Me ME580 User manual

ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia
ME580 STEREO AMPLIFIER
OWNER’S MANUAL

ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia

CONTENTS
ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia
Page No.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ME580
Safety First 1
Quick Start Connection uide 1
INSTALLING YOUR ME580
Speaker Cabling 4
Input Leads (Interconnects) 4
Ventilation 4
Mains Power Connection 5
UNDERSTANDING YOUR ME580
eneral Description 6
Microcontroller Monitoring and Control 6
1. Power Up / Power Down Control 6
2. Temperature Monitoring 6
3. DC Offset Monitoring 7
4. Voltage Limiting / DC Monitoring 7
5. High Level High Frequency Output Monitoring 7
6. Output Status Indication 7
7. Amplifier Operating Status Indication 7
8. Control of Brightness of the Operating Status Light 7
9. Control of Brightness of the Standby Status Light 8
10. Remote Startup and Shutdown 8
Protection System Operation 8
1. Abnormal Conditions 8
2. Fault Detection and FAULT (Output Status) Light 9
3. Restarting the ME580 After Fault Detection 9
4. Over-Temperature Detection 9
5. Over-Temperature Shutdown 10
6. Restarting the ME580 After Over-Temperature Shutdown 10
7. Mains Fuse 10
8. Mains Fuse Replacement 10

ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia

CONTENTS
ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia
Page No.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR ME580 (Cont’d)
High Capacitance Option 10
Bridge Mode – Higher Volume 12
Dual Amplification – Higher Quality Sound 13
GENERAL INFORMATION
Why Your ME Amplifier Is Different 14
PACKAGING AND SHIPPING 15
WARRANTY CONDITIONS 16
TROU LESHOOTING
Faulty or Distorted Sound 18
No Sound (Both Channels) 19
Hum or Buzz Problems 20
SPECIFICATIONS 21
ME580 / ME550-II SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES 22
IMPROVEMENTS OVER ME550 Series II 23
CONTACT US 24

ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia

1
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ME580
ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia
SAFETY FIRST
There are no user serviceable components inside your ME580 Power Amplifier. Do not under any
circumstances remove the top or bottom cover of the ME580 amplifier whilst it is connected to a power point,
even if the switch at the power point is turned off.
Never allow moisture or liquids of any kind to enter the power amplifier chassis (condensation, drinks, etc.)
Use only the fuses specified by ME Amplifiers in your ME580 Power Amplifier. Fuses of a different rating may
not protect your amplifier, and may create a fire hazard.
Do not switch on your power amplifier without first turning the gain control on any connected preamplifier to
a minimum.
Do not disconnect any leads from the amplifier until it has been switched off and is completely discharged.
(Allow 1 minute from switch off for the amplifier to discharge.)
Your ME580 Power Amplifier must only be used with a 3 pin EARTHED mains cable. Such a cable is supplied
with the amplifier.
QUICK START CONNECTION GUIDE
If you are in a hurry to get your ME580 power amplifier operating, and it has not been installed by your ME
dealer or other knowledgeable person, please follow the procedure set out below. We do recommend
strongly however that you read the complete instructions in this handbook first.
1. Do not make any electrical connections unless the amplifier is disconnected from the mains power.
2. Make the connections to your program source (preamplifier, CD player with variable output, etc.) as
follows:
•Use the DC Coupled inputs if you are connecting to an ME preamplifier or other DC Servo
Controlled preamplifier.
•Use the AC Coupled inputs if using CD players directly, passive preamps, tube (valve) preamps,
surround sound receivers, etc. If in any doubt read “Understanding your ME580 – DC
Offsets”, consult your dealer, or just use the AC inputs – as that is the safest for your speakers.
•The unbalanced inputs require leads (interconnects) fitted with RCA plugs.
•The balanced inputs require leads (interconnects) fitted with XLR plugs.
If using unbalanced RCA inputs be sure to set the Balanced / Unbalanced input selector switch on the
rear panel of the ME580 to Unbalanced and to Balanced when using balanced XLR inputs.
3. Connect your Speaker Cables securely to your Speaker System, ensuring that a short circuit is not
possible, even if speakers are later moved or repositioned. Shorted cables can lead to amplifier
damage, and can void your warranty.
CAUTION: Your ME580 Power Amplifier is designed to operate with loudspeakers with impedance in
the range 4 – 8 ohms. Operation with loudspeakers of less than 4 ohms nominal impedance is not
recommended.
4. Connect the Speaker Cables to the terminals on the back of the ME580 power amplifier, preferably
using high quality banana plugs. Alternatively, if banana plugs are not available, the ends of the

