Vantas DPA-S50 User Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

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DPA-S50

Digital Surround Processor / Amplifier

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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

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The lighting flash with arrowhead, within the 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.

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

WARNING - TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

FCC NOTICE - 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 Rule. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the 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 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.

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference - Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

WARNING - CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS MADE TO THIS PRODUCT, NOT EXPRESSLY APPROVED IN THIS MANUAL OR BY VANTAS, COULD VOID THE USER’S AUTHORITY TO OPERATE THE PRODUCT.

WARNING - TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS PRODUCT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION - TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT.

ATTENTION - POUR ÉVITER LES CHOCS ÉLECTRIQUES, INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU’AU FOND.

In the space provided below, record the model and serial No. located on the rear panel of your unit.

Model No.

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Serial No.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read Owner’s Manual - To assure the finest performance, please read this manual carefully. All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is operated.

2. Retain Owner’s Manual - Keep this manual in a safe place for future reference.

3. Heed Warnings - All warnings on the product and in the owner’s manual should be adhered to.

4. Follow Instructions - All operating and use instructions should be followed.

5. Cleaning - Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Use a clean, damp cloth for cleaning. Do not attempt to clean the unit with chemical solvents; this might damage the finish.

6. Ventilation - Slots and openings in the enclosure are provided for ventilation and to ensure the reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked or covered. For example, the product should not be placed on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet unless proper ventilation is provided in the installation.

7. Heat - The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

8. Water and Moisture - Do not use this product near water - for example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like.

9. Install this product away from windows, heat sources, sources of excessive vibration, dust, moisture and cold. Avoid sources of humming (transformers, motors). To prevent fire or electric shock, do not expose the product to rain or moisture.

10. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product.

11. A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination to overturn.

12. Power-Sources - This product should be operated only from the type of power source indicated in the operating instructions or as marked on the product.

13. Grounding or Polarization - This product may be equipped with a polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.

14. Power-Cord Protection - Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plug and the point where they exit from the unit.

15. Lightning - For added protection for this product during lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and powerline surges.

16. Overloading - Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords as this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.

17. Moving - When moving the unit, first disconnect the power plug and the wires connected to other equipment. Never pull the wires themselves. Do not use force on switches, controls or connection wires.

18. Object and Liquid Entry - Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Care should be taken so that objects do not fall into and liquids are not spilled inside the product.

19. Servicing - The user should not attempt to service this unit beyond those means described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. Do not open or remove covers as you may be exposed to dangerous voltage or other hazards.

20. Damage Requiring Service - Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: a. When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged, b. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into

the product, c. If the product has been exposed to rain or water, d. If the product does not appear to operate normally or

exhibits a marked change in performance, and e. The product has been dropped or damaged in any way.

21. Replacement Parts - When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part.Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.

22. Safety Check - Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition.

23. Troubleshooting - Be sure to read the “TROUBLESHOOTING” section regarding common operating errors before concluding that the unit is faulty.

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FEATURES

• 3 x 100W Center and Surround Channel Power Amplifiers

• 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital (AC-3) Decoder

• Pro Logic, MPEG, 2 and 4 Channel Stereo Processing in the Digital Domain

• 3 Center Channel Modes (Wide/Normal/Phantom)

• Dolby Digital Karaoke Playback

• Real-Time VTRACK™ Technology for Automatic Volume Matching

• 3 Digital Audio Inputs & 4 Analog Audio Inputs

• Automatic Source Detection & Switching

• 6-Channel Audio Line Outputs for Flexible System Configuration

• Thermally Protected Power Amplifier

• 20-bit Digital-to-Analog (D/A) Converters on all 6 Channels

• Dual Transformer Design (Dedicated Toroid for the Amplifier)

• Test Tone Generator for Accurate Speaker Balance Adjustments

• Programmable Dynamic Range Settings

• Adjustable Bass Crossover

• Fluorescent Display with Dim Control

• Low-Profile Design for Convenient Installation

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Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation “Dolby”, “AC-3”, “Pro Logic”, and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confidential unpublished works. © 1992-1993 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Rear Panel Connections

System Connections

Front Panel Controls

Speaker Placement

Surround Modes

Operating Your Stereo System with the DPA-S50

Basic Setup

Advanced Setup

Troubleshooting

Servicing

Specifications

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INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the Vantas DPA-S50 Digital Surround Processor/Amplifier, a combination Dolby Digital decoder and amplifier. Integrated into any stereo system the DPA-S50 allows immediate access to the vast array of 5.1 Dolby Digital and Surround soundtracks found on DVD, Laserdiscs, Cable, DSS (Digital Satellite System), TV, CD and VCR sources.

A three-channel (100 watts per channel) amplifier is included to drive the center and surround channels, while your existing stereo amp continues to drive the front (main) left and right speakers. With the introduction of the DPA-S50, Vantas presents a proprietary technology known as VTRACK™. Intelligently monitoring the stereo amp’s main speaker volume levels, VTRACK™ adjusts the center and surround speakers accordingly. All volume adjustments can then be made from the master volume control of the stereo receiver/preamp.

You can expect years of enjoyment from the DPA-S50 as it allows for future expandability, providing discrete 6-channel audio line outputs for connecting the DPA-S50 to external amplifiers. When used with a 5.1 Ready receiver/integrated amp or external amplifiers, the DPA-S50’s internal amplifiers can be disabled, converting the DPA-S50 into a stand-alone decoder.

When the DPA-S50 detects a source, it automatically turns on and switches to the active source. When there is no source, the DPA-S50 is bypassed allowing full operation of the existing stereo system. The user-friendly DPA-S50 becomes virtually invisible providing remote-free operation. A variety of system configurations allows the DPA-S50 to be installed in the simplest to the most complex home theaters.

In addition to the DPA-S50, you should have received the following items in your packaging: ✔ 2 - Speaker wire pairs (3-feet each and scored for easy stripping)

Use these to connect the stereo amp’s speaker outputs with the DPA-S50’s speaker inputs.

✔ 1 - RCA audio cable

Use this cable to connect the DPA-S50’s MAIN-AUDIO LINE OUT to the stereo receiver/preamp’s tape play input jacks.

✔ 1 - Owner’s Manual ✔ 1 - Quick Start Instructions ✔ 1 - Product Registration Card and Limited Warranty Notice

We recommend that you retain the original carton and packing materials for use should you transport or ship the unit in the future.

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REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

1 2 3 4 5 6

DIGITAL IN

DVD/CD

LRLRL

AUDIO INPUT

VCR/TAPE

AUDIO LINE OUT

MAIN SURROUND

CENTER

SUB

TAPE PLAY

TAPE REC.

OUT

MAIN RT

SPEAKER IN

MAIN LT MAIN LT

RT LT

SURROUND

CENTER

For detailed information on the use of these connections in a system setup, refer to the section titled System Connections.

1. DIGITAL IN The DPA-S50 provides one optical and two coaxial input jacks for up to three separate digital sources such as DVD/CD, Laserdisc and TV (HDTV). The inputs have been marked for your convenience but they can be used for any digital audio source.

2. AUDIO INPUT The DPA-S50 provides four analog input pairs for four components such as DVD/CD, LD, TV and VCR/TAPE. The inputs have been marked for your convenience but they can be used for any analog audio source.

QUICK FACTS

To connect a Laserdisc player for Dolby Digital playback, you must use the player’s AC-3 RF output jack and connect it to an RF demodulator before connecting it to a DIGITAL IN on the DPA-S50.

3. AUDIO LINE OUT The MAIN-AUDIO LINE OUT jacks are integral for interfacing the DPA-S50 with any stereo system. All six AUDIO LINE OUT connections are primarily used for interfacing the DPA-S50 with external amplifiers or a “5.1 Ready” A/V receiver/integrated amp.

4. TAPE PLAY IN When the tape play in jacks on a stereo receiver/preamp are used to hook-up the DPA-S50’s, MAIN-AUDIO LINE OUT, a duplicate set of TAPE PLAY IN jacks are provided for reconnecting a cassette deck. Connect the tape play out jacks of the cassette deck to the TAPE PLAY IN jacks on the DPA-S50. The TAPE PLAY IN signals are passed through to the MAIN-AUDIO LINE OUT when the DPA-S50 is in bypass mode allowing your existing stereo receiver/preamp to monitor the cassette deck.

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REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

5. TAPE REC The TAPE REC jacks on the DPA-S50 are used to record sources connected to the DPA-S50 and your stereo receiver/preamp. Connect TAPE REC IN to your stereo receiver/preamp’s tape play out and connect TAPE REC OUT to a cassette deck’s tape record in. When recording sources connected to your stereo receiver/preamp the DPA-S50 must be shut off or in “BYPASS”. When a digital source is selected, the corresponding analog AUDIO INPUT on the DPA-S50 is made available at the TAPE REC OUT.

6. SPEAKER OUT (MAIN RT and LT) These speaker terminals are used to connect directly to the main left and right loudspeakers in your sound system. Be sure to connect the MAIN RT-SPEAKER OUT to the front right speaker and the MAIN LT-SPEAKER OUT to the front left speaker.

7. SPEAKER IN (Bottom Row) These speaker terminals are used to connect directly to your stereo amp’s speaker terminals and allows the DPA-S50 to monitor and track volume. The DPA-S50’s MAIN LT and RT-SPEAKER IN terminals connect to your stereo amp’s left and right speaker terminals.

The MAIN-SPEAKER IN signal is always passed through to the MAIN-SPEAKER OUT and your stereo amp is always driving the main speakers.

QUICK FACTS

Alternatively, the main left and right loudspeakers may remain directly connected to your stereo amp and a second connection is made between the stereo amp and the DPA-S50 SPEAKER IN terminals (the MAINSPEAKER OUT terminals remain unconnected). This allows the DPA-S50 to monitor and track volume. Any size wire (including the wires provided) can be used for this connection.

8. SPEAKER OUT (SURROUND and CENTER) When using the DPA-S50’s built-in amplifiers, use the CENTER, SURR LT and SURR RT-SPEAKER OUT terminals to connect the respective loudspeakers.

CAUTION :

NEVER CONNECT SPEAKER TERMINALS FROM YOUR STEREO AMP TO THE

SPEAKER OUT TERMINALS ON THE DPA-S50. THIS COULD CAUSE PERMANENT

DAMAGE TO THE AMPLIFIERS IN BOTH UNITS.

Make certain that the positive (+) and negative (-) SPEAKER IN terminals on the DPA-S50 are connected to the respective positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on the loudspeakers.

9. AC POWER CORD Connect to an AC power outlet after all connections are completed.

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SYSTEM CONNECTIONS

As a precaution, before making any connections, make sure the stereo amp and the DPA-S50 are turned off (no power) to prevent damage to any amplifiers or loudspeakers.

• Maintain correct polarity when connecting all wires and cables. Make certain that the positive (+)

and negative (-) terminals on the DPA-S50 are connected to the respective positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on the stereo amp and loudspeakers.

• Using the red (RCA) plug for “R” jacks and the white (RCA) plug for “L” jacks consistently

will reduce mistakes during the system connection process. (Just be aware that the DPA-S50 doesn’t have separate left and right jacks for the center, sub and digital inputs and you can use any color plug.)

• Make sure all interconnect connections are firm. Loose connections can cause loss of sound,

noise or even damage to components in the system.

• Use only shielded interconnect cables for all line-level (RCA) connections.

• Use 75 ohm coaxial interconnect cables for coaxial digital input connections and

optical digital cables with TOSLINK connectors for optical input connections.

• Use only speaker wires marked for correct polarity to avoid reversing the positive (+)

and negative (-) leads.

• Use only 6-ohm (nominal) or greater center and surround loudspeakers with the DPA-S50.

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+ 21 hidden pages

Vantas DPA-S50 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual