Audio Control Architect 100, Architect 200 Installer's Manual

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TM

The Architect

Model 100 & Model 200

High Current Power Amplifier / Speaker Optimizer

Professional Installer’s

Consciousness Guide

making good stereo sound better

22410 70th Avenue West
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
Phone [phone] • Fax [phone]
www.audiocontrol.com

©1999. All rights reserved.

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Important Information

Dealer Name_______________________________________
Date Installed______________________________________
Serial Number _____________________________________

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Contents

The Architecttm Product Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Experienced Installer’s Quick Hook-Up Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

A Guided Tour Of The Architect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Hooking Up Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Installation: The Long Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

AC Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Remote Power Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Audio Hook-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Speaker Wire Hook-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Doing The Deed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

A Short Introduction To Equalizers And Acoustics . . . . . . 12

Audio Analysis Using Pink Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Data for Information Fiends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Truth About Bass And

The Programmable Frequency Match Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

A Brazen Plug For Other AudioControl Products . . . . . . . . . . 17

Appendix A - Bridging The Architect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

The Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Service Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

The Architect

Model 100 & Model 200

Installer’s Guide

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Congratulations!

Y ou are now installing a component which can dramatically
improve the performance of any distributed audio system, espe­cially those utilizing in-wall speakers. The Architecttm Model 100
and Model 200 are American-designed, “set and forget” compo­nents which will provide a lifetime of trouble-free service for your
multi-room audio system.

The Architecttm Model 100 and Model 200 are made by the
only electronics company in the world that specializes in equaliz­ers, signal processors and audio analyzers. And the company
whose professional sound division designed and sells the most
popular one-third octave real time analyzer in the world, the
SA-3050. AudioControl’ s passion for high quality , meticulous
attention to detail and pro sound heritage shows itself in the
dozens of awards we have won for our designs, products and
service. Now, as when we began, our greatest satisfaction is our
reputation for sonic excellence and reliability among people just
like you throughout the world.

Product

Highlights

This manual is designed to help you get everything you can
out of your new amplifier. So, even though you’re dying to see it
in action, please take a few minutes to slog through our not-so­weighty prose and learn how to get the most from The Architect
power amplifier. Anything as capable as this amp deserves all the
explanation it can get.

The Architect

Model 100 & Model 200

Installer’s Guide

1

Product
Highlights

High Definition BiMOS Output Design Distrubuted audio

systems can place terrific demands on power amplifiers. Lots of speak­ers and level controls add up to extremely complex loads that can drive
most amps to the point of smoking. The high current drive capabilities
of our BiMOS outputs cleanly delivers a minimum of 200 watts into a 2
ohm load. That’s the equivalent of paralleling 4 pairs of 8 ohms speak­ers. This amp loves lots of speakers so go ahead and put a small quarry
of stereo rocks by the patio. Then sit back and enjoy the sound.

Built For The Long Haul The Architecttm Model 100 and Model

200 have been designed with durability in mind. The Lightdrive protec­tion circuitry defends The Architecttm and your speakers against clip­ping, distortion, damage, and even teenage parties. Even if the party
lasts all weekend. Each channel is independently protected so a problem
in one channel will not affect the rest of the system.

Specially-Designed Frequency Controls The Architecttm Model

200 is intended to provide a dramatic sound improvement for “small”
speakers, such as those with 6-inch and 8-inch woofers. The Architect’s
45Hz, 150Hz, 300Hz, 700Hz, 2500Hz and 12KHz band centers were
chosen to optimize in-wall and 2-way bookshelf speakers at critical
frequencies where adjustment is most advantageous. The bandwidths
(or ‘Q’ as our engineering types call it) have also been optimized for the
difficulties that in-wall speakers present. This allows The Architect

tm

Model 200 to improve the sound of these smaller speakers better than
any other equalizer .

PFM Adjustable Subsonic Filter The Architecttm Model 100 and

Model 200’s Programmable Frequency Match (PFM) circuitry is an
installer adjustable bass-blocking filter which protects small speakers
and improves their overall sound. The smaller woofers found in most in­wall or bookshelf speakers cannot reproduce the bass of a larger
speaker (the laws of physics intervene). If called upon to reproduce a
bass note that would cause the speaker to move PAST it’ s maximum
cone travel, damage can result - and even if the speaker isn’t damaged,
severe audible distortion does occur. The solution to this problem is
AudioControl’s exclusive PFM circuitry . It gives small woofers only
those frequencies they can use by “chopping off” bass below an installer
adjustable frequency (variable from 20Hz to 80Hz). The woofer is
protected and can do a better job of reproducing mid-bass and higher
frequencies.

Made in the Northwest Rainforest The Architecttm Model 100

and Model 200 began its existence at our factory in Mountlake T errace,
W ashington, a few miles north of Seattle. Here, we also build precision
test instruments, equalizers and analyzers and a totally awesome line of
car stereo components. AudioControl started in 1977 and has won so
many audio industry awards for design and engineering excellence that
our reception room wall is starting to sag. But enough about us. Let’s
start getting the most from the audio system!

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2

Experienced Installer’s Quick
Hook-Up Guide

What follows are “Express” hook-up diagrams for profession­als and experienced audio buffs.

1) Connect the AC power and Remote Turn-On Control.

(Page 7) Start with the GROUND LIFT switch in the
GROUND position. If you have a ground loop hum, try the
other two positions for the best operation. This switch ONLY
isolates the audio ground from the earth ground. The chassis
is ALWAYS connected to earth ground.

2) Connect the Speaker and Audio Inputs. (Page 8) The Archi-

tect is designed to drive multiple speaker loads down to 2
ohms. T o simplify connection,
there are two sets of speaker
terminals in parallel. Remember to
figure in both sets of connections
when calculating the total system
speaker impedance.

Quick Hook-Up

Guide

3) Adjust the PFM filter. (Page 15)

The PFM bass-blocking filter
comes factory set to 40Hz. Please
refer to your speaker’s frequency
response specifications before
adjusting this filter . Don’t be afraid
of leaving this filter frequency set
fairly high. W e have found over the
years that a system actually sounds
louder and has more bass when the
subsonic filter is set at a higher fre­quency .

4) Set the Equalization (Model 200

only). (Page 12) Adjustment of The
Architect(tm) Model 200’s speaker
optimizer controls is best done with a
one-third octave real time analyzer
and pink noise test signal, but it can
be done by ear .

5) Fill Out The Warranty Card. Please

make certain the warranty card is
filled out and mailed back to our
factory . Comments received from
these warranty cards are one of the
ways we are constantly improving our products.

Remote Power Control Hookup

Four Zone System with
Model 200 and L-pads

The Architect

Model 100 & Model 200

Installer’s Guide

3

A Guided Tour Of
The Architecttm

Model 100 and Model 200

Model 100

Model 200

Front panel:
Model 100 and Model 200

Ê Stereo Speaker Optimizer controls

(Model 200 only) - This array of knobs provide

up to 12dB boost or cut at 45Hz, 150Hz,
300Hz, 700Hz, 2500Hz and 12KHz. After
initial adjustment the only time you would
change the control settings are 1) if you connect
different speakers into the system, 2) if (assum­ing the speakers aren’t built-in) you move them
significantly, such as from a bookshelf to floor
stands, or 3) if your room acoustics change
through addition or rearrangement of furniture,
wall or floor coverings, large hairy dogs, etc

Ë Channel Status LED’s - These dual-color

LED’s serve two purposes. First they illuminate
Green when the corresponding channel is active.
The second function of the status LED is to

turn Amber if something

Note: When the Signal­Sense is turned on, then
the channel LED will not
turn on until there is an
audio signal present on
that channel’s input.

has caused that zone to
go into protection.

ËÌÍ

Ê

Ì Protection LED - This LED also has two

faces. In normal operation it glows Green when
the remote power trigger is active and the
Architect is in stand-by . If the Protection LED
turns Amber, then one of the internal protection
circuits have come into use. All the protection
circuits automatically reset themselves when the
problem causing the fault has been fixed.

Í Power LED - Nothing too tricky here...when

you have the Master Power switch on the back
panel turned on and The Architect is plugged

.

into an active AC outlet, this little red light will
shine forth.

4

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