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ME580
ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia
Speaker Cables may be bared and twisted, then inserted into the holes in the sides of the terminals
before tightly screwing down the terminal covers. If using this method, make certain that all bare wire
strands of the Speaker Cables are contained within the terminals, as even one stray strand of wire
could cause a short circuit between a Speaker Cable and the chassis of the amplifier. Also verify that
none of the Speaker Cables can make electrical contact at any point with the chassis of the ME580 or
any other chassis (e.g. CD player chassis). Also ensure that a short circuit between the red (+) and
black (-) terminals of either channel cannot occur. Finally, check that you have connected the speakers
to the amplifier with the same polarity on both channels, i.e. ensure that the wires from the red (+)
terminals on each channel of the ME580 go to the corresponding (red or +) terminals on both left and
right speakers. If the speaker wires are connected the opposite way round on one speaker compared
to the other, the speakers will be “out of phase” resulting in a loss of stereo image.
5. Connect the ME580 to a power point and switch the power point ON. The ME580 will then perform a
one minute initial power up self test, as detailed below. During the self test the ME580 amplifier
cannot be switched on; i.e. pressing the POWER pushbutton will have no effect.
Initial Power Application Self Test
•The ME logo on the front panel escutcheon will be illuminated in Mauve light, the Temperature
Light labeled TEMP will be illuminated in Amber and the Status Light labeled FAULT will
illuminate Red indicating that the amplifier has mains power applied to it, and the cooling fans
will come on and be ramped up in speed to a maximum over a ten second period.
•At the end of the ten second period the TEMP light and the FAULT light will turn off but the fans
will continue to run at maximum speed for a further 40 seconds to allow verification of airflow
from both heat sink air exhaust ports, and the ME logo will remain illuminated in Mauve light
indicating that the amplifier is still in self test mode. After the 40 second airflow test time the fan
speed will be ramped down to zero over a ten second period, and the ME logo will be illuminated
in Amber light, indicating that the self test is complete and the amplifier is in Standby Mode.
6. Press the POWER button located in the centre of the front panel escutcheon. The illumination of the
ME logo will change from Amber to Blue, indicating that the amplifier is ON, and is operational. Music
reproduction will be possible now. For the first minute or so, the sound quality may be slightly
reduced until the amplifier begins to warm up; this is normal, and generally more pronounced when
very cold and less noticeable if the amplifier has been used within the last 30 minutes. After several
minutes, the reen TEMP light on the front panel escutcheon will come on, indicating that the
amplifier is operating within the normal temperature range. When this condition is reached, the
sound quality will be at its best. The time taken for normal operating temperature to be reached will
depend on ambient temperature and the volume setting, as well as the load impedance of the
loudspeakers being used.
Please Note: The ME580 amplifier can only be switched on ONCE per minute. This means that if the
amplifier has been switched on for less than one minute and is then switched off, it cannot be
switched back on until the first minute has elapsed. If the amplifier has been ON for over one minute
it can be switched OFF and immediately may be switched ON. This feature is to reduce stresses caused
by repeated rapid cycling between OFF and ON. If the amplifier is switched OFF before one minute has

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ME580
ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia
elapsed since it was switched ON, the Amber illumination of the ME logo will flash on and off until one
minute has elapsed. When the flashing stops, the amplifier may be switched ON.

4
INSTALLING YOUR ME580
ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia
SPEAKER CA LING
It is always preferable to locate the amplifier as close as practicable to the speakers, and between them. Use
speaker cables of good quality and adequate wire size (thickness) and preferably which have been designed
for the purpose. Do not use hook up wire or light duty cable. Ensure that the cables are not excessively long,
and are of the same length for each channel. It is preferable to use good quality banana plugs at each end of
the speaker cables, ensuring that these are a good fit in the sockets on the rear panel of the ME580, and on
the speakers. If connecting the cables without using banana plugs, ensure that the bared ends of the cables
are twisted so that there are no loose strands, before inserting into the terminals and tightening firmly.
Always check to ensure that there are no loose strands of wire outside the terminals, as they could contact the
chassis of the ME580, resulting in a short circuit that could seriously damage your amplifier. Also ensure that
the cables are located in such a way that they are not likely to be accidentally pulled out of the terminals on
the speakers, or on the ME580. Damage may occur to your amplifier if this happens while the system is
operating, particularly at higher volume levels.
SPEAKER IMPEDANCE
Your ME580 is designed for use with loudspeakers with impedance in the range 4 – 8 ohms. Use of
some types of speakers with less than 4 ohms impedance may be possible, but is not recommended.
This is because the ME580 is fitted with current limiting circuitry that is provided to protect the
amplifier against serious internal damage that could otherwise occur when operating at high output
levels with low impedance speakers. In such circumstances, if the current limiting circuitry comes
into operation, degradation of the sound quality will begin to occur, possibly only at some
frequencies, but in severe cases across a wide frequency range. If this situation does occur, it does
not indicate a fault with the amplifier, and can be dealt with, at least in the short term, by reducing
the volume setting on your preamplifier.
INPUT LEADS (INTERCONNECTS)
For the connection between your ME580 and the preamplifier, use a good quality audio type lead fitted with
the correct type of plugs, depending on whether the balanced or unbalanced inputs are to be used. The
unbalanced inputs require RCA type plugs, and the balanced inputs require XLR plugs.
VENTILATION
The amplifier may be positioned within a cabinet or entertainment rack, as long as the cooling air from the
outlet air vents (located on each side of the ME580 towards the rear) is unobstructed. If it is installed within a
cabinet of reduced ventilation, the fan speed will automatically increase to counteract the higher ambient
temperature. Cooling air is drawn into the amplifier through an inlet grill with integral air filter, located
underneath the amplifier at the centre near the front. Ensure that air flow through this grill is not restricted in
any way, e.g. by placing objects under the ME580. Do not install the ME580 on a soft surface such as carpet,
as the weight of the amplifier may cause the feet to sink into the surface and reduce the clearance under the
air inlet grill, which will restrict airflow.