Behringer A500 User Manual

User Manual

REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500

Professional 600-Watt Reference-Class Studio Power Amplier

2 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

Table of Contents

Thank you .......................................................................2

Important Safety Instructions ...................................... 3

Legal Disclaimer ............................................................. 3

Limited Warranty ...........................................................3

1. Introduction ............................................................... 5

1.1 Before you get started ...................................................... 5

2. Control Elements ....................................................... 6

2.1 The front ................................................................................. 6

2.2 The back ................................................................................. 6

3. Application Examples ............................................... 7

3.1 Stereo mode ......................................................................... 7

3.2 Mono-bridged mode ........................................................ 8

4. Installation ................................................................. 8

4.1 Installation in a rack ........................................................... 8

4.2 Connections ......................................................................... 8

4.3 Audio connections ............................................................. 9

5. Specications ........................................................... 10

Thank you

By purchasing an A500, you have obtained a high-end reference amplier. It was
developed for professional use in recording studios, but at the same time it oers
enough power reserves to be used in smaller live setups as well. Its rich list of
features will make it a dependable part of your equipment with a broad spectrum
of possible uses.

3 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized

UNDERTAKING OR REPRESENTATION. THIS MANUAL

ce

electronic components of this product to be free of defects

period is mandated by applicable local laws. If the product

Incase MUSICGroup decides to replace the entire product,

Important Safety Instructions

Terminals marked with this symbol carry
electrical current of su cient magnitude

to constitute risk of electric shock.
Use only high-quality professional speaker cables with
¼" TS or twist-locking plugs pre-installed. Allother
installation or modi cation should be performed only
by quali edpersonnel.

This symbol, wherever it appears,

alertsyou to the presence of uninsulated

dangerous voltage inside the
enclosure-voltage that may be su cient to constitute a
risk ofshock.

This symbol, wherever it appears,

alertsyou to important operating and

maintenance instructions in the
accompanying literature. Please read the manual.

Caution

To reduce the risk of electric shock, donot

remove the top cover (or the rear section).
No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to
quali ed personnel.

Caution

To reduce the risk of  re or electric shock,

do not expose this appliance to rain and
moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping
or splashing liquids and no objects  lled with liquids,
suchas vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.

Caution

These service instructions are for use

by quali ed ser vice personnel only.
Toreduce the risk of electric shock do not perform any
servicing other than that contained in the operation
instructions. Repairs have to be performed by quali ed
servicepersonnel.

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 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.

or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. Ifthe
provided plug does not  t into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

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

11. Use only attachments/accessories speci ed by
themanufacturer.

12. Use only with the
cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table speci ed by the
manufacturer, orsold with
the apparatus. When a cart
is used, use caution when
moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid

injury from tip-over.

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

14. 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.

15. The apparatus shall be connected to a MAINS socket
outlet with a protective earthing connection.

16. Where the MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is
used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall
remain readily operable.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND APPEARANCES
ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE AND
ACCURACY IS NOT GUARANTEED. BEHRINGER IS
PART OF THE MUSIC GROUP MUSICGROUP.COM.
ALL TRADEMARKS ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR
RESPECTIVE OWNERS. MUSICGROUP ACCEPTS NO
LIABILITY FOR ANY LOSS WHICH MAY BE SUFFERED
BY ANY PERSON WHO RELIES EITHER WHOLLY OR
IN PART UPON ANY DESCRIPTION, PHOTOGRAPH
OR STATEMENT CONTAINED HEREIN. COLORS AND
SPECIFICATIONS MAY VARY FROM ACTUAL PRODUCT.
MUSIC GROUP PRODUCTS ARE SOLD THROUGH
AUTHORIZED FULLFILLERS AND RESELLERS ONLY.
FULLFILLERSAND RESELLERS ARE NOT AGENTS OF
MUSICGROUP AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO AUTHORITY
TO BIND MUSICGROUP BY ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED

IS COPYRIGHTED. NO PART OF THIS MANUAL MAY
BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM
OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL,
INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING AND RECORDING OF ANY
KIND, FOR ANY PURPOSE, WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MUSICGROUPIPLTD.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
© 2012 MUSICGroupIPLtd.
Trident Chambers, Wickhams Cay, P.O. Box 146,
Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands

LIMITED WARRANTY

§ 1 Warranty

(1) This limited warranty is valid only if you purchased
the product from a MUSIC Group Authorized Reseller in
the country of purchase. A list of authorized resellers can
be found on BEHRINGER’s website behringer. com under
“Where to Buy”, or you can contact the MUSIC Group o
closest to you.

(2) MUSICGroup* warrants the mechanical and

in material and workmanship if used under normal
operating conditions for a period of one (1) year from
the original date of purchase (see the Limited Warranty
terms in §4 below), unless a longer minimum warranty

shows any defects within the speci ed warranty period
and that defect is not excluded under §4, MUSICGroup
shall, at its discretion, either replace or repair the product
using suitable new or reconditioned product or parts.

thislimited warranty shall apply to the replacement
product for the remaining initial warranty period, i.e.,
one (1) year (or otherwise applicable minimum warranty
period) from the date of purchase of the original product.

(3) Upon validation of the warranty claim, the repaired
or replacement product will be returned to the user
freight prepaid by MUSICGroup.

(4) Warranty claims other than those indicated above
are expressly excluded.

PLEASE RETAIN YOUR SALES RECEIPT. IT IS YOUR PROOF
OF PURCHASE COVERING YOUR LIMITED WARRANTY.
THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS VOID WITHOUT SUCH PROOF
OFPURCHASE.

§ 2 Online registration

Please do remember to register your new BEHRINGER
equipment right after your purchase at behringer. com
under “Support” and kindly read the terms and conditions
of our limited warranty carefully. Registeringyour
purchase and equipment with us helps us process
your repair claims quicker and more e ciently.
Thankyouforyour cooperation!

§ 3 Return materials authorization

(1) To obtain warranty service, please contact the
retailer from whom the equipment was purchased.
Should your MUSIC Group Authorized Reseller not be
located in your vicinity, you may contact the MUSICGroup
Authorized Ful ller for your country listed under

4 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

“Support” at behringer. com. Ifyour country is not

• connection or operation of the unit in any way

This warranty does not detract from the seller’s

Warranty service conditions are subject to change without

listed, please check if your problem can be dealt with
by our “OnlineSupport” which may also be found under
“Support” at behringer. com. Alternatively,please submit
an online warranty claim at behringer. com BEFORE
returning the product. All inquiries must be accompanied
by a description of the problem and the serial number
of the product. Afterverifying the product’s warranty
eligibility with the original sales receipt, MUSICGroup
will then issue a ReturnMaterials Authorization
(“RMA”)number.

(2) Subsequently, the product must be returned in
its original shipping carton, together with the return
authorization number to the address indicated by
MUSICGroup.

(3) Shipments without freight prepaid will not
beaccepted.

§ 4 Warranty Exclusions

(1) This limited warranty does not cover consumable
parts including, but not limited to, fuses and batteries.
Where applicable, MUSICGroup warrants the valves or
meters contained in the product to be free from defects
in material and workmanship for a period of ninety (90)
days from date of purchase.

(2) This limited warranty does not cover the product
if it has been electronically or mechanically modi ed
in any way. If the product needs to be modi ed or
adapted in order to comply with applicable technical
or safety standards on a national or local level, inany
country which is not the country for which the
product was originally developed and manufactured,
thismodi cation/adaptation shall not be considered a
defect in materials or workmanship. Thislimited warranty
does not cover any such modi cation/adaptation,
regardless of whether it was carried out properly or not.
Under the terms of this limited warranty, MUSICGroup
shall not be held responsible for any cost resulting from
such a modi cation/adaptation.

(3) This limited warranty covers only the product
hardware. It does not cover technical assistance for
hardware or software usage and it does not cover
any software products whether or not contained in
the product. Any such software is provided “AS IS”
unless expressly provided for in any enclosed software
limitedwarranty.

(4) This limited warranty is invalid if the
factory- appliedserial number has been altered or
removed from theproduct.

(5) Free inspections and maintenance/repair work
are expressly excluded from this limited warranty,
inparticular, if caused by improper handling of the
product by the user. This also applies to defects caused
by normal wear and tear, in particular, of faders,
crossfaders, potentiometers, keys/buttons, guitar strings,
illuminantsand similar parts.

(6) Damage/defects caused by the following conditions
are not covered by this limited warranty:

• improper handling, neglect or failure to operate the
unit in compliance with the instructions given in
BEHRINGER user or service manuals;

that does not comply with the technical or safety
regulations applicable in the country where the
product is used;

• damage/defects caused by acts of God/Nature
(accident,  re,  ood, etc) or any other condition that
is beyond the control of MUSICGroup.

(7) Any repair or opening of the unit carried out by
unauthorized personnel (user included) will void the
limitedwarranty.

(8) If an inspection of the product by MUSICGroup
shows that the defect in question is not covered by the
limited warranty, the inspection costs are payable by
thecustomer.

(9) Products which do not meet the terms of this
limited warranty will be repaired exclusively at the buyer’s
expense. MUSICGroup or its authorized service center will
inform the buyer of any such circumstance. If the buyer
fails to submit a written repair order within 6 weeks after
noti cation, MUSICGroup will return the unit C.O.D. with
a separate invoice for freight and packing. Such costs will
also be invoiced separately when the buyer has sent in a
written repair order.

(10) MUSIC Group Authorized Resellers do not sell new
products directly in online auctions. Purchasesmade
through an online auction are on a “buyer beware” basis.
Online auction con rmations or sales receipts are not
accepted for warranty veri cation and MUSICGroup will
not repair or replace any product purchased through an
online auction.

§ 5 Warranty transferability

This limited warranty is extended exclusively to the
original buyer (customer of authorized reseller) andis
not transferable to anyone who may subsequently
purchase this product. No other person (reseller,etc.)
shallbe entitled to give any warranty promise on behalf
of MUSICGroup.

§ 6 Claim for damage

Subject only to the operation of mandatory applicable
local laws, MUSICGroup shall have no liability to the buyer
under this warranty for any consequential or indirect
loss or damage of any kind. In no event shall the liability
of MUSICGroup under this limited warranty exceed the
invoiced value of the product.

§ 7 Limitation of liability

This limited warranty is the complete and exclusive
warranty between you and MUSICGroup. It supersedes
all other written or oral communications related to this
product. MUSICGroup provides no other warranties for
this product.

§ 8 Other warranty rights and
nationallaw

(1) This limited warranty does not exclude or limit the
buyer’s statutory rights as a consumer in any way.

(2) The limited warranty regulations mentioned herein
are applicable unless they constitute an infringement of
applicable mandatory local laws.

(3)

obligations in regard to any lack of conformity of the
product and any hidden defect.

§ 9 Amendment

notice. For the latest warranty terms and conditions
and additional information regarding MUSICGroup’s
limited warranty, please see complete details online at
behringer. com.

* MUSICGroup Macao Commercial O shore Limited of
RuedePequim No. 202-A, Macau Finance Centre 9/J, Macau,
including all MUSICGroup companies

5 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

1. Introduction

The A500 features special circuitry that protects your speakers from transients
during start-up and your amp from overheating. The amp is not put at any risk
even if there is a short on its outputs.

Various operating modes, such as parallel and mono mode, open up dierent
possibilities for eective implementation with the rest of your audio equipment,
leaving little to be desired.

Balanced inputs and outputs

Your BEHRINGER A500 features electronically servo-balanced inputs
(exception:RCA connectors (6) and (7) are intended only for unbalanced
connections). Theautomatic servo function recognizes when unbalanced
jacks are connected and internally adjusts the nominal signal level so that no
dierence in the signal level between inputs and outputs exists (6 dB correction).

◊ This manual first describes the terminology used, so that you fully

understand the A500 and its functions. Please read the manual
carefully and keep it for future reference.

1.1 Before you get started

1.1.1 Shipment

Your A500 was carefully packed at the factory, and the packaging was designed
to protect the unit from rough handling. Nevertheless, we recommend that
you carefully examine the packaging and its contents for any signs of physical
damage that may have occurred during transit.

◊ If the unit is damaged, please do NOT return it to BEHRINGER.

Instead, notify your dealer and the shipping company immediately.
Otherwise, claims for damage or replacement may not be honored.

◊ Always use the original packaging to prevent damage during storage

or transport.

◊ Make sure that no children are left unsupervised with the A500 or

its packaging.

◊ Please ensure proper disposal of all packing materials.

Power is delivered via the cable enclosed with the unit. All required safety
precautions have been adhered to.

◊ Please keep in mind that all your equipment has to be grounded

at all times. For your own protection, never change or disable the
grounding on your equipment or on the cables! The unit should
always be connected to the mains socket outlet with a protective
earthing connection.

 Attention!

◊ High volume levels can damage your hearing and your speakers.

Please turn down both volume controls to the minimum (all the way
to the left) before you power up the amp. Always make sure you use
appropriate volume levels.

1.1.3 Online registration

Online registration

Please register your new BEHRINGER equipment right after your purchase
by visiting http://behringer.com and read the terms and conditions of our
warrantycarefully.

Should your BEHRINGER product malfunction, it is our intention to have it
repaired as quickly as possible. To arrange for warranty service, please contact
the BEHRINGER retailer from whom the equipment was purchased. Should
your BEHRINGER dealer not be located in your vicinity, you may directly contact
one of our subsidiaries. Corresponding contact information is included in the
original equipment packaging (Global Contact Information/European Contact
Information). Should your country not be listed, please contact the distributor
nearest you. A list of distributors can be found in the support area of our website
(http://behringer.com).

Registering your purchase and equipment with us helps us process your repair
claims more quickly and eciently.

Thank you for your cooperation!

1.1.2 Initial operation

Make sure there is enough space around the unit for cooling. To avoid
overheating, please do not place your amplier near radiators and other
equipment emitting heat.

◊ Before plugging the unit into a power socket, please make sure you

have selected the correct voltage!

The fuse compartment near the power plug socket contains three triangular
markings. Two of these triangles are opposite one another. The voltage
indicated adjacent to these markings is the voltage to which your unit
has been set up, andcan be altered by rotating the fuse compartment by
180 °. ATTENTION:Thisdoes not apply to export models that were

manufactured only for use with 120 V, for example!

◊ If you alter the unit’s voltage, you must change the fuse accordingly.

The correct value of the fuse needed can be found in the
chapter “SPECIFICATIONS.”

◊ Faulty fuses must be replaced with fuses of appropriate rating

only! The correct value of the fuses needed can be found in the
chapter “SPECIFICATIONS.”

6 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

2. Control Elements

2.1 The front

(2) (3) (4) (5)

Fig. 2.1: Control elemen ts in the front

(1)

(1) The POWER switch is used to power up the A500. The POWER switch should

always be in its “O” position when you connect the unit to the mains.

POWER LED lights up as soon as you power up the A500.

◊ Please note: Merely switching the unit off does not mean that it

is fully disconnected from the mains. When not using the unit for
prolonged periods of time, please unplug the unit’s power cord from
the power outlet.

◊ Your power amp should always be the last device you power up, since

some equipment in the signal path creates strong impulses which
are then amplified in the amp and are passed onto the loudspeakers,
possibly damaging them. Consequently, always let your power amp be
the first device you power down.

(2) Each channel features a volume control. Use it to adjust gain on your A500.

Both volume controls should be turned all the way to the left whenever
you power the unit up or down. If an active signal is present on the input,
turningthe volume down will protect your speakers and your ears from
unwanted “pops” or transients.

2.2 The back

(9) (10) (11) (12) (6)(7)

(3) The PROT LED lights up whenever the protective circuitry mutes the speaker

output. Please turn your A500 o immediately whenever this LED is lit.

◊ The protective circuitry is activated if the amp gets too hot. Let your

A500 cool down a little before you turn it on again. Besides, check if the
heat sink has enough space around it to perform its job.

(4) The high-precision power indicator gives out current signal strength.

(5) The CLIP LED lights up when the signal is distorted. Should distortion occur,

reduce the input level, so that the CLIP LED no longer lights up.

◊ If the CLIP LED remains being lit, check the cable connection to the

speakers because there might be a short on the speaker output.

(8)

Fig. 2.2: Cont rol elements and c onnections in t he back

(13)

7 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

(6) CHANNEL INPUT 1 (MONO). Connect the signal source whose output needs

to be amplied.

◊ Please use only one of the three input connectors per channel at any

one time!

Here you will connect an output of your mixing console, your HiFi preamp or
another signal source.

Our rack mixing console EURORACK PRO RX1602, with its eight mono-usable
balanced stereo channels, is an ideal choice for signal processing and
sourceselection.

The connections for both channels are laid out as RCA, XLR and ¼" TRS stereo
connectors. The cinch inputs are intended for use with outputs laid out as
unbalanced signals with a -10 dBV line signal level. Because these inputs
are more sensitive than others, you can directly connect a CD player or a
DAT recorder. Of course this input can also be used for connecting mixing
consoles and similar equipment.

The XLR and ¼" TRS stereo connectors are laid out balanced, but they too can
of course be used to connect unbalanced signals. Their sensitivity is +4 dBu
(also see ch. 4).

Generally speaking, you should choose balanced over unbalanced signals in
order to guarantee the highest noise protection.

Due to safety considerations, the inputs can not be used in parallel.
However,if you are using cinch and XLR or ¼" TRS connectors
simultaneously, the cinch input is given preference, andthe other signal
ismuted.

3. Application Examples

3.1 Stereo mode

In this mode, both channels run independently with a separate input signal.
Connect passive loudspeakers, preferably high-quality studio monitors, such
as the BEHRINGER TRUTH B2031P. Set the STEREO/BRIDGED MONO switch (8)] to
“STEREO” to enable stereo mode.

◊ Please use the POWER switch to power down your A500 before making

any changes to the operating mode settings.

◊ Keep in mind the minimum load impedance of 4 Ohms per channel in

stereo mode.

XENYX 2222FX

R

Ctrl. Room out

L

Input
Channel 1

REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500

◊ If you wish to use the A500 in mono-bridged mode,

please only use one of the channel 1 inputs!

(7) CHANNEL INPUT 2. These are the inputs for channel 2.

(8) The STEREO/BRIDGED MONO switch is used to toggle between the two

operating modes of your A500.

◊ Please power the A500 down using the POWER switch each time you

change the operating mode. Similarly, only connect/disconnect speaker
connectors if the A500 has first been powered off!

(9) OUTPUT 1, OUTPUT 2 and BRIDGED MONO: These are the speaker

connectors of your A500 laid out as ¼" TS mono connectors. When in
mono-bridged mode, only use the BRIDGED MONO output.

◊ Keep in mind the minimum power impedance of 4 Ohms per channel

in stereo mode. When in mono-bridged mode, a loudspeaker whose
impedance is at least 8 Ohms must be used.

(10) In addition to XLR or ¼" TRS connectors, you can also use binding posts for

connecting speaker cables. When in mono-bridged mode, make sure to
connect your cables to both middle connectors–as shown on the unit itself.

(11) FUSE SWITCH/VOLTAGE SELECTION. Before connecting the unit to the

mains, please check if the voltage selector corresponds to your local voltage.
When replacing fuses, you should only use fuses of the same type and rating.
With some units, the fuse switch can be put into two dierent positions in
order to select between 230 V and 120 V operation. Please bear in mind:
Ifyou wish to use your equipment outside of Europe running on 120 V,
youwill have to use a fuse with a higher Ampere value.

Input
Channel 2

TRUTH B2031P

Fig. 3.1: A500 in stereo operation

Additional examples:

• Two independent mono signals, e.g. instrument signal and monitor mix

• Bi-amp operation, with the bass signal on channel 1 and the treble signal

onchannel 2

(12) The mains connection is made via a standard IEC RECEPTACLE. A matching

cable is enclosed.

(13) SERIAL NUMBER.

8 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

3.2 Mono-bridged mode

In this mode, the voltages of both channels are added up and routed to just
one loudspeaker. This results in a doubling of voltage, quadrupling of the peak
power value and roughly trippling of the continuous power output on a single
channel. The input and the gain control on channel 1 are used in mono-bridged
mode. Thechannel 2 control elements are not used. ATTENTION: To avoid

cancellations due to internal phase inversion, the GAIN control on
channel 2 must be turned all the way to the left!

Use this operating mode to feed the output of both channels into a single 4-Ohm
load. Set the STEREO/BRIDGED MONO switch (8) to “BRIDGED MONO.”

Please only connect the speaker using the BRIDGED MONO connector (9) or by
using both of the middle binding posts(10).

◊ Always power the A500 down using the POWER switch whenever you

make any changes to the operating mode settings.

◊ Keep in mind the minimum load impedance of 8 Ohms in

mono-bridged mode.

Bass

BASS V-AMP PRO

4. Installation

4.1 Installation in a rack

Your A500 can be installed into a 19" rack and requires
two rack spaces. Please use four attaching screws and washers for installation.
Reinforce the back end, especially for on-the-road use. Please ensure that
enough cool air reaches the rack, especially if other rack equipment generates
a lot of heat. Due to its weight, we recommend installing the A500 in the lower
portion of your rack. If you are installing several amps in a single rack, you should
leave some space between individual amps (approx. 1 height unit) to allow for
sucient cooling.

◊ The A500 has massive heat sinks on its side frame that guarantee

reliable operation. Never block air supply to these heat sinks because
excessive heat may damage the components inside your amp.
Even though the protec tive circuitry guards the inside components
from damage caused by excessive internal temperatures, you should
still double-check where the amp is placed and inspect cable
connections if you are experiencing thermal protection dropouts.

4.2 Connections

Inputs

If you wish to use XLR connections for unbalanced input signals, connect the
unused pin on the XLR connec tor (pin 3) with the ground. No modication is
needed if using mono jacks (also see ch. 4.3).

Input
Channel 1

REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500

BB410

Fig. 3.2: Mono-bridged operation

◊ If your amp is overdriving for a longer period of time, it may become

muted for several seconds at a time. Always select appropriate volume
values to avoid overdriving.

Safety precautionsv for mono-bridged operation

A voltage of up to 60 V RMS is present between the output connectors of the
A500. Always adhere to all appropriate safety precautions when connecting your
speakers to avoid the risk of electric shock.

◊ Should you register distractive signals such as noise or hissing,

we recommend separating the amp input from the signal source.
This way, you can quickly determine if the noise originates
in the equipment connected to the amp. Always make sure
to completely lower amplification of both channels before
powering up the amp (GAIN control turned all the way to the left).
Otherwise, permanent damage to your speakers may occur.

Outputs

Your A500 oers several output connection possibilities: two ¼" TS mono
connectors and two pairs of touch-safe binding posts. Inaddition to both
¼"TS mono connectors for individual channels, the A500 also features an extra
¼"connector for use in mono-bridged mode.

◊ Whenever possible, use thick and shor t speaker cables to minimize

power losses. Never route output cables near input cables.

When using binding posts, make sure that the wire insulation is not stripped
more than what is necessary, and that wires are completely inserted into the
binding post so that no bare wire is visible. Cable clamps must be isolated to
avoid the possibility of electric shock. When running the amp in mono-bridged
mode, always use the middle two binding post connectors, paying attention to
correct polarity.

◊ ATTENTION! If you notice bare cable endings on the binding post

connectors, disconnect the AC mains and remedy the improper output
connection before powering the amplifier on again.

Running your amp in mono-bridged mode puts both the amp and your
loudspeakers under additional strain. Excessive overdriving can result in
premature shutting down of the unit itself or permanent damage to the speakers.
Make sure that your speaker (impedance at least 8 Ohms) and the cables you use
can indeed handle the power load fed into/through them.

Connecting to the mains

Always connect your power amplier to the voltage specied on the rear of
the unit. Connecting the amp to incorrect voltage can permanently damage it
(alsosee ch. 2, under [11] FUSE SWITCH/VOLTAGE SELECTION).

Before powering up the amplier, double-check all connections and fully lower
the gain settings.

9 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

4.3 Audio connections

Various cables are needed for dierent types of applications. The following
illustrations show the correct wiring. Always use high-grade cables.

Balanced use with XLR connectors

12

3

input

1 = ground/shield
2 = hot (+ve)
3 = cold (-ve)

1

2

3

output

For unbalanced use, pin 1 and pin 3
have to be bridged

Fig. 4.1: XLR connections

Unbalanced ¼" TS connector

strain relief clamp

sleeve

Balanced ¼" TRS connector

strain relief clamp

sleeve
ring
tip

sleeve

ground/shield

ring

cold (-ve)

tip

hot (+ve)

For connection of balanced and unbalanced plugs,
ring and sleeve have to be bridged at the stereo plug.

Fig. 4.3: ¼" TRS connector

tip tip

shield

sleevesleeve

Fig. 4.4: Unbalanc ed connection u sing a cinch cable

Fig. 4.2: ¼" TS conne ctor

tip

sleeve

(ground/shield)

tip

(signal)

10 REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500 User Manual

5. Specications

Output Power

RMS Power

Stereo Mode (both channels driven)

8 Ω / 1 kHz @ 1 % THD 125 W

4 Ω / 1 kHz @ 1 % THD 185 W

Bridged Mono

8 Ω / 1 kHz @ 1 % THD 375 W

Peak Power

Stereo Mode (both channels driven)

8 Ω / 1 kHz 175 W

4 Ω / 1 kHz 300 W

Bridged Mono

8 Ω / 1 kHz 600 W

Input Sensitivity 1.64 V

Distortion <0.01 %

Frequency Response 20 Hz - 20 kHz, +0/-1 dB

Voltage Gain: 26 dB

Damping Factor > 220 @ 8 Ω

Connectors

Inputs Balanced XLR, ¼" TRS , RCA

Outputs ¼'' TS connectors and

”touch-proof” binding posts

Circuit protection

Cooling Convection-type

Amplier protection Short circuit and overload

Output circuit type Class AB

Power supply / Voltage (Fuses)

USA / Canada 120 V~, 60 Hz (T 10 A H 250 V)

UK / Australia 240 V~, 50 Hz (T 5 A H 250 V)

Europe 230 V~, 50 Hz (T 5 A H 250 V)

Japan 100 V~, 50-60 Hz (T 10 A H 250 V)

Power consumption 660 W

Mains connector Standard IEC receptacle

Dimensions/weight

Dimensions (H x W x D) 482.6 x 257.5 x 101.6 mm

19 x 10.14 x 4"

Input impedance 10 kΩ unbalanced, 20 kΩbalanced

Signal-to-Noise >10 0 dB A

Controls

Front POWER switch

GAIN control (channel 1 and 2)

Rear MODE switch

Indicators

POWER Blue LEDs

CLIP (per channel) Red LEDs

PROT (per channel) Yellow LEDs

SIGNAL (per channel) -30 dB ~ -6 dB Green LEDs

SIGNAL (per channel) -3 dB; 0 dB Yellow LEDs

Weight 19.4 Ibs / 8.8 kg

BEHRINGER i s constantly str iving to maintain the h ighest profess ional standards. A s a result of these e ffort s,

modific ations may be made f rom time to time to exi sting product s without prio r notice. Specif ications and

appearance m ay differ fro m those listed or illus trated.

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