AAVIK-I-880 Integrated Amplifier User Guide

June 12, 2024
Aavik

AAVIK I-880
USER GUIDE | INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

THE EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE SERVICED BY QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL

  1. Read these instructions.

  2. Keep these instructions.

  3. Heed all warnings.

  4. Follow all instructions.

  5. Clean the amplifier only with a dry, lint-free cloth. For more thorough cleaning, unplug the amplifier from the mains supply and go over it lightly with a damp, lint-free cloth.
    Do not use any type of chemical solvents or other cleaning products for cleaning.

  6. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

  7. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

  8. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

  9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug.

  10. Only place apparatus horizontally and on a suitable table or rack. If more components are stacked. Make sure to place the hottest unit – usually the amplifier, at the top.

  11. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

  12. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as when the power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to  rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
    1. WARNING – Take care that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through any openings.
    The equipment shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing. Liquid-filled objects such as vases should not be placed on the equipment.
    2. The equipment has been designed for use in moderate climates and in domestic situations.
    3. Only connect the equipment to a power supply of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the equipment. The primary method of isolating the equipment from the mains supply is to remove the mains plug. The equipment must be installed in a manner that makes disconnection possible.
    4. If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected from the equipment, turn the power off immediately and unplug the equipment from the wall outlet. Contact your dealer and do not reconnect the equipment.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose the amplifier to rain or moisture.
The lightning flash with an arrowhead symbol within an 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.
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel.

THANK YOU
The Aavik audio engineering team are thankful for your unique choice of the Aavik I-880 integrated Amplifier.
We are convinced that you will enjoy the exquisite music experience just as intimate and close as it was originally performed by the artist themselves.
The 880 series is Aavik’s most innovative and sophisticated amplifier production to date. The result is this powerful non-switching pure Class A amplifier up to impressive 2×200 W into 8 Ohms.
The unique design is based on the unique collaboration by the engineer and the artist
– Michael Børresen and Flemming Erik Rasmussen.

FUNCTIONS

BUTTONS ON THE FRONT OF THE AMPLIFIER

CONNECTORS ON THE BACK OF THE AMPLIFIER

FRONT PANEL FUNCTIONS

DISPLAY
During normal operation the left side of the display shows the selected source, and the right side shows the volume setting.
It is possible to change the source with the up/down buttons. When changing settings (see “MENU FUNCTIONS” page 8), the display will show the setting being changed.
In the event of an error, a line at the bottom of the display will show error messages. The possible errors are DC, over current and high temperature. The errors are explained in the following section.
OVER CURRENT
If the amp displays “Error: Short Right” or “Error: Short Left”, too much current is running through the output stage. This usually occurs because of a short circuit in the speaker wiring. When the error is detected, the speaker output(s)  will be switched off, and you have to switch the amplifier off and back on, to re-enable normal operation. Before you switch the amp back on, make sure that there are no wiring errors. The error could be strands of wire from the speaker  cable touching each other or the metalwork of the amplifier.
If the error is displayed again after power cycling the amplifier, and even with speakers disconnected, the amplifier has been damaged, and will need servicing.
DC
If the amp displays “Error: DC Right” or “Error: DC Left”, DC is present on the output(s) of the amplifier. When this occurs, the speaker output(s) are disabled to protect the speakers. If music is playing, the sound will be distorted and low in level. The DC could come from the preamp or a signal source. Try switching the amplifier off and back on. If the DC error is still present, try switching the amplifier off, disconnect the input cable(s), and switch the amp back on. If the  DC error persists, with input cables disconnected, the error is in the power amplifier. Otherwise the error is in the preamplifier or the signal source.

HIGH TEMPERATURE
If the amp displays “Error: Temp High”, the temperature inside the amplifier is reaching critical levels. This can occur if the ambient temperature is too high and/or the amplifier has been delivering large amounts of power into low impedance speakers. When the error is first shown, it is only a warning. If the temperature drops again, the message will clear. If the temperature continues to rise however, the amplifier will switch off. In that case, you have to let the  amplifier cool off for some time, and then switch it off and on using the main power switch on the back panel.

STANDBY
Press the standby button to place the amplifier in standby mode, or to switch on the amplifier from standby mode. When the amplifier is in standby mode, the only light showing on the amplifier will be a dim LED illuminating the standby button. When you switch on the amplifier, the outputs will be muted, and a line will illuminate at the bottom of the displays, starting in the lower left corner.
During the start-up cycle, the circuits of the amp will stabilize, and any power amp(s) connected to the pre outs will have some time to stabilize. When using trigger cables between the amplifier and power amp(s), the power amp(s) will be switched on and off together with the amplifier.

UP BUTTON
The up button is used for switching inputs, and for changing menu options, when in the menu. See ”MENU  FUNCTIONS” page 8.
MENU BUTTON
The menu button is used for accessing the menu. See ”MENU FUNCTIONS” page 8.
DOWN BUTTON
The down button is used for switching inputs, and for changing menu options, when in the menu. See ”MENU FUNCTIONS” page 8.
MUTE / REMOTE CONTROL PAIRING BUTTON
The mute button has multiple functions. When you press this button briefly, it will mute the speaker outputs of the amplifier, and also the pre outs with the standard configuration (see “MENU FUNCTIONS” page 8). The display will show ”Mute” instead of the volume setting.
For remote pairing instructions, see page 7.
VOLUME CONTROL
(ROTATING KNOB)
Use the rotating knob to change the volume or menu settings.

REAR PANEL FUNCTIONS

SPEAKER TERMINALS
The amplifier accepts speaker cables terminated with spade connectors and 4mm banana plugs.
To connect speaker wires terminated with spades, loosen the isolation knob and insert the spade between the isolator and terminal. Tighten the isolation knob to secure the spade.
To connect speaker wires terminated with banana plugs, insert the banana plug into the center hole of the terminal.
LINE INPUTS
The amplifier is equipped with five single-ended, RCA line inputs.
The gain of the line inputs can be changed to equalize the volume of different signal sources. The range is between 5 and 15dB for input 1-4, and between 1 and 11 dB for input 5. The default gain for all inputs is 9dB.
Please see “MENU FUNCTIONS” for guidance.
PRE OUT
The amplifier is equipped with a set of pre out (preamplifier output) connections. They can be used for an active sub-woofer, a separate power amplifier or a headphone amplifier.
For some uses, such as in combination with an headphone amplifier, you may need to mute the speaker outputs, but not the pre outs. This can be achieved by changing the “Pre Out Mute” setting. See “MENU FUNCTIONS” for guidance.
MAIN IN
Through a menu option, you can separate the pre- and power amplifier sections of the I-880. When this option is enabled, the “Main In” inputs are used as the inputs of the power amplifier section. This can be used in conjunction with  the built-in crossover section, so that the I-880 power amp section is used to amplifiy only the high- or low frequency part of the signal, by connecting cables from the “High Pass” or “Low Pass” outputs to main in. The inputs can also be used with external signal processors.
LOW PASS OUTPUTS
This set of outputs can be used, if you have a separate power amp for the bass range, use the I-880 power amp section for the bass range only or for driving an active subwoofer.
HIGH PASS OUTPUTS
This set of outputs can be used, if you have a separate power amp for the midrange/treble range, or if you use the I-880 power amp section for the midrange/treble range only.
RS-232, FIRMWARE UPDATE
The amplifier RS-232 terminal is used for firmware updates. You can check for firmware updates on the Aavik Acoustics homepage.
TRIGGER OUTPUTS
The amplifier is equipped with two DC trigger outputs. These can be used to power-on power amps, sub-woofers and other equipment together with the amplifier. When the amplifier is switched on (not in standby mode), the trigger outputs will supply 12VDC.
They can supply up to 80mA total.
POWER ON/OFF SWITCH
Toggle the switch to switch between fully off and standby mode. When the amplifier is in standby mode, the power consumption is less than 1W. When the amplifier is on and idling, the power consumption is less than 150W.
POWER INLET (CAUTION!)
The amplifier accepts mains voltages from 100 to 240VAC 50-60Hz.
The power inlet accepts power cables with an IEC 60320-C13 female connector.
To ensure the best performance, please consult your Aavik Acoustics dealer for a suitable mains cable.

REMOTE

A VOLUME UP, Press this button to increase the volume setting.
B VOLUME DOWN, Press this button to decrease the volume setting.
C INPUT +, Press this button, to move to the next input. From Line 1 to Line 2 etc.
D INPUT -, Press this button, to move to the previous input. From Line 2 to Line 1 etc.
E STANDBY, Press this button to place the amplifier in standby mode, or to switch the amplifier on from standby mode.
F MENU, Use this button to enter the menu, or switch back to normal operation. Use the INPUT + and INPUT
– buttons to cycle through the menu, and the VOLUME UP and VOLUME DOWN buttons to change a setting. See “MENU FUNCTIONS” for details.
G MUTE Press the button to mute the outputs of the amplifier. A small light beneath the display will show “Mute” when mute is enabled.

FACTORY RESET

You can reset all settings back to factory defaults.
This will erase gain settings, the balance setting and the remote pairing settings. To do this, proceed as follows:

  • Switch on the amplifier using the standby button 2 or the remote control.
  • Press and hold the up and down front panel buttons ( 3 and 5 ) simultaneously. The display will show “Restoring default settings …” and then “Shutting down”. The amp will switch off, and you can turn it back on using the front  panel button 2. The remote control will not work until it has been paired.

REMOTE PAIRING

In order to pair your remote control with the amplifier, press and hold the front panel mute button for more than one second. When the amplifier is ready to pair, the display will flash slowly.
To pair, press a button on your remote control facing it toward the amplifier. The display will show ”Paired”. Press the front panel mute button again briefly to go back to normal operation.
Note: In order to save your settings, set the amplifier in standby mode by pressing the stand by button ( E/2).
You can remove the pairing, so that the amp will stop responding to the remote again, by pressing the front panel mute button for more than five seconds. When the five seconds have passed, the displays will flash fast. Press a button on  the remote, to complete the procedure. The display will show ”Unpaired”. Press the front panel mute button again briefly to go back to normal operation.

Note: In order to save your settings, set the amplifier in standby mode by pressing the stand by button ( E/2).
Using the front panel or remote control, you can change many settings of the amplifier. Using the remote, press the “Menu” button F to enter or exit the menu. Using the front panel, press and hold the menu button 4 for 3 seconds.

When entering the menu, the gain setting of the current input will be shown on the display.
The top line of the display shows the current option (“Preamp gain” when entering the menu), and the bottom line shows the current setting.Using the remote, cycle through the options using the INPUT + C and INPUT – D buttons.
Using the front panel, press the menu button 4 to cycle through the options.
Use the VOLUME UP A and VOLUME DOWN B buttons of the remote, the up and down front panel buttons (3/5) or the rotary knob 7 to change the settings.
Once in the menu, using the remote, you can cycle through all options in the order shown in the diagram below.
Using the front panel, the amplifier will return to normal operation once cycled through all the options.

SETTINGS

PREAMP GAIN (SETTINGS FOR INDIVIDUAL INPUTS)
Using this function you can set the gain of the selected input. The gain number shown, is the gain between the input and pre out.
The power amp adds 26dBs of gain.|
---|---
BALANCE
Using this function, you can change the left/right balance in 6 1dB steps.|
PRE OUT MUTE
This setting can be set either on or off. With the default setting (On), the pre out connectors are muted with the speakers, when muting is enabled. With pre out muting off, the pre out  connectors will stay on, when the amp is muted. This function can be used e.g. for running a  headphone amp on the pre out connectors. With pre out muting off, you can change inputs  and volume setting with muting on. When you switch off muting again, the volume will return  to the previous setting.|
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
You can change the display brightness in four steps: 10, 40, 70 and 100%|
DISPLAY DIM
Using this setting, you can set the display to switch off automatically after 1-5 seconds. The standard setting is off. When the display is off, only the logo and touch buttons will be dimly lit.|
TEMPERATURE
This menu option shows the current operating temperature of the power amp.|
HOME THEATRE BYPASS
Using the home theatre bypass function, you can setup one of the inputs to use a fixed volume setting. Choose the input you want to use, or ”Disabled” to use all inputs as regular inputs.|
HOME THEATRE BYPASS LEVEL
If you have setup one of the inputs as a home theatre bypass input, you can set the fixed volume level using this menu option. 0dB (full volume) is often used, but any level can be set.|
HIGH PASS FREQUENCY
Use this setting to change the crossover frequency of the high pass output.|
LOW PASS FREQUENCY
Use this setting to change the crossover frequency of the low pass output.|
LOW PASS LEVEL
Using this setting, you can trim the output level of the low pass output in 0.25dB steps. The range is +/-6dB.|
MAIN IN SELECT
Use this setting to select the source feeding the power amp section. The standard setting is “Internal signal”, which makes the I-880 operate as an integrated amp. The setting “External  input” routes the signal from the “Main in” inputs to the power amp section, making the I-880 operate as separate pre- and power amps. This can be used in conjunction with the crossover section, or with an external signal processor.|
SOFTWARE VERSION
This menu option shows the current firmware version of the amplifier.|

SPECIFICATIONS

LINE:| Gain (line 1 – 4): 5-15dB; maximum input 4.5Vrms
Gain (line 5): 1-11dB; maximum input 6.5Vrms Input impedance 10K ohm
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PRE-AMP.
OUTPUT:| 1 pair of RCA output
Max output: 7.5Vrms
Distortion, line stage: <0.005% (THD at 1kHz, 1V input)
Output impedance: 50 ohms
VOLUME
CONTROL:| 76 1dB steps
OUTPUT:| 2 x 200W 8 ohm, 2 x 400W 4 ohm
Distortion (THD): <0.007% (10W, 1 kHz, 8 ohm)
AAVIK NOISE
REDUCTION:| Active Tesla Coils: 132
Active Square Tesla Coils: 311
Dither circuitry: 18
Active zirconium anti aerial resonance Tesla coils: 20
Active zirconium cable anti aerial resonance Tesla coils: 4
POWER
CONSUMPTION:| Standby: <1W
Idle: <150W
DIMENSIONS:| 580 x 510 x 155mm
WEIGHT:| 36kg

We would love to hear about your experience with this product.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with feedback or questions.
info@aavik-acoustics.com
AAVIK-ACOUSTICS.COM

References

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

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