Cloud CV, CV2500, CV4250, CV8125 Series Manual
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CLOUD CV SERIES DIGITAL AMPLIFIERS
MODELS: CV2500/CV4250/CV8125
482.6 mm
19”
441.2 mm
17.4”
Cloud CV8125 - front panel view
(CV2500 & CV4250 differ only in number of LEDs)
3.4”
88 mm (1U)
3.46”
87.1 mm
Cloud CV8125 - rear panel view
Cloud CV4250 - rear panel view
Cloud CV2500 - rear panel view
General Description
Cloud CV digital amplifiers are versatile multi-channel power
amplifiers of advanced design, able to drive 70/100 V-line
loudspeaker systems directly. They are ideal for sound reinforcement
applications in the retail, leisure, hospitality, commercial or industrial
sectors. Large installations using multiple amplifiers will benefit
from the amplifiers’ network connectivity: each amplifier may be
configured individually, controlled and monitored remotely over a
standard Ethernet network.
All Cloud products are exclusively designed in the UK.
Every Cloud product is exhaustively tested for electronic performance and sonic perfection in Shefeld, England.
All models include on-board, user-configurable DSP permitting
great flexibility of internal architecture, and a wide variety of
remote control options including Ethernet, RS-232 and DC: the
latter providing compatibility with standard Cloud remote control
plates. An important aspect of the design is that “out of the box”,
the amplifiers emulate earlier Cloud amplifier designs. It is not
necessary to either connect a computer nor remove the lid to access
internal jumpers to set primary configuration parameters such as
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input routing, which may be done using rear panel DIP switches.
Where more advanced configuration options are needed, they can
be easily accessed through the internal web server and an Ethernet
connection to an external device.
Models:
The range comprises three models:
MODEL CHANNELS POWER
CV2500 2 2 x 500 W
CV4250 4 4 x 250 W
CV8125 8 8 x 125 W
The amplifiers use an energy-efficient Class D output stage which
dispenses with line output transformers, and consequently offer
great savings in weight and size over traditional designs of equivalent
power ratings. Safety features of the design include output DC
detection, overcurrent protection, and thermal monitoring. A
switch-on delay provides loudspeaker protection at power-up. All
models are built in a 2U steel enclosure, and use variable–speed
forced-air cooling.
All models have a total power output capability of 1 kW, this
maximum power rating being shared equally between odd-numbered
channels in any combination, and even-numbered channels in any
combination. Thus the odd-numbered channels can deliver a total
of 500 W and similarly, the even-numbered channels can deliver
500 W. This feature allows – for example – one multi-channel
amplifier to drive loudspeaker systems in areas of a building differing
in size, while optimising the overall power capability.
Particular design attention has been paid to the amplifiers’ energy
efficiency*. An automatic power-down (APD) feature puts the
amplifier into an ultra-low-current standby mode if no input
signal has been detected for 30 minutes; in this mode the power
consumption is approx. 2.5 W. The amplifiers also include a remote
standby/wake up function, enabling them to be placed into standby
mode - and subsequently powered-up again - by a simple external
contact closure. Wake-up time is typically 200 ms.
In addition to the “soft” power switch and associated LED, the front
panels are fitted with four LEDs for each channel: these confirm
signal presence, peak level, activation of the protection circuitry and
amplifier power status.
The inputs are electronically balanced, on plug-in multiway
connectors. Rear panel controls are provided for individual channel
levels; multi-pole DIP switches allow the configuration of input
routing options and the selection of per-channel 65 Hz high-pass
filters (to help prevent loudspeaker transformer core saturation
in 70/100 V-line systems). Further DIP switches allow selection
of 70 V-line or 100 V-line working. The rear panel also provides
two balanced, line level, auxiliary outputs which may be used to
feed low-frequency subs, additional amplifiers, for recording, or
other purposes. By default, these carry the “pre-amp out” signals
in Channels 1 and 2 respectively, but either may be extensively
reconfigured via software (see following pages).
Many more set-up options can be achieved by configuring the
amplifier’s DSP section, which uses an on-board web server. This may
be accessed via the Ethernet interface from any computer or other
device with an HTML5/CSS3-compatible browser application. DSP
functions include input routing, level, limiting, 7-band Room EQ,
hi-pass filtering, up to 1.5 s of delay and 5-band speaker optimisation
EQ. Total flexibility of input routing permits an amplifier to be easily
configured for multi-channel or parallel channel operation, biamping
with full control of crossover parameters, or derivation of a separate
channel for sub-bass use (model dependent). Additionally, it is also
possible to redefine the sources for the auxiliary outputs, which
also include Room and Speaker EQ sections, crossover filtering and
level controls. Users can determine which amplifier functions are
accessible on the hardware controls and which are only available via
the web browser interface, and there is also a password protected,
multi-user security system to define the accessibility to the various
unit functions for different users.
In addition to Ethernet remote control via the web server pages,
the amplifiers are compatible with standard Cloud RL Series remote
level control plates: each channel has a dedicated remote control
connector for this purpose. A greater degree of control is possible via
the RS-232C serial port; this allows the amplifier’s levels, channel
mutes and power-down to be readily controlled by most third-party
control systems (e.g., Crestron, AMX, etc.). Serial codes may also
be transmitted via Ethernet. A 3-way GPIO port is also provided,
which may be used as an external master mute (equivalent to the
Music Mute control input on most other Cloud products), or for fault
condition signalisation.
An optional web monitor card, the WM-n is available for all models
(where ‘n’ = the number of channels supported); this replaces the
standard speaker output card and performs scheduled, offline
impedance tests using test tones.
*ENERGY STAR certification.
Internal temperatures, amplifier power status and results of
impedance tests (when the optional WM-n card is fitted) will be
reported via the web interface and SNMP.
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Key Features
Amplifier:
• Advanced design of 2, 4 and 8-channel Class D power amplifiers
• Standard “out-of-the-box” Cloud amplifier functionality:
requires no computer configuration or internal access for basic
operation
• Transformerless output stage drives 70/100 V-line systems
directly
• Nominal power ratings: 2 x 500 W (CV2500), 4 x 250 W
(CV4250), and 8 x 125 W (CV8125)
• Thermal protection, overcurrent limiting and DC offset
protection
• Switch-on delay for speaker protection during power-up
• On 4 and 8 channel models, power sharing allows odd and even
channel groups to deliver a maximum of 500 W each
• Per-channel, front panel LEDs for signal presence, peak level,
protection activity and power status
• Balanced line level inputs
• Per-channel output level controls
• Rear panel input routing switches configure amplifier for
manual selection of multichannel, stereo or mono operation
• Rear panel switches select 70 V-line or 100 V-line output levels
• Per-channel high-pass filter (65 Hz default frequency: adjustable
in software) to protect against transformer saturation in
70/100 V-line systems
• Balanced, line level auxiliary outputs with full channel
functionality, configurable and controllable via software
• Independent Automatic Power Down on odd and even channel
groups; minimises power consumption in absence of an input
signal
• <3 W power consumption with all channels quiescent
• RS-232C serial port for remote control of all amplifier functions,
including DSP configuration
• Compatible with standard Cloud RL Series remote level control
plates (per-channel)
• Remote Power Down control input
• 3-way GPIO port for master mute function or fault reporting
• Variable speed forced-air cooling
• 2U 19” rackmounting units
DSP functions:
• On-board, per-channel DSP section providing extensive routing,
filtering, EQ and limiting for all channels including the auxiliary
outputs
• 1.5 s delay pool, freely assignable across all channels and aux
outputs
• Simple DSP configuration via on-board web server; any device
with a compatible web browser and an Ethernet connection
can be used to perform setup
• Built-in DSP crossover configurations allow amplifiers to be
easily used with 2-way speakers
• Crossover configurations allow derived LF sub output
• DSP-implemented 5-band parametric speaker EQ section
• Optional EQ presets for OEM speakers (under development)
• Password-protected multi-user security system
• Optional web monitor card performs load impedance tests and
reports out-of-tolerance results via a web interface or SNMP
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Block Diagram
SPEAKER
CHANNEL 1
AUX1
AUX2
OPTIONAL
REMOTE
LEVEL
LEVEL
CONTROL
65Hz
OUTPUTS
ROUTING
PROTECT
* 8 CHANNEL MODEL SHOWN, OTHER MODELS
HAVE REDUCED CHANNEL COUNT
ONE CHANNEL SHOWN FOR CLARITY
Input Routing
The input routing switches permit various permutations of mono, stereo and multi-channel operation without any external parallel wiring.
Some possibilities are shown below (CV8125 shown as example):
MONO PARALLEL
L (IN 1)
CV-8125
8 X MONO CHANNELS
IN 1
IN 2
IN 3
IN 4
4 x STEREO
L (IN 1)
R (IN 2)
1
2
n
IN 5
IN 6
IN 7
IN 8
INPUT ROUTING
SECTION
4 x MONO CHANNELS
+ 4 PARALLELED CHANNELS
IN 1
IN 5
IN 6
IN 7
IN 8
8 X OUTPUTS
8 X OUTPUTS
IN 1
IN 2
IN 3
IN 7
8 X OUTPUTS
+ 2 x PARALLELED CHANNELS
+ 4 x PARALLELED CHANNELS
8 X OUTPUTS
8 X OUTPUTS
2 x MONO
Although the routing options available using the rear panel switches are likely to suit most applications, even greater flexibility of routing is
available using the web browser pages, which allow any amplifier channel to be sourced from any physical input (or none) without restriction.
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Software configuration
All models can be easily configured for specific amplification tasks
using the on-board web server via a computer (or any device with a
compatible web browser) connected to the rear panel Ethernet port.
Some examples of web browser control pages are shown below:
The EQ sections have “basic” (2-band) and “advanced” (7-band
fully parametric) modes.
Audio channel configuration allows expanded input routing options,
stereo-to-mono summing, room and loudspeaker EQ adjustment,
limiting and output level control.
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