User manual TAPCO JUICE

owner's manual J·800 J·1400 J·2500 BY J·2500 OL SIG OL SIG ON POWER OFF 0 -0 dB 30 0 -0 dB 30 A B INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. SPEAKER CONNECTION OFF ON SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz BREAKER SERIAL /DATE CODE T59052 T59052 (BALANCED) LINE AMP MODE STEREO/MONO BRIDGED INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN CHINA. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM (BALANCED) LINE by CAUTION AVIS 8. RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK) NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL Heat -- This product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, or other devices which produce heat. Power Sources -- This product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in these operation instructions or as marked on this product. 9. ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUN ENTRETIEN DE PIECES INTERIEURES PAR L'USAGER. CONFIER L'ENTRETIEN AU PERSONNEL QUALIFIE. AVIS: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES D'INCENDIE OU D'ELECTROCUTION, N'EXPOSEZ PAS CET ARTICLE A LA PLUIE OU A L'HUMIDITE The 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 sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. Le symbole éclair avec point de flèche à l'intérieur d'un triangle équilatéral est utilisé pour alerter l'utilisateur de la présence à l'intérieur du coffret de "voltage dangereux" non isolé d'ampleur suffisante pour constituer un risque d'éléctrocution. The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user of the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance. Le point d'exclamation à l'intérieur d'un triangle équilatéral est employé pour alerter les utilisateurs de la présence d'instructions importantes pour le fonctionnement et l'entretien (service) dans le livret d'instruction accompagnant l'appareil. 10. Power Cord Protection -- Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked upon or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit this product. 11. Object and Liquid Entry -- Care should be taken so that objects do not fall on, and liquids are not spilled into, this product. 12. Damage Requiring Service -- This product should be serviced only by qualified service personnel when: A. The power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into this product; or C. This product has been exposed to rain; or D. This product does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or E. This product has been dropped, or its chassis damaged. 13. Servicing -- The user should not attempt to service this product beyond those means described in this operating manual. All other servicing should be referred to the Tapco Service Department. 14. To prevent electric shock, do not use this polarized plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure. Pour préevenir les chocs électriques ne pas utiliser cette fiche polariseé avec un prolongateur, un prise de courant ou une autre sortie de courant, sauf si les lames peuvent être insérées à fond sans laisser aucune pariie à découvert. 15. Grounding or Polarization -- Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of this product is not defeated. 16. Power Precaution -- Unplug this product during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time. 17. This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B (whichever is applicable) limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications. ATTENTION --Le présent appareil numérique n'émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant las limites applicables aux appareils numériques de class A/de class B (selon le cas) prescrites dans le règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par les ministere des communications du Canada. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Read Instructions -- All the safety and operation instructions should be read before this product is operated. Retain Instructions -- The safety and operating instructions should be kept for future reference. Heed Warnings -- All warnings on this product and in these operating instructions should be followed. Follow Instructions -- All operating and other instructions should be followed. Water and Moisture -- This product should not be used near water ­ for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool, etc. Cleaning -- Clean only with a dry cloth. Ventilation -- This product should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, the Component should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block any ventilation openings, or placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through ventilation openings. 6. 7. PORTABLE CART WARNING Carts and stands - The Component should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer. A Component and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the Component and cart combination to overturn. WARNING -- To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture. 2 18. Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing loss. Individuals vary considerably in susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss, but nearly everyone will lose some hearing if exposed to sufficiently intense noise for a period of time. The U.S. Government's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specified the permissible noise level exposures shown in the following chart. According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of these permissible limits could result in some hearing loss. To ensure against potentially dangerous exposure to high sound pressure levels, it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high sound pressure levels use hearing protectors while the equipment is in operation. Ear plugs or protectors in the ear canals or over the ears must be worn when operating the equipment in order to prevent permanent hearing loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here. Duration Per Day Sound Level dBA, In Hours Slow Response 8 6 4 3 2 1.5 1 0.5 0.25 or less 90 92 95 97 100 102 105 110 115 Typical Example Packed garage concert VW Bus Peace Train Cranked psychedelic tunes High speed chase on C.H.I.P.s Loudest parts at a Heavy Metal concert What me, read a manual? Before you begin, please make sure you read the Safety Instructions on page 2 and Getting Started on page 4. Your new TAPCO® amplifier is designed to set up quickly and operate easily. We know it's often seen as a sign of weakness to read a manual, along with asking for directions when lost, but maybe you can read the rest when nobody is looking. It is important to keep your receipt in a safe place, and not a bad idea to write your product information here for future reference (i.e., insurance claims, tech support, return authorization, etc.). Product Serial #: Purchased at: Date of purchase: Part No. 0007787 Rev. A 08/03 ©2003 Mackie Designs Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3 Getting Started The following steps will help you set up your amplifier, and get the levels just right. SETTINGS: 1. Be sure the amplifier's POWER switch is off. 2. Turn down both Level controls. 3. On the rear panel, set the SUBSONIC FILTER switch OFF and the CLIP LIMIT switch ON. 4. Determine which AMP MODE is best for your application: STEREO mode is the typical setup for amplifying stereo signals. INPUT A is routed to CHANNEL A output, and INPUT B is routed to CHANNEL B output. MONO mode is used for sending a mono signal to both outputs, with separately adjustable level controls. INPUT A is used in MONO mode (leave INPUT B disconnected). BRIDGE mode uses both outputs to double the power to one speaker (or set of speakers). INPUT A is used in BRIDGE mode (leave INPUT B disconnected and the B Level control turned down). NOTE: 4 ohms is the minimum speaker impedance you should connect to the amplifier in BRIDGE mode. See "Do the Math" in Appendix B for information on calculating speaker impedances. 5. Set the AMP MODE switch according to your application. 4. In STEREO and MONO modes, connect Speakon® connectors to the CHANNEL A and CHANNEL B speaker outputs. · The Speakon connectors are wired as follows: 1+ = hot (+ speaker terminal) 1­ = cold (­ speaker terminal). 5. In BRIDGE mode, use the center Speakon connector. · The BRIDGED Speakon connector is wired as follows: 1+ = hot (+ speaker terminal) 2+ = cold (­ speaker terminal). 6. Plug all the sound system components into suitable AC outlets, properly grounded and capable of delivering adequate current. 7. Make sure your signal source is powered up and delivering signal to the amp. 8. Turn the power amplifier's switch on. Verify that the POWER LED lights. 9. Slowly turn up both Level controls on the amplifier. You should hear music and see the SIG LEDs flashing. If the OL (Overload) LEDs are flashing, turn down either the Level controls on the amp or the source signal's output level controls (i.e., master faders), until the OL LEDs either blink occasionally or not at all. 10. For quieter listening, it is preferable to adjust the amp's Level controls rather than the source signal's output level (unless you have the source's control all the way up!). CONNECTIONS: 1. Using balanced cables, make connections from your mixer (or other signal source) MAIN OUT to your amplifier's INPUTs. 2. In STEREO mode, connect the cables from your signal source to the amplifier's INPUT jacks, either XLR or 1/4" TRS. · The XLR and TRS inputs for each channel are wired in parallel. · The balanced XLR inputs are wired as follows: Pin 1 = shield (ground) Pin 2 = hot (+) Pin 3 = cold (­) · The 1/4" TRS inputs are wired as follows: Tip = hot (+) Ring = cold (­) Sleeve = shield (ground) 3. In MONO mode and BRIDGE mode, connect one cable from the input source to INPUT A, and connect nothing to INPUT B. Things To Remember: · Never plug amplifier outputs into anything except speakers (unless you have an outboard box specifically designed to handle speaker-level signals). · Before making connections to an amp or reconfiguring an amp's routing, turn the amp's level controls down, turn the power off, make the changes, turn the power back on, and then turn the level controls back up. · If you shut down your equipment, turn off the amplifiers first. When powering up, turn on the amplifiers last. · Save the shipping box and packing material! You may need it someday. If not, it makes a great end table or hiding place for your cat. 4 BY J·2500 OL SIG OL SIG ON POWER OFF 0 -0 dB 30 0 -0 dB 30 A B INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. SPEAKER CONNECTION OFF ON BREAKER SERIAL / DATE CODE SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE STEREO/MONO BRIDGED INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM LINE (BALANCED) Contents Safety Instructions .....................................................2 Getting Started .........................................................4 Introduction...............................................................6 Hookup Diagrams.....................................................7 TAPCO Juice Features..............................................8 Front Panel Features ...........................................8 LEVEL ...............................................................8 SIG ...................................................................8 OL ....................................................................8 POWER ............................................................8 Rear Panel Features............................................8 POWER CORD SOCKET ..................................8 BREAKER ..........................................................9 SPEAKER OUTPUTS ..........................................9 INPUTS..............................................................9 SUBSONIC FILTER.............................................9 CLIP LIMIT ........................................................9 AMP MODE .....................................................9 General Precautions ................................................9 Rack Mounting ....................................................9 Thermal Considerations....................................10 AC Power Considerations ................................10 Input Wiring ........................................................10 Output Wiring.....................................................11 Appendix A: Service Information..........................13 Warranty Service ...............................................13 Troubleshooting .................................................13 Repair .................................................................14 Appendix B: Technical Info....................................15 Do The Math: Ohms, Loads, and Such ...........15 Juice Series Specifications ...............................16 Juice Series Block Diagram ..............................17 TAPCO Limited Warranty........................................19 Don't forget to visit our website at www.tapcogear.com for more information about this and other TAPCO products. 5 Introduction Thank you for choosing a TAPCO® JuiceTM power amplifier by Mackie Designs. The TAPCO product line hails back to the days of TAPCO Corporation, Greg Mackie's first company. TAPCO revolutionized the audio industry back in 1969 with the very first 6-channel mixer specifically designed for keyboards and rock `N' roll PA. In essence, TAPCO re-defined the price performance ratio and made high-quality professional audio mixers accessible to virtually anyone. Today, TAPCO is reborn with the same ideals and is backed by the world-class engineering and manufacturing horsepower of Mackie Designs. The TAPCO J·800, J·1400, and J·2500 are the first power TAPCO version of Greg amplifiers in the TAPCO by Mackie® family. The Juice SeriesTM of amplifiers are powerful and tough. They are designed to withstand the punishing rigors of the road and continue to crank out amplified sound day after day, year after year. Here's a quick glance at the features packed into these juicy amplifiers: · J·800: 800 watts continuous @ 4 ohms bridged J·1400: 1400 watts continuous @ 4 ohms bridged J·2500: 2500 watts continuous @ 4 ohms bridged · Ultra-low noise/low-distortion design · Switchable low-cut filter @ 30 Hz on both channels · Switchable limiter on both channels · Balanced/unbalanced 1/4" TRS and XLR line input jacks · Speakon® output connectors · Detented rotary gain controls calibrated in dB · Signal present and OL (overload) LEDs · Variable speed fans for superior cooling TAPCO van (a.k.a. micro bus) 6 Hookup Diagrams Stereo Hookup INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. SPEAKER CONNECTION OFF ON BREAKER SERIAL / DATE CODE SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz FROM MIXING CONSOLE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN OUT LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE STEREO/MONO BRIDGED INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE SWITCH STEREO Passive Speakers (Mackie C300s) Mono Hookup INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. SPEAKER CONNECTION OFF ON BREAKER SERIAL / DATE CODE SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN OUT LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE STEREO/MONO BRIDGED INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE SWITCH MONO Bridge Hookup INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. Passive Speakers (Mackie C300s) SPEAKER CONNECTION OFF ON BREAKER SERIAL / DATE CODE SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN OUT LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE STEREO/MONO BRIDGED INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE SWITCH BRIDGE Passive Speaker (Mackie C300) 7 TAPCO