PS Audio PCA-2 User's Manual
Contents
1. Before using the Home Theater Bypass mode an input must be designated to be the HT Bypass input Press the loop button to enter the input selec tion screen Use the volume knob to select the input desired to function as a Home Theater Bypass The default set ting is 0 When set to 0 no input is designated as a HT Bypass input and all inputs will function as normal inputs Mute Level The Mute Level function allows for a different volume level to be specified when mute is acti vated Press the loop button to enter the Mute Level selection screen Use the volume knob to adjust the desired volume level for the system to be set at while in mute mode The readout will display either a 0 to 100 scale or 90 to 10 dB scale depending on what scale is chosen in Volume Display Mode The default setting is 0 When set to 0 no audio will be heard while in mute Volume Display Mode Volume can be displayed in either a standard scale from 0 to 100 or a decibel reference scale from 90 to 10 dB Press the loop button to access the selc tion screen Rotate the volume knob to select between STD standard or DB decibel mode The default setting is STD Volume On The Volume ON setting can be adjusted to set a threshold for the volume level of the PCA 2 when it is powered on This is a useful protection feature to ensure that the PCA 2 is never set to too high a volume level for immediate playback thus preventing dama2. ing post to the wire 15 amp male IEC standard power socket Two Neutrik power connectors attach to the PCA 2 for use with the optional external power supply sold separately The fuse is a 3 Amp fast blow It can be removed by inserting a flat device into the fuse holder and twisting counter clockwise Note Unplug the power cord before checking the fuse One analog XLR balanced and six analog RCA single ended inputs allow for the connection of up to seven external sources For a complete list of input names see Appendix A This cover is to be removed upon installing an expansion card for the PCA 2 cards sold sepa rately See the instructions included with the expansion card for installation details The loop output is to be connected to the input of a device such as a tape deck or an equal izer The return loop signal should be connected to input number seven and can be activated by pressing the loop button Two pair of XLR and two pair of RCA analog out puts are both active at all times to allow connec tivity to any combination of amplifiers or to use the system in a bi amped configuration There is no sonic difference between each pair of out puts The PCA 2 does not include a phono preampli fier stage To connect a turntable use a phono peamplifier The PCA 2 front panel includes a volume knob and the following five buttons Power Input Down Input Up Loop Mute ae ee a The Power Button
3. Software version VER 2 Input 1 name 1 NAME 3 Input 1 gain 1 GAIN 4 Input 2 name 2 NAME 5 Input 2 gain 2 GAIN 6 Input 3 name 3 NAME T Input 3 gain 3 GAIN 8 Input 4 name 4 NAME 9 Input 4 gain 4 GAIN 10 Input 5 name 5 NAME 11 Input 5 gain 5 GAIN 12 Input 6 name 6 NAME 13 Input 6 gain 6 GAIN 14 Input 7 name 7 NAME 15 Input 7 gain 7 GAIN 16 HT Bypass input HT 17 Mute Level MUTE 18 Volume Display Mode V MODE 19 Volume On V ON 20 Maximum Volume V MAX 21 Headphone operation HEADP 22 Network Address N ADDR 23 Network Group N GROUP 24 Remote Codes REMOT 25 Reset RESET While in the Setup Menu the Input Up and Down buttons are used to move through the different parameters They are also used to move the cur sor position while editing the input names The Loop button is used to select the parameter to edit Pressing the Input Up Down button will store any changes made and return to the list of parameters The volume control is used to edit the selected parameter To exit the setup menu at any time press the power button on the front panel and all changes will be saved and the PCA 2 will go into standby The settings in the Setup Menu are non volatile Even if the PCA 2 is disconnected from its power source all Setup Menu entries will be stored Software Version This mode will display the current version of the PCA 2 operation software Press the Loop
4. activates the front panel dis play engages the volume control and routes the input signal to the appropriate output s The PS logo will also illuminate blue Pressing the Power Button again will put the PCA 2 in a standby mode It will consume very little power and not pass any signal to the ampli fier The display and the logo will not illuminate For optimum performance keep the PCA 2 attached to a live outlet The Input Up Down buttons cycle though all inputs The front panel will display the number of the present input as well as the input name This name can be specified by the user see Setup Menu The Loop function will acti vate the Loop output Loop Output is a fixed level output which is not affected by the vol ume control LOOP will illuminate in the front panel display when it is active The Loop function is useful in conjunc tion with recording devices or equaliza tion equipment Pressing the Mute button will silence the output of the PCA 2 If Mute is activated the number of the current input will still be displayed while the display will read MUTE To exit the mute status press mute again or simply adjust the vol ume control By default the PCA 2 will not produce any signal when in mute however the mute volume level can be specified by the user see Setup Menu Adjusting the Volume Knob will increase or decrease the output volume When the volume is adjusted it will numerically display the
