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A 8 LA
line array element
user manual
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Musikhaus Thomann
Thomann GmbH
Hans-Thomann-Straße 1
96138 Burgebrach
Germany
Telephone: +49 (0) 9546 9223-0
E-mail: info@thomann.de
Internet: www.thomann.de
23.10.2018, ID: 447346 (V2)
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Table of contents
Table of contents
1 General information................................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 Further information........................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Notational conventions.................................................................................................................... 6
1.3 Symbols and signal words............................................................................................................... 7
2 Safety instructions..................................................................................................................................... 9
3 Features....................................................................................................................................................... 13
4 Installation.................................................................................................................................................. 14
4.1 Installation.......................................................................................................................................... 16
5 Connections and controls................................................................................................................... 23
6 Starting up.................................................................................................................................................. 27
7 Networking and remote control...................................................................................................... 28
8 Technical specications....................................................................................................................... 31
9 Plug and connection assignment.................................................................................................... 33
10 Protecting the environment.............................................................................................................. 35
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General information
1 General information
This manual contains important instructions for the safe operation of the unit. Read and follow
the safety instructions and all other instructions. Keep the manual for future reference. Make
sure that it is available to all those using the device. If you sell the unit please make sure that
the buyer also receives this manual.
Our products are subject to a process of continuous development. Thus, they are subject to
change.
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1.1 Further information
General information
On our website (www.thomann.de) you will nd lots of further information and details on the
following points:
Download This manual is also available as PDF le for you to download.
Keyword search
Online guides
Personal consultation For personal consultation please contact our technical hotline.
Service
Use the search function in the electronic version to nd the topics of
interest for you quickly.
Our online guides provide detailed information on technical basics
and terms.
If you have any problems with the device the customer service will
gladly assist you.
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General information
1.2 Notational conventions
This manual uses the following notational conventions:
Letterings
Instructions
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The letterings for connectors and controls are marked by square brackets and italics.
Examples: [VOLUME] control, [Mono] button.
The individual steps of an instruction are numbered consecutively. The result of a step is
indented and highlighted by an arrow.
Example:
1. Switch on the device.
2. Press [Auto].
Automatic operation is started.
ð
3. Switch o the device.
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1.3 Symbols and signal words
In this section you will nd an overview of the meaning of symbols and signal words that are
used in this manual.
Signal word Meaning
DANGER! This combination of symbol and signal word indicates an
WARNING! This combination of symbol and signal word indicates a pos‐
CAUTION! This combination of symbol and signal word indicates a pos‐
NOTICE! This combination of symbol and signal word indicates a pos‐
General information
immediate dangerous situation that will result in death or
serious injury if it is not avoided.
sible dangerous situation that can result in death or serious
injury if it is not avoided.
sible dangerous situation that can result in minor injury if it
is not avoided.
sible dangerous situation that can result in material and
environmental damage if it is not avoided.
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General information
Warning signs Type of danger
Warning – high-voltage.
Warning – suspended load.
Warning – danger zone.
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2 Safety instructions
Safety instructions
Intended use
Safety
This device is designed for sound reinforcement. Use the device only as described in this user
manual. Any other use or use under other operating conditions is considered to be improper
and may result in personal injury or property damage. No liability will be assumed for damages
resulting from improper use.
This device may be used only by persons with sucient physical, sensorial, and intellectual
abilities and having corresponding knowledge and experience. Other persons may use this
device only if they are supervised or instructed by a person who is responsible for their safety.
DANGER!
Danger for children
Ensure that plastic bags, packaging, etc. are disposed of properly and are not
within reach of babies and young children. Choking hazard!
Ensure that children do not detach any small parts (e.g. knobs or the like) from
the unit. They could swallow the pieces and choke!
Never let children unattended use electrical devices.
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Safety instructions
DANGER!
Electric shock caused by high voltages inside
Within the device there are areas where high voltages may be present. Never
remove any covers.
There are no user-serviceable parts inside.
Do not use the device if covers, protectors or optical components are missing or
damaged.
DANGER!
Electric shock caused by short-circuit
Always use proper ready-made insulated mains cabling (power cord). Do not
modify the mains cable. Failure to do so could result in electric shock/death or
re. If in doubt, seek advice from a registered electrician.
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Safety instructions
CAUTION!
Possible hearing damage
The device can produce volume levels that may cause temporary or permanent
hearing impairment. Over an extended period of time, even levels that seem to
be uncritical can cause hearing damage.
Decrease the volume level immediately if you experience ringing in your ears or
hearing impairment. If this is not possible, keep a greater distance or use su‐
cient ear protectors.
NOTICE!
Risk of re
Do not block areas of ventilation. Do not install the device near any direct heat
source. Keep the device away from naked ames.
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Safety instructions
NOTICE!
Operating conditions
This device has been designed for indoor use only. To prevent damage, never
expose the device to any liquid or moisture. Avoid direct sunlight, heavy dirt, and
strong vibrations.
NOTICE!
Power supply
Before connecting the device, ensure that the input voltage (AC outlet) matches
the voltage rating of the device and that the AC outlet is protected by a residual
current circuit breaker. Failure to do so could result in damage to the device and
possibly injure the user.
Unplug the device before electrical storms occur and when it is unused for long
periods of time to reduce the risk of electric shock or re.
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3 Features
Features
n Active line array element featuring 1 × 1.4 tweeter with 2.5" voice coil and titanium dia‐
phragm and 2 × 8" woofers with 2" voice coil
n 950 W + 350 W class-D amplier with SMPS
n XLR in and output
n Lockable in and output socket (Power Twist) for power supply
n Internal SHARC digital signal processor (DSP) with four presets
n Network port for controlling notebooks / computers using the Pronet software
n Made in Europe
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Installation
4 Installation
Unpack and check carefully there is no transportation damage before using the unit. Keep the
equipment packaging. To fully protect the product against vibration, dust and moisture during
transportation or storage use the original packaging or your own packaging material suitable
for transport or storage, respectively.
Create all connections while the device is o. Use the shortest possible high-quality cables for
all connections. Take care when running the cables to prevent tripping hazards.
WARNING!
Risk of injury caused by falling objects
Make sure that the installation complies with the standards and rules that apply
in your country. Always secure the device with a secondary safety attachment,
such as a safety cable or a safety chain.
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Installation
CAUTION!
Risk of injury due to heavy weight
Due to the heavy weight of the device, at least two persons are required for trans‐
port and installation.
CAUTION!
Risk of injury due to improper installation
Assembly and disassembly may only be carried out by qualied specialist per‐
sonnel.
NOTICE!
Possible property damage by magnetic elds
Loudspeakers produce a static magnetic eld. Therefore, maintain an appropriate
distance to devices that can be adversely aected or damaged by an external
magnetic eld.
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Installation
4.1 Installation
NOTICE!
Use of stands
When mounting the device onto a stand, ensure that the stand is in a safe and
stable position and that the weight of the device does not exceed the maximum
permissible load capacity of the stand.
Overview
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Due to its mechanical structure, the device can either be individually put on the ground or
hung, or arranged to line arrays of variable size. The units can be joined together using the
built-in fasteners without any additional parts. For easy, exible and secure mounting, the
ying frame (item number 448245) is available as optional accessories. This section shows how
easy the assembly is.
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Installation
Connecting the devices to each
other
To the left and right of the front panel, a safety pin is attached, allowing you to stably connect
the unit to the one directly above it. There is a fold-out vertical latch on the rear panel. This
latch ts into the U-rail of the device mounted below, which has a series of numbered bores.
Attach the latch of the upper unit to the U-rail of the underlying device with a safety pin. By
selecting the hole, you can set the desired angle of inclination. Figure and table show the
mechanical parts on the rear side and its function.
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Installation
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1 Fold-out latch
2 Clearance bores.
Fix the bolt in the hole for the desired angle.
3 Use this hole to x the latch in the zero position.
Flying frame (optional)
Installation
1 Bores for locking pin, front side
2 Thread (M10) for attaching standard screw feet for stack mounting
3 Clearance bores
4 Bores for locking pin, rear side
5 Numbering of the clearance bores
6 16 mm shackle, optionally available as accessory (item number 323399)
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Installation
Installation of a own system
1. Attach the ying frame left and right at the front panel of top unit.
2. Secure the ying frame with the locking pins that are attached to the top unit.
3. Position the vertical bar of the unit on the ying frame.
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Installation
4. Secure the latch in the correct position with a safety pin at the U-rail.
5. For ying operation, mount a shackle on the ying frame. It must be located directly
above the centre of gravity of the entire system. In the gure, the centre of gravity is
marked by ‘C’, the arrow shows the correct position of the U-shackle for this installation
situation.
The maximum load capacity of the ying frame is 680 kg at an angle of 0°. With a safety factor
of 10 : 1, up to twelve devices can be attached to it.
Assembly of a device for posi‐
tioning
The ying frame can also be used as a framework for positioning of a device on the oor. In
this case, turn the unit by 180° upside down and attach it to the ying frame, as described in
chapter Installation of a own system. Then turn the whole thing around and put the ying
frame with the rubber feet on the ground.
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Installation
Mounting multiple devices in a
system
Usually, several units are so installed to a line array, that they are arranged arcuately. The gure
alongside shows an example of how four elements can be combined into a system that stands
on the ground (ground stack).
In a ground stack, no more than four elements with maximum angulation of 10° may
be used.
In ying operation, the shackle must be mounted just above the centre of gravity of the entire
system.
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5 Connections and controls
Rear panel
Connections and controls
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Connections and controls
1 [INPUT]
Audio signal input with lockable XLR chassis socket. The socket is electronically perfectly symmetrical wired to ach‐
ieve an optimal signal-to-noise ratio and a sucient power reserve, including A / D conversion.
2 Pushbutton [GND LIFT]
If hum is caused by a ground loop, you can use this switch to disconnect the connection between the earth pin of the
device and the signal ground of the device. Switching only has an eect when using balanced connection cables.
3 [LINK]
Audio signal output with XLR chassis plug to connect other line array elements or speakers to which the input signal
is passed.
4 Pushbutton [TERMINATE]
If the devices of a line arrays are networked together, the last unit must be terminated with the built-in load resist‐
ance. Press the switch [TERMINATE]. The LED above it lights up.
5, 6 [NETWORK IN/OUT]
RJ45 connectors (EtherCon) for establishing a connection to network, the Pronet software and the line array elements
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Connections and controls
7 Preset button
This button has two functions:
n If kept pressed while turning the device on, the ID assignment is made. The internal digital signal processor (DSP)
assigns a new ID to the device for the remote control within the Pronet network. Each device must have a unique
ID so that it can be represented in the Pronet network. If you assign a new ID, all devices with already assigned
IDs must be turned on and connected to the Pronet network.
n If the device is already on, pressing the button selects the DSP preset. The selected preset is indicated by the
corresponding LED.
– [STANDARD]
This setting is suitable for vertically own line arrays, which consist of four to eight devices, or for the middle
area of a larger own array. It can also be used for stacked arrays.
– [LONG THROW]
This setting can be used in arrays with more than six or eight devices and be loaded in the top or the top two
devices in order to achieve a more balanced distribution of sound pressure, especially when these devices
are aimed at distant targets or the upper galleries of a large house.
– [DOWN FILL / SINGLE BOX]
This setting, which provides a much smoother frequency response can be loaded in the lower (usually one or
two) devices of a large own array to achieve a pleasant sound for the audience near the stage. This setting is
also very useful if the device is used alone at the front on very large stages.
– [USER]
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Connections and controls
This LED lights up when the user setting is loaded. This setting corresponds to the user preset no. 1 of the
DSP. In delivered condition, the user setting is identical to the setting [STANDARD]. If you want to change it,
you must connect the device to a Notebook / computer using the CanBus converter, edit the parameters
using the Pronet software, and save the setting to user memory location 1.
8 LED [SIGN/LIMIT]
This LED lights green when an input signal is present.
This LED lights red when the internal output signal is limited (due to excessive input signal level!).
9 LED [ON]
This LED lights green when the unit is turned on and the power supply voltage is present.
10 [MAINS IN]
Blue lockable input socket (Power Twist). To turn the unit on, plug the power cable or the connector cable from
another device into this socket and turn the plug clockwise to the position [ON]. To turn the unit o, pull the locking
lever on the plug backwards and turn the plug counter-clockwise to the position [PUSH OFF].
11 [POWER OUT]
Gray lockable output socket (Power Twist). This output is looped through from the blue input socket [MAINS IN] . You
can use it to feed the power supply of further units to their input socket [MAINS IN] . The number of devices con‐
nected in a row via the [POWER OUT] socket depend on the mains voltage. At 230 V, up to four, at 120 V up to two line
array elements can be connected.
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6 Starting up
Starting up
Switching on
DSP preset
After you have made all the required connections, turn on the audio system.
It is recommended to provide one switch for turning on the entire audio system and to always
leave the power supply plugs (Power Twist) connected to the sockets of the individual units.
With this simple trick you can extend the life of the connectors.
Set the desired DSP preset ([STANDARD], [LONG THROW], [DOWN FILL / SINGLE BOX] or [USER].
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Networking and remote control
7 Networking and remote control
Network capability
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Using the network ports on the rear panel, the individual devices of the entire audio system
can be networked and remote controlled with a notebook / computer using the Pronet soft‐
ware. The communication protocol used in the Pronet network is CanBus.
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1 Network ports on the rear panel of the rst unit.
2 Pushbutton [TERMINATE] must not be pressed.
The LED above it is o.
3 Network ports on the rear panel of the last unit.
4 Pushbutton [TERMINATE] must be pressed.
The LED above it is on.
Networking and remote control
Network setup and termination
ID assignment
The individual units are linearly linked via RJ45 network cables. Beginning and end of the net‐
work bus must be terminated. The beginning is terminated by a USB2CAND converter
(optional accessory, part no 440591). At the end, press the switch [TERMINATE] on the back of
the last unit to engage the built-in terminating resistor. On all units between the USB2CAND
converter and the last device, the [TERMINATE] switch must not be pressed.
Each device of a Pronet network must have a unique identier or ID. By default, the USB2CAND
converter has the ID 0. Any other device can only have an ID equal or higher than 1. There
must be no devices with the same ID on the network. The ID is assigned automatically when a
device connected to the network is turned on for the rst time.
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Networking and remote control
Proceed as follows to assign a unique ID to all devices in the Pronet network:
1. Turn o all devices.
2. Connect them with the RJ-45 network cables in the desired order.
3. Press the switch [TERMINATE] on the back of the last unit.
4. Turn on the rst device while pressing its [PRESET] button on the back.
5. Leave the rst device turned on and repeat step 4 for all other devices until the last
When a new device is to be added, only step 4 must be repeated. Each device keeps its ID,
even if it is turned o, as it is stored in the internal memory of the device. The ID is only deleted
or reassigned by explicit allocation as described above. Find more detailed information and
instructions in the User Manual supplied with the Pronet software.
device is turned on.
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Technical specications
8 Technical specications
Speaker 1 × 1.4" tweeter with 2.5" voice coil and titanium diaphragm
2 × 8" woofer with 2" voice coil
Input XLR input socket
Input impedance 20 kΩ (balanced), 10 kΩ (unbalanced)
Input sensitivity +4 dBu / 1,25 V
Output XLR chassis plug
Frequency response 85 Hz…18 kHz (± 3 dB)
Output power 900 W + 350 W
Dispersion angle, averaged (V × H) 10° × 110°
Sound pressure level (in 1 m distance) 134 dB (max.)
Connections RJ45 input (EtherCon) for control using Pronet software
RJ45 output (EtherCon) for control using Pronet software
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Technical specications
Lockable input socket (Power Twist) for mains power supply
Lockable output socket (Power Twist) for the power supply of further units
Operating supply voltage
Power consumption 575 W (nominal)
Dimensions (W × H × D) 589 mm × 265.5 mm × 516 mm
Weight 27.5 kg
230 V 50 Hz
1200 W (max.)
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9 Plug and connection assignment
Plug and connection assignment
Introduction
Balanced and unbalanced trans‐
mission
This chapter will help you select the right cables and plugs to connect your valuable equip‐
ment in such a way that a perfect sound experience is ensured.
Please note these advices, because especially in ‘Sound & Light’ caution is indicated: Even if a
plug ts into the socket, an incorrect connection may result in a destroyed power amp, a short
circuit or ‘just’ in poor transmission quality!
Unbalanced transmission is mainly used in semi-professional environment and in hi use.
Instrument cables with two conductors (one core plus shielding) are typical representatives of
the unbalanced transmission. One conductor is ground and shielding while the signal is trans‐
mitted through the core.
Unbalanced transmission is susceptible to electromagnetic interference, especially at low
levels, such as microphone signals and when using long cables.
In a professional environment, therefore, the balanced transmission is preferred, because this
enables an undisturbed transmission of signals over long distances. In addition to the conduc‐
tors ‘Ground’ and ‘Signal’, in a balanced transmission a second core is added. This also transfers
the signal, but phase-shifted by 180°.
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Plug and connection assignment
XLR plug (balanced)
Since the interference aects both cores equally, by subtracting the phase-shifted signals, the
interfering signal is completely neutralized. The result is a pure signal without any noise inter‐
ference.
1 Ground, shielding
2 Signal (in phase, +)
3 Signal (out of phase, –)
4 Shielding on plug housing (option)
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10 Protecting the environment
Disposal of the packaging mate‐
rial
For the transport and protective packaging, environmentally friendly materials have been
chosen that can be supplied to normal recycling.
Ensure that plastic bags, packaging, etc. are properly disposed of.
Do not just dispose of these materials with your normal household waste, but make sure that
they are collected for recycling. Please follow the notes and markings on the packaging.
Disposal of your old device
This product is subject to the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
(WEEE) in its currently valid version. Do not dispose with your normal household waste.
Dispose of this device through an approved waste disposal rm or through your local waste
facility. When discarding the device, comply with the rules and regulations that apply in your
country. If in doubt, consult your local waste disposal facility.
Protecting the environment
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Notes
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Notes
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Notes
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Musikhaus Thomann · Hans-Thomann-Straße 1 · 96138 Burgebrach · Germany · www.thomann.de
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