RAM Audio XTR Series Professional Power Amplifiers User Manual
- June 6, 2024
- RAM Audio
Table of Contents
Professional Power Amplifiers
12K-18K-12K4
XTR Series
OPERATION MANUAL
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
WARNING:
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN
To avoid fire or electrocution risk do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.
To avoid electric shock, do not open the unit. No user-serviceable parts inside. In the case of disfunction, have the unit checked by qualified agents?
Class I devise.
IMPORTANT:
Clean the front panel filters regularly.
Extract the filters remove the front panel grid unscrewing the screens placed
at the sides of the grid. Clean the filters using water and detergent. Place
the grid filter introducing first the internal side and screwing the screws.
Grid Filter Detail
General Information
Introduction
The XTR Series devices feature two or four-channel models, ready for rough handling in the touring world. For this purpose, XTR Series amps implement oversized high efficiency regulated power supply with the PFC front end to deliver their full performances independently of mains status. This together with an oversized high-efficiency audio power stage, forced front to back cooling through a component-free path with removable front panel dust filters, improved rugged mechanical design with even weight distribution… resulting in just power, reliability, and robustness for your touring gigs!
Main Characteristics
- Dual PFC QuantaPulse™ Regulated SMPS.
- Max. Output: 270V / 70A peak.
- Dedicated design for powerful subwoofers.
- 32/38/44 dB selectable Gain.
- RAM Audio Power Management System.
- Hi-Efficiency, Heavy Duty Audio Power section for extreme use.
- Removable front panel dust filters.
- Efficient front-to-back cooling.
- Industry-standard Neutrik® XLR and Speakon® connectors.
Controls: Where and What?
Front Panel
See Figure 1
-
Signal attenuation level control
knobs: Permit independent control of each channel’s attenuation. -
PMS: LED indicating PMS in operation (see page 13)
SIGNAL: This LED indicates the presence of a signal at the inputs.
ICL: LED indicating Intelligent Clip
Limiter in operation (see page 13). -
Main Power Switch:
The position I: Connects the amplifier’s current feed.
Position O disconnects the Power.
Front Panel
Rear Panel
See Figure 2
-
Signal Input: Female Neutrik® XLR Connectors for the amplifier’s signal input.
Signal Link: Male Neutrik® XLR Connectors for the daisy-chaining input signal to other amplifiers (parallel connected to female input connectors). -
Speaker connectors: Neutrik® Speakon to connect the speakers.
-
Mains Power Cord: to connect the amplifier to the mains network. The color code is:
Blue: Neutral
Brown: Live, single phase
Yellow-green: Protective Earth -
Gain Selection Minidips: Gain Selection mini dips 1 and 2: Three positions for 32, 38 or 44dB Gain, (Default setting 32dB).
-
Mode selection mini dips: with mini dips 3, 4, 5, 6 y 7 you chose operation mode: Link or Bridge (just for 4 channel model).
Rear Panel
2 Channels models
4 Channels models
Installation and Operation
Connections
The Power switch must always be on the “Off” position before plugging the amp
to a properly earthed mains socket.
The color code is:
Blue: Neutral
Brown: Live, single phase
Yellow-green: Protective Earth
The input signal fed to the amplifier can be either balanced or unbalanced.
The drawing below describes both ways to wire an XLR connector for the
purpose.
Balanced Signal: Connect pin 1 to Ground, pin 2 to Signal + (hot), and
pin 3 to Signal – (cold).
Unbalanced Signal: Connect Pin 1 to Ground, pin 2 to Signal and pin 3 to
Ground.
Important!: If a connection is done with an unbalanced line and pin 3 on the
XLR is not connected to the ground, a 6 dB loss occurs in the line, and only a
quarter of the amplifier power is produced.
The amplifiers provide, for each channel, a female XLR Connector (Signal
Input) paralleled to a male XLR to daisy chain several amplifiers with the
same signal line (LINK).
There are three different configurations:
Link, Bridge, and Dual are the two last ones just for 4 channels models. The
connections for the three modes are different.
DUAL Channel Mode
See Figures and2 and 3
– Set the rear mini dips in the position corresponding to the Dual
configuration.
– Select the chosen Gain (Default setting 32dB).
– Connect the signal lines to the female XLR connectors on all channels.
– Connect the speakers’ lines to the corresponding Speakon on the amp
respecting the polarity.
– Use the level control knob on the front panel to adjust each channel
independently.
– Each signaling LED group will show its corresponding channel status.
LINK Channel Mode
See Figures 2 and 4
– To link 2 adjacent channels, set rear mini dips 3, 4 (for 2 channels models)
and 3, 4, and 5 (for 4 channels models) as indicated on rear label.
Link CD: 3 and 4 down and 5 up.
– Operate as Dual Channel Mode with the signal input linked to another
adjacent channel.
BRIDGE Channel Mode
Just for 4 channels models.
See Figure 2 5
– To put two channels in Bridge set rear mini dips 6 and 7 as follows:
Bridge AB: 6 up and 7 down.
Bridge CD: 6 down and 7 up.
– Select the chosen Gain, remember that, in Bridge mode, the real gain will be
6dB higher. (Default setting 32dB).
– Connect a signal line to input female XLR Channel A or C.
– Connect the speaker line to the Channel A or C Speakon wired to +1 and -2.
In this way pin, +1 is positive.
– Use Channel A or C control knob to adjust the amp’s output.
– The signaling LED groups will show the single-channel status.
WARNING! The “-“ pins, do not have to be Ground!
Dual-Channel
2 Ch models
4 Link Inputs
2 Ch models
3 Dual Channel
4 Channel models
4 Link Inputs
4 Channel models
5 Bridge Mode
4 Channel models
Bridge + Dual Mode
4 Channel models
Troubleshooting
In the event of an incorrect connection or misfunctioning, the amp will activate one or more of its LEDs to warn about the problem.
Correct function: SGNL lights to indicate signal presence.
ICL: The Intelligent Clip Limiter is operating (see page 10).
No Signal: No Input Signal is reaching the amp.
PMS: Several causes can trigger this LED, the most common are:
– The amplifier is in power-on sequence, where output is inhibited until the
amp circuits are ready to operate.
– The internal temperatures rise to near thermal shutdown point due to
unfavorable operating conditions.
– Excessive mains current consumption.
Protection Systems PMS™
Power Management System
This is a complete set of protections that monitors the main amp parameters (load status, signal input, temperature, current, etc.) in order to draw from the power supply only the precise amount of current required to maintain safe operation during hazardous or extreme working conditions.
This system controls the amount of power that the amp delivers under three basic circumstances:
- The power-on sequence, where output is inhibited until the amp circuits are ready to operate. This routine is repeated at every restart, not just when the power switch is activated.
- When internal temperatures rise to near thermal shutdown point due to unfavorable operating conditions. Here the system takes control, restricting current so as to maintain operational continuity at the precise power level which the amp is capable of withstanding at that particular moment.
- Excessive mains current consumption. This event only occurs either under laboratory conditions (long-term sinusoidal signal testing with dummy loads) or, for example, in field applications in conditions of prolonged acoustic howl-round. Here PMS takes control to avoid any damage to the speakers and to prevent the mains breaker from tripping or the fuses blowing.
ICL2™ – Intelligent Clip Limiter
The RAM Audio ICL2 is an anti clip system to avoid speaker failure and provide a more acceptable sound quality even when clipping occurs. With the ICL2 system, you don’t lose the music “punch” but the speakers are kept under control.
SSP™ – SOA Sentry Protection
SOA Sentry protection effectively limits the power that the amp could deliver into an incorrect load or to a direct short-circuit. This avoids power transistor failure.
FCM™ – Faulty Channel Management
Faulty Channel Management system to avoid entire device shutdown.
Technical Specifications
Data
| XTR-12K| XTR-18K| XTR-12K4
---|---|---|---
Output Power (1kHz, 1.0% THD+N)
@ 4 Ohm| 2x 6000 W| 2x 9000 W| 4x 2950 W
@ 8 Ohm| 2x 3000 W| 2x 4500 W| 4x 1550 W
Bridge @ 8Ω| –| –| 2x 5900 W
Frequency Response
Power Bandwidth ±0.25dB| | |
Frequency Response
Power Bandwidth ±0.25dB| 20Hz-20kHz
Total Harmonic Distortion
20Hz-20kHz| <0.05%
Intermodulation Distortion
SMPTE| <0.05%
Damping Factor
20-500Hz @ 8 Ohm| >500
Crosstalk
20Hz-20kHz (typical)| >70dB
Voltage Gain| 32/38/44 dB
Sensitivity
Rated Power (32/38/44dB Gain)| 3.9/1.9/1 V| 4.7/2.4/1.2 V| 2.8/1.4/0.7 V
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
20Hz-20kHz| 116dB| 118dB| 116dB
Required AC Mains
Operating Voltage (50Hz-60Hz)
Power On Idling (@ 230V)
1/8 Rated Power @ 4 Ohm (@ 230V)
(limited by PMS for fuse saver protection)| 90V-265V AC
0.5 A
14 A| 170V-265V AC
0.5 A
16 A| 90V-265V AC
0.5 A
13 A
Dimensions
W x H x D (mm)
W x H x D (inches)| 483x89x460
19×3.5×18.1
Weight
Net (Kg-Lbs)| 12-26.5| 12-26.5| 12-26.5
Protections
Soft-start, Turn-on Turn-off transients, Muting at turn-on, Over-heating, DC,
RF, Short-circuit, Open or mismatched loads, Overloaded power supply, Mains
Overvoltage, ICL ™ , PMS ™ , SSP ™ and FCM ™
© 2019 by C.E. Studio-2 s.l. – Spain (EEC)
http://www.ramaudio.com
e-mail: [email protected]
P-4816-599
QXPDRFDoc
Manufactured in the EEC by C.E. Studio-2 s.l.
Pol. Ind. La Figuera – C/Rosa de Luxemburgo, nº 34
46970 Alaquas – Valencia – SPAIN
Phone: +34 96 127 30 54 Fax: +34 96 127 30 56
http://www.ramaudio.com e-mail:
[email protected]