Crown Audio ce 4000 User Manual

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CE Series

Operation Manual

CE 4000

Obtaining Other Language Versions: To obtain information in another language about the use of this product, please contact your local Crown Distributor. If you need assistance locating your local distributor, please contact Crown at 574-294-8000.

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 installation, operation or maintenance.

The information provided in this manual was deemed accurate as of the publication date. However, updates to this information may have occurred. To obtain the latest version of this manual, please visit the Crown website at www.crownaudio.com.

Trademark Notice: Amcron, BCA and Crown are registered trademarks of Crown International. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Some models may be exported under the name Amcron.®

127393-5

11/03

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Important Safety Instructions

CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

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 ﬁ 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 speciﬁ ed by the manufacturer.

12) Use only with a cart, stand, bracket, or table speciﬁ 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 qualiﬁ 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.

15) To reduce the risk of ﬁ re or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE TOP OR BOTTOM COVERS. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

À PRÉVENIR LE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE N’ENLEVEZ PAS LES COUVERCLES. IL N’Y A PAS DES PARTIES SERVICEABLE À L’INTÉRIEUR. TOUS REPARATIONS DOIT ETRE FAIRE PAR PERSONNEL QUALIFIÉ SEULMENT.

IMPORTANT

The CE 4000 ampliﬁ er requires Class 2 output wiring in stereo. Class 1 output wiring is required in Bridge mode.

WATCH FOR THESE SYMBOLS:

The lightning bolt triangle is used to alert the user to the risk of electric shock.

The exclamation point triangle is used to alert the user to important operating or maintenance instructions.

FCC COMPLIANCE NOTICE

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

CAUTION: Changes or modiﬁ cations not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the operation manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

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Operation Manual

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

Crown International, Inc.

Issued By: Crown International, Inc.

1718 W. Mishawaka Rd. Elkhart, IN 46517 U.S.A.

European Representative’s Name and Address:

Nick Owen 19 Clos Nant Coslech Pontprennau Cardiff CF23 8ND United Kingdom

Equipment Type: Commercial Audio Power Ampliﬁ ers Family Name: CE Model Names: CE4000

EMC Standards:

EN 55103-1:1995 Electromagnetic Compatibility - Product Family Standard for Audio, Video, Audio-Visual and Entertainment Lighting Control Apparatus for Professional Use, Part 1: Emissions EN 55103-1:1995 Magnetic Field Emissions-Annex A @ 10 cm and 1 M EN 61000-3-2:1995 Limitation for Harmonic Current Emissions (equipment input current ≤16A per phase) EN 61000-3-3:1995 Limitation of Voltage Fluctuations and Flicker in Low-Voltage Supply Systems Rated Current ≤16A EN 55022:1992 + A1:1995 & A2:1997 Limits and Methods of Measurement of Radio Disturbance Characteristics of ITE: Radiated, Class B Limits; Conducted, Class B EN 55103-2:1996 Electromagnetic Compatibility - Product Family Standard for Audio, Video, Audio-Visual and Entertainment Lighting Control Apparatus for Professional Use, Part 2: Immunity EN 61000-4-2:1995 Electrostatic Discharge Immunity (Environment E2-Criteria B, 4k V Contact, 8k V Air Discharge) EN 61000-4-3:1996 Radiated, Radio-Frequency, Electromagnetic Immunity (Environment E2, Criteria A) EN 61000-4-4:1995 Electrical Fast Transient/Burst Immunity (Criteria B) EN 61000-4-5:1995 Surge Immunity (Criteria B) EN 61000-4-6:1996 Immunity to Conducted Disturbances Induced by Radio-Frequency Fields (Criteria A) EN 61000-4-11:1994 Voltage Dips, Short Interruptions and Voltage Variation

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

Sue Whitﬁ eld 574-294-8289 swhitﬁ eld@crownintl.com

Safety Standard:

EN 60065: 1998 Safety Requirements - Audio Video and Similar Electronic Apparatus

I certify that the product identiﬁ ed above conforms to the requirements of the EMC Council Directive 89/336/EEC as amended by 92/31/EEC, and the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EES as amended by 93/68/EEC.

