Ashly nX Series Operating Manual Download

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Operating Manual - nX, nXe, and nXp 150W/75W Power Amplifiers

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13 NETWORK AUDIO OPTIONS

Ashly offers a CobraNet and Dante

network audio interface module that must be factory installed on nXe and nXp amplifiers.

13.1 CobraNet®

CobraNet is an Ethernet-based digital audio transport technology de

veloped and supported by Cirrus Logic. It is a combination of software,

hardware and network protocols which allows distribution of multiple

channels of real-time, high quality digital audio over a standard Ethernet

Network. Ashly nXe or nXp amplifiers can be ordered with a factory in

stalled CobraNet module. Protea

software will auto-detect if CobraNet

is installed. The amplifier [Input Source] tab presents the CobraNet audio

routing and source controls as well as the status of individual receivers,

bundles, and channels. For more detailed information, please search

Protea

software on-line help, or visit the

CobraNet home page

Basic Terminology

Cobranet Receiver:

There are four

receivers A, B, C, and D in amplifiers

with CobraNet installed. Each receiver

can receive one CobraNet bundle

selected by the user. It is not necessary

to use all receivers. Depending on

how audio is sent from the CobraNet

transmitter, a single receiver can

be used and its selected bundle and

channels routed to individual amplifier

inputs using the CobraNet matrix in

the input source tab.

CobraNet Bundle:

A CobraNet

bundle is a group of up to eight

audio channels which are transmitted

together from a single CobraNet

device and may be received by several

CobraNet devices. Each bundle is

assigned a bundle number. This

number can be in the following ranges:

Bundle is disabled.

1 to 255:

These are multicast bundles

and are not recommended for most

situations.

256 to 65279:

These are normal uni-

cast bundles and are most commonly

used.

65280 to 65535:

These are "private" bundles and should not be used.

CobraNet Channel:

Each bundle can contain up to 8 audio streams, or CobraNet channels. They are labeled 1 to 8. The Co

braNet channel number within the bundle that was assigned to the desired audio source is the same bundle and channel number

that should be selected when extracting and routing that original source to an amplifier input channel.

Summary of Contents for nX Series

Page 1: ...demarks referred to herein are the property of their respective owners 2017 Ashly Audio Inc All rights reserved worldwide r4 Operating Manual Multi Mode Amplifiers 150W 75W Per Channel nX Base Series nX1504 nX1502 nX754 nX752 nXe Ethernet Series nXe1504 nXe1502 nXe754 nXe752 nXp Ethernet DSP Series nXp1504 nXp1502 nXp754 nXp752 ...

Page 2: ...e receptacles and the point where they exit from the apparatus 12 Only use attachments accessories specified by the manufac turer 13 Use only with the cart stand tripod bracket or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the apparatus When a cart is used use caution when moving the cart apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip over 14 Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or ...

Page 3: ...fer to the following OSHA table for safe noise exposure limits and always take precautions to avoid excessive exposure to loud environments Sound level dBA slow response Maximum Dura tion Hours per day 90 8 92 6 95 4 97 3 100 2 102 1 1 2 105 1 110 1 2 115 1 4 or less Unpacking As a part of our system of quality control every Ashly product is carefully inspected before leaving the factory to ensure...

Page 4: ...4 7 2 Digital Network Audio Option 14 8 Ethernet Communications 14 8 1 IP Address 14 8 2 Firewalls 14 8 3 Wi Fi and LAN 14 8 4 Connecting Devices 14 NOTE Sections 9 13 p15 51 are NOT included in the printed manual shipped with nX amplifiers The complete owner s manual is avail able as a PDF file on the Ashly Web site For best results when viewing and navigating the PDF file enable the PDF Bookmark...

Page 5: ... 4 WR 5 Programmable Button Control 46 11 5 RD 8C Serial Data Fader Controller 46 11 6 neWR 5 Programmable Button Control 47 11 7 FR 8 FR 16 Networked Fader 47 11 8 INA 1 Inline RS 232 Adapter 47 11 9 Ashly Remote App for iPad 47 12 AES3 Digital Audio Input Pass Through 48 12 1 Source Selection 48 12 2 Cable Specification 48 12 3 Hardware Status Indicators 48 12 4 Software Status Indicators 48 13 ...

Page 6: ...on all inputs and outputs Remote DC level control per channel Detachable AC mains line cord connector with universal 120 240VAC range Continuously variable cooling fan Amplifier protection Shorted output power limiting over temperature power supply fault DC output mains fuses inrush current limiting Five year warranty nXe Ethernet Series Additional Features Ethernet control and monitoring of ampli...

Page 7: ...hum try connecting the shield only to the input pin and leave the input ground pin floating Avoid running low level signal wires in close proximity or parallel to long speaker cables AC power cables or power transformers as they can induce hum and oscillation 2 3 Output Speaker Wire Connector type This amplifier uses a four pin 300mil 7 62mm Euroblock connector for speaker outputs For bridged mode...

Page 8: ...eft unconnected to ground as the added line capacitance will degrade the data signal Maximum data cable distance is 1 000 ft 305m 2 5 Aux Output Wiring nXe and nXp only The aux outputs are pseudo balanced meaning they use single ended signal but with balanced impedance and can be wired balanced or unbalanced Always use shielded cable for audio signals 2 6 Mechanical Each amplifier model is 1RU and...

Page 9: ...ED turns on dim at first then increases in brightness as the amp channel approaches maximum safe temperature 100 critical temperature will shut down the amplifier but allow the fan to still run Power Limit Protection To protect internal components from excessive output power conditions a protection scheme in each output stage reduces audio output power until the fault condition is no longer presen...

Page 10: ...witch and rear panel level controls are disabled either by selecting disable mode from this switch or from software Sleep Mode Status Indicator The blue sleep LED will turn on during the mode selection process whenever sleep mode would be enabled upon release of the reset switch but it will turn back off as soon as the reset switch is released The sleep LED re mains off unless the amp goes to slee...

Page 11: ...above 24dBu 0 05Vrms or pressing the power switch will return the amplifier to normal operation Note that on all models a fixed amplifier turn on delay of three seconds is necessary to man age in rush current during power up or waking from sleep Sleep mode has priority over standby mode DISABLE This yellow LED lights when the power switch and level controls have been disabled All external controls...

Page 12: ...and V sources can be shared This feature can be disabled in software section 9 4a 5 4 Channel Attenuators These control the input signal level to the amplifier and work in conjunction with the remote DC fader level controls and software control surface faders if the amp is networked When an input attenuator is turned fully off its red clip mute LED turns on and stays on to indicate mute status for...

Page 13: ...ndicated by the loss of a normally present heartbeat signal where the output continuously toggles between 0V and 5V at a 1Hz rate The normal heartbeat signal on each fault pin is interrupted whenever a fault condition prevents normal function of that channel while the amplifier is either powered on or in the standby state Fault conditions include loss of AC mains voltage excessive internal tempera...

Page 14: ...dress If the only option is to use an Ethernet switch instead of a router and communications problems remain which cannot be solved with the use of the link local standard each device can have a static IP address assigned from within Proteane software This is done by selecting Manual Configuration in the network properties tab of each device where the system network administrator must assign each ...

Page 15: ...raNet Dante and AES3 are currently available AVB network audio will be available in the future Note The user can find and verify a live device on the network by right clicking over the unit s name or icon and then click Identify which will flash the device s Com LED for two seconds 9 1bAshly Project Canvas The project canvas is used to represent a sound system installation as a visual project Netw...

Page 16: ...cally when the software is started A button of the same name and function is also found beneath the network device tree Network Network Config Adjusts the metering refresh rate server retries server timeout and heartbeat timer 9 1e Project Menu Project Tab Page Add Remove Rename and Clear Multiple project tabs can be used within the same project to represent different racks rooms buildings etc and...

Page 17: ...ifiers with load analysis are NE two channel dsp and nXp Loudspeakers are specified with a nominal impedance rating 8 Ohms for example This is an average rating the actual imped ance across its frequency range can vary substantially above or below 8 Ohms due to inductance resonance and other proper ties which affect impedance Lower impedance even within a narrow frequency range can increase the am...

Page 18: ...ne Software Tells the software version Help Contents and Index Online help for device function is found here along with the ability to search for topics Help Capture Network Configuration While most people will not use this function it can be helpful when troubleshooting network problems or communicating with Ashly technical support 9 2 nX Device Options Menu Double click on a nX amplifier in the ...

Page 19: ...put or matrix mixer DSP functions on any channel When removed audio is passed directly through the stage that has been disabled 9 3 nX Preset Options Menu The preset options menu in the main device window allows user defined setups to be named saved to and recalled from the amplifier or a networked computer Several other utility functions are available as well Presets are a snapshot of all current...

Page 20: ... power switch blinks when in standby Power Switch Level Control Enabled Disabled This disables both the front panel power switch and the rear panel level controls Note When disabled all level controls revert to their maximum fully on value regardless of knob position The software control surface representations of the rear panel level controls labeled as RearAttenuators will always show the curren...

Page 21: ...ure protection Offset Link Group and Offset Faders A group of output channels can be linked together to attenuate the group as a whole without changing the relative levels of each channel If a channel is assigned to one of the 16 offset link groups a colored triangle marker appears on the left side of the main fader graticule for secondary level control of all channels in that group Left click and...

Page 22: ...n the Save Changes button To log in as admin in the log in section click the Admin checkbox enter the password if one is assigned and click the log in button Only the admin or anyone else with full access has the right to show passwords save changes reset changes or edit user names passwords and access levels A factory reset will erase all user names and passwords in the amplifier Other User Names...

