Arcam DiVA A85 Operating instructions

H A N D B O O K

Arcam A85, P85 and P85/3 amplifi ers

Amplifi cateurs Arcam A85, P85 et P85/3

Arcam-Verstärker A85, P85 und P85/3

A 8 5

P 8 5

P 8 5 / 3

E n g l i s h

F r a n ç a i s

D e u t s c h

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Safety guidelines

Safety instructions

This product is designed and manufactured to meet strict quality and safety standards. However, you should be aware of the following installation and operation precautions:

1. Take heed of warnings and instructions

You should read all the safety and operating instructions before operating this appliance. Retain this handbook for future reference and adhere to all warnings in the handbook or on the appliance.

2. Water and moisture

The presence of electricity near water can be dangerous. Do not use the appliance near water – for example next to a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool, etc.

3. Object or liquid entry

Take care that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through any openings. Liquid fi lled objects such as vases should not be placed on the equipment.

4. Ventilation

Do not place the equipment on a bed, sofa, rug or similar soft surface, or in an enclosed bookcase or cabinet, since ventilation may be impeded. We recommend a minimum distance of 50mm (2 inches) around the sides and top of the appliance to provide adequate ventilation.

5. Heat

Locate the appliance away from naked fl ames or heat producing equipment such as radiators, stoves or other appliances (including other amplifi ers) that produce heat.

6. Climate

The appliance has been designed for use in moderate climates.

7. Racks and stands

Only use a rack or stand that is recommended for use with audio equipment. If the equipment is on a portable rack it should be moved with great care, to avoid overturning the combination.

8. Cleaning

Unplug the unit from the mains supply before cleaning.

The case should normally only require a wipe with a soft, damp, lint-free cloth. Do not use paint thinners or other chemical solvents for cleaning.

We do not advise the use of furniture cleaning sprays or polishes as they can cause indelible white marks if the unit is subsequently wiped with a damp cloth.

9. Power sources

Only connect the appliance to a power supply of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance.

10. 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 and plugs, and the point where they exit from the appliance.

11. Grounding

Ensure that the grounding means of the appliance is not defeated.

12. Power lines

Locate any outdoor antenna/aerial away from power lines.

13. Non-use periods

If the unit has a standby function, a small amount of current will continue to fl ow into the equipment in this mode. Unplug the power cord of the appliance from the outlet if left unused for a long period of time.

14. Abnormal smell

If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected from the appliance, turn the power off immediately and unplug the unit from the wall outlet. Contact your dealer immediately.

15. Servicing

You should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in this handbook. All other servicing should be referred to qualifi ed service personnel.

16. Damage requiring service

The appliance should be serviced by qualifi ed service personnel when:

A. the power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged, or

B. objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into the appliance, or

C. the appliance has been exposed to rain, or

D. the appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance, or

E. the appliance has been dropped or the enclosure damaged.

Safety compliance

This product has been designed to meet the EN60065 international electrical safety standard.

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Using this handbook

This handbook has been designed to give you all the information you need to install, connect, set up and use the

Arcam A85 integrated amplifi er or the P85 power amplifi er.

The A85 amplifi er is described fi rst, then the P85. The CR-389 remote control handset supplied with the A85 integrated amplifi er is also described.

Your amplifi er(s) may have been installed and set up by an authorised Arcam dealer. In this case, you may wish to go directly to the sections describing the use of this equipment.

Safety

Safety guidelines are set out on the inside front cover of this handbook.

Many of these items are common sense precautions, but for your own safety, and to ensure that you do not damage the unit, we strongly recommend that you read them.

