ELITE ACOUSTICS A1-8 Compact Lithium Battery Powered Acoustic Amplifier User Guide

ELITE ACOUSTICS A1-8 Compact Lithium Battery Powered Acoustic Amplifier

Product Information

• The Elite Acoustics Engineering A1-8 is a compact lithium battery-powered acoustic amplifier with three channels, a mixer, and 16 digital effects. It is designed to provide high-quality sound amplification for acoustic instruments.
• The amplifier features a speaker volume control, monitor output controls, main output with XLR output, and a battery switch to preserve battery life.
• It also has a power LED indicator to show when the unit is on, a +48V LED indicator to indicate phantom power, and a monitor equalizer to adjust the speaker’s high, mid, and low-frequency response.
• The A1-8 amplifier is equipped with various input options, including instrument inputs (1/4 TRS), balanced mic inputs (XLR), and an aux input (1/8 jack) for connecting audio sources like MP3/CD players. It also has a +9VDC output that can be used to power compatible digital mixers.
• The amplifier comes with 16 digital effects, including echo, ambience, hall, room, plate, chorus, flange, and more. These effects can be controlled using the effects controls on the top panel of the amplifier.
• The A1-8 amplifier is designed, assembled, and tested in California, USA by Elite Acoustics.

Product Usage Instructions

1. Before using the amplifier, ensure that the battery switch is set to “Connect” to preserve battery life.
2. Make sure the speaker volume control is turned down before turning on the power switch.
3. Connect your instrument to the appropriate input (instrument input or balanced mic input).
4. If desired, you can connect an additional mono or stereo source to the aux input.
5. Turn on the power switch to activate the amplifier.
6. Turn on your source signal(s) and adjust the volume on the source signal for normal operation.
7. Adjust the level control until you see a solid green light indicating a signal at the desired level. Avoid a red peak light, which indicates too much signal.
8. Adjust the speaker volume control to a comfortable listening level.

Note: The amplifier’s features and specifications are subject to change without notice. Please refer to the user manual for the most up-to-date information.

WHAT IS IN THE BOX

A1-8 package contains the following:

• (1) Speaker
• (1) 12V AC Power Supply Adapter

NOTE: Due to continuous development and improvements of our products, features and specifications are subject to change without notice. All weights and measures are approximate. Revision Date – Oct 2023.

QUICK START

1. Battery Switch [26] is set to Connect. (Battery Switch to preserve battery life.)

2. Make sure the SPEAKER VOLUME [3] control is down before you turn the POWER [25] on.

3. Connect the input of your microphone to the MIC IN [15.1]. Or you can connect a ¼” line input [15]from an instrument [15.2]. You can also connect an additional mono or stereo [20].

4. Turn on the POWER [25] switch.

5. Turn on your source signal(s) and adjust the volume on the source signal for normal operation.

6. Turn up LEVEL [16] until there is a solid green light showing “signal”[5] at desired level, without a red “peak”[5] light, indicating too much signal.

7. Adjust the SPEAKER VOLUME [3] to a comfortable level.

   • Power LED: BLUE [1]: Indicate unit is ON

   • +48V LED [2]: Indicates Phantom Power is on
     Monitor Output Controls

   • Speaker Volume [3]: Control speakers’ volume level

   • Mono [4]: Changes speaker output to Mono sound

   • Equalizer [6]: Adjust Speaker High, Mid, and Low Frequency response

   • Peak LED [5]: RED indicate Signal Clip

   • Signal LED [5]: GREEN indicate Signal

   • Aux Input/Level [7]: Connect audio source with 1/8” jack from MP3/CD player
     Effects Controls

   • Effects Mix [8]: Amount of effect being applied to Input

   • Rate/Decay [9]: Controls the duration of the effect

   • Effects Knob Selector [10]: Select effect of choice

   • EFX Bypass [11]: Turn effects on or off (When LED is on, the effects are turned off)
     Channel 1

   • EFX Send Level [13]: How much output effect is being sent out

   • +48V [14]: Phantom Power control

   • Line In [15]: 1/4” TRS inputs

   • Level [16]: Gain level control

   • Mute [17]: Mute channel

   • Mic In [15.1]: XLR for Microphone Input Instrument Input [15.2] Channel 2/3

   • Level [19]: Gain level control

   • Left/Right Input [20]: 1/4” TRS Input

   • EFX Send Level [21]: How much output effect is being sent out

   • Monitor Output : Connect with extra speakers/monitors

   • Output Source [22]: Assigns Main Output or Direct Output

   • Main Output [23]: XLR Output

Top Panel View

• Power LED: BLUE [1]: Indicate unit is ON
• +48V LED [2]: Indicates Phantom Power is on

Monitor Output Controls

• Speaker Volume [3]: Control speakers’ volume level
• Mono [4]: Changes speaker output to Mono sound
• Monitor Equalizer [6]: Adjust Speaker High, Mid, and Low Frequency response
• Peak LED [5]: RED indicates Signal Clip
• Signal LED [5]: GREEN indicates Signal
• Aux Input/Level [7]: Connect audio source with 1/8” jack from MP3/CD player.

Effects Controls

• Effects Mix [8]: Amount of effect being applied to Input, Dry and Wet mix. There is no EFX if knob is completely on DRY position.
• Rate/Decay [9]: Controls the duration of the effect
• Effects Knob Selector [10]: Select effect of choice

Tips: +9VDC (500mA) output is Center Positive. Use to power StompMix 4 or GigMix 4-1 digital mixers.

Channel 1

• Gain [16]: Gain level control
• Mute [17]: Mute channel
• EFX Send Level [13]: How much output effect is being sent out +48V Phamton Power [14]
• Line In [15]: 1/4” TRS inputs Balanced
• Mic In [15.1]: XLR for Microphone Input Balanced
  • Mic/Line or Instrument Input selection switch [18]
  • Instrument Input (15.2)
  • Instrument Input is recommended for Passive Pickups that need high Z and higher Gain.

Chanel 2/3

• Gain [19]: Gain level control
• EFX Send Level [21]: How much output effect is being send out
• Left/Right Input [20]: 1/4” TRS Input
• Output Source [22]: Assigns
  • Main Mix Output or Channel 1 Direct Output
• Main Output [23]: XLR Left/Right Output
  • GND lift For XLR outputs (24)

CONNECTING

CONNECTING TO ANOTHER SPEAKER FOR STEREO

The Monitor Right Output (33) allows you to add a secondary active monitor while preserving the stereo image. The Monitor unit will play the Left Channel content and the secondary monitor will play the Right Channel. If stereo imaging is not desired, simply engage the Mono button on the A4-8’s top panel. Note that the Monitor Right Output (33) will not drive a passive speaker; it is a Line-level output that can drive amplifiers or active monitor systems. Connect Master Speaker Right output (33) to Secondary Speaker Chan 3/4 Line input (32). Set Secondary Speaker Gain (30) to 3 0’clock. Then set Secondary Monitor Level (3) to balance the Left (Master speaker) and Right (Secondary speaker) channels. EQ on Secondary Speaker should be FLAT and EFX (11) should be bypassed.

CONNECTING TO ANOTHER ACTIVE SPEAKER (HOUSE PA) FROM DIRECT OUTPUTS OR MAIN MIX OUTPUTS
The XLR output jacks can be used for MAIN MIX outputs (seperate from the Monitor Speaker Output) or Direct Outputs for Chan 1 “Left” (35) and Chan 2 “Right” (35) with Level Control. Switch (34) control Main (Switch Out) or Direct Out (Switch pressed in).

EAE BATTERY & RECHARGING INFORMATION

1. To fully charge a unit –
   • a. Turn Power Switch OFF
   • b. Connect “AC” adaptor to Power Jack.
   • c. RED/GREEN bi-color “Charge” LED should be lit, Charge time is about 5-6 hours.
2. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LifePO4) battery lifetime is typically 4 – 5 years depending on usage.
3. Recharge Battery every month if not in use.

FOR MAXIMUM BATTERY LIFE

• Battery TYPE – LifePO4
• Battery METER indicators –
• NORMAL – (LED1/3) GREEN ON
• LOW — (LED1/3) GREEN ON, (LED2/4) (Bi-Color) RED – ON less then (about 10% – 25%)
• LOW – (LED1/3) GREEN OFF, (LED2/4) (Bi-color) RED ON (less then 10%)
• FULLY CHARGED. – (LED2/4) (Bi-color) GREEN LED ON
• CHARGING – (LED 5) (Bi-color) RED/GREEN LEDs ON. (will turn off when Fully Charged)
• For Maximum Battery Life
• Recharge when battery is low.
• Drain & recharge battery at least once a month
• Do not leave power switch in the “ON” position when it is not in use.
• Keep unit in a cool, dry place away from extreme temperatures
• Do not service, modify, or replace the battery
• If the battery fails to charge, contact Elite Acoustics

ABOUT EQ SETTINGS

• High – used to add sibilance and crispness to your sound, with the knob at 12:00, there is no boost or cut to the high frequency content.
• Mid – Helps control the clarity of your overall mix and should be adjusted to suit lower or higher volume performance levels. Boosting the mids helps speech clarity and intelligibility at lower volumes while cutting the mids produces a more natural sound at higher volumes. The Mid frequency selection knob allows for a range extending from high LF to low HF. When set to 12:00 the Mid frequency peak is around 1.2k Hz, with +/- 12dB of boost or cut depending on the setting of the Mid knob. Here again, with Mid set to 12:00 the mid control is effectively out of the circuit.
• Low – In general, lower volumes can benefit from LF boost to help bring out the bass at these lower settings, but it is usually left flat or even slightly cut for high playback levels.

DIGITAL EFX

• R1 – Bright Cavern
• R2 – Dark Cavern
• R3 – Bright Hall
• R4 – Dark Hall
• R5 – Bright Room
• R6 – Dark Room
• R7 – Bright Plate
• R8 – Dark Plate
• R9 – Ambience1
• R10 – Ambience2
• E1 – Echo
• E2 – Repeat Echo
• ER1 – Echo/Rev1
• ER2 – Echo/Rev2
• CHO – Chorus
• Flange – Flange

16 DIGITAL EFX PROGRAMS

• There are 16 total Digital EFX programs
• R1 to R10 – REVERB
• E1 and E2 – ECHO
• ER1 and ER2 – Echo and Reverb
• CHO – Chorus
• FLange – Flanger
• Program select Encoder (10) is for program change.
• Parameter knob (9) to change the rate or delay time for the program that is set.
• Mix knob (8) is to fine-turn the amount of EFX you want in the output mix.
• EFX can be bypassed by Pressing the bypass switch (9)
• EFX send levels for each channel are set on the rear panel ( 14, 24, and 31) that correspond to each channel.

TIPS

Distorted Sound

1. Check the input level to make sure the input Signal Light is in GREEN and not CLIPPING RED. Reduce Input by turning down the GAIN knob (12, 19). Make sure all EQ knobs are set to Middle. (FLAT)
2. Check Monitor Signal Light is also GREEN and not Clipping. Reduce Speaker Level by turning Monitor Knob (3), make sure EQ is set to middle (FLAT)

No Sound

1. Check LED signal lights. Green means there is a Signal on the input.
2. Make sure the MIX knob is at the 12 o’clock position.
3. Make sure the Channel is unmuted.
4. Make sure +48V is on when using a Condenser Mic. Make sure to MUTE when turning on +48V to prevent a loud POP sound.

Battery not Holding Charging

1. Power unit off and charge the unit for 24 hours. If the problem still persists, contact support@eliteacoustics.com. for battery replacement instructions.

SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS

• Speakers:
  • 8” Woofer; 1” Silk-dome Tweeters
  • Optimized front ports for extended low-frequency response
  • Frequency response 63Hz – 19k Hz
• Cabinet: Plywood.
• Amplifier:
  • Ultra High-Efficiency Class D Amplifier.
• EQ Controls:
  • Low +/- 12dB @ 50Hz (shelving)
  • Mid +/- 12dB @ 200Hz – 4k Hz (resonant)
  • High +/- 12dB @ 10k Hz (shelving)
  • Notch +/- 12dB @ 80Hz – 400 Hz (high-Q resonant)
• Battery:
  • Built-in Lithium Iron Phosphate (LifePO4) type, rechargeable
  • Typical recharge time ~ 5.5 hours
  • Playtime ~ 4 hours
  • (larger capacity battery modules available for purchase)
• Power Supply:
  • DC 12V, 3000 mA or more
• Physical:
  • Dimensions: 12.13″w x 11.13″ H x 10.55″ D
  • Weight: 20 lbs
• Nominal output level (1 kHz):
  • Right Channel Link out -10 dBu Main/Direct Output: +4dBu
  • Channel controls: CH1: EFX Send Level knob, Gain knob, Mute switch, CH2/3: Level Knob & EFX Send Level
  • EFX Effect controls: Dry/Wet knob, Decay/Rate knob, 16 different effects(Bright/Dark Cavern, Bright/Dark Hall, Bright/Dark Room, Bright/Dark Plate, Ambience1, Ambience2, Echo, Repeat Echo, Echo/Rev1, Echo/Rev2, Chorus, Flange)
  • Master controls: Volume Knob, Mono Switch, Equalizer (Low, Mid, High knob), Effect Mix, Decay/Rate, Effects
  • Stereo Inputs: 1/4” Left/Right input jacks
  • Phantom Power: +48V
  • Aux in control: Level knob
  • Indicators: signal clip, power, +48V, EFX Bypass,
  • Connectors: CH1: Input jacks (XLR type, 1/4” TRS phono type), CH2/3: Left/Right stereo input (1/4” TRS phono type), AUX in input jacks (1/8” jack), output: Mix or Direct Out Chan 1 (XLR type), DC in jack
• Power Switch
  • Other features: USB charging dock Optimized front ports for extended low-frequency response Built-in pole-mount, 35mm receptacle on the bottom of unit +9V DC output (500mA)
  • Accessories: AC cord, AC adaptor, Optional DC cord for the car

CAR ADAPTOR “OPTIONAL”

• The unit can operate normally when plugged into the Car Adaptor.
• The battery can also be charged by using the Car Adaptor.
• It is not recommended that you leave the unit plugged in while the car is not running.

Legal Notice: CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm – www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

THIS DEVICE COMPLIES WITH PART 15 OF THE FCC RULES. OPERATION IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING TWO CONDITIONS.

1. THIS DEVICE MAY NOT CAUSE HARMFUL INTERFERENCE, AND
2. THIS DEVICE MUST ACCEPT ANY INTERFERENCE RECEIVED, INCLUDING INTERFERENCE THAT MAY CAUSE UNDESIRED OPERATION.

WARRANTY

WARRANTY (USA ONLY)

Contact the Distributor in your area for service and warranty info. Elite Acoustics Engineering Inc. warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship (excluding battery) for a period of 1 year from the date of original retail purchase. Elite Acoustics Engineering Inc. warrants the Speaker’s Battery for 90 days from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty is enforceable only by the original retail purchaser. To be protected by this warranty, the purchaser must complete and return the enclosed warranty card within 14 days of purchase. During the warranty period EAE shall, as its sole and absolute option, either repair or replace, free of charge, any product that proves to be defective on inspection by EAE or its authorized service representative. To obtain warranty service, contact Elite Acoustics Engineering Technical Support via email: RMA@eliteacoustics.com. PRE-AUTHORIZATION MUST BE OBTAINED BEFORE SENDING ANY PRODUCT TO AN ELITE ACOUSTIC ENGINEERING SERVICE CENTER. All inquires must be accompanied by a description of the problem. All authorized returns must be sent to the EAE repair facility postage prepaid, insured and properly packaged. EAE reserves the right to update any unit returned for repair. EAE reserves the right to change or improve the design of the product at any time without prior notice. This warranty does not cover claims for damage due to abuse, neglect, alteration, or attempted repair by unauthorized personnel and is limited to failures arising during normal use that are due to defects in material or workmanship in the product. Any implied warranties, including implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are limited in duration to the length of this limited warranty. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, therefore above limitation may not apply to you. In no event will EAE be liable for incidental, consequential, or other damages resulting from the breach of any express or implied warranty, including among other things, damage to property, damage based on inconvenience or on loss of use of the product, and, to the extent permitted by law, damages for personal injury. Some states do not allow the exclusion of limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state. This warranty only applies to products sold and used in the United States of America. For warranty information in all other countries please refer to your local distributor. ©Elite Acoustics Engineering Inc. Elite Acoustics Engineering A1-8 Compact Lithium Battery Powered Acoustic Amplfier with 3 Channels, Mixer, and 16 digital Effects Quick Start Guide V1.00

References

• P65Warnings.ca.gov

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