5. for system control and input name display e Customizable input names e Individual input gain control e Discrete headphone amplifier e Built in Ultimate Outlet performs internal AC cleansing e Massive toroidal transformer for extended head room e PS Audio s brushed aluminum FRAME chassis PS Bus for communication with other PS Audio devices e 25 custom setup parameters e Expansion slot accommodates optional upgrade cards e Optional rack mount capability e Optional outboard power supply Quick Start Guide The PCA 2 does not include a phono preampli 1 Place the PCA 2 in a rack or ona shelf in the fier stage To connect a turntable use a phono audio video system peamplifier 2 Turn off all associated components 3a Connect the left and right analog audio out puts from all audio video source equipment to any of the inputs labeled 1 7 on the back of the PCA 2 Use input 1 for XLR type connections and inputs 2 7 for RCA type connections For a complete list of input names see appendix A 3b Connect the left and right analog audio out puts from the back of the PCA 2 to the inputs of an audio amplifier Use XLR type connectors if XLR inputs are available on the amplifier There are 2 pair of both XLR and RCA outputs There is no sonic difference between each pair of outputs 4 Plug the PCA 2 into the wall AC outlet Use the supplied AC power cable or an aftermarket power cable For optimum results
6. key to display the version number This mode cannot be edited Input Name The Input name parameter allows for the user to assign a custom name for each input This name will be displayed when it is selected as the active input There are 5 edit able characters for each input While in the Setup Menu pressing the loop but ton while the desired input is selected will allow modification of its name The cursor will blink under the 1st character This indicates the char acter that is active for editing Use the volume control to scroll through the alphanumeric char acter list for the complete list of alphanumeric characters see Appendix B Once the desired character is chosen press the Mute button to move one character to the right or the Loop but ton to move one character to the left Pressing either Input button again will exit the Input Name editing mode and save the changes to the input name For a complete list of default name settings see Appendix A Input Gain Each input also allows for a user adjustable volume gain This can be useful for eliminating volume discrepancies between different sources thus eliminating the need to adjust the volume when selecting different sources Press the loop button to enter the gain setting for the desired input Use the volume knob to make an adjustment from 10 to 10 decibels in 5 decibel increments The default setting is 0 0 decibels HT Bypass Input
7. we recom mend the use of a PS Audio xStream Power Cable 5 Once the PCA 2 is connected to power the PCA 2 will initiate a countdown sequence from 30 seconds During this time the PCA 2 is initial izing its internal circuitry 6 The PCA 2 will default to the 1st input 1 XLR when it is ready for use 7 Use the Input Up Down buttons to select the desired input and slowly raise the volume level using the front panel knob or the included IR remote control to a comfortable setting Default Settings The PCA 2 comes from the factory with standard default settings that should work well for most situations There are 25 custom setup param eters which can be adjusted by the user as well as custom input names for all 7 inputs The PCA 2 comes equipped with a built in PS Bus The PS Bus allows other PS Audio prod ucts equipped with a PS Bus to communicate via standard RJ11 phone cable Note The phone cable must have at least four wires attached to the connector a 2 line phone cable to function properly If communication between other non PS prod ucts is desired the 12 Volt Trigger can be used with other 12 Volt Trigger equipped products to relay commands such as power status There are 2 output triggers and 1 input trigger See Using the 12 Volt Trigger for more information The PCA 2 includes a grounding post for use with associated equipment such as a turntable Attach the grounding wire by tightening the bind
8. T controller To designate the specific input as the HT Bypass simply select the input used for the bypass in the Setup Menu See Setup Menu for more informa tion on selecting the HT Bypass input All 2 channel sources should be connected to the inputs on the PCA 2 Any multi channel sources should be connected to the HT con troller Any 2 channel sources can be selected directly with the PCA 2 while multi channel sources can be selected by the HT controller while the PCA 2 is set to HT bypass mode CAUTION Engaging the HT input without using a separate HT controller to control the volume may result in damage to your speak ers Using the Loop function The Loop function is used for sources with record monitoring or equalization functions such as an external analog recording device or an external graphic or parametric equalizer The loop function differs from a standard input as it will allow for monitoring of the source as the sig nal passes through the associated equipment To use the Loop function connect the associated equipment to Input 7 Then connect the Loop Out on the back of the PCA 2 to the input or monitor in on the associated equipment To use the connected device in loop mode select the desired input and then press the loop button on the remote or front panel This will engage the loop operation and the signal will first pass through the connected equipment before the signal is sent through the volume co
9. Table of Contents What s in the Box Overview Quick Start Guide Rear Panel Layout Front Panel Controls IR Remote Control setup Menu Using the Home Theater Bypass Using the Loop function Using the 12 Volt Triggers Using the PS Bus Troubleshooting Guide Appendix Warranty and Service Issues Contact Information What s in the Box e One PCA 2 Preamplifier e One IR remote control e Two AAA batteries e One 6 foot AC power cable e One user s manual e One warranty card e One spare 3 amp fast blow fuse IMPORTANT Be sure to save all packing materials included with the PCA 2 Preamplifier as this will be required if you ever need to ship the unit for ser vice or modification Overview The PCA 2 is a reference level stereo preampli fier that can integrate into any type of audio or home theater system The PCA 2 Preamplifier is designed to accom modate input switching and volume control to a number of external source components while providing a signal as faithful and musically satis fying as technologically possible today The PS Audio PCA 2 offers extraordinary user control over a wide variety of selectable options and features including e 1 XLR and 6 RCA inputs e 2 RCA and 2 XLR outputs plus 1 tape loop RCA e Fully balanced circuit architecture e Class A zero feedback gain stage e IR Remote control e Home Theater Bypass function e Front panel LED display
10. Volume Display Mode The default setting is either 100 standard mode or 10 decibel mode Headphone Operation The Headphone operation setting allows the PCA 2 to either automatically mute the main out puts or leave them active while the headphones are plugged in Press the loop button to access the selec tion screen Rotate the volume knob to choose between ON or MUTE If set to ON the PCA 2 will continue to send audio to the main outputs if headphones are connected to the front panel jack If set to MUTE the PCA 2 will mute the main outputs while headphones are connected to the front panel jack The default setting is MUTE Network Address If more than one piece of PS Audio equipment is used in a system then each piece connected to the PS Bus must have a unique Network Address In this way each piece of PS Audio equipment can easily be recognized and identi fied in the Network Bus Press the loop button to access the selection screen There are 8 possible Addresses which can be selected by rotating the volume knob while in the Network Address mode If no Network Address is set then the PCA 2 will operate independently of any other PS Audio equipment on the PS Bus Network Group It is possible to assign the PCA 2 to a unique Network Group Separate groups will allow all PS Audio products to exist on the same bus and still be able to communicate individually by group Press the loop button to access the sel
11. asily be obtained by calling PS Audio at 720 406 8946 or by contacting us via E mail at service psaudio com 15 PS Audio International Inc 4824 Sterling Dr Boulder CO 80301 USA Toll Free 877 772 8340 Ph 720 406 8946 Fax 720 406 8967 www psaudio com 16
12. eater bypass function see the section called Using Home Theater Bypass CAUTION Engaging the HT input without using a separate HT controller to control the volume may result in damage to your speak ers 7 Inputs Each input can be selected directly by pressing the corresponding input button on the remote control While input 7 is reserved for the loop function it can also be used as a regular input Input 8 is reserved for use with future expansion cards and is otherwise inactive While the PCA 2 is in standby pressing any input button or the HT button will power on the unit and select the chosen input 8 Dim Pressing the Dim button will cycle through 3 display levels By default the display is set on the brightest setting Pressing the Dim button once will decrease the light output level slightly Pressing the Dim button a second time will place the unit into display blanking mode In this mode the PS logo and the display will not illuminate When changing inputs adjusting the volume control or making any other adjustments the front panel will briefly display the present status and then return to the blanking mode Setup Menu There are 25 additional parameters that you can access in the Setup Menu The Setup Menu is activated by pressing the Input Up and Input Down buttons simultaneously while powering on the PCA 2 Pressing Input Up Down will scroll through the 25 setup parameters The setup parameters are 1
13. ection screen There are 3 possible groups which can be selected by rotating the volume know while in the Network Group mode Reset If at any time it is necessary to reset all param eters of the PCA 2 to their default settings it can be done by pressing the Loop button twice while in RESET mode See also the troubleshooting guide Using the Home Theater Bypass The PCA 2 is designed to function as a stand alone stereo preamp However it can also inte grate seamlessly into any home theater system and deliver uncompromised performance with 2 channel sources When using the Home Theater Bypass Function the PCA 2 will simply pass the audio signal from the specified input directly to all outputs This will bypass the volume control and any balance set tings The Home Theater Bypass Function is designed to work with a separate HT controller and mul tichannel amplifier however it will also function with some HT Receivers equipped with Pre Outs and Main Inputs The process for integrating the PCA 2 into a theater system is described below Connect the front left and front right Pre outputs on the home theater controller to the desired input on the PCA 2 Either XLR or RCA type connectors can be used The main output on the PCA 2 should then be connected to the front left and front right inputs on the multi channel ampli fier or the receiver Main Inputs The remaining channels should connect directly to the amplifier from the H
14. elative volume level from one channel to the other Use this control if your speakers listening room or listening position are asymmetrical and must be corrected to overcome volume differences from proximity to the speakers or room resonances The display will show an arrow which will point to the direction of the channel which is being offset A number will illuminate showing the amount of offset in decibels When the display reads lt gt the system is centered and will send an equal level to each speaker 5 Phase The Phase button will invert the polarity some times called phase of both the left and right audio signal 180 Once pressed PHASE will illuminate in the front panel display Inverting the phase may be desired if there is a component in your system which inverts the absolute phase polarity and needs to be corrected Pressing this button a second time will return the phase to the original non inverting polarity 6 HT Home Theater Bypass Pressing the HT button will switch to the desig nated Home Theater Bypass input The desig nated input can be specified in the setup mode By default it is not assigned to any of the inputs and pressing the HT button does not activate any function In this mode the volume control will be bypassed and the audio signal will pass through the unit The balance controls are also bypassed in this mode For more information on setting up a sys tem to use the Home Th
15. f Press and hold both Input buttons and turn the PCA 2 back on You are now in the Setup Menu Scroll using the Input Up Down buttons until you reach REMOT Press the Loop button to enter this setting and a number will be displayed Using the volume knob change the remote code to make sure it reads 4 Exit the setup mode by pressing the power button How do reset the settings to factory default The PCA 2 was designed to easily reset the microprocessor back to the original factory default If the PCA 2 is displaying any characters in the front panel that seem abnormal if the front panel buttons do not correlate with the display read outs or to simply reset all settings back to the factory defaults follow these instructions With the unit powered down hold down both Input buttons Up and Down and press the power button This will activate the Setup Mode Using the Input Up or Down buttons cycle to the RESET mode Press the loop button and the display will read GO gt to confirm your choice Press Loop button again to perform the reset function Once it is complete the PCA 2 will exit the Setup Mode automatically Appendix A Default Input Names 1 XLR 5 TUNER 2 CD 6 TAPE 3 VIDEO 7 LOOP 4 PHONO B Character selection list space O12345678910 0 5ABC DEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ lt gt Warranty inside the U S and Canada PS Audio s warranty is 3 years parts and
16. ge to the connected speak ers or amplifier Press the loop button to access the selection screen Rotate the volume knob to select the Volume On threshold The readout will display either a 0 to 100 scale or 90 to 10 dB scale depending on what scale is chosen in Volume Display Mode A good example of the Volume On threshold would be the following Consider the V ON set ting to be 60 If the last volume setting was only 30 the PCA 2 will power on at 30 because it falls below the safe limits However if the last volume used was 80 the PCA 2 will automatical ly activate the Volume On threshold and power on at a volume setting of 60 therefore prevent ing damage to the connected speakers or ampli fier The default setting is either 100 standard mode or 10 decibel mode This indicates that the PCA 2 will power on with the last volume setting used and there is no threshold level in effect Maximum Volume The Maximum Volume setting can be adjusted to limit the volume level of the PCA 2 This setting is useful if the PCA 2 is used in an environment where the volume could accidentally be bumped or turned to a volume that could potentially dam age the connected speakers or amplifier Press the loop button to access the selection screen Rotate the volume knob to select the maximum value that the volume will reach The readout will display either a 0 to 100 scale or 90 to 10 dB scale depending on what scale is chosen in