Contents

Safety guidelines

Safety instructions

Safety compliance

Using this handbook 3

Safety 3

2

2

2

Installation: A85 integrated amplifi er

Positioning the unit

Connecting to loudspeakers

Connecting to a power supply

Connecting to other equipment

Using your A85 integrated amplifi er

Front panel controls

Recording 7

6

6

4

5

4

4

5

Setting up your A85 integrated amplifi er

Using the remote control

CR-389 remote control

Installation: P85 power amplifi er 10

Connecting to power, loudspeakers and other equipment 10

Remote switching

Three channel option

10

10

8

9

9

Using your P85 power amplifi er

Bi-wiring and bi-amping loudspeakers

Before you start

Bi-wiring your loudspeakers

Bi-amping your system

Service information

Technical specifi cation

13

13

Guarantee 14

On-line registration 14

11

12

12

12

12

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3

Installation: A85 integrated amplifi er

POWER INLET

VOLTAGE

SELECT

TRIG

OUT

REMOTE

IN

1 2 3

SP2

4 – 16 OHMS

SP1

+ R – + L –

PHONO

L

R

L

INTEGRATED

R

PWR IN PRE OUT

PRE/PWR

L

R

RECORD

OUT

TAPE 1

PLAY

IN

RECORD

OUT

PLAY

IN

VCR/TAPE 2 DVD AV TUNER CD AUX

MM

MC

4 5 6 7 8 9 bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br

Positioning the unit

Place your amplifi er on a level, fi rm surface.

Avoid placing the unit in direct sunlight or near sources of heat or damp.

Ensure adequate ventilation. Do not place the unit in an enclosed space such as a bookcase or cabinet as both of these will impede air fl ow through the ventilation slots.

Right speaker

+

R

–

Arcam A85 amplifier

+

L

–

+ – + –

Left speaker

Connecting to loudspeakers

You can connect one or two pairs of loudspeakers to your amplifi er, provided each pair is rated between 8–16 Ω. If one or both pairs have an impedance of less than 8 Ω, the combined load on the amplifi er falls below 4 Ω and could cause an overload. If so, the overload protection circuit engages and the amplifi er will not work.

To connect one pair of loudspeakers, use the SP1 terminals.

SP1 and SP2 terminals

4

Both sets of loudspeaker terminals can be switched off by pressing the MUTE button on the remote control. To switch SP1 and SP2 independently, use the front panel switch

7

(see page 6) or the remote control (see page 9).

Your amplifi er is fi tted with loudspeaker terminals to BFA

(British Federation of Audio) standard specifi cation.

Wiring your loudspeakers

Connect the right speaker to the terminals on the back of your amplifi er marked R and the left speaker to the terminals marked L .

Connect your loudspeakers so that the red (positive/+) terminal on each loudspeaker is connected to the red (positive/+) terminal on the amplifi er. Your loudspeaker cables may be marked to show polarity (negative/– and positive/+), if not, then the positive terminal can usually be identifi ed by a ridge or coloured marking.

Now connect your loudspeakers’ black (negative/–) terminals to the black (negative/–) terminals on the amplifi er.

Ensure that no stray strands of inner wires are allowed to touch another cable or the amplifi er’s casing. This can cause a short circuit and damage your amplifi er!

BFA loudspeaker terminals

The terminal will accept spade terminals, bare wires or a

BFA plug. BFA plugs are available from your Arcam dealer. To connect a bare wire or spade terminal, unscrew the red (or black) part of the loudspeaker terminal fi rst.

Insert the wire or spade terminal and screw it back up.

CAUTION: Do not over tighten the loudspeaker terminals or use a wrench, pliers, etc., as this could cause damage to the terminals which will not be covered under warranty.

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Connecting to a power supply

Wrong plug?

Check that the plug supplied with the unit fi ts your supply and that your mains supply voltage agrees with the voltage setting

(115V or 230V) indicated on the rear panel of the unit

2 before plugging in.

If your mains supply voltage or mains plug is different, consult your Arcam dealer or Arcam Customer Support on +44

(0)1223 203203.

The product must be earthed.

Mains lead

The appliance is normally supplied with a moulded mains plug already fi tted to the lead. If for any reason the plug needs to be removed, it must be disposed of immediately and securely, as it is a potential shock hazard when inserted into the mains socket. Should you require a new mains lead, contact your

Arcam dealer.

Plugging in

Push the plug (IEC line socket) of the power cable supplied with the unit into the socket ( POWER INLET )

1

in the back of the unit. Make sure it is pushed in fi rmly.

Put the plug on the other end of the cable into your power supply socket and switch the socket on.

