

exposure

to

extreme

cold

or

dust.

o Do

not

place heavy

objects

on

the

unit.

000

not

place

magnetic

storage

media

suel1 as

audio

or

video

tapes

near

the

amplifier. All

power

amplifiers

con-

tain

transformers

that

are

surrounded

by

a

fluctuating

magnetic

field

which

can

erase

magnetic

tapes

(or

floppy disks).

a Protect

from

heat

and

allow

adequate

ventilation.

Place

away

from

direct

sources

of

heat,

such

as

heating

vents

and

radiators. All

compo-

nents

produce

some

heat

during

operation!

so

make

sure

that

the

ventilation

holes

are

not

covered

and

that

air is

allowed

to

circulate

freely

behind,

beside

and

above

the

unit.

Excessive

heat

is

the

single greatest

source

of

both

short-term

and

long-term

component

failure.

A)

Remove Handles

-----~

B) Install Spacers

The

amplifier

can

be

placed

in

an

equip-

ment

rack

or

cabinet

Wllicll

has

adequate

ventilationQ

If

your shelves

do

not

have

open

backs,

make

sure

there

are

vent

holes

in

them.

The

situation

)'0U

want

to

avoid is

placing

your

power

amplifier

in

a sealed cubby hole.

That

creates a static air space

where

tempera-

tures

can

rise quickly.

o Allow

at

least 3

inches

of

air space above

the

unit}

and

at

least

linch

on

either

side.

o

Do

NOT

place

the

amplifier

on

carpeting

or

any surface

that

might

tend

to

block its

ventilation

slots

from

air

circulation.

o If possible,

place

the

A-SOOx

in

its

own

shelf space, i

separate

from

other

compo-

l-:-:

5,-_,

nents.

L-

o If a fluid or foreign object i

should

enter

the

unit

l discon-

1.

nect

the

power

plllg

and

l

contact

an

authorized

dealer

or

service center.

Do

not

pull

out

the

plug

by

pulling

on

the

cord; grasp

the

pllig

firmly.

-;

1L--

Handle Removal

l-

t

The A

..

SOOx

is

shipped

with

tIle

h.anciles

installed.

t-

To

remove

the

handles, use a

!'._:

t:

..

>

Phillips screvvdriver to

re~

L::.::..

move

the

three

screws

on

each side of

the

chassis just

1-;-,-

j

behind

the

front

panel.

Remove

the

handles

and

L-

install

the

spacers

provided

as

1--

shown

in

Figure

4.

Reinstall i

L

the

three

screws

on

each

side

I~

of

the

chassis

to

secure

the

spacers

in

place. L

Store

the

handles

in

a

safe place for future use.

L-..--

Figure

4.

Handle Removal

1-;.-

I I I

,.

.

·A-500x··

.•

AC

Power

Considerations

a

component's

power cord gets

too

close to a

hook-up

cable

..

Ensure

that

the

A-SOOx

is

plugged

into

an

o Choose reliable

hook-up

cables (also called

outlet

capable

of

supplying

the

correct

voltage interconnects, patch cords or

RCA

cables).

specified for your

model

and

enough

current

There are lots

of

different grades

of

hook-up

to

allow full-power

operation

of

all

the

cables. You

can

pay

more

than

$50 per foot

components

connected

to

it. for

some

of

them!

Whether

or

not

you

hear

Although

the

A-SOOx

can draw

momentary

an

improvement

in

sound

quality

with

u

au

-

peak's

of

1400

watts

or

more,

with

musical

diophile"

interconnects is

up

to

your

own

programs

the

amplifier will typically require ears. However, really

CHEAP

or

old connec-

an

average

of

330

watts

or

less.

tion

cables

can

sometimes

DIS-connect

them-

selves inside}

causing

hum

or

a loss

of

sound

in

one

or

both

channels. Before

you

send a

component

in

for service, swap hook-up

Connecti·on

Tips

• cables

to

see if

they're

the

cu.lprit.

