Page 1
A9 0
P 9 0
P 9 0 / 3
H A N D B O O K / M AN U E L / H A N D B U CH / H A N D L E I D I N G
Eng lis h
Fra nça is
Deu tsc h
Arcam A90, P90 and P90/3 ampliers
Amplicateurs Arcam A90, P90 et P90/3
Arcam-Verstärker A90, P90 und P90/3
Arcam-versterkers A90, P90 en P90/3
Ned erl and s
Page 2
A90/P90
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A90/P90
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Eng lis h
Safety guidelines
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not
remove cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside.
Refer servicing to qualied service personnel.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of re or electric shock, do not
expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.
The lightning ash with an 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 sufcient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to
persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended
to alert the user to the presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying
the product.
CAUTION: In Canada and the USA, to prevent electric shock,
match the wide blade of the plug to the wide slot in the
socket and insert the plug fully into the socket.
Important safety instructions
This product is designed and manufactured to meet strict
quality and safety standards. However, you should be aware of
the following installation and operation precautions:
1. Take heed of warnings and instructions
You should read all the safety and operating instructions
before operating this appliance. Retain this handbook for future
reference and adhere to all warnings in the handbook or on the
appliance.
2. Water and moisture
The presence of electricity near water can be dangerous.
Do not use the appliance near water – for example next to a
bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement or near a
swimming pool, etc.
3. Object or liquid entry
Take care that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into
the enclosure through any openings. Liquid lled objects such
as vases should not be placed on the equipment.
4. Ventilation
Do not place the equipment on a bed, sofa, rug or similar
soft surface, or in an enclosed bookcase or cabinet, since
ventilation may be impeded. We recommend a minimum
distance of 50mm (2 inches) around the sides and top of the
appliance to provide adequate ventilation.
5. Heat
Locate the appliance away from naked ames or heat
producing equipment such as radiators, stoves or other
appliances (including other ampliers) that produce heat.
6. Climate
The appliance has been designed for use in moderate climates.
7. Racks and stands
Only use a rack or stand that is recommended for use with
audio equipment. If the equipment is on a portable rack it
should be moved with great care, to avoid overturning the
combination.
8. Cleaning
Unplug the unit from the mains supply before cleaning.
The case should normally only require a wipe with a soft, damp,
lint-free cloth. Do not use paint thinners or other chemical
solvents for cleaning.
We do not advise the use of furniture cleaning sprays or
polishes as they can cause indelible white marks if the unit is
subsequently wiped with a damp cloth.
9. Power sources
Only connect the appliance to a power supply of the type
described in the operating instructions or as marked on the
appliance.
10. Power-cord protection
Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely
to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against
them, paying particular attention to cords and plugs, and the
point where they exit from the appliance.
11. Grounding
Ensure that the grounding means of the appliance is not
defeated.
12. Power lines
Locate any outdoor antenna/aerial away from power lines.
13. Non-use periods
If the unit has a standby function, a small amount of current will
continue to ow into the equipment in this mode. Unplug the
power cord of the appliance from the outlet if left unused for a
long period of time.
14. Abnormal smell
If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected from the appliance,
turn the power off immediately and unplug the unit from the wall
outlet. Contact your dealer immediately.
15. Servicing
You should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that
described in this handbook. All other servicing should be
referred to qualied service personnel.
16. Damage requiring service
The appliance should be serviced by qualied service personnel
when:
A. the power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged, or
B. objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into the appliance,
or
C. the appliance has been exposed to rain, or
D. the appliance does not appear to operate normally or
exhibits a marked change in performance, or
E. the appliance has been dropped or the enclosure
damaged.
Safety compliance
This product has been designed to meet the IEC 60065
international electrical safety standard.
RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE
NE PAS OUVRIR
ATTENTION
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK DO NOT OPEN
Page 3
A90/P90
3
Eng lis h
Using this handbook
This handbook has been designed to give you all the information
you need to install, connect, set up and use the Arcam A90
integrated amplier or the P90 power amplier. The A90
amplier is described rst, then the P90. The CR-389 remote
control handset supplied with the A90 integrated amplier is
also described.
Your amplier(s) may have been installed and set up by an
authorised Arcam dealer. In this case, you may wish to go
directly to the sections describing the use of this equipment.
Safety
Safety guidelines are set out on the inside front cover of this
handbook.
Many of these items are common sense precautions, but for
your own safety, and to ensure that you do not damage the unit,
we strongly recommend that you read them.
