Arcam ALPHA AV50 User's Manual
Contents
1. has already been selected TUNER SAT PHONG IE El El CENTRE CENT OFF Im ARCAM CENTRE Trims the level of the centre speaker in 1dB steps This function is not available in STEREO or EXT DECODER PROCESSOR mode REAR Trims the level of the rear speakers in 1dB steps This function is not available in STEREO DOLBY 3 STEREO or EXT DECODER PROCESSOR mode When any of the buttons are pressed the current level is shown on the LCD display The level display is blanked after 10 seconds if no further adjustments are made The main LEFT RIGHT and CENTRE or REAR MUTE are cancelled when these buttons are pressed The settings are common for the Dolby modes Individual settings can also be made for both the HALL and SIMULATED effect modes The range adjustment is 12dB to 6dB for Dolby modes and 12dB to 15dB for the effects modes Note Not all films are encoded for surround identically It is useful to trim the rear or front levels slightly for some recordings RESTORE Restores the AV50 to the condition saved in the set up mode This is very useful if the centre and rear levels have been adjusted afterwards as it restores D them to the saved values The operating mode and any functions K such as Cinema EQ that were saved during set up are also restored The RESTORE legend will illuminate for about 3 seconds Note To enter the set up mode press Restore quickly followed by2. Pressing the TEST FUNC button on the remote contro will put the AV50 in TEST TONE mode This is an ideal test for making sure all your speakers are connected properly and will produce a sequential burst of noise through your speakers starting with left centre right and then rear The signal is directed to each speaker in turn every 2 3 seconds You should adjust the centre and rear volumes via the remote control until you are happy that all loudspeakers sound equally loud at your listening position The TEST TONE legend on the LCD display will illuminate and the current active speaker legend will flash If the Centre or Rear channel levels are adjusted the noise will immediately be directed to the speaker whose level is being set To exit the TEST TONE mode press TEST FUNC for a second time TEST TONE is not available in STEREO mode and if you select STEREO mode you will exit TEST TONE mode EFFECTS The HALL or SIMULATED effects can be added and set for each individual input except TAPE if required The selected effect overrides any Dolby mode currently selected When the EFFECT is turned off the last selected Dolby mode will be turned on again The two available effects can be selected by scrolling through them by pressing the EFFECT button on the remote control handset EXITING SET UP MODE To exit from the set up mode press Restore for a second time The RESTORE legend will stop flashing and then go off after a few seconds The A
3. ALPHA AV50 HOME CINEMA AMPLIFIER HANDBOOK SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS This product was designed and manufactured to meet strict quality and safety standards There are however some installation and operation precautions which you should be particularly aware of 1 6A 10 11 12 Read instructions All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the appliance is operated Retain Instructions The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference Heed Warnings All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to Follow Instructions All operating and use instructions should be followed Water and Moisture The appliance should not be used near water for example near a bathtub washbowl kitchen sink laundry tub in a wet basement or near a swimming pool etc Carts and Stands The appliance should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care Quick stops excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the appliance and cart combination to overturn Wall or Ceiling Mounting The appliance should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer Ventilation The appliance should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation For example the appliance should no
4. SURRDLND SUB L R OUT ur In u our Bar aut OUT M IN vel INPUTS VER SAT 9 TV MOTOR PRE guT EY pur INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing this Arcam product The Alpha AV50 is a sophisticated Home Cinema Dolby Pro Logic amplifier which offers superb sound and picture quality The Alpha AV50 is a little more complex to connect up than an ordinary amplifier Please read these instructions carefully Throughout this booklet there are diagrams of the Alpha AV50 front and rear panels Each input and output is clearly numbered The numbers correspond with those given in the instructions A combination of your Hi Fi and video components can be connected to the Alpha AV50 including the video inputs and outputs of your TV video recorder satellite decoder or laserdisc player Switching inputs on the Alpha AV50 can also change the picture on your TV screen to match the source that you are listening to Please follow these instructions carefully and you ll have your Alpha AV50 up and running in no time at all For ease of use the Alpha AV50 is supplied with a CR45 infra red remote control handset Many functions are only available via the remote control Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation Additionally ticensed under one or more of the following patents U S 3 632 886 3 959 590 Canadian numbers 1 004 603 and 1 037 877 Dolby Pro Logic and the double D symbol are trad
