AudioControl Architect 500 Owners manual

The Architect

Model 500 & Model 700

Multi-Zone Power Amplifier / Speaker Optimizer

Professional Installer’s

Consciousness Guide

making good stereo sound better

22410 70th Avenue West Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Phone 425-775-8461 • Fax 425-778-3166 Internet http://www.audiocontrol.com

Important Information

Dealer Name_______________________________________ Date Installed______________________________________ Serial Number _____________________________________

Contents

The Architect® 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Remote Power Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Audio Hook-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Speaker Wire Hook-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Doing The Deed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

A Short Introduction To Equalizers And Acoustics . . . . . . 11

Audio Analysis Using Pink Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Information For Control Freaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

The Truth About Bass And

The Programmable Frequency Match Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Changing The PFM Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

A Brazen Plug For Other AudioControl Products . . . . . . . . . . 18

Appendix A - Bridging The Architect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Appendix B - Building Your Own PFM Modules . . . . . . . . . . . 20

The Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Legalese Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Service Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

The Architect

Model 500 & Model 700

Installer’s Guide

CONGRATULATIONS!

Y ou are now installing a component which can dramatically improve the performance of any multi-zone audio system, especially those utilizing in-wall speakers. The Architect Model 500 & 700 are American-designed, American-built “set and forget” component which will provide a lifetime of trouble-free service.

The Architect Model 500 & 700 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 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.

This manual is designed to help you get everything you can out of your new amplifier/equalizer. So, even though you’re dying to see it in action, please take a few minutes to slog through our not-so-weighty prose and learn how to get the most from your new Architect. Anything with this many knobs deserves all the explanation it can get.

Product

Highlights

The Architect® Product Highlights

600 Watts Str ong — W ith twelve powerful channels of amplification, The Architect will drive 50 watts per channel with all channels driven. This is a true 600 watt amp design, so go ahead and put a small quarry of rock speakers by the patio. Then sit back and enjoy the sound.

Built For The Long Haul — The Architect has been designed with durability in mind. The Lightdrive protection circuitry defends The Architect and your speakers against clipping, distortion, damage, parties and even teenagers. Even if the party lasts all weekend.

Light Drive Protection — Few things are more irritating than a problem in one zone of an audio system effecting the entire system. This will not happen with The Architect. Every stereo output zone features independent protection against short circuits, over-heating, DC offset and clipping. Even if the protection needs to kick in, that doesn’t neccessarily mean that the affected zone will shutdown. If a zone overheats, the smart protection reduces the power to that zone, allowing it to cool down with only a

The Architect

Model 500 & Model 700

Installer’s Guide

Product Highlights

minimal reduction in speaker volume. Of course the protection circuits are smart enough to reset themselves when the problem is solved.

Specially Designed Frequency Controls — (Model 700

only) The Architect Model 700 is intended to provide a dramatic

sound improvement for “small” speakers, such as those with 6inch 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 Model 700 to improve the sound of these smaller speakers better than any other equalizer .

PFM Programmable Subsonic Filter — The Architect’ 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 in-wall 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 its maximum cone travel, damage can result - and even if it doesn’t, severe audible distortion DOES. The solution is AudioControl’s exclusive PFM circuit. It gives small woofers only those frequencies they can use by “chopping off” bass below an installer programmed frequency (40Hz is the factory setting). The woofer is protected and can do a better job of reproducing midbass and higher frequencies.

Input Bussing – Sometimes you just want to feed the same

music to every room in the house. You could use a single, stereo amp and series/parallel the speakers. The problem is that if you get a short in the system or the amp dies, all of the zones go dead. The Architect solves that dilemma by letting you send a single stereo signal to all 12 channels of the Architect with the press of a button. Every room enjoys independent protection and equalization.

Made in the Northwest Rainforest — The Architect began

its existence at our factory in Mountlake T errace, Washington, 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 began 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 your audio system!

Experienced Installer’s Quick Hook-Up Guide

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

Make sure to fill out and mail the warranty card.

The PFM filter module comes factory set at 40Hz. See page 16 for details on changing the PFM modules. A complete range of frequencies is available from the factory and information is also available on building your own modules in Appendix A. Modules are also available from any AudioConrol car stereo dealer in a pinch.

Quick Hook-Up

Guide

Final adjustment of The Architect Model 700’s boost/cut controls in each zone is best done with a onethird octave real time analyzer and pink noise test signal, but it can be done by ear, especially if you desire to emphasize certain frequencies.

Six Zone System with The Architect and Preamp/Controller

Remote Power Control Hookup

The Architect

Model 500 & Model 700

Installer’s Guide

A Guided Tour Of The ArchitectTM Model 500 & Model 700

2 34

Front panel:

1. Stereo Speaker Optimizer Controls —

(Model 700 only) This sea 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.

Note: If you have the Signal-Sense turned on, then the status LED will not turn on until there is an audio signal present on that zone’s inputs.

2. Channel Status LEDs — These dual-

color LEDs serve two purposes. First, they illuminate Green when the corresponding zone is active. The second function of the status LED is to turn Amber if something has caused that zone to go into protection.

3. 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.

4. Power LED — Nothing too tricky

here...if 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.

A Guided Tour Of

The Architect™ Model 500 & Model 700

432

Back panel:

1. Inputs — These unbalanced RCA inputs

connect to your control preamplifier’s outputs. The signal sense and equalizer circuitry work in channel pairs (1&2, 3&4, etc.) but you can still use each input as a separate mono channel.

2. Input Bus Switches — Sometimes you need

to feed the same audio signal to multiple channels of the Architect. The Input Bus switch lets you gang three zones together with the press of a button.

3. Input Level Controls — These stereo-

ganged controls vary the input sensitiviy of the Architect.

4. Speaker Outputs — These terminal blocks

are designed to make an installer smile. Y ou can unplug the blocks and connect all of the speaker wires to them without balancing The Architect on your lap. This also makes it very simple to pre-wire a system without ever taking The Architect out to the installation site. The speaker connector blocks will accept up to 12 awg wire.

5. Signal Sense Defeat — The signal sensing

circuitry activates a zone approximately one second after an audio signal is present on the Input RCA jacks. T o defeat this function and leave The Architect ready to play at all times, press this switch in to the recessed (Defeat) position.

6. Remote Power Control — This three pin

connector allows you to remotely turn on The Architect. Y ou can either use a contact closure

between the Control In and the +12VDC output or an external 12 volt trigger between the Control In and Ground terminals. The +12 volt output is not designed to power other pieces of equipment. It is a current limited output for switching The Architect only .

7. Ground Lift Switch – This switch selects

the level of isolation between the audio signal ground and your AC earth ground. In normal operation this switch should be in the Ground position, but if you run into trouble with an AC ground hum, try the other two settings for the best operation. For your safety , the chassis is always connected to ground regardless of the switch setting.

8. Master Power Switch — This switch shuts

off the main AC power . Normally the only time you need to turn off the master power is if the homeowner is going to be gone on vacation for the summer.

9. AC Power Fuse — The Architect is

designed with several layers of protection circuitry . This power fuse is here just in case something really awful goes wrong.

10. Power Cord — The Architect draws a

hefty 1000 watts. Make certain that it is plugged directly into the wall outlet or a power strip with sufficient power rating. Since The Architect has remote power switching, you can plug the unit into an outlet that is always active.

The Architect

Model 500 & Model 700

Installer’s Guide

+ 21 hidden pages