SPL Performer m1000 User manual

Professional Fidelity
Mastering Grade Listening
Performer m1000
Mono Power Amplifier
VOLTAiR
120V DC Audi o Rail
PWRPROTECT TEMP
Performer m – User Manual
Mono Power Amplifier
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2
Performer m1000
Mono Power Amplifier
VOLTAiR
120V DC Audio Ra il
PWRPROTECT TEMP
AVIS: RISQUE DE CHO C ÉLECTRIQUE • NE PAS OUVRIR
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION
1. Remove Fuse Holder
2. Exchange Fuses
3. Flip Over
4. Reinstall
XLR WIRING:
Pin 1 = GND
Pin 2 = Hot (+)
Pin 3 = Cold (–)
Minimum Load:
2Ω
Made in Germany spl.audio
~ 115V AC / ~230V AC, 50Hz / 60 Hz, P max . 1375VA
INPUT
THRU INPUT
TRIM
INPUT
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
Connect to
AMP CTL o utput of
SPL Preamplifie r/DAC
for remote power on/off
OR
Use 12 V Trigger
SPEAKER OUTPUT
SPEAKER OUTPUT
+ –
Serial
Number Performer
m1000
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
VOLTAGE SELECTION
VOLTAGE SELECTION
230V AC:
T 6.3 A
L 250 V
115V A C:
T 12.5 A
L 250 V
FUSE
FUSE
0
-
5
.
5
-
5
-
4
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5
-
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-
3
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Welcome
and thank you for choosing the Performer m.
The Performer s is the big brother of the highly acclaimed Performer s and delivers W into  ohms,
W into  ohms and  W into  ohms with ease.
VOLTAiR technology is what we also call the SPL V Rail Technology within the Professional Fidelity series. This
makes the Performer m an outstandig device in terms of dynamic range, signal-to-noise ratio and headroom
delivering an exceptional sound experience with invincible serenity, transparency and realness.

Content
Getting started 
Front view 
Rear view 
VOLTAiR – V Rail Technology 
Comparisons 
Ornamental inlays 
Input 
Slave Thru 
Gain Trim 
Speaker output 
Protection circuits 
DC Protection 
Overheating protection circuit 
AMP CTL (Standby / Amplifier Control) 
Power LED 
Specifications 
Line Input & Line Output 
Speaker output 
Output power (Sine at kHz) 
Output voltage 
Output impedance 
Damping factor 
Frequency response 
Signal-to-noise ratio 
Gain 
Total harmonic distortion 
Internal Voltage 
Power supply 
Dimensions (incl. feet) 
Weight 
Important Notes 
Declaration of CE Conformity 

4
Getting started
Read thoroughly and follow the instructions as well as the security advices of the Quickstart
which is enclosed in the scope of delivery! You can also download the Quickstart here.
By pressing the -Button you get to the table of contents.
By pressing the -Button you get to the front view of the unit.
By pressing the -Button you get to the rear view of the unit.
By pressing the -Button you get to the previous content.

5
Performer m1000
Mono Power Amplifier
VOLTAiR
120V DC Aud io Rail
PWRPROTECT TEMP
Front view

6
AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE • NE PAS OUVRIR
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION
1. Remove Fuse Holder
2. Exchange Fuses
3. Flip Over
4. Reinstall
XLR WIRING:
Pin 1 = GND
Pin 2 = Hot (+)
Pin 3 = Cold (–)
Minimum Load:
2Ω
Made in Germany spl.audio
~ 115V AC / ~230V AC, 50 Hz / 60 Hz, P max. 1375VA
INPUT
THRU INPUT
TRIM
INPUT
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
Connect to
AMP CTL output of
SPL Preamplifier/DAC
for remote power on/off
OR
Use 12 V Trigger
SPEAKER OUTPUT
SPEAKER OUTPUT
+ –
Serial
Number
Performer m1000
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
VOLTAGE SELECTION
VOLTAGE SELECTION
230V AC:
T 6.3 A
L 250 V
115V AC:
T 12.5 A
L 250 V
FUSE
FUSE
0
-
5
.
5
-
5
-
4
.
5
-
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-
3
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Rear view

7
VOLTAiR – V Rail Technology
VOLTAiR is the synonym for our V Rail Technology within the Professional Fidelity series. The audio signals are
processed with an unequalled +/-V DC, which corresponds to twice that of discrete operational amplifiers and
four-times that of semiconductor operational amplifiers.
VOLTAiR Technology reaches outstanding technical and sonic performances. Technically especially in terms of
dynamic range and headroom and sonically especially in reproducing the finest details and delivering a totally
relaxed sounding audio experience. Music sounds absolutely natural.
SPL’s V Rail Technology is the internal audio processing voltage (+/- V DC).
It is not to be confused with the external mains voltage (e.g. V or V AC).