5. a holiday TEST FUNC Switches the TEST TONE on off in Set up mode only It has no function in normal use MODE keys UP and DOWN buttons will cycle the Alpha AV50 through the three primary operating modes The and buttons have no function during normal operation and are used only in Set up Mode to adjust the delay time DOLBY PRO LOGIC feeds sound information through rear speakers and front speakers L R amp C Use this mode for surround encoded sources Video tapes and discs with surround encoding can be identified by looking for the Dolby Surround logo Dolby 3 Stereo feeds sound information through front speakers L R C but not rear speakers You should use either this mode or stereo mode for non surround encoded video sources Stereo mixes vary so that it is worth trying this and STEREO mode to see which one you prefer If your system has no rear loudspeakers use this mode for surround encoded material STEREO is real stereo For optimal Hi Fi sound quality the Dolby Surround processing circuits are actually bypassed when switched to STEREO This prevents the stereo signal being affected by unnecessary circuits and retains the maximum fidelity Use Stereo for your regular hi fi sources or for non surround encoded video material CINEMA Switching on Cinema EQ Equalisation reduces the treble output of the centre channel Cinema EQ can improve films recorded with excessive treble and sibilance The LCD
6. 8 ohms and 2k ohms fitted with a 6 3mm stereo jack plug If your headphones are fitted with a different plug contact your dealer for a suitable adaptor Plugging in a pair of headphones automatically mutes all the loudspeaker outputs and the MODE defaults to STEREO It does not mute the LEFT RIGHT preamp out or SUB OUT sockets POWER Switches the Alpha AV50 fully on or off When this switch is on the AV50 may be put in to standby mode with the remote control handset EXT DECODER SWITCH This switch allows access to the AV50 s internal power amplifiers via the volume control The PROCESSOR legend on the LCD display will illuminate and all others will blank except for the centre rear and left right MUTE legends if active when the EXT DECODER switch is operated N B This switch cannot be operated by remote control MODE SWITCH Enables switching between Dolby Pro Logic Dolby 3 Stereo and Stereo This button has no function if headphones are plugged in REMOTE RECEIVER This is housed behind the badge in the top left hand corner of the amplifier Ensure the remote receiver is not obscured or commands from the remote control handset will not be received FRONT PANEL DISPLAYS POWER LED Upon switching on the POWER indicator above the POWER switch will glow green DISPLAY see diagram below The back illuminated liquid crystal display LCD informs you of the current settings of the AV50 and is also used during set up to di
7. Not Recommended nad oO s EE a ce o aos 2 fr Sao Ze c co E oO o Q a in 5 r u A o 0 15 30 45 60 75 90 10 5 M Distance from the front speakers to the listening position A Centre Front Left 8 a RE Ss pao Sk Rear Left Rear Right MODE Use the UP or DOWN keys to select the mode in which you normally wish the selected input to operate Choose between the following options Dolby Pro Logic For full surround sound decoding including rear channel loudspeakers Dolby 3 Stereo AV mode for three front speakers and no rear loudspeakers Stereo For stereo hi fi use CENTRE SPEAKER MODE The CENT OFF button Q on the remote control is used in set up mode only to set the centre speaker mode It has no effect in Stereo mode This setting is common for Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby 3 Stereo Different settings can be made for the HALL and SIMULATED modes The following legends illuminate on the LCD display to indicate the selected centre speaker mode Normal For a standard centre channel loudspeaker Phantom For no centre loudspeaker This mode may be of benefit if your left and right loudspeakers are of very high quality and you prefer a simple system without a centre speaker NOTE In Dolby 3 Stereo mode you do not get the phantom option Wideband For larger centre loudspeakers capable of working down to low frequencies 50Hz or below TEST TONE MODE
8. Power Lines An outdoor antenna aerial should be located away from power lines Non use Periods The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time Object and Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through any openings Abnormal Smell If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected from the appliance immediately turn the power off and unplug the unit from the wall outlet Contact your dealer immediately Damage Requiring Service The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged or Objects have fallen or liquid has spilled into the appliance or The appliance has been exposed to rain or The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance or The appliance has been dropped or the enclosure damaged Servicing The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel CD PLAYER ERIN MAIN PROCESSOR L C INFUTS Leh lise a ns PRE CENTRE N N IN 005 our 00000 ODO HOOO SARO SUB LAAT OUT sal QUT MAIN we T ven REAR RIGHT MAN PROCESSOR os OBO g OOOOO OUT O OOO 0000001 OOR
