Classe Audio CT-M300 - V1.2 User manual

Owner’s Manual
CT-M300
Power Amplifier

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Classé marks the “CE” symbol indicating compliance of this device with the EMC (Electromagnetic
Compatibility) and LVD (Low Voltage Directive) standards of the European Community.
Classé complies with the European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/96/EC concerning Waste Electrical
and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). is product must be appropriately recycled or processed in accordance with
these directives. Consult your local waste disposal authority for guidance.
Classé products are designed and manufactured to comply with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)
as stated in the European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/95/EC.
NOTICE
All of us at Classé take extreme care to ensure that your purchase will remain a prized investment. We are proud to inform you
that all Classé components have been officially approved for the European Community (CE) mark.
is means that your Classé product was subjected to the most rigorous manufacturing and safety tests in the world. e CE
mark certifies that your purchase meets or exceeds all European Community requirements for manufacturing consistency and
consumer safety.
is equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) is device may not cause harmful interference, and (2)
is device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. ese limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. is equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment on and off, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna;
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver;
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected;
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
is product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by U.S. patents ad other intellectual property
rights. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision, and is intended for home and other
limited viewing uses otherwise authorized by Macrovision. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.
e information contained in the manual is subject to change without notice. e most current version of this manual will be
posted on our web site at http://www.classeaudio.com.

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Important Safety Instructions
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus that produce
heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. e
wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet,
consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and
the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with
the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid in-
jury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged
in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into
the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been
dropped.
15. Do not expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing and ensure that no objects filled with liquids, such as
vases, are placed on the apparatus.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION:TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
e lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user
to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage “ within the product’s enclosure that may be of suf-
ficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
e exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of im-
portant operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product.

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Contents
Welcome to the Classé family........................................................................... 5
a word about installation............................................................................5
Unpacking and Placement................................................................................6
unpacking your amplifier ...........................................................................6
placement .................................................................................................. 6
ventilation .................................................................................................. 6
custom installations .................................................................................... 6
serial number ............................................................................................. 6
operating voltage........................................................................................ 7
warm up/break-in period............................................................................ 8
please read this manual.............................................................................. 8
Special Design Features ....................................................................................9
highly refined circuit design….................................................................... 9
extensive listening tests............................................................................... 9
extraordinary longevity............................................................................... 9
robust protection ...................................................................................... 10
Front Panel...................................................................................................... 11
Rear Panel....................................................................................................... 13
Installation ...................................................................................................... 17
CAN-Bus...................................................................................................... 20
features..................................................................................................... 20
hardware setup......................................................................................... 20
using CAN-Bus ......................................................................................... 22
CAN-Bus shared features ............................................................................. 23
configuration ............................................................................................ 23
operate ..................................................................................................... 23
AC status .................................................................................................. 23
status ........................................................................................................ 23
name ........................................................................................................ 23
global brightness ...................................................................................... 23
global standby .......................................................................................... 23
CAN-Bus model specific features................................................................. 24
PlayLink ................................................................................................... 24
amp info................................................................................................... 25
event log .................................................................................................. 25
Care and Maintenance.................................................................................... 26
Troubleshooting .............................................................................................. 27
Specifications.................................................................................................. 29
Dimensions..................................................................................................... 30

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Welcome to the Classé family
Congratulations on your purchase of a Classé product. It is the result of many
years of continuous refinement, and we are sure that you will enjoy it for many
years to come.
We value our relationship with our customers. Please allow us to stay in touch
with you by returning your warranty card now, before you pack up the shipping
carton of your new product and forget all about it. Doing so will enable us to
let you know about any possible future upgrades or updates that might become
available for your Classé component.
You can register online at www.classeaudio.com or complete and mail the
registration card located in the separate warranty booklet.
Please take a few moments now to register your new
Classé processor and record your serial number here for
future reference.
Serial #: _________________________________________
a word about installation Every effort has been made to make the Classé CT-M300 simple and
straightforward to install and use.
It has been designed specifically for rack mount installations, although it may
just as easily be placed on a shelf, in a traditional cabinet or on the floor near
the speaker(s). e size and shape of your room, its acoustics, and the associated
equipment you have chosen to use with your amplifier all influence the ultimate
performance of your system.
For this reason, we strongly encourage you to have your
system installed and calibrated by your dealer, whose
experience, training, and specialized equipment can
make a profound difference in the final performance of
the system.

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Unpacking and Placement
unpacking your amplifier Carefully unpack your power amplifier according to the supplied instructions,
and remove all accessories from the carton. Please take care when lifting the
amplifier, as it is quite heavy.
Important! Keep all packing materials for future transport of your
Classé product. Shipping your new component in anything
other than its purpose-designed packing material may
result in damage that is not covered by the warranty.
placement Most installations will likely utilize an equipment rack, although a shelf, a
traditional cabinet or the floor near the speaker(s) are acceptable alternatives. In
any case, take care to position it well away from source components and preamp/
processors, which may be sensitive to the amplifier’s electromagnetic fields.
Note that adequate clearance for the AC cord and connecting cables
must be left behind the amplifier. We suggest leaving six inches (15 cm)
of free space behind your power amplifier to allow all cables sufficient
room to bend without crimping or undue strain.
ventilation Your Classé power amplifier generates a certain amount of heat in the course
of normal operation. e vents on both the bottom and the top of the
amplifier must be kept free from any obstruction which would reduce the flow
of air through the unit. Avoid placement on soft surfaces that would restrict
airflow (such as plush carpeting).
custom installations Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations and
custom cabinetry (see the section Dimensions). A purpose-designed rack
mount kit is included with this product. Contact your Classé dealer for more
information.
serial number e serial number for your power amplifier is found on the rear of the unit.
Please note and record this number on the page entitled Important Safety
Instructions for your future reference.

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operating voltage e amplifier is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V, 220V, 230V, or
240V AC mains operation, as appropriate for the country in which it is to be
sold (230V only in European Union countries, in compliance with CE regulations).
e voltage setting may not be changed by the user or dealer.
Make sure that the label on the rear panel of your power amplifier indicates
the correct AC operating voltage for your location. Attempting to operate your
power amplifier at an incorrect voltage may damage the unit.
Warning: The voltage setting of your power amplifier may not be
changed by the user. There are no user-serviceable parts
within the unit. Please refer any problems to an authorized
Classé service center.
If the AC mains voltage indicated on your power amplifier is incorrect, please
contact your local, authorized Classé dealer or distributor.
e amplifier can easily be powered by a normal 15 or 20-ampere AC mains
line. If other devices are also powered from the same AC line, their additional
power consumption should be taken into account.
e amplifier includes protection circuitry that will prevent the amplifier from
operating at dangerously high or low voltages.
• At startup: the AC mains voltage must be within a range of
approximately -15% to +10% of its nominal value at startup, or
the amplifier will not turn on. For example, a 120V unit requires
the AC mains to be between approximately 95V–135V in order to
turn on.
• Over-voltage during operation: if the AC mains voltage surges
by roughly 10% or more during operation, the amplifier will enter
protection mode and shut down. e Standby LED will flash to
indicate the protection mode has been engaged.
• Under-voltage during operation: if the AC mains voltage sags by
15% or more, the amplifier will continue to play (since this does
not present a particular danger to the amplifier), but note that
it may not be able to achieve its usual standard of performance
under these compromised conditions. e Standby LED will flash
to indicate the condition.

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warm up/break-in period Your new Classé power amplifier will deliver outstanding performance
immediately. However, you should expect to hear it improve somewhat as
it reaches its normal operating temperatures and its various components
“break-in.” It has been our experience that the greatest changes occur within the
first 300 hours, as the amplifier reaches thermal equilibrium and the capacitors
fully form. After this initial break-in period, the performance of your new
product should remain quite consistent for years to come.
e only exception to this rule is if the unit is placed in standby or unplugged
for an extended period of time, allowing it to cool down. Depending on the
degree of cooling involved, you should expect a brief warm-up period before the
power amplifier’s sound quality is at its best. Unless your amplifier was allowed
to become quite chilled, subsequent thermal re-stabilization should not take
long. Fortunately, you should never have to repeat the initial 300 hour break-in
period.
please read this manual… Please take a few minutes to review this manual, and to familiarize yourself with
your new amplifier. We understand that you are anxious to plug everything in
and get started. However, reading this manual and following the advice it gives
will ensure that you get all the benefits you deserve from having purchased such
a fine piece of equipment.

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Special Design Features
highly refined
circuit design All Classé analog amplification stages are based on circuits that have been
extensively optimized over many years of continuous development.
By starting with excellent circuit designs and working with them over the years,
we are able to discover the many small refinements that add up to superlative
performance, in a variety of applications. Refining the circuit board layout,
altering a voltage here, or using a slightly different part there, may make all the
difference between solid and absolutely outstanding performance.
is level of refinement only comes with a great deal of experience, and is not
available to those who flit from one trendy notion to the next. It accounts
in no small measure for both the consistency of sonic performance among
Classé products (as they are all based on similar analog gain stages), and for the
consistently excellent reviews those products receive by owners and reviewers
alike.
extensive listening tests Excellent measured performance is to be expected in world-class products, and
Classé products deliver that performance. However, experience has shown that
technical excellence alone is insufficient to guarantee subjectively musical results.
For this reason, all Classé products are laboriously fine-tuned during the
development process by carefully controlled listening tests. Our ears are still
some of the finest laboratory test instruments available, and nicely complement
more traditional engineering test equipment. We rely on careful listening tests,
which we view as a necessary complement to the solid engineering you might
rightly expect from Classé.
extraordinary longevity Another benefit of having worked with highly refined circuit designs so
extensively over many years is that we have vast experience in what works well
over the long term.
By using only the highest quality parts to begin with, and then using them in an
informed way as a result of both accelerated aging experiments and actual long-
term experience, we are able to design and manufacture products which we are
confident will stand the test of time.
We are confident that your new Classé product will give you many years of
trouble-free reliability and musical enjoyment, just as previous Classé products
have given their owners.

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robust protection Finally, your new Classé amplifier incorporates a variety of protection circuits, all
designed to protect both the amplifier and your loudspeakers against dangerous
fault conditions. Significantly, these protection circuits do not intrude upon
or limit the normal performance of the amplifier; rather, they simply put the
amplifier into protection mode when confronted with abnormal conditions.
ese conditions include:
• output overload
• DC offset
• AC mains voltage (outside of normal tolerances)
• excessive operating temperatures
If any such conditions occur (any of which might harm either your amplifier or
possibly your loudspeakers), the amplifier will immediately go into protection
mode. In such a case, a Standby LED indicator will blink red until the fault can
be righted and the amplifier is re-started by pressing and holding the standby
button.
Likewise, if the AC mains voltage is out of range, the Standby LED will
blink. In all cases, the unit will need to be re-started once the cause of the fault
condition has been rectified.