Arcam P7 User Manual
Multichannel Power
Amplifier
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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 FMJ P7 Multichannel
Power Amplifier.
It may be that the P7 has been installed and set up as par t of your
Hi-Fi or home cinema installation by a qualified Arcam dealer. In this
case, you may wish to skip the sections of this handbook dealing with
installation and setting up the unit. Use the Contents list to guide you
to the relevant sections.
SAFETY
Safety guidelines are set out on the following page 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. This is a class 1 product and requires
an earth connection.
CONTENTS
Using this handbook...................................................................... 3
Safety guidelines ............................................................................. 4
Safety instructions .................................................................................. 4
Safety compliance................................................................................... 4
Getting started with your P7...................................................... 5
Introduction ............................................................................................... 5
Speaker installation ................................................................................ 5
Cables............................................................................................................5
Installation ....................................................................................... 6
Positioning the unit................................................................................6
Connecting to a pre-amplier......................................................... 6
Connecting to a loudspeakers ........................................................7
Connecting to a power supply....................................................... 7
Operating your P7......................................................................... 8
Front panel layout .................................................................................. 8
Operating procedure ........................................................................... 8
Bi-wiring and bi-amping your loudspeakers............................. 9
Before you start ......................................................................................9
Bi-wiring your loudspeakers ............................................................. 9
Bi-amping your system.........................................................................9
Troubleshooting........................................................................... 10
Fault status indicators........................................................................ 11
Technical specication ................................................................12
Guarantee...................................................................................... 13
On-line registration ............................................................................ 13
OTHER LANGUAGES
Check the Arcam website (www.arcam.co.uk) for further languages.
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Safety guidelines
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 filled 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. Do not place other equipment directly on top of the unit.
5. Heat
Locate the appliance away from naked flames or heat producing
equipment such as radiators, stoves or other appliances (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
6. Climate
The appliance has been designed for use in moderate climates.
7. Racks and stands
Only use a r ack 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. As
this amplif ier weighs 31kg, ensure that the equipment rack or stand
is sturdy enough to suppor t this weight.
8. Cleaning
Unplug the unit from the mains supply before cleaning.
The case should normally only require a wipe with a soft, damp, lintfree 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.
Do not spray cleaning products into the ventialtion slots on top of
the unit.
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 also the point where they
exit from the appliance.
11. Grounding
Ensure that the unit is grounded properly at all times.
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 flow 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 ser vice the appliance beyond that
described in this handbook. All other servicing should be referred to
qualified service personnel.
16. Damage requiring service
The appliance should be serviced 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 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.
17. Lifting the unit
This amplifier weighs 31kg, so take extreme care when lifting or moving
this unit. We recommend that two people are available to lift this unit.
SAFETY COMPLIANCE
This product has been designed to meet the EN60065 international
electrical safety standard.
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Getting started with your P7
INTRODUCTION
The P7 Multi-channel Power Amplifier is built to Arcam’s traditional
high quality design and manufacturing standards. It is an extremely
high-performance multi-channel power amplifier, offering up to 150W
per channel. It is obviously well suited to multi-channel home cinema
amplification, and also provides superb quality stereo performance
with two-channel sources. The P7 is an ideal par tner for the FMJ AV8
Pre-amp Processor.
Each power amplifier module is identical, and is electrically isolated
from the other modules by opto-isolated circuitr y which ensures
that each amplifier module has its own isolated supply. This allows the
amplifier to give excellent channel separation and very low distortion.
The P7 also has input and output phono sockets for the signal being
fed to each channel, to allow the signal to be passed on to additional
power amplifiers to drive loudspeakers in other rooms or to bi-amplify
any of the speakers. If the P7 is being used to drive a five-channel
surround sound system, then the spare two modules (‘L surround
rear’ and ‘R surround rear’) can be used in conjunction with the main
(‘L front’ and ‘R front’) modules to bi-amplify suitable front left and
right speakers.
NOTE: For speakers to be suitable for bi-amping, they must have
separate input terminals for bass (LF) and treble (HF) and any links
between these terminals must be removed before using the P7 in
this way.
The P7 can be easily integrated with various types of loudspeakers
currently available, including those that are THX cer tified. Being THX
certified means that the P7 has passed the rigorous THX Ultra2
specification enabling it to reproduce THX Surround EX signals from
both Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks, when fed from a THX
Surround EX-capable processor, such as the Arcam AV8.
The customised installation of the P7 to a listening room is an
important process which requires care at every stage For this reason,
the installation information is very comprehensive and should be
followed carefully. This manual has been written with the assumption
that the installer is familiar with the installation of audio/video
systems.
SPEAKER INSTALLATION
The P7 allows connection of up to seven loudspeakers (for typical
5.1 and 7.1 installations). The speakers are distributed in the front left,
centre, front right, surround left, surround right, surround back left,
surround back right (see diagram below)
Surround
back left
Surround
back right
CentreFront
left
Front
right
Subwoofer
Surround
left
Surround
right
All speakers, with the exception of the subwoofer, should be arranged
around your normal viewing/listening position (see diagram). The
subwoofer can be placed almost anywhere and we recommend
experimenting with it in various positions to obtain the best result.
Position your front left and right speakers to achieve a good stereo
image for normal musical reproduction as well as for the multi-channel
modes. If they are placed too close together there will be a lack of
spaciousness. Alternatively if they are placed too far apart the stereo
image will appear to have a large hole in the middle and will be
presented in two halves.
The centre speaker allows for a more realistic reproduction of
dialogue and centre sounds as well as wider and better imaging for
stereo effects and background sounds for home cinema use. Do not
compromise on the quality of your centre speaker as it carries all the
dialogue for a home cinema system.
The surround left and right speakers reproduce the ambient sound
and effects present in a multi-channel home cinema system.
The surround back left and surround back right speakers are used to
add extra depth, a more spacious ambience and sound localisation.
A subwoofer will greatly improve the bass performance from your
system. This is useful for reproducing special cinema effects, especially
where a dedicated LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) channel is available, as
with Dolby Digital or DTS Digital Surround encoded discs.
CABLES
We recommend the use of high quality screened analogue, digital
and video cables as inferior quality cables will degrade the sound and
picture quality of your system. Only use cables that are designed for
the particular application as other cables will have different impedance
characteristics that will degrade the performance of your system.
Speaker cable length should be minimized and low resistance wire
should be used throughout to ensure efficient power transmission and
avoid audible distortion.
For optimum soundstage imaging, try to keep the right and left speaker
cables the same length. You are also advised to route the signal cables,
speaker cables and mains power cables away from each other to
minimize interference.
Contact your Arcam dealer or installer for details of suitable cables.
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