ARCAM A15 Stereo Integrated Amplifier Owner’s Manual

ARCAM A15 Stereo Integrated Amplifier

Product Information

Specifications

• Model: A5/A15/A25
• Class: II
• Electrical Appliance: Double insulated
• Manufacturer: ARCAM

Product Usage Instructions

Safety Precautions
Before using the product, please read and follow these important safety instructions:

1. Read these instructions carefully and keep them for future reference.
2. Heed all warnings and followed all instructions provided in the manual.
3. Clean the product only with a dry cloth.
4. Ensure there are no ventilation openings blocked.
5. Install the apparatus according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Avoid placing the apparatus near heat sources or vases.
7. Use only with the specified cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table provided by the manufacturer.
8. When using a cart, exercise caution to prevent tip-overs and potential injury.
9. Unplug the apparatus during lightning storms or when not in use for extended periods.
10. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel if the apparatus has been damaged or exposed to rain, or moisture, or if it does not operate normally.
11. To disconnect completely from the AC mains, unplug the power supply cord from the AC receptacle.
12. The mains plug of the power-supply cord should always remain easily accessible.
13. Use only the power supply and/or charging cable provided by the manufacturer.
14. Avoid exposing the apparatus to rain or moisture to reduce the risk of fire or electric shock.

Thank You for Choosing ARCAM
ARCAM has been designing and manufacturing amplifiers for over 45 years. The A5, A15, and A25 amplifiers continue this tradition, providing reliable amplification with exceptional musicality for your enjoyment.

If you encounter any faults or require technical assistance, please contact our dedicated support teams via email at luxurysupport@harman.com or by telephone at +44 (0) 1707 668012 or +1 888 6914 171. For further information about ARCAM products, you can also reach out to our network of dealers or visit the ARCAM website at ARCAM.co.uk.

Placing The Unit
When placing the ARCAM A5/A15/A25 amplifier, ensure the following:

• Choose a stable and level surface to prevent any accidental tipping.
• Avoid placing the unit near heat sources or vases to prevent damage.
• Allow sufficient space around the ventilation openings for proper airflow.
• Do not cover the ventilation openings with any objects.

FAQ

• Q: Where can I find a full list of safety instructions?
  A: You can visit the product page at ARCAM.co.uk and download the Safety Sheet for a comprehensive list of safety instructions.

• Q: Is the ARCAM amplifier suitable for use in all climates?
  A: The equipment is designed for use in moderate climates with a maximum temperature of 35 degrees.

• Q: What should I do if the apparatus is damaged or exposed to rain?
  A: If the apparatus has been damaged or exposed to rain or moisture, or if it does not operate normally, refer servicing to qualified service personnel.

© ARCAM A5_A15_A25 OM EN – Harman International Industries, Incorporated. Features, specifications, and appearance are subject to change without notice.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Clean only with a dry cloth.
6. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install this apparatus according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
7. Do not install this apparatus near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other apparatus that produce heat.
8. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong is provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for the replacement of the obsolete outlet.
9. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
10. Use only attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
11. This equipment is designed for use in moderate climates with a maximum temperature of 35℃.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. 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, or the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally or has been dropped.
15. To disconnect this apparatus from the AC mains completely, disconnect the power-supply cord plug from the AC receptacle.
16. The mains plug of the power-supply cord shall remain readily operable.
17. This apparatus is intended to be used only with the power supply and/or charging cable provided by the manufacturer.

WARNING:
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

• Do not use this apparatus near water.
• Do not expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing, and ensure that no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the apparatus.

Visit the product page at ARCAM.co.uk and download the Safety Sheet for a full list of safety instructions.

Class II Product
This equipment is a Class II or double-insulated electrical appliance. It has been designed in such a way that it does not require a safety connection to the electrical earth (“ground” in the U.S.).

Thank you for choosing ARCAM
The “A” in ARCAM stands for Amplification – this is our core competence. The A5, A15 and A25 are the latest in more than 45 years of amplifier design and manufacture, going back to our first product in 1976 – the A&R Cambridge A60 amplifier. These amplifiers are designed to provide you with reliable amplification for decades to come, all with exceptional musicality so you get the most enjoyment from your music.

In the unlikely event of any fault, or you require technical assistance, please contact our dedicated support teams by email using luxurysupport@harman.com, or by telephone using +44 (0) 1707 668012 or +1 888 6914 171. Or, if you simply require further information about ARCAM products, our network of dealers will be happy to help you. Further information can also be found on the ARCAM website at ARCAM.co.uk.

Placing The Unit

• Place the amplifier on a level, firm surface, avoiding direct sunlight and sources of heat or dampness.
• Do not place the A5/A15/A25 on top of a power amplifier or other source of heat.
• Do not place the amplifier in an enclosed space such as a bookcase or closed cabinet unless there is good provision for ventilation. The A5/A15/A25 is designed to run warm during normal operation.
• Do not place any other component or item on top of the amplifier as this may obstruct airflow around the heat sink, causing the amplifier to run hot (the unit placed on top of the amplifier would become hot too).
• Make sure the remote-control receiver to the right of the front panel display is unobstructed, otherwise, this will impair the use of the remote control.

The A5/A15/A25 is designed to run warm in normal use, however extended use at high volume levels can result in the amplifier casework becoming hot to the touch.

This product offers the user the option to deactivate power management functions. Note that doing this will increase the energy consumption of the product.

Package Contents

• ARCAM A5/A15/A25 integrated amplifier ¡ IR Remote
• 2x AAA Batteries for the remote control ¡ Region Specific Power Cord(s)
• Safety and Compliance Document
• Quick Start Guide

Overview

Front Panel

Rear Panel

Phono Ground This terminal must not be used as a safety earth.

Remote Control

• Note: Incorrect use of batteries can have hazardous results. Do not mix old and new batteries together. Do not use non-identical batteries together. Although they may look similar, different batteries may have different voltages. Ensure the batteries are inserted in the correct direction.
• Remove batteries from equipment that is not going to be used for a month or more. When disposing of used batteries, please comply with governmental or local regulations that apply in your country or area.

Display Control
Press the button on the remote control to turn the display on or off.

Input Selection
Use the left← and→ right cursor buttons on the remote control.

Connecting Loudspeakers

• Step 1, ensure power is disconnected from the amplifier.
• Step 2, using speaker cables, connect the red positive terminal of the right speaker output (R+) on the amplifier to the positive (+) terminal of your right speaker.
• Step 3, connect the black negative terminal of the right speaker output (R-) on the amplifier to the negative (-) terminal of your speaker.
• Step 4, repeat the process for the left speaker, using the terminals labelled L+ and L- and on the amplifier.

Top Tips

• Check all connections thoroughly. Ensure that exposed wires or cables are not touching each other or the amplifier’s chassis (which can cause a short circuit), and that you have connected the positive (+) and negative (–) terminals correctly. Be sure to check the wiring for both the amplifier and the speakers.
• After making connections: switch the amplifier on with no input and reduce the volume to a minimum. Select a source signal, and then slowly increase the volume to a suitable listening level to avoid loud sounds or product damage in the event of an incorrect connection.
• If you are unsure as to how your system should be connected, please contact your ARCAM dealer who will be happy to help you.

Bluetooth Operation

Connecting your phone or tablet:

• To pair your Bluetooth source device, open the Bluetooth settings on your source device and scan for A5/A15/A25 ###### from the list. Each product has a unique ID.
• By default, the amplifier does not need to be on the BT input for Bluetooth pairing of a source device.
• The Amplifier can recall 5 device pairings. If 5 are in memory already, the oldest will be replaced.
• Because portable devices often have a volume slider, there is a maximum volume setting in the amplifier to prevent excessive volume output from being selected accidentally. The default is 40.

Connecting your wireless headphones:

• To pair Bluetooth headphones, press on the remote control and select Audio Output.
• When you see SPEAKERS, press the down cursor button on the remote control to see options. Paired Headphones will be listed, or select Pair BT Output (A5/A15) or Pair New Bluetooth Device (A25). Your headphone must be in pairing mode to be discovered and paired.
• Bluetooth headphones cannot be used with the Bluetooth input.

Audio Menu

Press the MENU button on the amplifier or the on the remote control.

Use the the navigation buttons on the remote control.

Audio Output| Select between Speakers and Bluetooth headphones. Bluetooth headphones need to be on and paired to appear on the list.

The default is Speakers.

To pair new Bluetooth headphones, put them in pairing mode, and then press the DOWN cursor and select PAIR BT OUTPUT (A5 & A15) or PAIR NEW BT DEVICE (A25).

---|---
Balance| Adjust the volume balance for left or right gain using the UP and DOWN cursor buttons and select set.

The default is 0 (centre).

DAC Filter| Select a different DAC filter.

The default is 0 (A5 & A15) or LIN PHASE FAST (A25).

(Input) PLL (A5 & A15 only)| Select between STD (Standard) and WDE (Wide) PLL settings. Wide setting is more tolerant of variable quality digital audio sources such as satellite receivers.

The default is STD.

Power

• The power switch on the rear panel switches the amplifier on or off. When you have finished making connections, switch the amplifier on.
• Press the volume encoder to turn on the amplifier from standby.
• Press and hold the volume encoder to put the amplifier in standby.

Auto Standby
This amplifier is designed to enter standby automatically within 20 minutes with no audio playing and no user interaction. This is to meet international power consumption regulations. This can be turned off in the menu. To use the menu, see page 10.

Selecting Inputs

Audio inputs can be selected using either:

• The INPUT selector is on the front panel. Rotate the dial to the input and press to select.
• Using the left← and right→ cursor buttons on the remote control. In each case, the source name corresponds to the labelled input sockets.

The inputs are:

• Phono (analog – turntable with moving magnet cartridge)
• Analogue 1, Analogue 2 and Analogue 3
• Digital 1, Digital 2, Digital 3 and USB-C (USB-C on A25 only)

Note:
The digital inputs only support stereo (PCM) audio. Multichannel audio or encoded audio of any type is not supported.

Phono Input
The Phono Input includes a pre-amplifier to work with an MM (moving magnet) cartridge on a turntable for playing vinyl.

NEVER connect anything other than a turntable through this input. This can result in serious damage to both your amplifier and speakers and will not be covered under warranty.

Service USB
The Service USB socket on this amplifier is only intended for software updates. It is not an audio input.

Headphones
The headphone socket (PHONES) accepts headphones fitted with a 3.5mm stereo jack. By default, the pre-amp outputs and speakers are muted when the headphones are plugged in.

Note:
the speakers and pre-amp outputs can be configured to remain active when headphones are connected using the Headphone Override function in the setup menu.

Processor Mode
Processor mode will fix the volume for one input. It can be assigned to any analogue input (excluding Phono). This allows the amplifier to be used in conjunction with a home cinema receiver in a combined home cinema and two- channel system. Set the volume to match other speakers connected to the source amplifier or AVR using the Processor Volume setting.

Settings Menu

• Press the MENU button on the amplifier or the on the remote control.
• Use the the navigation buttons on the remote control.

Menu Tree

System Settings| Streamer Input| Select the input that an ARCAM Radia streamer is connected to.

Default is NONE.

---|---|---
Halo Brightness

(A25 Only)

| Select the brightness of the dial illuminations.

Default is FULL.

HP Override

| Select whether speaker remain on or switch off when wired headphones are connected.

The default is Off (speakers muted). On = speakers unmuted.

Processor Mode| Select an input for fixed volume.

Default is OFF.

Processor

Volume

| Set the volume for fixed volume input set above.

Default is 25.

Eco Timer| Auto standby duration. Select OFF to disable.

Default is ON.

IR Code

| Change the IR code set if the amplifier remote commands conflict with another device in your home. Changing this setting does not affect the remote handset.

Default is 16.

Software Version| Displays the software version of the amplifier.
Factory Reset| Reset the amplifier to factory defaults. Press Select to initiate the reset.
Software Update| Initiate an update of the amplifier software by USB. Press Select to initiate the USB. A USB must be present in the SERVICE USB socket with the

amplifier software stored on it for the update to occur.

BT Settings| BT AUTOSWITCH

(Bluetooth Input Auto Switch)

| Enables or disables the automatic switching of the Bluetooth input when music is played from a connected device.

Default is ON.

BT Max Volume| Set the maximum volume for the Bluetooth Input.

Default is 30.

Clear (Device) List| Clear the memory of paired devices from the amplifier. Press Select to delete pairings.

Troubleshooting

Problem

|

Check the following

---|---

No sound from Bluetooth headphones

| Check the headphones have not connected to another device like a phone or tablet before the amplifier can connect to them.

If your headphones have a power-saving auto mute function when removed from the head (head

detection), they may need to be unmuted to restore sound when refitted.

No sound

| Is the amplifier correctly plugged in and switched on?

Is the audio source correctly connected, with the correct input selected? Is the amplifier muted?

Is the amplifier in protection mode (as described below)?

Sound cuts-out unexpectedly

| The amplifier may enter a protection mode. The front panel display indicates the fault type:

·          FAULT DC OFFSET: The amplifier detected an overload. Power off and reduce the volume after turning back on.

·          FAULT SHORT (CIRCUIT): The amplifier detected a speaker short circuit. Inspect all the speaker cables to make sure none of them are shorted together. This fault is more common when exposed wires are being used to make speaker connections.

·          FAULT OVER TEMP: The internal temperature of the unit reached an unsafe level. Allow the amplifier to cool.

In protection mode, the amplifier will turn itself off and power to the speakers will be removed. To continue using the amplifier, the fault must be treated, and the amplifier must be turned OFF then

back ON from the power switch on the rear panel.

The amplifier does not respond to the remote control| Are there fresh batteries in the remote control?

Are you pointing the remote control towards the amplifier window without obstruction?

The front panel display is blank

| Is the amplifier correctly plugged in and switched on? Is the amplifier in standby?

Is the display dimmed to “Off”?

Press the button on the remote control.

Hum on the analogue input

| Ensure all cables are making a good connection.

Try disconnecting the input cable and plug it fully in again (turn the power off before doing this).

If the Hum stops when the source is disconnected, the problem is most likely to be in the cable or the

source device to which it is connected.

Specifications

Supported sample rates (kHz)

| Coaxial| 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192
Optical| 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192
USB-C| NA| 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4,

192, 352.8, 384

Supported Bit depth| 16-bit, 24-bit| 16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit
Supported DSD| USB-C Only| NA| 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024
Frequency response (filter 1)| 20Hz – 20kHz ± 0.2dB
Signal/Noise ratio (A-wtd, ref. 50W, 0dBFS)| 109dB| 110dB
Bluetooth|  |
RF Frequency Bands| 2400-2483.5 MHz
Maximum Output Power| <10dBm
Headphone output|
Maximum output level (RMS) into 32Ω/300Ω| 2.5V/5V
Load Range| 16Ω – 2kΩ
General|
Mains voltage| 100V or 110–120V or 220–240V, 50/60Hz
Maximum power consumption| 350W| 500W| 500W
Standby power consumption| <0.5W| <0.5W| <0.5W
Dimensions W x D (including speaker terminals) x H (including feet)| 431 x 344 x 83mm| 431 x 344 x 98mm| 431 x 344 x 83mm
Weight (net)| 8kg| 10kg| 9kg
Weight (gross)| 11kg| 13kg| 12kg

The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

HARMAN International, Incorporated

• 8500 Balboa Boulevard, Northridge, CA 91329 USA
• Danzigerkade 16G 1013 AP Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Ground Floor, Westside 2, London Road, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP3 9TD, United Kingdom
• www.arcam.co.uk
• © 2023 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved.
• ARCAM is a trademark of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries.
• Features, specifications, and appearance are subject to change without notice.

84-0-133101-0

References

• Arcam | bringing the best possible sound into people’s lives
• Arcam | bringing the best possible sound into people’s lives

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