Crown Audio STUDIO AMPLIFIER owner manual Welcome, Features

Studio Reference I & II Professional Studio Amplifiers

1 Welcome

The stunning realism you will experience when listen- ing to a Crown Studio Reference™ amplifier will redefine your expectations. The evolution of this studio standard ushers in a new era of powerful, ultraquiet amplifiers capable of faithfully reproducing the most demanding signals that state-of-the-art 20-bit digital recording systems can offer. This kind of sonic integrity does not happen accidentally. It demands the leader- ship and technical excellence for which Crown has long been known.

With the best transfer function in the industry, ultra-high dynamic range and extraordinary damping factor, your Studio Reference amplifier comes closer to the ideal “straight wire with gain” than any other amplifier. As you listen, it will become apparent—the amplifier’s low- frequency transient response is the standard by which all others must be judged.

We have taken great care at every step in the creation of your amplifier—from the selection of its components to the routing of each wire. It is our goal to provide you with total satisfaction. This is one reason why we have spent considerable effort in providing you with the most complete Owner’s Manual in the business. Please read it carefully—especially the instructions, warnings and cautions. It will help you successfully install and use your new amplifier. Be sure to read Sections 3.3.2 and 3.3.3 if you plan to use one of the amplifier’s two mono modes.

Please send in your warranty registration card today and save your bill of sale because it is your official proof of purchase. We hope you enjoy your new ampli- fier, and thank you for choosing Crown.

1.1 Features

Studio Reference amplifiers integrate several cutting edge technologies that make them the most accurate reference amplifiers available. For example, in Stereo mode each channel can actually be treated as a sepa- rate amplifier because of its separate high-voltage power supplies and ultra-low crosstalk. Here are some of its many impressive features:

❏Crown’s unconventional grounded bridge™ circuitry delivers incredible voltage swings without using stressful output transistor configurations like other more

traditional amplifiers. This results in significantly lower distortion and superior reliability.

❏Patented ODEP ® (Output Device Emulation Protection) circuitry detects and compensates for overheating and overload to keep the amplifier working when others would fail.

❏IOC® (Input/Output Comparator) circuitry immediately alerts you of any distortion that exceeds 0.05% to provide dynamic proof of distortion-free performance.

❏P.I.P. (Programmable Input Processor) connector accepts accessories that tailor your amplifier to suit specific applications.

❏Extremely wide dynamic range capable of accurately reproducing 20-bit digital recordings.

❏Ultra-high damping factor delivers superior loudspeaker motion control for the cleanest, tightest, chest-thumping bottom end you’ve ever felt—or heard.

❏Super-low harmonic and intermodulation distortion give your amplifier the best transfer function in the business.

❏Two mono modes (Bridge-Mono and Parallel-Mono) for driving a wide range of load impedances.

❏Custom-designed, tape-wound, low-noise toroidal supplies with extremely high power density.

❏High-voltage headroom and high-current headroom provide energy reserves that make it easy to drive low- impedance loads and highly reactive loads to full power.

❏Full protection against shorted outputs, mismatched loads, general overheating, DC and high-frequency overloads. Full overvoltage and internal fault protection.

❏Indicators include Enable, ODEP, IOC, Signal Presence and the Dynamic Range/Level meter.

❏Balanced phone jacks and XLR connectors are pro- vided for input. Two pair of 5-way binding posts per channel are provided for versatile output connection.

❏Ground lift switch isolates the AC power and phone jack audio grounds.

❏Efficient heat sinks and a self-contained, on-demand, infinitely variable forced-air cooling system prevents overheating and prolongs component life.

❏Internal three-position input sensitivity switch provides settings of 0.775 volts and 1.4 volts for standard 1 kHz power, and 26 dB gain.

❏Mounts in a standard 19 inch (48.3 cm) equipment rack, or units can be stacked directly on top of each other.

❏Three year “No-Fault” full warranty completely protects your investment and guarantees its specifications.

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