CARVIN AG300 User manual

The AG200 and AG300 Acoustic Guitar Amplifiers offer state-of-the art
performance for the serious acoustic artist.
The instrument preamps include a Hi-Z impedance switch for minimal pickup
loading to let the full frequency range of any type of pickup ring true with full
dynamics. The active tone controls are designed for natural sounding, yet
powerful tone shaping. The deep cutting ability of the MID Parametric EQ
extends control over acoustic feedback by using the sweepable FREQ filter to
reduce the feedback frequency. Add the lush ambient effects to the amazing
definition and tone sculpting for sound that is naturally pleasing to the ear.
Rich, natural tones are delivered from two-way or three-way speaker sys-
tems, featuring a titanium tweeter for exceptional full range performance -
from shimmering, crystal-clear highs to full bottom end. The high headroom
200w internal amp (250w with extension) maintains the purity that only high
power can provide. Whether you are using nylon, steel, gut, silver or silk-
wound strings that are picked, plucked, strummed or bowed, the true fidelity
of your instrument is faithfully reproduced.
In addition to its amazing acoustic guitar amplification qualities, the AG200
and AG300 also function as a portable PA system thanks to a three-channel
architecture, phantom-powered mic inputs, portable media player input,
USB charging port and high power. Sing and play guitar with backing tracks
through one convenient amplifier with impressive output and big sound.
The light weight, premium features and rugged construction will make the
AG200 or AG300 an indispensable part of your acoustic performance.
- Lightweight, compact acoustic amplifier with pure, natural tone and excel-
lent projection
- 200w output (250w at 4 ohms) cool running Class D operation
- Amp limiter built-in to help prevent clipping distortion
- AG200: 2-way dual 6.5” speakers and HF titanium tweeter
- AG300: 3-way 12” woofer with 6.5” mid and HF titanium tweeter
- 3-Channel design
- 3 balanced XLR inputs
- 2 Instrument Piezo/Magnetic inputs
- 1/8” jack Stereo input
- Hi-Z impedance switch allows full dynamics and extended frequency range
- Gain switch accomodates different instruments
- 48V Phantom Power switch
- Parametric EQs on channels 1 & 2
- Deep cut allows control over feedback
- DUAL onboard DSP with lush Echo, Reverb & Chorus
- Optional FS22 footswitch bypass for DSP effects
- Direct Out XLR with level, DC isolated and ground lifted
- Tuner/Headphone output jack
- External Speaker jack for 8 ohms
- Effects Loop for external processors
- Pole mount for commercially available speaker stands
- Built-in tilt back handle (AG200) for better projection as a monitor
- Exclusive “lock-in” AC cord prevents accidental disconnect
GETTING STARTED
1. With POWER off, connect an instrument to CH1 or CH2 INPUT jack.
2. Set the channel VOLUME and MASTER volume to “0”.
3. Set the channel tone controls to their center “0” position. This is the “FLAT”
setting for the amp.
4. Now, turn the amp ON. Turn up the channel VOLUME to about “5”. Gradually
increase the MASTER control to the desired level. If no sound is heard, turn
down the MASTER and check the POWER(blue) LED.
5. Adjust the tone controls to your liking. Keep in mind that turning up a tone
control isn’t always the answer. Sometimes turning down one of the MID
controls will get you the sound you want.
6. Need more volume? First, try the channel GAIN switch to compensate for
instruments with lower outputs.
There is a limit to the amount of volume a speaker can produce, and driving a
speaker beyond its limit can damage it. Even though these are powerful ampli-
fiers, adding another speaker is the only way for substantially more output.
Have fun exploring the features and sounds of your AG amp. Take the time
with your new amp to realize its full potential.
RECEIVING INSPECTION - READ BEFORE GETTING STARTED
INSPECT YOUR UNIT FOR DAMAGE which may have occurred during shipping. If damage
is found, please notify the shipping company and CARVIN immediately.
SAVE THE CARTON & ALL PACKING MATERIALS. In the event you have to re-ship your
unit, always use the original carton and packing material. This will provide the best possible
protection during shipment. CARVIN and the shipping company are not liable for any damage
caused by improper packing.
SAVE YOUR INVOICE. It will be required for warranty service if needed in the future.
SHIPMENT SHORTAGE. If you find items missing, they may have been shipped separately.
Please allow several days for the rest of your order to arrive before inquiring.
RECORD THE SERIAL NUMBER on the enclosed warranty card for your records. Keep your
portion of the card and return the portion with your name and comments to us.
USA and Canada customers register online at: www.carvin.com/registration
SPECIFICATIONS
Ouput Power (AG200/AG300): 200W @ 8 Ohms, THD <1%, 250W @ 4 Ohms, THD <1%
Frequency Response (Amp): 20Hz-20kHz
Frequency Response (Cabinet): AG200: 70Hz-18kHz, AG300: 55Hz-18kHz
Speaker Configuration: AG200: 2-way; Dual 6.5” LF / 1” NEO HF
AG300: 3-way; 12” LF / 6.5” MID / 1” NEO HF
Input Impedance: 1/4”: >100K or >500K ohms (switchable)
XLR: 2.2K ohms
Gain switch: +12dB (CH. 1 and 2)
Phantom Power: +48V (CH. 1 and 2)
Tone Controls: HI 8.5kHz, +/-12dB
LOW 70Hz, +/-12dB
Mid/Feedback Control: parametric MID: 100Hz-2kHz, +/-15dB (CH. 1 and 2)
Direct Out: variable OFF to +4dBu, DC isolated, 100ohm gnd lift
Effect Loop: -10dBV, buffered
Protection: speaker, thermal, over current, under voltage
Power Amp topology: Class D
Power Supply topology: High frequency switch mode
AC Power Requirements: 90 to 250VAC 50/60 Hz, 100VA
Dimensions AG200: 18.5”H x12.75”W x11.5”D (470 x 324 x 280mm)
AG300:18.5”H x17”W x12”D (470 x 432 x 305mm)
Weight : AG200: 26.1 lbs. (11.85 kgs)
AG300: 30.5 lbs. (13.85 kgs)
Warranty: One year parts and labor
Optional Accessories: SS20, SS15 pole stands
FS22 footswitch
CVMB10 (AG200), CVMB12 (AG300) covers
AG200 & AG300 Acoustic Guitar Amplifiers
16262 WEST BERNARDO DR. SAN DIEGO, CA 92127
800-854-2235 CARVINAUDIO.COM
USER MANUAL
AG200 AG300

AG200/AG300 CONTROLS
1. 1/4” INPUT JACK
The 1/4” input jacks are voiced for guitar and are designed to work equally
well with active or passive instruments with piezo or magnetic pickups.
2. HI-Z (IMPEDANCE) SWITCH
The Hi-Z switch will raise the input impedance of the 1/4” INPUT to
above 500K Ohms. Pressing this switch IN allows the full tonal range
and dynamics of passive pickups to be heard, and can also benefit active
pickup systems. If the sound is to bright for your liking or if there is
excess noise, set the Hi-Z switch to the OUT position.
3. XLR INPUTS
The XLR input can be used to mic vocals or instruments or as an input
from direct box or active intruments.
4. GAIN SWITCH
The GAIN switch will increase the sensitivity of the 1/4” and XLR inputs
by +12dB. Set the GAIN switch IN to compensate for instruments or
microphones with low outputs. For low volume situations or to get the
best dynamics from high output instruments, set the GAIN switch to the
OUT position.
5. +48V (PHANTOM POWER) SWITCH
Reduce the VOLUME or MASTER before switching this switch or a “pop”
will result. The PHANTOM POWER switch provides power to condenser
microphones, active direct boxes or active instruments connected to the
XLR input. The red LED will indicate the PHANTOM POWER is ON. Leave
this switch OUT if phantom power is not needed.