8
Comparisons
These diagrams show how our VOLTAiR Technology compares to other circuits.
The direct relation between operating level and maximum level is fundamental for the classification: the higher
the operating level, the higher the maximum level a circuit can handle. And since virtually all essential acoustic
and musical parameters depend on this relation, a higher operating voltage also has a positive impact on the
dynamic range, distortion limit and signal-to-noise ratio.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Volt
30 V
120 V
+ / -  Volt + / - Volt
Operating Voltage
120
125
130
135
140
145
dB
124,2
141,4
OPA @ V SP L- O P@ V
Dynamic Range

9
Do bear in mind that dB scales do not represent linear but rather exponential increases. A dB increase corresponds
to doubling the acoustic power, +dB correspond to twice the sound pressure level, and +dB correspond to twice
the perceived loudness.
When it comes to volume, the VOLTAiR Technology exhibits a performance, in regard to maximum level and dynamic
range, that is twice that of common components and circuits given that its values are approximately dB higher.
THD measurements show a difference of more than dB compared to the TL at V — in terms of sound pres-
sure level, that corresponds to an improvement of more than %. The operating level most commonly used for
audio equipment is +/-  volts.
Max. Audio Level
OPA @ V SPL- OP@ V
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
dBu
21,5
33,2
TL @ V SPL-OP@ V
-115
-113
-111
-109
-107
-105
dBu
-106
-114,2
THD&N

10
Ornamental inlays
The Performer m comes with three ornamental inlays: in black, red and silver. They can be combined with
the chosen color of the main front panel. A neodymium magnet holds the ornamental inlay in place. This allows
easy exchange and gives you the unique opportunity to style your power amplifier.
Possible inlay combinations with the basic color red
Possible inlay combinations with the basic color silver
Possible inlay combinations with the basic color black

11
Input
The Performer m is equipped with an XLR input () for balanced connection to a preamp.
Full output power (W RMS into  ohms, W RMS into  ohms or W into  ohms) is
performed at + dBu at the input.
For unbalanced connection with e.g. RCA output connect Pin to Ground in the external
connector.
XLR WIRING:
Pin 1 = GND
Pin 2 = Hot (+)
Pin 3 = Cold (–)
Minimum Load:
2Ω
INPUT
THRU INPUT
TRIM
INPUT
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
Connect to
AMP CTL output of
SPL Preamplifier/DAC
for remote power on/off
OR
Use 12 V Trigger
SPEAKER OUTPUT
SPEAKER OUTPUT
+ –
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
0
-
5
.
5
-
5
-
4
.
5
-
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-
3
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balancedunbalanced
GND GND
1
2
3
1
2
3
cold –
hot + hot +

12
Slave Thru
The input is passively fed to the Slave Thru () output for bi-wiring applications.
Gain Trim
The input can be lowered with the Gain TRIM switch () from  dB to -. dB in . dB steps.
This is helpful if you want to use multi speaker sets or speakers in a bi-wiring application. It
allows to level speakers with different efficiency to equal loudness.
XLR WIRING:
Pin 1 = GND
Pin 2 = Hot (+)
Pin 3 = Cold (–)
Minimum Load:
2Ω
INPUT
THRU INPUT
TRIM
INPUT
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
Connect to
AMP CTL output of
SPL Preamplifier/DAC
for remote power on/off
OR
Use 12 V Trigger
SPEAKER OUTPUT
SPEAKER OUTPUT
+ –
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
0
-
5
.
5
-
5
-
4
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5
-
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3
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5
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XLR WIRING:
Pin 1 = GND
Pin 2 = Hot (+)
Pin 3 = Cold (–)
Minimum Load:
2Ω
INPUT
THRU INPUT
TRIM
INPUT
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
Connect to
AMP CTL output of
SPL Preamplifier/DAC
for remote power on/off
OR
Use 12 V Trigger
SPEAKER OUTPUT
SPEAKER OUTPUT
+ –
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
0
-
5
.
5
-
5
-
4
.
5
-
4
-
3
.
5
-
3
-
2
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5
-
2
-
1
.
5
-
1
-
0
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5