9. against loss or damage whilst in transit For further details contact Arcam at ARCAM Customer Support Department Pembroke Avenue Denny Industrial Centre Waterbeach Cambridge CB5 9PB England Telephone 44 0 1223 203203 Fax 44 0 1223 863384 e mail custserv arcam co uk GUARANTEE FOR SALES IN THE REST OF THE WORLD This equipment is guaranteed in the country of purchase only provided that it was purchased from an authorised ARCAM dealer or distributor The manufacturer can accept no responsibility for defects arising from accident misuse abuse wear and tear neglect or through unauthorised adjustment and or repair neither can they accept responsibility for damage or loss occurring during transit to or from the person claiming under this guarantee Full details of the guarantee can be obtained from the distributor in the country of purchase For your convenience a list of Arcam distributors is included in the enclosed After Sales Care Proganm leaflet For any countries not listed please contact Arcam Customer Support directly CLAIMS UNDER GUARANTEE This equipment should be packed in the original packing and retumed to the dealer from whom it was purchased or failing this directly to the Arcam distributor in the country of purchase It should be sent carriage prepaid by a reputable carrier NOT by post No responsiblity can be accepted for the unit whilst in transit to the dealer or distributo
10. to move the position of the stereo image This may be necessary if it is not possible to sit centrally between the speakers In normal use leave it in the central click position The BALANCE control will only affect the left and right front speakers and headphones assuming that DIRECT is not switched in Note that bass treble and balance controls will affect the main left and right loudspeakers only DIRECT Pressing in bypasses the bass treble and balance controls in all modes SOURCE SWITCHES Use to select the input you wish to listen to or record from see RECORDING below also The LED above the input switch will light to indicate which input is currently selected RECORDING The audio signal of the selected input is also sent to the TAPE OUT and VCR OUT sockets This enables you to record from CD on to a video cassette recorder or the audio of a laser disc on to a tape cassette recorder It is possible to record from VCR to TAPE but not to record from TAPE on to the VCR TAPE Allows you to hear the input as it is being recorded on your audio tape deck If it is a 3 head cassette deck switching its monitor button in out will allow you to compare the original signal with the recording The TAPE button overrides any other selected input DRECT HOME CINEIMA AMPLIFIER EXT DECODER POWER PHONES SON DE D HD HEADPHONES This socket accepts headphones rated between
11. volume down or mute its internal speaker s otherwise it will upset the balance of surround sound created by the Alpha AV50 When positioning your front and centre speakers aim to get them all at roughly the same height Ensure that the centre loudspeaker is magnetically shielded Check with your dealer if in doubt Don t underestimate the importance of the centre speaker Much of the soundtrack of a film is dialogue routed through the centre channel loudspeaker A poorly designed centre speaker will result in compressed dynamics distortion and loss of detail Speakers used for left right and centre channels should be of a similar tonal balance or come from the same manufacturer VARIOUS UPGRADE PATHS ARE AVAILABLE The Alpha AV50 can be used with an Arcam Alpha 8P or Alpha 9P power amplifier to drive the front left and right speakers For even better results you can bi amplify the front speakers using 2x Alpha 8P or 9Ps whilst a third Alpha 8P or 9P could be added to bi amp the centre speaker You could also add extra power amplifiers to drive the rear loudspeakers if required CONNECTING THE ALPHA AV50 TO EXTERNAL POWER AMPLIFIERS The Alpha AV50 can be used as the control centre with external power amplifiers being employed for higher output power or for improving the sound quality Connect your additional power amplifier s to the appropriate sockets as described below SURROUND OUT Provides an output for external power