6. STEREO INPUT
The STEREO INPUT on Channel 3 is an 1/8” jack for input from your MP3
music source. The USB CHARGE port in the MASTER section provides
power to keep your device charged.
7. CHANNEL VOLUME
Use the VOLUME to control the volume of each instrument or micro-
phone. The GAIN switches on CH1 and CH2 will also affect the level.
Reduce the VOLUME if your sound becomes distorted.
8. HI AND LOW TONE CONTROLS
The HI and LOW controls are custom shaped tone controls designed
to deliver full sounding lows and sparkling highs for a variety of instru-
ments. When a control is turned to the right it boosts the signal and when
turned to the left cuts the signal. The affected frequencies for the LOW
start at 140Hz and go down to 40Hz. Be careful not to distort the output
or overpower your speakers. The affected frequency for the HI control
begins at 4kHz and higher.
9. PARAMETRIC MID SWEEP TONE CONTROLS (MID & FREQ) /
CONTROLLING FEEDBACK
The FREQ control does not function if the MID control is set in the center
“0” position. To demonstrate, turn the MID to the right for full boost. Now
play your instrument and turn the FREQ control from left to right and
notice how the added mids change frequency. Now turn the MID to the
full left and turn the FREQ control again and notice the mids disappear
at different frequencies. The MID sweep is a powerful tone shaping tool.
The deep cut available from the MID allows control over acoustic feed-
back. With the MID control turned to the left, turn the FREQ control until
the feedback stops. You can then re-adjust the MID level to just before
feedback occurs. For a full size acoustic guitar, the frequency is usually
around 200-300 Hz.
10. EFFECTS 1 OR 2 CONTROL (CHANNEL)
The EFFECTS control adjusts the effects level going to the one of the
internal DSP processors. Because there are dual effects, each channel
has its own two-way level control allowing you to select EFF 1 or EFF 2 for
that channel. Turning counter-clockwise to the left will send the channel
to the EFF 1 processor and turning clockwise to the right will send the
channel to the EFF 2 processor. Adjust the effects type and overall level
with master EFF 1 and EFF 2 controls.
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11. MASTER VOLUME
Use the MASTER to control the overall volume of the amplifier. Reduce
the MASTER if your sound becomes distorted.
The Master does not affect the DIRECT OUT or TUNER/PHONES outputs.
12. MASTER EFF 1 & EFF 2 CONTROLS
The AG amplifiers feature dual DSP effects processors, featuring lush
effects of ECHO, REVERB and CHORUS.
Adjust the overall level of each effect with the lower EFF1 and EFF 2
controls.
The upper EFF 1 and EFF 2 controls select the effect type and adjust
time, decay, regeneration and speed settings depending on the effect type.
ECHO: When the top EFF 1 or EFF 2 control is in the lower 1/3 of rotation,
it selects the ECHO effect. The lowest setting is a short “Slapback” where
you get a short, single repeat echo. Turning the control to the right will
increase the length of delay and number of repeats.
REVERB: When the control is the middle 1/3 of rotation, it selects the
REVERB effect. Turning the control to the right increases the reverb
decay time.
CHORUS (w/Reverb): When the control is in the last 1/3 of rotation, it
selects the CHORUS effect, with optional Reverb. The first setting will be
a slow chorus swell without Reverb. Turning the control to the right will
increase the Chorus speed. REVERB is added at the half-way mark and
the Chorus speed settings are repeated from slow to fast.
13. FOOTSWITCH FS22 JACK / EFFECTS ON LEDS
You can remotely turn the two effects off and on by plugging in the
optional FS22 footswitch. Each EFFECT ON green LED will turn off when
the effect is shut off by the footswitch.
14. EFFECT LOOP SEND & RETURN JACKS
The SEND jack is the output of the preamp and is designed to deliver the
proper level to the input of an external effects processor. The SEND signal
source is after the TONE CONTROLS and DSP EFFECTS. The RETURN
jack is designed to receive signals from the output of an external effects
processor. When a signal is plugged into the RETURN, it breaks the con-
nection between the preamp and the internal power amp. The RETURN
signal goes through the MASTER control to the power amp.
15. DIRECT OUT LEVEL (DIRECT OUT, TUNER/PHONES)
The DIRECT OUT LEVEL controls the output level of the XLR DIRECT
OUT and the 1/4” PHONES/TUNER jack. This contains the mixed signal
from the channels affected by the tone controls, internal DSP and the
effects loop. The DIRECT OUT level is not affected by the MASTER level.
16. DIRECT OUTPUT XLR JACK
The DIRECT OUT XLR jack provides a balanced output for going direct
to the main PA or recording input. The output level is adjusted from the
front panel DIRECT OUT LEVEL control. The DIRECT OUT signal is not
affected by the MASTER level. However, the signal is affected by the
channel VOLUME and TONE controls, internal EFF1/EFF2, and the EFFECT
LOOP. The XLR is protected against Phantom power (DC voltage) on
cables coming from phantom powered mixer inputs. Ground pin 1 of
the XLR is lifted to 100 ohms above the chassis ground to prevent hum
from grounding issues.
17. PHONES/TUNER JACK
The PHONES/TUNER jack is a stereo 1/4” jack designed for connecting a
tuner or headphones. The volume is adjusted by the DIRECT OUT LEVEL
control. To listen to headphones without hearing the other speakers, turn
down the MASTER and adjust the headphone volume with the DIRECT
OUT LEVEL control.
18. EXTERNAL SPEAKER OUTPUT
The AG200 and AG300 have one 1/4” extension speaker output connec-
tor, which is connected in parallel with the internal 8 ohm speakers. You
may connect another speaker with an impedance of 8 ohms or higher. If
you go below the minimum speaker load, the amp may shut off. To reset
the amp, turn off the POWER switch and connect the recommended load.
For greater coverage, extention cabinets are available.
19. USB CHARGE OUTLET
The USB CHARGE port in the MASTER section provides USB +5v
power to keep your device charged. One device can be powered at a
time.
20. POWER SWITCH
The POWER switch turns the amp ON or OFF. The BLUE POWER
LED will light approximately 2-4 seconds after the the POWER switch is
turned on.
21. AC POWER JACK & FUSE
The AC POWER JACK will accept 90VAC to 250VAC, 50Hz or 60Hz.
A detachable locking power cord is supplied (for European 230V use
a CEE-7 plug cord set). Plug the cord into a grounded 3 prong power
source. No attempt should ever be made to use the amp without the
ground connected.
The FUSE is located internally near the AC input. To check or replace,
first remove the power cord and then the enclosure lid. The fuse type is
a 250V Slow Blow rated at 5A.
A locking AC cord (Carvin part# 120V18L7) is supplied with the amp.
However, a standard AC cord can be used.
To detach the cord from the amp, press the release lever on the underside
of the cord near the amp.
Helpful Hints
NO SOUND:
The channel VOLUME or MASTER volume are set to “0”.
The Effect Loop RETURN jack is used without a signal going to the RETURN jack.
POOR HIGH FREQUENCIES:
The HI tone control is set too low.
Set the Hi-Z impedance switch IN for CH.1 or CH.2.
AMP SEEMS VERY SENSITIVE TO INPUT SIGNALS:
The channel VOLUME or MASTER volume is turned too high.
Turn OFF the GAIN switch for CH.1 or CH.2.
GUITAR OR MICROPHONE FEEDBACK:
Use the MID and FREQ controls to reduce the feedback frequency.
Keep the face of the instrument or the mic pointed away from the speaker.
Reduce the channel VOLUME or MASTER volume, or set the GAIN switch OUT.