13
Speaker output
You can connect a ,  or  ohms loudspeaker to the speaker out-
put().
You can either use the ø mm cable hole (screwable) or the banana
plugs of the gold-plated loudspeaker binding posts.
Make sure not to mix up the polarity of the loudspeaker output.
XLR WIRING:
Pin 1 = GND
Pin 2 = Hot (+)
Pin 3 = Cold (–)
Minimum Load:
2Ω
INPUT
THRU INPUT
TRIM
INPUT
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
Connect to
AMP CTL output of
SPL Preamplifier/DAC
for remote power on/off
OR
Use 12 V Trigger
SPEAKER OUTPUT
SPEAKER OUTPUT
+ –
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
0
-
5
.
5
-
5
-
4
.
5
-
4
-
3
.
5
-
3
-
2
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-
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-
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14
Protection circuits
The Performer m has protection circuits against DC (direct current) voltage at the output and against
overheating.
DC Protection
If DC is detected at the output, the Performer m automatically switches off. DC voltage can be an indication
for a defective power stage. The ProtectLED () on the front indicates that the protection circuit is activated and
the power stage has been switched off.
The Performer m does not automatically switch on again. It needs to be switched off manually with the
mains switch (). Wait at least one minute before switching the Performer m on again.
If the Performer m repetitively switches off due to a DC detection please contact your dealer.

15
Overheating protection circuit
The Performer m is actively cooled with six temperature controlled fans. The noise of the fans does not
exceed  dB – therefore the fans are inaudable.
In the unlikely event of overheating the Performer m will switch off at about ° C at the heat sink and the
Temp LED () on the front indicates the overheating.
After the temperature has fallen below ° C, the amplifier automatically switches on again.

16
AMP CTL (Standby / Amplier Control)
If you own an SPL device supporting AMP CTL output(s) you can trigger standby and
operation. Therefore connect the AMP CTL output of the SPL device with a mono mini
jack cable to the AMP CTL () of the Performer m.
You may also use other V trigger controller. The Performer m is in operation
mode when a switching voltage of  Volt DC is applied to the AMP CTL input.
As soon as the  Volt DC is removed, the Performer m switches back to
standby mode.
Use a mono mini jack cable where the tip is plus and the sleeve is minus.
Power LED
In standby the Power LED is dimly lit.
If the Performer m is in operation, the Power LED lights up brightly.
If the Performer m is off, e.g. the mains switch is off, the Power LED is off.
XLR WIRING:
Pin 1 = GND
Pin 2 = Hot (+)
Pin 3 = Cold (–)
Minimum Load:
2Ω
INPUT
THRU INPUT
TRIM
INPUT
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
Connect to
AMP CTL output of
SPL Preamplifier/DAC
for remote power on/off
OR
Use 12 V Trigger
SPEAKER OUTPUT
SPEAKER OUTPUT
+ –
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
0
-
5
.
5
-
5
-
4
.
5
-
4
-
3
.
5
-
3
-
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-
2
-
1
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-
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-
0
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Tip
Sleeve

17
Specications
Line Input & Line Output
• Neutrik XLR, balanced, Pin  = (+)
• Input impedance:  kohms
• Input trimming:  dB to -. dB in . dB steps
• Input sensitivity: + dBu
• Output impedance (Slave Thru) is defined by the connected device
Speaker output
•  pair gold-plated binding posts with ø mm cable hole (screwable) and banana plug; fully encapsulated
Output power (Sine at kHz)
• W into  Ohm
• W into  Ohm
• W into  Ohm

18
Output voltage
•  V Peak-to-Peak
• , V RMS
Output impedance
• < .,  Hz to  kHz
Damping factor
• >  at  kHz and  ohms
Frequency response
•  Hz to  kHz

19
Signal-to-noise ratio
• >  dB (wide-band, unweighted, referred to full power output)
• >  dB (A-weighted)
Gain
•  dB
Total harmonic distortion
• < ,% at  kHz, at  W,  ohms
• < ,% at  kHz, at  W,  ohms
• < ,% at  kHz at  W,  ohms

20
Internal Voltage
• +/-  V
Power supply
• Mains voltage:  V AC /  Hz;  V AC /  Hz
• Fuses:  V: T . A;  V: T  A
• Power consumption: max  VA
• Idle power consumption: W
• Standby power consumption: . W
Dimensions (incl. feet)
• (WxHxD) . x . x . in ( x  x  mm)
Weight
• . lbs (. kg), unit only
• , lbs (, kg), shipping
XLR WIRING:
Pin 1 = GND
Pin 2 = Hot (+)
Pin 3 = Cold (–)
Minimum Load:
2Ω
INPUT
THRU INPUT
TRIM
INPUT
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
Connect to
AMP CTL output of
SPL Preamplifier/DAC
for remote power on/off
OR
Use 12 V Trigger
SPEAKER OUTPUT
SPEAKER OUTPUT
+ –
AMP CTL/12V TRIGGER
0
-
5
.
5
-
5
-
4
.
5
-
4
-
3
.
5
-
3
-
2
.
5
-
2
-
1
.
5
-
1
-
0
.
5