Elac DPA-2 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Alchemy

™

DPA-2 STEREO/MONO AMPLIFIER

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Safety Instructions

1. General information

• Please read and follow these safety instructions.

• Keep them safe for future reference.

• Observe all warnings on the ampliﬁer and in the manual. Please check the ampliﬁer for damage before use. The ampliﬁer must be in perfect working condition. Damaged parts may lead to personal injury.

2. Use only as directed

• Connect the ampliﬁer according to the instructions in the manual.

3. Location

• Install the ampliﬁer on a level surface only

• When choosing the location of the ampliﬁer do not place it in locations that are:

• In direct sunlight

• Very humid

• Prone to vibrations

• Exceptionally hot or cold

WARNING! Please ensure the product is perfectly stable to avoid injury from tip-over. Do not install the ampliﬁer near any heat sources such as radiators, heating valves, stoves, or other apparatus that produce heat, or in areas where there is a risk of explosion.

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

• Do not install the ampliﬁer in a closed rack or in a closed cupboard.

• Do not put burning candles on or near the ampliﬁer.

• Do not install the ampliﬁer near transformers because electromagnetic stray ﬁelds can cause hum.

• In combination with certain materials / lacquers / material surfaces, anti-slip feet may cause colored imprints on the surfaces.

4. Overload

• Extreme overload of the device due to very high volume may cause damage to individual components. Because of the possible danger, you should never leave the ampliﬁer under extreme overload conditions unattended.

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5. Service DANGER! Do not open the ampliﬁer because there may be dangerous voltages inside. Servicing to be carried

out by qualiﬁed service personnel only.

Servicing is required when the ampliﬁer has been damaged in any way, such as damage to the power supply cord or the plug, or when liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen onto the ampliﬁer, the ampliﬁer has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped. To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not open the ampliﬁer. Servicing should be carried out by qualiﬁed service personnel only.

6. Cleaning NOTE: Clean only with soft, smooth cloth or with dust brush. Do not use scouring agents, alcohol, benzene,

furniture polish or other agents for cleaning! Modern furniture is often coated with multiple varnishes and plastics which can be treated with chemical agents. Some of these agents contain substances which degrade or soften the rubber feet. Therefore we advise that you place an anti-slip mat underneath the ampliﬁer.

7. Volume CAUTION! Continuous high volume may cause severe damage to your hearing. Please listen responsibly.

8. Disposal

• The packaging is made from recyclable materials. Dispose of this in an environmentally friendly manner. At end of life dispose of the ampliﬁer as e-waste. The ampliﬁer must be recycled in accordance with local legislation. Ask your local government for further information on recycling as the device contains valuable raw materials.

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Philosophy

Thank you for purchasing this ELAC product.

Since the time we started (1926), ELAC has always striven to achieve the very best.

Your new ELAC ampliﬁer is built to the highest standards using high-quality components that are carefully constructed to deliver the best-in-class sound quality. They are developed by a passionate group of individuals whose sole purpose is to bring a new dimension of sound quality into your home. Enjoy!

Before Use

Avoid damage to the ampliﬁer and other components:

Carefully unbox the ampliﬁer to avoid physically damaging your ampliﬁer.

Ensure your equipment is turned o before connecting speakers.

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Controls and Indicators

1. POWER Button—Used to power the ampliﬁer on and o

2. MUTE Indicator — This LED will illuminate when the MUTE function is active

3. RCA Input Indicator—This LED will illuminate when the RCA inputs are selected as the active inputs

4. XLR Input Indicator—This LED will illuminate with the XLS inputs are selected as the active inputs

5. L+R (Mono) Indicator—This LED will illuminate when the Mono function is active

6. +6db Indicator—This LED will illuminate when the GAIN function is active

7. MUTE Button—Used to activate the MUTE Function which will disable all output of the ampliﬁer when active

8. INPUT Button—Used to switch between the RCA and XLR Inputs on the rear of the ampliﬁer

9. MONO Button—Used to switch the ampliﬁer from Stereo to Mono (Double the power). This mode requires a dierent wiring connection. Please refer to the diagram on the rear of the ampliﬁer for more information

10. GAIN Button—Used to put the ampliﬁer in High Gain mode. Use this function if you are not getting the appropriate volume output from the ampliﬁer.