12. If your dealer is unable to answer any query regarding this or any other Arcam product please contact Arcam Customer Support on 44 0 1223 203203 or write to us at the address on the back cover of this handbook and we will do our best to help you Q WARNING THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED SPEAKER OUTPUTS SURROUND ACHTUNG YOR DEFFNEN DES CEMAETES NETZSTECKEA ZIEHEN O 230V 50 60 Hz BY VA SERIAL No POWER INLET CAUTION SERVICE O RADID INTERFERE USE ANTISTATIC PROCEDURES 1 2 gt INSTALLATION Circled letters or numbers e g refer to items on the diagrams situated above the corresponding text Check that your mains supply voltage agrees with the voltage setting indicated on the rear panei of the unit f your mains supply voltage is different consult your Arcam dealer or Arcam Customer Support on one of the numbers on the back cover of this handbook MAINS SAFETY u This product is normally supplied with a moulded mains plug already fitted to the lead If for any reason the plug needs to be removed it must be disposed of immediately and securely as it is a potential shock hazard when inserted into a mains socket NOTICE FOR UK OWNERS ONLY s Ifthe plug is removed then the remaining lead must be wired as follows The blue wire must be connected to the terminal which is coloured blue or marked with the letter N The brown wire must be connected to the terminal which is coloure
13. No responsiblity can be accepted for the unit whilst in transit to the factory or an agent and customers are therefore advised to insure the unit against loss or damage whilst in transit If the original packing is not available replacement packing can be purchased from Arcam DO NOT CONSIGN THE EQUIPMENT TO ARCAM UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT DEPARTMENT DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ATTEMPT TO DISASSEMBLE THE EQUIPMENT BEFORE DESPATCH You can contact the manufacturer at the following address ARCAM Customer Support Department Pembroke Avenue Denny Industrial Centre Waterbeach Cambridge CB5 9PB Engiand Telephone 44 0 1223 203203 Fax 44 0 1223 863384 e mail custserv arcam co uk You should state clearly your name and address the date and place of purchase together with a brief description of the fault In the event of equipment being retumed which after having been tested is found to comply with the published specification the manufacturer reserves the right to charge a reasonable fee for testing the equipment and for the retum carriage THIS GUARANTEE IN NO WAY VARIES OR REMOVES A PURCHASER S STATUTORY RIGHTS GUARANTEE FOR SALES IN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA EEA This unit is covered by a European Economic Area warranty provided to you under the terms of Article 85 of the Treaty of Rome 1957 This entitles you to have the unit repaired free o
14. als 4 to your right speaker ensuring correct polarity CENTRE Connect your centre speaker s here In some systems particularly where a large screen TV is used around 1 0m 37 or larger you may wish to use two centre speakers one above and one below the TV Ensure the centre speaker s are magnetically shielded or the pictures on the TV tube could become permanently discoloured Alternatively the two pairs of sockets can be used to bi wire one centre speaker if it has separate terminals for the bass and treble drivers SURROUND Connect your two rear surround speakers here Connect terminals to your left rear speaker and terminals to your right rear speaker seen as you face the screen ensuring correct polarity CONNECTING YOUR SOURCE COMPONENTS Audio inputs Up to 7 different audio sources can be connected to the Alpha AV50 Four inputs are available for simultaneous audio and composite video and three for audio only All inputs have the same sensitivity and may be used with equipment other than that labelled if you need to do so Video inputs Up to 4 different video sources can be connected to the Alpha AV50 VCR LD or DVD Satellite and TV This allows you to select the TV picture and sound together and is particularly useful if your TV has only one video input AUDIO CONNECTIONS 666 6 Using a suitable pair of interconnect cables to connect each component insert the red phono plugs into the appr
15. amplifiers for the rear channels if required SUB OUT Provides an output for an active powered sub woofer If used with a separate power amplifier and subwoofer loudspeaker then a proper bass crossover filter should be used in addition CENTRE OUT Provides an output for an external amplifier for the centre speaker s LEFT AND RIGHT OUT Provides an output for an external power amplifier for the front left and right channels if required CONNECTING THE ALPHA AV50 TO AN EXTERNAL 5 1 CHANNEL DECODER To connect the AV50 to a 5 1 type decoder connect the external processors output sockets to the appropriate PROCESSOR INPUTS of the AV50 marked to inclusive and press the front panel EXT DECODER button The PROCESSOR legend on the display will illuminate The preamp out sockets inc are also available for use with external power amplifiers if required see previous section OTHER UPGRADES TO YOUR SYSTEM The digital output from a Laser disc player which is normally an optical connection may be fed into an external digital to analogue convertor DAC such as an Arcam Black Box 50 or 500 for improved sound quality Cables can make or break a system The quality of interconnects audio video and digital and speaker cables you use will be a limiting factor on the performance of your hi fi home cinema system The better the cable the better the sound As a guide plan to invest at least 10 of the value of you
16. d brown or marked with the letter L The green and yellow wire must be connected to the terminal which is coloured green and yellow or marked with the letter E or the safety earth symbol s When replacing the fuse in the supplied moulded mains plug the integral fuse holder cover must always be refitted Use a 5 amp fuse UK models only Warning This apparatus must be earthed MAINS SUPPLY CONNECTIONS insert the IEC line socket of the mains lead fully into the power inlet on the rear panel Connect the other end to your mains supply LOUDSPEAKER CONNECTIONS 0 0 This amplifier is fitted with BFA British Federation of Audio loudspeaker connectors which are designed to meet EU safety standards The connector will accept spade terminals bare wires up to 4mm in diameter or a BFA plug BFA plugs are available from your Arcam dealer Insert the red positive plugs of your speaker leads into the red terminals and the other plugs into the black terminals If your speaker cable has bare ends the positive conductor can usually be identified by a ridge or coloured marking Ensure that no stray strands are allowed to touch another cable or the amplifier s casing This can cause a shor circuit and damage your amplifier The loudspeaker terminals are marked as follows FRONT Connect your front pair of speakers here This usually means your existing stereo pair Connect terminals amp to your left speaker and termin
17. display CINEMA EQ legend will illuminate when this mode is on EFFECT Scrolls through the available effects None HALL or SIMULATED This feature is useful to enhance non surround encoded sources cD HALL switches in a reverberation effect giving added ambience through the rear channels SIMULATED provides a simulated surround effect sound The HALL or SIMULATED legend on the LCD display on the front panel will indicate which effect is currently selected You can trim the amount of EFFECT by use of the rear level buttons See 0 NB Selecting one of the EFFECTS will override any Dolby mode selected CENTRE OFF Switches the centre channel off or on Switching the centre channel off is also useful for Karaoke and for nulling out unwanted sports commentators This function is not available in STEREO MODE or during set up In Dolby MODE the MUTE and CALIBRATION legends illuminate and CENTRE flashes on the LCD display In effects or EXT DECODER PROCESSOR modes MUTE illuminates and CENTRE flashes It cannot be selected if the main MUTE has already been selected DISPLAY This button switches off the front panel display REAR OFF Switches the rear channel off or on Useful to demonstrate the effectiveness of the surround effect This function is not available in STEREO or Dolby 3 Stereo MODE or during set up When selected MUTE illuminates and SURR flashes on the LCD display It cannot be selected ifthe main MUTE
18. emarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation LOCATING YOUR LOUDSPEAKERS With the increasing integration of hi fi and video equipment it is now possible to recreate all the involvement and excitement of a visit to the cinema in the intimacy of your living room A true Home Cinema set up conforming to Dolby Surround requirements will need five loudspeakers in order to recreate the surround sound experience a front pair a rear pair and a centre channel If you have them you will probably use your present stereo loudspeakers as the main front loudspeakers These should be positioned roughly equidistant to and either side of your TV and typically 8 10 feet 2 4 3m apart The centre loudspeaker must be located close to your TV screen so that the picture and centre sound come from the same location In a Home Cinema setup the centre speaker is very important as much of the sound comes from this source The rear surround loudspeakers should ideally be placed behind the listening position or if this is not possible then to either side The object of the rear speakers is to produce a diffuse room filling sound Locate the rear loudspeakers away from you and above your head so that they do not fire directly into your ears The addition of a subwoofer to enhance the bass end of your system should also be considered The location of a subwoofer is less critical but should follow the manufacturer s recommendations PROBLEMS
19. entre speaker mode The stored settings can be recalled by pressing the green Restore button on the remote control If your dealer has not installed the unit or you wish to modify the stored settings then select the set up mode by pressing Restore followed quickly by in the mode section of the remote the key also has a small green square printed above it to help you remember the key The RESTORE legend on the display will flash to indicate you are in set up mode REMOTE CONTROL DELAY TIME Use the and keys to adjust the DELAY TIME Surround information is delayed to the rear channels for psychoacoustic reasons The range is adjustable and indicated on the display in 1ms intervals In Dolby Pro Logic mode only the range is adjustable between 15 and 30 milliseconds ms and is commonly set at 20ms for most installations In HALL and SIMULATED modes the range is adjustable from 1ms to 32ms The optimum delay time does depend on the listening position Use the chart below to determine the delay time for the size of your room and seating position For example when the distance from the front speakers to the listening position is 3 metres and the distance from the rear speakers to the listening position is 1 metre the optimum delay time will be 20 ms a ga TOE a i en shin orale re HT Del Abo ma EE Listening position and optimum delay time for playback with Dolby Pro Logic surround Ee Suitable n V Possible 2 o
