Crown Audio I-Tech Series Advanced Features, I-TechSeries Power Amplifiers, page, Circuit Breaker

I-Tech Series Power Amplifiers

8 Advanced Features

8.1 Protection Systems

Your Crown amplifier provides extensive pro- tection and diagnostic capabilities, including thermal level control, fault indicators, high- pass filtering, DC protect, AC under/over volt- age protection, inrush limiting, and variable- speed fans.

8.1.1 Thermal Level Control (TLC)

If the amplifier becomes too hot for safe opera- tion, the TLC will engage the input compressor and the clip LED will illuminate. By compress- ing the input, the amplifier will not generate as much heat and will have a chance to cool down. The degree of compression is proportional to the amount of overheating. This feature allows the show to go on, rather than having the amplifier shut down, and only occurs in extreme situations.

8.1.2 Circuit Breaker

If the current draw of the amplifier exceeds safe limits, this breaker automatically disconnects the power supply from the AC mains.

8.2Global Switching Power Sup- ply with PFC

Thanks to its global power supply, the I-Tech amplifier works anywhere in the world. There’s no need to reset an AC mains voltage switch, and no need to order a special model. The amp will work and meet all specs on 100V - 240VAC, 50/60 Hz.

Crown’s Switching Power Supply minimizes the amplifier’s weight.

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

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

Power Factor Correction (PFC) controls how your amplifier draws current from the AC mains. Instead of drawing high-magnitude cur- rent spikes that reduce the capacity of your

power distro (and couple noise into other sys- tem components), PFC draws a smooth and quiet current waveform that is in phase with the mains voltage waveform. PFC allows you to reduce the size and weight of your power distri- bution and improve the performance of your signal processors.

8.33rd Generation Class I Cir- cuitry

Class I (BCA, Balanced Current Amplifier) Interleave technology allows high levels of power output without all the associated heat found in a conventional amplifier. This highly efficient design also provides accurate, uncol- ored sound with very low distortion and a high damping factor for tight, clean bass response. And it can deliver more power to reactive loads than conventional dissipative designs (com- fortably driving the latest high-technology transducers). Class I also reduces current draw of the AC mains, providing energy conserva- tion.

8.4 Color-Coded Rear Overlay

The labels on the rear panel are color coded to group similar functions under common colors.

page 36 Operation Manual