11. XLR Inputs—Used when connecting a balanced XLR based Pre-Ampliﬁer to the DPA-2 Ampliﬁer

12. RCA Inputs—Used when connecting an unbalanced RCA based Pre-Ampliﬁer

13. 12 Volt Trigger In/Out— Used when you want another device to power on/o your DPA-2.

14. Speaker Outputs— Used to connect the ampliﬁer to your speakers. Please refer the diagram on the rear of the ampliﬁer for correct speaker connection methods for both Mono and Stereo Setups.

15. AC Inlet—Used to connect the ampliﬁer to the main power

16. OEL Display—Use to display various information for setup and usage

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Wiring the Inputs

Connecting the Alchemy DPA-2 to a Pre-Ampliﬁer There are two dierent methods for connecting the ampliﬁer to a pre-amp. Both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) inputs are supported.

If you are connecting one DPA-2 for stereo operation carefully note which is the left input and which is the right so that you connect these cables to the correct outputs on your preampliﬁer.

For operation as a mono ampliﬁer you can connect to either the left or right inputs – they become connected together internally when the ampliﬁer is switched to mono mode and will work the same regardless of which one you use. What is important then is to be sure you have the left ampliﬁer connected to the left output of your preampliﬁer and the right ampliﬁer connected to the right output of the preampliﬁer.

Typically a balanced (XLR) connection will be more immune to hum, especially with longer cables, so it would be the preferred connection.

Whichever connection you choose, please use high quality cables for the best results.

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Wiring the Outputs

Connecting the DPA-2 Ampliﬁer to your Speakers Wiring a DPA-2 as a STEREO ampliﬁer is dierent from wiring it when in MONO. Please refer to the diagrams below for the correct connections.

When used as a STEREO ampliﬁer, as viewed from the front, the left pair of binding posts wire to the left speaker and the right pair wire to the right speaker. As printed below the jacks, the RED binding post is the PLUS (+) polarity and the BLACK post is the MINUS (-) polarity. Be sure to keep the polarity correct at both the back of the ampliﬁer and at the speakers. This will assure the speakers are in-phase and have the correct bass response and imaging. Out of phase speakers have signiﬁcantly less bass and the image is very diuse. These dierences are very apparent, and important to your enjoyment, so take the time to get it right.

If you are using the DPA-2 in MONO mode the speaker wire connection is dierent, as printed above the jacks. Again, as viewed from the front, the left RED post (labeled “LEFT +”) is the PLUS (+) lead to your speaker and the BLACK post (labeled “RIGHT –“) from the other pair of jacks is the MINUS (-) connection. Your second ampliﬁer would be wired exactly the same way and connected to the other speaker.

Speaker cables exist of many types and styles to provide you with abundant choice. Again, you are encouraged to try cables from a variety of manufacturers to get a sense of what you like.

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12 Volt Trigger Wiring and Usage

Should you wish to have your DPA-2 power on via a trigger signal from the DDP-2 or other similarly equipped preamp, you will need to wire to the trigger jacks (Fig 1). The DPA-2 has trigger pass-thru so a trigger signal sent to the ampliﬁer can then be output to the next product you wish to be controlled. In the case of mono DPA-2 the trigger output of one ampliﬁer would be fed to the trigger input of the second to assure that both ampliﬁers power up upon powering the preamp. The correct trigger cable is a 3.5mm MONO mini jack, wired where Tip is (+) and Sleeve is (-). A 3.5mm STEREO mini jack can also be used.

If you are planning on using the Trigger function you need to activate the Trigger mode from the display. Press and hold the SELECT button for 5 seconds to display this screen as shown in Fig 2. After a few seconds the display will change to “12V Trigger On”, and then go blank. It will awaken upon application of +12Volts to the trigger input. If you wish to turn o the 12V Trigger, press and hold the SELECT button for 5 seconds and the display will read “12V Trigger O”.

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Front Panel Display

The front panel display on the DPA-2 displays the current status of the ampliﬁer along with other useful information. Key information is explained below. At initial power on the DPA-2 will go through a brief warmup period during which it will be in mute. You will see the ELAC Alchemy Series Logo as the unit warms up.

If you are not using the Trigger function, the display will change to show “Power On”. If, however, you are using the Trigger function the unit will not be POWERED ON until the trigger signal from the preamp tells the DPA-2 to come on.

The screen will go blank just before PPA-2 unmutes and restores the last known status condition of all functions; Input 1 or 2, Gain and Mode. The ﬁrst time it comes on in your home it will be on Input 1, low gain and in stereo.

Select STEREO or MONO mode depending on how you have wired your DPA-2(s), the Input you wired to and assesses the need for higher gain by checking system volume (see below for details of the gain button.)

Should you be interested in monitoring your power output on the display screen, press the SELECT button. This screen will appear…

Left and right power will be displayed individually, or if in Mono mode, both bars will move simultaneously.

Special Messages - The DPA-2 is capable of producing substantial clean and undistorted power, certainly enough to be exceptionally loud or even damaging to some loudspeakers. Thus, there are a number of automatic protection systems built-in which are always operating in the background

Clipping monitor - Should the output level of DPA-2 approach the 1% Total Harmonic Distortion range (our threshold for the onset of clipping) a warning for the aected channel will show up in the display. This is a casual reminder to turn the level down a bit for continued safe operation.

Over current – If either channel reaches the absolute maximum power output level the DPA-2 will self-protect, by shutting down. The display will show the below warning.

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SPECIFICATIONS

DPA-2 Stereo Mode DPA-2 Mono Mode

Power output/channel (1% THD+N, 1 kHz)

Frequency response 5hz-20khz +/- 0.2dB 5hz-20khz +/- 0.2dB Nominal THD+N(1 watt into 8Ω) 0.003% 0.003% Signal-to-noise ratio (1 kHz) 94dB 92dB Input impedance RCA=12K, XLR=19K RCA=12K, XLR=19K Output impedance 0.03 Ohms @ 1KHz 0.03 Ohms @ 1KHz Channel separation (1 kHz) 70dB @ 1KHz n/a Gain 24dB/30dB 18dB/24dB Inputs Unbalanced RCA, Balanced XLR Unbalanced RCA, Balanced XLR Outputs 5-Way Binding Post 5-Way Binding Post Available ﬁnishes Black Black Dimensions (HxWxD) 2" x 17.5" x 15" including jacks and

Weight 14 lbs 14 lbs

325W/ch @ 4Ohms 625W @ 8Ohms

2" x 17.5" x 15" including jacks and

feet

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ELAC Americas Inc.

North America Limited Liability Warranty

Passive Speakers (No built-in ampliﬁer)

ELAC Americas INC. warrants to the original purchaser that this product be free from defects and or workmanship for a period of3 (Three)years from the original date of purchase. During this time period, repair or replacement of parts will be free of charge to the original owner (See below limitations). Shipping to and return from the repair center will be the responsibility of the original purchaser.

Powered Subwoofers

ELAC Americas INC. warrants to the original purchaser that this product be free from defects and or workmanship for a period of3 (Three)years on the cabinet and speaker driver and1 (One)year on the ampliﬁer from the original date of purchase. During this time period, repair or replacement of parts will be free of charge to the original owner (See below limitations). Shipping to and return from the repair center will be the responsibility of the original purchaser.

Electronics (Including Wireless Speakers)

ELAC Americas INC. warrants to the original purchaser that this product be free from defects and or workmanship for a period of1 (One)years from the original date of purchase. During this time period, repair or replacement of parts will be free of charge to the original owner (See below limitations). Shipping to and return from the repair center will be the responsibility of the original purchaser.

B-Stock (Reconditioned/Open Box) Product Warranty

ELAC Americas INC. warrants to the original purchaser that this product be free from defects and or workmanship, unless otherwise stated in product description, for a period of90 daysfrom the original date of purchase. During this time period, repair or replacement of parts will be free of charge to the original owner (See below limitations). Shipping to and return from the repair center will be the responsibility of the original purchaser.

Limitations

Warranty begins on the date of original purchase from an authorized ELAC Americas Inc. dealer.

• Product is warranted only if used in home applications within the max power rating speciﬁed in this manual. Commercial use of this product is not warranted.

• Product that has been modiﬁed or altered in anyway will not be warranted.

• Product that has been abused or subjected to faulty equipment will not be warranted.

• Products with defaced or removed serial numbers will not be warranted.

If service is required

In the event that service is required, please contact ELAC America at 888-541-0996 or at customerservice@elac.usto arrange for service or replacement. You will be responsible to provide proof of purchase (Copy or original sales receipt). Shipping to and from our repair center will be the responsibility of the original purchaser.

Warranty Outside of North America

This warranty applies to products purchased in the United States and Canada. For warranty claims outside of North America please contact the local dealer/distributor in the country of purchase.

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