Cloud MA80FT Installation And User Manual

MA80FT

Mini Amplier

MIC

LINE 2LINE 1

MA80FT

80W MIXER AMPLIFIER

PEAKSTATUS MUTE

dBOFF 10 -10 +10 -10 +10OFF 10OFF 10

LEVEL

MUSIC EQ

Installation and User Guide

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

HFLF

dB

1

WARNING:

To reduce the risk of re or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to rain or

moisture.

WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD – DO NOT OPEN

AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE – NE PAS
OUVRIR

The lightning ash with the arrowhead
symbol within an equilateral triangle, is
intended to alert you to the presence of
uninsulated dangerous voltages within the
product’s enclosure that may be of sufcient
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric

shock.

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.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

2

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read these Instructions.

2. Keep these Instructions.

3. Heed all Warnings.

4. Follow all Instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the

manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or
other apparatus (including ampliers) that produce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized 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. When 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. Only use 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.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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Do not expose the apparatus to dripping or splashing, and ensure that
no objects lled with water, such as vases, are placed on the apparatus.

L’appareil ne doit pas être exposé aux écoulements ou aux éclaboussures et aucun
objet ne contenant de liquide, tel qu’un vase, ne doit être placé sur l’objet.

The mains plug is used as the disconnect device and it should remain
readily accessible during intended use. In order to isolate the apparatus
from the mains, the mains plug should be completely removed from
the mains outlet socket.

La prise du secteur ne doit pas être obstruée ou doit être facilement accessible
pendant son utilisation. Pour être complètement déconnecté de l’alimentation
d’entrée, la prise doit être débranchée du secteur.

Terminals marked with the symbol may use Class 2 Wiring, but
voltages at these terminals may be of sufcient magnitude to
constitute a risk of electric shock. The external wiring connected to
these terminals requires installation by an instructed person or the use
of pre-made leads or cords.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

4

EU Declaration of Conformity

DATE OF ISSUE: 27th September 2018

MANUFACTURER: Cloud Electronics Limited

ADDRESS: 140 Staniforth Rd,

Sheffield,

S9 3HF. UK

PRODUCT NAMES: MA80EK, MA80NA, MA80AUS
MA80FTEK, MA80FTNA, MA80FTAUS

MA80EEK, MA80ENA, MA80EAUS

PRODUCT TYPE: Mini Mixer Amplifier

Cloud Electronics Ltd declare under our sole responsibility that the listed products comply with the
requirements set out in the Council Directive 2014/35/EU for electrical equipment used within certain
voltage limits or Low Voltage Directive (LVD); and with the requirements of directive 2014/30/EU for
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC); and the CE Marking Directive 93/68/EEC & RoHS2 Directive

2011/65/EU

For the evaluation of the compliance with these directives the following standards were applied:

Directive 2014/35/EU (electrical equipment designed to be used within certain voltage limits);
Test Specification(s): BS EN62368-1:2014

Directive 2014/30/EU (electromagnetic compatibility);
Test Specification(s): BS EN55035:2017 (Immunity)

BS EN55032:2015 (Emissions)
BS EN61000-3-2:2014 (Harmonics)

Cloud Electronics Ltd declare that the products produced under its brand name are designed and
manufactured as professional audio products and therefore outside of the intended scope of the
European Commission Regulations (EC) 1275/2008 of 17
2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regards eco-design requirements for
STANDBY and OFF mode electric power consumption of electrical and office equipment.

Place and Date Issued: Cloud Electronics Limited, 27

th

Dec 2008 implementing Directive

th

September 2018.

Simon Curtis,
Managing Director

REACH Directive; it’s expected that our suppliers and business partners be aware of their obligations under REACH. Given
those conditions, our current products are exempt from REACH pre-registration and later registration activities. We provide a
separate EU Reduction of Hazardous Substances document for our RoHS compliant products.

The W EEE directive (2002/96/EC) places an obligation on all manufacturers and importers, trading in the EU, to take back
electronic products at the end of their life. Cloud Electronics Ltd accepts the responsibility to finance the cost of disposing of
such products. All our products are marked with the WEEE symbol; this indicates that these products must NOT be disposed of
with other waste.

This document may not be changed or copied without authorisation

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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The Cloud MA80FT Mini Amplier has been designed to meet
the relevant provisions of the US Environmental Protection
Agency’s ENERGY STAR® Program.

The ENERGY STAR Program exists to identify products that
contribute to the saving of energy and the reduction of harmful
emissions, thereby both saving you money and protecting the
environment.

ENERGY STAR certication is your assurance that this product is energy efcient.
You can verify its inclusion in the ENERGY STAR Program at

https://www.energystar.gov/productnder/product/certied-audio-video/results

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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CONTENTS

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ................................................................ 3

SAFETY INFORMATION ......................................................................................... 9

Safety Notes regarding Installation.......................................................................... 9

Conformities .................................................................................................................... 9

RoHS and WEEE declaration .................................................................................10

Safety Considerations and Information ................................................................11

Caution – High Voltage .........................................................................................11

Caution - Mains Fuse .............................................................................................11

Servicing ......................................................................................................................11

OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................. 12

Introduction ...................................................................................................................12

Applicable Models ........................................................................................................12

MA80FT main features ...............................................................................................13

What’s in the Box .........................................................................................................14

BLOCK DIAGRAM .................................................................................................. 15

FRONT PANEL DESCRIPTION ............................................................................. 16

REAR PANEL DESCRIPTION ................................................................................. 17

Installation.............................................................................................................19

Mechanical .....................................................................................................................19

Ventilation ......................................................................................................................20

Connections and adjustments..................................................................................21

Line inputs ..................................................................................................................21

Sensitivity & Gain Control ..................................................................................22

Music Level and EQ control ................................................................................22

Line 1 Priority ..........................................................................................................22

Mic inputs .......................................................................................................................23

Balanced input...........................................................................................................23

Hi-Z input ...................................................................................................................24

Mic gain adjustment ................................................................................................26

Microphone level control .......................................................................................26

Paging control and mic priority ...........................................................................26

Output .............................................................................................................................28

Lo-Z output ................................................................................................................28

Connecting to 25/70/100 V-line systems ........................................................29

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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Auxiliary Output .......................................................................................................30

Facility Port ................................................................................................................31

Connecting an LM-2 or BT-1 ..............................................................................32

Connecting an RL or RSL Series remote control plate ...............................33

Using the Facility Port as an auxiliary input .................................................34

Music Mute Input .....................................................................................................35

Auto Power Down ....................................................................................................35

Appendix ................................................................................................................36

PCB layout diagram .....................................................................................................36

Table of internal jumpers and default settings ...............................................37

Summary of rear panel DIP switch functions ......................................................38

Troubleshooting – STATUS LED indications ........................................................39

Fault resolution .........................................................................................................39

EMC considerations .....................................................................................................40

Earthing .......................................................................................................................40

Technical specications .............................................................................................41

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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SAFETY INFORMATION

Safety Notes regarding Installation

• Do not expose the unit to water or moisture.

• Do not expose the unit to naked ames.

• Do not block or restrict any air vent.

• Do not operate the unit in ambient temperatures above 35°C.

• Do not touch any part or terminal carrying the hazardous live symbol while

power is supplied to the unit.

• Do not perform any internal adjustments unless you are qualied to do so and
fully understand the hazards associated with mains-operated equipment.

• The unit has no user-serviceable parts. Refer servicing to qualied service
personnel.

• If the moulded plug is cut off the AC power lead for any reason, the discarded
plug is a potential hazard and should be disposed of in a responsible manner.

Conformities

This product conforms to the following European EMC Standards:

BS EN 55035:2017 (Immunity)

BS EN 55032:2015 (Emissions)

BS EN 6100-3-2:2-14 (Harmonics)

This product has been tested for use in commercial and light industrial environments.
If the equipment is used in controlled EMC environments, the urban outdoors,
heavy industrial environments or close to railways, transmitters, overhead power
lines etc. the performance of the unit may be degraded.

The product conforms to the following European electrical safety standard:

BS EN 62368-1:2014

This product is designed to be compliant with the relevant provisions of

ENERGY STAR® Eligibility Criteria Ver 3.0 for Audio-Video products.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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RoHS and WEEE declaration

Cloud Electronics Limited manages its business and collaborates with its suppliers
to comply with the European Union restriction of the use of certain hazardous
substances in electrical and electronic equipment, RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC),
that came into force on 1st July 2006, and similar restrictions in other jurisdictions.

The “crossed out wheelie bin” symbol on the product and represented
here is there to remind users of the obligation of selective collection of
waste. This label is applied to various products to indicate that the
product is not to be thrown away as unsorted municipal waste. At the

end of life, dispose of this product by returning it to the point of sale or
to your local municipal collection point for recycling of electric and electronic
devices.

Customer participation is important to minimize the potential effects on the
environment and human health that can result from hazardous substances that
may be contained in this product.

Please dispose of this product and its packaging in accordance with local and national
disposal regulations, including those governing the recovery and recycling of waste
electrical and electronic equipment. Contact your local waste administration,
waste collection company or dealer.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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Safety Considerations and Information

The MA80FT amplier must be earthed. Ensure that the mains power supply
provides an effective earth connection using a three-wire termination.

Caution – High Voltage

Do not touch any part or terminal carrying the hazardous live symbol while power
is applied to the unit. Terminals to which the hazardous live symbol refers require
installation by a qualied person.

Caution - Mains Fuse

The internal PSU contains no user-replaceable fuses. Mains over-current protection
is provided by the fuse in the AC mains plug, which should be rated at 5 A.

Servicing

The unit contains no user serviceable parts. Refer servicing to qualied service
personnel. Do not perform servicing unless you are qualied to do so. Disconnect
the power cable from the unit before removing the top panel and do not make any
internal adjustments with the unit switched on. Only reassemble the unit using
either the original bolts/screws, or ones identical to the original parts.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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OVERVIEW

Introduction

The MA80FT is a very compact mono amplier designed for integration into audio
and AV systems where de-centralised installation is advantageous. It is intended
as as an “install-and-forget” component, and is small enough to be tted into wall
or ceiling voids or in any convenient location adjacent to projectors, at screen
displays or loudspeakers. A simple set of controls and conguration options makes
it easy to integrate into any audio system. It is highly suitable for use with in­store digital signage, gallery and museum exhibits and xed or mobile tour guide

systems.

The MA80FT can deliver 80 W (mono) into a 4 ohm load, but also includes an
output transformer, enabling it to drive 100 V, 70 V or 25 V-line loudspeaker
systems. It has two unbalanced stereo inputs for line level signals (typically music
sources) and a balanced mic input for paging/announcement use. An alternative
mic input allows the amplier to be fed with paging/announcements from a
100/70/25 V-line loudspeaker system. Front panel controls are provided for line
input levels, microphone level and music EQ. There are also various preset-type
controls and conguration DIP switches on the rear panel, and jumpers mounted
internally on the main PCB. A Cloud LM-2 Series remote input module or RL Series
remote level control can be wired to the amplier’s Facility Port, which can also be
used as an additional line input.

Applicable Models

This Installation and User Guide describes the installation and operation of the
following model:

• Cloud MA80FT 80 W mono amplier for 4 ohm loudspeakers and

100/70/25 V-line loudspeaker systems

NOTE: Amplier models MA80 and MA80E are NOT covered by this Guide, and
when installing either of these models, reference should only be made to the
Guides specic to them.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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MA80FT main features

• Two unbalanced stereo line inputs with individual gain trims

• Electronically-balanced mic input with separate gain control

• 12 V phantom power selectable by internal jumper

• Front panel control of music level and mic levels

• HF & LF EQ adjustments for music sources

• Rear panel HF & LF EQ for mic input

• MIC input congurable for direct connection to 100/70/25 V-line system:

allows MA80FT to receive announcements from main building PA/VA system

• 100/70/25 V-line input can be routed to LINE 2 for integration with existing

background music system

• MIC input can be used with paging mics

• Paging congurable as automatic voice-over-music (VOX mode) or contact

closure via access port

• Selectable LINE 1-over-LINE 2 priority

• Facility port for connection of LM-2 remote mic/line input module via

screened Cat 5 cable; also allows remote control of music level

• 80 W power amplier with both low-impedance output (4 ohms) and high

impedance output via internal transformer, for driving 100/70/25 V-line

systems

• Music Mute control input (N/O or N/C) for interfacing to an emergency

system

• 65 Hz high-pass lter automatically enabled for 100/70/25 V-line operation

• Optional EQ cards available to suit various popular installation loudspeakers

• Automatic power-down function (user-selectable)

• Less than 1 W power consumption in sleep mode

• Convection cooled – silent in operation

• Power requirements: 100 to 240 V AC, 50 to 60 Hz

Available Options:

• LM-2 remote mic/line input module with music volume control

• BT-1 Bluetooth wireless audio input module

• RL Series remote control plates for music volume

• RSL Series remote control plates for Line 1/Line 2 selection and music volume

• 20 mm Flexible Conduit Adaptor Kit (Warepart CA947034) for permanent

installations: replaces IEC receptacle

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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What’s in the Box

Please check the shipping carton for damage before opening. If there is damage,
please contact your Cloud agent and the shippers.

The packing carton should contain the following items:

• MA80FT amplier

• IEC mains lead (AC cord) with moulded plug appropriate to the territory

• Set of mating plug-in screw-terminal connectors

• Set of four self-adhesive polyurethane feet

• This manual

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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BLOCK DIAGRAM

70V/100V

LINE 2

GAIN

LEVEL

REMOTE

/LOCAL

PRIORITY

LINE 1

LEVEL

LINE 1

GAIN

CONFIGURED AS LINE 2

(INTERNAL JUMPER)

HI-Z INPUT CAN BE

LEVEL

100Hz

EQ &

MIC

GAIN

25V

INTERNAL JUMPERS

ENABLE VIA

PAGING ACCESS

PORT

FACILITY

GATE

AUDIO

FACILITY

RSL-6

(INTERNAL JUMPER)

EQ BYPASS

OUTPUT

FACILITY

+

-

BALANCED

AUXILIARY

LEVEL

SOURCE

AUDIO

GATE

PRIORITY

VCA

MIC

AUDIO

LINE

MUSIC

EQ

MIC

65Hz

PROTECTION

DYNAMIC

CLIP

80W

COM

25V

PROTECT

100V

70V

MIC AUDIO

LOW OR HIGH Z

OUTPUT

SPEAKER

OUTPUT

70V / 100V

COM

4Ω

25V

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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FRONT PANEL DESCRIPTION

16 7 8 2 3 4 5

MA80FT

80W MIXER AMPLIFIER

MIC

PEAKSTATUS MUTE

LINE 2LINE 1

LEVEL

HFLF

dBOFF 10 -10 +10 -10 +10OFF 10OFF 10

dB

MUSIC EQ

LEVEL controls:

1. MIC – sets volume of signal at the PAGE/MIC input.

2. LINE 1– adjusts volume of signal at LINE 1 input.

3. LINE 2 – adjusts volume of signal at LINE 2 input.

MUSIC EQ controls:

4. LF – LF EQ adjustment of music channel: +/-10 dB @ 100 Hz

5. HF – HF EQ adjustment of music channel: +/-10 dB @ 5 kHz

6. STATUS – bi-colour LED: illuminates as follows:

• steady green - active

• steady red – sleep (APD) mode

• ashing green – fault condition (over-temperature, speaker wiring error

or over-current); power-cycle to clear

• ashing red – fault condition (DC protection triggered); power-cycle to clear

Please see “Troubleshooting – STATUS LED indications” on page 39 for a full
description of the above modes.

7. MUTE – red LED: illuminates when the MUSIC MUTE function is active

8. PEAK – red LED: illuminates if the amplier’s dynamic clip protection becomes

active

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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REAR PANEL DESCRIPTION

1 1421346

HI-Z SPKR IN

PAGE/MIC
INPUT

dB

GAIN

PAGING
ACCESS

-

25V

0 0

+50+10

0V

PA

70/

-

100V

-

1: MIC / PAGE MODE
2: MIC / PAGE PRIORITY
3: ACCESS / VOX PRIORITY
4: LINE 1 PRIORITY
5: LOCAL / REMOTE
6: SPKR OUT: HI-Z / 4Ω

LF0HF

-10
dB dB

+

MIC

SETTINGS

0

+10-10+10

5 3 7 8 9 101112

1. LINE 1 and LINE 2 – stereo line inputs for music sources (unbalanced).

2. Gain adjustment– preset level trim control (+/-10 dB) for each line input.

3. MIC – balanced mic input.

4. HI-Z SPKR IN – alternative high-voltage input, for connection to

100/70/25-V line speaker systems.

5. PAGING ACCESS – for external contacts when mic input is con gured for

paging.

6. PAGE MIC/INPUT GAIN – preset gain control for mic input; range +10 to

+50 dB (10 to 20 dB with Hi-Z input selected).

7. LF – LF EQ adjustment of mic signal: +/-10 dB @ 100 Hz.

LINE INPUTS

L R0V

0

OFF

OFF

ACC

-10dB+10

LOC

MIC

LINE 1

HI

0

LINE 2

-10dB+10

REM

VOX

ON

ON

PG

4Ω

L R0V

FACILITY

PORT

USE CAT.5
SHIELDED

CABLE

MUSIC

MUTE

CONNECT

ISOLATED

RELAY

AUX

SPEAKER

OUT

OUTPUT

EQ BYPASS

OUTPUT RATING:

100V

TO

AVAILABLE

70V

80W

COM

25V

4Ω

DANGER

HIGH VOLTAGE

THIS UNIT MUST BE EARTHED

2.1A 50 - 60 Hz

100-240V AC

-

+

231

8. HF – HF EQ adjustment of mic signal: +/-10 dB @ 5 kHz.

9. FACILITY PORT – RJ45 socket for connection of remote input/control modules

such as the LM-2 and BT-1; it is also possible to connect an RL-1 or RSL-6
remote control plate to this port.

10. SPEAKER OUTPUT – speaker output for low-impedance circuits or
100/70/25 V-line loudspeaker system.

11. AUX OUT – balanced line level output from pre-ampli er stage; post-EQ by
default, may be selected to pre-EQ by internal jumper.

12. MUSIC MUTE – connect to external N/O or N/C contacts for remote muting
of music sources.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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13. SETTINGS – six-pole DIP switch for setting various amplier congurations:

SWITCH FUNCTION

1 MIC mode – congures MIC input for paging use

2 Enables mic-over-music priority

3 Selects paging priority mode – VOX or ACC (ACC = contact closure)

4 Enables LINE 1-over-LINE 2 priority

5

Enables remote control functions of Facility Port and disables front
panel LINE level controls

6 Selects speaker output for low or high impedance use

See “Summary of rear panel DIP switch functions” on page 38 in the Appendix
section for full details.

14. Power input – standard IEC receptacle for AC mains, voltage range 100 to
240 V, 50/60 Hz. May be replaced by the 20 mm Flexible Conduit Adaptor Kit
(Warepart CA947034) for installations where it is desirable for the amplier to
be permanently connected to the mains supply.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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INSTALLATION

Mechanical

The compact size and light weight of the MA80FT combined with its high energy
efciency allows it to be installed in almost any location. It can be easily placed in
ceiling or wall voids, or tted to the rear of display screens or loudspeaker cabinets.

The amplier has mounting anges with keyhole slots to permit it to be secured on
a horizontal or vertical at surface.

10 mm

0.4"

4.3"

109.2 mm

10 mm

0.4"

DO NOT TOUCH TERMINALS MARKED WITH

THE HAZARDOUS LIVE SYMBOL ( )

CONNECTIONS TO TERMINALS MARKED AS

HAZARDOUS LIVE SHOULD ONLY BE MADE BY

DO NOT REMOVE THE TOP PANEL UNLESS YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND THE HAZARDS

INVOLVED WITH MAINS POWERED EQUIPMENT

A QUALIFIED PERSON

290 mm

11.4"

80W MIXER AMPLIFIER

CLOUD ELECTRONICS LIMITED

SHEFFIELD S9 3HF ENGLAND

MADE IN UK

10 mm

0.4"

25.4 mm

180 mm

1"

If using the MA80FT in a free-standing situation, the self-adhesive feet (supplied
with each amplier) should be tted. The amplier should always be stood on a at
surface. Care should be exercised in selecting a location for a free-standing unit,
which should allow ventilation but be clear of any liquid or similar hazard.

7.1"

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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Ventilation

The amplier uses natural convection cooling, and care should be taken to
locate it where airow is unrestricted (e.g., not under ceiling insulation material).
Consideration should also be given to ease of access, should the operational
conguration or audio levels need adjustment after installation.

In free-standing installations, always t the polyurethane feet supplied, and do not
stand any other items on top of the unit.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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Connections and adjustments

Line inputs

The amplier has two stereo line inputs 1, each of which is mixed internally to
mono; these inputs are suitable for most music sources such as computer line
outputs, satellite receivers and CD/DVD players.

The inputs are unbalanced and use 3-pin 3.5 mm-pitch screw terminal connectors.
The connectors should be wired as follows:

AUDIO

SOURCE 1

AUDIO

SOURCE 2

RIGHT CHANNEL

LEFT CHANNEL

LINE 1

0V LR

LINE 2

LEFT CHANNEL

RIGHT CHANNEL

Unless a Cloud remote control plate or module such as the RSL-6 or LM-2 is in use, the
two line inputs are summed together internally, though Line input 1 can be congured
to have priority over Line input 2, see “Hi-Z input” on page 24.

Line input 2 may alternatively receive its signal from the high-impedance microphone
input 4. This is achieved by moving an internal jumper. See “Hi-Z input” on page 24
for more details.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

21

Sensitivity & Gain Control

Each of the stereo line inputs has an input impedance of 10 kohms and a preset
type gain control 2 on the rear panel adjacent to the input connector. The gain
controls have a range of 20 dB allowing the input sensitivity to be varied from

-12 dBu to +8 dBu (0 dBu = 0.775 Vrms). The gain controls should be set so that

the input sources in use do not distort, and the front panel level controls 2 and

3

have a useful range.

Music Level and EQ control

The front panel LINE 1 and LINE 2 controls 2 and 3 should be adjusted during
installation to set the volume of the audio sources. The line inputs are summed post
the level controls (hereafter referred to as the “music channel”); equalisation can
be applied using the front panel LF and HF controls 4 and 5, which can apply a
cut or boost of up to 10 dB at 50 Hz and 10 kHz respectively. Adjust the EQ controls
to suit the audio programme material being used, the speaker characteristics and
the room acoustics. If the programme material includes speech, the EQ should be
adjusted for best intelligibility

If the line input levels are set too high, the amplier’s dynamic protection will
activate to prevent clipping and the front panel PEAK LED 8 will illuminate to
indicate this. Note that this LED also indicates an excessive mic signal level.

Line 1 Priority

When both line inputs are in use, one audio source can be given automatic priority
over the other by connecting it to Line 1 input and setting rear panel SETTINGS
DIP switch 4 (LINE 1 PRIORITY) to ON. This is a useful facility when a Digital Sound
Store, jukebox, emergency announcement system or similar source forms part of
the audio system.

When Line 1 Priority is enabled, the amplier will route the input signal at Line 2
normally until a signal is detected at Line 1’s input. When this happens, it switches
its music source automatically to Line 1. Once the signal at Line 1 stops (e.g., when
an announcement nishes), Line 2’s source will smoothly restore to its former level
over approx. 3 seconds.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

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Mic inputs

The MA80FT has a single microphone channel, enabling it to be used for paging
or announcements. By default, the mic channel is independent and is simply
mixed with the summed line inputs. The mic channel can be recongured so that
it operates as a standard Cloud-type paging input, with selectable mic-over-line
priority and triggering by either contact closure or automatic signal detection.
It is then compatible with paging microphones using zone selection by contact­closure such as the Cloud PM range, including the PM1 single-zone microphone.
See “Paging control and mic priority” on page 26 for more details.

The mic channel has two separate physical inputs: a standard balanced input and a
high-level transformer-isolated input for connection to 100/70/25 V-line systems.
Both inputs, and the connections for paging access, are on the 2 x 5-pin 3.5 mm­pitch screw terminal connector PAGE/MIC INPUT.

IMPORTANT: Cloud recommend that no attempt is made to use both the balanced
and high-voltage inputs.

The microphone signal path includes a xed high-pass lter. This attenuates the
response below 100 Hz, which helps to reduce the effects of microphone handling
noise.

Balanced input

The MA80FT’s microphone pre-amplier is an electronically balanced, transformer­less design congured for optimum low noise performance. The input impedance
is greater than 2 kohms and is suitable for microphones in the 200 ohm to 600
ohm range. The connector uses three pins of the lower 5-pin 3.5 mm-pitch screw
terminal type on the rear panel 3. Use the wiring shown below.

HI-Z SPKR IN

0 – 25V

0V -PA +

70/

0 – 100V

COLDSCREEN

HOT

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

23

12 V phantom power is available at the mic input, and is activated by setting internal
jumper J6 to the ON position. See page 37 for further information regarding the
internal jumpers. Care should be taken to ensure that phantom power is activated
only when the microphone connected to the input requires it – i.e., a capacitor or
electret type; other types of microphones (such as dynamic) may be damaged if a
DC voltage is applied to them.

Hi-Z input

The MA80FT is provided with an second, alternative input, which by default is
routed to the mic channel when selected. This is a high impedance, transformer­isolated input which can be connected directly to a 25 V-line, 70 V-line or
100 V-line loudspeaker system. When congured in this way, the mic input can be
used to route paging announcements from a building-wide PA or PA/VA system
into the area covered by the MA80FT.

The high-voltage input is enabled by moving internal PCB jumpers J8, J9 and J10.
All three jumpers must be moved together. See “PCB layout diagram” on page 36
for details of jumper locations.

The high-voltage input may alternatively be routed internally to the music channel,
where it replaces Line Input 2. This means the MA80FT can be fed, for example,
with background music from a 25/70/100 V-line system, allowing it to be fully
integrated with an existing building system. It also allows the music level may
be controlled remotely in the same way as when Line Inputs 1 and 2 are used
for music sources. The internal routing of the Hi-Z input - to the mic channel or
Line 2 - is determined by internal jumpers J2 and J3. The factory default is for the
high-voltage input to be routed to the mic channel: moving the jumpers will route
it to the music channel. Both jumpers must be moved together. See page 36 for
details of jumper locations.

Note that when the high-voltage input is enabled, the balanced mic input 3 will
be disconnected; if J2 and J3 are moved to the LINE 2 position, Line Input 2 1 will
also be disconnected.

To use the high-voltage input, connect a 25 V-line system feed to the 0-25V line
input, or a 70 V-line or 100 V-line system feed to the 0-70/100V input , as shown
below. The Hi-Z input uses four pins of the upper 5-pin section of the connector.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

24

HI-Z SPKR IN

0 – 25V

0 – 100V

HI-Z SPKR IN

70/

0 – 25V

0 – 100V

70/

0V -PA +

Connection to

25 V-line system

0V -PA +

Connection to 70 V-line

or 100 V-line system

Note that the 70/100 V input is suitable for use with either 70 V-line or 100 V-line

systems.

Do not make any connections to the unused high-voltage input (i.e., either 0-25V
or 0-70/100V).

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

25

Mic gain adjustment

The mic input has a preset gain control (PAGE/MIC INPUT GAIN 6) adjacent to
the input connector. This is operative whichever of the two mic inputs is in use,
though with different gain ranges:

• Normal mic input - gain range 40 dB, from 10 dB to 50 dB

• Hi-Z input – gain range 10 dB, from 10 dB to 20 dB

Note that the GAIN control is still operative when the Hi-Z input is routed internally
to Line 2 by moving jumpers J2 and J3.

Microphone level control

A front panel level control 1 is provided for the mic channel and this provides
the user with a means of adjusting the volume of the microphone, or the
announcements from a PA/VA system if the 25/70/100 V-line inputs are in use.
The rear panel gain control 6 should be set at a level where distortion does not
occur even when the front panel level control is fully clockwise. If the mic level is
set too high, the front-panel PEAK LED 8 will illuminate. Note that this LED also
indicates excessive music level.

Paging control and mic priority

The microphone channel can be recongured to operate as a paging input with
SETTINGS DIP switches 1, 2 and 3.

For normal (non-paging) operation, all three switches should be in the ‘up’ position.
The priority functions operate as described below whichever of the two mic inputs
is in use (balanced or Hi-Z).

• Switch 1 – MIC/PAGE MODE: in the MIC position (switch up), the mic input
operates as a standard microphone input. In this mode, DIP switch 3 (ACCESS/
VOX PRIORITY) is disabled. In the PG position (switch down), the mic input
operates as a typical Cloud paging input and DIP switch 3 is enabled. In PAGE
mode, the Paging Access contacts will need to be shorted in order for the mic
input to become active.

• Switch 2 – MIC/PAGE PRIORITY: set to ON (switch down) to enable Mic-over-Line
priority. This can be selected in both MIC and PAGE modes, i.e., regardless of the
setting of DIP switch 1. The priority function will mute both LINE and FACILITY
inputs. In MIC mode the priority trigger is always VOX; in PAGE mode the priority
can be either by access contacts or VOX mode, as selected by DIP switch 3.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

26

• Switch 3 – ACCESS/VOX PRIORITY: this switch is only enabled when DIP switch
1 is set to PG. When DIP switch 3 is set to ACC (switch up), contact closure
priority triggering is selected: a short circuit at the Paging Access connector 5
will trigger priority (see below for wiring details), muting any line input signals
and enabling the mic input. With the switch down, VOX mode is selected:
a signal at the mic input will automatically trigger priority. In order for VOX
mode to operate when DIP switch 1 is ON (‘PAGE’), the two pins of the Paging
Access connector must be shorted together.

The Paging Access control input is on two pins (PA and 0V) of the lower section of
the PAGE/MIC input connector 5. The Paging Access input provides compatibility
with “contact-closure” paging microphones. In PAGE mode, the microphone input
is muted as long as the pins of the access connector are open-circuit. When the
pins are connected together, the mic input becomes active.

CONTACT CLOSURE

(e.g., “Press-to-Talk”
switch on paging mic)
ACTIVATES PAGING

Balanced mic input

HI-Z SPKR IN

0 – 25V

0V -PA +

SCREEN

0 – 100V

70/

COLD

HOT

In either VOX or ACC mode, the music signal is faded back up after the announcement
is complete over a period of approx. 3 seconds.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

27

Output

The power amplier stage is fully protected against DC offset, PSU and amplier
over-current, and is also thermally protected. Activation of the protection circuitry
shuts the power amplier stage down until the fault condition clears. All protection
conditions will automatically self-clear if the amplier is power-cycled. A switch­on delay function mutes the output during power-up and power-down to protect
loudspeakers.

The MA80FT has both a low impedance output (4 ohms) and a high voltage output
for 25/70/100 V-line speaker systems. Both outputs are available on the 4-pin
5 mm-pitch screw-terminal SPEAKER OUTPUT connector 10.

Only one of the two output options can be used at a time. The output type is
selected with SETTINGS DIP switch 6: select 4Ω (switch down) for low impedance
operation or HI (switch up) for 25/70/100 V-line operation. The switch is set to
HI at the factory: set it to the down position if the amplier is to be use with low
impedance loudspeakers.

Lo-Z output

The MA80FT can deliver its rated power of 80 W into a 4 ohm load. When using
multiple low-impedance loudspeakers (generally 8 ohms) with a single amplier,
series and parallel wiring should be employed to produce a total load impedance
of not less than 4 ohms.

The low impedance output is available on pins 1 and 2 of the SPEAKER OUTPUT
connector:

COM 4Ω 25V

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

28

100V

70V

+

Lo-Z loudspeaker

-

Connecting to 25/70/100 V-line systems

COM 4Ω 25V

100V

70V

Lo-Z loudspeaker

+

-

The MA80FT is tted with an internal transformer enabling it to directly drive
100 V, 70 V or 25 V-line loudspeaker systems. The power amplier stage is rated
at 80 W.

Connect to a 100 V-line or 70 V-line speaker system by wiring pins 1 and 4 of the
SPEAKER OUTPUT connector. The selection between 70 V and 100 V operation is
made by moving the connector on an internal ying lead from one 4-pin header to
another. The two connectors are adjacent to the toroidal output transformer and
are marked CON3 for 100 V operation and CON4 for 70 V operation. See “PCB
layout diagram” on page 36 for locations of the headers.

Units shipped to Europe will be factory-set to 100 V, and units shipped to the US
and Canada will be factory-set to 70 V: a tick box above pin 4 of the SPEAKER
OUTPUT connector will be marked accordingly to conrm the internal connection.

Connect to a 25 V-line speaker system by wiring pins 1 and 3 of the SPEAKER
OUTPUT connector. The 25 V-line output will operate correctly regardless of the
internal selection of CON3 or CON4.

100V

70V

4Ω

COM

COM 4Ω 25V

25V

25 V-line speaker

system

+

-

100V

70V

70 V-line or 100 V-line

speaker system

+

-

When driving 25/70/100V-line loudspeaker systems there is a risk of transformer
core saturation at high levels and low frequencies, which can produce distortion.
To prevent this, the MA80FT’s output stage is provided with a 65 Hz high-pass
lter, which is automatically placed in circuit when SETTINGS DIP switch 6
(SPKR OUT: HI-Z/4Ω) is set to HI.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

29

Auxiliary Output

The amplier is provided with an Auxiliary Output, AUX OUT 11. This may be used
to drive an additional amplier, for recording, or any other purpose where system
“expansion” is required. The connector is a 3-pin, 3.5 mm-pitch screw terminal
type.

The signal at the Auxiliary Output is balanced and at line level, and can thus be
used to drive most external equipment directly. The wiring is as follows:

132

scn

cold (-)

OUTPUT: BALANCED

CONNECTION

132

scn

(DON’T CONNECT PIN 2)

OUTPUT: UNBALANCED

hot (+)

hot (+)

CONNECTION

The “out-of-the-box” factory default source for the Auxiliary Output is taken from
the input to the power amplier stage, and will thus consist of the same mix of line
and mic inputs, and will be affected by both Line 1 and Mic Priorities. However, it
will not be subject to the action of either the 65 Hz high-pass lter or the power
stage’s dynamic clip protection.

This means that by default the source is derived “post” the front panel MUSIC EQ
controls. In some installations, it may be desirable to ensure that the EQ controls
only affect the output to the loudspeakers connected to the amplier’s main output
and not the Auxiliary Output as well. This can be achieved by moving internal PCB
jumper J9 from ROOM (post-EQ) to FLAT (pre-EQ). See page 36 for details of
PCB jumper locations.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

30

Facility Port

The MA80FT amplier is provided with a FACILITY PORT in the form of a rear panel
RJ45 connector 9. The primary use of the Facility Port is for the connection of an
LM-2 or BT-1 remote active module, but it may also be used to connect RL and RSL
Series remote control plates, or as a general-purpose auxiliary balanced input (see
“Using the Facility Port as an auxiliary input” on page 34 for more information
on this application).

The active modules operate from DC power supplied by the MA80FT. The current
consumed by each module is minimal and in the vast majority of installations there
will be no power supply issues.

IMPORTANT: In order for the remote control functions on an LM-2 module or an
RL/RSL Series plate to operate, SETTINGS DIP switch 5 (LOCAL/REMOTE) must
be set to REM (switch down). This will disable the front panel LINE 1 and LINE 2
controls, and control of line level and/or LINE 1/LINE 2 selection will be available
from the remote module or plate. DIP switch 5 should be left set to LOC (switch
up) when a BT-1 is connected to the Facility Port.

The pinout of the Facility Port connector is given in the table below:

PIN USE Cat 5 CORE*

1 Audio ‘cold’ phase (-) White + Orange

2 Audio ‘hot’ phase (+) Orange

3 Priority VCA control White + Green

4 + 12 V Blue

5 0 V White + Blue

6 -12 V Green

Music level control

7

(0 to 10 V)

Music source select

8

control (0 to 10 V)

SCN

* Standard wiring for pre-made cables

GND ref for system

music controls

White + Brown

Brown

Connector shell

1

8

8

8

1

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

1

31

Connecting an LM-2 or BT-1

MIC LEVEL

MUSIC LEVEL

6

4

3

2

5

1

MIC INPUT

6

5

7

4

8

9

3

2

10

1

0

0

LINE INPUT

3

MIC

PRIORITY

4

2

5

6

1

6

5

7

4

8

9

3

2

10

1

0

LM-2

7

8

9

10

The LM-2 is an active input module which allows a microphone and a stereo line
input in a remote location to be connected to the MA80FT. The module also includes
the functions of a Cloud RSL-6 Remote Control Plate, which allows remote control
of the MA80FT’s music level and selection of Line 1 or Line 2 as the music source.

The BT-1 is a Bluetooth remote audio input module which enables compatible portable
devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones to stream audio wirelessly to the
module, and thus into the audio system of the area where the module is installed.

NOTE: The MA80FT is only compatible with the BT-1F variant of the BT-1: do not
attempt to connect variant BT-1E.

The LM-2 or BT-1 should be connected to the MA80FT’s FACILITY PORT using
screened Cat 5 cable. (Note that as the cable carries analogue audio, only screened
Cat 5 should be used.) The LM-2 includes controls for local music level and source
selection, the wiring for these functions being catered for on the Facility Port. The
maximum total Cat 5 cable length should not exceed 100 m.

STATUS

PUSH

- -

TO PAIR

2s 5s

LM-2: The LM-2’s upper PCB is tted with an RJ45 connector labelled OUTPUT.
Connect this to the FACILITY PORT using screened Cat 5 cable with screened
RJ45s at each end. Follow the colour coding shown in the table on page 31. The
metal screening of the connectors should be bonded to the screen of the cable. Full
details can be found in the LM-2 Installation Guide.

Before the LM-2’s music source and level controls will operate, set SETTINGS DIP
switch 5 to REM (switch down). In this setting, the front panel LINE 1 and LINE 2
controls become inoperative. Positions 3 to 6 on the LM-2’s Music Source switch
have no function on the MA80FT; selecting these positions will effectively mute
both line inputs.

BT-1: Connect the RJ45 socket on the rear of the BT-1 to the MA80FT’s FACILITY
PORT with screened Cat 5 cable and shielded RJ45 plugs. Full details can be found

in the BT-1 Installation Guide.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

32

Connecting an RL or RSL Series remote control plate

123

FACILITY PORT (RJ45)

123

REMOTE LEVEL CONTROL WIRING

RL-1

Screened Cat 5 cable

456

7

8

WHITE + BROWN

WHITE +

BROWN

SCREEN

SCREEN

IGNORE ALL

OTHER CORES

The MA80FT amplier is also compatible with standard Cloud remote control
plates of the RSL Series (music source select and level), and RL Series (level only).
The MA80FT differs from most other Cloud products in that it does not have a
dedicated 3-pin “Remote Control” port: RL and RSL Series plates must instead
be connected to the Facility Port 9. This is most easily accomplished by using
screened Cat 5 cable between the MA80FT and the remote control plate, but only
connecting the one (or two) cores concerned with the remote control functions
(see page 31), plus the screen, to the plate.

REMOTE LEVEL CONTROL WIRING

FACILITY PORT (RJ45)

7

8

456

RL-1

123

WHITE + BROWN

123

BROWN

WHITE +

SCREEN

IGNORE ALL

OTHER CORES

123

RSL-4 or

RSL-6

SCREEN

Screened Cat 5 cable

SCREEN

REMOTE SOURCE & LEVEL CONTROL WIRING

BROWN

Screened Cat 5 cable

IGNORE ALL

OTHER CORES

FACILITY PORT (RJ45)

456

123

SCREEN

WHITE + BROWN

7

8

WHITE + BROWN

BROWN

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

33

Using the Facility Port as an auxiliary input

The Facility Port provides a balanced audio input. If a port is not connected to a
remote input module or remote control plate, it may be used as an additional,
balanced line input. The signal applied at the Facility Port is mixed with the other
inputs (LINE 1, LINE 2 and MIC), but has no independent level control on the
amplier; the signal level must be adjusted at the source. If Mic-over-Line priority
is enabled (see “Paging control and mic priority” on page 26), a line input at the
Facility Port will be muted in the same way as LINE 1 and LINE 2.

Connect an external balanced source to the Facility Port as shown below:

1

2

3

hot (+)

cold (-)

BALANCED

OUTPUT (e.g., XLR)

Twin-core screened cable

hot (+)

FACILITY PORT (RJ45)

cold (-)

1

8

8

1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1

8

An unbalanced source may also be connected; the use of a balancing transformer
is recommended.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

34

Music Mute Input

External muting of music may be commanded through the MUSIC MUTE connector

12

. National or Local Authority regulations governing installed audio systems
may require that normal programme material (i.e., music) should be muted in an
emergency, to ensure that any evacuation messages are clearly audible. When
active, it mutes all line inputs (including that at the Facility Port), leaving the
microphone input active.

The Music Mute input is on a 2-pin 5 mm-pitch screw-terminal connector. It should
be connected to the appropriate alarm output on whichever building management
system registers the alarm (typically the Fire System). The alarm output must be
volt-free; if no such output is available, an intermediate relay or other isolation
device must be installed between the alarm output and the Music Mute input.

The Music Mute input can be set to operate on either normally open (N/O) or
normally closed (N/C) contacts via internal jumper J1 (see “PCB layout diagram”
on page 36). The factory default setting is N/O, thus requiring a short-circuit to
be applied across the two pins of the connector for muting to occur.

REMOTE MUSIC MUTE TERMINATIONS

RELAY

NORMALLY OPEN (NO)

CONNECTION

MUSIC MUTE

INPUT

12

RELAY

NORMALLY CLOSED (NC)

CONNECTION

MUSIC MUTE

INPUT

12

Auto Power Down

The MA80FT is an extremely energy-efcient amplier, but can be made even more so
by enabling the Auto Power-Down feature. When active, the signal level is constantly
monitored and if no input signals are measured for 15 minutes the amplier enters a
“Sleep” mode, minimising power consumption. If a signal is detected while the channel
is in this mode, the amplier “wakes up” in less than 300 ms.

The MA80FT is shipped with the Auto Power Down function disabled. It may be
enabled by moving internal PCB jumper J5. See “PCB layout diagram” on page 36
for details of jumper locations.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

35

APPENDIX

PCB layout diagram

To access the internal PCB, disconnect the amplier from its AC power source* and
remove the six screws securing the top cover; remove the cover.

PSU

DO NOT FIT

A JUMPER

J4

HERE

J5

J6

J7

OFF ON

ROOM FLAT

ONLY

MOVE ALL

THREE

TOGETHER

(SUB-

BOARD)

MIC LINEMIC LINE

ON

ON

ON

OFF

OFF

J8

J9

OFF

J10

J3J2

ONLY

MOVE AS A

PAIR

REAR OF UNIT

NO NC

CON3CON4

J1

NOT TO SCALE.

ONLY PRIMARY COMPONENTS SHOWN

AC INPUT

*Note that if the optional conduit adaptor plate has been tted, replacing the IEC receptacle, this
may necessitate isolating the mains circuit to which the amplier is connected.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

36

Table of internal jumpers and default settings

JUMPER PURPOSE OPTIONS DEFAULT REMARKS

Motherboard jumpers (lower PCB):

J1 Music Mute N/O or N/C N/O

J2

J3

J6 12 V Mic

J7

Sub-board jumpers (upper PCB):

J4

J5 Auto Power

J8

J9

J10

Hi-Z input
internal routing

phantom power

Auxiliary
output source

Down

Hi-Z input
enable

MIC: Mic channel
LINE: Music channel (LINE 2)

ON/OFF

Room: source is post-front
panel EQ
Flat: Source is pre-front
panel EQ

For factory use only

Present: APD disabled
Absent: APD enabled

OFF: Hi-Z input disabled
ON: Hi-Z input enabled,
routing determined by J2/J3

Mic channel

OFF

Room (front
panel EQ affects
Aux out)

Present (APD
disabled)

OFF

J2 and J3 must be
moved together

Do not t a
jumper here

J8, J9 and J10
must all be
moved together

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

37

Summary of rear panel DIP switch functions

DIP SWITCH POSITION FUNCTION

1 MIC/PAGE

MODE

2 MIC/PAGE

PRIORITY

3 ACCESS/

VOX
PRIORITY

4 LINE 1

PRIORITY

5 LOCAL/

REMOTE

6 SPKR OUT:

HI-Z/4Ω

OFF = MIC MODE

(MIC)

ON = PAGE MODE
(PG)

OFF = PRIORITY

OFF (OFF)

ON = PRIORITY
ON (ON)

OFF = ACCESS

(ACC)

OFF = VOX (VOX) A signal at the PAGE/MIC input will trigger mic-over-line

OFF = PRIORITY

OFF (OFF)

ON = PRIORITY
ON (ON)

OFF = LOCAL

(LOC)

ON = REMOTE
(REM)

OFF = HI

ON = 4Ω

Both PAGE/MIC inputs function as standard microphone
inputs, including GAIN and LEVEL controls. DIP switch 3
is disabled.

Both PAGE/MIC inputs function as typical Cloud paging
inputs. DIP switch 3 is enabled.

The mic signal is mixed with the line inputs according to
the front panel LEVEL controls.

The mic signal will take priority over the line inputs
(including the Facility Port), which will be muted while
the mic is in use. Priority triggering will be determined
by the settings of DIP switches 1 and 3: with switch 1 in
PAGE mode, priority triggering is set by DIP switch 3.

The PA and 0V pins of the PAGE/MIC connector must be
shorted together to enable the mic input and mute the
line inputs.

priority and mute the line inputs. The PA and 0V pins of
the PAGE/MIC connector must be permanently shorted
together for VOX operation in PAGE mode (disabled in
MIC mode).

In LOCAL mode (ref SW5), the signals at LINE 1 and LINE
2 are mixed together. In REMOTE mode, LINE 1 or LINE 2
is selected by the MUSIC SOURCE switch on an RSL plate
or LM-2 module connected to the Facility Port.

A signal at LINE 1 input has priority over that at LINE 2:
LINE 2 is automatically muted.

The levels of LINE 1 and LINE 2 input signals are
controlled by the two front panel LEVEL controls. The
two inputs are mixed together.

The two front panel LEVEL controls (LINE 1 and LINE 2)
are disabled. The summed line input level is controlled
by the level control on the remote plate or module
connected at the Facility Port. If an RSL Series plate or
LM-2 module is in use, the Music Source control can
select either LINE 1 and LINE 2.

The amplier output stage is congured for high voltage
operation and the 65 Hz hi-pass lter enabled; the 4Ω
pin of the SPEAKER OUTPUT connector is disconnected.

The amplier output stage is congured for low
impedance operation; the 25V and 70V/100V pins of the
SPEAKER OUTPUT connector are disconnected.

Note: default settings are in BOLD text.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

38

Troubleshooting – STATUS LED indications

The MA80FT is well protected against errors in speaker wiring and other
inappropriate operating conditions. The speaker output is monitored for excessively
low impedance (i.e., a short circuit) and for the presence of DC. The internal
temperature of the amplier’s power stage is also monitored.

In the event of any of the pre-dened safety conditions being exceeded, the
amplier will enter Protection mode, and will cease passing audio. In this case,
the cause of the problem should be investigated and resolved (see below) and the
amplier power-cycled to exit Protection mode.

The front panel STATUS LED 6 provides information about the amplier’s current
state and will ash if Protection mode has been triggered.

INDICATION STATUS CAUSE

Steady green Normal No fault – normal operation

Steady red APD Mode Standby mode (if enabled)

Flashing green

Flashing red DC detected at output terminals

Protection Mode

Fault resolution

Over- temperature (STATUS LED ashes green):

Check that the amplier has sufcient airow around the casing (e.g., it is not
covered by ceiling insulation material or similar), and that the ambient temperature
at the amplier location is not above +40°C. Power-cycle the amplier to cancel
Protection mode.

Over-temperature sensed or over-current protection
triggered

Over-current protection (STATUS LED ashes green):

Over-current protection will be triggered if the load at the output terminals is low
enough for the amplier’s 80 W rating to be exceeded. This includes the possibility
of a short-circuit. The amplier needs to have an input signal and the level control(s)
turned up for this protection to operate. Investigate the output wiring and check
for a faulty loudspeaker. Power-cycle the amplier to cancel Protection mode.

DC protection (STATUS LED ashes red):

DC protection will be triggered if one of the speaker terminals is shorted to ground.
Check the loudspeaker wiring. It can also be triggered when the input signal contains
high amplitude, low frequency components, such as may be caused by clicks and

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

39

pops from other connected equipment. Check the rear panel GAIN 2 and 6 and
front panel LEVEL 1 to 3 controls are not set too high. Power-cycle the amplier
to cancel Protection mode.

EMC considerations

The MA80FT amplier fully conforms to the relevant electromagnetic compatibility
(EMC) standards and is technically well behaved. You should experience no problems
interfacing units to other items of equipment and under normal circumstances, no
special precautions need to be taken. If the unit is to be used in close proximity
to potential sources of HF disturbance such as high power communication
transmitters, radar stations and the like, it is suggested that input signal leads be
kept as short as possible. Always use balanced interconnections wherever possible.
We recommend that the MA80FT amplier is not located in close proximity to a
high-power amplier or similar item of equipment, which may radiate a strong
magnetic eld from its power transformer.

Earthing

When several mains powered units are connected together via their signal cables,
there is a risk of one or more earth loops which may cause an audible hum on the
system even with the gain controls set to minimum. The 0 V rail of an MA80FT
amplier is directly coupled to the chassis ground. No interconnection problems
should be encountered, but if there is any hum or other extraneous noise when source
equipment is connected, the situation can generally be remedied by observing the
following guidelines:Always connect sources using balanced connections wherever
possible. Note that, for EMC reasons, the cable screen should be connected at both
ends.

1. Always connect sources using balanced connections wherever possible. Note

that, for EMC reasons, the cable screen should be connected at both ends.

2. Use audio isolating transformers (readily available from trade suppliers) at the

inputs if necessary. These will ensure that the amplier is electrically isolated
from the source equipment.

3. The signal source units should be located as close as possible to the amplier.

The metal housing of the various units should not be electrically connected.
Try to ensure that all interconnected units, including power ampliers are
connected to a common power source to ensure a common ground is provided.

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

40

Technical specications

LINE INPUTS

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

THD+N <0.05% @ 1 kHz, full power (22 kHz bandwidth)

Sensitivity -12 dBu to +8 dBu (195 mV to 2.0 V)

Input Gain Control 20 dB range

Input Impedance 47 kohms

Headroom 16 dB

Noise <-90 dB rms (22 kHz bandwidth)

Music Equalisation LF: +/-10 dB @ 50 Hz, HF: +/-10 dB @ 10 kHz

MICROPHONE INPUT

Frequency Response -3 dB @ 100 Hz (xed lter) to 20 kHz +/-1 dB

THD + N <0.05% @ 1 kHz, full power (22 kHz bandwidth)

Sensitivity -50 dBu to -10 dBu (2.45 mV to 245 mV)

Input Gain Control 10 dB to 50 dB

Input Impedance 3.3 kohms (balanced)

Headroom 16 dB

Noise (EIN) -127 dB, 22 Hz to 22 kHz (Rs = 150 ohms)

Common mode rejection 70 dB typical

Phantom Power 12 V (internal jumper)

Mic Equalisation LF: +/-10 dB @ 100 Hz, HF: +/-10 dB @ 5 kHz

HI-Z INPUT

Frequency
Response

Input Gain Control 10 dB to 20 dB

Noise <88 dB rms (22 kHz bandwidth)

FACILITY INPUT

Frequency Response +/-1 dB 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Sensitivity 0.775 V (0 dBu)

Input Impedance 10 kohms (balanced)

Headroom 18 dB

Noise Gate -60 dBu

Via Mic i/p -3 dB @ 100 Hz (xed lter) to 20 kHz +/-1 dB

via Line 2 i/p +/-1 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

41

MAIN OUTPUT

Output Power
(1 kHz continuous sine wave)

Lo-Z Output Minimum load 4 ohms

Frequency
Response

Hi-Z Output Minimum load 100 V: 125 ohms; 70 V: 62 ohms; 25 V: 7.8 ohms

Frequency
Response

THD + N <0.05% @ 1 kHz, full power (22 kHz bandwidth)

Amplier protection Fixed level signal limiter

80 W

+/-1 dB 20 Hz to 20 kHz

-3 dB @ 65 Hz (lter), -1.5 dB @ 20 kHz

Protection against DC, PSU overcurrent, amplier overcurrent,
over-temperature.
Resettable internal breaker (no fuses)

AUXILIARY OUTPUT

Max output level 0 dBu (0.775 V)

GENERAL

Power Input Universal type, 85 V to 264 V, 47 to 63 Hz

Power consumption Standby

Heat Loss Standby

1

2

Idle

1/8th Power (4 ohms)

1/3rd Power (4 ohms)

1

2

Idle

1/8th Power (4 ohms)

1/3rd Power (4 ohms)

0.94 W, 7.5 VA

6.1 W, 14.8 VA

3

Lo-Z Output: 16.2 W, 30.6 VA

Hi-Z Output: 17.9 W, 33.4 VA

4

Lo-Z Output: 32.9 W, 54.6 VA

Hi-Z Output: 36.4 W, 60.0 VA

3.4 KJ/hr (3.2 BTU/hr)

22.0 KJ/hr (20.8 BTU/hr)

3

Lo-Z Output: 28.6 KJ/hr
(27.1 BTU/hr)

Hi-Z Output: 32.3 KJ/hr
(30.7 BTU/hr)

4

Lo-Z Output: 41.6 KJ/hr
(39.5 BTU/hr)

Hi-Z Output: 53.1 KJ/hr
(50.4 BTU/hr)

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

42

Dimensions
(w x h x d)

Weight

Notes re Power Consumption and Heat Loss measurements:

All measurements at 230 VAC 50 Hz power input

1. Standby: amplier in standby state (STATUS LED steady red)

2. Idle: amplier not in standby state (STATUS LED steady green), but no audio output

3. 1/8th. Power: constant sound level at 10 W output (audio mainly clean, only occasional clipping)

4. 1/3rd. Power: constant sound level at 27 W output (audio beginning to become compressed,

limited or heavily clipped)

Net 310 mm x 41 mm x 180 mm,

12.20” x 1.61” x 7.09”

Shipping 400 mm x 145 mm x 255 mm,

15.75” x 5.71” x 10.00”

Net 2.55 kg, 5.71 lb

Shipping 3.25 kg, 7.28 lb

MA80FT Installation and User Guide v1.1

43

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