Classe Audio CA-M400 User Manual 2

Owner’s Manual

CA-M400

Power Ampliﬁer

Manuel d’utilisation

CA-M400

Ampliﬁcateur de Puissance

Bedienungsanleitung

CA-M400

Endstufe

Manuale di Istruzioni

CA-M400

Ampliﬁcatore ﬁnale di potenza

Manual de Instrucciones

CA-M400

Etapa de Potencia

Gebruiksaanwijzing

CA-M400

Mono Eindversterker

ESPAÑOLITALIANODEUTSCHFRANÇAISENGLISH NEDERLANDS

ENGLISH

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

The lightning ﬂash 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 sufﬁcient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

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

important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

Marking by the “CE” symbol (shown left) indicates compliance of this device with the EMC (Elec-

tromagnetic Compatibility) and LVD (Low Voltage Directive) standards of the European Community.

NOTICE

All of us at Classé take extreme care to ensure that your purchase will remain a prized investment. We are proud to inform you that all Classé components have been ofﬁcially approved for the European Community (CE) mark under CE Certiﬁcate Number C401CLA1.MGS granted on 18 July, 1996.

This means that your Classé product was subjected to the most rigorous manufacturing and safety tests in the world. The CE mark certiﬁes that your purchase meets or exceeds all European Community requirements for unit-to-unit consistency and consumer safety.

The information contained in the manual is subject to change without notice. The most current version of this manual will be posted on our web site at http://www.classeaudio.com.

Important Safety Instructions

Caution: Please read and observe all warnings and instructions in this owner’s manual and all those marked on the unit. Retain this owner’s manual for future reference.

1. Do not attempt to service this product yourself. Do not open the cover for any reason. There are no

user-serviceable parts inside. An open unit, particularly if it is still connected to an AC source, presents a potentially lethal shock hazard. Refer all questions to authorized service personnel only.

2. To prevent ﬁre or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to water or moisture. If a liquid does enter

your component, immediately disconnect it from the AC mains and take it to your Classé dealer for a thorough check-up.

3. Do not place your component near any heat-producing device such as a radiator, stove, etc., Keep

it away from direct sunlight.

4. Connect your component only to an AC source of the proper voltage. The shipping container and

the rear panel serial number tag will indicate the proper voltage. Use of any other voltage may damage the unit and void the warranty.

5. AC cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them. Do not stress the AC cord by stretching it to reach a plug. If damage

does occur to the AC cord, take it to your Classé dealer for a thorough check-up and proper repair or replacement.

ENGLISH

6. If your component will be out of use for an extended period of time (vacation, etc. ), you may wish to unplug the power cord from the AC source to prevent any chance of problems from a voltage surge or lightning strike.

7. NEVER wet the inside of this product with any liquid.

8. NEVER pour or spill liquids directly onto this unit.

9. NEVER block air ﬂow through ventilation slots or heatsinks.

10. NEVER bypass any fuse.

11. NEVER replace any fuse with a value or type other than that speciﬁed.

12. NEVER attempt to repair this product. If a problem occurs, contact your Classé dealer.

13. NEVER expose this product to extremely high or low temperatures.

14. NEVER operate this product in an explosive atmosphere.

15. ALWAYS unplug sensitive electronic equipment during lightning storms.

Please record the serial number of your new Classé component here for future reference.

Serial #: __________________

ENGLISH

Contents

Welcome to the Classé family ..........................................................................5

a word about installation .......................................................................................5

Unpacking and Placement ...............................................................................6

unpacking your ampliﬁer .......................................................................................6

placement ..............................................................................................................6

ventilation .............................................................................................................

custom installations ...............................................................................................7

serial number .........................................................................................................7

operating voltage ...................................................................................................

warm up/break-in period .......................................................................................

please read this manual… ......................................................................................8

Special Design Features ...................................................................................9

highly reﬁned circuit design ...................................................................................9

extensive listening tests ..........................................................................................

extraordinary longevity ........................................................................................

robust protection .................................................................................................10

Front Panel .....................................................................................................11

Rear Panel .....................................................................................................13

Initial Setup ...................................................................................................18

conﬁguring balanced/single-ended operation .................................. 18

conﬁguring ampliﬁer turn-on delay/amp no. .................................... 19

Care and Maintenance ...................................................................................20

Troubleshooting .............................................................................................21

Speciﬁcations ................................................................................................23

Dimensions .................................................................................................134

7 7 8

Welcome to the Classé family

Congratulations on your purchase of a Classé product. It is the result of many years of continuous reﬁnement, and we are sure that you will enjoy it for many years to come.

We value our relationship with our customers. Please allow us to stay in touch with you by returning your warranty card now, before you pack up the shipping carton of your new product and forget all about it. Doing so will enable us to let you know about any possible future upgrades or updates that might become available for your Classé component.

Sending in your warranty card also registers your product with us so that warranty service can be obtained easily and quickly, even if you have mislaid your original sales slip.

Please, take a few minutes to ﬁll out the warranty registration

card, and drop it in the mail.

You will ﬁnd the warranty registration card at the end of the separate warranty policy booklet, enclosed.

ENGLISH

a word about installation Every effort has been made to make the Classé CA-M400 simple and

straightforward to install and use.

Still, we have no way to evaluate many other variables such as the size and shape of your room, its acoustics, and the associated equipment you have chosen to use with your ampliﬁer. All of these factors inﬂuence the ultimate performance of your system.

For this reason, we strongly encourage you to have your system

installed and calibrated by your dealer, whose experience,

training, and specialized equipment can make a profound

difference in the ﬁnal performance of the system.

Unpacking and Placement

ENGLISH

unpacking your ampliﬁer Carefully unpack your power ampliﬁer according to the supplied instructions,

and remove all accessories from the carton. Please take care when lifting the ampliﬁer, as it is quite heavy.

Important! Keep all packing materials for future transport of your Classé

product. Shipping your new component in anything other than its purpose-designed packing material may result in damage that is not covered by the warranty.

placement There are two options when placing your power ampliﬁer: you may place it close

to the speakers, requiring longer interconnecting cables from the preampliﬁer; or place it close to the preampliﬁer, requiring longer speaker cables.

Although either approach will yield excellent performance, you might consider the ﬁrst option for two reasons. First, signal quality degrades more easily when transmitted as a combination of both high voltage and high current, suggesting that speaker cables should be kept as short as practical. Second, high quality ampliﬁers use massive power supplies which inevitably radiate some degree of magnetic ﬁelds. Ideally, one would separate these ﬁelds from sensitive source components by a reasonable distance.

If it is more convenient for you to place the ampliﬁer in an equipment rack, along with your other components, we suggest placing it at the bottom of the rack, well away from your source components and preampliﬁer. This location will also be more stable than placing such a heavy component near the top of a rack, which might make it top-heavy.

Note that adequate clearance for the AC cord and connecting cables must be left behind the CA-M400. We suggest leaving eight inches (20 cm) of free space behind your power ampliﬁer to allow all cables sufﬁcient room to bend without crimping or undue strain.

ventilation Your Classé power ampliﬁer generates a certain amount of heat in the course

of normal operation. Be sure to allow six inches of clearance above it and three inches to each side to allow heat dissipation through air circulation. The vents on both the bottom and the top of the CA-M400 must be kept free from any obstruction which would reduce the ﬂow of air through the unit. Avoid placement on soft surfaces that would restrict airﬂow (such as plush carpeting).

custom installations Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations and

custom cabinetry (see the section rack mount kit is available for this product. Contact your Classé dealer for more information.

serial number The serial number for your power ampliﬁer is found on the rear of the unit.

Please note and record this number on the page entitled Important Safety Instructions for your future reference.

registration card. Please register your purchase so we can advise you of updates and other items of interest.

It will take only a minute or so. Please complete the card now, before you forget.

operating voltage The CA-M400 power ampliﬁer is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V,

230V, or 240V AC mains operation, as appropriate for the country in which it is to be sold (230V only in European Union countries, in compliance with CE

regulations). The voltage setting may not be changed by the user or dealer.

Dimensions). An optional, purpose-designed

ENGLISH

Make sure that the label on the rear panel of your power ampliﬁer indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your location. Attempting to operate your power ampliﬁer at an incorrect voltage may damage the unit.

Warning: The voltage setting of your power ampliﬁer may not be changed

by the user. There are no user-serviceable parts within the

unit. Please refer any problems to an authorized Classé service

center.

If the AC mains voltage indicated on your power ampliﬁer is incorrect, please contact your local, authorized Classé dealer or distributor.

The CA-M400 can easily be powered by a normal 15-ampere AC mains line. If other devices are also powered from the same AC line, their additional power consumption should be taken into account.

ENGLISH

The CA-M400 includes protection circuitry that will prevent the ampliﬁer from operating at dangerously high or low voltages.

• At startup: the AC mains voltage must be within a range of

approximately -15% to +10% of its nominal value at startup, or the ampliﬁer will not turn on. For example, a 120V unit requires the AC mains to be between approximately 95V–135V in order to turn on.

• Over-voltage during operation: if the AC mains voltage surges

by roughly 10% or more during operation, the ampliﬁer will enter protection mode and shut down. The Standby LED will ﬂash to indicate the protection mode has been engaged.

• Under-voltage during operation: if the AC mains voltage sags by

15% or more, the ampliﬁer will continue to play (since this does not present a particular danger to the ampliﬁer), but note that it may not be able to achieve its usual standard of performance under these compromised conditions. The Standby LED ﬂash to indicate the condition.

warm up/break-in period Your new Classé power ampliﬁer will deliver outstanding performance

immediately. However, you should expect to hear it improve somewhat as it reaches its normal operating temperatures and its various components “break-in.” It has been our experience that the greatest changes occur within the ﬁrst 300 hours, as the ampliﬁer reaches thermal equilibrium and the capacitors fully form. After this initial break-in period, the performance of your new product should remain quite consistent for years to come.

will

The only exception to this rule is if the unit is placed in standby for an extended period of time, allowing it to cool down. Depending on the degree of cooling involved, you should expect a brief warm-up period before the power ampliﬁer’s sound quality is at its best. Unless your ampliﬁer was allowed to become quite chilled, subsequent thermal re-stabilization should not take long. Fortunately, you should never have to repeat the initial 300 hour break-in period.

please read this manual… Please take a few minutes to review this manual, and to familiarize yourself with

your new ampliﬁer. We understand that you are anxious to plug everything in and get started. However, reading this manual and following the advice it gives will ensure that you get all the beneﬁts you deserve from having purchased such a ﬁne piece of equipment.

or unplugged

Special Design Features

ENGLISH

highly reﬁned

circuit design

extensive listening tests Excellent measured performance is to be expected in world-class products, and

All Classé analog ampliﬁcation stages are based on circuits that have been extensively optimized over many years of continuous development.

By starting with excellent circuit designs and working with them over the years, we are able to discover the many small reﬁnements that add up to superlative performance, in a variety of applications. Altering a voltage here, or using a slightly different part there, may make all the difference between solid and absolutely outstanding performance.

This level of reﬁnement only comes with a great deal of experience, and is not available to those who ﬂit from one trendy notion to the next. It accounts in no small measure for both the consistency of sonic performance among Classé products (as they are all based on similar analog gain stages), and for the consistently excellent reviews those products receive by owners and reviewers alike.

Classé products deliver that performance. However, experience has shown that technical excellence alone is insufﬁcient to guarantee subjectively musical results.

For this reason, all Classé products are laboriously ﬁne-tuned during the development process by carefully controlled listening tests. Our ears are still some of the ﬁnest laboratory test instruments available, and nicely complement more traditional engineering test equipment. In the course of optimizing the circuitry for a product, hundreds of decisions are made based on the subjective impression given by substituting one high quality part for another.

As an example, we may listen to half a dozen 0.1% ﬁlm resistors of the same value, from several different companies. Standard tests may show them all to provide identical results in terms of noise, distortion, and so forth. Yet, almost invariably, one selection yields some small improvement in the subjective reaction to the performance of the product under development. Less often, even a single such change can result in a surprisingly large improvement.

Multiply those various improvements by the dozens or even hundreds of such decisions that must be made before the product can be ﬁnalized for production, and you have a remarkable improvement, indeed—all based on careful listening tests, which we view as a necessary complement to the solid engineering you might rightly expect from Classé.

extraordinary longevity Another beneﬁt of having worked with highly reﬁned circuit designs so

extensively over many years is that we have vast experience in what works well over the long term.

ENGLISH

By using only the highest quality parts to begin with, and then using them in an informed way as a result of both accelerated aging experiments and actual longterm experience, we are able to design and manufacture products which we are conﬁdent will stand the test of time.

We are conﬁdent that your new Classé product will give you many years of trouble-free reliability and musical enjoyment, just as previous Classé products have given their owners.

robust protection Finally, your new Classé ampliﬁer incorporates a variety of protection circuits, all

designed to protect both the ampliﬁer and your loudspeakers against dangerous fault conditions. Signiﬁcantly, these protection circuits do not intrude upon or limit the normal performance of the ampliﬁer; rather, they simply put the ampliﬁer into protection mode when confronted with abnormal conditions. These conditions include:

• output overload

• DC offset

• AC mains voltage (outside of normal tolerances)

• excessive operating temperatures

If any such conditions occur (any of which might harm either your ampliﬁer or possibly your loudspeakers), the ampliﬁer will immediately go into protection mode. In such a case, a be righted and the ampliﬁer is re-started.

Channel LED indicator will blink red until the fault can

If the fault is not channel-related, e.g. AC mains voltage out of range, the Standby LED will blink. In all cases, the unit will need to be re-started once the cause of the fault condition has been rectiﬁed.

ENGLISH











Front Panel

1 Standby button & LED indicator

The front panel Standby button will toggle the ampliﬁer between operate,

its fully operational state, and a standby mode that leaves the ampliﬁer off,

yet ready to respond to system commands via any of the supported control

options (e.g. IR input, DC trigger, CAN Bus, or RS-232).

The current state of the ampliﬁer is indicated by the

the center of the Standby button. The state of this LED indicates the

following:

• on = standby

• ﬂashing (on power-up) =

• off +

Channel LED on = operate

initialization

• ﬂashing (after power-up) = AC mains voltage out of range

When in standby, the ampliﬁer’s gain stages are powered down. Only a

small power supply and control circuit remain on, consuming relatively

little power. Fortunately, since the output stages by their nature conduct a

great deal of current, they warm up and sound their best very quickly.

LED indicator in

If you are not going to use the ampliﬁer for an extended period of time,

perhaps while traveling for a vacation, we suggest you disconnect it from

the AC mains. Please be certain that the ampliﬁer is in standby

prior to

disconnecting it from the AC mains.

ENGLISH

Also, it is a good practice to physically disconnect any and all valuable electronics from the AC mains during electrical storms, as a lightning strike anywhere near your home can put a tremendous surge on the AC mains that can easily damage any piece of electronics, no matter how well designed and protected. The best protection in the case of severe electrical storms is to simply remove the electronics from any connection with the power grid.

2 Select button

The Select button is used (along with the Mode button) when conﬁguring the ampliﬁer for either balanced or single-ended operation. It is also used when conﬁguring the turn-on delay or ampliﬁer number for connection with a Classé preampliﬁer by the DC Trigger or CAN Bus control systems.

3 Channel status LED indicators

Your ampliﬁer has two front-panel separate LED to indicate the use of either the balanced (XLR) or singleended (RCA) input.

These indicators are also used to indicate fault conditions in your ampliﬁer, should any ever arise. If either of the there is a problem with your ampliﬁer.

Channel LED indicators. There is a

Channel LED indicators blinks red,

Caution! If you see a Channel LED indicator blinking red, please

disconnect the ampliﬁer from the AC mains immediately and check that all external connections are cleanly made and secure. If no fault is immediately obvious, please call your authorized Classé dealer for assistance.

4 Mode button

The Mode button is used (along with the Select button) when conﬁguring the ampliﬁer for either balanced or single-ended operation. It is also used when conﬁguring the turn-on delay or ampliﬁer number for connection with a Classé preampliﬁer by the DC Trigger or CAN Bus control systems.

ENGLISH





 



 

  







Rear Panel

The following descriptions are intended as a quick reference, should you have any questions about your new product. Please see the next section (entitled Initial Setup) for speciﬁc advice on incorporating your new ampliﬁer into your system.

1 Balanced (XLR) Input

Balanced audio interconnections were originally developed in the

professional audio world, for preserving the delicate nuances of extremely

small microphone-level signals. For many years now, they have also been

used by performance-oriented companies such as Classé to preserve every

nuance of the ﬁnest audio performances in your collection.

Technically, balanced audio interconnections provide two distinct beneﬁts:

they double the signal’s strength as it travels from one component to the

next, increasing the potential signal to noise ratio by 6 dB; they also do an

excellent job of rejecting noise and interference that might otherwise be

picked up between the components, due to either EMI (electromagnetic

interference) or RFI (radio frequency interference). In the world of wireless

telecommunications, there is more potential interference around than ever

before—it makes sense to keep it out of music and movie soundtracks.

For this reason, we strongly recommend using the balanced analog interconnections between your Classé components wherever possible.

The pin assignments of these XLR input connectors are:

ENGLISH

Pin 1: Signal ground Pin 2: Signal + (non-inverting) Pin 3: Signal – (inverting) Connector ground lug: chassis ground

These pin assignments are consistent with the standard adopted by the Audio Engineering Society (AES14-1992).

If you are using your Classé power ampliﬁer with a Classé preampliﬁer, you’re all set – just take standard balanced interconnect cables and plug them in.Then engage that input on the power ampliﬁer by conﬁguring it as described in Initial Setup.

If you are using another brand of preampliﬁer, please refer to the operating manual of your balanced-output preampliﬁer to verify that the pin assignments of its output connectors correspond to those of your ampliﬁer. If not, have your dealer wire the cables so that the appropriate output pin connects to the equivalent input pin.

2 Single-Ended (RCA) Input

Single-ended cables using RCA connectors are the most common form of analog connection used in consumer electronics. When implemented carefully and with use of high quality interconnecting cables, this standard can provide excellent performance. Classé has gone to extraordinary effort to ensure that the single-ended (RCA) input of your power ampliﬁer is as good as possible. However, this connection standard cannot offer the immunity from interference that balanced interconnection does—hence our recommendation to use the balanced inputs when possible.

If you elect to use the single-ended input of your Classé power ampliﬁer, you need to engage it by conﬁguring the ampliﬁer as described in the section Initial Setup.

3 Speaker Outputs

Two pairs of high quality ﬁve-way binding posts are provided on the ampliﬁer, in order to facilitate bi-wiring.

In practice, bi-wiring involves connecting two (preferably identical) sets of speaker cables between each ampliﬁer channel and its corresponding loudspeaker. In many cases, the beneﬁt is a subjectively improved level of clarity and detail from the speaker, as a result of being able to feed the two separate sections of its crossover and driver complement with identical, yet separate signals.

(Many high quality loudspeakers also offer two sets of connections on their speakers. Generally, one set of the connections on the loudspeaker feeds the portion of the speaker’s crossover network that supplies the woofer with its signal; the other set of connections connects to the portion of the crossover that supplies the rest of the speaker with the midrange and high frequencies.)

Although the binding posts on your Classé ampliﬁer will accept bare wire connections, we strongly recommend the use of high quality spade or hook lugs, crimped and soldered onto the ends of your speaker wires. Using high quality connectors will ensure that your speaker connections do not gradually deteriorate from fraying and oxidizing bare wires. It also helps prevent accidental short-circuits from poorly-terminated connections.

4 Classé CAN Bus Control Ports

These RJ-45 connectors are reserved for future control and communication applications using Classé Audio’s implementation of the Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus speciﬁcation.

ENGLISH

5 IR Input and Output

Your Classé ampliﬁer includes two

1/8th

-inch mini mono-jacks in order to

support the IR remote controls that are ubiquitous today. IR commands exist for toggling the ampliﬁer between operate discrete command codes for either operate

and standby, as well as

or standby. These codes may be used in “macros” for sophisticated remote control systems, facilitating the control of the ampliﬁer in the larger context of a complete system.

Actually, this IR Input and Output

description is a bit of a misnomer: the input supplied to these plugs is electrical in nature, not IR. It is obtained by using standard IR receivers, distribution ampliﬁers, and emitters (available from your dealer) to translate the remote’s ﬂashes of infrared light into corresponding pulses of electricity. The big advantages here include being able to easily route the signals anywhere they might need to go, and the reliability of a solid electrical connection.

Since an IR distribution system such as your dealer may design for you usually must control many products, your ampliﬁer includes both an IR input (for the control of this product) and an IR output (so as to pass along the same signal to the next product). This allows you to “daisy chain” your control wires from one product to the next.

The ampliﬁer is designed to respond to IR commands of 5 Volts DC, with the tip of the mini-plugs deﬁned to be “positive” relative to the shank of the plug.

ENGLISH

6 DC Trigger Input and Output

Many audio/video preampliﬁers can supply a DC control voltage to associated equipment in order to induce desired behavior. Your Classé ampliﬁer can take advantage of these capabilities in order to be switched between operate

and standby automatically, perhaps in concert with the A/

V preamp itself.

1/8th

Two (that is, toggling between operate

-inch mini mono-jacks provide this remote-controlled turn-on

and standby) of the ampliﬁer. These jacks provide a simple pass-through of the control voltage from one to the other, allowing you to “daisy-chain” a series of ampliﬁers quite easily.

The remote trigger will be operated by the presence of 5–12 Volts DC, with tip polarity as shown below:

7 RS 232 Control Port

This DB-9 connector has two purposes:

• downloading new operating software into your ampliﬁer (should new features ever be added, for example)

• for external control of your ampliﬁer by systems such as i-Command™, AMX® and Crestron

™

For more information, please contact your dealer and ask about home automation systems.

8 AC Mains Input

An IEC standard power cord (supplied) is used with the CA-M400. Plug the cord into the IEC receptacle on the rear panel, and the other end into a suitable wall outlet.

9 AC Mains Fuse

Your Classé power ampliﬁer has an AC mains fuse

, accessible on the rear panel. If you suspect that your AC fuse has blown, disconnect your ampliﬁer from the AC mains, as well as from its input connections and speaker connections, and refer to the appropriate item of the section enitled Troubleshooting.

Do not open your ampliﬁer. There are no user-serviceable parts within this product.

Danger! Potentially dangerous voltages and current capabilities exist

within your power ampliﬁer, even when disconnected from AC mains. Do not attempt to open any portion of the ampliﬁer’s cabinet. There are no user-serviceable parts inside your power ampliﬁer. All service of this product must be referred to a qualiﬁed Classé dealer or distributor.

ENGLISH

Initial Setup

Your new Classé ampliﬁer is quite simple to set up and enjoy. Please follow the steps outlined below in order to safely set up and use your new ampliﬁer.

Important: The AC mains connection should be the last connection you

make on your new power ampliﬁer. In addition, it is always a good idea to power up your power ampliﬁer(s) last, after everything else has been powered up and has stabilized.

Conversely, it is good practice to power the ampliﬁer(s) down ﬁrst when shutting down the system, as this prevents any transients from other components from getting through to your loudspeakers.

1. Unpack everything according to the included instructions.

Be careful when doing so, as this ampliﬁer is quite heavy.

2. Place your ampliﬁer (be sure to read “Unpacking and Placement”) and connect it to the AC mains.

This includes deciding on the location, making sure you have adequate ventilation, and adequate clearance for all the wires behind the ampliﬁer. Once accomplished, connect the ampliﬁer directly to the AC mains. Do not use extension cords, as most are not suitable for the current sometimes required by your ampliﬁer.

conﬁguring balanced/

single-ended operation

3. Conﬁgure your ampliﬁer.

The Select and Mode buttons are used when conﬁguring your ampliﬁer for how you would like it to operate.

While in standby, pressing the Select button will cause one of the Channel LEDs to light up, indicating how the ampliﬁer is currently conﬁgured (either balanced or single-ended).

One of the may select either balanced or single-ended operation for your ampliﬁer. Press the Mode button to toggle between either the balanced or the single- ended mode of operation, as indicated by which of the two LEDs is blinking.

To ﬁnish, press and release the Select button until both Channel LEDs are off.

Make sure you conﬁgure the ampliﬁer to use the type of input connection you will be using.

Channel LED indicators will be blinking, indicating that you

Channel

conﬁguring ampliﬁer

turn-on delay/amp no.

In a system that contains multiple Classé ampliﬁers, you may set the number of seconds of turn-on delay for each ampliﬁer, allowing each to turn on in the order you have speciﬁed, rather than all at once.

number also acts as an ID when using the CAN Bus. (Having several powerful ampliﬁers all turning on at the same time can sometimes stress the AC mains in your home, potentially leading to nuisance tripping of circuit breakers).

For example, to set the delay for two seconds (and to designate a particular ampliﬁer as #2):

This

ENGLISH

• Place the ampliﬁer in standby

• Press and hold the Mode

lit. When released, both LEDs will blink to indicate the turn-on delay and current number of the ampliﬁer (e.g. once to indicate a one second delay and ampliﬁer #1).

• If you want to change the current ampliﬁer number setting, press

and hold the Mode button again until both Channel LEDs are on.

• While continuing to hold the Mode button, press the Select

button two times (the same number as the desired delay in seconds and the ampliﬁer number);

• Release the Mode button. The ampliﬁer will conﬁrm your choice by blinking the Channel LEDs twice.

4. Make your preamp connections.

With the ampliﬁer in standby (or disconnected from the AC mains), using high quality interconnecting cables, make the appropriate connections with the balanced or single-ended connectors (as conﬁgured in Step 3

Make sure all the connections are snug, even if it means gently squeezing the outer shell of the RCA with pliers and reinserting it to tighten the connection.

(Standby LED on)

button until both Channel LEDs are

5. Make your speaker connections.

Make the connection between the output terminals of the ampliﬁer and your loudspeakers, using high quality speaker wires.

Connect the black (–) terminals on the ampliﬁer to the black (–) terminals on your speaker, and the red (+) terminals on the ampliﬁer to the red (+) terminals on your speaker. If bi-wiring, run a total of four conductors between each ampliﬁer channel and its corresponding loudspeaker: two separate +/– leads, one for the bass and the other for the mids and treble. Make sure that no wires cross between the red (+) and black (–) terminals, at either end.

Make sure all the connections are snug and cannot be easily wiggled free, but do not overtighten them. If you can give the speaker wires a reasonable tug without movement, they are snug. Further tightening will not make a better connection, and (taken to the extreme) may damage the connectors.

6. Double-check all your connections.

We understand that this step sounds redundant, but it is worth the extra minute or two it might take just to ensure that all connections are correct and secure before plugging the power cables to the AC outlets..

ENGLISH

7. Turn on all the other components in your system, and then turn on your ampliﬁer.

It is always good practice to turn any power ampliﬁer on last, and to turn it off ﬁrst. Doing so prevents any turn-on/turn-off transients that might originate in other components from damaging your loudspeakers.

Care and Maintenance

To remove dust from the cabinet of your ampliﬁer, use a feather duster or a lintfree soft cloth. To remove dirt and ﬁngerprints, we recommend isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. Dampen the cloth with alcohol ﬁrst and then lightly clean the surface of the ampliﬁer with the cloth. Do not use excessive amounts of alcohol that might drip off the cloth and into the ampliﬁer.

Caution! At no time should liquid cleaners be applied directly to

the ampliﬁer, as direct application of liquids may result in damage to electronic components within the unit.

Troubleshooting

In general, you should refer any service problems to your Classé dealer. Before contacting your dealer, however, check to see if the problem is listed here.

1. No sound, and no Channel LED is lit.

• The ampliﬁer is not plugged into the AC mains, or the AC mains are down (circuit breaker, fuse).

• A brown-out or short-term loss of power might require the internal microprocessor to be reset. Unplug the unit for at least 30 seconds and then plug it in again and try powering it up.

• The AC mains fuse is blown. See Troubleshooting #4, below (or contact your Classé dealer).

• The AC mains is out of range. Check the voltage speciﬁed on the rear panel.

2. No sound, and a Channel LED is blinking red.

• Your protection circuitry may have been engaged. Disconnect the ampliﬁer from the AC mains, and disconnect all inputs and outputs.

• Then try to power up the ampliﬁer again, connecting it only to AC power. If the LED continues to blink, there is a fault condition in the ampliﬁer itself, and it should be disconnected and taken to your Classé dealer for service.

• If it powers up without any difﬁculty, power it back down and reconnect only the inputs. Then restart the ampliﬁer. If it goes into its blinking protection mode, something is wrong with a component “upstream” of the ampliﬁer—probably a DC offset or similar problem. Your ampliﬁer is trying to protect your loudspeakers (even small amounts of DC can damage woofers in relatively little time). Try different source components to discover whether the problem is limited to a single source, or exists all the time (which would indicate a problem with the preampliﬁer). Contact your dealer for help with the appropriate component.

ENGLISH

3. The ampliﬁer keeps shutting off.

• Make sure you are providing adequate ventilation to the ampliﬁer, and that the ambient room temperature is below 105°F (40°C).

• Run through the troubleshooting sequence outlined above (assuming the ampliﬁer is going into its protection mode).

4. The AC mains fuse is blown.

There is a speciﬁc troubleshooting procedure for a blown AC mains fuse, since this rare occurrence sometimes indicates a signiﬁcant problem. Please use the following steps, in order:

ENGLISH

a. Disconnect your ampliﬁer from the AC mains, as well as from its

input connections and speaker connections, and remove the fuse cover on the rear of the unit.

b. If the fuse appears to be blown, replace it only with a fuse of

the same type and rating (speciﬁed below). Using any other type

of fuse, particularly a larger-value fuse, can result in permanent damage to your ampliﬁer. If you are not comfortable replacing the

fuse yourself, contact your Classé dealer for assistance.

Mains voltage: 100/120VAC Fuse type: MDA slow-blow Rating: 10A

Mains voltage: 230/240VAC Fuse type: MDL slow-blow Rating: 8A

c. After replacing the fuse and fuse cover, reconnect the ampliﬁer to

the AC mains only and turn it on without reconnecting either the inputs or the speaker wires. If the fuse blows again, disconnect it from the AC mains and contact your Classé dealer for assistance.

d. If everything seems ﬁne, place the ampliﬁer back into standby

and carefully reconnect the input cable and power the ampliﬁer up. If the fuse then blows (or the ampliﬁer goes into protection), you may have a serious fault with your preampliﬁer/processor. Contact your Classé dealer.

e. Finally, if everything is still ﬁne, place the ampliﬁer in standby

and carefully reconnect the speaker wires. Check the speaker wires for possible short circuits. Then power up the ampliﬁer again. If the ampliﬁer remains functional (the fuse does not blow), then the original fuse probably blew in order to protect the ampliﬁer from a large AC mains surge. If it blows again, contact your Classé dealer for assistance.

5. The Standby LED is ﬂashing quickly, and one or more Channel LEDs are ﬂashing red.

• Try resetting the unit by disconnecting it from the AC mains power, waiting a few seconds, and reconnecting the ampliﬁer to power. If this does not solve the problem, contact your Classé dealer for assistance.

both ends of

Speciﬁcations

Classé Audio reserves the right to make improvements without notice.

■ Power output 400W continuous rms @ 8Ω

800W continuous rms @ 4

■ Frequency response 10Hz – 22kHz (+0/-0.1dB) 10Hz – 155kHz (+0/-3.0dB)

■ Phase better than -10° @ 22kHz

■ Signal-to-noise ratio 112dB

(ref. full output, 10Hz – 80kHz)

■ Noise ﬂoor (FFT) all peaks less than -95dBV

(10Hz – 80kHz)

■ Distortion (THD + noise) 0.003% @ 8Ω

(unweighted, 1.0Vrms/1kHz input, 10Hz – 500kHz)

■ Voltage gain 29.1dB

■ Sensitivity 2.0Vrms for rated output @ 8Ω

■ Input Impedance 100kΩ

■ Rated power consumption (as per IEC60065 para. 2.3.10) 480W

■ Idle power consumption 166W

■ Mains voltage speciﬁed on rear panel decal

(cannot be changed by user or dealer)

■ Dimensions (not incl. controls or connectors) Width: 17.5” (445mm)

Height: 8.75” (222mm)

Depth: 18.5” (470mm)

■ Shipping weight 94lbs (43kg)

■ Net weight 82lbs (37kg)

ENGLISH

For more information, see your Classé dealer, or contact:

Classé Audio 5070 François Cusson Lachine, Quebec Canada H8T 1B3 Telephone +1 (514) 636-6384 FAX +1 (514) 636-1428

http://www.classeaudio.com email: cservice@classeaudio.com

FRANÇAIS

ATTENTION : POUR RÉDUIRE LES RISQUES D’INCENDIE ET D’ÉLECTROCUTION,

NE JAMAIS EXPOSER CET APPAREIL À LA PLUIE OU L’HUMIDITÉ.

ATTENTION

RISQUE D’ÉLECTROCUTION

NE PAS OUVRIR

ATTENTION : POUR RÉDUIRE LES RISQUES D’ÉLECTROCUTION, NE JAMAIS

ÔTER LE CAPOT DE L’APPAREIL. AUCUNE PIÈCE ACCESSIBLE PAR L’UTILISATEUR

À L’INTÉRIEUR. CONSULTER UN TECHNICIEN AGRÉÉ EN CAS DE PROBLÈME.

Le symbole de l’éclair terminé par une ﬂèche dans un triangle équilatéral est destiné à alerter

l’utilisateur de la présence d’une tension électrique « dangereuse » non isolée à l’intérieur de l’appareil, sufﬁsante pour entraîner l’électrocution des personnes.

Le symbole du point d’exclamation dans un triangle équilatéral est destiné à alerter l’utilisateur de la présence de conseils et indications importantes dans le manuel accompagnant l’appareil.

Le symbole « CE » (ci-contre, à gauche), indique que l’appareil a reçu le total agrément des normes de la Communauté Européenne concernant ses caractéristiques électromagnétiques (EMC, Electromagnetic Compatibility) et basse tension (LVD, Low Voltage Directivity).

Toute l’équipe Classé a pris un soin particulier pour que cet appareil représente pour vous un véritable investissement. Nous sommes ﬁers de vous annoncer que tous les appareils Classé ont reçu ofﬁciellement l’agrément des normes de la Communauté Européenne (CE) sous le numéro de certiﬁcat C401CLA1.MGS du 18 juillet 1996.

Cela signiﬁe que votre appareil Classé répond aux normes de sécurité et de fabrication les plus draconiennes du monde. Le symbole « CE » signiﬁe que votre acquisition satisfait ou dépasse les normes de la Communauté Européenne quant à sa qualité de fabrication spéciﬁque et individuelle et au respect total de votre sécurité.

REMARQUE

Importantes instructions concernant la sécurité

Attention : Veuillez lire et observer toutes les instructions et recommandations de ce manuel d’utilisation, ainsi que celles inscrites sur l’appareil lui-même. Conservez soigneusement ce manuel d’utilisation.

1. Ne tentez pas de réparer vous-même l’appareil. Ne jamais retirer son capot, pour quelque raison

que ce soit. Il n’y a à l’intérieur aucune pièce susceptible d’être changée ou modiﬁée par l’utilisateur. Un appareil ouvert, surtout s’il est encore branché sur le secteur, présente des risques mortels d’électrocution. Adressez-vous toujours à un technicien qualiﬁé et agréé.

2. Pour éviter tout risque d’incendie et d’électrocution, ne jamais exposer l’appareil à la pluie ou l’humidité. Si un liquide pénètre à l’intérieur de l’appareil, débranchez-le immédiatement de

l’alimentation secteur et faites-le tout de suite vériﬁer par un technicien qualiﬁé et agréé.

3. N’installez pas l’appareil près d’une source de chaleur, tel qu’un radiateur, une bouche de chaleur, etc. et ne le laissez pas exposé aux rayons directs du soleil.

4. Branchez l’appareil sur une source d’alimentation secteur de tension correcte. L’emballage externe et une étiquette en face arrière, à côté du numéro de série, indique la tension d’alimentation correcte. Une mauvaise tension d’alimentation peut entraîner une panne importante, et annule la garantie.

5. Le câble d’alimentation secteur doit être disposé de telle manière qu’il ne soit pas écrasé ou pincé par un quelconque appareil ou objet placé sur son trajet. Ne tirez pas directement sur le

câble pour débrancher la prise. Si le câble d’alimentation présente la moindre détérioration, montrez-le immédiatement à votre revendeur agréé Classé aﬁn qu’il procède à sa réparation ou son remplacement.

FRANÇAIS

6. Si vous n’utilisez pas l’appareil pendant une période relativement longue (vacances, etc.), débranchez-le du secteur pour éviter tout problème pouvant survenir d’une éventuelle surtension ou d’un orage.

7. NE JAMAIS laisser un liquide s’introduire à l’intérieur de l’appareil.

8. NE JAMAIS poser de récipient contenant un liquide sur l’appareil.

9. NE JAMAIS bloquer la ventilation par les ouïes ou les ventilateurs de l’appareil.

10. NE JAMAIS court-circuiter aucun fusible.

11. NE JAMAIS remplacer un fusible par un modèle d’une valeur ou d’un type différents de celui

remplacé.

12. NE JAMAIS tenter de réparer ou modiﬁer soi-même cet appareil. Si un problème survient, contactez immédiatement votre revendeur agréé Classé.

13. NE JAMAIS exposer l’appareil à des températures extrêmes, trop élevées ou trop basses.

14. NE JAMAIS faire fonctionner cet appareil dans une atmosphère présentant des risques d’explosion.

15. TOUJOURS débrancher un appareil électronique sensible pendant un orage.

Veuillez noter ci-dessous le numéro de série de votre nouveau maillon Classé, pour future référence.

Numéro de série # : ____________________________________

FRANÇAIS

Sommaire

Bienvenue dans la famille Classé ...................................................................27

Un mot concernant l’installation ..........................................................................27

Déballage et installation ................................................................................28

Déballage de votre ampliﬁcateur .........................................................................28

Installation ...........................................................................................................28

Ventilation ...........................................................................................................

Installations particulières .....................................................................................29

Numéro de série ..................................................................................................29

Enregistrez votre achat ! .......................................................................................

Tension d’alimentation .........................................................................................

Période de rodage/mise en chauffe ......................................................................30

Veuillez lire ce manuel d’utilisation… .................................................................

Caractéristiques particulières de la conception ..............................................31

Conception très sophistiquée des circuits .............................................................31

D’innombrables tests d’écoute .............................................................................31

Fiabilité extraordinaire .........................................................................................

Protection totale ..................................................................................................32

Face avant ......................................................................................................33

Face arrière ....................................................................................................35

Réglage initial ................................................................................................40

Conﬁguration des canaux ................................................................ 40

Conﬁguration de l’allumage de l’ampliﬁcateur ................................ 41

Entretien & Maintenance ...............................................................................42

Dysfonctionnements ......................................................................................43

Spéciﬁcations ................................................................................................45

Dimensions .................................................................................................134

29 29

Bienvenue dans la famille Classé

Nous vous félicitons pour votre achat d’un maillon Classé. Il représente le résultat de nombreuses années de perfectionnement, et nous sommes certains qu’il vous apportera des années de plaisir.

Nous tenons à établir une véritable relation avec nos clients. Aussi veuillez nous retourner la carte de garantie avant de la remettre dans le carton d’emballage et l’oublier ! Nous pourrons ainsi vous tenir au courant de toutes les futures améliorations éventuellement apportées à votre maillon Classé.

Le retour de votre garantie permet également d’enregistrer votre appareil, et ainsi, si un problème devait se présenter, de bénéﬁcier rapidement et facilement de la garantie, même si vous avez égaré vos documents d’achat.

Veuillez prendre quelques minutes pour remplir la carte de

garantie et nous la renvoyer dans les plus brefs délais.

Vous trouverez cette carte de garantie à la ﬁn du livret de garantie séparé contenu dans l’emballage.

FRANÇAIS

Un mot concernant

l’installation

Pour cette raison, nous vous encourageons vivement à

Tous les efforts nécessaires ont été accomplis pour rendre le Classé CA-M400 simple et évident à utiliser.

Cependant, nous n’avons aucun moyen de connaître et évaluer certaines vari ables telles que la taille et la forme de votre pièce d’écoute, son acoustique et l’équipement associé avec votre ampliﬁcateur. Tous ces facteurs inﬂuencent pour tant la qualité ﬁnale de votre système.

demander à votre revendeur agréé de procéder lui-même

à l’installation et au réglage de votre système, car son

expérience, sa compétence et l’utilisation éventuelle de

moyens de mesures peuvent entraîner une différence

fondamentale dans la qualité ﬁnale obtenue par votre

système.

Déballage et installation

FRANÇAIS

Déballage de

votre ampliﬁcateur

Important ! Conservez tous les éléments du carton d’emballage et ce

Installation Il y a deux options pour l’installation de votre ampliﬁcateur de puissance : vous

Veuillez déballer soigneusement votre ampliﬁcateur de puissance suivant les instructions fournies, et retirez tous ses accessoires du carton d’emballage. Prenez garde lorsque vous soulevez l’ampliﬁcateur, car il est assez lourd.

dernier pour tout transport futur. Le transport de votre appareil dans un autre emballage pourrait entraîner des détériorations à celui-ci, dommages non couverts par la garantie.

pouvez l’installer près des enceintes acoustiques, ce qui nécessitera une liaison longue avec le préampliﬁcateur ; ou vous pouvez le placer près du préampliﬁca teur, ce qui nécessitera des câbles longs vers les enceintes acoustiques.

Bien que ces deux solutions donnent d’excellents résultats, votre préférence pourra aller vers la première, et ce pour deux raisons. Premièrement, le signal se dégrade plus vite lorsqu’il est transmis sous une forme nécessitant simultanément tension et courant élevés, ce qui sous-entend que les câbles vers les enceintes acoustiques doivent être les plus courts possible. Deuxièmement, les ampliﬁcateurs de haute qualité utilisent des transformateurs d’alimentation massifs, qui génèrent tous plus ou moins des champs magnétiques. Idéalement, ces champs magnétiques doivent être éloignés raisonnablement des maillonssources particulièrement sensibles.

S’il est cependant plus facile pour vous d’installer l’ampliﬁcateur dans un système en rack, nous vous conseillons de le placer en bas de ce rack, le plus loin possible du préampliﬁcateur et des sources électroniques. Le positionnement en bas du rack assure également une meilleure stabilité physique, compte tenu du poids de l’ampliﬁcateur.

Notez qu’il doit y avoir un espace dégagé sufﬁsant à l’arrière du CAM400 pour le branchement et passage des câbles secteur et de liaison. Nous vous suggérons de laisser un espace d’au moins 20 cm, y compris de longueur de câble, pour leur développement correct sans risque de tension ou de torsion exagérées.

Ventilation Votre ampliﬁcateur de puissance Classé génère une certaine quantité de

chaleur, normale pendant son fonctionnement. Assurez donc un espace libre d’une quinzaine de centimètres au-dessus de son capot, et d’environ 8 cm sur chacun de ses côtés. Les ouïes d’aération présentes sur le dessus et sur les côtés doivent être laissées libres de toute obstruction qui risquerait de réduire le ﬂux d’air traversant le châssis de l’appareil. Evitez de le poser sur une surface molle (moquette ou tapis, par exemple) qui risquerait également de réduire sa bonne aération interne.

Installations particulières De schémas sont inclus dans ce manuel aﬁn de faciliter l’éventuel encastrement

dans un meuble sur mesure (voir spécialement adapté est disponible en option. Contactez votre revendeur agréé Classé pour de plus amples informations à ce sujet.

Numéro de série Le numérode série de votre ampliﬁcateur de puissance se trouve sur sa face

arrière. Veuillez le noter et le reporter à la ﬁn de la rubrique “ importantes instructions concernant la sécurité ” de ce manuel d’utilisation, pour toute future référence.

Enregistrez votre achat ! Puisque vous venez de noter le numéro de série, c’est une excellente chose

pour en proﬁter pour remplir la carte de garantie. L’enregistrement de votre achat auprès de nous vous permettra d’être tenus au courant des éventuelles améliorations et de nombreux autres sujets d’intérêt.

Cela ne vous prendra qu’une minute. Veuillez s’il vous plaît compléter la carte maintenant. Ensuite, vous allez oublier…

Tension d’alimentation L’ampliﬁcateur de puissance CA-M400 est réglé en usine (de manière interne)

sur une tension d’alimentation de 100 V, ou 120 V, ou 230 V, ou 240 V, suivant le pays dans lequel il a été vendu. (230 V uniquement dans les pays de

la Communauté Européenne, suivant les normes CE en vigueur)

tension d’alimentation ne peut être modiﬁé par l’utilisateur.

Dimensions). Un kit de montage en rack

. Ce réglage de la

FRANÇAIS

Assurez-vous que l’étiquette, sur la face arrière de l’ampliﬁcateur de puissance indique bien la tension correspondant à votre réseau d’alimentation secteur. Le fait de vouloir faire fonctionner l’appareil sur une autre valeur de tension d’alimentation peut l’endommager de manière irrémédiable.

Attention : La tension d’alimentation de votre ampliﬁcateur de

puissance ne peut être modiﬁée par l’utilisateur. Il n’existe

aucune pièce à l’intérieur susceptible d’être modiﬁée par

l’utilisateur. En cas de problème, veuillez vous adresser

immédiatement et exclusivement à un revendeur agréé

Classé.

Si la tension d’alimentation indiquée sur votre ampliﬁcateur de puissance est incorrecte, veuillez contacter votre revendeur agréé Classé.

Le CA-M400 peut aisément être alimenté par une ligne secteur normale de 15 ampères. Mais si d’autres appareils sont branchés sur cette même ligne, leur consommation supplémentaire doit être prise en compte pour l’ensemble de la ligne.

FRANÇAIS

Période de rodage/mise

en chauffe

Le CA-M400 intègre un circuit de protection qui évite à l’ampliﬁcateur de fonctionner sous une tension d’alimentation trop forte ou trop faible.

• À l’allumage : la tension d’alimentation doit se trouver dans une

fourchette d’environ – 15 % à + 10 % de sa valeur nominale, ou l’ampliﬁcateur ne s’allumera pas. Par exemple, un appareil prévu pour une tension de 120 V nécessite une tension d’alimentation réelle comprise entre 95 et 135 V pour s’allumer effectivement.

• Surtension pendant le fonctionnement : si la tension

d’alimentation augmente brusquement de 10 % ou plus pendant le fonctionnement, l’ampliﬁcateur se met en mode de protection puis s’éteint. La diode de mise en veille Standby clignote pour indiquer la mise en service du mode de protection.

• Sous-tension pendant le fonctionnement : si la tension

d’alimentation diminue de 15 % ou plus, l’ampliﬁcateur continue de fonctionner (car cela ne présente pas de danger particulier pour lui), mais il ne sera alors pas capable de tenir ses spéciﬁcations et performances normales dans ces conditions. La diode de mise en veille Standby clignote pour indiquer le problème.

Votre nouvel ampliﬁcateur de puissance Classé délivre des performances exceptionnelles immédiatement. Toutefois, ses performances musicales seront optimales après qu’il ait atteint sa température normale de fonctionnement et le “ rodage ” de tous ses composants. Selon notre expérience, ce changement apparaît au bout de 300 heures, période au-delà de laquelle l’ampliﬁcateur atteint son équilibre thermal parfait et ses condensateurs leur charge optimale. Une fois cette période initiale passée, les performances de votre nouvel appareil restent constantes pendant des années.

Veuillez lire ce manuel

d’utilisation…

La seule exception à cette règle concerne la mise en veille ou l’extinction totale de l’appareil pendant une longue période, qui entraînera son refroidissement total. Dans ce cas, une brève nouvelle période de “ mise en chauffe ” sera nécessaire pour obtenir les qualités sonores optimales. À moins que votre ampliﬁcateur ait été stocké dans des conditions inhabituelles, cette nouvelle stabilisation thermique ne prend que quelques minutes. Heureusement, vous n’aurez pas à attendre une nouvelle fois la période de rodage initiale de 300 heures !

Prenez le temps nécessaire pour lire ce manuel, et ainsi vous familiariser avec votre nouvel ampliﬁcateur. Nous comprenons que vous êtes pressé de le brancher et de l’écouter. Cependant, la lecture attentive de ce manuel et des conseils qui y ﬁgurent vous permettra, seule, de découvrir tous les avantages de cette superbe pièce d’électronique que vous venez de vous offrir. Merci d’avance.

+ 106 hidden pages

Classe Audio CA-M400 User Manual 2

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual