AudioControl DIRECTOR M6400 Installation Manual

The Director

™

Model M6400

16 CHANNEL MULTI-ZONE NETWORK MATRIX AMPLIFIER

Installation Manual

2

Important Safety
Instructions

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. In­stall in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such
as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or

other apparatus (including ampliers) that

produce heat.

9. Protect the power cord from being walked
on or pinched particularly at plugs, conve­nience receptacles, and the point where
they exit from the apparatus.

10. Only use attachments/accessories speci-

ed by the manufacturer.

11. Unplug this apparatus during lightning
storms or when unused for long periods of
time.

12. Refer all servicing to qualied service

personnel. Servicing is required when
the apparatus has been damaged in any
way, such as power-supply cord or plug is
damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, the appara­tus has been exposed to rain or moisture,
does not operate normally, or has been
dropped.

13. This apparatus shall not be exposed to

dripping or splashing, and no object lled

with liquids, such as vases or glasses, shall
be placed on the apparatus.

The lightning ash with 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 sucient magnitude to constitute a risk of

electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an
equilateral triangle is intended to alert
the user of the presence of import-

ant operating and maintenance (servicing)

instructions in the literature accompanying the
appliance.

Caution: to reduce the risk of electric shock,
do not remove the top cover. There are no
user-serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to

qualied personnel.

This equipment has been tested and found
to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules.

These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation.

This equipment generates, uses, and can radi­ate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio com­munications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular
installation.

If this equipment does cause harmful interfer­ence to radio or television reception, which can

be determined by turning the equipment o

and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the follow­ing measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equip­ment and the receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on

a circuit dierent from that to which the

receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/
TV technician for help.

CAUTION: Changes or modications to this

device not expressly approved by AudioControl
Inc. could void the user’s authority to operate
the equipment under FCC rules.

Recycling notice: If the time comes

and this apparatus has fullled its

destiny, do not throw it out into the

trash. It has to be carefully recycled
for the good of mankind, by a facility specially
equipped for the safe recycling of electronic
apparatii. Please contact your local or state
recycling leaders for assistance in locating a
suitable nearby recycling facility. Or, contact us
and we might be able to repair it for you.

Important Safety Instructions

3

Installation Manual

Model M6400

THE DIRECTOR

™

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Important Safety Instructions .......2

Introduction .......................4

Congratulations! ..................4

Features .........................5

Complimentary Features ...........6

Quick View .......................7

Getting Started ....................8

Installation Examples ..............8

Front Panel Features ...............12

Rear Panel Features ................14

Speaker Connections ...............17

12 Volt Trigger Ins and Outs .........19

Internet Connectivity and Control ....21

Acoustics ..........................32

Equalization .......................33

Advanced Discussions ..............36

Troubleshooting ...................38

Block Diagrams ....................40

Specications ......................42

Service ............................43

The Warranty ......................44

Installation Notes .................46

Foxtrot Box Step ...................48

©2015 AudioControl Inc All rights reserved.
Based on a true story.

Network Settings

Default IP Address 192.168.0.249

4

Flowery Marketing Introduction

When a whole-house audio system de­mands high levels of audio performance,
but the physical installation space is
limited, the AudioControl Director M6400
is an ideal solution. Requiring only two
rack spaces, this 16 channel power ampli-

er produces at least 65 Watts per channel

into 8 Ohms, and 100 Watts per channel
into 4 Ohms, with all channels driven.
Extensive protection features prevent
damage to your loudspeakers.

Congratulations!

You are now installing a component which
will dramatically improve the performance
of any distributed audio system, espe­cially those utilizing in-wall, in-ceiling,
and invisible speakers. Ethernet control,

unparalleled energy eciency, rack saving

compact design, superb sound quality and
bulletproof reliability are just a few key
features of The Director M6400.

The Director M6400 16 channel power

amplier provides high levels of power,
pristine sound quality, exible matrix input

switching, plus a number of installa­tion-friendly features that makes it the
perfect product for performance oriented
audio systems. The Director M6400 is an

Introduction

American-designed and built, “set and
forget” component which will provide a
lifetime of trouble-free service for your
multi-room audio system.

The Director M6400 is designed and
manufactured by AudioControl, the only
electronics company in the world that

specializes in ampliers, equalizers, signal

processors and audio analyzers. Our 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 is a professional installer’s manual.
We assume you are experienced with
multi-channel ampliers and the Ether­net. The product setup, adjustment and
operation require network access. This
manual is designed to help you get the

best out of this amplier. 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 Director Model M6400.

5

Installation Manual

Model M6400

THE DIRECTOR

™

Features

Features

Here are some of the features that make
The Director M6400 a very unique prod-

uct, unlike any other amplier:

• Digital and Analog Input Matrix
Each zone can select and play
any digital or analog input. The
high-resolution digital inputs accept
32-96 kHz, 16/24-bit digital signals.
Each zone has a pair of RCA connec­tors as a loop output, for example: to
share that zone’s source with another
Director M6400. The digital outputs
can also play any analog or digital
input source.

• High Power Levels
There are 16 channels of 65 Watts
each into 8 Ohms, or 100 Watts into 4
Ohms. Each channel pair can also be
run in bridged mono at 175 Watts into

8 Ohms. Each high-eciency ampli­er is discretely made from discrete

components.

• Superior Sound Quality

Pristine sonics happens rst in all

AudioControl designs and is not
compromised by any other feature.
(You often get the feeling that sound
quality is an afterthought with prod-

ucts from other companies.)

• Unparalleled Energy Eciency
Whether from the point of view of
saving electricity, the Director M6400

amplier has no equal. It is VERY en­ergy ecient during operation, and

equally impressive during standby.

• Ethernet Control

Via a browser or Telnet commands,

you can control and query almost all
the functions of The Director M6400.
You can mute zones, change source
inputs, recall EQ presets, check line
voltage, display protection logs,
and get an email if something goes
wrong. And this is only a partial list!

• Signal Processing
You have at your command: graphic
equalization, parametric equal-

ization, tweeter protection lters
and low frequency cuto lters. In

addition, you can set up any zone
with low-pass and high-pass channels
for a two-way setup. The equalizer
settings are ganged with left and
right channels together, or you can
separate. Plus, there are six EQ
presets per zone to save and recall
settings.

• LightDrive Anti-clipping
With durability in mind, AudioCon­trol’s LightDrive anti-clipping pro­tection defends the system against
clipping, distortion, damage, and
even teenage parties. The Director
M6400 features the latest evolution
of LightDrive which adds a pow­er-supply-tracking instantaneous
dynamic control to the smooth sound
of the traditional AudioControl Light­Drive.

• Self Resetting Protection Features
Protection features are extensive and
include thermal, short circuit, clip-

ping, ultrasonic and DC oset among

others. If the fault is removed, the Di­rector M6400 resets. Plus, it can send
you an email if something happens.

• Pacic Northwest Heritage
Hard to believe, but we make this
product in the USA. We are very
proud of that fact. What is more im­portant is the care we craft in at every
step, and the extensive knowledge
we have in all aspects of the product.
Plus, we back this up with a condi-

tional ve year warranty.

6

Complimentary Features

Features continued

• DHCP: An IP address is obtained
via DHCP by default. If a DHCP
server is not found on the network,
The Director M6400 will default to

192.168.0.249.

• UPnP: Device discovery is enabled
on The Director M6400 for ease of
connectivity from a PC.

• Numbering: In the device discovery /
UPnP window, if you are using mul-

tiple Director M6400 ampliers, you
will nd that each Director M6400 is

numbered in the sequence they were
added onto the network.

• Groups: Grouping has been enabled
for quick control of zones through
Telnet commands. Up to 4 groups can

be dened for control over Standby

and Source Selection.

• Import/Export: Exporting and Im-

porting of the amplier’s settings

– including EQ settings – has been

enabled. Now you can congure your

EQ settings as a template and apply
these to each Director M6400 ampli-

er in your system. A little rening of

those settings for each amp and you
will be in and out in no time.

• 16 channels of AudioControl

amplication

• Any zone can play any input source

• Ecient power ampliers and power

supplies

• Power consumption is less than 2 Watts
in standby

• Rack mountable 2U form factor

• Removable rack ears

• Light weight (16 lbs)

• Stackable with other Director M6400
and Architect Model 2660 models

• Signal sense independent for each zone

• Input assignment independent for each
zone

• Super wonderful signal processing
allows for a wide variety of EQ options
and adjustments

• 12V Master trigger usable with contact
closure or 12V external source

• A and B digital inputs assignable to any
zone

• A and B digital outputs assignable from
any analog or digital input

• Analog RCA loop-through outputs

7

Installation Manual

Model M6400

THE DIRECTOR

™

Quick View

Quick View

Front Panel

4. Zone Status LED

5. Zone Level LED Ladder

6. Rack Mount Ears

8. Digital Coaxial Inputs A/B and
LEDs

9. Digital Coaxial Outputs A/B and
LEDs

10. Analog RCA Line Level Inputs and
LEDs

11. Loop Outputs

12. Speaker Outputs and Zone Status
LEDs

7 1291 4

62 3 5

10

8 11

Rear Panel

1. AC Input

2. AC Fuse

3. AC Power Switch

4. Ground Isolation Switch

5. Ethernet Port

6. Master Reset Button

7. Master Trigger

1. Power LED

2. Protection LED

3. Ethernet Status LEDs

12 4653

8

Getting Started

1. Turn o power to all com-
ponents before making any
connections.

2. When making connections, des-

ignate red RCA plugs as right, and
designate white, black, or grey plugs
as left. This is a good idea for all sig­nal connections made in your audio
system. The key is consistency. Stick
with the same color coding and you’ll
reduce possible problems.

3. Whenever possible, keep power

cords away from signal cables to pre­vent induced hum. This is especially
important if you bundle the cables to
keep the installation neat looking.

4. Use quality interconnect cables. We

know from experience that really
cheap cables can cause a multitude
of problems. They tend to break
inside or corrode, causing a loss of
signal or hum. They also have poor
shielding.

5. If you need to run the RCA audio

cables more than 20 feet, consider
using an active balanced line driver
for the signals. This will provide
better noise rejection against nasty
things like hum, spikes, local talk
radio, and metaphysical paranormal
phenomena, etc. The AudioControl
balanced line driver components

(BLD-10, BLR-10 and BLX-10) are an

excellent way to send audio over long
distances with standard Cat-5 wiring.
Check them out at audiocontrol.com.

6. If you are using the A and B digital

inputs, and running higher resolution
sample rates (96 kHz), use high-qual­ity interconnect cables.

Getting Started

7. Dance in a fairy circle at midnight, on

the rst full moon of the new year.

Ask Queen Mab for the IP address.

8. Connect The Director M6400 to the
network with an Ethernet cord, pref­erably one in good condition without
a broken tab.

9. Open your favorite internet browser
and open the web server within the
unit. It will show all features and
controls of the unit.

Installation Examples

The next pages show some typical instal­lations of The Director M6400, and also

shows some of our ne AudioControl

components.

9

Installation Manual

Model M6400

THE DIRECTOR

™

Installation Examples

Garage

Super
Den

Art StudioPool Patio

Living
Room

KitchenDining

Room

Family

Room

Sonus 4Sonus 3Sonus 2CDHD Tuner

Receiver

Zone 2

Analog out

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Digital
Out

Digital
Out

Digital
Out

Sonus 1

Bijou 600 in
Bridged Mono

Bijou 600 in
Stereo

Installation with 2 Bijou 600 Ampliers

10

Installation Examples

Bed 2

Architect 2660 (Lower FLoor)

NurseryMaster

Closet

Bed 1

Upstairs Deck SubMids/Highs

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Living Room Dining Room Hall Bath Patio

Sonus 2Sonus 1CD

Front

Door

Service

Entrance

HD Tuner TV

AVR

Zone 2

Analog out

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Digital

Out

Digital

Out

Digital
Out

Bus A Digital Input All inputs set to Bus A

Installation with an Architect 2660

11

Installation Manual

Model M6400

THE DIRECTOR

™

Installation Examples

Bed 3 Quilting

Room

Conservatory

Bed 1 Bed 2

Living
Room

KitchenDining

Room

Family

Room

Cable BoxHD TunerCDTV

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Analog

Out

Digital

Out

Digital

Out

Digital
Out

Digital
Input

Sonus

Bijou 600 in
Stereo

Installation with one Bijou 600 Amplier

12

Front Panel

Front Panel Features

1. Power LED – This dual color LED indi-

cates when the unit is in standby, on,

or o

Red: The unit is in standby mode

and is ready to be turned on
via Ethernet or 12V triggering

Blue: The unit is on

Green: Coee brewed

OFF: The unit is powered o

2. Protection LED – This red LED will

illuminate briey during turn on/o

phases, and if a fault is detected in any

amplier or the power supply (such

as overheating, over-current, or DC

oset). If a fault is detected, then the

unit will go into its protection mode to
prevent any damage to loudspeakers,
and to allow cooling.

3. Ethernet LEDs – These indicate the
status, readiness, and willingness, of
The Director M6400’s Ethernet com­munications protocol to (getting all

technical for a moment) strut its funky
stu. The green LED glows when the

Ethernet is connected and operational,
and the yellow LED blinks during data
activity.

4. Zone Status LED – This dual-color
LED indicates when the zone is in fault
mode, active, or in standby.

Red: The zone has detected a fault,

such as a DC oset or a load

short circuit.

Blue: The zone is active

OFF: The zone is in standby

5. Zone Level LEDs – These three LEDs
light from the bottom to the top
depending on the zone’s output level

(-33, -20, -10 dBFS).

6. Rack Mount Ears – The unit comes
supplied with removable rack mount
ears. These allow the unit to be rack
mounted in a standard 19” wide rack,
with a 2U height. Use standard rack
mount screws and washers to secure
the unit in a rack. The unit does not
have to be supported at the rear if the

rack is located in a xed location.

To remove the rack ears (making the

unit 17” wide), rst unplug the power

cord, and then locate and undo the
four screws securing each ear to the
side of the chassis, and remove the
ears. Replace the screws securely back
into the chassis. Do not remove any of
the other screws from the chassis or
top cover. There are hazardous voltag­es inside the unit. Keep the rack ears in
a safe place.

12 4653

13

Installation Manual

Model M6400

THE DIRECTOR

™

Front Panel

Ventilation

This may be as good a time as any to

have “the talk” about ventilation. The
Director M6400 features cool-running

ecient switch mode power supplies
and Class D ampliers. It is still a
16 channel amplier, and therefore

requires good ventilation to properly

cool. The ow-through design of the

chassis allows stacking of multiple Di­rector M6400 units (or mix and match

with our Architect Model A2660).

When rack mounting with equipment
other than these two AudioControl
units, please leave a 1U rack space
above and below.

If the amplier should overheat, a

thermal sensor will put it into standby
mode, allowing the heatsink to cool

down. Once the amplier has cooled

to a safe operating temperature,

the amplier will reactivate. If this

occurs often, identify the cause of the
problem and take corrective action, for
example:

Provide additional ventilation

Do not install in a sealed location

with limited or no airow

Install a fan in the rack

Make sure that the ampliers are not

overloaded with speaker impedances
below the recommended minimum

Check that there are no short circuits
in the speaker cables or speakers.
Note: Each zone will shut o inde­pendently when a short circuit is
detected.

LED Function Table

LED Color Description

Red The unit is in standby mode
Blue The unit is on

O The unit is powered o, or all the lights are o in your town

Red The unit has detected a fault and is in protect mode*

O The unit is operating normally, or it is powered o

ZONE LEDs Color Description

Blue -10 dBFS zone output level

Blue -20 dBFS zone output level

Blue -33 dBFS zone output level

Red

The zone has detected a fault, or a smooth-jazz saxophone

solo, and is in protect mode
Blue The zone is active
O The zone is in standby

*The protection LED also comes on for a short time during
power up or down

14

Rear Panel

Rear Panel Features

AC section

When rack-mounting the unit,
make sure that the power cord
and the AC power switch remain
readily accessible.

1. AC Input – Connect the supplied AC
power cord securely to this input. Plug
the other end into an AC mains outlet
of the correct voltage rating for your
unit. They are either 100 -120 VAC (50

– 60 Hz) or 220 – 240 VAC (50 – 60 Hz);

look at the check box to see how your

unit has been congured. The voltage

setting is not user-settable. This unit
is a class 1 device, do not defeat the
safety ground connection or use a
power cord that does not have the
safety ground pin.

2. AC Fuse – The main power supply fuse
may be checked or replaced. Make
sure that the power cord is unplugged

from the AC mains rst. Then use a
at-headed screwdriver to undo the

fuse carrier from the fuse holder.
Inspect the fuse and replace with the
exact same type indicated on the unit.

The use of any other type of fuse may
lead to an unsafe condition. If the fuse
blows again immediately, then unplug

the power cord and contact our ne

folks in customer service. Do not open
the unit, as there are no user-ser­viceable parts inside, and dangerous
voltages exist.

3. AC Power Switch – This switch shuts

o the main AC power. Normally the
only time you need to turn this o is

if the system is going to be shut down
for an extended period of time. Use
the Ethernet or master trigger inputs
to switch the unit between standby
and on.

Also turn the power switch o during

lightning storms, wind storms with
frequent power outages, or when a
giant robot from space is heading to
the power station for a light lunch.

4. Ground Isolation Switch – This switch
selects the level of isolation between
the audio signal ground and the AC
earth ground. In normal operation this
switch should be in the GND Ground
position. If there is trouble with an AC

7 1291 4

62 3 5

108 11

15

Installation Manual

Model M6400

THE DIRECTOR

™

Rear Panel

ground hum, try the other two settings
for the best operation. For safety, the
chassis is always connected to the
earth ground regardless of the switch
setting.

5. Ethernet LAN Port – This standard
port allows The Director M6400 to be
connected to a 10BaseT network via
CAT5 cabling. The unit can then be
controlled using its internal web serv­er, accessible through standard and

popular (and some unpopular) web

browsers. No external software is re­quired to run The Director M6400. See
the section on Internet Connectivity
and Control for detailed information.

6. Master Reset – If things are not going
well, for example you are unable
to communicate with The Director
M6400, press and hold down this
button for more than 3 seconds. This
will reset the internal Ethernet settings
and other odd things, and hopeful­ly lead you along the pathway to
Ethernet communications once again.
Warning: Do not do this while turning

on the power switch, because all ash

memory will be erased, and the milk
in your fridge will go bad. In this case
you will have to go to the store and
get more milk, and inquire from our

ne lads in technical support about the
latest rmware le.

7. Master Trigger – If you are not using
the Ethernet connection to turn the
unit on, then you can use the TS 1/8”
connectors or the 3-pin block connec­tor to turn on the unit or place it into
standby mode. Any one of these three
connections can be used as a trigger
input. For example, you could have
an external device such as one of our
glorious AudioControl home theater
receivers, turn on The Director M6400
when it is turned on.

If you are not using the Ethernet

connection to turn on The Director
M6400, and there is no trigger voltage
present at any of these trigger inputs,
then the unit will be in standby, with
all zones muted.

LED indicator – This LED is blue when

the master trigger input is active, and

o when it is inactive.

Digital Inputs/Outputs

8. Digital Inputs – These S/PDIF digital

inputs use standard RCA coaxial con­nectors.

The digital signals are transferred

directly to the advanced DSP section,
and are then available to any zone or
all zones at the same time. The digital
inputs are selected for any or all zones
using The Director M6400’s web page
interface.

The Signal Present LEDs light when-

ever a digital input signal is present at
the A or B inputs.

9. Digital Outputs – These S/PDIF digital
outputs use standard RCA coaxial
connectors.

The digital signals from each of these

outputs can be a copy of any zone’s
input pair (converted internally from

analog to digital), or a copy of the

digital inputs A or B. This is selectable
using The Director M6400’s web page
interface. For an example, this output
can be sent to the digital inputs of
another Director M6400 unit.

The Zone Status LEDs alight with joy

whenever the digital output is active.