Biamp VOCIA AMPLIFIER User Manual

®

Vocia

VA-8600/VA-8600c

Manual

Biamp Systems 9300 S.W. Gemini Drive, Beaverton, Oregon 97008 U.S.A. [phone] www.biamp.com

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

VOCIA AMPLIFIER 8600/8600c (VA-8600/VA-8600c) ................................... 3

FEATURES ................................................................................... 3

FRONT PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Setup and Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

System Indicators ............................................................................. 4

Chassis Indicators ............................................................................. 5

REAR PANEL ...............................................................................6-9

Device ID Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Power Entrance ............................................................................... 6

NM-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Reset Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Logic I/O ..................................................................................... 6

Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Network Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

AM-600 and AM-600c ........................................................................... 7

Output ....................................................................................... 7

Amplier-to-Amplier Failover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Channel-to-Channel Failover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

VA-8600/VA-8600c & AM-600/AM-600c CARD SPECIFICATIONS ...................10

BLOCK DIAGRAM ..........................................................................11

WARRANTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

VOCIA AMPLIFIER 8600/8600c (VA-8600/VA-8600c)

The VA-8600 and VA-8600c are digital networked multi-channel ampliers. Both the VA-8600 and the VA-8600c are CobraNet® enabled
and feature eight channels of modular amplication, and DSP with optional channel-to-channel or device-to-device failover. The VA-8600c
is designed to be used specically with EN 54-16 certied systems, with the AM-600c card. It can support up to eight amplier cards that
are individually software congurable from 100–600 Watts for up to 2400 Watts of power per chassis, with software-selectable 70V, 100V,
and low-impedance outputs per card. The on-board DSP provides comprehensive xed-chain digital signal processing within the device,
including volume control, ducking, equalization, compressor/limiter, speaker crossover, delay, and output gain. Emergency messages for
life-safety compliant systems are stored in non-volatile memory within the VA-8600 and VA-8600c. Intuitive software provides audio system
design via PC computer. Two RJ45 connectors on the rear panel of the VA-8600 and VA-8600c provide redundant connectivity to control
data and audio over a single Ethernet cable.

FEATURES

Modular based design•

Amplication modules have software congurable power •

levels/load options

– 8 amplication modules per frame with 100W to 600 Watts
per module (maximum of 2400W per chassis)
– 70 V or 100 V with direct drive capability, or low-impedance
(4 or 8Ω) operation
– Maximum of 2400 watts of power in 3 rack unit device

Failover capability between channels and ampliers•

Local non-volatile storage of emergency messages•

LED Indication: •
– Amplier failure
– Clip present
– Fan stuck-rotor
– Heat sink temperature fault
– Signal Peak
– Signal present

Setup and Use

The Vocia software provides the interface for conguring and programming the VA-8600 and VA-8600c. The information supplied by this

manual relates to hardware installation, physical connections, and device and channel failover concerns. For more details on software
setup, please consult the Vocia Software Help File.

Software Monitoring Features: •
– Amplier failure
– Excessive clipping
– Fan stuck rotor
– Heat sink temperature fault
– Peak present
– Short circuit on output

Software-congurable signal processing including •
volume control, lters, compressor/limiting, delay,

speaker equalization, and output sensitivity

CobraNet audio/control with dynamic use •
of available bundles over single Ethernet cable

Dual CobraNet ports for redundancy•

Heavy duty removable terminal block connectors •
for speaker line connections

Rotary switches for unit identication•

CE• marked, UL listed and RoHS compliant

Covered by • Biamp Systems’ warranty

3

VA-8600/VA-8600c FRONT PANEL

amp fault

activity

signal status

power

Figure 1. Front Panel
System Indicators

The LED indicators on the front panel provide information about the function and operational status of the VA-8600 and VA-8600c chassis
and any installed AM-600 or AM-600c amplier modules. Columns one through eight correspond to the eight amplier module slots. The
remaining LEDs correspond to the VA-8600 and VA-8600c chassis.

Channel Indicators Chassis Indicators

Figure 2. System Indicators
Channel Indicators
Amp Fault is a yellow LED that illuminates when a channel fault has occurred. Two types of channel faults can be reported, depending

on the severity of the problem. Flashing yellow indicates a Warning, which means that some aspect of the AM-600 or AM-600c amplier
module is not performing within normal specication. Audio may still be passing, but if the condition causing the Warning is not corrected,
channel failure may occur. Solid yellow indicates a fault, which means that some aspect of the AM-600 or AM-600c amplier module has
failed and audio is no longer passing on that channel. Use Vocia software to determine the specic type of channel warning or fault that

has occurred.

Activity is a two-color LED that illuminates in green when that channel is congured and actively passing audio and yellow when that
channel is congured and in standby. Standby only occurs when a channel has been designated as redundant channel in a conguration

where failover is enabled.

4

VA-8600/VA-8600c FRONT PANEL

Signal is a tri-color LED that indicates audio signal presence on the channel. Green indicates that the audio signal level is between

-50 dBFS and -3 dBFS, yellow indicates a signal level between -3 dBFS and 0 dBFS, and red indicates clipping.

Chassis Indicators
Amp Fault is a yellow LED that illuminates when a chassis fault has occurred. There are two types of chassis faults that can be reported,

depending on the severity of the problem. Flashing yellow indicates a Warning, which means that some aspect of the VA-8600 or VA-8600c

chassis is not performing within normal specication. Audio may still be passing, but if the condition causing the Warning is not corrected, chassis

failure may occur. Solid yellow indicates a fault, which means that some aspect of the VA-8600 or VA-8600c chassis has failed and audio

may no longer be passing through the device. Use Vocia software to determine the specic type of chassis warning or fault that has occurred.

Activity is a tri-color LED that illuminates to show the conguration status of the VA-8600 and VA-8600c unit. If the LED is dark, there is
no conguration in the unit. A green LED indicates that the unit is congured and a yellow LED indicates that the unit is congured and in
standby. Standby only occurs when a unit has been designated as a redundant device in a conguration where failover is enabled. A red
LED indicates a conguration load failure.

Status is a tri-color LED that indicates the health of the VA-8600 and VA-8600c hardware. A green LED indicates that the unit powered
up normally. A ashing yellow LED is shown briey during the power-up self test and should turn solid green upon successful start. A red
LED indicates that the unit experienced a problem during the power-on self test.

Power is a green LED that illuminates when power is applied to the unit.

Table 1. Channel Indicators

LED Row Label Red Yellow Green Dark

1 AMP FAULT Never Flashing-Warning

Never No Amp Faults

Solid-Fault

2 ACTIVITY Never Congured

and in standby

3 SIGNAL Signal above clip

threshold (>= 0dBFS)

Signal above peak but
below clip threshold
(> -3dBFS & < 0dBFS)

1

Congured and active Not congured

Signal above min. but
below peak threshold

Signal below min.
threshold (< -50dBFS)

(> -50dBFS & < -3dBFS)

4 — — — — —

Table 2. Chassis Indicators

LED Row Label Red Yellow Green Dark

1 AMP FAULT Never Flashing-Warning

Never No Amp Faults

Solid-Fault

2 ACTIVITY Conguration

load failure

Congured
and in standby

Congured and active Not congured

2

3 STATUS POST Failure Booting (ashing) Boot succeeded Did not boot

4 — — — — —

1. Only applicable on amplier modules congured for redundancy operation

2. Only applicable on amplier modules congured for redundancy operation

5