XPA-1 USER’S GUIDE
Table of Contents Safety Precautions 3 NEC (National Electrical Code) Standards 5 A Note for the Cable Television (CATV) Installer Antenna Grounding Outside the House 5 5 Thank You for your XPA-1 Purchase 6 Unpacking the XPA-1 7 Inventory Recording the Serial Number 7 7 Emotiva XPA-1 Reference Differential Amplifier 8 Professional 500 Watt Amplifier Features 8 Front Panel Layout 8 Rear Panel Layout 9 Installation and Connections 10 AC Power Considerations Physical Placement Input Conne
Series Parallel Technical Note about Multiple Speaker Connections Troubleshooting Guide No Sound (from one or more speakers connected to the XPA-1) The amplifier shuts down often or the line circuit breaker trips often Poor Bass Performance From Full Range Speakers connected to the XPA-1 Turn-on and turn-off thumps “Hum” Noises in the Speakers Other Probable Causes of Noise One or more RED lights on the Front Panel are Blinking Problems with the whole A/V System XPA-1 Technical Specifications Limited Warra
Safety Precautions Read this User’s Guide thoroughly before attempting to install and configure the Emotiva XPA1 Amplifier. All the safety and operation instructions should be read before any operation of the component(s) begin. After successful installation and configuration of the Emotiva XPA-1 Amplifier, be sure to retain this manual in a safe place for any future reference needs. All warnings on the Emotiva XPA-1 Amplifier and in these operating instructions should be followed.
The user should not attempt to service the XPA-1 Amplifier beyond the means described in this Owner’s Guide. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. To prevent electric shock, do not use this polarized plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure.
NEC (National Electrical Code) Standards A Note for the Cable Television (CATV) Installer This reminder is to call the CATV system installer’s attention to Article 820-40 of the NEC that provides guidelines for proper grounding and in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building as close to the point of cable entry as practical.
Thank You for your XPA-1 Purchase Dear Home Entertainment Enthusiast, Thank you for purchasing the Emotiva XPA-1 Amplifier. We sincerely believe that it offers you outstanding performance and value. Emotiva products are engineered and produced with the highest quality materials and incorporate the latest technology. We think you will find the Emotiva XPA-1 meets or exceeds your expectations. The Emotiva XPA-1 is a flexible, high performance amplifier.
Unpacking the XPA-1 The Emotiva XPA-1 Amplifier should reach you in flawless condition. If you notice any shipping damage or other issues upon unpacking the unit, please contact your Emotiva Retailer immediately. Inventory Included with your XPA-1 amplifier should be an IEC Class 1, 2 prong power cord, and this User’s Guide. Please take a moment to make sure all the items are there in the packaging. Gently lift out the unit and remove all the packing material and accessories.
Emotiva XPA-1 Reference Differential Amplifier Professional 500 Watt Amplifier Features • Audiophile Quality Differential Amplifier . • 500 Watt RMS Mono-Block Amplification • Low noise 1.
Rear Panel Layout Remote Turn On Jack This 3.5mm jack accepts a 5-12 volt input for remote activation of the XPA-1. This mates directly with the Emotiva processor trigger out. If building your own cable, center is positive and outer shield is negative. Power Receptacle This is a standard IEC 2 prong power receptacle. It is advised that this amplifier have a direct connection to a wall outlet. Do not plug into a “power strip”. RCA and XLR Audio Inputs These inputs are for signal input on the XPA-1.
Installation and Connections AC Power Considerations Ensure that the unit is plugged into an outlet capable of supplying the correct voltage and current specified for your model. Remember to account for the electrical power that other components will require if they share a common wall socket or electrical circuit. The majority of household electrical sockets in places other than the kitchen and garage are 15 amperes maximum. Most DVD players and other source components are fairly low current items.
Input Connection Considerations Whenever possible, keep preamplifier level audio cables away from electrical power cords by at least a few inches. It’s more important with amplifiers as the AC power cords are carrying much more current than other source and preamplifier components, which means there is a larger degree of noise or “hum” potential with the amplifier power cord in close proximity.
Connection Diagrams 12V Trigger Connections The 12 VDC trigger connection shown can be used to turn the amplifier on when the preamplifier turns on. This trigger will actually trigger with any switched DC Voltage from 5-12 VDC; however, the majority of home theater components use a standard 12 VDC trigger connection for this function. This is the preferred connection as it has the greatest degree of reliability. Never switch anything that plugs directly into the wall with this trigger connection.
Series and Parallel Speaker Connections Whenever connecting more than one speaker per channel to an amplifier (regardless of the brand), you must consider the way in which the amplifier will be impacted by adding the additional speaker(s). Additionally, speakers with dual voice coils also apply to this consideration. Two voice coils in a single speaker also cause different reactions from an amplifier depending on the way in which they connect to the amplifier.
• The negative output terminal of the right channel connects to the negative input post of the first speaker and to the negative post of the second speaker. The total impedance of equal speakers in parallel is found by dividing the impedance of one speaker by the number of speakers. For example, two eight ohm speakers in parallel is a four ohm load (eight ohms divided by two), four eight ohm speakers in parallel is a two ohm load (eight ohms divided by four).
Troubleshooting Guide The Emotiva XPA-1 is expertly designed and built to provide years of trouble-free performance. Most problems that occur can usually be solved by checking your setup or making sure that the audio and video components connected to the amplifier are on and fully operational. The following information will help you deal with common setup problems you may experience during normal use of your unit. If problems persist, contact Emotiva for help.
• Check that the speaker wires have been connected correctly: Make sure that the positive of each speaker connects to a positive output of the amplifier, and the negative of each speaker connects to a negative output. If one speaker is wired incorrectly, than it will be “out of phase” with the others, resulting in poor bass performance. DOUBLE CHECK ALL THE SPEAKER CONNECTIONS!! Turn-on and turn-off thumps • Plug the amplifier into an un-switched AC outlet, and use the 3.
Ground loop isolators are available for audio lines and video devices. If you need assistance, contact Emotiva . Although this is not always an ideal solution, the grounding differences between certain home entertainment components sometimes require ground loop isolators. This is the exception rather than the rule. Other Probable Causes of Noise Speaker noise may also be caused by interference or noise on your AC line.
XPA-1 Technical Specifications Rated Power Output: (One Channel Driven @ 1Khz, 115VAC/ 60HZ supply, THD noted) 500 Watts into 8 Ohms (1%THD) 1000 Watts into 4 Ohms (1%THD) Frequency Response: 20-20Khz: +/-0.1dB 10-100Khz: +1/-3dB Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): (80kHz measurement bandwidth) <0.040% Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >100dB, Unweighted (Full Output Reference) DC Offset: <10mV Crosstalk: >80dB Damping Factor: Approximately 200 into 8 Ohms Input Sensitivity Range (Gain): 34.
Limited Warranty The Emotiva XPA-1 has been created to perform flawlessly for many years. As a result of this quality and craftsmanship, Emotiva offers the following warranty to owners of the XPA-1. Emotiva Audio warrants the XPA-1 to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of five years from the original date of purchase. The following items are excluded from, or will void this warranty coverage: 1) Damage to the XPA-1 caused during shipment and handling.
Emotiva Audio Corp. 106 Mission Court, Suite 101 Franklin, TN 37067 Toll Free Website - Rev 1.06 12/2008 (877) EMO-TECH www.emotiva.