Juice Features 2 BY 2 3 OL SIG J·2500 ON 3 1 OL SIG 4 POWER 1 0 -0 dB OFF 30 0 -0 dB 30 A B FRONT PANEL FEATURES 1. Level These two knobs control the levels of Channels A and B. The knobs are detented to make it easy to set both controls to the same level. Usually, these controls are set all the way up. The amplifiers are designed so that a +3.4 dBu (1.15V rms) input signal drives the amplifier to full power into 4 ohms: J·800 = 300 watts per channel into 4 ohms J·1400 = 450 watts per channel into 4 ohms J·2500 = 750 watts per channel into 4 ohms This equates to a gain of about 30 dB (30 dB, 32 dB, and 34 dB respectively). The graphics around the knob indicate full gain of (about) 30 dB when the knob is all the way up (fully clockwise). After you have set the levels for the mixer (or other signal source), adjust the Level controls on the amplifier as the final adjustment to set the overall volume for the system. 3. OL This is short for "overload." These red LEDs indicate when the output of the amplifier has reached the maximum, and is right on the hairy edge of clipping. Clipping is bad for speakers and should be avoided. It is okay if the OL LED blinks occasionally. It means that the transient peaks of the music are just hitting the full output of the amplifier. However, if the OL (overload) LED is blinking frequently or continuously, turn down the source signal (i.e., the mixer's master faders) or the amplifier's Level controls. 4. POWER This handy switch turns the power amplifier on and off. When the amplifier is on, the POWER LED lights to let you know Juice is ready and rarin' to go! REAR PANEL FEATURES 5. Power Cord Socket Here is where you connect the detachable power cord that came in the box with your amplifier. Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC outlet properly configured with the voltage required for your particular model. 2. SIG This is short for "signal present." These green LEDs indicate when a signal is present after the Level controls, at the output stage of the power amplifier. If the Level controls are turned all the way down (fully counterclockwise), these indicators will not light. INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION 8 LINE (BALANCED) 9 OFF ON SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. SPEAKER CONNECTION BREAKER SERIAL / DATE CODE 6 STEREO/MONO BRIDGED 5 AMP MODE INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE 7 11 WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM LINE (BALANCED) 10 8 6. BREAKER This is a resettable circuit breaker that monitors the amount of current being drawn by the amplifier. Under normal operating conditions, this should never pop. An unusual condition may cause the breaker to pop, such as a mains voltage surge occurring at the same time as a peak amplifier output. Turn the POWER switch off, and push the BREAKER button in to reset the circuit breaker. Turn the POWER switch back on and the amplifier should resume normal operation. If the circuit breaker pops again, something probably isn't right. · Make sure that the total impedance of the speakers connected to the outputs is 2 ohms or greater (per channel) in stereo mode, or 4 ohms or greater in bridged mode. · If the breaker pops right away, even with the Level controls turned down and the speakers disconnected, there may be something wrong inside the amplifier. Refer to "Appendix A: Service Info." 10. CLIP LIMIT The CLIP LIMIT switch is there to protect your loudspeakers from the effects of clipping. It is designed to be virtually transparent, meaning you probably won't even notice any audible difference when the switch is turned on. We recommend that you leave this switch on at all times. However, if you are working at quiet levels, or you have already placed a compressor/limiter in the signal path, you can leave the CLIP LIMIT switch off. 11. AMP MODE This switch determines the input signal routing within the amplifier. For most applications, you will use the STEREO setting. However, some applications might be better suited for using either the MONO or the BRIDGE setting. STEREO: This mode accepts separate left and right inputs (A and B), and routes them to the CHANNEL A and CHANNEL B outputs. Each channel's Level control adjusts the gain for its own channel. MONO: This mode accepts a single input (INPUT A), and routes it to both the CHANNEL A and CHANNEL B outputs. Each channel's Level control adjusts the gain for its own channel. BRIDGE: This mode accepts a single input (INPUT A), and uses both amplifier outputs to double the power to one speaker (or set of speakers). Use the Channel A Level control to adjust the gain (turn the Channel B Level control all the way down). See "Output Wiring" on page 11 for information on how to connect a speaker in Bridge mode. 7. SPEAKER OUTPUTS Connect your speakers to these Speakon output jacks. There are three Speakon connectors on the back of the Juice amplifiers. Use the two outer connectors (CHANNEL A and CHANNEL B) when using stereo or mono modes. Use the center connector (BRIDGED) when using bridge mode. See "Output Wiring" on page 11 for information on output connection wiring. 8. INPUTS The Juice amplifiers give you two options for connecting the input signal -- XLR input connectors and 1/4" TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) connectors. These inputs are in parallel, and are identical, electrically speaking. You can connect either a balanced or an unbalanced signal here. Since these two inputs are in parallel, you shouldn't connect more than one source to the INPUT A or INPUT B jacks. However, you can use the unused input jack as a "Thru" connector, to daisy-chain the signal to another amplifier. See "Input Wiring" on page 10 for information on input connection wiring. GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS Rack Mounting The Juice amplifiers are designed to be mounted in a standard rack. They require two rack spaces (2U = 3.5"). They also require 15.75" depth inside the rack, including the rear support brackets. When designing your rack, put the heavier items at the bottom and the lighter items toward the top. Secure the front panel of the amplifier to the front of the rack using four screws with soft washers to prevent scratching the panel. In addition, because of the weight of the amplifier, you must secure the rear support brackets of the amplifier to the back of the rack. You could use a support rail or shelf across the back of the rack, or angle brackets attached between the rear support rails and the rear rails of the rack. This is recommended for all components mounted in a rack that is going to be moved frequently (or thrown in the back of a pickup truck and transported down a bumpy gravel road to that outdoor festival!). 9. SUBSONIC FILTER Turn this switch on to engage a low-frequency cutoff (high-pass) filter at 30 Hz. The Juice amplifiers can amplify signals below 20 Hz, but most speakers can't reproduce frequencies that low. By engaging the SUBSONIC FILTER, you allow the amplifier to power only the frequencies that you can hear. In addition, this filter can remove low-frequency stage noise (footsteps) and accidental microphone pops that could damage a loudspeaker. 9 Thermal Considerations The Juice amplifiers are fan-cooled with two separate fans. One fan brings cool air in from the back and the other fan blows the warm air out the front of the chassis. Make sure that cool air is available at the back of the amplifier, and that there is room in the front for the warm air to exit from the amplifier and dissipate. If rack-mounted, make sure the air being drawn from the rack is cool. Some rack-mounted equipment expel warm air into the rack. When the amplifier is first turned on, the fans run at low speed. As the power output increases and the amp warms up, the fans gradually increase in speed to provide additional cooling. use a high-quality 2-conductor shielded cable. Your TAPCO Dealer can recommend a suitable cable for your application. When connecting a balanced signal, the connectors are wired thusly, according to the AES (Audio Engineering Society) standards: XLR Pin 2 Pin 3 Pin 1 TRS Tip Ring Shield SHIELD HOT Hot (+) Cold (­) Shield (Gnd) 2 AC Power Considerations Be sure the amplifier is plugged into an AC outlet that is able to supply the specified voltage. Be sure the AC outlet can supply enough current to allow full power operation of all the amplifiers plugged into it. The outlet should be a three-prong socket that matches the power cord. WARNING: Bypassing the plug's safety ground pin can be dangerous. Don't do it! COLD 3 1 1 3 2 SHIELD COLD HOT Balanced XLR Connector RING SLEEVE SLEEVE RING TIP TIP RING TIP The AC current demand of an amplifier varies depending on several factors, including the load impedance, the crest factor, and the duty cycle of the program material. Under typical conditions reproducing rock music where musical peaks are just below clipping, the Juice amplifiers require the following average currents. J·800 = 5 A J·1400 = 7 A J·2500 =10 A It is recommended that a stiff supply of AC power be used because the amplifier places high current demands on the AC line. The more power that is available on the line, the louder the amplifier will play and the more peak output power will be available for cleaner, punchier bass. If you have more than one amplifier sharing an AC outlet, you should avoid turning them all on at the same time. Rather, sequence them on, one at a time, to prevent popping the circuit breaker (due to in-rush current). SLEEVE Balanced 1/4" TRS Plug Unbalanced TS (Tip-Sleeve) lines can be accommodated via the TRS jack. Make sure the cord terminates with a TS plug (like a guitar plug), or if it is a TRS plug (like a headphone plug), make sure the ring is tied to the shield, preferably at the source. SLEEVE SLEEVE TIP TIP TIP SLEEVE Unbalanced 1/4" TS Plug If you set the AMP MODE switch to MONO or BRIDGE, use the INPUT A input only. Input Wiring Use a high-quality 3-conductor shielded cable to connect the signal between the signal source (mixing console, equalizer, etc.) and the balanced inputs to the amplifier. If you are using unbalanced inputs, 10 Using the 1/4" TRS Input as a "Thru" Connector Because the XLR connector and the 1/4" TRS connector are in parallel, you can use the 1/4" TRS jack as a "Thru" connector to pass the input signal on to another amplifier's input (see Figure below). Note: If you use an unbalanced 1/4" TS cable to daisy-chain the TRS input jack to another amplifier, you will unbalance the XLR input on the Juice amplifier. This negates the benefits associated with balanced lines and inputs. INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. SPEAKER CONNECTION OFF ON BREAKER SERIAL / DATE CODE SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz FROM MIXING CONSOLE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN OUT LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE STEREO/MONO BRIDGED INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE SWITCH STEREO INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. SPEAKER CONNECTION OFF ON BREAKER SERIAL / DATE CODE SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz Passive Speakers (Mackie C300s) STEREO/MONO BRIDGED LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE SWITCH STEREO Using the 1/4" TRS Input as a "Thru" Connector LOOK CLOSER In MONO and BRIDGE modes, INPUT A and INPUT B are connected together in parallel. This allows you to use INPUT B as a "Thru" connector to daisy-chain the input signal to another amplifier. Passive Speakers (Mackie C300s) Output Wiring Use heavy gauge, stranded wire for connecting speakers to the Speakon outputs jacks. As the distance between the amplifier and the speakers increases, the thickness of the wire should also increase. Speaker wire has resistance, and when electricity passes through a resistor, power is lost. The thicker the wire, the less resistance it offers, and the more power actually gets to the speaker. The thickness of the wire is rated in gauges. Use the chart at the right to determine the correct gauge of wire to use according to the distance between the speakers and the amplifier, and the impedance of the load the amplifier is driving. This ensures that the power lost across the speaker wire is less than 0.5 dB. Load Wire Length Impedance Up to 25 ft. 2 4 8 Up to 40 ft. 2 4 8 Up to 60 ft. 2 4 8 Up to 100 ft. 2 4 8 Up to 150 ft. 2 4 8 Up to 250 ft. 2 4 8 Gauge of Wire 14 gauge 16 gauge 18 gauge 12 gauge 14 gauge 18 gauge 10 gauge 12 gauge 16 gauge 8 gauge 10 gauge 14 gauge 6 gauge 8 gauge 12 gauge 4 gauge 6 gauge 10 gauge 11 Stereo and Mono Modes When using stereo or mono modes, wire the Speakon connectors as shown below: 1­ 1+ COLD HOT 1­ 2+ 2­ 1+ Stereo and Mono Speakon Connection Bridge Mode When using bridge mode, wire the Speakon connector as follows: 2+ 1+ 1­ AMPLIFIER END COLD 2+ 2­ 1+ HOT Dual-Channel Connection The BRIDGED connector has the added feature of providing both speaker outputs on a single connector. This allows you to use a single cable to carry both channels from the amplifier to the speakers. Many speakers with Speakon connectors provide an Input connector and a "Thru" connector for connecting a second speaker in parallel. You can use the Thru connector to connect the CHANNEL B amplifier output to the Channel B speaker. In stereo mode, CHANNEL A output is available at Pins 1+ and 1­, and CHANNEL B is available at Pins 2+ and 2­ on the BRIDGED connector. Wire all four pins in the Speakon connector, as shown below, at both ends of the cable. For the cable connecting the "Thru" connector to the second speaker, you need to use a "crossover" cable that connects pins 2+ and 2­ on the "Thru" connector to pins 1+ and 1­ on the second speaker input end. 1­ 1+ COLD 1­ 2+ 1+ SPEAKER END 2­ HOT Bridged Speakon Connection INPUT B INPUT CONNECTION CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING. SPEAKER CONNECTION OFF ON BREAKER SERIAL / DATE CODE SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz FROM MIXING CONSOLE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN OUT LINE (BALANCED) AMP MODE STEREO/MONO BRIDGED INPUT A CLIP LIMIT OFF ON MONO STEREO CHANNEL B BRIDGED CHANNEL A BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC. BRIDGE WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM LINE (BALANCED) Passive Speakers (Mackie C300s) AMP MODE SWITCH STEREO CHANNEL A COLD TO FIRST SPEAKER INPUT AMPLIFIER END SPEAKER END 1­ 2+ 2­ 1+ HOT 1­ 2+ 2­ 1+ FROM "THRU" OUTPUT TO SECOND SPEAKER INPUT COLD CHANNEL B Crossover Cable (Pin 2+ to Pin 1+ Pin 2­ to Pin 1­) 1­ FROM "THRU" 2+ OUTPUT COLD 1­ 2+ 2­ 1+ TO SECOND SPEAKER INPUT 1+ HOT 2­ CHANNEL B Dual-Channel Speakon Connection 12 Appendix A: Service Information Warranty Service Details concerning Warranty Service are spelled out in the Warranty section on page 19. If you think your amplifier has a problem, please do everything you can to confirm it before calling for service. Doing so might save you from the deprivation of your amplifier and the associated suffering. These may sound obvious to you, but here are some things you can check. Read on. One side is way louder than the other · Are both Level controls set to the same position? · Check your source signal to make sure the left and right signals are balanced. · Are the speaker impedances matched? Different speaker loads can cause different volume levels on each side. · Try switching sides: Turn off the amp, swap the speaker cables at the amp, turn the amp back on. If the same side is still louder, the problem is with your speaker cabling. If the other side is louder now, the problem is with the mixer, the amp, or the line-level cabling. Troubleshooting No Power