Directed Electronics MA4100 User's Manual
Contents
1. CONTENTS click on a topic to vievv Congratulations Features amp Specifications Installation Wiring Power Ground Orosatak toimkosats Orosatak toimkosats Inputs amp Connections Inputs L OWNERS MANUAL Endpanel Layout Endpanel Layout Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Troubleshooting System Diagrams Block diagram Warranty MA4100 Tm ee ee ee m ny Thank you for choosing TUBE DRIVER Tube Drivers musicality and absolute sonic transparency allow accurate reproduction of recorded music enabling you to hear as well as feel the music the way the artist intended These handcrafted amplifiers feature full differential front ends based upon a true instrumentation amplifier topology Tube Drivers utilize only the highest quality Svetlana tubes in our unique configurations All of the internal amplifier stages have been designed to have ultra wide bandwidth together with a high degree of linearity The tubes used in these amplifiers provide both voltage gain and current gain where they are connected in Cascode and Cathode Follower configurations D C servos are used to control any D C offset These servos are critically positioned in the circuit so that not only is D C offset eliminated but also any subtle differences between tubes are internally compensated These tube stages are then connected to a high current BiPolar output stage that uses the same audiophile quality Sanken output de2. NOW IN Opposite Channel Same Channel Problem is in the head unit Problem is in the RCA cables Amplifier Turning Down at High Volume Check speaker cables for shorts Check for excessively low speaker impedance Fixed vis Check voltage supply to ensure sufficient voltage is You re done being delivered Is amp getting enough air to cool off Did that solve the problem vis If using passive crossovers are the You re done connections correct Voltage at amp may be Power output of amp may exceed dropping below minimum power handling of parts Upgrade as limits needed 12 BACK TO CONTENTS yi dE 10 J I W pr Noises While the Engine is On Alternator whine This noise changes in freguency with engine RPM Check for Excessive input level setting on the amplifier High resistance in cabling or corroded and or loose connections Polarity of the input cables If the problem persists check the whines and pops checklist below Ticks buzz This noise should go faster and slower with engine RPM but not really change in frequency This is due to the ignition or the fuel pump Try moving the input cables to avoid contact with the fuel pump or wiring If the problem persists check the whines and pops checklist below Accessory pop This popping noise occurs as the result of turn signals brake lights etc You can try Moving the cables to avoid contact with the wires for the accessories
3. Relocating various ground connections Whines and pops If you have a combination of noises or if one or more of the problems listed above persists despite efforts to stop the problem the noise may be caused by one or more of the following problems Excessively high input level setting on the amplifier Poor or open shielding extra long cables or corroded input cables Bad connections Bad or high resistance system ground Reversed polarity on audio signal cables Poor quality source unit 13 BACK TO CONTENTS TRIO ISE ES dd Noises While the Engine is On or Off System hiss System hiss is a white noise that occurs even when the engine is off It is usually due to excessively high gain settings If the hiss is still audible when you disconnect the input cables from the amplifier check the input level on the amplifier If the hiss disappears when you remove the input cable it may be a poor quality source unit components between the amplifier and the source unit or poor level settings Distortion Distortion is garbled sounding music This can often be caused by a shorted speaker wire Symptoms of this include no sound in one channel and severe distortion in the other Use the following guide to help you find the source of distortion Is there audible distortion at all of the amplifier outputs YES Check each side of the amplifier Try reducing the input level independently to see if the controls dis
4. the amplifier by using a high output source unit or a TUBE DRIVER LD 3 will increase the signal to noise ratio By turning the level controls counterclockwise to the left the amp inputs will be less sensitive The amp will reproduce music at full power while making any noise floor insignificant Your MA4100 accepts signal levels of up to 12 volts RMS Setting Input Gain 1 Set the Input Gain Controls to just above the lowest setting 2 Turn the master volume on the source unit or pre amp to almost full volume 3 With music playing slowly increase each Input Gain Control until you hear distortion Turn down each Gain Control until the distortion stops 8 BACK TO CONTENTS ID PANE Coiro T 1 POWER A red light indicates that the amplifiier is turned on After warm up sequence 2 WARM UP A red light indicated that the tubes are warming up Refer to Pg 4 Remote Turn on 3 POWER GROUND After you have securely connected your power and ground wires plug in the connector here 4 HANDCRAFTED IN THE USA a y By Precision Power POWER CONNECT POWER yv WARM UP 4 4 BACK TO CONTENTS Input Control Side 1 12dB For use with high level inputs 4V up to 12V Push this switch in to attenuate the input by 12dB 2 BALANCED RCA This switch is used to select between the unbalanced RCA inputs or the balanced MINI DIN front inputs In MiniDIN Out RCA 3 FRONT INPUTS Plug in the front RCA outp
5. alanced Mini Din connections use six pins and one grounding ring Pins 1 and 2 are open connections normally they would carry your remote turn on voltage Pins 3 4 and 5 6 are pairs of twisted conductors for the music signal The twisting of the inner wires rejects or eliminates radiated noise by more than 30 dB The inner pair of wires are then protected by an outer shield connected to Pin 1 This means the music signals can be kept as far away as possible from the power and chassis ground paths of other circuitry allowing the transmission of pure music between points while protecting it from noise generating equipment and wiring present in the vehicle The diagram below shows the pin configuration for the Mini Din connections 5 6 3 4 BACK TO CONTENTS Input Gain Controls There are two Input Gain Controls located on the end panel under the RCA input jacks These are not volume controls These controls match the output signal voltage of the source unit to the amplifier inputs By turning the controls clockwise to the right the inputs of the amplifier become more sensitive and will allow a weak signal of approximately 1 2 volt to drive the amplifier to full power At the same time while an amplifier with its level controls at maximum is able to drive a weak signal it also picks up and amplifies any noises lurking in the background such as a brake light pop alternator whine or ignition tick Increasing the signal voltage to
6. allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or conseguential damages or limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you 7 Your product will be serviced on an in warranty basis within the warranty period for the correction of warranted defects If improper operation of your TUBE DRIVER product should occur contact your Authorized Dealer for assistance with the return and factory repair of your TUBEDRIVER product If an Authorized Dealer is not available return the unit including your name telephone number return address a copy of your sales receipt and a description ot the problem to TUBE DRIVER Inc Service Department 4829 S 38th Street Phoenix AZ 85040 2964 TO RETURN TUBEDRIVER PRODUCTS OUT OF WARRANTY Return the unit postage prepaid in the original protective carton Please include a description of the problem and if desired a request for an estimate of repair costs Unless a request for an estimate is included the unit will be repaired as necessary Please contact TUBE DRIVER Customer Service at 1 888 627 6937 for questions concerning out of warranty repair charges Repaired unit will be returned with an itemized statement C O D BACK TO CONTENTS
7. bwoofers The freguencies of the chosen highpass and lowpass filters must not overlap allow the mids and highs to play the same music as the subs or the impedance the amplifier sees at those freguencies will be cut in half possibly causing the protection circuit to activate Highpass ie Highpass sie BZ MidRange Bandpass Bandpass Filter Bandpass Filter Filter Low pass filter Sub Sub 6 BACK TO CONTENTS INIT 55 INE EONNSECOTIONS Input Jacks The MA4700 includes both RCA and Mini Din balanced inputs The supplied RCA connections allow you to use the MA4700 with other brands of audio gear Our Differential RCA inputs provide a dramatic improvement in noise reduction over standard RCA input types Our fully balanced Mini DIN connection system features high signal voltage capability and the highest possible sound guality A single cable for 2 channels also simplifies installation Cables from the source unit non powered egualizer or crossover go here Balanced Inputs Standard Coaxial RCA Cables Standard coaxial RCA cables utilize two connections a center wire signal positive attached to the center pin of the RCA connector along with a braided outer conductor signal negative connected to the outer ring of the RCA connector This design almost always allows radiated noise to enter the system since the signal is not well protected Positive pS Negative wo Balanced Mini DIN Cable B