Contents
Safety guidelines......................................................2
Important safety instructions ......................................2
Safety compliance.....................................................2
Using this handbook.................................................3
Safety.......................................................................3
Installation: A90 integrated amplier ........................4
Positioning the unit ....................................................4
Connecting to loudspeakers.......................................4
Connecting to a power supply ....................................4
Connecting to other equipment...................................5
Using your A90 integrated amplier .........................6
Front panel controls...................................................6
Recording.................................................................7
Setting up your A90 integrated amplier ..................8
Using the remote control..........................................9
CR-389 Remote Control .............................................9
Installation: P90 power amplifer .............................10
Connecting to power, loudspeakers and other
equipment...............................................................10
Remote switching....................................................10
Three channel option ...............................................10
Using your P90 power amplier..............................11
Bi-wiring and bi-amping loudspeakers.....................12
Before you start ......................................................12
Bi-wiring your loudspeakers......................................12
Bi-amping your system.............................................12
Remote-control codes ............................................13
Service information................................................14
Technical specications..........................................14
Guarantee..............................................................15
On-line registration ................................................15
Page 4
A90/P90
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Eng lis h
Installation: A90 integrated amplier
Positioning the unit
Place your amplier on a level, rm surface.
Avoid placing the unit in direct sunlight or near sources of heat
or damp.
Ensure adequate ventilation. Do not place the unit in an
enclosed space such as a bookcase or cabinet as both of
these will impede air ow through the ventilation slots.
Connecting to loudspeakers
The red and black terminals on the back of the ampliers 4
are used to make the connections to the loudspeakers. You
can connect one or two pairs of loudspeakers to your amplier,
provided each pair is rated between 8–16Ω. (If one or both
pairs have an impedance of less than 8Ω, the combined load
on the amplier falls below 4Ω and could cause an overload.)
The pair designated ‘speaker 1’ (SP1) are connected to the
lower set of terminals, while the pair designated ‘speaker 2’
(SP2) are connected to the upper set of terminals. To connect
one pair of loudspeakers, use the SP1 terminals.
When connecting the speaker terminals of the amplier with
the terminals on the speakers, make sure that like polarities
are matched (i.e., match ‘+’ with ‘+’ (usually red) and ‘–’ with ‘–’
(usually black)). Mismatching of polarities will result in a weak
central sound, unclear orientation of the instruments and the
sense of direction of the stereo being impaired.
There are two options for connecting the speaker cable to the
amplier:
Using bare wire ended leads:
1. Strip back the insulation on the wire to reveal about 2cm
of conductor (the metal inside the cable).
2. If the conductor is stranded, twist the strands together
tightly to avoid loose strands making contact with the
adjacent terminals or the back panel.
3. Loosen the terminal by turning it anti-clockwise
4. Insert the twisted wire through the hole in the terminal.
5. Tighten by turning clockwise.
When making connections with stranded bare ended wires, take
great care that no individual strands of wire come into contact
with the adjacent terminals or with the back panel. If this
should happen, it will cause a short circuit on the output of the
amplier and could damage the amplier.
Using spade terminals:
1. Loosen the terminal by turning it anti-clockwise
2. Insert the spade connecter under the terminal.
3. Tighten by turning clockwise.
Connecting to a power supply
Wrong plug?
Check that the plug supplied with the unit ts your supply and
that your mains supply voltage agrees with the voltage setting
(115V or 230V) indicated on the rear panel of the unit 2
before plugging in.
If your mains supply voltage or mains plug is different, consult
your Arcam dealer or Arcam Customer Support on +44 (0)1223
203200.
The product must be earthed.
Mains lead
The appliance is normally supplied with a moulded mains plug
already tted to the lead. If for any reason the plug needs to
be removed, it must be disposed of immediately and securely,
as it is a potential shock hazard when inserted into the mains
socket. Should you require a new mains lead, contact your
Arcam dealer.
Plugging in
Push the plug (IEC line socket) of the power cable supplied with
the unit into the socket (POWER INLET) 1 in the back of the
unit. Make sure it is pushed in rmly.
Put the plug on the other end of the cable into your power
supply socket and switch the socket on.
Wiring your loudspeakers
LR
+ –
PHONO
+ –
SP1
SP2
POWER INLET
PRE OUTPWR IN
6 8 9 bk bl bm bn bo bp54 bq1
4 – 16 OHMS
L
R
L
R
L
R
VOLTAGE
SELECT
230V
RECORD
OUT
PLAY
IN
TAPE 1
RECORD
OUT
PLA
Y
IN
VCR/TAPE 2 DVD AV TUNER
CD AUX
INTEGRATED
PRE/PWR
MM
MC
32
REMOTE
IN
TRIG
OUT
7 br
Arcam A90 amplifier
R
L
+ –+ –
Right
speaker
+
–
–
+
Left
speaker
Page 5
A90/P90
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Eng lis h
Standby power
For remote standby operation, the amplier’s control power
supply is kept powered up all the time the unit is connected to
the mains supply. The front panel power switch powers down all
other circuitry. Power consumption in this mode is less than 2W.
This means that even though the power switch is off, it may be
possible to hear a slight residual hum coming from the mains
transformer inside the amplier. This is perfectly normal. If the
unit is to be left unused for an extended period, we recommend
that it is disconnected from the mains supply by switching it off
at the wall socket.
Connecting to other equipment
The use of high quality interconnect cables to and from your
amplier is recommended to ensure the best sound quality.
Sockets marked L (and R) on your amplier should only be
connected to sockets marked L (and R) on other equipment. All
the line inputs have the same sensitivity and may be used with
equipment other than that labelled, if needed.
TAPE1/RECORD OUT 8 – Connect these output sockets
to the input sockets of your cassette deck (usually labelled
RECORD).
TAPE1/PLAY IN 9 – Connect these input sockets to the
output sockets of your cassette deck (usually labelled PLAY). If
you do not have a cassette deck you can use this input for other
(line level) equipment, such as a CD player, tuner, VCR, etc., but
not a turntable.
VCR/TAPE2 RECORD OUT bk – These output sockets can
be connected to the input sockets of VCR/second recorder
(usually labelled RECORD).
VCR/TAPE2 PLAY IN bl – Connect these input sockets
to the output sockets of your VCR/second recorder (usually
labelled PLAY). Alternatively, you can use this input for other
(line level) equipment such as a CD player, tuner, etc., but not a
turntable.
DVD bm – Connect this input to the audio outputs of a DVD
player.
AV bn – Connect this input to audiovisual equipment such as a
VCR, laserdisc player, satellite or Nicam tuner.
TUNER bo – Connect this input to the audio outputs of your
radio tuner.
CD bp – Connect this input to the audio outputs of your CD
player or DAC (digital to analogue converter).
AUX bq – Connect this input to the audio outputs of any unit
with a line level output, e.g. tape deck, tuner etc.
NOTE: The AUX inputs must not be used if the phono module
is tted. When this is tted AUX becomes an output carrying
the equalised phono signal at line level.
PHONO br – As standard, phono inputs are blanked. Phono
inputs are provided on a separate plug-in module which your
Arcam dealer or distributor can supply and t. This module
is compatible with most high output moving coil and moving
magnet cartridges (MM) and low output moving coil cartridges
(MC). MM or MC is selected via the MM/MC back panel switch.
Phono earth terminal – For connecting your turntable earth
lead (if tted). Note that this terminal must not be used as a
safety earth.
TRIG OUT AND REMOTE IN 3 (12V in and out) – These
connections are intended for use in multi-room installations.
TRIG OUT – This output provides a 12V signal whenever the
unit is switched on (i.e., not off or in standby). This signal
can be used to switch on automatically power ampliers
(or other equipment) connected to the A90, as they will
come on when the A90 is activated. This is useful if the
power amplier is remote from the A90, or otherwise
difcult to access.
REMOTE IN – This allows remote control signals to be received
by the A90 if the remote sensor is covered (or otherwise
not ‘visible’ to the remote control). An external sensor
is used to receive the signals from the remote control,
which are then fed to the A90 (into this input) using a
suitable cable. Remote control signals acceptable to the
A90 must be in modulated RC5 format, with a voltage
level of between 5V and 15V.
Note that in normal use there is no need to make any
connections to these sockets. If you would like to make use of
these features, please contact your dealer for more advice on
how to make the connections and on what type of cable to use.
Pre/power amplier connections
PWR IN
5
– To use your integrated amplier as a power
amplier, connect the output of your pre-amplier to the PWR IN
sockets.
Press in the PRE/PWR switch 7 on the rear panel to
select separate pre-amp/power amp mode. Under these
circumstances your A90 has exactly the same specication and
performance as a power amplier (see page 10).
PRE OUT
6
– To use your integrated amplier as a preamplier, connect the PRE OUT sockets to the input sockets
of your power amplier. With a power amplier of the correct
gain (e.g. the P90 power amplier) you can bi-amplify (‘bi-amp’)
suitable loudspeakers, giving signicant improvements in sound
quality (see page 12).
Page 6
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Eng lis h
Using your A90 integrated amplier
Front panel controls
This section describes how to operate your amplier.
If your amplier has not been installed for you, you should
rst read the section ‘Installation: A90 integrated amplier’ on
page 4.
POWER (and power indicator light)
8
Switches the unit on and off. (You can also switch the amplier
into standby mode with the remote control handset.)
The light indicates the status of the amplier. A red light means
the amplier is in standby mode (press the POWER/STANDBY
button on the remote control, or the POWER button on the front
panel, to switch between standby and powered-up modes).
When you switch your amplier on, the light glows amber for a
few seconds, during which time the speakers are disconnected.
The light changes to green when the amplier is ready for use.
The light may ash if a fault has occurred – the fault type is
shown on the display. You should unplug the amplier and leave
it for a few minutes before reconnecting. If the fault cannot be
cleared, unplug your amplier and contact your Arcam dealer.
Source selectors 2
These buttons select the source connected to the
corresponding input. A light above the relevant button indicates
which input is currently selected and it will also usually be
shown on the display.
VCR
4
This input is similar to the other line level inputs on the amplier
and may be used with a VCR or a second recording unit (e.g.
cassette deck).
TONE
6
Switches the tone circuits on and off, including settings for
individual sources. Note that the tone LED does not light unless
a tone setting has been made. (see page 8).
Control knob, SELECT and ENTER
3bobn
The control knob has two functions:
as a volume control, to adjust the output of loudspeakers
and headphones connected to the amplier, and of the
pre-amp output (PRE OUT).
when used in conjunction with the SELECT and ENTER
buttons, to customise amplier settings (see page 8).
Volume control settings
It is important to realise that the position of the volume control
is not an accurate indication of the power delivered to your
loudspeakers. The amplier often delivers its full power long
before the volume control reaches its maximum position,
particularly when listening to heavily recorded compact discs.
However the amplier also has to be capable of giving full
power output from much lower level sources, such as tuners
and cassette decks. Using these sources, the volume control
setting may be much higher before distortion (audible overload)
sets in. To compensate for this, the input levels of each source
may be individually adjusted to avoid accidental overload (see
page 8).
SP1 and SP2
7
These buttons allow you to select and deselect the main (SP1)
and secondary (SP2) set of speakers attached to your amplier.
The light above each button glows if the corresponding
speakers are currently selected. (If both lights are out the
amplier will appear not to work, as all speakers are switched
off!)
PHONES
1
This socket accepts headphones with an impedance rating
between 8Ω and 2kΩ, tted with a 1/4-inch stereo jack plug.
If you wish to listen on headphones only, use the SP1 and SP2
buttons (if necessary) to mute the speakers. The headphone
socket is always active.
Remote control receiver
9
The remote control’s infrared receiver is positioned to the left
of the RECORD button. Ensure the receiver is in a clear line of
sight from the remote control to allow signals to be received.
MODE, UP and DOWN
blbm
These buttons are mainly for use with future optional modules,
however the UP and DOWN buttons are used with the basic A90
amplier to move the cursor when customising the ‘Welcome
message’ (see page 8).
321 6 7 8
9 b
k
A90 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER
PHONO/AUX CD TUNER AV DVD VCR TAPE TONE SP1 SP2 POWERPHONES
RECORD MODE
ENTER
SELECT
4
5
bl bm bnbo
Page 7
A90/P90
7
Eng lis h
Recording
With the Arcam A90 it is possible to listen to and record from
one source, or to listen to one source while recording another.
Both sets of tape sockets are identical in sensitivity and suitable
for use with almost any type of recorder (cassette, CDR, MD,
VCR, reel-to-reel, etc.). The record signal is sent to both the
TAPE and VCR output sockets.
RECORD
bk
To record the currently selected source, press RECORD until
the display shows ‘RECORD SOURCE’. After a few seconds the
display reverts to showing the volume level and you are ready
to record.
To listen to one source while recording another, press RECORD
again until the display shows ‘RECORD’ followed by the name
of an input (e.g. ‘AUX’, ‘CD’, ‘TUNER’, etc.). Now press the
source selector button on the front panel for the source you
wish to record. Your selection is shown on the display for a few
seconds, after which it reverts to showing the volume level and
you are ready to record.
The RECORD button can also be used as a second zone
selector, sending a source signal at line level to a second
amplier operating in another room. If you need help with this,
contact your Arcam dealer or Arcam customer support.
Tape-to-tape copying (dubbing)
You can perform tape dubbing from VCR to TAPE, but not from
TAPE to VCR.
For example, to copy from a cassette recorder connected to
the VCR socket to a cassette recorder connected to the TAPE 1
socket, rst use the RECORD button as explained above and
select ‘RECORD VCR’. This routes the VCR signal to the TAPE
output.
Set the cassette recorder connected to the TAPE socket into its
record mode and the other to playback mode to start dubbing.
TAPE
5
To play back the recording from a cassette deck attached to
the TAPE 1 input, press TAPE. ‘TAPE 1’ is shown on the display.
Selecting this input overrides the other source selectors.
It is also possible to monitor a recording while it is being made,
provided your cassette deck is a 3-head type. To do this, press
TAPE. Switching this button in/out allows an A/B comparison
between the source signal and the recorded signal.
Page 8
A90/P90
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A90/P90
9
Eng lis h
Setting up your A90 integrated amplier
choose
setting
adjust
BALANCE
adjust
BASS
adjust
TREBLE
adjust
LEFT RIGHT
–dB +dB
–dB +dB
Customize ->
DOWN UP
edit
STANDARD
FINE
REFERENCE
continue
Volume
Resolution
GRAPHIC/
NUMERIC
edit
GLOBAL/
PER
SOURCE
continue
edit
ARCAM
Amp
continue
edit
AUX/
PHONO
continue
edit
NO/YES
RESTORE
SETTINGS
PHONO/AUX
TEXT
WELCOME
MESSAGE
TONE
CONTROL
edit
continue
edit
continue
TRIM
VOLUME
DISPLAY
INPUT
TRIMS
Welcome
message
Phono/Aux
text
Restore
settings
Volume
resolution
Volume
display
Input
trims
Tone
control
‘Switch on’
state
ARCAM A90 ‘Switch on’ state
VOLUME
edit
continue
Processor
mode
Processor
mode
GAIN
Tone Control – Global or Per source. This
species the scope of changes for ‘Bass’ and
‘Treble’ tone settings. The default setting is ‘Global’
which affects all inputs equally. ‘Per source’ allows
you to set tone controls for individual inputs: once
set, the amplier remembers tone settings for
each input.
Processor Mode – This mode enables you to
adjust the gain of the amplier. The amplier
can then be used to drive the front left and right
speakers in a surround sound system when
fed from a separate processor. You can then
control the volume of the entire system using the
processor, feeding the sound into the TAPE input.
Set the gain to match the ampliers that drive your
other loudspeakers.
Volume Resolution – Standard, fine or
Reference. ‘Standard’ and ‘Fine’ represent
different levels of volume control sensitivity. The
‘Reference’ setting gives absolute increments in
0.5dB steps.
Volume display mode – graphic or numeric
shows the volume either as a bar graph or as a
number. If Volume resolution is set to ‘Reference’
a numeric volume display shows the actual decibel
gure.
Input Trims – use the source select buttons and
Control knob to set input trims for each source.
Input trims are used to compensate for variations
in output levels of different source equipment.
Introduction
The A90 allows you to adjust listening settings to
suit your taste, and to customise various features
of the amplier to t your system. Use this diagram
to help you navigate through the settings available.
The ENTER and SELECT buttons are represented
in the diagram by the symbols and
respectively. The Control knob is shown as .
Welcome message – You can change the
power on Welcome message from ‘Arcam
INTEGRATED AMP’ to display your name,
postcode, etc. When customising the message,
use the UP and DOWN buttons to select the cursor
position and the Control knob to change the letter.
Phono/Aux Text – If you have had the optional
Phono module added, choose ‘Phono’ so this
word is displayed when the input is selected. The
default is ‘Aux’.
Restore Settings – this restores all amplier
settings, including Input trims and the Welcome
message, to their factory defaults.
Adjusting listening settings
The default display mode is VOLUME, where the
control knob is used to adjust sound level.
Press SELECT to enter edit mode and cycle
through the other sound settings: BALANCE,
BASS and TREBLE. When a setting is selected,
adjust it with the control knob. Press ENTER to x
the change you have made and return to default
(volume) mode, or press SELECT again to move to
the next setting.
Customising amplier settings
Press SELECT until the display shows
‘CUSTOMISE->’. Now rotate the Control knob to
choose which setting you wish to alter. Press
SELECT to adjust the chosen setting with the
Control knob.
Press ENTER to conrm the adjustment or press
SELECT to conrm the adjustment and move on to
the next item.
Press ENTER twice to leave the Customise menu.
Page 9
A90/P90
9
Eng lis h
Using the remote control
CR-389 Remote Control
The CR-389 remote control gives access to all functions
available on the front panel of the A90. It also has controls to
operate Arcam CD players, AM/FM tuners and DAB tuners.
The remote control transmits Philips RC-5 type codes.
Source selection buttons
These operate in the same way as the source selectors
on the front panel of your integrated amplier.
Volume and (mute)
Press + to increase volume or – to decrease the output volume
of the amplier.
Press to mute the speaker connections and preamp outputs.
Both tape outputs and the headphone socket remain active.
Mute is disabled either by pressing again, or by adjusting the
volume.
You can use the remote’s volume control in conjunction with the
SELECT button to adjust balance, tone and amplier settings.
TUNER
These buttons are used to control tuner functions.
Note that the FM/DAB lights indicate into which mode
you are switching the remote control. The lights only
illuminate for ve seconds to conserve battery power.
If neither light is illuminated this does not mean that the
remote control is not working!
NOTE: Remember to install the two supplied AAA batteries
before trying to use your remote control!
Do not place anything in front of the IR receiver on the left
of the A90, or the remote control may not work.
CD controls
These offer basic controls of Arcam CD players
SP1 and SP2
These buttons allow you to select and deselect the main (SP1)
and secondary (SP2) sets of speakers attached to your amplier
(see page 6).
Power/Standby
Toggles the amplier between standby mode and full power
mode. The power indicator light next to the power button on
the front panel is red if the amplier is in standby, amber while
the amplier is powering up (this only takes a few seconds) and
green when the amplier is powered up.
FM DAB
PROG INFO
RPT
MODE BAND
1-9
2-10 3-11
FM
DAB
SELECT
TUNER
CR-389
CD
AMPLIFIER
VCR DVDTAPEAV
TUNER CDAUXPHONO
ENTER
SP1
SP2 DISP
MENU DISP
4-12
5-13
6-14 7-15 8-16
DISP (display)
Cycles through the settings ‘Bright’, ‘Off’ and ‘Dim’. Turning the
display ‘Off’ generally gives a slight improvement in sound quality.
SELECT
Performs same function as the SELECT button on the front
panel. It allows you to use the remote’s volume switch in the
same way you use the control dial on the front panel – to
adjust various amplier settings (see page 8).
Note that pressing + corresponds to turning the
Control knob clockwise, – to anticlockwise.
ENTER
Performs the same function as the ENTER
button on the front panel (see page 8).
(UP and DOWN)
Perform the same function as the buttons
on the front panel (see page 6).
Page 10
A90/P90
10
A90/P90
11
Eng lis h
Connecting to power, loudspeakers and other equipment
Follow the installation instructions for the integrated amplier on
pages 4 and 5.
AUDIO IN – Connect this input to the output sockets of your pre-
amplier or the PRE OUT sockets of an integrated amplier.
MONO LINK – The power amplier can be adapted to provide
two mono loudspeaker outputs from a single input. Pull out
the link supplied and use it to connect the L and R AUDIO OUT
sockets together. Using one power amplier per loudspeaker
will enable you to bi-amplify bi-wireable loudspeakers.
This is particularly benecial for top quality stereo installations
with a separate pre-amplier, or where ampliers are provided
for the left, centre and right channel loudspeakers in a ve
speaker Dolby Pro Logic or Dolby Digital system.
Contact your Arcam dealer for more information.
“Daisy chaining” – The power amplier can be connected to
further power ampliers to drive more speakers (e.g. those in
other rooms or tri-amplied speakers, etc).
Connect the extra power amplier inputs to the AUDIO OUT
sockets on the power amplier, left to left, right to right.
Installation: P90 power amplifer
Remote switching
By making a connection from the REMOTE IN socket of the P90
power amplier to the TRIG OUT socket of the A90 integrated
amplier, you can use the A90 to switch the power amplier on
and off. If congured in this way, the front panel POWER button
of the A90 (or the POWER/STANDBY button on the remote
control) switches both ampliers on and off together. This facility
allows you to conceal the power amplier yet still control it.
The connecting cable required is a 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack lead
(stereo or mono) and it is possible to connect several power
ampliers to an A90 by ‘daisy chaining’ from TRIG OUT of one
P90 into the REMOTE IN of the next.
Three channel option
The power amplier can be upgraded from stereo to three
channels by adding a Third Channel Module: in this case, the
model is designated P90/3.
The module offers extra loudspeaker terminals together with a
third set of AUDIO IN and OUT phono sockets and converts the
P90 into a 3 x 90W (RMS per channel into 8Ω) amplier suitable
for Home Cinema or multi-channel audio use.
Contact your Arcam dealer for further details.
+ R/CH1 –
CTR/CH3
SP1
SP2
POWER INLET
OUTIN
L
R
VOLTAGE
SELECT
230V
4 – 16 OHMS
+ L/CH2 –
+ R/CH1 –
+
L/CH2
–
AUDIO
SP1
SP2
4 – 16 OHMS
+ CTR/CH3 –
+ CTR/CH3 –
AUDIO
IN
OUT
LINK
REMOTE
IN
TRIG
OUT
Optional Third Channel Module
– provides a third 90W channel
suitable for Home Cinema or
multi-channel audio use.
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POWER (and power indicator light)
Switches the unit on and off. The light indicates the status of the
amplier.
When you switch your amplier on, the light glows amber for a
few seconds, during which time the speakers are disconnected.
The light changes to green when the amplier is ready for use.
A red light means the amplier is in standby mode.
The power light may ash if a fault has occurred, with the colour
of the ashing light indicating the nature of the fault:
green – a D.C. offset fault has occured
amber – a thermal fault has occured (the amplier is too
hot)
red – a short circuit fault has occured (this can happen if
the speaker cables are not connected correctly and are
making contact with each other or with the chassis)
red and amber – more than one fault has occured.
Except for a thermal fault, if one of the above faults is detected
by your amplier the unit waits for six seconds before checking
to see if the fault has cleared. If the fault clears within six
seconds, then the unit continues operation; otherwise the unit
shuts itself down. In the case of a thermal fault, the unit waits
until its sensor temperature lowers before resuming operation.
If the amplier has shut itself down, you should unplug the
amplier and leave it for a few minutes before reconnecting. If
the fault cannot be cleared, unplug your amplier and contact
your Arcam dealer.
Using your P90 power amplier
POWER
P90 POWER AMPLIFIER
POWER
SP1 SP2 POWER
NOTE: If both lights are out the amplier will appear not to
work, as all speakers are switched off.
SP1 and SP2
These buttons allow you to select and deselect the main
(SP1) and secondary (SP2) sets of speakers attached to your
amplier. An indicator light shows which set of speakers are
currently selected.
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13
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Before you start
WARNING: Do not make any connections to your
amplier while it is switched on or connected to the
mains supply.
Before switching on please check all connections
thoroughly, making sure bare wires or cables are not
touching the amplier in the wrong places (which could
cause short circuits) and you have connected positive
(+) to positive and negative (–) to negative.
Always ensure that the volume control on your amplier
is set to minimum before starting these procedures.
Bi-wiring your loudspeakers
Bi-wiring improves the sound of your system because it divides
the high and low frequency signal currents into separate
speaker cables. This avoids signal distortions arising from the
high and low frequency currents interacting with one another
within a single cable, as in conventionally wired systems.
You will need:
Speakers – with four input terminals each: these will be marked
HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low Frequency).
Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker
(which may be joined at the amplier end if your amplier has
only one pair of output terminals per channel), or a suitably
terminated cable set.
How to bi-wire loudspeakers
1. Remove the terminal links on the rear of your
loudspeakers
WARNING: This step is essential or damage to
your amplier may result which is not covered
under warranty.
2. Connect the cables as shown in the diagram below,
ensuring correct polarity at all times.
Bi-amping your system
The performance of your system can be further enhanced over
that achieved with bi-wiring, by extending the principle one
stage further to include separate amplication for the low and
high frequency drive units in each loudspeaker enclosure.
Connect the integrated amplier to the high frequency (HF)
terminals and connect the power amplier to the low frequency
(LF) terminals.
You will need:
Speakers – with four input terminals each (as with bi-wiring):
these will be marked HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low
Frequency).
Two ampliers – one of these would be the A90 and the other
an Arcam power amplier (e.g. P90).
Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker or a
suitably terminated cable set.
Interconnect cables – one pair of high quality interconnect
cables.
How to set up a bi-amped system
1. Remove the terminal links on the rear of your
loudspeakers.
WARNING: This step is essential or damage to
your amplier may result which is not covered
under warranty.
2. Connect the cables as shown in the diagram below,
ensuring correct polarity at all times.
3. Use the interconnect cables to connect the PRE OUT
sockets of the A90 to the corresponding AUDIO IN
sockets of the power amplier.
Bi-wiring and bi-amping loudspeakers
Bi-wiring using one set of connections on amplier Recommended bi-amping conguration
Arcam A90 amplifier
R L
Right
speaker
HF
LF
+
+
+ –
HF
LF
+
+
–
–
+ –
Left
speaker
–
–
R L
Arcam P90 power amplifier
+ –+ –
R
L
+ –+ –
Right
speaker
HF
LF
+
–
+
–
–
HF
LF
+––
+
Left
speaker
Arcam A90 amplifier
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Remote-control codes
The following table gives the IR-commands accepted by the
A90.
Power commands
Command Decimal Code
Power toggle 16–12
Power-on 16–123
Power-off 16–124
Source selection commands
Command Decimal Code
PHONO select 16–1
AV select 16–2
TUNER select 16–3
DVD select 16–4
TAPE select 16–5
VCR select 16–6
CD select 16–7
AUX select 16–8
Volume control commands
Command Decimal Code
Mute 16–13
Volume up 16–16
Volume down 16–17
Menu navigation commands
Command Decimal Code
UP
16-32
DOWN
16-33
SELECT
16–37
ENTER
16–87
Speaker control commands
Command Decimal Code
Speaker 1 toggle 16–35
Speaker 2 toggle 16–39
Speaker 1 on 16–43
Speaker 1 off 16–44
Speaker 2 on 16–45
Speaker 2 off 16–46
Display control commands
Command Decimal Code
Display 16–59
Note that the A90 also responds to code 20–53 (the Play
command for an Arcam CD player). The A90 swiches
automatically to CD input on receiving this command.
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Service information
Continual improvement policy
Arcam has a policy of continual improvement for its products.
This means that designs and specications are subject to
change without notice.
NOTE: All specication values are typical unless otherwise
stated.
Before returning your amplier for service, please check the
following:
Sound cuts out for no reason
If the temperature of the internal heatsink rises above a safe
level, then a thermal cutout inside the amplier will operate.
The power indicator on the front panel ashes and the
protection system temporarily removes the power to the
speakers. The system resets itself as the heatsink cools down.
With two pairs of low impedance speakers connected,
overloads are more likely. Overloading the amplier may
cause it to shut down because of overheating.
Note that because of the high output voltage from a CD
player, it is possible to drive the A90 at full power even
though the volume is not set at maximum.
Amplier does not switch back on
The A90 and P90 ampliers have a protection mechanism
which is activated if you switch the unit on immediately after
turning it off. If this mechanism activates, wait 30 seconds then
try again.
Technical specications
A90 P90
Continuous power output, per channel
Both channels, 8Ω, 20Hz–20kHz 90W 90W
Single channel, 4Ω, 1kHz 150W 150W
Distortion, 8Ω, 80% power, 1kHz 0.005% 0.005%
Inputs
Phono cartridge (optional module)
input sensitivity, MM 2.5mV
input sensitivity, MC 250µV
Line and tape inputs
Nominal sensitivity 250mV 700mV
Input impedance 22kΩ 22kΩ
Signal/noise ratio (CCIR) 105dB 112dB
Tone controls, max. boost/cut ±12dB
Preamplier outputs
Nominal output level 700mV
Output impedance <50Ω
General
Power consumption (maximum) 800VA 800VA (950VA for P90/3)
Dimensions W x D x H (including feet) 435 x 340 x 100mm 435 x 320 x 100mm
Weight (net) 9kg 9.5kg (10.5kg for P90/3)
Weight (packed) 10.5kg 11kg (12kg for P90/3)
Supplied accessories mains lead
CR-389 remote control
2 x AAA batteries
mains lead
E&OE
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Worldwide Guarantee
This entitles you to have the unit repaired free of charge, during
the rst two years after purchase, at any authorised Arcam
distributor provided that it was originally purchased from an
authorised Arcam dealer or distributor. The manufacturer
can take no responsibility for defects arising from accident,
misuse, abuse, wear and tear, neglect or through unauthorised
adjustment and/or repair, neither can they accept responsibility
for damage or loss occurring during transit to or from the
person claiming under the guarantee.
The warranty covers:
Parts and labour costs for two years from the purchase date.
After two years you must pay for both parts and labour costs.
The warranty does not cover transportation costs at any
time.
Claims under guarantee
This equipment should be packed in the original packing
and returned to the dealer from whom it was purchased, or
failing this, directly to the Arcam distributor in the country of
residence.
It should be sent carriage prepaid by a reputable carrier -– NOT
by post. No responsibility can be accepted for the unit whilst in
transit to the dealer or distributor and customers are therefore
advised to insure the unit against loss or damage whilst in
transit.
For further details contact Arcam at:
Arcam Customer Support Department,
Pembroke Avenue, Waterbeach, CAMBRIDGE
CB5 9QR, England.
Telephone: +44 (0)1223 203200
Fax: +44 (0)1223 863384
Email: support@arcam.co.uk
Problems?
If your dealer is unable to answer any query regarding this
or any other Arcam product please contact Arcam Customer
Support on +44 (0) 1223 203200 or write to us at the above
address and we will do our best to help you.
Guarantee
On-line registration
You can register your Arcam product on line at:
www.arcam.co.uk
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