Signed

Title: Senior Vice President of Manufacturing

Operation Manual

Larry Coburn

Date of Issue: June 27, 2000

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Page 4

Table of Contents

CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

Important Safety Instructions .................................................... 2

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

1.1 Features........................................................... 5

1.2 Unpacking Your Ampliﬁ er.................................5

2 How to Use This Manual................................ 5

3 Setup ..................................................... 6

3.1 Unpack Your Ampliﬁ er......................................6

3.2 Install Your Ampliﬁ er ........................................6

3.3 Ensure Proper Cooling .....................................6

3.4 Choose Input Wire and Connectors..................7

3.5 Choose Output Wire and Connectors................ 8

3.6 Wire Your System............................................. 9

3.6.1 Stereo Mode............................................9

3.6.2 How to Parallel the Inputs ........................ 9

3.6.3 Bridge-Mono Mode.................................9

3.7 Connect to AC Mains...................................... 10

3.8 Startup Procedure........................................... 10

4 Operation ................................................ 10

4.1 Precautions...................................................... 10

4.2 Front Panel Controls and Indicators ...............11

4.3 Back Panel Controls and Connectors.............. 12

5 Advanced Features and Options ......................13

5.1 Protection Systems......................................... 13

5.1.1 Anti-Clip Limiters..................................13

5.1.2 Fault...................................................13

5.1.3 High-Pass Filter.................................13

5.2 Circuit Design.............................................13

5.2.1 BCA ...................................................13

5.2.2 Switching Power Supply with PFC......13

5.3 Other Featurers ...........................................14

5.3.1 Low-Pass Filters ................................14

5.3.2 Neutrik Speakon Wiring ......................14

5.4 Options .......................................................14

5.4.1 SST Modules .....................................14

5.4.2 Output Connectors.............................14

5.4.3 Handle Kit ..........................................14

6 Troubleshooting.................................. 15

7 Speciﬁ cations .................................... 16

8 Service ............................................ 18

8.1 Worldwide Service ......................................18

8.2 US and Canada Service...............................18

8.2.1 Service at a US and

Canada Service Center..............................18

8.2.2Factory Service ....................................18

9 Warranty .......................................... 19

Factory Service Information Form. .................................21

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Operation Manual

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

1 Welcome 2 How to Use This

Crown® CE 4000 ampliﬁ ers have been engineered from the bottom up to provide superior power output, increased efﬁ ciency, legendary Crown sound and extraordinary reliability. They were designed using Crown’s patented, award-wining BCA rent Ampliﬁ er) engineering.

Modern power ampliﬁ ers are sophisticated pieces of engineering capable of producing extremely high power levels. They must be treated with respect and correctly installed if they are to provide the many years of reliable service for which they were designed.

In addition, the CE 4000 ampliﬁ er includes a number of features which require some explanation before they can be used to their maximum advantage.

Please take the time to study this manual so that you can obtain the best possible service from your ampliﬁ er.

1.1 Features

• Patented, award-winning BCA technology.

• Switch-mode power supply with PFC (power-factor correction) allows universal use.

• Compatible with SST (System Solution Topologies) input modules.

(Balanced Cur-

• Sub-bass output via integral 4-position high-pass and 3-position low-pass ﬁ lter sets for each channel.

• Choice of dual output connectors: 5-way binding post plus Neutrik 5-way binding post plus barrier-strip, or dual Neutrik Speakon.

• 3-speed fan-on-demand.

• Extremely reliable; keeps running under the harshest of conditions.

• Weighs just 33.3 pounds (15.1 kg).

1.2 Unpacking Your Ampliﬁ er

Please unpack and inspect your ampliﬁ er for any damage that may have occurred during transit. If damage is found, notify the transportation company immediately. Only you can initiate a claim for shipping damage. Crown will be happy to help as needed. Save the shipping carton as evidence of damage for the shipper’s inspection.

We also recommend that you 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.

Speakon®,

Manual

This manual provides you with the necessary information to safely and correctly setup and operate your ampliﬁ er. It does not cover every aspect of installation, setup or operation that might occur under every condition. For additional information, please consult Crown’s Ampliﬁ er Application Guide (available online at www.crownaudio.com), Crown Tech Support, your system installer or retailer.

We strongly recommend you read all instructions, warnings and cautions contained in this manual. Also, for your protection, please send in your warranty registration card today. And save your bill of sale—it’s your ofﬁ cial proof of purchase.

Operation Manual

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3 Setup

CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

3.1 Unpack Your Ampliﬁ er

YOU WILL NEED (not supplied):

• Two input wiring cables

• Two output wiring cables

• Rack for mounting ampliﬁ er (or a stable surface for stacking)

WARNING: Before you start to set up your ampliﬁ er, make sure you read and observe the Important Safety Instructions found at the beginning of this manual.

3.2 Install Your Ampliﬁ er

CAUTION: Before you begin, make sure your ampliﬁ er is disconnected from the power source, with power switch in the “off” position and all level controls turned completely down (counterclockwise).

Use a standard 19-inch (48.3 cm) equipment rack. See Figure 3.1 for ampliﬁ er dimensions.

You may also stack amps without using a cabinet.

