Crown POWER-TECH 2, POWER-TECH 1 User Manual

POWER-TECH

™

Models:

Power-Tech 1, 2 & 3

Some models may be exported under the name

©

2000 by Crown International, Inc., P.O. Box 1000, Elkhart, Indiana
46515-1000 U.S.A. Telephone: [phone]. Power-Tech amplifiers
are produced by the Professional Audio Unit of Crown International,
Inc. Trademark Notice:

Crown

International, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.

®

,®

IOC

and

Power-Tech

ODEP

®

™

are registered trademarks of Crown

is a trademark and

Amcron

Amcron

®

.

®

,

125351-4

02/00

3

YEAR

3

YEAR

THREE YEAR

FULL WARRANTY

WORLDWIDE

The Crown Audio Division of Crown International, Inc., 1718 West
Mishawaka Road, Elkhart, Indiana 46517-4095 U.S.A. warrants to you,
the ORIGINAL PURCHASER and ANY SUBSEQUENT OWNER of
each NEW Crown
of purchase by the original purchaser (the “warranty period”) that the new
Crown product is free of defects in materials and workmanship, and we
further warrant the new Crown product regardless of the reason for
failure, except as excluded in this Crown Warranty.

1

Note: If your unit bears the name “Amcron, ” please substitute it for the

name “Crown” in this warranty.

ITEMS EXCLUDED FROM THIS CROWN WARRANTY

This Crown Warranty is in effect only for failure of a new Crown product
which occurred within the Warranty Period. It does not cover any product
which has been damaged because of any intentional misuse, accident,
negligence, or loss which is covered under any of your insurance
contracts. This Crown Warranty also does not extend to the new Crown
product if the serial number has been defaced, altered, or removed.

We will remedy any defect, regardless of the reason for failure (except as
excluded), by repair, replacement, or refund. We may not elect refund
unless you agree, or unless we are unable to provide replacement, and
repair is not practical or cannot be timely made. If a refund is elected, then
you must make the defective or malfunctioning product available to us
free and clear of all liens or other encumbrances. The refund will be equal
to the actual purchase price, not including interest, insurance, closing
costs, and other finance charges less a reasonable depreciation on the
product from the date of original purchase. Warranty work can only be
performed at our authorized service centers. We will remedy the defect
and ship the product from the service center within a reasonable time
after receipt of the defective product at our authorized service center.

You must notify us of your need for warranty service not later than ninety
(90) days after expiration of the warranty period. All components must be
shipped in a factory pack. Corrective action will be taken within a
reasonable time of the date of receipt of the defective product by our
authorized service center. If the repairs made by our authorized service
center are not satisfactory, notify our authorized service center
immediately.

DISCLAIMER OF CONSEQUENTIAL AND INCIDENTAL

YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO RECOVER FROM US ANY
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE
NEW CROWN PRODUCT. THIS INCLUDES ANY DAMAGE TO
ANOTHER PRODUCT OR PRODUCTS RESULTING FROM SUCH A
DEFECT.

No person has the authority to enlarge, amend, or modify this Crown
Warranty. This Crown Warranty is not extended by the length of time
which you are deprived of the use of the new Crown product. Repairs and
replacement parts provided under the terms of this Crown Warranty shall
carry only the unexpired portion of this Crown Warranty.

We reserve the right to change the design of any product from time to time
without notice and with no obligation to make corresponding changes in
products previously manufactured.

No action to enforce this Crown Warranty shall be commenced later than
ninety (90) days after expiration of the warranty period.

THIS STATEMENT OF WARRANTY SUPERSEDES ANY OTHERS

CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL FOR CROWN PRODUCTS.

Telephone: [phone]. Facsimile: 219-294-8301

SUMMARY OF WARRANTY

1

product, for a period of three (3) years from the date

WHAT THE WARRANTOR WILL DO

HOW TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE

DAMAGES

WARRANTY ALTERATIONS

DESIGN CHANGES

LEGAL REMEDIES OF PURCHASER

9/90

NORTH AMERICA

The Crown Audio Division of Crown International, Inc., 1718 West Mishawaka
Road, Elkhart, Indiana 46517-4095 U.S.A. warrants to you, the ORIGINAL
PURCHASER and ANY SUBSEQUENT OWNER of each NEW Crown
product, for a period of three (3) years from the date of purchase by the original
purchaser (the “warranty period”) that the new Crown product is free of defects
in materials and workmanship. We further warrant the new Crown product
regardless of the reason for failure, except as excluded in this Warranty.

ITEMS EXCLUDED FROM THIS CROWN WARRANTY

This Crown Warranty is in effect only for failure of a new Crown product which
occurred within the Warranty Period. It does not cover any product which has
been damaged because of any intentional misuse, accident, negligence, or
loss which is covered under any of your insurance contracts. This Crown
Warranty also does not extend to the new Crown product if the serial number
has been defaced, altered, or removed.

We will remedy any defect, regardless of the reason for failure (except as
excluded), by repair, replacement, or refund. We may not elect refund unless
you agree, or unless we are unable to provide replacement, and repair is not
practical or cannot be timely made. If a refund is elected, then you must make
the defective or malfunctioning product available to us free and clear of all liens
or other encumbrances. The refund will be equal to the actual purchase price,
not including interest, insurance, closing costs, and other finance charges less
a reasonable depreciation on the product from the date of original purchase.
Warranty work can only be performed at our authorized service centers or at
the factory. We will remedy the defect and ship the product from the service
center or our factory within a reasonable time after receipt of the defective
product at our authorized service center or our factory. All expenses in
remedying the defect, including surface shipping costs in the United States,
will be borne by us. (You must bear the expense of shipping the product
between any foreign country and the port of entry in the United States and all
taxes, duties, and other customs fees for such foreign shipments.)

You must notify us of your need for warranty service not later than ninety (90)
days after expiration of the warranty period. All components must be shipped
in a factory pack, which, if needed, may be obtained from us free of charge.
Corrective action will be taken within a reasonable time of the date of receipt
of the defective product by us or our authorized service center. If the repairs
made by us or our authorized service center are not satisfactory, notify us or
our authorized service center immediately.

DISCLAIMER OF CONSEQUENTIAL AND INCIDENTAL DAMAGES

YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO RECOVER FROM US ANY INCIDENTAL
DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE NEW CROWN
PRODUCT. THIS INCLUDES ANY DAMAGE TO ANOTHER PRODUCT OR
PRODUCTS RESULTING FROM SUCH A DEFECT. SOME STATES DO

NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATIONS OF INCIDENTAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR
EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

No person has the authority to enlarge, amend, or modify this Crown Warranty.
This Crown Warranty is not extended by the length of time which you are
deprived of the use of the new Crown product. Repairs and replacement parts
provided under the terms of this Crown Warranty shall carry only the unexpired
portion of this Crown Warranty.

We reserve the right to change the design of any product from time to time
without notice and with no obligation to make corresponding changes in
products previously manufactured.

THIS CROWN WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, YOU
MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO
STATE. No action to enforce this Crown Warranty shall be commenced later
than ninety (90) days after expiration of the warranty period.

THIS STATEMENT OF WARRANTY SUPERSEDES ANY OTHERS

CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL FOR CROWN PRODUCTS.

Telephone: [phone]. Facsimile: 219-294-8301

SUMMARY OF WARRANTY

WHAT THE WARRANTOR WILL DO

HOW TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE

WARRANTY ALTERATIONS

DESIGN CHANGES

LEGAL REMEDIES OF PURCHASER

9/90

The information furnished in this manual does not include all of the details of design, production, or variations of the
equipment. Nor does it cover every possible situation which may arise during operation or maintenance. If you
need special assistance beyond the scope of this manual, please contact your authorized Crown representative or
our Technical Support Group.

Crown Audio Technical Support Group

Plant 2 SW, 1718 W. Mishawaka Rd., Elkhart, Indiana 46517 U.S.A.

Phone: [phone] (North America, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands) or 219-294-8200

Fax: [phone] Fax Back (North America only): 800-294-4094 or 219-293-9200

Fax Back (International): 219-294-8100 Internet: http://www.crownaudio.com

IMPORTANT

THE POWER-TECH 1 AND 2 REQUIRE CLASS 2 OUTPUT WIRING.

THE POWERTECH 3 REQUIRES CLASS 1 WIRING IF USED IN THE

BRIDGE MONO OR PARALLEL MONO MODES.

C A U T I O N

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK DO

NOT REMOVE TOP OR BOTTOM
COVERS. NO USER SERVICEABLE
PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING

TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSON­NEL. DISCONNECT POWER CORD

BEFORE REMOVING BACK PANEL

COVER TO ACCESS GAIN SWITCH.

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC

SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS

EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE!

A V I S

RISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE

N’OUVREZ PAS

À PRÉVENIR LE CHOC

ÉLECTRIQUE N’ENLEVEZ

PAS LES COUVERTURES.

RIEN DES PARTIES

UTILES À L’INTÉRIEUR.

DÉBRANCHER LA BORNE

AVANT D’ENLEVER LA

COVERTURE EN ARRIÈRE.

Magnetic Field

CAUTION! Do not locate sensitive high-gain
equipment such as preamplifiers or tape decks
directly above or below the unit. Because this

amplifier has a high power density, it has a strong
magnetic field which can induce hum into unshielded
devices that are located nearby. The field is strongest
just above and below the unit.

If an equipment rack is used, we recommend locating
the amplifier(s) in the bottom of the rack and the
preamplifier or other sensitive equipment at the top.

Lightning Bolt Symbol:

This symbol is used to alert the user
to the presence of dangerous
voltages and the possible risk of
electric shock.

Exclamation Mark Symbol:

This symbol is used to alert the user to
refer to the instruction manual for
important operating or maintenance
instructions.

Printed on

recycled paper.

Power-Tech Series Power Amplifiers

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 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 is provided for your safety. If the provided
plug does not fit 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 specified by
the manufacturer.

12) Unplug this apparatus during lightning stor ms
or when unused for long periods of time.

13) Refer all servicing to qualified service person­nel. Servicing is required when the apparatus
has been damaged in any way, such as power­supply 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.

CONTENTS

1 Welcome ................................................... 5

1.1 Unpacking..................................................................... 5

1.2 Features ........................................................................ 5

2 Installation................................................. 6

2.1 Stereo 6

2.2 Mono 6

2.3 Input Sensitivity Adjustment ......................................... 8

2.4 Additional Load Protection ........................................... 8

2.5 Required AC Mains....................................................... 8

3 Operation................................................... 9

3.1 Precautions................................................................... 9

3.2 Indicators...................................................................... 9

3.3 Protection Systems ....................................................... 9

3.3.1

ODEP.................................................................

3.3.2 Ultrasonic and RF Protection............................. 9

3.3.3 Drive Protection................................................. 9

3.3.4 Transformer Thermal Protection ...................... 10

3.3.5 Fuses and Circuit Breakers.............................. 10

3.4 Controls...................................................................... 10

3.5 Filter Cleaning ............................................................ 10

4 Specifications ............................................11

5 Accessories ............................................... 17

5.1 MT-XLR ...................................................................... 17

5.2 MT-BB ........................................................................ 17

6 Service .................................................... 18

6.1 Worldwide Service ...................................................... 18

6.2 North American Service .............................................. 18

6.2.1 Service at a North American Service Center .... 18

6.2.2 Factory Service ................................................ 18

9

Page 4 Reference Manual

Power-Tech Series Power Amplifiers

Fig. 1.1 Power-Tech Front and Back Panels

1 Welcome

Congratulations on purchasing a Crown

™

Tech

amplifier.

Power-Tech

amplifiers are compact,
professional stereo power amplifiers engineered to
meet the most demanding sound reinforcement
needs. They compare very favorably to more expen­sive amplifiers, providing uncolored sound and signal­to-noise ratios commonly associated with recording
studios.

This manual will help you successfully install and
use your amplifier—we strongly recommend you read
all instructions, warnings and cautions. If you plan to
operate in one of the two mono modes, be sure to
read the Mono section. Also for your protection,
please save your bill of sale since it is your official

proof of purchase.

1.1 Unpacking

Please unpack and inspect your new amplifier
for any damage that may have occurred during
transit. If damage is found, notify the transportation
company immediately. Only you may initiate a claim
with the carrier for shipping damage. Even if the unit
arrived in perfect condition, as most do, save all
packing materials so you will have them if you ever
need to transport the unit. NEVER SHIP THE UNIT

WITHOUT THE FACTORY PACK.

Power-

1.2 Features

❏ Rugged, professional power amplifier built for the road.

Mounts in EIA standard 19-inch (48.3-cm) rack.

❏ Quick-access front panel power switch and level

controls. Turn-on delay for loudspeaker protection.

®

❏ The patented

design combine to provide performance and reliability
that surpass all traditional designs.

❏ Easy to read signal presence (SPI) and distortion

❏ High damping factor provides superior control over

❏ Safe with any load. Bridge-Mono and Parallel-Mono

❏ Complete protection against shorted outputs, mis-

❏ Balanced phone jack inputs with internal three position

❏ Efficient heat sinks and self-contained forced-air

❏ Three year “No-Fault” full warranty protects your

®

IOC

) indicator for each channel.

(

low-frequency drivers for a clean, accurate low end.

modes make it easy to optimize the amplifier’s perfor­mance for a wide range of loads.

matched loads, overheating, input/output DC and high­frequency overload; full internal fault protection.

sensitivity switch and front-panel level controls. XLR
and barrier block input connectors are optional.

cooling system dissipate heat quickly and evenly for
extra amplifier protection and greater output power.

investment and guarantees its specifications.

ODEP

circuitry and

Grounded Bridge

™

Page 5Reference Manual

Power-Tech Series Power Amplifiers

2 Installation

Always remove power from the unit and turn the level
controls off (fully counterclockwise) when making or
breaking connections. This reduces the chance of
blasts that can cause loudspeaker damage.

The guidelines below are provided to help you quickly
get your amplifier installed and ready to go. Be sure to
follow the instructions in Sections 2.1 and 2.2 for the
selected mode of operation. Additional information on
input sensitivity, load protection and required AC mains
is provided in Sections 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5.

1. Install the amplifier in an EIA standard 19-inch
(48.3-cm) rack or place it on a stable surface. Y our
amplifier is 19 inches (48.3 cm) wide, 3.5 inches
(8.9 cm) tall and 16 inches (40.6 cm) deep behind
the mounting surface. IMPORTANT: Make sure

the unit has adequate ventilation.

Fig. 2.1 Do NOT Block Air Flow

2. Use high-quality loudspeaker cables to connect
the load to the amplifier’s outputs. Do not use
shielded cable.

3. Use shielded cables to connect audio sources to
the amplifier inputs. Either balanced or unbal­anced wiring can be used as shown below. (XLR
connectors are available with the MT-XLR acces­sory, see Section 5.)

2.1 Stereo

1. Turn down the level controls (fully counterclock­wise) and

turn off the amplifier.

2. Set the back panel stereo/mono switch to Stereo.

3. If present, remove the Parallel-Mono jumper.

4. Connect the input and output cables as shown in
the first example in Figure 2.3.

5. Turn on the amplifier and adjust the level for each
channel with the front panel controls.

CAUTION: Never parallel the two outputs by directly
tying them together, and

never parallel them with the

output of another amplifier.

2.2 Mono

Your amplifier’s mono modes provide double the power
of Stereo mode in a single channel. In Bridge-Mono
mode, the outputs are wired in series for twice the output
voltage. In Parallel-Mono mode, the outputs are
paralleled for twice the current capacity.

Bridge-Mono mode is provided for loads with an
impedance greater than 4 ohms. Parallel-Mono mode
should be used with loads of 4 ohms or less.

B R I D G E - M O N O

1. Turn down the level controls (fully counterclockwise) and

turn off the amplifier.

2. Set the back panel stereo/mono switch to Bridge-Mono.

3. If installed, remove the Parallel-Mono jumper wire.

4. Connect the input and output cables as shown in the

second example in Figure 2.3. Only use the Channel 1

input.

5. Make sure the load is balanced (neither side shorted to

ground) and do not use the black (–) binding posts.

6. Turn on the amplifier and adjust the level. Only use the

Channel 1 level control.

P A R A L L E L - M O N O

1. Turn down the level controls (fully counterclockwise) and

turn off the amplifier.

2. Set the back panel stereo/mono switch to Parallel-Mono.

3. Install a solid, 14-gauge (2-mm2) or heavier jumper wire

across the two red (+) binding post outputs.

4. Connect the input and output cables following the third

example in Figure 2.3. Only use the Channel 1 input.

5. Turn on the amplifier and adjust the level. Only use the

Channel 1 level control.

CAUTION: With Parallel-Mono wiring, do not switch to
Stereo or Bridge-Mono mode until the output jumper wire
is removed.

IMPORTANT: The Channel 2
when operating in Parallel-Mono mode.

IOC

indicator will remain lit

Fig. 2.2 Power-Tech Input Wiring

Page 6 Reference Manual