Home Theater Power Amplifier Savoyt m Professional Installer's Consciousness Guide ©2005. All Rights Reserved ® For those who consider perfection possible ® 22410 70th Avenue West · Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Phone 425-775-8461 · Fax 425-778-3166 www.audiocontrol.com Home Theater Power Amplifier Savoyt m Professional Installer's Consciousness Guide ® Important Information Owner _______________________________________________ Date Purchased ______________________________________ Serial Number _______________________________________ Contents Congratulations!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Product Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Guided Tour Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Block Diagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 O P E R AT O R ' S Savoy tm MANUAL O P E R AT O R ' S Savoy tm MANUAL Congratulations! You are now installing a component capable of dramatically improving the performance of almost any home theater system. The Savoy is a U.S. designed and manufactured theater amplifier from AudioControl that will provide years of trouble-free enjoyment for your home theater system. This high quality home theater power amplifier is made by the only electronics company that considers "Perfection Possible." The engineers at AudioControl have more than half a century of experience with amplifier design. They know how to build a great sounding amplifier that will stand the test of time. AudioControl equalizers, signal processors and audio analyzers have been standard fixtures in performance theater systems for over 25 years, and their professional sound division designed and still sells the most popular one-third octave real time analyzer in the world, the SA-3050 series. AudioControl's passion for high quality, meticulous attention to detail and pro sound heritage shows itself in dozens of awards for design, product performance, and customer service. Now, as it has always been, AudioControl's greatest satisfaction comes from their reputation for sonic excellence and reliability among people just like you throughout the world. This manual is designed to help you get everything you can out of your new Savoy amplifier, and we don't mean parting it out! So even though you're dying to hear the pristine sonics of the Savoy, please take a few minutes to slog through our not-soweighty prose and learn how to get the most from your AudioControl home theater power amplifier. Anything as capable as this amplifier deserves all the explanation it can get. O P E R AT O R ' S Savoy tm MANUAL page 1 Product Highlights Pristine Sonics, Authoritative Power, and Legendary Reliability... The Savoy amplifier has been designed from the ground up to provide pristine sonics, authoritative power, and legendary reliability. This ensures that you will be able to enjoy amazing sound at almost any level for years to come. This is the AudioControl commitment, and the reason you've selected this amazing amplifier. Class H Design: Most amplifiers have one speed: all on. That means that during most playback, up to 90% of the amp's power is just going up in heat. The Class H design takes care of this problem by automatically and intelligently adjusting the power supply to fit the power demands of the moment. The result is much cooler operation without the need for bulky heat-sinks or fans. LightDrive Protection Circuitry: The LightDrive protection circuitry defends this amplifier and your speakers against clipping, distortion, damage, and annoying teenage beach party movies, even if the movie festival lasts all weekend. Each channel is independently protected, so a problem in one channel will not affect the rest of the system. Bulletproof Reliability: AudioControl amplifiers are designed with performance and durability in mind. Every technology integrated and production specification employed add to the Savoy's longevity and audio enjoyment. For this reason, consumers have long referred to AudioControl amplifiers as "Bulletproof." It is highly likely that this will be the longest lasting component in your home theater. Five-Year Warranty: AudioControl amplifiers are built to such high standards that each amplifier is backed by a five-year parts and labor warranty. Why five years? Because products that are two-and-a-half times better than the competition deserve a warranty that reflects it. Designed and Manufactured In The Pacific Northwest Rainforest: Your Savoy began it's existence at the AudioControl factory in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, a few miles north of Seattle. Here, AudioControl builds precision test instruments, equalizers and analyzers along with a totally awesome line of car stereo components. AudioControl started in 1977 and has won so many audio industry awards for design and engineering excellence that the reception room wall is starting to sag (reinforcements are currently being added to prepare for the additional awards that are sure to be given in the coming years). O P E R AT O R ' S Savoy tm MANUAL page 2 A Guided Tour of The Savoy Front Panel Standby Button ­ The Standby button manually toggles the Savoy between normal operation and standby (when "Master Power" switch located on the rear panel is ON). It will override the rear panel remote 12 volt trigger, but normal operation will resume when the trigger input is cycled. Display Button ­ The display button allows you to toggle between three display settings for the Channel Level Indicators on the front of the Savoy. "Off " will turn off the channel level indicators. "Low" (as indicated by the Range Setting LED) allows the Channel Level Indicators to dance when playing at moderate listening levels (think Elton John concert). "High" (as indicated by the Range Setting LED) allows the Channel Level Indicators to dance when the Savoy is playing at high levels (think Metallica). Channel Status LEDs ­ These blue LED's indicate that the associated channel is active and functioning properly. Channel Level Indicators ­ Indicate activity and power output for each channel. Protection Indicators ­ This red LED illuminates to indicate that a channel has gone into protection mode. Range Setting LEDs ­ There are two range settings that regulate movement of the Channel Level Indicators (See "Display Button" operation). "Low" will provide more LED dancing action at moderate listening levels while "High" keeps the LED dance floor clear until volumes reach the upper echelon. Neither option effects amplifier tm performance. E AT O R S Rack Mounting (Optional) ­ Allows the Savoy to be O P A RN U A ' L M mounted in an equipment rack. Savoy page 3 Rear Panel Remote Power Control ­ The Remote Power Control is an 1/8" mono jack plug connector that provides remote turn-on of the Savoy (see Figure 1). The sleeve of the pin is the ground (-) and the tip is active (+). Line-level Input ­ The Savoy features both unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR inputs to connect your preamplifier's outputs. Any standard line-level audio signal can be connected to these inputs. DO NOT connect both the balanced and unbalanced inputs of a single channel. Line-level Output ­ The Savoy offers unbalanced RCA line-level outFigure 1. 1/8" mono jack puts that allow you to send the signal on to a second amplifier for those systems that are arranged in a bi-amp design. Sensitivity Switch ­ The Savoy provides three input sensitivity settings to level match the inputs of the Savoy with the outputs of your theater processor. AudioControl recommends setting "C" because it provides the greatest protection and noise reduction. Setting "B" is the THXTM standard (consult your theater processor or source unit manual to determine if output voltage is THX rated). Setting A is only used in situations where other manufacture's pre-amplifiers with higher gain are a part of the system. Speaker Outputs ­ These 5-way binding posts are solid construction, gold plated, high-current terminal blocks that will accept large gauge speaker wire, pin, fork, and standard 0.75" spaced banana plugs. AC Power Fuse ­ The Savoy is designed with several layers of protection circuitry. This power fuse is here just in case something really awful goes wrong. Master Power Switch ­ This switch shuts off the main AC power. Normally the only time you need to turn the master power switch off is if the system is going to be shut down for an extended period of time. O P E R AT O R ' S Savoy tm Power Plug ­ The Savoy accepts any IEC Power Chord (included). The Savoy draws an average of 700 Watts with typical source material. Make certain that it is plugged directly into the wall outlet or a power strip with sufficient power handling capabilities. Since the Savoy has remote power switching, you can plug the unit into an outlet that is always active. MANUAL page 4 Installation Guide A performance theater begins to take shape the moment you first pull this unit from the box. To make the installation of the Savoy as simple and easy as possible, please follow these steps to ensure amazing sound performance for years to come. As you remove the Savoy from the box, check the unit for damage that may have occurred during shipping. AudioControl packs `em pretty securely, but it's a vicious world out there and anything can happen between our factory in the Pacific Northwest and your installation. Paperwork Yes, filling out the warranty registration card is about as exciting as cleaning out your sock drawer, but AudioControl would definitely like the card back after you've hooked up the Savoy amplifier and played with it awhile. AudioControl employees read every card, and use the feedback you provide when designing new products or upgrading product features. Next, make a note of the serial number and keep it in a safe place. (Notice the space provided on the inside cover of this manual.) In the unlikely event that the Savoy amplifier ever needs servicing or an insurance claim needs to be filed, the serial number is readily available. Placement The AudioControl Savoy amplifier is a very cool running amplifier thanks to its Class H topology. However, the Savoy does need some breathing room to operate properly. Make certain that the air vents on the top and bottom of the amplifier casing are not blocked and have at least ½" of air space. It is also wise to avoid placing heat sensitive components such as CD or DVD players directly on top of the Savoy. Power Before simply plugging the Savoy power cord into an outlet, give consideration to how the Savoy will be integrated into the system. The 3pronged power cord should be connected to a constant source of power with a solid ground. Using a switched power source can cause complications in system integration, especially when the Savoy is activated by an RF signal. To eliminate ground loop issues, plug all of the power for the system into a commonly grounded circuit. A surge protector can also be a good idea. O P E R AT O R ' S Savoy tm MANUAL page 5 If you elect to draw power from a switched outlet in your system, you will need to verify that the Savoy can handle the power rating. Also, please do not cut off the ground pin on the power connector. If you need to plug it into a two-prong outlet, use a correctly installed ground adapter. Physical Installation For your Savoy amplifier to operate properly, it needs to be installed correctly. To do so, you will need the following: 1. Savoy amplifier. 2. Source unit (most commonly a surround processor or pre-amp, such as the AudioControl Maestro or Maestro M2). 3. Audio cables to carry the signal from the source unit to the Savoy amplifier (Either RCA or XLR). 4. Speaker wire to carry the power from the Savoy amplifier to the speakers. 5. Rack mounts (when mounting the Savoy in an equipment rack) ­ Sold Seperately. 6. Ears to enjoy the pristine sonics the Savoy amplifier will produce! Remote Power Control The Savoy amplifier has three levels of power control: 1. Main AC Power Switch: This is the master power control for the Savoy, located on the rear panel. It must be switched ON for the amplifier to function. The Remote Power Control will only power the amplifier on if the Main AC Power Switch is set to ON. It is also wise to wait until installation is complete before supplyi ...