NOTE: When transporting, ampliﬁ ers should be supported at both front and back.

3.3 Ensure Proper Cooling

When using an equipment rack, mount units directly on top of each other. Close any open spaces in rack with blank panels. DO NOT block front or rear air vents.

Figure 3.2 illustrates standard amplifier airflow.

Figure 3.2 Airﬂ ow

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Figure 3.1 Dimensions

Operation Manual

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CE 4000

3 Setup

Power Ampliﬁ er

3.4 Choose Input Wire and Connectors

Crown recommends using pre-built or professionally wired, balanced line (two-conductor plus shield), 22-24 gauge cables and connectors. Depending upon which ampliﬁ er input you choose, you should use either 3-pin male XLR connectors, TRS phone connectors, or terminal forks at the ampliﬁ er inputs.

Unbalanced line may also be used but may result in noise over long cable runs.

Note: Ampliﬁ er input connectors not used for audio signal input may be used for daisy-chaining of the audio signal to other components.

Refer to Figure 3.3 for correct connector pin assignments for balanced wiring, and Figure

3.4 for correct connector pin assignments for unbalanced wiring.

NOTE: Custom wiring should only be performed by qualiﬁ ed personnel.

Balanced Line Unbalanced Line

Figure 3.3 Balanced Input

Connector Wiring

Figure 3.4 Unbalanced Input

Connector Wiring

Operation Manual

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3 Setup

CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

3.5 Choose Output Wire

and Connectors

Crown recommends using pre-built or professionally wired, high-quality, two- or fourconductor, heavy gauge speaker wire and connectors. If your ampliﬁ er includes Neutrik® Speakon® outputs, use male Speakon NL4C connectors for your output connectors (see Figure 3.5). If your ampliﬁ er includes barrier block outputs, you may use spade lugs or bare wire for your output connectors (see Figure

3.6). If your ampliﬁ er includes binding post

outputs, you may use banana plugs, spade lugs or bare wire for your output connectors (see Figure 3.7).To prevent the possibility of short-circuits, wrap or otherwise insulate exposed loudspeaker cable connectors.

Using the guidelines below, select the appropriate size of wire based on the distance from ampliﬁ er to speaker.

Distance Wire Size

up to 25 ft. 16 gauge 26-40 ft. 14 gauge 41-60 ft. 12 gauge 61-100 ft. 10 gauge 101-150 ft. 8 gauge 151-250 ft. 6 gauge

OUTPUTS

CH-2

CH-1

Figure 3.5 Speakon Output Connector Wiring

OUTPUTS

CH-2

CH-1

Figure 3.6 Barrier Block Output Connector Wiring

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CAUTION: Never use shielded cable for output wiring.

OUTPUTS

CH-2

CH-1

Figure 3.7 Binding Post Output Connector Wiring

Operation Manual

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CE 4000

3 Setup

Power Ampliﬁ er

3.6 Wire Your System

3.6.1 Stereo Mode

Typical input and output wiring is shown in Figure 3.8. INPUTS: Connect input wiring for both channels. OUTPUTS: Maintain proper polarity (+/-) on output connectors. Connect Channel-1 positive (+) speaker load to Channel-1 positive terminal

of amp; repeat for negative (-). Repeat Channel-2 wiring as for Channel 1. Refer to Section 3.6 for output connector pin assignments. Make sure the Mode switch set to the “Stereo” position when operating in Stereo mode.

3.6.2 How to Parallel the Inputs

There are three ways to feed the same signal to each ampliﬁ er channel:

1. Buy a “Y” cable. Plug the female end into your signal cable, and plug the split male ends into both ampliﬁ er inputs.

2. Feed your signal to the Channel-1 input (either barrier-block or combo). Connect a jumper wire (Figure 3.9) between the barrier-block Channel-1 (+) screw terminal and the Channel-2 (+) screw terminal. Connect another jumper wire between the Channel-1 (–) screw terminal and the Channel-2 (–) screw terminal.

3. Feed your signal to the Channel-1 input screw terminals. Using a mic cable or phone-to-phone cable, connect Channel-1 combo jack to Channel-2 combo jack.

Figure 3.8 System Wiring, Stereo Mode

3.6.3 Bridge-Mono Mode

Typical input and output wiring is shown in Figure 3.10. INPUTS: Connect input wiring to Channel 1. OUTPUTS: Connect the speaker across the positive terminals of each chan-

nel. Do not use the negative terminals when the amp is being operated in Bridge-Mono mode. Refer to Section 3.6 for output connector pin assignments. Make sure the Mode switch is set to the “Bridge” position when operating in Bridge-Mono mode.

NOTE: The Channel 2 level control should be set fully counterclockwise when operating the ampliﬁ er in Bridge-Mono mode.

NOTE: Crown provides a reference of wiring pin assignments for commonly used connector types in the Crown Ampliﬁ er Application Guide (Section

1.21.) available at www.crownaudio.com

Operation Manual

Figure 3.10 System Wiring, Bridge-Mono Mode

Figure 3.9

Jumper Placement to

Parallel the Inputs

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

3 Setup

3.7 Connect to AC Mains

Connect your ampliﬁ er to the AC mains power source (power outlet) with the supplied AC power cordset. First, connect the IEC end of the cordset to the IEC connector on the ampliﬁ er; then, plug the other end of the cordset to the AC mains.

WARNING: The third prong of this connector (ground) is an important safety feature. Do not attempt to disable this ground connection by using an adapter or other methods.

Ampliﬁ ers don’t create energy. The AC mains voltage and current must be sufﬁ cient to deliver the power you expect. You must operate your ampliﬁ er from an AC mains power source with not more than 10% variation above or below the ampliﬁ er’s speciﬁ ed line voltage and within the specﬁ ed frequency requirements (indicated on the ampliﬁ er’s back panel label). If you are unsure of the output voltage of your AC mains, please consult your electrician.

3.8 Startup Procedure

Use the following procedure when ﬁ rst turning on your ampliﬁ er:

1. Turn down the level of your audio source.

2. Turn down the level controls of the ampli-

ﬁ er.

3. Turn on the “Power” switch. The Power

indicator should glow.

4. Turn up the level of your audio source to

an optimum level.

5. Turn up the Level controls on the ampli-

ﬁ er until the desired loudness or power level is achieved.

6. Turn down the level of your audio source

to its normal range.

If you ever need to make any wiring or installation changes, don’t forget to disconnect

the power cord.

For help with determining your system’s optimum gain structure (signal levels) please refer to the Crown Ampliﬁ er Application Guide, available online at www.crownaudio.com.

4 Operation

4.1 Precautions

Your ampliﬁ er is protected from internal and external faults, but you should still take the following precautions for optimum performance and safety:

1. Before use, your ampliﬁ er ﬁ rst must be conﬁ gured for proper operation, including input and output wiring hookup. Improper wiring can result in serious operating difﬁ culties. For information on wiring and conﬁ guration, please consult the Setup section of this manual or, for advanced setup techniques, consult Crown’s Ampliﬁ er Application Guide available online at www.crownaudio.com.

2. Use care when making connections, selecting signal sources and controlling the output level. The load you save may be your own!

3. Do not short the ground lead of an output cable to the input signal ground. This may form a ground loop and cause oscillations.

4. Never connect the output to a power supply, battery or power main. Electrical shock may result.

5. Tampering with the circuitry, or making unauthorized circuit changes may be hazardous and invalidates all agency listings.

6. Do not operate the ampliﬁ er with the red Clip LEDs constantly ﬂ ashing.

7. Do not overdrive the mixer, which will cause clipped signal to be sent to the ampliﬁ er. Such signals will be reproduced with extreme accuracy, and loudspeaker damage may result.

8. Do not operate the ampliﬁ er with less than the rated load impedance. Due to the ampliﬁ er’s output protection, such a conﬁ guration may result in premature clipping and speaker damage.

Remember: Crown is not liable for damage that results from overdriving other system components.

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Operation Manual

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

4 Operation

4.2 Front Panel Controls and Indicators

A. Power Switch

Ampliﬁ er is on when the switch is in the

“I” position.

B. Cooling Vents

Front-to-rear forced airﬂ ow.

C. Power Indicator

Green LED indicates ampliﬁ er has been

turned on and AC power is available.

D. Signal Indicator

Green LED illuminates to indicate the pres-

ence of signal at the corresponding channel’s input. One per channel.

E. Clip Indicator

Red LED illuminates when the channel’s

output signal is being overdriven. One per channel.

F. Fault Indicator

Red LED illuminates when the correspond-

ing channel is in protect mode. Also illuminates brieﬂ y during normal power-up when ampliﬁ er is ﬁ rst switched on. One per channel.

G. Level Control

Rotary detented level control, one per

channel.

Operation Manual

Figure 4.1 Front Panel Controls and Indicators

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4 Operation

CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

4.3 Back Panel Controls and Connectors

H. Balanced Barrier Block Inputs

(if equipped)

Screw-terminal Barrier Block. One set per

channel.

I. Neutrik® Combo Balanced Inputs

Combination three-pin female XLR and

TRS. One per channel.

J. Neutrik® Speakon® Outputs

(if equipped)

Accept male NL4C connector.

K. 5-Way Binding Post Outputs

(if equipped)

Accept banana plugs, spade lugs or bare

wire. (European models do not accept banana plugs). One pair per channel

L. IEC Power Connector

M. Fault Connector

Female RJ-45 for connection to external

circuit to monitor ampliﬁ er Fault status.

N. Sensitivity Switch

Allows selection of .775V, 1.4V or 26-dB

sensitivity.

O. Mode Switch

Allows selection of Stereo or Bridge

operation.

P. Low-Pass Filter Switch

Allows selection of Flat, 80 Hz or 100 Hz

roll-off. One per channel.

Q. High-Pass Filter Switch

Allows selection of Flat, 30 Hz, 40 Hz or 50 Hz roll-off. One per channel.

R. 3-Speed Fan-on-Demand

Provides forced-air cooling of the ampliﬁ er.

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Figure 4.2 Back Panel Controls and Connectors

Operation Manual

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

5 Advanced Features and Options

Figure 5.1 Fault Indicator

NOTE: For detailed information about these Crown ampliﬁ er features, please consult the Crown Ampliﬁ er Application Guide, available on the Crown website at www.crownaudio.com.

5.1 Protection Systems

Your Crown ampliﬁ er provides extensive protection and diagnostic capabilities, including built-in anti-clip limiters, ampliﬁ er fault protection, and switchable high-pass ﬁ lters.

5.1.1 Anti-Clip Limiters

Your Crown ampliﬁ er has built-in Anti-Clip Limiters which offer a degree of protection to your loudspeakers. The Anti-Clip Limiters work by dynamically reducing the ampliﬁ er gain if the output stage is driven into clip, thereby reducing potentially damaging distortion to moderate levels.

While some audio systems may already contain protective limiters preceeding the ampliﬁ er in the system, the ampliﬁ er’s Anti-Clip Limiters generally will not noticeably affect output quality. For systems without additional protection, the Anti-Clip Limiters can enhance your system’s output quality and prevent catastrophic damage to your speakers.

Even with the Anti-Clip Limiters, your ampliﬁ er should never be operated at a level which causes the front-panel Clip LEDs to illuminate constantly. While the Anti-Clip Limiters help to prevent damage due to signal distortion, your speakers can still be damaged by excess power dissipation.

5.1.2 Fault

The ampliﬁ er will light the Fault LED (Figure

5.1) of an ampliﬁ er channel under ﬁ ve different conditions:

1. When the ampliﬁ er is ﬁ rst powered up, until the unit is ready for operation.

2. If the heatsinks reach a temperature above normal working limits.

3. If the transformer thermal protection circuit is activated.

Figure 5.2 Fault Jack

Figure 5.3 HighPass Filter Switch

4. If ampliﬁ er output wires develop a shortcircuit.

5. Should the ampliﬁ er output stage become non-operational.

The Fault status of the ampliﬁ er can also be monitored remotely by attaching a signaling device to the Fault jack (see Figure 5.2). For suggestions for external signaling circuits to use, see Section 1.5 of the Crown Ampliﬁ er Application Guide, available on the Crown website at www.crownaudio.com.

5.1.3 High-Pass Filters

Very low frequency signals contain no useful musical energy, waste valuable ampliﬁ er power and headroom, and can be damaging to your speakers. Your Crown ampliﬁ er provides switchable high-pass ﬁ lters to remove these signals from each channel’s output.

For each channel, a back-panel, three-position switch provides optional settings of Flat, 30 Hz, 40 Hz, or 50 Hz (left to right, see Figure

5.3). The 30 Hz setting is suitable for all

full-range and low-frequency applications. The lower-frequency settings may be selected when the ampliﬁ er is being used to drive a sub-bass program; use only with speakers that provide a useful frequency response below the frequency setting. The FLAT setting provides bypass of the high-pass ﬁ lters, for use when subsonic protection is provided elsewhere in the system.

5.2 Circuit Designs

5.2.1 BCA

BCA (Balanced Current Ampliﬁ er) is Crown’s patented, cutting-edge technology that gets more power out of an ampliﬁ er with less waste than was ever before possible. A completely new adaptation of standard ampliﬁ er design, Crown’s BCA “switching” ampliﬁ er design provides for high output, exceptional reliability and nearly twice the efﬁ ciency of typical ampliﬁ er designs.

Crown’s BCA “switching” technology is a completely new adaptation of standard switching (PWM) ampliﬁ er design. In fact, BCA is differ-

ent enough from other ampliﬁ er classes that it received a patent and merits it’s own class designation, “class-I.”

BCA technology offers several key advantages. It provides unprecedented efﬁ ciency, requiring less power from the AC supply than other designs, meaning signiﬁ cant cost savings over the life of the ampliﬁ er. BCA handles reactive speaker loads easily and gracefully, by reusing energy returned from the speaker rather than dissipating it as heat or forcing the amp into premature current-limiting. This ability makes BCA models extremely resilient—especially at low, 2-ohm impedances. It also makes them more reliable, since they are not constantly stressed to their limits or subjected to excessive heat. Best of all, as proud owners can attest, amps with BCA technology sound great, with a powerful low-end that stands out from the competition.

5.2.2 Switching Power Supply with PFC

Crown’s new Switching Power Supply with PFC provides a range of beneﬁ ts over both nonswitching and conventional switching powersupply designs.

Typical non-switching power supplies require large, heavy transformers in order to produce the required power at the output stage. These transformers must be large to absorb the substantial waste that occurs when operating at 50 to 60 Hz (standard AC supplied by the power company).

By contrast, switching power supplies can operate with a much smaller (and lighter) transformer because they ﬁ rst convert the AC up to a much higher frequency, thereby reducing waste.

However, in both non-switching and conventional switching designs, phase differences occur within the power supply due to the inductance of the transformer. This phase difference prevents much of the available power from the AC mains from making its way to the load.

Operation Manual

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

Figure 5.4 LowPass Filter Switch

PFC, however, compensates for phase differences in the power supply, allowing more true power to be transferred to the ampliﬁ er. The result is more power with less waste than any other conventional switching or non-switching design.

As an added beneﬁ t, PFC also allows the amp to be connected to any common AC line voltage, without converting the power supply. This means that whether you’re running one or two amps on a household circuit or several amps on a power distro, your CE 4000 ampliﬁ ier is ready—right out of the box.

5.3 Other Features

5.3.1 Low Pass Filters

For each channel, a back-panel, three-position switch provides optional settings of Flat (Left), 80 Hz (center) and 100 Hz (right) with an 18-dB per octave rolloff (see Figure 5.4). The 80- and 100-Hz settings may be selected when the ampliﬁ er is being used to drive a bass program. The FLAT setting provides bypass of the low-pass ﬁ lters, for use either when a crossover is provided elsewhere in the system, or when the signal is full-range.

5.3.2 Neutrik Speakon Wiring

The Neutrik Speakon NL4 connector is a fourpole type, which allows either one or two sets of speakers to be wired to one connector. Figure 5.5 shows the wiring pin assignments.

Figure 5.5 Speakon Pin Assignments

5.4 Options

5.4.1 SST Modules

Crown’s optional SST (System Solution Topologies) modules were specially designed to improve the ﬁ delity and versatility of your audio system. They feature a variety of professional signal routing and ﬁ ltering capabilities. Your ampliﬁ er may have come with an SST module already factory-installed, or your choice of SST modules can be easily added to the ampliﬁ er by any authorized Crown Service Center. For information on available SST modules, visit the Crown website at www.crownaudio.com.

5.4.2 Output Connectors

For added system ﬂ exibility, Crown offers optional output connector conﬁ gurations for your ampliﬁ er. If you prefer, you can choose to have dual Neutrik Speakon® output connectors (model CE4E) or 5-way binding post plus barrier strip (model CE4C) connectors installed in your ampliﬁ er in place of the standard Neutrik Speakon® plus 5-way binding post outputs (model CE4D) at time of ordering. For information on adding optional output connector modules to an existing CE 4000 ampliﬁ er, please contact Crown Technical Support (see Section 8 for contact information).

5.4.3 Handle Kit

Handles complement your ampliﬁ er’s appearance, aid in transportation, and the placement in or removal from racks. They are available from Crown’s Sales Department.

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Operation Manual

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

6 Troubleshooting

CONDITION: Normal operation.

POSSIBLE REASON:

• This is normal operation for your amp.

CONDITION: No power to the ampliﬁ er.

POSSIBLE REASON:

• The ampliﬁ er’s “Power” switch is off.

• The ampliﬁ er is not plugged into the power receptacle.

• The ampliﬁ er’s high-voltage power supply fuse has blown. Return amp to Crown or an authorized Crown Service Center for servicing.

CONDITION: No sound.

POSSIBLE REASON:

• The ampliﬁ er has just been turned on and is still in the 4-second turn-on delay.

• The ampliﬁ er is in “fault” mode. A Fault status can be triggered when one of the ampliﬁ er’s protection circuits is activated. First disconnect your speakers from the affected channel(s) one by one to determine if one of the loads is shorted. If the indicators return to normal status, then try a different speaker or cable to determine where the short is occurring. If no short can be found, turn off the amp and allow the amp to cool. If indicators do not return to normal after restarting your amp, check the fuse and replace if necessary, or return amp to Crown or an authorized Crown Service Center for servicing.

• No input signal.

• Input signal level is very low.

• Level controls are turned down.

KEY

Operation Manual

CONDITION: Distorted sound.

POSSIBLE REASON:

• Input signal level is too high. Turn down your ampliﬁ er level controls. NOTE: Your ampliﬁ er should never be operated at a level which causes the Clip LEDs to illuminate constantly.

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

7 Speciﬁ cations

Minimum Guaranteed Power (watts)

Dual Mode, both channels driven

1 kHz with 0.5% THD

2 ohm (per ch.), ≥ 200-V line voltage 1,800 2 ohm (per ch.), < 200-V line voltage 1,400 4 ohm (per ch.) 1,200 8 ohm (per ch.) 600

Bridge-Mono Mode

1 kHz with 0.5% THD

4 ohm, ≥ 200-V line voltage 3,600 4 ohm, < 200-V line voltage 2,800 8 ohm 2,400

Performance

Frequency Response (at 1 watt, 20Hz - 20kHz) ± 0.25 dB (see Figure 7.1) Phase Response (at 1 watt, 20Hz - 20kHz) ± 15°

Signal to Noise Ratio (A-weighted)

below rated power > 100 dB

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)

at rated power, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz ≤ 0.5%

Intermodulation Distortion (IMD)

60 Hz and 7 kHz at 4:1, from rated power to –30 dB at 8 ohms < 0.5%

Damping Factor (8 ohm) 10Hz to 400Hz > 1000

Note: Measured using binding-post output connectors

Crosstalk (below rated power, 10 kHz) > 50 dB Common Mode Rejection (CMR, 20 Hz to 1 kHz) > 70 dB DC Output Offset (shorted input) ±10 millivolts

Input Impedance

nominally balanced, nominally unbalanced 20 k ohms, 10 k ohms

Load Impedance

Note: Safe with all types of loads. Stereo 2-8 ohms Bridge-Mono 4-8 ohms

Voltage Gain (at rated output)

0.775V sensitivity 39.0 dB

1.4V sensitivity 33.8 dB

3.6V sensitivity 26 dB

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Operation Manual

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

7 Speciﬁ cations

Required AC Mains 50/60 Hz, 100-240VAC (±10%)

AC Line Current

100 Volts 8.5 A 120 Volts 7.1 A 230-240 Volts 3.7 A At Idle, amp draws no more than120 watts

Construction

Ventilation Flow-through ventilation from front to back. Cooling 3-speed fan-on-demand.

Dimensions

Width EIA Standard 19-inch rack mount (EIA RS-310-B); Height 5.25 inch (13.3 cm) Depth (behind mounting surface) 16.25 inch (36.6 cm) with additional 1-inch (2.5 cm) rear rack ears

Weight

Net Weight 33.3 pounds (15.1 kg) Shipping Weight 39.3 pounds (17.8 kg)

Figure 7.1 Frequency Response

Operation Manual

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Page 18

8 Service

CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

Crown ampliﬁ ers are quality units that rarely require servicing. Before returning your unit for servicing, please contact Crown Technical Support to verify the need for servicing.

This unit has very sophisticated circuitry which should only be serviced by a fully trained technician. This is one reason why each unit bears the following label:

CAUTION: To prevent electric shock, do not remove covers. No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to a qualiﬁ ed technician.

8.1 Worldwide Service

Service may be obtained from an authorized service center. (Contact your local Crown/ Amcron representative or our ofﬁ ce for a list of authorized service centers.) To obtain service, simply present the bill of sale as proof of purchase along with the defective unit to an authorized service center. They will handle the necessary paperwork and repair.

Remember to transport your unit in the original factory pack.

8.2 US and Canada Service

Service may be obtained in one of two ways: from an authorized service center or from the factory. You may choose either. It is important that you have your copy of the bill of sale as your proof of purchase.

8.2.1 Service at a US or Canada Service Center

This method usually saves the most time and effort. Simply present your bill of sale along with the defective unit to an authorized service center to obtain service. They will handle the necessary paperwork and repair. Remember to transport the unit in the original factory pack. A list of authorized service centers in your area can be obtained from our Technical Support Group.

8.2.2 Factory Service

To obtain factory service, ﬁ ll out the service information page found in the back of this manual and send it along with your proof of purchase and the defective unit to the Crown factory.

For warranty service, we will pay for ground shipping both ways in the United States. Contact Crown Factory Service or Technical Support to obtain prepaid shipping labels prior to sending the unit. Or, if you prefer, you may prepay the cost of shipping, and Crown will reimburse you. Send copies of the shipping receipts to Crown to receive reimbursement.

Your repaired unit will be returned via UPS ground. Please contact us if other arrangements are required.

Factory Service Shipping Instructions:

1. Before sending a Crown product to the factory for service, ﬁ rst call the Crown Service Department for a return authorization (RA) number.

2. Be sure to ﬁ ll out the service information form that follows and enclose it with your shipment, either inside the box or in a packing slip envelope securely attached to the outside of the shipping carton. Do not send the service information form separately.

3. To ensure the safe transportation of your unit to the factory, ship it in an original factory packing container. If you don’t have the original carton, you may obtain a product service foam-in-place shipping pack from the Crown Factory Service Department at the number listed

below. For non-warranty service, you may also provide your own shipping pack. Minimum recommended requirements for materials are as follows: 275 P.S.I. burst test Double-Wall carton that allows for 2-inch solid Styrofoam on all six sides of unit or 3 inches of plastic bubble wrap on all six sides of unit; securely seal the package with an adequate carton sealing tape. Do not use light boxes or “peanuts.” Damage caused by poor packing cannot be covered under warranty.

4. Do not ship the unit in any kind of cabinet (wood or metal). Ignoring this warning may result in extensive damage to the unit and the cabinet. Accessories are not needed—do not send the product documentation, cables and other hardware.

If you have any questions, please call or write the Crown Technical Support Group.

Crown Factory Service

1718 W. Mishawaka Rd.,

Elkhart, Indiana 46517 U.S.A.

Telephone: 574-294-8200

800-342-6939 (North America,

Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands only)

Facsimile:

574-294-8301 (Technical Support)

574-294-8124 (Factory Service)

Internet:

http://www.crownaudio.com

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Operation Manual

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CE 4000

YEAR

Power Ampliﬁ er

9 Warranty

UNITED STATES & CANADA

SUMMARY OF WARRANTY

Crown International, 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.

WHAT THE WARRANTOR WILL DO

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 encum-

brances. The refund will be equal to the actual purchase price, not including interest, insurance, closing costs, and other ﬁ nance 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 including the return shipment, and all taxes, duties, and other customs fees for such foreign shipments.)

HOW TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE

You must notify us of your need for warranty service within 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.

WARRANTY ALTERATIONS

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.

DESIGN CHANGES

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.

LEGAL REMEDIES OF PURCHASER

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 after expiration of the warranty period.

THIS STATEMENT OF WARRANTY SUPERSEDES ANY OTHERS CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL FOR CROWN PRODUCTS. 12/01

Operation Manual

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Page 20

YEAR

9 Warranty

WORLDWIDE EXCEPT USA & CANADA

CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

SUMMARY OF WARRANTY

Crown International, 1718 West Mishawaka Road, Elkhart, Indiana 46517-4095 U.S.A. warrants to you, the ORIGINAL PURCHASER and ANY SUBSEQUENT OWNER of each NEW Crown1 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, and we further warrant the new Crown product regardless of the reason for failure, except as excluded in this 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

WHAT THE WARRANTOR WILL DO

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.

HOW TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE

You must notify your local Crown importer of your need for warranty service within the warranty period. All components must be shipped in the original box. 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 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.

WARRANTY ALTERATIONS

DESIGN CHANGES

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.

LEGAL REMEDIES OF PURCHASER

No action to enforce this Crown Warranty shall be commenced after expiration of the warranty period.

THIS STATEMENT OF WARRANTY SUPERSEDES ANY OTHERS CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL FOR CROWN PRODUCTS. 7/01

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Operation Manual

Page 21

CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

Crown Factory Service Information

Shipping Address: Crown Factory Service, 1718 W. Mishawaka Rd., Elkhart, IN 46517

Phone: 1-800-342-6939 or 1-574-294-8200 Fax: 1-574-294-8124

Owner’s Name : ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Shipping Address : _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number ______________________________________ Fax Number: __________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________________________________

Model: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Serial Number:___________________________________________________________________

Purchase Date : ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NATURE OF PROBLEM

(Be sure to describe the conditions that existed when the problem occurred and what attempts were made to correct it.)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other equipment in system: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If warranty has expired, payment will be:

Card Number:______________________________________ Exp. Date:___________________

Signature:______________________________________________________________________

Cash/Check VISA MasterCard C.O.D. Purchase Order for Crown Dealer

Operation Manual

ENCLOSE THIS PORTION WITH THE UNIT. DO NOT MAIL SEPARATELY.

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CE 4000

Power Ampliﬁ er

page 22

Operation Manual

Page 23

CE 4000

NOTES

Power Ampliﬁ er

Operation Manual

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Crown Audio ce 4000 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual