Mackie FRS User Manual

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Page 1

FRS Series

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

MAX

FRS•2800

FAST RECOVERY PO WER AMPLIFI ER

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1

CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY

POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTR IC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQU IPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO N OT REMO VE COVER . NO US ER SERVI CEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER S ERVICING TO QUA LIFIED P ERSONNE L.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTR IQUE — N E PAS O UVRIR

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

TWO CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIERS

FRS•1300, FRS•1700, and FRS•2800

O W N E R ’ S M A N U A L

Page 2



FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

Important Safety Instructions

PORTABLE CART WARNING

Carts and stands - The Component should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer. A Component and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the Component and cart combination to overturn.

CAUTION AVIS

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE

NE PAS OUVRIR

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL

ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES DE CHOC

ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUN

ENTRETIEN DE PIECES INTERIEURES PAR L'USAGER. CONFIER

L'ENTRETIEN AU PERSONNEL QUALIFIE.

AVIS: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES D'INCENDIE OU

D'ELECTROCUTION, N'EXPOSEZ PAS CET ARTICLE

A LA PLUIE OU A L'HUMIDITE

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure, that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

Le symbole éclair avec point de flèche à l'intérieur d'un triangle équilatéral est utilisé pour alerter l'utilisateur de la présence à l'intérieur du coffret de "voltage dangereux" non isolé d'ampleur suffisante pour constituer un risque d'éléctrocution.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user of the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

Le point d'exclamation à l'intérieur d'un triangle équilatéral est employé pour alerter les utilisateurs de la présence d'instructions importantes pour le fonctionnement et l'entretien (service) dans le livret d'instruction accompagnant l'appareil.

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 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 ampliﬁers) 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. 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.

Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table speciﬁed 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 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.

15.

This apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing, and no

object ﬁlled with liquids, such as vases or beer glasses, shall be placed on the apparatus.

16.

This apparatus has been designed with Class-I construction and must

be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing con nection (the third grounding prong).

17.

The MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is used as the disconnect

device, so the disconnect device shall remain readily operable

18.

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 equip ment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, 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 the 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.

CAUTION: Changes or modiﬁcations to this device not expressly

approved by LOUD Technologies Inc. could void the user's authority to operate the equipment under FCC rules.

19. This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B (whichever is

applicable) set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department

limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as

of Communications.

ATTENTION — Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant las limites applicables aux appareils numériques de class A/de class B (selon le cas) prescrites dans le réglement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par les ministere des communications du Canada.

20. WARNING: Terminals marked with the “lighting bolt” symbol ( ) may be of sufﬁcient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock. The external wiring connected to these terminals requires installation by qualiﬁed personnel or the use of ready-made leads or cords.

WARNING — To reduce the risk of ﬁre or

electric shock, do not expose this apparatus

to rain or moisture.

Page 3

22.

Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing

loss. Individuals vary considerably in susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss, but nearly everyone will lose some hearing if exposed to sufﬁciently intense noise for a period of time. The U.S. Government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has speciﬁed the permissible noise level exposures shown in the following chart.

According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of these permissible limits

could result in some hearing loss. To ensure against potentially danger ous exposure to high sound pressure levels, it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high sound pres sure levels use hearing protectors while the equipment is in operation. Ear plugs or protectors in the ear canals or over the ears must be worn when operating the equipment in order to prevent permanent hearing loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here.

Contents

Owner’s Manual

Duration Per Day Sound Level dBA, Typical In Hours Slow Response Example

 8 90 Duoinsmallclub

 6 92 

 4 95 SubwayTrain

 3 97

 2 100 Veryloudclassicalmusic

 1.5 102

 1 105 DavescreamingatSteveaboutdeadlines

 0.5 110

 0.25orless 115 Loudestpartsatarockconcert

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ........................ 2

INTRODUCTION ...................................................... 4

GETTING STARTED ................................................... 5

HOOKUP DIAGRAMS............................................... 6

FRONT PANEL FEATURES ......................................... 8

1. POWER ....................................................... 8

2. VENTILATION .............................................. 8

3. METERS ...................................................... 8

4. LEVEL CONTROLS......................................... 8

REAR PANEL FEATURES ........................................... 9

5. POWER CORD SOCKET ................................ 9

6. FAN VENTS.................................................. 9

7. SPEAKER OUTPUTS ...................................... 9

8. COMBO INPUTS .......................................... 9

9. THRU OUTPUTS .......................................... 9

10. AMP MODE ............................................ 10

11. CLIP LIMIT .............................................. 10

12. SUBSONIC FILTER ................................... 10

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS ........................................ 11

AC POWER REQUIREMENTS ........................... 11

THERMAL CONSIDERATIONS .......................... 11

RACK MOUNTING .......................................... 11

MAINTENANCE .............................................. 11

APPENDIX A: SERVICE INFORMATION .................... 12

TROUBLESHOOTING ...................................... 12

REPAIR ......................................................... 13

APPENDIX B: CONNECTIONS, MATH AND STUFF ..... 14

XLR CONNECTORS ......................................... 14

1/4" TRS PHONE PLUGS AND JACKS ............. 14

1/4" TS PHONE PLUGS AND JACKS ................ 14

SPEAKONS .................................................... 14

LOUDSPEAKER CABLE .................................... 14

LONGER LENGTHS ......................................... 15

SPEAKER IMPEDANCES .................................. 15

APPENDIX C: TECHNICAL INFO............................... 16

SPECIFICATIONS ............................................ 16

BLOCK DIAGRAM .......................................... 17

DIMENSIONS ................................................. 18

LIMITED WARRANTY ............................................. 19

Need help with your new FRS amplier?

• Visit www.mackie.com and click Support to nd: FAQs, manuals, addendums, and user forums.

• Email us at: techmail@mackie.com.

• Telephone 1-800-898-11 to speak with one of our splendid technical support representatives, (Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST).

Owner’s Manual



Page 4



FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

Introduction

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Mackie power ampliﬁer. Please read these instructions to get the maximum performance from your ampliﬁer, and to make the technical writer feel loved.

The FRS series ampliﬁers are designed for continuous duty in speech, music, and sound reinforcement applications in churches, schools, ofﬁces, arenas, hotel meeting rooms, convention centers, recreation facilities and other venues demanding high performance, ﬂexible features, and rugged dependability.

The switching power supply allows for high efﬁciency and performance without the heavy weight of ampliﬁers with conventional AC transformers.

A rear panel low-cut switch allows you to remove low frequencies, and a clip-eliminator allows extra protection for your speakers by preventing the ampliﬁer from being overloaded.

The ampliﬁer can operate in stereo, dual-mono, or bridged-mono. The output connections are Speakons® and binding posts for left, right, and bridged mono.

The combination inputs are capable of accepting balanced XLR, 1/4" TRS, or unbalanced 1/4" TS connections from line-level sources. Two XLR through-outputs allow the balanced input signals to be shared with other ampliﬁers, or powered speakers etc.. Two front panel level controls allow adjustment of the input signals.

The front panel has a rocker power switch with a power LED, and each channel has a high-resolution six-segment LED meter.

The ampliﬁer output stage is fully protected against permanent damage caused by overloading, shorts, silky boxers, and extreme temperatures.

The front panel incorporates holes for rack mounting, where it will take up two rather lovely rack spaces. Two handles are ﬁtted on the front panel for easy transporting.

Please write your serial number here for future reference (i.e., insurance claims, tech support, return authorization, etc.)

Purchased at:

Date of purchase:

FEATURES

• Professional lightweight power ampliﬁer with high-power / low-distortion design

• Fast Recovery circuitry for clean, undistorted sound — even at clipping

• Ultra-light switching power supply for maxi mum efﬁciency and minimal heat

• Available in three powerful models, with continuous power @ 4 ohms bridged of:

FRS•1300: 1300 W

FRS•1700: 1660 W FRS•2800: 2800 W

• Selectable dual-mono, stereo, or bridged-mono operating modes

• 6-segment LED meter per channel, with OL (overload) and SIG (signal present) LEDs

• Defeatable clip limiter plus short, under-imped ance, over-current, and thermal protection

• 30 Hz subsonic ﬁlter maximizes ampliﬁer ef ﬁciency and headroom

•

Combo XLR/TRS input and TRS thru connectors per channel

• Detented rotary gain controls

•

Speakon® and binding post outputs per channel

• Third Speakon output for bridged mono appli cations, also provides both output channels on a single connector (mono/stereo modes)

• Multi-speed fans adjust to operating tempera ture for minimal acoustic noise

• Robust, impact-resistant, all-steel 2U rack mount chassis

• Comfortable handles for easy transport and protection of level controls

HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL

After this introduction, a getting started guide will help you get things set up fast. The hook-up diagrams show some typical setups. The features section describes every detail and control, and you’ll ﬁnd illustrations with each feature numbered and described.

This icon marks information that is critically important or unique to the ampliﬁer. For your own good, read and remember them.

This icon leads you to in-depth explanations of features and practical tips. They usually have some valuable nuggets of information.

Appendix A is a section on troubleshooting and repair.

Appendix B is a section on connectors.

Appendix C shows the technical speciﬁcations.

Page 5

Getting Started

Owner’s Manual

The following steps will help you set up your ampliﬁer, and get the levels just right.

Settings:

1. Be sure the ampliﬁer’s power switch is off.

2. Turn down both level controls.

3. On the rear panel, set the subsonic ﬁlter switch off and the clip limit switch on.

4. Determine which amp mode is best for your application:

Stereo mode is the typical setup for amplify-

ing stereo signals. Input 1 is routed to channel 1 output, and input 2 is routed to channel 2 output.

Mono mode is used for sending a mono signal

to both outputs, with separately adjustable level controls. Input 1 is used in mono mode (leave input 2 disconnected).

Bridge mode uses both ampliﬁer channels to

power one speaker (or set of speakers). Input 1 is used in bridge mode (leave input 2 disconnected and its level control turned down).

5. Set the amp mode switch according to your ap plication and delicate sensibilities.

Note: 4 ohms is the minimum speaker impedance you should connect to the ampliﬁer in bridge mode.

Connections:

1. Using balanced cables, make connections from your mixer (or other signal source) main out to your ampliﬁer’s inputs.

2. In stereo mode, connect the cables from your signal source to the ampliﬁer’s combo input jacks, either XLR or 1/4" TRS. The XLR and TRS inputs for each channel are wired in parallel.

• The balanced XLR inputs are wired as follows: Pin 1 = shield (ground) Pin 2 = hot (+) Pin 3 = cold (–)

• The 1/4" TRS inputs are wired as follows: Tip = hot (+) Ring = cold (–) Sleeve = shield (ground)

3. In mono mode and bridge mode, connect one cable from the input source to input 1, and connect nothing to input 2.

4. In stereo and mono modes, connect speaker cables to the speaker outputs, either the binding posts or the Speakon connectors.

• The binding post connectors are wired as follows: Red = hot (+ speaker terminal) Black = cold (– speaker terminal)

• The speakon connectors are wired as follows: 1+ = hot (+ speaker terminal) 1– = cold (– speaker terminal).

5. In bridge mode, if using the binding post out puts: Ch 1 red post = hot (+ speaker terminal) Ch 2 red post = cold (– speaker terminal) Do not use the black terminals.

If using a speakon, connect it to the center

bridged speakon connector. This is wired as follows: 1+ = hot (+ speaker terminal) 2+ = cold (– speaker terminal)

6. Plug all the sound system components into suit able AC outlets, properly grounded and capable of delivering adequate current.

7. Make sure your signal source is powered up and delivering signal to the ampliﬁer.

8. Turn the power ampliﬁer’s switch on. Verify that

the power LED lights.

Slowly turn up both level controls on the ampliﬁer. You should hear music and see the meters and sig LEDs ﬂashing. If the OL (overload) LEDs are ﬂashing, turn down either the level controls on the amp or the source signal’s output level controls (i.e., master faders), until the OL LEDs either blink occasionally or not at all.

10. For quieter listening, it is preferable to adjust the amp’s level controls rather than the source signal’s output level (unless you have the source’s control all the way up!).

Things to remember:

• Never plug ampliﬁer outputs into anything except speakers (unless you have an outboard box speciﬁcally designed to handle speakerlevel signals). Pumpkins are right out.

• Before making connections to an amp or recon ﬁguring an amp’s routing, turn the amp’s level controls down, turn the power off, make the changes, turn the power back on, and then turn the level controls back up.

• If you shut down your equipment, turn off the ampliﬁers ﬁrst. When powering up, turn on the ampliﬁers last.

Owner’s Manual

Page 6



FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

Hookup Diagrams

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1 CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FI RE OR EL ECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THI S EQUIPM ENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. N O USER SERVICE ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERV ICING TO QUALIF IED PER SONNEL.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQU E — NE P AS OUVR IR

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

FROM MIXING CONSOLE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN OUT

AMP MODE SWITCH

STEREO

Passive Speakers

(Mackie C300z)

SPEAKERS

OPTIONAL CONNECTION USING BINDING POSTS

In STEREO mode,

both gain controls

are used to achieve

a nice balance

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

MAXMAX

FRS•2800

FAST RECOVERY POWER AMPLIF IER

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1 CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIR E OR ELE CTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPME NT TO R AIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE C OVER. NO USER S ERVICEAB LE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVI CING TO QUALIFI ED PERSO NNEL.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE — NE PA S OUVRI R

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

FROM

MIXING CONSOLE

MONO OUT

AMP MODE SWITCH

MONO

CH 1 AND CH 2

PLAY THE SAME

SPEAKERS

OPTIONAL CONNECTION USING BINDING POSTS

Passive loudspeakers Mackie S215

Confused cat

???

Passive loudspeakers

Mackie S215

In MONO mode,

both gain controls

are used to acheive

a nice balance

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

MAXMAX

FRS•2800

FAST RECOVERY POWER AMPLIFI ER

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1 CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FI RE OR EL ECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THI S EQUIPM ENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. N O USER SERVICEA BLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERV ICING TO QUALIF IED PERS ONNEL.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQU E — NE P AS OUVR IR

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

FROM

MIXING CONSOLE

MONO OUT

AMP MODE SWITCH

BRIDGE

POWER OF CH 1 AND CH 2

IS COMBINED

Passive Speaker

(Mackie S225)

If you have two amplifiers, each could power a single speaker in bridged mono, to make a very powerful stereo system. Use a stereo feed from your mixing console, the left goes to one amp, and the right goes to the other.

SPEAKER

OPTIONAL CONNECTION USING BINDING POSTS

Crossover Cable

Pin 1+ to Pin 1+ Pin 2+ to Pin 1–

In BRIDGED mode,

only use this gain control

COLD

HOT

SPEAKER END

AMPLIFIER END

1–

2–

1–

2–

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

MAXMAX

FRS•2800

FAST RECOVERY POWER AMPLIF IER

Stereo

Dual mono

Bridged mono

STEREO, DUAL MONO, AND BRIDGED MONO

Page 7

Daisy-chaining two stereo ampliers

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1

CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY

POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELE CTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPO SE THIS EQUIPME NT TO RA IN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT R EMOVE CO VER. NO USER SE RVICEAB LE PARTS INSIDE. REFE R SERVIC ING TO QUALIFIE D PERSO NNEL.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHOC ELE CTRIQUE — NE PA S OUVRIR

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

FROM

MIXING CONSOLE

STEREO OUT

AMP MODE SWITCH

STEREO

Passive Speaker

(Mackie C300z)

CH.1 COLD

CH.2 COLD

AMPLIFIER

END

SPEAKER

END

CH.1 HOT

CH.2 HOT

1–

2–

1–

2–

Crossover Cable (Pin 2+ to Pin 1+ Pin 2– to Pin 1–)

COLD

FROM "THRU"

OUTPUT

TO SECOND

SPEAKER INPU

FROM "THRU"

OUTPUT

TO SECOND

SPEAKER INPUT

TO FIRST

SPEAKER INPUT

FOUR-CONDUCTOR

SPEAKER WIRE

HOT

CHANNEL 2CHANNEL 1

1–

2–

1–

2–

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1 CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY

POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF F IRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE TH IS EQUI PMENT TO RAIN O R MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVIC EABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SER VICING TO QUALI FIED PE RSONNEL.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQ UE — NE PAS OUV RIR

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1 CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY

POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF F IRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE TH IS EQUI PMENT TO RAIN O R MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVIC EABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SER VICING TO QUALI FIED PE RSONNEL.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQ UE — NE PAS OUV RIR

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

FROM MIXING CONSOLE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN OUT

AMP MODE SWITCH

STEREO

SPEAKERS

OPTIONAL CONNECTION USING BINDING POSTS

AMP MODE SWITCH

STEREO

SPEAKERS

OPTIONAL CONNECTION USING BINDING POSTS

POLE

MOUNT

POLE

MOUNT

S410s PASSIVE SUBWOOFER

S410s

PASSIVE

SUBWOOFER

S408 PASSIVE LOUDSPEAKER

S408

PASSIVE

LOUDSPEAKER

Owner’s Manual

Running stereo speakers with minimum length of speaker cable runs

DAISY CHAINING AND A SPECIAL CASE

Owner’s Manual

Page 8

FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

MAX

FRS•2800

FAST RECOVERY P OWER AMPLIF IER

Front Panel Features

1. POWER

Use this rocker switch to turn the unit on or off. This connects/disconnects the AC power to the ampliﬁer’s switching power supply.

The ampliﬁer is on when the top of the switch is pressed in. It is off when the bottom of the switch is pressed in.

The LED at the top of the switch will light when the power switch is on.

. VENTILATION

Keep these ventilation slots free from any obstructions, so the air may ﬂow freely and cool down the power transistors.

. METERS

OL is short for “overload.” These indicate when the output of the ampliﬁer has reached the maximum, and is right on the edge of clipping. Clipping is very bad for speakers and should be avoided to prevent damage.

It is okay if the OL LEDs blink occasionally. It means that the transient peaks of the music are just hitting the full output of the ampliﬁer. However, if the OL LED is blinking frequently or continuously, turn down the source signal (i.e., the mixer’s master faders) or the ampliﬁer’s level controls.

. LEVEL CONTROLS

These two knobs control the levels of channels 1 and

2. The knobs are detented to make it easy to set both controls to the same level. Usually, these are set all the way up.

You might turn them down slightly if you have highefﬁciency speakers. Also, you could use them to control the level of line-level sources such as a CD player connected directly to the ampliﬁer without a preampliﬁer or mixer.

The ampliﬁers are designed so that a +3.4 dBu (1.15 Vrms) input signal drives the ampliﬁer to full power into 4 ohms:

FRS•1300 = 420 watts per channel into 4 ohm

FRS•1700 = 540 watts per channel into 4 ohms

FRS•2800 = 850 watts per channel into 4 ohms

This equates to a gain of 32 dB, 33 dB, and 35 dB respectively.

After you have set the levels for the mixer (or other signal source), adjust the level controls on the ampliﬁer as the ﬁnal adjustment to set the overall volume for the system.

In stereo and mono mode, use both level controls to control the levels going to each speaker.

In bridged mono mode, turn the channel 2 level control down, and just use the channel 1 control.

The meters indicate the signals are below maximum

output power by: –3 dB, –6 dB, –9 dB, and –20 dB.

SIG is short for “signal present.” These LEDs indicate when a signal is present after the level controls, at the output stage of the power ampliﬁer. If the level controls are turned all the way down (fully counterclockwise), these indicators will not light.

12434

Page 9

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1

CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY

POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE O R ELECTR IC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQ UIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT REMO VE COVE R. NO US ER SERV ICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER S ERVICIN G TO QUA LIFIED PERSONN EL.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHO C ELECTR IQUE — NE PAS O UVRIR

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

Rear Panel Features

Owner’s Manual

5. POWER CORD SOCKET

This is where you connect the detachable power cord included with your ampliﬁer. Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC outlet properly conﬁgured with the voltage required for your particular model.

Be sure the AC outlet can supply enough current to allow full power operation of all the ampliﬁers plugged into it. The outlet should be a three-prong socket that matches the power cord.

. FAN VENTS

Do not obstruct the ventilation openings of the ampliﬁer. Fans move air over the heat-

sinks to cool down the power transistors. If these vents are restricted then the ampliﬁer may overheat and shut down.

7. SPEAKER OUTPUTS

In bridged-mono mode, do not use a speaker impedance less than 4 ohms. Be careful as

both speaker wires are live. Do not connect the speaker wires to any external device that is grounded.

8. COMBO INPUTS

These combination inputs allow you to connect bal-

anced XLR plugs or 1/4" plugs.

The XLR inputs are wired conventionally, with pin 2

hot, pin 3 cold, and pin 1 ground.

The 1/4" inputs allow you to connect balanced 1/4"

TRS or unbalanced TS plugs from line-level sources.

Use balanced connections where possible, as these

offer better rejection of noise than unbalanced lines.

Use high-quality, three-conductor shielded cable for balanced connections. The better the shield, the better the audio signal is protected from induced EMI and RFI.

There are two options for connecting your speakers:

binding posts and Speakon connectors.

Normally, you would use either the binding posts or the Speakon connectors. Since the connectors are wired in parallel (e.g., channel 1 binding post and Speakon are in parallel, and channel 2 binding post and Speakon are in parallel), you can connect a speaker to each connector, as long as the total impedance per channel is not less than two ohms.

• Two 8 ohm speakers in parallel equals 4 ohms.

• Two 4 ohm speakers in parallel equals 2 ohms.

When the ampliﬁer is used in bridged-mono mode, use either the center Speakon, or the two red binding posts to connect your single speaker.

76 6 8 8

9. THRU OUTPUTS

These male XLR connectors allow you to send the balanced input signals to other ampliﬁers, powered speakers, mixers, or recorders in your system. The linelevel output is a straight copy of what goes in, and the ampliﬁer level controls [4] and switches have no effect.

9 9

Owner’s Manual

Page 10

FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

AMP MODE

"MACKIE", AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 1

BRIDGED

CH 1

CH 2

CLIP LIMIT

FILTER

SUBSONIC @ 30Hz

1+ 1

1+ 2+

1+ 1

2+ 2

1+ 1

FAST RECOVERY

POWER AMPLIFIER

WARNING

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE O R ELECTR IC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQ UIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT REMO VE COVE R. NO US ER SERV ICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER S ERVICIN G TO QUA LIFIED PERSONN EL.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHO C ELECTR IQUE — NE PAS O UVRIR

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Use only class 3 wiring

10. AMP MODE

This switch determines the input signal routing within the ampliﬁer. For most applications, you will use the stereo setting. However, some applications might be better suited for using either the mono or the bridge setting.

Stereo: This is the normal position used when amplifying stereo signals. This mode accepts separate left and right inputs (1 and 2), and routes them to the channel 1 and channel 2 outputs. Each channel’s level control adjusts the gain for its own channel, and each channel is independent.

Mono: This mode (also known as dual-mono) is used when you want to send a mono signal to both outputs. It accepts a single input (input 1), and routes it to both the channel 1 and channel 2 ampliﬁers. Each channel’s level control adjusts the gain for its own channel.

Bridge: This mode (also known as bridged-mono) accepts a single input (input 1), and uses both ampliﬁer outputs to power one speaker. Use the channel 1 level control to adjust the gain (turn the channel 2 level control all the way down). The hookup diagram at the bottom of page 6 shows how to connect a speaker in bridged mono.

WARNING: In bridged mode, both connections to your speaker are live; that is, neither is grounded through the chassis (because the

black binding posts are not used).

the output voltage no longer linearly follows the input voltage. As the ampliﬁer output voltage increases, it will eventually run into the internal DC power supplies and start to ﬂatten out. The ﬂat tops represent a DC voltage reaching your speakers, which interrupts the natural movement of the speaker’s voice coil. High frequency harmonics are also produced which can play havoc with your tweeters. Square waves sound awful, and could possibly damage your speakers and/or your reputation.

Speakers are designed to handle good clean continuous signals, but give them a clipped signal and even high-power speakers can be

damaged. For example, a 100 watt ampliﬁer that is clipping, can damage speakers that are rated at 400 watts.

The limiter is especially handy when you’re working with loud output levels. Having the signal spikes (kick drum, for instance) attenuated a bit can actually increase the apparent loudness of the overall mix without diminishing the “power” behind the spikes. It is also a useful protection device for those unexpected moments, such as the lead singer actually hitting the right note, a mike stand or the drummer falling over, dropping the tone arm, or an attack of killer feedback.

With the limiter engaged, you can still overdrive the ampliﬁer into clipping and cause

distortion. It just takes a stronger signal to do it. So even with the limiter turned on, you must pay attention to the OL LEDs.

11. CLIP LIMIT

When engaged, this switch protects your loudspeakers from the effects of clipping. It is designed to be virtually transparent, meaning you probably won’t even notice any audible difference when the switch is turned on.

We recommend that you leave this switch on at all times. However, if you are working at quiet levels, or you have already placed a compressor/limiter in the signal path, you can leave this switch off.

The limiter senses when the ampliﬁer is about to be overdriven and attenuates the overall level just enough to keep the signal from clipping. Clipping occurs when

1. SUBSONIC FILTER

Turn this switch on to engage a low-frequency cutoff (high-pass) ﬁlter at 30 Hz. The frequency range below 30 Hz is attenuated.

The ampliﬁers can amplify signals below 20 Hz, but most speakers can’t reproduce frequencies that low. By engaging the subsonic ﬁlter, you allow the ampliﬁer to power only the frequencies you can hear. In addition, this ﬁlter can reduce low-frequency stage noise (footsteps) and accidental microphone pops that could damage a loudspeaker.

Leave this off if your ampliﬁer is powering a subwoofer, or if your speakers can reproduce low frequencies such as the kick drum range.

1210 11

Page 11

General Precautions

AC POWER REQUIREMENTS

The ampliﬁer's power cord should be plugged into an AC outlet properly conﬁgured with the voltage required for your particular model.

Be sure the AC outlet can supply enough current to allow full power operation of all the ampliﬁers plugged into it. The outlet should be a three-prong socket that matches the power cord.

WARNING: Bypassing the plug’s safety ground pin can be dangerous. Don’t do it!

Owner’s Manual

If the ampliﬁer should overheat, a thermal switch turns off the power ampliﬁer, allowing the heatsink to cool down. Once the ampliﬁer has cooled to a safe operating temperature, the thermal switch resets and reactivates the ampliﬁer. If this should occur, identify the cause of the problem and take corrective action. For example:

• Provide better ventilation

• Install a fan in the rack to move more air

• Make sure the ampliﬁer is not overloaded with too low of a load impedance or by a short circuit on the speaker line

The AC current demand of an ampliﬁer varies depending on several factors, including the load impedance, the crest factor, and the duty cycle of the program material. Under typical conditions reproducing rock music where musical peaks are just below clipping, the ampliﬁers require the following average currents:

FRS•1300 = 6 A

FRS•1700 = 8 A FRS•2800 =11 A

It is recommended that a stiff supply of AC power be used because the ampliﬁer places high current demands on the AC line. The more power that is available on the line, the louder the ampliﬁer will play and the more peak output power will be available for cleaner, punchier bass.

If you have more than one ampliﬁer sharing an AC outlet, you should avoid turning them all on at the same time. Rather, sequence them on, one at a time, to prevent popping the circuit breaker (due to in-rush current).

RACK MOUNTING

The FRS ampliﬁers are designed to be mounted in a standard 19 inch rack. They require two rack spaces (2U = 3.5"). rack, including the rear support brackets. When designing your rack, put the heavier items at the bottom and the lighter items toward the top.

Secure the front panel of the ampliﬁer to the front of the rack using four screws with soft washers to prevent scratching the panel. In addition, because of the weight of the ampliﬁer, you must secure the rear support brackets of the ampliﬁer to the back of the rack. You could use a support rail or shelf across the back of the rack, or angle brackets attached between the rear support rails and the rear rails of the rack. This is recommended for all components mounted in a rack that is going to be moved frequently.

They also require 14.65" depth inside the

MAINTENANCE

THERMAL CONSIDERATIONS

The power ampliﬁer is fan cooled. Air is drawn through the rear panel vents, to cool down the ampliﬁer heatsinks, and then expelled through the front panel vents.

When installing, be sure to allow sufﬁcient air space around the front and rear of the ampliﬁer for adequate cooling for the heatsinks. Leave at least one rack space above and below, and at least 6 inches behind and in front of the chassis to allow proper ventilation.

Usually, your ampliﬁer will not require regular maintenance for normal use. However, you can do several things to keep it in good operating and cosmetic condition.

• Testing: Periodically test your system for proper performance. A simple test is to play a CD through it using well-deﬁned, articulate, wide-range program material. Listen to ensure all drivers are working properly and for any evidence of distortion or other extraneous sounds. Test at several volume levels: very low, normal, and high.

• Cleaning: Use only a clean dry cloth to dust off and clean the surface. Turn off the power to the ampliﬁer while you do this.

Owner’s Manual

Page 12

1

FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

Appendix A: Service Information

If you think your Mackie product has a problem, please check out the following troubleshooting tips and do your best to conﬁrm the problem. Visit the Support section of our website (www.mackie.com/support) where you will ﬁnd lots of useful information such as FAQs, documentation, and user forums. You may ﬁnd the answer to the problem without having to send your Mackie product away.

Troubleshooting

No Power

• Our favorite question: Is it plugged in?

• Make sure the power cord is securely seated in the IEC socket and plugged all the way into the AC outlet.

• Make sure the AC outlet is live (check with a tester or lamp).

• Make sure the front panel power switch is in the on position.

• Is anything on the front panel illuminated? If not, make sure the AC outlet is live.

•

Are all the lights out in your town? If so, contact your local power company to get power restored.

• If nothing is illuminated, and you are certain that the AC outlet is live, it will be have your ampliﬁer serviced. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Refer to “Repair” on the next page to ﬁnd out how to proceed.

necessary to

No Sound or Low Output

• Loudspeaker cables or connectors are not wired correctly or they are faulty. Check all cabling, referring to these instructions for the correct connections. The best way to check a suspect cable is to swap it with a known good cable. Read the loudspeaker’s input panel to verify correct cable connections.

• Loudspeaker is not working. Connect the loudspeaker cable to a known good loudspeaker leaving all equipment set to the same levels. If the problem disappears, the loudspeaker is probably not working correctly.

• Are the channel level controls turned up? Slow ly turn them up and see if you hear anything.

• Is the signal source turned up? Make sure the signal level from the mixing console (or whatever device immediately precedes the ampliﬁer) is high enough to produce sound in

the ampliﬁer. The SIG LEDs should be blinking to indicate that signal is present.

• If the speakers are wired for bridge mode, make sure the amp mode switch is set to bridge.

• If the ampliﬁer has become extremely hot, the thermal protection circuit may have activated. Allow the ampliﬁer to cool down and normal operation should resume.

• Are there fuses in the speakers, or in-line fuses in the speaker wire? Check to see if they’re blown.

Distorted Sound

• The power ampliﬁer is clipping. The signal level is exceeding the limits of your system and you must reduce the level from your mixer or signal source.

• Ensure that no equipment in the signal chain is being over driven. For example: input(s) or summing bus in the mixing console, equalizers etc.

• Is the input connector plugged completely into the jack? Check the speaker connections and verify that all connections are tight and that there are no stray strands of wire shorting across the speaker terminals.

• If possible, listen to the signal source with headphones plugged into the console. If it sounds bad there, the problem is not in the ampliﬁer.

• Loudspeakers not working properly.

Partial Sound (frequency band missing)

• Incorrect EQ settings in the electronic equipment. Ensure all EQ settings and ﬁlters on the mixing console or preampliﬁer and on other equipment are set for normal operation. Ensure level controls on electronic crossovers and associated ampliﬁers are correctly set and that all cables and connections for such equipment are connected and working properly.

• Loudspeaker not working properly. Swap with a good one.

• The fuses inside the ampliﬁer may have blown.

These are not a user-serviceable. See next page about service.

Page 13

One side is louder than the other

Owner’s Manual

Repair

• Are both level controls set to the same position?

• Check your source signal to make sure the left and right signals are balanced.

• Are the speaker impedances matched? Differ ent speaker loads can cause different volume levels on each side.

• Try switching sides: Turn off the amp, swap the speaker cables at the amp, turn the amp back on. If the same side is still louder, the problem is with your speaker cabling. If the other side is louder now, the problem is with the mixer, the amp, or the line-level cabling.

Poor Bass response

• Check the polarity of the speaker cable connections. You may have your positive and negative reversed at one end of one speaker cable.

As the music gets loud, the amp shuts down

For warranty repair or replacement, refer to the war-

ranty information on page 19.

Non-warranty repair for Mackie products is avail

able at a factory-authorized service center. To locate

your nearest service center, visit www.mackie.com, click “Support” and select “Locate a Service Center.” Service for Mackie products living outside the United States can be obtained through local dealers or distributors.

If you do not have access to our website, you can call our Tech Support department at 1-800-898-3211, MondayFriday, 7 am to 5 pm Paciﬁc Time, to explain the problem. Tech Support will tell you where the nearest factoryauthorized service center is located in your area.

• Make sure the OL LEDs are not lighting continuously. If so, turn down the signal source or the amp level controls.

• Can the amp breathe? It needs plenty of fresh air to stay cool. Do not block the ventilation

holes.

Noise/Hum

• Check the signal cable between the mixer and the ampliﬁer. Make sure all connections are good and sound.

• Make sure the signal cable is not routed near AC cables, power transformers, or other EMIinducing devices.

• Is there a light dimmer or other SCR-based device on the same AC circuit as the ampliﬁer? Use an AC line ﬁlter, or plug the ampliﬁer into a different AC circuit.

• If possible, listen to the signal source with headphones plugged into the console. If it sounds noisy there, the problem is not in the ampliﬁer.

• Is there a cable-TV audio feed in your system? An incorrect ground may causes a "ground loop" hum.

• Sometimes it helps to plug all the audio equip ment into the same AC circuit so they share a common ground.

Owner’s Manual

1

Page 14

1

FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

Appendix B: Connections, math and stuff

SHIELD

COLD

HOT

SHIELD

COLD

HOT

SHIELD

COLD

HOT

SLEEVE

TIPSLEEVE

TIP

RING

TIP

SLEEVERING

SLEEVE

TIP

TIPSLEEVE

TIP

SLEEVE

COLD

HOT

1–

2–

Use a high-quality 3-conductor shielded cable to connect the signal between the signal source (mixing console, equalizer, etc.) and the balanced inputs to the ampliﬁer. If you are using unbalanced inputs, use a high-quality 2-conductor shielded cable. Here are some common audio connectors and their internal wiring:

XLR Connectors

XLR connectors are commonly wired as follows (according to standards speciﬁed by the Audio Engineering Society):

1/4" TS Phone Plugs and Jacks

“TS” stands for Tip-Sleeve, the two connections available on a mono 1/4" phone jack or plug. They are used for unbalanced signals.

1/4" TS Unbalanced Wiring

Sleeve = Shield

Tip = Hot (+)

Speakons

When using the Speakon outputs in stereo or mono modes, wire the Speakon connectors as shown below:

XLR Balanced Wiring

Pin 1 = Shield

Pin 2 = Hot (+) Pin 3 = Cold (–)

1/4" TRS Phone Plugs and Jacks

“TRS” stands for Tip-Ring-Sleeve, the three connections available on a stereo 1/4" or balanced phone jack or plug. TRS jacks and plugs are used for balanced signals and stereo headphones.

1/4" TRS Balanced wiring

Sleeve = Shield

Tip = Hot (+) Ring = Cold (–)

Stereo and Mono Speakon Connection

Loudspeaker Cable

Note: Because of the high output capability of the ampliﬁer, use only Class 3 (CL3) cable.

Use loudspeaker cables with a minimum conductor size for the length you need, as listed in these tables.

This will minimize power losses to less than 0.5 dB. The cable lengths listed are “up to” lengths. For in-between lengths, use the next larger conductor gauge. Using larger than the recommended conductor size is always permissible. Using smaller than recommended conductor size will result in higher power losses.

Minimum AWG 4 ohm 8 ohm

18 10 ft 25 ft

16 25 50

14 25 75

12 50 125

10 100 200

Min Metric WG 4 ohm 8 ohm

12 3 m 8 m

14 8 15

16 8 25

20 15 40

25 30 60

Page 15

The recommended conductor gauges are listed for

ZT =

. . .

AWG (American Wire Gauge) and Metric WG (Metric Wire Gauge). Note that smaller AWG numbers = larger conductors and smaller Metric WG numbers = smaller conductors. The Metric WG is equal to ten times the nominal conductor diameter in millimeters.

Longer Lengths

For cable lengths over 200 feet / 60 m at 8 ohms, and over 100 feet / 30 m at 4 ohms, the conductor sizes needed for less than 0.5 dB power losses are rarely practical for physical and cost reasons.

As a practical compromise for these situations the recommended conductor gauge is 10 AWG or 25 metric.

Speaker Impedances

A speaker’s impedance varies with frequency. For example, it may be 4 ohms at 500 Hz, and 6 ohms at 120 Hz. What you need to know is the average (or nominal) impedance across the speaker’s frequency range. This will be printed somewhere on the cabinet, or in the speciﬁcation section of the missing manual.

Owner’s Manual

Parallel

“Parallel” means that the positive amp output connects to the positive terminals of all the speakers, and the negative amp output connects to the negative terminals of all the speakers. If one speaker opens in a parallel conﬁguration, the others will still work, but the load will change. That lets you breathe a little easier (the show will go on), except that you may have a dead speaker and not even know it.

Calculating parallel loads is also easy, as long as each speaker has the same value — just divide the value by the number of speakers.

For example, four 8-ohm speakers, connected in parallel, will equal 2 ohms (8 / 4 = 2).

If the parallel loads aren’t all the same, things gets a little more complicated, but nothing that you can’t do with a simple calculator. The total impedance (ZT) is given by the following formula, where Z1, Z2 and Z3 are the impedances of your speakers.

If you’re just dealing with one speaker per channel, then make sure that the average impedance is greater than or equal to 2 ohms.

In bridged-mono mode, make sure that your speaker impedance is greater than or equal to 4 ohms.

If you’re driving an assortment of speakers, you have to make sure that the total impedance does not go below these same levels. There are two basic ways of linking multiple speakers: series and parallel. The following sections show how to make the connections and how to work out the total impedance:

Series

“Series” means that the positive amp output connects to the ﬁrst speaker’s positive terminal, the ﬁrst speaker’s negative terminal connects to the second speaker’s positive terminal, the second speaker’s negative terminal goes to the amp’s negative output. Series connections are not normally used in PA applications because it ruins the ampliﬁer’s ability to damp (control) the speakers. The other snag: if one speaker goes out, they all do. The audience may not appreciate this, and things could get ugly fast.

Doing load calculations with series conﬁgurations is easy — just add the loads. For instance, two 4-ohm speakers in series, equals 8 ohms (4 + 4 = 8).

There are other, more complicated conﬁgurations, like series-parallel (using a combination of series and parallel links to arrive at a desired load) and parallel conﬁgurations of unmatched loads (usually not recommended). But rather than get too deep into this, let’s just summarize the basics, as they apply to you and your amp:

• The lower the speaker impedance, the more power can be put out by the ampliﬁer.

• Driving lower impedance speakers makes the ampliﬁer work harder and heat up quicker.

• Do not connect a total impedance of under 2 ohms per channel in stereo and mono modes.

• Do not connect a total impedance of under 4 ohms in bridged mono mode.

• Connecting speakers in series or parallel can drastically alter their frequency response.

• Consider using multiple ampliﬁers rather than overloading one.

• Reduce the low-frequency output by engaging the low cut ﬁlter.

• Never plug the ampliﬁer outputs into anything except speakers (unless you have an outboard box designed to accept speaker-level levels).

• Be careful in bridged mono mode, as both speaker wires are live. In this mode, do not connect the speaker wires to any external device which is grounded.

Owner’s Manual

Page 16

1

FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

Appendix C: Technical Info

Speciﬁcations

Continuous Sine Wave Average Output Power, per channel, both channels driven, 0 Hz to 0 kHz

FRS•1300 FRS•1700 FRS•2800

2 ohms: 650 W 830 W 1300 W

4 ohms: 420 W 540 W 850 W

8 ohms: 235 W 310 W 500 W

Bridged Mono Operation, 0 Hz to 0 kHz

FRS•1300 FRS•1700 FRS•2800

4 ohms: 1300 W 1660 W 2800 W

8 ohms: 840 W 1080 W 1700 W

Note: Power ratings are speciﬁed at 240 VAC line voltage.

Power Bandwidth

5 Hz to 50 kHz (+0, –3 dB)

Frequency Response

20 Hz to 25 kHz (+0, –1 dB)

Distortion

THD and SMPTE IMD; 20 Hz to 20 kHz < 0.03 % @ 8 ohms

Topology

FRS•1300, FRS•1700: Class AB

FRS•2800: Class H

Cooling

Variable-speed fans with back-to-front airﬂow

Indicators

SIG (Signal Present) on each channel

OL (Overload) on each channel

Signal Meters –3 dB, –6 dB, –9 dB. –20 dB on each channel

Power LED on power switch

Current Consumption (measured at 0 VAC line voltage)

FRS•1300 FRS•1700 FRS•2800

Idle 0.4 A 0.5 A 0.6 A

Musical Program:

@ 8 ohms

@ 4 ohms

@ 2 ohms

 4.0 A 5.3 A 8.4 A

 6.0 A 7.4 A 10.8 A

 8.2 A 11.4 A 18.3 A

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

> 105 dB below rated power into 4 ohms

Channel Separation

> 68 dB @ 1 kHz

Damping Factor

> 300 @ 1 kHz and below, into 8 ohms

Input Impedance

20 kΩ balanced

10 kΩ unbalanced

Input Sensitivity

1.15 V (+3.4 dBu) for rated power into 4 ohms

Gain

FRS•1300: 32 dB

FRS•1700: 33 dB

FRS•2800: 35 dB

Maximum Input Level

9.75 Vrms (+22 dBu)

Turn On Delay

2.5 seconds

Subsonic Filter

– 9 dB @ 30 Hz

AC Power Requirements

U.S. model: 100–120 VAC, 50–60 Hz

European model: 200–240 VAC, 50–60 Hz

Physical Dimensions and Weight

Height: 3.50 in/ 89 mm

Width: 19.00 in/ 483 mm

Depth: 14.65 in/ 372 mm

Depth with Handles: 16.15 in/ 410 mm

Weight:

FRS•1300: 21.0 lb./ 9.5 kg

FRS•1700: 21.5 lb./ 9.7 kg

FRS•2800: 22.0 lb./ 10.0 kg

Flavor: Slightly minty

LOUD Technologies Inc. is always boldly striving to improve our products by incorporating new and improved materials, components, and manufacturing methods. Therefore, we reserve the right to change these speciﬁcations at any time without notice.

“Mackie,” and the “Running Man” are registered trademarks of LOUD Technologies Inc. All other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders, and are hereby acknowledged.

Page 17

1–

2–

INPUT 1

BALANCED

LINE INPUT

(TRS)

INPUT 1

BALANCED

LINE INPUT

(XLR-F)

INPUT 2

BALANCED

LINE INPUT

(TRS)

FRS SERIES

BLOCK DIAGRAM

04.06.07

INPUT 2

BALANCED

LINE INPUT

(XLR-F)

STEREO

MONO

CHANNEL 2

LEVEL

CHANNEL 1

LEVEL

AMP

MODE

SWITCH

AMP

MODE

SWITCH

CLIP

LIMITER

BRIDGE

STEREO

MONO

BRIDGE

SUBSONIC

FILTER

OFF

HVDC+

POWER

AMP 1

POWER

AMP 2

PROTECTION

DC OFFSET

OVER TEMP

SHORT CIRCUIT

CURRENT LIMIT

AMPLIFIER

LVDC+

LVDC–

HVDC–

HVDC+

LVDC+

LVDC–

HVDC–

METER

DISPLAY

OFF

CHANNEL 1

SPEAKER

OUT

BRIDGED

SPEAKER

OUT

CHANNEL 2

SPEAKER

OUT

–

1–

2–

–

1–

2–

–

TEMP

SENSOR

(ON HEATSINK)

FAN

VARIABLE

SPEED

CONTROL

VDC+

POWER

SWITCH

SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY

HVDC+

LVDC+

LVDC–

HVDC–

VDC+

VDC–

120V/240V

JUMPER

SWITCHING

POWER

CONTROLLER

FAN FAN SPACEMAN

Block Diagram

Owner’s Manual

Page 18

FRS SERIES AMPLIFIERS

FRS•1300

WEIGHT

21 lbs.

(9.5 kg)

FRS•1700

WEIGHT

21.5 lbs. (9.7 kg)

FRS•2800

WEIGHT

22 lbs.

(10 kg)

19.0 in/ 483 mm

3.50 in/

88.9 mm

1.50 in/ 38 mm

14.65 in/ 372 mm

13.46 in/ 342 mm

17.09 in/ 434 mm

14.65 in/ 372 mm

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

-3

-6

-9

-20

SIG

MAXMAX

FRS•2800

FAST RECOVERY POWER AMPLIFI ER

1.50 in/ 38 mm

Dimensions

Correct disposal of this product. This symbol indicates that this product should not be disposed of with your household waste, according to the WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC) and your national law. This product should be handed over to an authorized collection site for recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Improper handling of this type of waste could have a possible negative impact on the environment and human health due to potentially hazardous substances that are generally associated with EEE. At the same time, your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product will contribute to the effective usage of natural resources. For more information about where you can drop off your waste equipment for recycling, please contact your local city ofﬁce, waste authority, or your household waste disposal service.

Page 19

FRS Series Ampliﬁers Limited Warranty

Please keep your sales receipt in a safe place.

Owner’s Manual

A. LOUD Technologies Inc. warrants all materials, workmanship and proper operation of this product for a period of three years from the original date of purchase. You may purchase an additional 24-month Extended Warranty (for a total of 60 months of coverage). Visit our website and follow the “Product Registration” links for details (www.mackie.com). If any defects are found in the materials or workmanship or if the product fails to function properly during the applicable warranty period, LOUD Technologies, at its option, will repair or replace the product.

sold and delivered within the U.S. and Canada by LOUD Technologies Inc. or its authorized dealers.

B. For faster processing, register online at www.mackie.com,

or you may mail in the product registration card included along with this manual.

C. Unauthorized service, repairs, or modiﬁcation of Mackie products will void this warranty. To obtain repairs or replacement under warranty, you must have a copy of your sales receipt from the authorized Mackie dealer where you purchased the product. I

t is necessary to establish purchase date and determine whether

your Mackie product is within the warranty period.

D. To obtain warranty repair or replacement:

3. Repair: When you call Mackie Technical Support,

• Pack the product in its original shipping carton. Also

• Ship the product in its original shipping carton,

Note: Under the terms of the warranty, you must ship

Note: You must have a sales receipt from an authorized

Call Mackie Technical Support at 800/898-3211, 7 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday (Paciﬁc Time) to get authorization for repair or replacement. Alternately, go to the Mackie website, click “Support” (www.mackie.com/ support), and follow the instructions for reporting a warranty issue and submitting a request for an advance replacement.

Advance Replacement: Mackie will ship a replacement

unit to you along with an invoice for the suggested retail price of the replacement unit. You must return the defective unit immediately to cancel the invoice. If you do not return the defective unit within 30 days, you must pay the full amount stated in the invoice to satisfy your debt.

explain the problem and obtain a Service Request Number. Have your Mackie product’s serial number ready. You must have a Service Request Number before you can obtain factory-authorized service.

include a note explaining exactly how to duplicate the problem, a copy of the sales receipt with price and date showing, your daytime phone number and return street address (no P.O. boxes or route numbers, please!), and the Service Request Number. If we cannot duplicate the problem or establish the starting date of your Limited Warranty, we may, at our option, charge for service time and parts.

freight prepaid to the authorized service center. Write the Service Request Number in BIG PRINT on top of the box. The address of your closest authorized service center will be given to you by Technical Support, or it may be obtained from our website. Once it’s repaired, the authorized service center will ship it back by ground shipping, pre-paid (if it qualiﬁed as a warranty repair).

or drop-off the unit to an authorized service center. The return ground shipment is covered for those units deemed by us to be under warranty.

Mackie dealer for your unit to be considered for warranty repair.

This warranty applies only to equipment

IMPORTANT: Make sure that the Service Request Number is plainly written on the shipping carton. No receipt, no warranty service.

E. LOUD Technologies reserves the right to inspect any

products that may be the subject of any warranty claims before repair or replacement is carried out. LOUD Technologies may, at our option, require proof of the original date of purchase in the form of a dated copy of the original dealer’s invoice or sales receipt. Final determination of warranty coverage lies solely with LOUD Technologies.

F. Any products returned to one of the LOUD Technologies factory-authorized service centers, and deemed eligible for repair or replacement under the terms of this warranty will be repaired or replaced. LOUD Technologies and its authorized service centers may use refurbished parts for repair or replacement of any product. Products returned to LOUD Technologies that do not meet the terms of this Warranty will not be repaired unless payment is received for labor, materials, return freight, and insurance. Products repaired under warranty will be returned freight prepaid by LOUD Technologies to any location within the boundaries of the USA or Canada.

G. LOUD Technologies warrants all repairs performed for 90 days or for the remainder of the warranty period. This warranty does not extend to damage resulting from improper installation, misuse, neglect or abuse, or to exterior appearance. This warranty is recognized only if the inspection seals and serial number on the unit have not been defaced or removed.

H. LOUD Technologies assumes no responsibility for the timeliness of repairs performed by an authorized service center.

I. This warranty is extended to the original purchaser. This warranty may be transferred to anyone who may subsequently purchase this product within the applicable warranty period for a nominal fee. A copy of the original sales receipt is required to obtain warranty repairs or replacement.

J. This is your sole warranty. LOUD Technologies does not authorize any third party, including any dealer or sales representative, to assume any liability on behalf of LOUD Technologies or to make any warranty for LOUD Technologies Inc.

K. THE WARRANTY GIVEN ON THIS PAGE IS THE SOLE WARRANTY GIVEN BY LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC. AND IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS AND IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE WARRANTY GIVEN ON THIS PAGE SHALL BE STRICTLY LIMITED IN DURATION TO THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE FROM AN AUTHORIZED MACKIE DEALER. UPON EXPIRATION OF THE APPLICABLE WARRANTY PERIOD, LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC. SHALL HAVE NO FURTHER WARRANTY OBLIGATION OF ANY KIND. LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC. SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE MACKIE PRODUCT OR ANY WARRANTY CLAIM. Some states do not allow exclusion or limitation of incidental, special, or consequential damages or a limitation on how long warranties last, so some of the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty provides speciﬁc legal rights and you may have other rights which vary from state to state.

Owner’s Manual

Page 20

16220 Wood-Red Road NE • Woodinville, WA 98072 • USA United States and Canada: 800.898.3211 Europe, Asia, Central and South America: 425.487.4333 Middle East and Africa: 31.20.654.4000 Fax: 425.487.4337 • www.mackie.com E-mail: sales@mackie.com

Mackie FRS User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Important Safety Instructions

Introduction

Getting Started

Hookup Diagrams

Front Panel Features

1. POWER

Rear Panel Features

5. POWER CORD SOCKET

7. SPEAKER OUTPUTS

8. COMBO INPUTS

9. THRU OUTPUTS

10. AMP MODE

11. CLIP LIMIT

1. SUBSONIC FILTER

General Precautions

AC POWER REQUIREMENTS

RACK MOUNTING

MAINTENANCE

THERMAL CONSIDERATIONS

Appendix A: Service Information

Troubleshooting

Repair

Appendix B: Connections, math and stuff

XLR Connectors

1/4" TS Phone Plugs and Jacks

Speakons

1/4" TRS Phone Plugs and Jacks

Loudspeaker Cable

Speaker Impedances

Appendix C: Technical Info

BLOCK DIAGRAM

Dimensions