8. es the amp Check all signal on the remote REM connections RCA s have 12V Repair as YES needed YES NO Contact your ma dealer Check main Trace back the amp system fuse remote to your source Did that work unit Repair as needed You re done Contact your dealer Amplifier Turning Down at Normal Volume Turn the system off wait approx 5 min then turn the system back on Listen for awhile Did it work Check speaker wires for shorts or other If sound is heard the Amp may have damage and correct as needed thermally turned down Check for proper Did that fix the problem air flow and correct as needed You re done ves mo You re done Check voltage supply to ensure sufficient voltage Did that work ves NO You re done Contact your dealer 11 BACK TO CONTENTS 4 18 ee ee W mr C No Sound in One Channel Check the pre amp RCA Mini Din cables for open connections and make corrections Did you find open connections NO vs Reverse the left and right inputs You re done SOUND IS NOW IN Opposite Channel Same Channel Problem is further up the signal path Problem is in the speaker or speaker Reconnect RCA s to amp as normal wire of the silent channel Check Reverse RCA inputs at crossover speaker leads for pinched shorted or open connections SOUND IS NOW IN Opposite Channel Same Channel Reverse RCA outouts of head unit Problem is in the crossover Contact your dealer SOUND IS
9. features a fully regulated power supply It will make full power even if the voltage changes It will draw more current at lower voltages to make that power Lower voltage and high cable resistance means more total current draw Using a digital multimeter DMM try to get cable resistance as low as possible If resistance is too high use a larger gauge wire Try to ground your system to a single point in the vehicle In larger systems use distribution blocks and run both power and ground cables directly to the system battery IMPORTANT Your new MA4100 is equipped with our unique tube warm up circuit When your system is turned on The LED labeled WARM UP will illuminate and full power is applied to the tube heaters for approx 35 seconds The internal fan will then turn on and two seconds later the amp outputs will be switched on The system will then play as normal You must connect a wire to the remote REM terminal located in one of the speaker terminal plugs of your amplifier to power on your MA4100 The source unit normally provides a remote amp turn on or power antenna lead that provides this 12 volts when you turn on the unit e Run a wire from the chosen turn on lead to the REM connection of your MA4100 See Endpanel Layout Page 10 e Tighten the connection 4 BACK TO CONTENTS T Ji N st m Speaker Connections Follow these simple instructions and refer to the diagram below to make your speaker connections e Us
10. ing at least 16 gauge wire run wire from the speakers to the amplifier s using the same precautions that you followed for running the power ground and remote wires e Cut off excess wire Use wire strippers to strip 1 4 inch of insulation at the end of the wires Attach the speaker wires to the amplifiers POWERLOCK connectors and plug them in Speaker PowerLock Connector Right Speaker negative Right Speaker positive Remote turn on Left Speaker positive N Left Speaker negative Speaker PowerLock Connector gt Right Speaker negative Right Speaker positive Left Speaker positive A Left Speaker negative BACK TO CONTENTS ae pire Im IE Bridging All multi channel TUBE DRIVERS are capable of being bridged into a 4 Ohm mono output without switches or bridging modules You can achieve this mono channel by using the left positive speaker connection and the right negative speaker connection You can bridge the front or rear channels in the same way Refer to the end panel drawing on page 10 Note Total bridged impedance of less than 4 ohms may trigger the protection circuitry causing reduced output and may eventually damage your amplifier Mixed Mono Output You can operate each pair of channels in both stereo and mono 3 channel or tri mode at the same time by using highpass filters bass blockers on the higher freguency stereo channels and a lowpass filter coil on the su
11. its products to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of three 3 years from the date of original purchase when the unit is installed by an Authorized Dealer Non Authorized Dealer installed products carry a one 1 year parts and ninety 90 days labor limited warranty The extent and conditions of Limited Warranty are as follows 1 Authorized Dealer Installed Products TUBE DRIVER will either repair or replace at no charge to the original purchaser any unit which upon examination discloses to be defective and under warranty provided the defect occurs within three 3 years from the date of original purchase when the unit is installed by an Authorized Dealer and the product is returned immediately to TUBE DRIVER This warranty is not transferable 2 Non Authorized Dealer Installed Products TUBE DRIVER will either repair or replace at no charge to the original purchaser any unit which upon examination discloses to be defective and under warranty provided the defect occurs within ninety 90 days from the date of purchase and the product is returned immediately to TUBE DRIVER Warranty claims beyond ninety 90 days for Non Authorized Dealer Installed Products will be for parts only and will extend for one 1 year from the date of purchase This warranty is not transferable 3 The date of purchase and proof of Authorized Dealer Installation of a TUBE DRIVER product must be established by a
12. l your MA4100 under carpets or enclose it behind airtight panels In trunk mounted applications be sure to provide venting for air circulation Let the amplifier breathe Without adeguate air circulation your Tube Driver will reduce its output power to protect itself You need to mount your MA4100 securely in your vehicle to prevent damage You may mount the system right side up on its side or upside down provided there is adequate ventilation BACK TO CONTENTS POWEr To prevent a short to ground disconnect the negative terminal of the system s battery before you begin If the power cable shorts to ground current will continue to flow until the short is opened the main fuse blows the battery explodes or the wire melts Reconnect the terminal only after you make all connections Your MA4100 is designed to operate from a car s positive 12 volt negative ground electrical system The ground wire should be the same gauge as the power wire indicated in the chart The main power cable should run from the amplifier location through or under the vehicle to the battery You must use a grommet wherever the cable passes through a steel panel to prevent an eventual short to ground The ground connection is the most important part of any installation If the connections are poor and or the resistance is high the resulting drops in voltage will rob you of amplifier power and may allow noise to enter your system Your new MA4100
13. n original sales receipt which must accompany the article being returned for warranty work 4 This warranty shall NOT apply to any TUBE DRIVER product found to have the original factory serial number removed or detaced All products received oy TUBE DRIVER for in warranty or out of warranty repair with their original serial numbers removed or defaced will NOT be repaired and will be returned to sender freight collect Refer to original packaging for the serial number of your component speakers 5 The provisions of this warranty shall not apply to any TUBE DRIVER product used for a purpose for which it is not designed which has been repaired or altered in any way or which has been connected installed or adjusted other than in accordance with the instructions furnished in TUBE DRIVER S owner s manual Nor shall this warranty apply to any part which has been subject to misuse neglect or accident 6 TUBE DRIVER does not authorize any other persons to assume ay other liability in connection with its products THIS WARRANTY IS THE ONLY EXPRESS WARRANTY MADE BY TUBEDRIVER APPLICABLE TO ITS PRODUCTS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE APPLICABLE TO TUBEDRIVER PRODUCTS IS LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY TUBEDRIVER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR THE INCIDENTAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE BREACH OF THIS WRITTEN WARRANTY Some states or provinces do not
14. nout Attenuation Switch Gold Plated RCA Input connectors Mixed Mono Stereo Operation Three Year Warranty when installed by an Authorized TD dealer Completely Designed and Handcrafted in the USA Power Bandwidth 5 Hz 50 KHz Total Harmonic Distortion 0 2 or less A weighted Input Topology Balanced Differential Input Sensitivity 500mV 12 volts RMS Input Impedance 10K Ohms Output Impedance 2 16 Ohms bridged 4 32 Ohms Continuous Output Power MA4100 100 WRMS x 4 4 Ohms per channel 200 WRMS x 4 2 Ohms per channel 400 WRMS x 2 4 Ohms bridged MA4100 Length 24 Height 3 2 Width 9 25 1 BACK TO CONTENTS n Ny er pms Tools Parts Needed for Installation not suppiied Small flat blade screwdriver Phillips screwdriver 2 or medium sized Wire cutters Wire strippers 4 6 round head screws and 1 8 sheet metal screw or nut bolt and star washer 2 Ring connectors large enough to accommodate your method of grounding In line fuse or circuit breaker see fuse requirements below Power and groundwire see Power Wire Calculator on the next page Speaker wire 16 gauge or larger Grommets sized to work with the power wire you plan to use in your installa tion Fuse Requirements Recommended Fuse Rating for MA4100 is 100 Amps You will need to install an in line fuse or circuit breaker in the power wire within 18 of the battery This fuse or circuit breaker protects y
15. our vehicle from fire in case the power wire shorts to the vehicle body If you are only using one amplifier use the recommended fuse rating If you are using more than one amplifier add up the fuse ratings for all amplifiers and use this sum for your main fuse or circuit breaker Use a power distribution block or fuse near your amplifiers with the appropriate fuse for each individual power wire The information below is a basic formula you can use to determine current draw A 50 amplifier efficiency rating is used as an average This formula is only a guideline Using wire of a larger gauge can only improve the current transfer of your system Do not use smaller gauge wire Total 4 Ohm rated RMS output x 2 Total Input Wattage Total Input Wattage Supply Voltage Current Draw in Amps Example Your MA4100 has 4 channels at 100 watts per channel RMS into 4 Ohms 4 x 100 400 You would use the formula below 400W x 2 800W 12 5V 64 Amps Total Current Draw BACK TO CONTENTS Power Wire Calculator Recommended MINIMUM Gauge Total Current Draw Length of Wire to Run in Feet in Amps 4 7 7 10 10 13 13 16 16 19 19 22 22 28 0 20 12 20 35 35 50 50 65 65 85 85 105 105 125 8 6 4 4 2 2 0 0 O CO NN s A o o O o O N s oo 125 150 Amplifiers Generate Heat You can mount the MA4700 in any position even upside down However you must maintain proper airflow Do not instal
16. tortion is only on one channel Is that the case mE Check for distortion in Swap the output connection left to the signal path prior to right Check for shorted speaker wire the amplifier Did the problem switch sides Es Swap the input side Check and or replace left right Did the the speaker that is distortion switch distorting sides YES Contact your dealer Check the source unit and components between the source unit and amplifier 14 BACK TO CONTENTS Source Unit FRONT CHANNELS Passive Tweeter Crossover MidRange MA4100 Minor IO FRONT CHANNELS Passive Tweeter Crossover MidRange Sub Bridged 4 ohms REAR CHANNELS FRONT CHANNELS Passive Source Unit Crossover Tweeter MidRange Preamp Egualizer Passive Tweeter Crossover MidRange MA4100 REAR CHANNELS Passive Crossover FRONT CHANNELS Passive Crossover Passive Crossover REAR CHANNELS BACK TO CONTENTS DO DO lt UIE6 10044 INPUT ATTENUATION YOUMS VOu CSONV1VE yms VOu CS9ONV1VE lndul fiy ee vou lndul 197 seo vou lndul veeb NIG INIW lndul juol4 NIG INIW lndul JUONI 14044 vou lndul HOT 14014 vou 16 n H Z W Z O O e x O lt a Three Year Limited U S A Warranty This warranty gives pou specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state TUBE DRIVER warrants
17. uts from your head unit here 4 BALANCED FRONT AND REAR INPUTS Plug in the front and rear mini din outputs from the LDX 33 crossover LD 3 Line Driver or other balanced source here a rf 4 ANDCRAFTI A age By Precisign Powdr FRONTANANTS BALANCED INRUTS RER RANE YTS R FRONT REAR DIN RCA L DIN RCA OO FRONT FRONT REAR REAR speaker 0000 ON A ce 0000 SPEAKER OUTPUTS OUTPUTS L REM R R L L R R 5 REAR INPUTS Plug in the rear RCA outputs from your head unit here 6 BALANCED RCA This switch is used to select between the unbalanced RCA inputs or the balanced MINI DIN rear inputs See 2 7 12dB For use with high level inputs 4V up to 12V Push this switch in to attenuate the input by 12dB See 1 8 FRONT SPEAKER OUTPUTS REMOTE Turn on After connecting remote and front speaker wires plug in the connector here 9 COOLING VENTS 10 FRONT GAIN Use this control to match the output level of the head unit to the front channels of the amplifier 11 REAR GAIN Use this control to match the output level of the head unit to the rear channels of the amplifier 12 REAR SPEAKER OUTPUTS After connecting the rear speaker wires plug in the connector here 10 BACK TO CONTENTS ym lt Se Se re ee SS Is the WARM UP LED illuminated LI M The warm up cycle can take up to Do you have 12V at the amplifier s 40 sec Is there sound after that connections M ves ves o Is there You re done Do
18. vices featured in the PrecisionPower 2500F1 The output stages receive their power from a highly regulated D C power supply which enhances their performance significantly Very little negative feedback is used Low feedback designs have greatly improved sound quality having an extremely warm and open sound with enhanced musicality consistent with only the highest quality home tube amplifiers Do not attempt to service TUBE DRIVER products yourself Performing exploratory surgery on your audio equipment yourself will void the warranty Many parts of your TUBE DRIVER gear are custom built to our specifications Our factory parts are not made available to anyone else nor are they for sale Our goal is to make sure that your TUBE DRIVER product will always sound as good as the day it was purchased Contact your authorized TUBE DRIVER dealer about obtaining any warranty service through TUBE DRIVER See Warranty inside back cover FOR YOUR RECORDS Mode Serial Number Purchase Date The extended use of a high powered audio system may result in hearing loss or damage While TUBE DRIVER systems are capable of Concert Level volumes with incredible accuracy they are also designed for you to enjoy at more reasonable levels all of the sonic subtleties created by musicians Please observe all local sound ordinances BACK TO CONTENTS Fully regulated adaptive MosFET power supply Balanced Mini Din Inputs High Voltage Input Capability with I
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