17. labor from the date of original purchase and is fully transfer able This means that we warranty the product itself regardless of ownership new or used For the official warranty statement please refer to the war ranty card included with this user s manual Warranty outside the U S and Canada PS Audio has authorized distribution in many countries of the world In each country the autho rized importing retailer or distributor has accepted the responsibility for warranty of products sold by that retailer or distributor Warranty service should normally be obtained from the importing retailer or distributor from whom you purchased your product In the unlikely event of service required beyond the capability of the importer PS Audio will fulfill the conditions of the warranty Such product must be returned at the owner s expense to the PS Audio factory Contact your PS Audio distributor or the PS Audio customer service department for more infor mation Service issues Should your unit ever require service or if you have any technical questions about the PCA 2 you must either contact your dealer PS Audio if purchased direct or your PS Audio distributor No equipment will be received at our service facilities without an attached RA number If purchased through an authorized PS Audio dealer or distributor the RA number must be obtained by the dealer or distributor If the product was pur chased from PS Audio direct this can e
18. ng is safe for immediate play back This information will be stored in memory even if the PCA 2 is powered down into standby However if the last volume setting was left above the Volume On threshold the PCA 2 will acti vate this protection system during the power up sequence To determine this threshold the PCA 2 will refer to the setting called Volume On or V ON Follow these steps to check this setting and make any necessary adjustments Turn the PCA 2 off Press and hold both Input buttons and turn the PCA 2 back on You are now in the Setup Menu Scroll using the Input Up Down buttons until you reach V ON Press the Loop button to enter this setting and a number will be displayed This level represents the Volume On threshold of the PCA 2 after being powered on from standby Using the volume knob adjust the initial volume setting to the desired level A low setting will ensure that the PCA 2 never powers up at a dangerous volume level Exit the setup mode by pressing the power button The volume knob buttons do not respond and the music plays too loud on ONE input The PCA 2 allows the user to assign any of the seven inputs to become the Home Theater Bypass HT bypass This feature must be used in con junction with a surround sound processor to con trol the volume Follow these steps to check this setting and make any necessary adjustments Turn the PCA 2 off Press and hold both I
19. nput buttons and turn the PCA 2 back on You are now in the Setup Menu Scroll using the Input Up Down buttons until you reach HT Press the Loop button to enter this setting Using the volume knob assign the HT bypass to any one of the inputs 1 7 To turn the HT bypass off set it to 0 Exit the setup mode by pressing the power button 13 CAUTION Engaging the HT input without using a separate HT controller to control the volume may result in damage to your speak ers The HT button on the remote does not work The HT bypass is set to 0 meaning the HT bypass feature has been turned off Refer to page 8 for instructions to properly assign the HT bypass input or see the instructions listed in the Trouble Shooting Guide under The volume does not respond and the music plays too loud on ONE input The PCA 2 does not respond to any com mands from the supplied IR remote control 1 Check the batteries Insert fresh new batteries in the remote control and try operating the PCA 2 again 2 The Setup Menu in the PCA 2 offers the abil ity to adjust the remote code that the preamp will operate with This is not a function the user should need to change It exists only for advanced troubleshooting of remote control inter ferences For normal operation the remote code should always be left on 4 Follow these steps to check this setting and make any necessary adjust ments Turn the PCA 2 of
20. ntrol and output of the PCA 2 The Loop Input Input 7 can also function as a normal audio input while the loop function is not activated Using the 12 Volt Triggers The PCA 2 is equipped with three 12 Volt output triggers Two triggers are for output and one is an input trigger The output triggers can be used to activate another audio video product when the PCA 2 is powered on Use a 3 5 mm mini jack cable to connect the device to the PCA 2 The input trigger will allow other devices to change the power status of the PCA 2 when con nected Use a 3 5 mm mini jack cable to connect the device to the PCA 2 While the PS Bus and the 12 Volt triggers can be used simultaneously they should not both be used with the same piece of equipment The PS Bus uses standard RJ11 phone cable to allow multiple pieces of PS Audio components to communicate with each other The PS Bus offers more functionality than a standard 12 Volt trigger The PS Bus can control other modes such as the display dim and power status to each amplifier channel Note The phone cable must have at least four wires attached to the connector a 2 line phone cable to function properly To allow control between 2 or more PS audio prod ucts set the Network Group to the same number for both products Next set the Network Address to unique numbers so each product will have a discrete Network Address HCA 2 not included Since control is bi directional
21. one unit does not act as the slave or master Instead each component has the capability to control the other For more information on how to set the Network Group and Network Address for the PCA 2 see the Setup Menu section For more information on how to set up the Network Group and Network Address for other PS Audio products please refer to the instruction manual sup plied with the product 11 Trouble Shooting Guide The PCA 2 was designed to provide many years or reliable trouble free operation In the event the PCA 2 is not working correctly please refer to the following suggestions Unit will not turn on 1 Check the obvious Is it plugged in and is the AC wall outlet live You can easily test this by every time you press the Mute button Exit the setup mode by pressing the power button One input plays too loud or too quiet The PCA 2 allows the user to adjust the gain of each individual input Follow these steps to check this setting and make any necessary adjustments Turn the PCA 2 off Press and hold both Input buttons and turn the PCA 2 back on You are now in the Setup Menu Scroll using the Input Up Down buttons until you reach the appropriate input number and the word GAIN displayed after it for example 3 GAIN Press the Loop button to enter this setting Using the volume knob adjust the gain setting to the desired level Exit the setup mode by pressing
22. the power button One channel left or right plays too loud or too quiet The balance control for the PCA 2 can be found on the remote control Use these buttons to adjust the left and right channel levels to achieve the appropriate amount of balance When the display reads lt gt the system is centered and will send an equal level to each speaker The volume is displaying negative numbers The PCA 2 is set to display the volume level in decibels from 90 dB to 10 dB This mode dis plays the actual amount of attenuation The PCA 2 also allows the user to display the volume in a less technical format from 0 to 100 Follow these steps to check this setting and make any necessary adjustments Turn the PCA 2 off Press and hold both Input buttons and turn the PCA 2 back on You are now in the Setup Menu Scroll using the Input Up Down buttons until you reach V MODE Press the Loop button to enter this setting Using the volume knob adjust the vol ume display mode to either DB or STD DB indicates that the volume will be displayed in decibels 90 dB to 10 dB STD indicates that the volume will be displayed in the standard for mat from O to 100 Exit the setup mode by pressing the power button The PCA 2 does not return to the last volume setting The PCA 2 was designed to remember the volume setting from the last time it was used and ensure that this volume setti
23. volume level in the display window After 3 seconds the display will return to the input name By default the volume level is displayed in a O to 100 scale A decibel reference level scale from 90dB to 10dB can also be used see Setup Menu QO COCO OO Included with the PCA 2 is an IR remote control All functions can be accessed by the IR remote control with the exception of the Setup Menu 1 Power The Power button will toggle the PCA 2 from an active state to standby While in standby no sound will pass through the PCA 2 The PCA 2 will consume very little power in standby mode 2 Mute Pressing the Mute button will silence the output of the PCA 2 If Mute is activated the number of the present input will still be displayed but the display will read MUTE To exit the mute status press mute again or adjust the volume control By default the PCA 2 will not produce any signal when in mute however the mute volume level can be specified by the user see Setup Menu 3 Volume Pressing the volume or buttons will increase or decrease the output volume When the vol ume is adjusted it will numerically display the vol ume level in the display window After 3 seconds it will return to display the input name By default the volume level is displayed in a O to 100 scale A decibel reference level scale from 90dB to 10dB can also be used see also Setup Menu 4 Balance The Balance control is used to offset the r
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search