INTERMITTENT SOUNDS WHEN SMARTPHONE IS CONNECTED AS A MUSIC
PLAYER:
Set the phone or device to “Airplane“ mode to prevent noise from wireless data
transfer. This is will also prevent hearing call rings or text notifications through
the amp input during performances.
DEVICE DOES NOT CHARGE WHEN CONNECTED TO USB CHARGE PORT:
The phone or device battery is too low and is pulling too much power from the
charge port.
DIR XLR HUM:
Check for noise from external effects or bad cabling.
POOR BASS FROM MULTIPLE ENCLOSURES:
Make sure the external speaker is in phase with the internal speaker. Check
the wiring of each cabinet for the correct phase, reverse ( +/- ) on the external
cabinet if needed.
FOR MAXIMUM OUTPUT:
To get more output, use an extension speaker. Every time you double your
speakers, your acoustic output goes up by a factor of four.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS (EUROPEAN)
The conductors in the AC power cord are colored in accordance with the following code.
GREEN & YELLOW—Earth BLUE—Neutral BROWN—Live
U.K. MAIN PLUG WARNING: A molded main plug that has been cut off from the cord is
unsafe. NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU INSERT A DAMAGED OR
CUT MAIN PLUG INTO A POWER SOCKET.
IMPORTANT! FOR YOUR PROTECTION, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:
WATER AND MOISTURE: Appliance should not be used near water (near a bathtub, washbowl,
kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, etc). Care should be taken
so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.
POWER SOURCES: The product should be connected to a power supply only of the type
described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance.
GROUNDING OR POLARIZATION: Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or
polarization is not defeated.
POWER CORD PROTECTION: Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely
to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention
to cords at plugs.
SERVICING: The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the
operating instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
FUSING: If your unit is equipped with a fuse receptacle, replace only with the same type fuse.
Refer to replacement text on the unit for correct fuse type.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE
PERSONNEL! THIS UNIT CONTAINS HIGH
VOLTAGE INSIDE!
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
This symbol is intended to
alert the user to the pres-
ence of uninsulated “dan-
gerous voltage” within the
product’s enclosure that
may be of sufficient magnitude to con-
stitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
This symbol is
intended to alert the
user to the presence
of important operating
and maintenance (ser-
vicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOTOPEN
76-01031F 062717
LIMITED WARRANTY
Your Carvin product is guaranteed against failure for 1 YEAR unless otherwise stated.
Carvin Corp. will service and supply all parts at no charge to the customer providing the
unit is under warranty. Shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer. CARVIN
DOES NOT PAY FOR PARTS OR SERVICING OTHER THAN OUR OWN. A COPY OF
THE ORIGINAL INVOICE IS REQUIRED TO VERIFY YOUR WARRANTY. Carvin Corp.
assumes no responsibility for horn drivers or speakers damaged by this unit. This war-
ranty does not cover, and no liability is assumed, for damage due to: natural disasters,
accidents, abuse, loss of parts, lack of reasonable care, incorrect use, or failure to follow
instructions. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied. No
representative or person is authorized to represent or assume for Carvin any liability in
connection with the sale or servicing of Carvin Audio products.
CARVIN CORP. SHALL
NOT BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
MAINTAINING YOUR EQUIPMENT
The panel of your unit can be wiped with a dry or slightly damp cloth in order to remove dust and
bring back the new look. The vinyl covering can be wiped damp cloth. Avoid spilling liquids or allowing
any other foreign matter inside the unit. As with all pro gear, avoid prolonged use in caustic environ-
ments (salt air). When used in such an environment, be sure the equipment is adequately protected.
SERVICE:
In the USA: email: [email protected], or visit our website: www.carvinaudio.com and under
“SUPPORT” click on “REPAIR INFORMATION”
Outside the USA: contact your dealer, or go to http://www.carvinaudio.com click on “DEALERS”
for your nearest service center.
Include a written description of the problem with serial number and date of purchase.
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOTOPEN
AG200 / AG300 EXAMPLE SETUP:
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN