Lab.gruppen C Series C 68 4 Manuals

Rev. 2.2.3 Item no. OM-CS Operation Manual C Series Dedicated Installation Amplifiers ▸ C 88:4 ▸ C 68:4 ▸ C 48:4 ▸ C 28:4 ▸ C 16:4 Operation Manual

C SERIES Standing the installation world on its ear...

Technology Brief: Class TD, Regulated SMPS, and Intercooler® C Series: Installation-Dedicated Amplifiers The Lab.gruppen C Series sets a new benchmark for power density in commercial audio amplifiers. The flagship C 68:4 produces up to 6800 W of total output (4 x 1700 W @ 4 ohms) in a 2U cabinet weigh- ing about 12 kg (26.4 lbs). Despite the prodigious power produced inside an astonishingly compact package, C Series amplifiers will not overheat under normal use conditions. By keeping cool, they provide many years of reliable service – with state-of the-art sonic perfor- mance – in all types of installed sound applications. To achieve this extraordinary combination of power den- sity, performance and reliability, Lab.gruppen engineers ap- plied the world’s most advanced amplifier technologies – many patented or proprietary – in development of the C Series. Class TD Design Technology: For decades, the class AB output stage set the standard for high audio quality in power amplification. Although Class AB amplifiers are known for excellent sound, they do not use power efficiently. A great deal of heat is dissipated by the output stages, requiring large heat sinks and bulky fans to keep the output transis- tors inside safe temperatures. Larger power supplies are needed to produce power eventually dissipated as heat. Two other familiar approaches to power amplification offer improved efficiency, though each comes with drawbacks. Class D switching amplifiers employ pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques to achieve very high efficiency, but most implementations of “pure” class D involve compromises in sound quality. Class H designs boost efficiency by modulating the power supply voltage with the input signal, “tracking” the input in order to provide the instantaneous voltage needed for optimum operation of the output devices. However, maximum efficiency with class H is achieved only within a relatively limited dynamic range. The fundamental concepts behind both class D and class H amplifiers have been in the literature for decades, and are not covered by patents. However, specific circuits implement- ing these concepts can be patented, as is the case with Lab.gruppen’s breakthrough Class TD amplifier topology. The TD stands for “tracking class D,” which means that the power supply tracks the audio signal at all frequencies, supply- ing the required rail voltage while at the same time reserving additional headroom. The high-speed switching principles of class D are employed as well, though the final output stage remains a proven class AB component. The entire audio path remains analog, with the signal never converted to digital pulses and then filtered as in some class D designs. Very high efficiency is achieved without the ripple effect typical of a PWM output stage. Benefits: Lab.gruppen’s Class TD works perfectly under all load con- ditions. The output maintains its flat frequency response even into complex loads with nominal impedances as low as 2 ohms. Outputs may be bridged, reliability is very high, and there is no interference with nearby RF equipment. Superior efficiency allows greater power density while minimizing cooling requirements, yet sound quality matches that of the best class AB design. Regulated Switch Mode Power Supply(R.SMPS™) Technology: The power supply unit (PSU) in each C Series amplifier is an advanced, regulated design that is remarkably compact and exceptionally efficient. The transformer uses an enhanced ferrite core to create magnetic field capacity equivalent to iron core transform- ers of far greater bulk. The ingeniously simple layout is extremely efficient, generating less heat and reducing overall amplifier current draw from the mains. The R.SMPS design is regulated to keep supply voltage rails at optimum levels even when mains voltages sag due to external Both superb sound quality and high effeciency are made pos- sible thanks to Class TD technology. 130 65 140 70 150 75 160 80 170 85 180 90 190 95 200 100 210 105 220 110 230 115 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 50 150 Mains Voltage [V] Rail Voltage [V] 2 3 Characteristics of different power supply designs:1)       The Lab.gruppen R.SMPStm used in the C Series provides stable voltage rails even when mains voltage drops as low as 90V (@115V nom.) or 180V (@230V nom.). 2)       The rail voltage of a conventional power supply (typically a toroidal transformer) drops proportionally (or worse) with mains voltage sag. 3)       The rail voltage of other typical unregulated SMPS designs drops severely due to semiconductor losses. Current limiting or low-voltage conditions shut down the supply instead of continuing to lower the rail. 240 120 250 125 160

Rev. 2.0.3 Operation Manual C Series: Dedicated Installation Amplifiers • C 68:4 • C 48:4 • C 28:4 • C 16:4 Item no. OM-CS

Voltage Peak Limiter Load vs Power Tables C Series C 68:4, C 48:4, C 28:4, C 16:4: Dedicated Installation Amplifiers C Series amplifiers include the user-definable Voltage Peak Limiter (VPL) function. Rear-panel DIP-switch settings allow the output voltage to be adjusted and consequently the output power available. The following tables provide information, for the listed C Series models, about resultant output power at typical loads (single-channel and bridged operation) with the available VPL settings. VPL Setting V peak Vrms 16 ! 8 ! 4 ! 2 ! Hi Z 141 V 141 100 650 1200 1700 1200 1600 118 V 118 84 440 880 1700 1200 100 V 100 70 315 630 1250 1200 1600 85 V 85 60 220 440 890 1200 71 V 71 50 155 310 630 1200 1200 59 V 59 42 110 220 440 890 50 V 50 35 80 160 310 630 42 V 42 30 55 110 220 440 VPL Setting V peak Vrms 16 ! 8 ! 4 ! 2 ! Hi Z 141 V 282 200 2400 3400 2400 3200 118 V 236 168 1760 3400 2400 100 V 200 140 1260 2500 2400 3200 85 V 170 120 880 1780 2400 71 V 142 100 620 1260 2400 2400 59 V 118 84 440 880 1780 50 V 100 70 320 620 1260 42 V 84 60 220 440 880 Output power bridged per two channels (W) Load Voltage Peak Limiter Output power per channel (W) Load C 68:4 Voltage Peak Limiter VPL Setting V peak Vrms 16 ! 8 ! 4 ! 2 ! Hi Z 141 V 141 100 625 1000 1200 600 900 118 V 118 84 440 880 1200 600 100 V 100 70 315 630 1200 600 1200 85 V 85 60 220 440 890 600 71 V 71 50 155 310 630 600 630 59 V 59 42 110 220 440 600 50 V 50 35 80 160 310 600 42 V 42 30 55 110 220 440 VPL Setting V peak Vrms 16 ! 8 ! 4 ! 2 ! Hi Z 141 V 282 200 2000 2400 1200 1800 118 V 236 168 1780 2400 1200 100 V 200 140 1260 2400 1200 2400 85 V 170 120 880 1780 1200 71 V 142 100 620 1260 1200 1260 59 V 118 84 440 880 1200 50 V 100 70 320 620 1200 42 V 84 60 220 440 880 C 48:4 Output power bridged per two channels (W) Load Voltage Peak Limiter Output power per channel (W) Load Voltage Peak Limiter

Architect’s and Engineer’s Specifications C Series: Dedicated Installation Amplifiers C 68:4 Overview: Channel Modes and Network The power amplifier shall provide four discrete channels of amplification. Rear-panel switches shall enable bridging of adjacent channels to allow reconfiguration as a 2- or 3-channel amplifier, with increased power output available through the bridged channels. Each channel (discrete or bridged) shall be capable of independently driving either low impedance or high impedance (70 Vrms /100 V peak) loads. The amplifier shall employ a proprietary tracking Class D output circuit topology. The amplifier shall be equipped with sen- sing and communication circuits to allow comprehensive remote control and monitoring functions via a separate network bridge. The proprietary control and monitoring network shall employ TCP/IP protocols, use Cat-5 cable for interconnection, and allow remote con- trol from either the network bridge front-panel or from an external PC using proprietary software. Power Output and Performance Maximum total output of all four channels shall be 6800 watts. In discrete four-channel mode, each amplifier channel shall deliver maximum continuous output power as follows: 650 watts into 16 ohms, 1200 watts into 8 ohms; 1700 watts into 4 ohms; 1200 watts into 2 ohms; or 1600 watts into a high impedance (70 Vrms /100 V peak) load. Maximum output voltage per channel shall be 100 Vrms; maximum output current per channel shall be 24.5 Arms. In bridged mode, each bridged channel shall deliver maximum continuous out- put power as follows: 2400 watts into 16 ohms; 3400 watts into 8 ohms; 2400 watts into 4 ohms; or 3200 watts into a high impedance (140 Vrms / 200 V peak) load. Default amplifier gain shall be 35 dB, with rear-panel adjustment from 23 - 44 dB in 3 dB increments, selectable for each channel. For bridged channels, the amplifier shall automatically compensate –6 dB gain internally to maintain operation of all channels at selected gain. The amplifier shall exhibit the following performance parameters with gain set at 35 dB and VPL (Voltage Peak Limiter) at 141 V: Frequency response shall be 6.8 Hz to 34 kHz, +0/-3 dB at 1 watt into an 8 ohm load; channel separation shall be greater than 70 dB; and signal-to-noise ratio shall be 112 dBA. THD at 1 watt, 20 Hz – 20 kHz, shall be less than 0.1%; THD at 1 kHz shall be no more than 0.05% at 1 dB below clipping. A voltage peak limiter shall limit peak output as determined by rear- panel switches. In discrete four channel mode, peak voltage shall be selectable in eights steps across a range of 141 V to 42 V. In bridged mode, peak voltage shall be selectable in eight steps from 282 V to 84 V. The voltage limiter mode shall be selectable for either hard or soft limiting characteristics. Connectors, Controls, and Indicators The following connectors and controls shall be provided on the REAR-PANEL of the amplifier. The four input connectors shall be electronically balanced, 3-pin Phoenix connectors. The four output connectors shall be 2-pole barrier strip screw connectors. A group of seven DIP-switches shall determine the following: Amplifier gain (23 dB to 44 dB in 3 dB increments); option active; fan masked; and bridged mode selection for channel pairs. A group of sixteen DIP-switches shall determine Voltage Peak Limiter values for each channel, selectable in eight steps, and Hard or Soft limiting characteristic. Two RJ45 connectors shall be provided for input and output of the control/monitoring network signals. An LED adjacent to the RJ45 connectors shall indicate active or inactive status of the network. The following indicators and controls shall be provided on the FRONT- PANEL of the amplifier. Four level control potentiometers, one for each channel, shall be provided beneath a front-panel security cover; potentiometers shall be detented and provide attenuation from 0 dB to minus infinity in 21 steps. Individual switches shall be provided for power on/off and remote power on/off enabling. Front-panel LED indicators shall be provided to show status of power on/off (green), network connection (blue), Power Average Limiter (red), and option card active (yellow). Additional LED indicators shall be provided to show the status of the following for each channel: signal present and high-impedance warning (green/red), signal present at –10 dB and –4 dB (2 x green), voltage peak limiter clipping (red), current peak limiter (CPL) active (orange), very high frequency (VHF) warning (yellow), high temperature warning (yellow flashing), and high temperature fault with output muted (yellow constant). Mute shall be indicated by illumination of both the temperature and VHF LEDs on a channel; fault shall be indicated by illumination of both the CPL and VHF LEDs on a channel. Power Supply, Protection, and Cooling The power supply shall be a regulated switch mode type. The amplifier shall operate from AC line sources of either 230 V nominal or 115 V nominal, with operating ranges of 130 – 265 V and 65 – 135 V at line frequencies of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. Minimum power-up voltages are 171 V (230 V nominal) and 85 V (115 V nominal). A soft start circuit shall limit current inrush at power-up to 5 A. The amplifier shall be equipped with a PAL™ (Power Average Limiter) circuit to prevent excessive current draw. The amplifier shall be cooled by two temperature-controlled, variable-speed fans, with air flow from front-to-back. Adaptive fan on/off function shall be dependent on presence of an output signal. Physical The amplifier shall be 483 mm (19 in.) wide, 88 mm (3.5 in. / 2 U) high, and 343 mm (13.5 in.) deep. The weight shall be 12 kg (26.4 lbs). The cabinet shall be black painted steel with a grey painted steel front-panel. The amplifier shall be approved for use as specified by CE, ANSI/UL, ETL and the FCC. The amplifier shall be the Lab.gruppen C 68:4. Item no. AES-C684_V4 L a b . g r u p p e n a b • S w e d e n i n t e r n a t i o n a L c o n t a c t • i n f o @ L a b g r u p p e n . c o m | u S c o n t a c t • i n f o u S @ t c e L e c t r o n i c . c o m w w w . l a b g r u p p e n . c o m