Before

launching

into

the

actual cable-

connection

frenzy

of

setting up your new

system, consider

the

following· tips. Rear Panel C·onnectio·ns

a·nd

o Make sure all compone.nts are

OFF

before Contro·ls

making

any

connections. It's a

good

idea

to

plug

in

Y6>ur

.\C power cord last

to

avoid

1.

STEREO/MONO

Switch

accidentally

turning

on

the

unit

while

For

normal

stereo

operation

J

this

switch

installing.

should

remain

in

the

ST'EREO position. (This

o Make sure

that

"left

is

hooked

to

left

and

model

is THX certified for use

in

stereo

mode

right is

hooked

to

right"

at

each

connection.

only.) By

switching

it

to

the

mono

position,

The

obvious

way

to

assure

this

is

to

assign

one

you may use

the

A-SOOx

as a 800 watt (at 8

hook-up

cord

plug

color

to

left

and

the

other

ohms)

mono

amplifier. See page

18

for

more

to right. Generally

RED

is

used

to

signify

information

on

input/o~tput

connections

in

RIGHT. White,

grey

or

black

then

represents

mono

operation~

left.

o

Whenever

possi};lle,

keep

power

cords away 2. LEVEL

Controls

from signal cables

(inputs

to

CD player, tape These calibrated

controls

are

used

to

adjust

deck, etc.)

to

prevent

hum.

While

hum

is less

the

input

sensitivity of each

channel.

When

of

a

problem

today

than

it was

in

the

past,

using the

A-SOOx

in

a

THX

system, leave

these

noise can still find its

way

into

your

system if

controls

in

the

fully clockwise

position.

5

".....

__

..

,

Iii

@

(ii}:

©

MO""~"'·O

-eit

..

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O-M'e.

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IGHT

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0.

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LIlP'T

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Figure

5.

A-500x Rear Panel View

L

..

·:,A-500)(···

~:

~

'"

, . -"

....

~

.

Each

channel

will

then

provide a

sensitivity

of

1V

Input

=

100

watts

Output

that

is required

for a

Home

THX

Audio

System.

Individual

channel

adjustments are

then

made

using

the

balance

controls

provided

on

the

THX con-

troller.

For

non-THX systems, the

LEVEL

controls on

the

A-SOOx

can

be

used

to

adjust

and

fine

tune

the

balance

between

the

various channels

in

your

surround

sound

system.

Note:

For

TUX

Audio

Systems,

leave

the

LEVEL

controls

on

the

A

..

SOOx

in

their

fully

cloc-kwise

position

3.

LEFf

and

RIGHT

INPUT

Connecto-rs

These

line

level

input

RCA

jacks

connect

to

the

audio

output

jacks

of

your

preamplifier

or

surround

sound

decode-r. See

page

14 for

the

recommended

nlethod

of

connecting

a sur-

round

sound

system

to

the

A-SOOx.

4.

LEFT

and

RIGHT

SPEAKER

Outputs

These

international

safety approved

bind~

ing

posts are used

to

connect

the

loudspeakers

to

the

amplifier

outputs.

Please check

the

Arnp

..

to-Speaker

Connection

instructions

on

page 17 for

information

on

cable selection

and

connections

to

your loudspeakers.

tl:-n

Note: The

output

of

the

A-SOOx

can

develop

hazardous

voltages. Care

should

be

taken

in

connecting

the

speakers

to

prevent

electric shock

or

damage

to

the

amplifier.

Turn

tl1e

A-SOOx

OFF before

making

any

change

to

speaker

wiring

or

when

connecting

the

unit

to

another

component.

5.

AC

Linecord

Connect

to

a

properly

configured outlet

providing

the

line

voltage

specified

for

your

model.

16

Note: We

recommend

that

you

do

not

use

the

convenienc~

outlets

on

the

back

of

a

preamplifier as

the

AC

power

source for

the

A-SOOx.

Most preamplifier convenience

outlets are

not

able

to

handle

the

turn-on

surge

current

and

power

reqUirements of

the

A-SOOx.

Be

sure to check

the

preamplifier's

recommendations

and

convenience outlet

6.

Operation

Front Panel Features

6.

POWER

Switch

When

the

A-SOOx

is first

turned

on,

the

indicating

LED

illuminates green (6a)

and

the

outptlts will

be

muted

for about four

seconds

to

allow

the

amplifier

to

stabilize" This

delay

circuit helps

prevent

speaker-damaging

thumps

when

powering

up. We suggest

you

turn

on

the

amplifier

AFTER

you

have

turned

on

your

signal

source

equipment

(preampli-

fier, CD player, tuner, etc.).

Also

make sure

that

a

loud

signal

source

is

not playing

when

the

amplifier is first

turned

on, or you'll be

in

for a

big

surprise

when

the

muting

circuit

disengages.

7.

Power

Meters

The

A-SOOx

features

ballistically-weighted

power meters

that

are calibrated

in

decibels.

The

main

dB

scale

has

a

top

value of

+3dB

,

with

OdB

equal

to

the

maximum

rated

con-

tinuous

power

(into

8

ohms)

of

250

watts

per

channeL

The

meter

ballistics

include

a fixed

amount

of

overshoot that's standard for

tIl-is

type

of

metering.

Salon

some

musical

material,

the

meter

will

often

move

past

the

OdB

level

and

o~

to

+3dB

(when

played

VERY

loud).

At

the

same time,

on

some

musical

material

the

amplifier

could

be

reaching

its

maximum

power

even

though

the

meters

aren

l t reaching

full scale.

This

is because

the

meters are

indicating

an

average

of

the

power

output

o-ver

time.

Momentary

musical

peaks

can

drive

the

amplifier

to

its maximum

output

for

brief

periods,

faster

than

tile

meter

can

respond.

~

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l--:_

L_

t

L

r

..

t?

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t

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;',---

e

power

ratings

before

attempting

to

connect

the

A-SOOx

to

a

preamplifier's

convenience

outlet.

Because different musical material reacts

differently

with

the

ballistics

of

the

meterI

the

best way to tell

whether

the

amplifier

is

over-

loading is simply

to

listen.

If

the

sound

becomes distorted

on

musical peaks at

the

same time

the

meter

is

(J

pegging

II

I

you

have

probably exhausted.

the

A-SOOx/s

power

re

..

serves. If this

should

occur, you

should

re"

duce

the

volume

level to

prevent

the

A-SOOx's

overload protection

circuit

from

being acti-

vated.

8.

METER

LIGHT

Switch

This

button

will

turn

the

meter

lights ON

and

OFF.

This allows you

to

improve

the

viewing

of

the

meters} depending

011

the

light

level in your listening room.

9.

METER

RANGE

Switch

When

pushed

in;

analog

meter

sensitivity

will be increased ten-fold

(OdB

=

2S

watts). If

you are

funning

the

A·500x

at

louder

volume

levels,

do

not

activate

this

switch. This switch

will

only

affect

the

scale of

the

meters, it does

not

change the

output

pow.er

in

any

way.

lflCl'WUI

•e

ItOW!A

·A-500x.·'

8 9

A~500x

Magn.,le-d Current Power Ampll1io

~

c:::>

Figure

6.

A

...

500x Front Panel View e

'.'::.·A

..

SOOx·

I

~

:

•••...

..'

I _

••

~

,

SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS 1

i....

The

followil1g pages

contain

drawings of typical connections

that

you

might

make

in

your

installation~

Tllese drawings

demonstrate

how

the

inputs

and

outputs

on

the

rear panel of

the

A-SOOx

are

interconnected

with

other

audio

components. l

Stereo/Mono

Switch

set

to

STEREO

position.

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.•....

A~5QOx.~~··':.

I"nstallation Notes:

Two

A-500x amplifiers operating in bridged

mono

configuration

..

Set

Stereo/Mono

Switch

to

MO"NO

position.

Connect

the

Red LEFT SPEAKER Binding

Post

to

the

positive

(+)

speaker connection.

Connect

the

Red RIGHT SPEAKER Binding

Post

to

the negative (-) speaker connection.

Note: Use a speaker rated at 4 ohms

or

more

when

operat~ng

in

bridged

mono mode. Use

the

LEFT

LEVEL

control

to

adjustthe level

..

(W

~-_....-._

..

_----_.

(-----

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t

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iiliJ

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.....

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••

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19

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Figure

8.

Bridged

Mono

Operation fit

..

~_.'-''''',y

W9l-sAS

punoS puno.uns lauuellO

~

'S J9le94.l

awoH

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e

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en

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m

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··.A-500x:\)

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...

"

01

Installation Notes:

Bi-wiring involves connecting one cable

to

the high frequency input and one cable

to

the

low

frequency

input

of

the speaker

..

Both leads (from the same channel) are

attached

to

the

same

power

amplifier

outputterminal.

THIS CONNECTION REQUIRES

SEPARATE

HIGH

FREQUENCY

AND

LOW

FREQUENCY

INPUTS TO

THE

SPEAKER.

~

:

f)

~.

1

~

~~~.

~\

S I

..J

<c

I I t

1+

~

r!

III

~

.

bHd

i!$

"I

I~l

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iliff

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r<!) • 1

;

4~

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til 0

'I

Hi>.

i

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I

q.-.

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w

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11'0.@0

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_._-----~:::.:::.:::.::.~._)

J

~-Q

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1

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II

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f

A~--l-I

---I

o « J I J

l+

Figure 10. Bi-Wired

Connection

to

Speakers

with

built-in

crossover •

,''',~:"A~500x

"

II'~.

~'"

• I •

••

: •

Installation Notes:

Bi-amplification requires separate

power

amplifiers (or

amplifier

tid

HJ

III

I r

~

!:i

!

<tt!>

~

I

-r--rt'~~-4-1

---11.

-

~

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I I f 1+

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e

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rn

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.

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f)

~J

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1+

J r

0ct>

L·

t·:'

channels)

for

the

high

frequency

~

~:.:

:

L.

and

for

the

low

frequency

inputs

to

the

speakers. Use a

V-cord

be-

tween each preamplifier

output

(L

&

R)

and

the

inputs

to

the

two

amplifier channels.

<41

In

its purest sense,

this

is

not

true

"I

!,II

I I

bi-amplification,.

as

the

power

'1

"1

amplifiers are still reproducing

the

lit

r,

1

full audio spectrum. The speaker's 1

Ubi

buitt·in crossover splits the signal

~

into the

low

and

hi.gh

frequencies. r<;) •

THIS CONNECTION

REQUIRES

SEPARATE

HIGH

FREQUENCY

'I

o

AND

LOW

FREQUENCY INPUTS

~

I

TO

THE

SPEAKER.

@

t~

'!'

•

'fOll@~.

<::>

~,t;\.

~

\:I

II

1\J'

r.'\

\!I

e Figure 11.

Bi-Amplified

Connection

to

Speakers

with.

built-in

crossover

::;·L~&~50Q~/.:::·:·

r_

-~

A qUick

note

on

input/output

levels

Input and

output

levels

for

audio equipment

are

usually divided

into

three categories.

Phono Level: This is a very low level signal

that

comes

from

the

cartridge

of

your

turntable.

Because

of

its extremely low voltage,

it

has

a special

input

connection provided

on

most

preamplifiers

and

receivers. It provides extra gain

to

increase

the

signal,

as

well

as

reverse

RIAA

equalization

to

restore the flat

frequency response

that

was altered

by

the

equaliza-

tion used in making

phonogr~ph

records.

Only

a

turntable

should

be

connected

to

the

PHONO

input

jacks.

Line

Level.: This

is

the

signal level

that

COines

out

of

alnlost all audio

components

produced today, except

for

power amplifiers. It ranges from several hundred

111illivolts

to

several volts (AC). Your preamplifier

produces a line level signal

that

can

be connected to

the

input

of

the

A-SOOx.

Speaker

Level:

This is

the

signal level

that

comes

out

of the speaker output terminals

on

a

power

a.mplifier

or

receiver. It

can

range from several volts

to

several

tens

of volts (AC). Some

high

powered amplifiers can

reach voltage levels

approaching

that

present

on

a

household

AC

outlet! These

connections

should

only

be

made

to

a

speaker.,

"/

Amp

..

to-Preamp

Connections

The

A-SOOx

is

designed

to

be

compatible

with

virtually

any

quality

preamplifier,

pream-

plifier/tuner,

surround

sound

processor

or

THX controller. Use

standard

RCA-type

audio

cables

to

connect

the

RIGHT

and

LEFT

OUT-

PUTS

of

the

preamplifier

to

the

RIGHT

and

LEFT

INPUTS

on

the

rear

panel

of

the

A-SOOx.

It

might

help

to

refer

to

the

owner's

manual

for your

other

components

at

this

point.

System

hook-up

variations

are

shown

in

the

diagrams

on

pages 12

through

16.

Amp-to-Speaker

Connections

The

A-SOOx

is

designed

for use

with

any

type

of

loudspeaker, including

Home

THX-

certifie.d loudspeakers.

Wiring

Use

thick

wire

for speaker

connections.

V.our

Carver dealer can recommelld a brand

of

speaker cable. You

may

choose

11igh

quality,

oxygen-free

copper

(OFe) cable.

Or

common

uzip-cord"

from

a

hardware

store

can

be

employed

if

care

is

taken to

use

the

proper

gauge.

This

will

depend

on

the

distance

from

the

A-SOOx

and your speakers.

Use

the

follow-

ing chart

as

a

.guide:

Wi.re

Length

Gauge

of

Zip

Cord

Up

to

2S ft. 16 gauge

2S

to

40

ft~

14 gauge

40

to

60 ft. 12 gauge

60

to

100 ft. 10 gauge

The

greater

the

distance

between

your

A-SOOx

and

speakers,

the

larger

the

diameter

the

wire

should

be

(wire thickness specifica-

tions

or

Ugauges"

get

larger

as

the

wire gets

thinner;

thus

IO-gauge wire

is

thicker

than

16-gauge wire).

Hook-up

The

A-SOOx

speaker

terminals

are designed

to

accept bare wire or

standard

banana

plugs.

For

bare

wire

connections:

1) Strip

1/2

11

of

insulation

off

each

wire

and

make

sure

to

carefully twist all

the

fine

strands together. If even one

is

loose

and

can

touch

the

opposite

terminal,

a

short

circuit may result.

2)

Unscrew

the

binding

post

speaker termi-

nals

and

insert

the

wire (see Figure 12).

Tig-hten

the

connection

down

on

the

wire

(finger

tight

is fine;

DO

NOT use a

wrench!)o

3)

Although

the

speaker terminals are de-

signed

to

accept

up

to

10

gauge wire,

larger-gauge liaudiophile" speaker cables

may

be too thick

to

be

inserted

directly

into

the

speaker

terminals.

They

may

require

special

connections

or

adapters.

Consult

your Carver dealer for advice. •

·

>~:,'·~.A~50(jx

\;

[-

Figure 12. Bare Wire Connection

For

banana

plug

connections:

Banana plugs

can

be

attached

to

the

end

of

tIle speaker cable

and

plugged

directly

into

the

A-SOOx's

binding post sockets (see Figure

13). You

can

also

purchase

special speaker

cable

with

banana

connectors permanently

attached

or

molded

into

the

wire, This makes

connecting

and

disconnecting speakers

simple

and

quick.

M·ake sure

the

outer

terminal

is

completely screwed

down

(clockwise)

on

the

binding

post

when

using

banana

plugs

to

provide

maximum

electrical

contact.

h Note: The

binding

posts are deliberately

spaced 1" apart, so

that

double~banana

plugs

cannot

be used (3/4

11

spacing). This

is

to

comply

with

international

safety standards.

Stereo Operation

For stereo

operation

be sure

the

STEREO/

}:i'

MONO Switch

on

the

rear

panel

is

in

the

k

STEREO

position

..

Polarity

Loudspeakers

must

be

connected with

consistent

polarity for correct

phasing

be-

f-

r;~'

tween them. Incorrect phasing will do

no

L

physical

harm,

but

bass response will be

diminished.

The

key

is

to

make sure

that

both

f-,

speakers

connected

to

the

speaker terminals [

are hooked

up

the

same way.

1)

Connect

u_"

at

the

A-SOOx

speaker

outputs

t,~:

to

11_"

on

the

back

of

the

speaker,

and

"+"

at

the

A-SOOx

speaker

outputs

to

II

+"

on

t~

the

back

of

the

speaker.

t,

2)

Connect

the

A-SOOx

left speaker outputs

~.:.:-

to

the

left speaker inputs}

and

the

right ~L

A-SOOx

speaker outputs to

the

right l

c.

speaker

inputs.

If you're using special speaker

intercon

..

nects,

u+"

and

"_" will be identified. If

you're

using

plain

appliance-type zip cord,

the

two

l

~

"

conductors will

be

,differentiated

in

one

of

L

j'

1::.-.

several

ways.

They

may

be

different colors

(silver vs. gold),

One

may have

fine

grooves

on

its outside.

Or

one may have a piece of

1\

..

l

yarn

included

in

one

of

the

conductors

.(vis-

ible

after

you strip

off

the

insulation)t It

~:\::.

doesn't

matter

which

one

you decide

to

call t

"+/1

or

"_",

just

do

the

same

for

both

speakers.

1

I".

t·:'

L.

Mono Operation L

The

A-SOOx

will

provide

800 watts

of

power

into

8

ohms

when

used

in

mono

(bridged)

~

mode. See page 13 for

an

illustration

of

the

connections

to

be

made

in

mono

mode

of

operation.

,

Polarity

r

For

bridged-mono

operation,

you

will use

r'

I:

L

only

the

two

red

binding

posts.

The

LEFT

red

post is

the

u+IJ

side (hot, non-inverting)

and

L

~

the

RIGHT

red

post is

the

If_,I

side

(low, L

inverting).

" t'

Figure 13. Banana Plug Connection

j~

L

___

l

.

,A~50()(

:.':~:

To

operate

the

A-500x as a mon"o amplifier:

1. Set

the

STEREO/MONO

switch

on

the

rear

panel

to

the

MONO

position.

2. Connect

one

output

from

the

preamplifier

to

the

LEFT

input

jack

of

the

A-SOOx.

DO

NOT connect

anything

to

the

A-SOOx's

RIGHT input jack

during

mono

operation!

The

left

level control

will

now control tIre

totalgain

of

the amplifier.

3.

The

speaker leads for ONE CHANNEL

ONLY

must

be

connected

to

the

RED

TERMINALS

of

the

A-500x. The black

terminals

must

remain unconnected.

Attach

the

positive (+)

speaker

connection

to the

RED

LEFT

SPEAKER

binding

post.

Connect

the

negative (

..

) wire

to

the

RED

RIGHT

SPEAKF;R

binding

post.

Use a speaker

with

a

Y"tlng

of

4

ohms

or

more

for

mono

operation.

4. If

yOll

are

using

two

power

amplifiers

in

mono

to

create stereo,

repeat

these steps

for hooking

up

the

other channel.

f6J

Note:

In

bridged

mono

operation}

the

output

connections are actually a

balanced

output

configuration. This

means

that

neither

output

terminal

may

be

grounded

(both

are 'hot').

After

you've

hooked

u-p

the

speakers,

double-check your connections:

For stereo

operation,

be

sure

that

both

speak--

ers are

connected

in

the

same

way; positive

(+) speaker

terminal

to

positive (+) amplifier

terminal,

and

negative speaker

terminal

(-) to

negative

(-)

amplifier

terminal~

For

mono

operation

l

be

sure

that

the

positive

(+) speaker terminal

is

connected

to

the

LEFT

RED

amplifier

terminal,

and

the

negative (-)

speaker

terminal

to

the

RIGHT

R-ED

amplifier

terminal.

Amplifier Protection

F.using

All

fusing is

internal.

There

is

an

internal

line fuse

to

protect

the

amplifier

in

case

of

a

maj.or internal failure (not likely).

In

addi

..

tion,

each

channel

-has four

internal

fuses

to

protect the

individual

output

stages.

Warning:

These fuses are

not

user replace

..

able. If a fuse should blow, take

the

A-SOOx

to

a Carver

Authorized

Service

Center

for fuse

replacement and testing to determine the

reason

for

the

failure.

Current

Limiting

This

protection

mechanism safeguards

the

amplifier

against

very

low

speaker impedances

or

short circuits at

the

speaker

output

termi-

nals. If

the

amplifier is

driven

hard

into

a

low

impedance

speaker}

or

the

speaker wires

should

accidentally

short together, the

mut-

ing relays will switch off

and

the

output

of

the

amplifier will

be

disconnected.

After several

seconds

the

relays

will

turn

back

on

and

normal

operation will resume.

If the amplifier senses

that

the

high

current

situation

still exists,

the

relays will

switch

off

again.

If

this cycle

p-ersists,

check the

output

connections

and

wiring

to

make

sure

there

are

no shorts.

If

not,

it

may

become necessary

to

either reduce

the

volume

or

change

the

total

impedance of

the

speakers

connected

to

the

amplifier.

DC

Offset

In

the

unlikely

event

that

an

amplifier

channel should fail, a

DC

fault protection

circuit

prevents

a potentially destructive

amount

of

DC

from

damaging

the

speakers

by

immediately

turning

off

the

speaker relays.

Speaker Protection

If you are using speakers

that

do

not

have a

power rating high

enough

to

match

the

maximum

power

produced

by

the

A

..

500x/ we

recommend

that

you

install

in

...

line speaker

fuses

between

the

amplifier

and

your

speakers.

Use

the

fuse

value

recommended

by

the

speaker

manufacturer.

-'

,~(",~::·,~::~J~:;A.

:,:'.

~:5";

'::>"'0;',,

...

~

·'

...

·l

...

·::,·;

...

::.,

_:O~·:·:

.,:

:"

I''':''M

..

··

..

, .

X:·

..

:

..

,"

"<.,,'(~,

;:::.

;',

..

:~

_~:,

'.

':,

::

<v::'

~.'

'.'

If

you

can't

find

this

information,

the

following

formula

provides

a

good

rule-of-

thumb

to

determine

the

speaker fuse value

to

lise.

r::

~P/4R

where I =current

rating

of

fuse

in

amperes

P=maximum recommended

peak

power

handling

capability of

the

loudspeaker

in

watts

R = speaker

impedance

in

ohms

$

c..

:E

$

w

:J

..J

~

W

(f)

::>

u.

Use

a fast-acting

type

fuse, NOT a sio-blo type.

Install

the

in-line

fuseholder between

the

amplifierl s (+) speaker

terminal

and

the

speaker's

(+)

terminal.

See

Figure

14

for

a

graphical representation

of

the

above

formula.

k

a

h~

MAXIMUM

POWER

TO

SPEAKER

(WATT$)

[

Figure 14. Fuse Protection

for

Speakers

i.

1:,;

f,;:'

CD

i.

L~

Carver A-500X User manual

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