Standby power

For remote standby operation, the amplifi er’s control power supply is kept powered up all the time the unit is connected to the mains supply. The front panel power switch powers down all other circuitry. Power consumption in this mode is less than

2W.

This means that even though the power switch is off, it may be possible to hear a slight residual hum coming from the mains transformer inside the amplifi er. This is perfectly normal. If the unit is to be left unused for an extended period, we recommend that it is disconnected from the mains supply by switching it off at the wall socket.

AV bn

– Connect this input to audiovisual equipment such as a

VCR, laserdisc player, satellite or Nicam tuner.

TUNER bo

– Connect this input to the audio outputs of your radio tuner.

CD bp

– Connect this input to the audio outputs of your CD player or DAC (digital to analogue converter).

AUX bq

– Connect this input to the audio outputs of any unit with a line level output, e.g. tape deck, tuner etc.

NOTE: The AUX inputs must not be used if the phono module is fi tted. When this is fi tted AUX becomes an output carrying the equalised phono signal at line level.

PHONO br

– As standard, phono inputs are blanked. Phono inputs are provided on a separate plug-in module which your

Arcam dealer or distributor can supply and fi t. This module is compatible with most high output moving coil and moving magnet cartridges (MM) and low output moving coil cartridges

(MC). MM or MC is selected via the MM/MC back panel switch.

Phono earth terminal – For connecting your turntable earth lead (if fi tted). Note that this terminal must not be used as a safety earth.

TRIG OUT and REMOTE IN

3

(12V in and out) – These connections are for use in multi-room installations. In normal use there is no need to make any connections to these sockets. If you are bi-amping with a power amplifi er and wish to power both units on or off simultaneously, see page 11.

Pre/power amplifi er connections

PWR IN

5

– To use your integrated amplifi er as a power amplifi er, connect the output of your pre-amplifi er to the PWR IN sockets.

Press in the PRE/PWR switch

7

on the rear panel to select separate pre-amp/power amp mode. Under these circumstances your A85 has exactly the same specifi cation and performance as a power amplifi er (see page 8).

PRE OUT

6

– To use your integrated amplifi er as a preamplifi er, connect the PRE OUT sockets to the input sockets of your power amplifi er. With a power amplifi er of the correct gain (e.g. the P85 power amplifi er) you can bi-amplify (‘bi-amp’) suitable loudspeakers, giving signifi cant improvements in sound quality (see page 12).

Connecting to other equipment

The use of high quality interconnect cables to and from your amplifi er is recommended to ensure the best sound quality.

Sockets marked L (and R ) on your amplifi er should only be connected to sockets marked L (and R ) on other equipment. All the line inputs have the same sensitivity and may be used with equipment other than that labelled, if needed.

TAPE1/RECORD OUT

8

– Connect these output sockets to the input sockets of your cassette deck (usually labelled

RECORD ).

TAPE1/PLAY IN

9

–

Connect these input sockets to the output sockets of your cassette deck (usually labelled PLAY ).

If you do not have a cassette deck you can use this input for other (line level) equipment, such as a CD player, tuner, VCR, etc., but not a turntable.

VCR/TAPE2 RECORD OUT bk

– These output sockets can be connected to the input sockets of VCR/second recorder

(usually labelled RECORD ).

VCR/TAPE2 PLAY IN bl

–

Connect these input sockets to the output sockets of your VCR/second recorder (usually labelled PLAY ). Alternatively, you can use this input for other

(line level) equipment such as a CD player, tuner, etc., but not a turntable.

DVD bm

– Connect this input to the audio outputs of a DVD player.

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Using your A85 integrated amplifi er

9 bk bl bm bn bo

RECORD MODE

ENTER

SELECT

A85 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

A85/P85

6

PHONES

1

PHONO/AUX CD TUNER AV DVD

2

VCR TAPE TONE SP1 SP2

4 5 6 7

POWER

8 3

Front panel controls

This section describes how to operate your amplifi er.

If your amplifi er has not been installed for you, you should fi rst read the section ‘Installation: A85’ on page 4.

POWER (and power indicator light)

8

Switches the unit on and off. (You can also switch the amplifi er into standby mode with the remote control handset.)

The light indicates the status of the amplifi er. A red light means the amplifi er is in standby mode (press the Power/Standby button on the remote control, or the POWER button on the front panel, to switch between standby and powered-up modes).

When you switch your amplifi er on, the light glows amber for a few seconds, during which time the speakers are disconnected. The light changes to green when the amplifi er is ready for use.

The light may fl ash if a fault has occurred – the fault type is shown on the display. You should unplug the amplifi er and leave it for a few minutes before reconnecting. If the fault cannot be cleared, unplug your amplifi er and contact your Arcam dealer.

Source selectors

2

These buttons select the source connected to the corresponding input. A light above the relevant button indicates which input is currently selected and it will also usually be shown on the display.

VCR

4

This input is similar to the other line level inputs on the amplifi er and may be used with a VCR or a second recording unit (e.g. cassette deck).

TONE

6

Switches the tone circuits on and off, including settings for individual sources. Note that the tone LED does not light unless a tone setting has been made. (see page 8).

Control knob, SELECT and ENTER

3bobn

The control knob has two functions:

■

as a volume control, to adjust the output of loudspeakers and headphones connected to the amplifi er, and of the pre-amp output ( PRE OUT) .

■

when used in conjunction with the SELECT and ENTER buttons, to customise amplifi er settings (see page 8).

Volume control settings

It is important to realise that the position of the volume control is not an accurate indication of the power delivered to your loudspeakers. The amplifi er often delivers its full power long before the volume control reaches its maximum position, particularly when listening to heavily recorded compact discs.

However the amplifi er also has to be capable of giving full power output from much lower level sources, such as tuners and cassette decks. Using these sources, the volume control setting may be much higher before distortion (audible overload) sets in. To compensate for this, the input levels of each source may be individually adjusted to avoid accidental overload (see page 8).

SP1 and SP2

7

These buttons allow you to select and deselect the main ( SP1 ) and secondary ( SP2 ) set of speakers attached to your amplifi er.

The light above each button glows if the corresponding speakers are currently selected. If both lights are out the amplifi er will appear not to work, as all speakers are switched off! If both are on, with two pairs of low impedance speakers connected, overloads are more likely. Overloading the amplifi er may cause it to shut down because of overheating.

PHONES

1

This socket accepts headphones with an impedance rating between 8 Ω and 2kΩ, fi tted with a 1/4-inch stereo jack plug.

If you wish to listen on headphones only, use the SP1 and SP2 buttons (if necessary) to mute the speakers. The headphone socket is always active.

Remote control receiver

9

The remote control’s infrared receiver is positioned to the left of the RECORD button. Ensure the receiver is in a clear line of sight from the remote control to allow signals to be received.

MODE, UP and DOWN blbm

These buttons are mainly for use with future optional modules, however the UP and DOWN buttons are used with the basic A85 amplifi er to move the cursor when customising the ‘Welcome message’ (see page 8).

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Recording

With the Arcam A85 it is possible to listen to and record from one source, or to listen to one source while recording another.

Both sets of tape sockets are identical in sensitivity and suitable for use with almost any type of recorder (cassette,

CDR, MD, VCR, reel-to-reel, etc.). The record signal is sent to both the TAPE and VCR output sockets.

RECORD bk

To record the currently selected source, press RECORD until the display shows ‘

RECORD SOURCE

’. After a few seconds the display reverts to showing the volume level and you are ready to record.

To listen to one source while recording another, press RECORD again until the display shows ‘

RECORD

’ followed by the name of an input (e.g. ‘

AUX

’, ‘

CD

’, ‘

TUNER

’, etc.). Now press the source selector button on the front panel for the source you wish to record. Your selection is shown on the display for a few seconds, after which it reverts to showing the volume level and you are ready to record.

The RECORD button can also be used as a second zone selector, sending a source signal at line level to a second amplifi er operating in another room. If you need help with this, contact your Arcam dealer or Arcam customer support.

Tape-to-tape copying (dubbing)

You can perform tape dubbing from VCR to TAPE , but not from

TAPE to VCR .

For example, to copy from a cassette recorder connected to the VCR socket to a cassette recorder connected to the TAPE 1 socket, fi rst use the RECORD button as explained above and select ‘

RECORD VCR

’. This routes the VCR signal to the TAPE output.

Set the cassette recorder connected to the TAPE socket into its record mode and the other to playback mode to start dubbing.

TAPE

5

To play back the recording from a cassette deck attached to the TAPE 1 input, press TAPE . ‘

TAPE 1

’ is shown on the display. Selecting this input overrides the other source selectors.

It is also possible to monitor a recording while it is being made, provided your cassette deck is a 3-head type. To do this, press

TAPE . Switching this button in/out allows an A/B comparison between the source signal and the recorded signal.

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Setting up your A85 integrated amplifi er

‘Switch on’ state

VOLUME

DOWN

Adjust

UP

BALANCE

LEFT

Adjust

RIGHT

BASS

–dB +dB

Adjust

TREBLE

–dB +dB

Adjust

Introduction

The A85 allows you to adjust listening settings to suit your taste, and to customize various features of the amplifi er to fi t your system. Use this diagram to help you navigate through the settings available.

The ENTER and SELECT buttons are represented in the diagram by the symbols and respectively. The Control knob is shown as .

Adjusting listening settings

The default display mode is VOLUME, where the control knob is used to adjust sound level.

Press SELECT to enter edit mode and cycle through the other sound settings:

BALANCE

,

BASS

and

TREBLE

. When a setting is selected, adjust it with the control knob. Press ENTER to fi x the change you have made and return to default

(volume) mode, or press SELECT again to move to the next setting.

Customising amplifi er settings

Press SELECT until the display shows

‘

CUSTOMIZE->

’. Now rotate the Control knob to choose which setting you wish to alter. Press

SELECT to adjust the chosen setting with the

Control knob.

Press ENTER to confi rm the adjustment or press

SELECT to confi rm the adjustment and move on to the next item.

Press ENTER twice to leave the Customize menu.

Customize ->

Choose setting

Volume

Resolution edit

VOLUME

DISPLAY edit

INPUT

TRIMS edit

TONE

CONTROL edit

WELCOME

MESSAGE edit

PHONO/AUX

TEXT edit

RESTORE

SETTINGS edit

STANDARD

FINE

REFERENCE

GRAPHIC/

NUMERIC

TRIM GLOBAL/

PER

SOURCE

ARCAM A85 AUX/

PHONO

NO/YES

‘Switch on’ state continue

Volume Resolution continue

Volume Display Input Trims continue

Tone Control continue continue

Welcome Message continue

Phono/Aux Text Restore Settings

Volume Resolution –

Standard

,

fine

or

Reference

. ‘Standard’ and ‘Fine’ represent different levels of volume control sensitivity. The

‘Reference’ setting gives absolute increments in

0.5dB steps.

Volume display mode –

graphic

or

numeric

shows the volume either as a bar graph or as a number. If Volume resolution is set to ‘Reference’ a numeric volume display shows the actual decibel fi gure.

A85/P85

8

Input Trims – use the source select buttons and

Control knob to set input trims for each source.

Input trims are used to compensate for variations in output levels of different source equipment.

Tone Control –

Global

or

Per source

. This specifi es the scope of changes for ‘Bass’ and

‘Treble’ tone settings. The default setting is ‘Global’ which affects all inputs equally. ‘Per source’ allows you to set tone controls for individual inputs: once set, the amplifi er remembers tone settings for each input.

Welcome message – You can change the power on Welcome message from ‘

Arcam A85’

to display your name, postcode, etc. When customising the message, use the UP and DOWN buttons to select the cursor position and the

Control knob to change the letter.

Phono/Aux Text – If you have had the optional

Phono module added, choose ‘

Phono’

so this word is displayed when the input is selected. The default is ‘

Aux

’.

Restore Settings – this restores all amplifi er settings, including Input trims and the Welcome message, to their factory defaults.

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Using the remote control

CR-389 Remote Control

The CR-389 remote control gives access to all functions available on the front panel of the A85. It also has controls to operate Arcam CD players, AM/FM tuners and DAB tuners. The remote control transmits Philips RC-5 type codes.

TUNER

These buttons are used to control tuner functions.

Note that the FM/DAB lights indicate into which mode you are switching the remote control. The lights only illuminate for fi ve seconds to conserve battery power.

If neither light is illuminated this does not mean that the remote control is not working!

(UP and DOWN)

Perform the same function as the buttons on the front panel (see page 6).

ENTER

Performs the same function as the ENTER button on the front panel (see page 8).

TUNER

FM DAB

FM

DAB

MENU DISP

1-9 2-10 3-11 4-12

5-13 6-14 7-15 8-16

MODE BAND

ENTER

SP1

SP2

DISP

SEL

SELECT

Performs same function as the SELECT button on the front panel. It allows you to use the remote’s volume switch in the same way you use the control dial on the front panel – to adjust various amplifi er settings (see page 8).

Note that pressing + corresponds to turning the

Control knob clockwise, – to anticlockwise.

Source selection buttons

These operate in the same way as the source selectors on the front panel of your integrated amplifi er.

PHONO AUX CD TUNER

AV DVD

AMPLIFIER

VCR TAPE

CD

RPT

PROG DISP

Power/Standby

Toggles the amplifi er between standby mode and full power mode. The power indicator light next to the power button on the front panel is red if the amplifi er is in standby, amber while the amplifi er is powering up (this only takes a few seconds) and green when the amplifi er is powered up.

SP1 and SP2

These buttons allow you to select and deselect the main

(SP1) and secondary (SP2) sets of speakers attached to your amplifi er (see page 6).

DISP (display)

Cycles through the settings ‘Bright’, ‘Off’ and ‘Dim’. Turning the display ‘Off’ generally gives a slight improvement in sound quality.

Volume and (mute)

Press + to increase volume or – to decrease the output volume of the amplifi er.

Press to mute the speaker connections and preamp outputs.

Both tape outputs and the headphone socket remain active.

Mute is disabled either by pressing again, or by adjusting the volume.

You can use the remote’s volume control in conjunction with the

SELECT button to adjust balance, tone and amplifi er settings.

CD controls

These offer basic controls of Arcam CD players

CR-389

NOTE: Remember to install the two supplied AAA batteries before trying to use your remote control!

Do not place anything in front of the IR receiver on the left of the A85, or the remote control may not work.

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Installation: P85 power amplifer

POWER INLET

VOLTAGE

SELECT

TRIG

OUT

REMOTE

IN

+

R/CH1

– + L/CH2 –

SP2

4 – 16 OHMS

SP1

+ R/CH1 – + L/CH2 –

AUDIO

L

R

IN OUT

LINK

+ CTR/CH3 –

SP2

4 – 16 OHMS

SP1

+ CTR/CH3 –

CTR/CH3

AUDIO

IN

OUT

Optional Third Channel Module

– provides a third 85W channel suitable for Home Cinema or multi-channel audio use.

Connecting to power, loudspeakers and other equipment

Follow the installation instructions for the integrated amplifi er on pages 4–6.

AUDIO IN – Connect this input to the output sockets of your preamplifi er or the PRE OUT sockets of an integrated amplifi er.

MONO LINK – The power amplifi er can be adapted to provide two mono loudspeaker outputs from a single input. Pull out the link supplied and use it to connect the L and R AUDIO OUT sockets together. Using one power amplifi er per loudspeaker will enable you to bi-amplify bi-wireable loudspeakers.

This is particularly benefi cial for top quality stereo installations with a separate pre-amplifi er, or where amplifi ers are provided for the left, centre and right channel loudspeakers in a fi ve speaker Dolby Pro Logic or Dolby Digital system.

Contact your Arcam dealer for more information.

“Daisy chaining” – The power amplifi er can be connected to further power amplifi ers to drive more speakers (e.g. those in other rooms or tri-amplifi ed speakers, etc).

Connect the extra power amplifi er inputs to the AUDIO OUT sockets on the power amplifi er, left to left, right to right.

Remote switching

By making a connection from the REMOTE IN socket of the P85 power amplifi er to the TRIG OUT socket of the A85 integrated amplifi er, you can use the A85 to switch the power amplifi er on and off. If confi gured in this way, the front panel POWER button of the A85 (or the Power/Standby button on the remote control) switches both amplifi ers on and off together. This facility allows you to conceal the power amplifi er yet still control it.

The connecting cable required is a 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack lead

(stereo or mono) and it is possible to connect several power amplifi ers to an A85 by ‘daisy chaining’ from TRIG OUT of one

P85 into the REMOTE IN of the next.

Three channel option

The power amplifi er can be upgraded from stereo to three channels by adding a Third Channel Module: in this case, the model is designated P85/3.

The module offers extra loudspeaker terminals together with a third set of AUDIO IN and OUT phono sockets and converts the P85 into a 3 x 85W (RMS per channel into 8 Ω) amplifi er suitable for Home Cinema or multi-channel audio use.

Contact your Arcam dealer for further details.

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Using your P85 power amplifi er

P85 POWER AMPLIFIER

SP1 SP2 POWER

POWER (and power indicator light)

Switches the unit on and off. The light indicates the status of the amplifi er.

When you switch your amplifi er on, the light glows amber for a few seconds, during which time the speakers are disconnected.

The light changes to green when the amplifi er is ready for use.

A red light means the amplifi er is in standby mode.

The light may fl ash if a fault has occurred – the fault type is shown on the display. You should unplug the amplifi er and leave it for a few minutes before reconnecting. If the fault cannot be cleared, unplug your amplifi er and contact your Arcam dealer.

SP1 and SP2

These buttons allow you to select and deselect the main

( SP1 ) and secondary ( SP2 ) sets of speakers attached to your amplifi er. An indicator light shows which set of speakers are currently selected.

NOTE: If both lights are out the amplifi er will appear not to work, as all speakers are switched off. If both are on, and low impedance speakers are connected, overloads are more likely.

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Bi-wiring and bi-amping loudspeakers

Before you start

WARNING: Do not make any connections to your amplifi er while it is switched on or connected to the mains supply.

Before switching on please check all connections thoroughly, making sure bare wires or cables are not touching the amplifi er in the wrong places (which could cause short circuits) and you have connected positive

(+) to positive and negative (–) to negative.

Always ensure that the volume control on your amplifi er is set to minimum before starting these procedures.

Bi-wiring your loudspeakers

Bi-wiring improves the sound of your system because it divides the high and low frequency signal currents into separate speaker cables. This avoids signal distortions arising from the high and low frequency currents interacting with one another within a single cable, as in conventionally wired systems.

You will need:

Speakers – with four input terminals each: these will be marked

HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low Frequency).

Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker

(which may be joined at the amplifi er end if your amplifi er has only one pair of output terminals per channel). Or, a suitably terminated cable set (a loom, probably prepared by your dealer and capable of being used for bi-wiring in one length).

How to bi-wire loudspeakers

1. Remove the terminal links on the rear of your loudspeakers

Bi-amping your system

The performance of your system can be further enhanced over that achieved with bi-wiring, by extending the principle one stage further to include separate amplifi cation for the low and high frequency drive units in each loudspeaker enclosure.

Connect the integrated amplifi er to the high frequency (HF) terminals and connect the power amplifi er to the low frequency

(LF) terminals.

You will need:

Speakers – with four input terminals each (as with bi-wiring): these will be marked HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low

Frequency).

Two amplifi ers – one of these would be the A85 and the other an Arcam power amplifi er (e.g. P85).

Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker or a suitably terminated cable set (a loom, probably prepared by your dealer and capable of being used for bi-amping in one length).

Interconnect cables – one pair of high quality interconnect cables.

How to set up a bi-amped system

1. Remove the terminal links on the rear of your loudspeakers.

WARNING: This step is essential or damage to your amplifi er may result which is not covered under warranty.

2. Connect the cables as shown in the diagram below, ensuring correct polarity at all times.

3. Use the interconnect cables to connect the PRE OUT sockets of the A85 to the corresponding AUDIO IN sockets of the power amplifi er.

WARNING: This step is essential or damage to your amplifi er may result which is not covered under warranty.

2. Connect the cables as shown in the diagram below, ensuring correct polarity at all times.

+

R

–

Arcam A85 amplifier

+

L

–

+

+

HF

LF

–

–

Right speaker

+

+

HF

LF

–

Left

– speaker

Bi-wiring using one set of connections on amplifi er

+

R

–

Amplificateur Arcam A85

+

L

–

Enciente droite

+

HF

–

+

LF

–

–

+

+

HF

LF

–

–

+ – +

R L

Amplificateur de puissance Arcam P85

–

Enciente gauche

Recommended bi-amping confi guration

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Service information

Before returning your amplifi er for service, please check the following:

Sound cuts out for no reason

If the temperature of the internal heatsink rises above a safe level, then a thermal cutout inside the amplifi er will operate.

The power indicator on the front panel fl ashes and the protection system temporarily removes the power to the speakers. The system resets itself as the heatsink cools down.

Note that because of the high output voltage from a CD player, it is possible to drive the A85 at full power even though the volume is not set at maximum.

Amplifi er does not switch back on

The A85 and P85 amplifi ers have a protection mechanism which is activated if you switch the unit on immediately after turning it off. If this mechanism activates, wait 30 seconds then try again.

Technical specifi cations

A85 P85

Continuous power output, per channel

Both channels, 8 Ω, 20Hz–20kHz 85W

Single channel, 4 Ω, 1kHz 140W 140W

Distortion, 8 Ω, 80% power, 1kHz 0.005% 0.005%

Inputs

Phono cartridge (optional module): input sensitivity, MM input sensitivity, MC

Line and tape inputs:

2.5mV

250µV

Tone controls, max. boost/cut

250mV 700mV

22k Ω 22kΩ

105dB 112dB

±12dB

Preamplifi er outputs

Nominal output level

Output impedance

General

Power consumption (maximum)

Dimensions W x D x H (including feet)

Weight (net)

Weight (packed)

Supplied accessories

E&OE

700mV

<3 Ω

800VA

435 x 340 x 100mm

9kg

10.5kg mains lead

CR-389 remote control

2 x AAA batteries

800VA (950VA for P85/3)

435 x 320 x 100mm

9.5kg (10.5kg for P85/3)

11kg (12kg for P85/3) mains lead

Continual improvement policy

Arcam has a policy of continual improvement for its products.

This means that designs and specifi cations are subject to change without notice.

NOTE: All specifi cation values are typical unless otherwise stated.

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Guarantee

Worldwide Guarantee

This entitles you to have the unit repaired free of charge, during the fi rst two years after purchase, at any authorised

Arcam distributor provided that it was originally purchased from an authorised Arcam dealer or distributor. The manufacturer can take no responsibility for defects arising from accident, misuse, abuse, wear and tear, neglect or through unauthorised adjustment and/or repair, neither can they accept responsibility for damage or loss occurring during transit to or from the person claiming under the guarantee.

The warranty covers:

Parts and labour costs for two years from the purchase date.

After two years you must pay for both parts and labour costs.

The warranty does not cover transportation costs at any time.

Claims under guarantee

This equipment should be packed in the original packing and returned to the dealer from whom it was purchased, or failing this, directly to the Arcam distributor in the country of residence.

It should be sent carriage prepaid by a reputable carrier -–

NOT by post. No responsibility can be accepted for the unit whilst in transit to the dealer or distributor and customers are therefore advised to insure the unit against loss or damage whilst in transit.

For further details contact Arcam at:

Arcam Customer Support Department,

Pembroke Avenue, Waterbeach, CAMBRIDGE

CB5 9PB, England.

Telephone: +44 (0)1223 203203

Fax: +44 (0)1223 863384

Email: [email protected]

Problems!

If your dealer is unable to answer any query regarding this or any other Arcam product please contact Arcam Customer

Support on +44 (0) 1223 203203 or write to us at the above address and we will do our best to help you.

On-line registration

You can register your Arcam product on line at:

www.arcam.co.uk/reg

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Other languages

Check the Arcam website (www.arcam.co.uk) for further languages.

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