20. f charge during the first two years after purchase at any authorised Arcam distributor within the EEA provided that it was purchased from an authorised ARCAM dealer or distributor within the EEA The manufacturer can accept no responsibility for defects arising from accident misuse abuse wear and tear neglect or through unauthorised adjustment and or repair neither can they accept responsibility for damage or loss occuring during transit to or from the person claiming under this guarantee Countries of the European Economic Area are Belgium Holland Norway Iceland Lichtenstein Luxembourg Greece Germany France Spain Portugal Eire italy Austria Denmark Sweden Great Britain Finland and Switzerland This includes the Canary Islands the Channel Islands the Isle of Man Corsica and Sardinia This warranty remains in force for two years from the date of purchase as long as the unit remains in free circulation Units exported from the EEA and subsequently re imported are not subject to this warranty CLAIMS UNDER GUARANTEE This equipment should be packed in the original packing and returned to the dealer from whom it was purchased or failing this directly to the Arcam distributor in the country of residence it should be sent camiage prepaid by a reputable carrier NOT by post No responsiblity can be accepted for the unit whilst in transit to the dealer or distributor and customers are therefore advised to insure the unit
21. he speakers connected correctly a sthe source you wish to listen to connected and operating correctly a s the correct input selected Is the unit switched on and the POWER LED green s the volume turned up s the mute switched off Is the tape monitor E selected THINGS TO CHECK See points listed above Is the balance control set to centre position For the centre or rear channel ensure these are not switched off via the remote Also try adjusting the channel volume To check a source component swap the phono leads over L with R at the source equipment only If the fault r channel then the fault is in the source component or the cable ADVICE THINGS TO CHECK Is Dolby Pro Logic selected The relevant legend on the display should illuminate s Are the rear speakers connected properly Have rear speakers been switched on via the remote Are you replaying Dolby Surround encoded materials a Has the rear volume been turned up Is your source operating in stereo mode ADVICE Even on Dolby Surround encoded material sound does not come out of the rear speakers all of the time the amount of rear level also varies from film to film ADVICE There is nothing to check here Sometimes on normal broadcasts phase differences in the two channel recording can confuse the surround steering circuitry allowing certain signals to be heard from the rear speakers You can of co
22. lpha AV50 has now been set to your personal settings which you will be able to recall at anytime by pressing Restore on the remote control Further system tuning will be required if you have a subwoofer You will need to adjust its level control and tune the crossover frequency to integrate smoothly with your main loudspeakers Try a variety of source materials to help you make these adjustments until you are happy with the sound The subwoofer instructions may also provide advice on system balancing Do not be concerned if the level adjustment on the sub woofer needs to be set near maximum to achieve the right balance REMOTE CONTROL COMMANDS Most functions on the remote control are straightforward and obvious to use There are a number of functions described below that will allow you to optimise the way you use your system Letters in the left hand column refer to the remote control drawing N ARCAM INPUT SELECTORS These switch the amplifier to the required input The PHONO button has no effect on the AV50 POWER Switches the amplifier on or off from standby In standby mode all inputs and outputs are muted except the MONITOR OUT TAPE OUT and VCR OUT to enable you to make unattended VCR recordings provided you have selected the appropriate input before putting the unit in standby mode We recommend that you disconnect your amplifier from the mains if it is to be left unattended over a long period of time e g
23. mode see Set Up Mode selection for more details MUTE Mutes and un mutes the sound to all loudspeaker and preamp outputs MUTE flashes on the LCD display VOLUME Master volume control for the amplifier this drives the motorised volume control on the front panel Note that a volume up or down command from the remote will automatically un mute the amplifier if MUTE is on The following buttons on the remote control handset have no function on the AV50 This is because the remote handset can also be used on the Arcam Xeta One and Xeta2 home cinema amplifiers AUTOBAL lt BAL gt BAL SHIFT SHIFT can be used simultaneously with the VOLUME MUTE POWER or INPUT SELECTOR buttons to control functions on the Arcam Delta Black Box 500 outboard digital to analogue converter unit DIRECT for the best sound quality in Stereo or Surround modes Pressing in Direct on the amplifier bypasses the bass treble and balance controls to give an overall cleaner sound As supplied from the factory the Alpha AV50 will automatically change to STEREO mode when you select a non video input e g tuner or CD When switching back to a video input it will default back to what it had been previously set to for example Dolby 3 Stereo These settings can be changed and stored during set up if required If Dolby Pro Logic has been stored in set up mode for that input pressing Restore on the remote will restore Dolby Pro Logic Turn your TV
24. opriate sockets labelled R and the other plugs into the sockets labelled L TAPE OUT Connect this output to the input of your cassette deck usually labelled RECORD or IN TAPE IN Connect this input to the output of your cassette deck usually labelled PLAY or OUT TUNER IN Connect this input to your radio tuner s audio output CD IN Connect this input to the analogue outputs of your CD player or external DAC VCR OUT Connect this output to the audio input of your video recorder VCR VCR IN Connect this input to the audio output of your VCR SAT IN Connect this input to your Satellite TV decoder s audio output LD IN This input is compatible with Laserdisc LD Compact Disc Interactive CD I DVD or a Video CD player Connect this input to the audio output of the player TV IN Connect this input to the audio output sockets of your TV set External Processor Inputs These sockets permit access to each of the five internal power amplifiers within the AV50 via the volume control This allows the AV50 to be used with future 5 1 style discrete multichannel audio sources such as Dolby Digital AC 3 or Digital Theater systems DTS Coherent Acoustics See section Connecting the AV50 to an external 5 1 channel decoder for more details COMPOSITE VIDEO CONNECTIONS You will need suitable 75 ohm composite video cables to connect your equipment to the composite video inputs and outputs The
25. r and customers are therefore advised to insure the unit against loss or damage whilst in transit Continuous power output per channel Left Centre Right 80 20Hz 20kHz 40 20Hz 20kHz Single front channel 80 1kHz 40 1kHz Rear channels 80 1kHz 40 1kHz THD 1kHz 80 maximum output Peak current rating Line Inputs stereo mode Frequency response S N ratio CCIR ref rated output Input sensitivity Input impedance Overload margin Processor Inputs Input sensitivity Preamp Outputs Nominal output level Maximum output level Output impedance Video Section General E amp OE Video signal type Nominal input output level Maximum input level Frequency response Operating voltage Maximum power consumption Size overall W D H mm Weight nett packed 50W each 75W each 55W 75W 50W each 75W each 0 03 10Amps 0 5dB 20Hz 20kHz 90dB 220mV nominal Max input level 4 5 V 7kQ 17dB 220mV 700mV 5V 2500 Universally compatible 1V P P 750 2V P P 5Hz 10MHz 3dB 230V 12 115V 12 600VA 10VA in Standby mode 430x330x100 7 7kg 9 1kg Pembroke Avenue Waterbeach Cambridge CBS 9PB England Telephone 44 0 1223 203203 Fax 44 0 1223 863384 email custserv arcam co uk Issue 7 97 Part No SHO56E
26. r equipment in cables SOURCES OF SURROUND ENCODED MATERIAL The majority of films on video laser discs and broadcast TV have surround sound look for the Dolby Surround logo Surround material requires a stereo source which can be any of the following A stereo TV or TV tuner NICAM A hi fi stereo NICAM video recorder A laser disc or DVD player A stereo satellite receiver or cable system The Alpha AV50 is compatible with all of these INITIAL ADVICE Please ensure that you have read the instructions and are the following method operating the equipment accordingly 1 Press the RESTORE button on the handset Check all cables to your speakers and other components for 2 Press the front panel MODE button within 3 seconds and any loose or incorrect connections the CALIBRATION legend on the display will begin to flash Ensure that the rest of the components making up your 3 Press the front panel EXT DECODER button within 3 system are operating correctly A fault can occur in another seconds component or connecting lead that might appeartobean amplifier problem All the segments on the display will flash to indicate a complete reset The information on the display will tell you what modes the amplifier is set to If any problems still persist you may find the following suggestions useful It is possible to reset the AV50 to the factory set defaults by THINGS TO CHECK Are t
27. se should be terminated with phono plugs at the ends connected to the AV50 Consult your equipment manuals for the connections required to your other equipment MONITOR OUTPUT Connect this output to your TV composite video input Most TVs only have SCART sockets others use a phono socket or BNC connector You will need a suitable lead or use an adaptor to make this connection If in doubt consult your dealer TV IN You may connect this input to the output of your TV but it may also be used for a camcorder VCR laserdisc etc Connect this input to the composite video output of your unit LD IN Connect this input to the video input of your laser disc This input is also compatible with CD I DVD or a Video CD player _SAT IN Connect this input to the composite video output of your satellite TV decoder VCR IN Connect this input to the video output of your VCR VCR OUT Connect this output to the video input of your VCR BASS TRE LE BALANCE BASS Rotate clockwise to boost the bass response and anti clockwise to cut the bass response For a flat response leave in the central click position TREBLE Rotate clockwise to boost the treble response and anti clockwise to cut the treble response For a flat response leave in the central click position VOLUME Adjusts the volume level of all the loudspeaker and preamp outputs simultaneously BALANCE Rotate clockwise or anti clockwise
28. splay the various parameters relating to Dolby Pro Logic operations 3STEREO CINEMAEQ CENTRE PHANTOM SIMULATED TEST TONE RISHT WIDEBAND HALL MUTE CALIBRATION DELAY SURR PROCESSOR PROLOGIC RESTORE A LEFT NORMAL So once you ve wired everything up what s next First check all connections again to make sure there are no loose wires or plugs in wrong sockets check your speakers for any shorts between terminals and turn the volume control down Switch your TV on and select the A V input on the TV which is connected to the composite video MONITOR OUTPUT of the Alpha AV50 Ensure that the source you wish to listen to is playing Once satisfied switch the Alpha AV50 power on via the front panel POWER switch and select the correct input that you want to listen to by pressing the appropriate SOURCE switch on the Alpha AV50 or on the remote handset Increase the volume control of the Alpha AV50 and you should hear sound from the selected source coming from your loudspeakers If this is not the case try other inputs on the Alpha AV50 and or recheck your system connections The fault finding guide at the end of these instructions will also help you Once your system is working it is important to balance it for your components and room environment SET UP MODE SYSTEM BALANCING Set up mode allows you to customise default settings which are recalled when the Restore button is pressed and to adjust the rear channel time delay and c
29. t be situated on a bed sofa rug or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings or placed in a built in installation such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings Heat The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators heat registers stoves or other appliances including amplifiers that produce heat Power Sources The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance Grounding Precautions should be taken so that the grounding means of the appliance is not defeated Power Cord Protection Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them paying particular attention to cords and plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the appliance 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Cleaning Unplug the unit from the mains supply before cleaning The appliance should normally only require a wipe over with a clean dry lint free cloth If it is heavily soiled then a cloth slightly dampened with a water washing up liquid solution may be used Dry the unit afterwards with a dry cloth We do not advise the use of furniture type cleaning sprays polishes as this can cause white marks which are very difficult to remove if the unit is then wiped over with water
30. urse switch off the rear speakers Oy GSF THINGS TO CHECK is your TV switched to the correct AV input Have you connected the TV correctly to the video monitor socket on the amplifier Have you selected the right video input via the source selector Is the amplifier properly switched on GUARANTEE FOR UK SALES This equipment is guaranteed for two years from the date of purchase parts and labour only provided that it was originally purchased from an authorised dealer under a consumer sale agreement The words consumer sale shall be construed in accordance with Section 15 of the Supply Of Goods Implied Terms Act 1973 The manufacturer can accept no responsibility for defects arising from accident misuse abuse wear and tear neglect or through unauthorised adjustment and or repair neither can they accept responsibility for damage or loss occurring during transit to or from the person claiming under this guarantee This guarantee is applicable within the UK only It is transferable to subsequent purchasers but the liability of the manufacturer is limited to the cost of repair of the defective parts and under no circumstances extends to consequential loss or damage CLAIMS UNDER THIS GUARANTEE This equipment should be packed in the original packing and retumed to the dealer from whom it was purchased or failing this directly to Arcam it should be sent carriage prepaid by a reputable carnier NOT by post
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