Page 23: ... click on it to bypass select for sub preset copy paste to another similar block or delete Total DSP usage is indicated as a percentage at the bottom of each input section in the DSP tab Increasing the number and complexity of applied DSP tools increases the DSP usage Total DSP usage cannot exceed 100 All DSP functions are listed below with details on the following pages 1 Dynamics controls Clip l...

Page 24: ...ter the signal level drops below threshold Link Group Group to which all parameters are assigned for simul taneous adjustment to multiple limiters Show Meter On Graph Checkbox Overlays the input output level meters on the limiter graphical display Detector Type Fixed at peak detect for the limiter Compressor The compressor function allows for user adjustable threshold ratio attack time release tim...

Page 25: ...target level The target level is the primary setting in the autoleveler as it determines the constant level to which an input is boost or cut The autoleveler can be used in situations such as speech re enforcement where an unknown source level needs to be maintained at a specific output level For example a podium microphone where different speakers will be presenting may have an auto leveler appli...

Page 26: ...microphone Parameters Ducker Type Available types are high and low priority trigger filibuster and ducked program Trigger Threshold The signal level on a trigger channel at which point all ducked program channels are attenuated Ducking Release This determines the time the ducked program stays attenuated after the trigger input signal has fallen below its threshold Ducking Depth Determines how much...

Page 27: ...open the gate and allow signal to pass through available as text box or as the top drag node on the graph Range The amount of attenuation applied to the unwanted signal when it remains below threshold sometimes referred to as floor It is available as text box or as the bottom drag node on the graph Attack The rate at which the gate rises to unity gain after the signal has reached threshold Release...

Page 28: ...utomatically applied to the program audio by the ANC function Max Gain Sets the maximum gain that you allow the ANC to apply to the program audio A typical starting value is 10 dB Min Base Gain Sets the minimum gain that you allow the ANC to apply to the program audio A typical starting value is 20 dB This also sets the starting gain value once the noise exceeds the threshold The minimum gain is 1...

Page 29: ...of noise compensation 7 Continue to increase the noise source to the highest level you would expect Adjust the max gain to a level which limits the maximum gain that the ANC applies to the program audio so it will not become too loud or clip 8 The gain change rate can be adjusted according to how fast you would like the gain changes to take place in response to changes in ambient noise 9 Be aware ...

Page 30: ... attenuation applied to the channel It is the sum of the gain of the level fader plus the gain applied by each of the enabled VCA groups RD 8C Remote Control Gain Remote gain allows the user to choose where Ashly s RD 8C will apply gain to a signal path WR5s are handled by the WR5 gain block When the remote is assigned to a channel it applies gain attenuation within the remote gain block allowing ...

Page 31: ...ters can be returned to nominal by pressing Ctrl Click on the fader knob A course EQ curve can be drawn quickly by left clicking and dragging across the EQ frequency response display Multiple graphic equalizers may be assigned to a link group so that their controls will track Parameters Filter Type This selects proportional Q or constant Q default filters Constant Q filters have consistent Q bandw...

Page 32: ...filter in engaged Red filter out disengaged Filter Type Selected filter type The types are Parametric Symmetric boost cut allowing individual adjustment of center frequency level and bandwidth High Shelf Asymmetric boost or cut with shelving shape Allows adjustment of the corner frequency and amplitude Slope can be selected as 6 dB octave or 12 dB octave Low Shelf Mirror image of high shelf All Pa...

Page 33: ...feedback area with just a slight boost is a quick way to find the exact frequency causing trouble Once the offensive frequency has been found cut the filter s level and the adjust the bandwidth as narrow as possible while still eliminating the feedback problem Bandwidth is adjustable from about 1 64 octave to four octaves and the lower the bandwidth the less audible the filter action will be Findi...

Page 34: ...order to allow the DSP power necessary for the FBS Filter Parameters Filter number Current active filter highlighted Filter In Out Green filter in engaged Red filter out disengaged Filter Lock Locks filter at its current setting when locked the detector will no longer adjust the filter Filter Mode There are three filter modes Restricted Filter will only broaden or deepen Floating Detector may rele...

Page 35: ...ter in the presence of a prolonged feedback tone with very little background noise The optimal setting of the sensitivity control depends on both the spectral content of the audio program how much the musical instruments sound like feedback and also on the amount of background music and noise which tends to mask feedback from the detector It is best to start with an average sensitivity setting and...

Page 36: ... the Low Pass Filter determines the upper frequency limit Be careful not to accidentally send low frequency signals to high frequency drivers Check the loudspeaker specifications to determine a safe operating frequency range Available Filter Types Bessel 2nd 3rd 4th and 8th order 12 18 24 48 dB octave Butterworth 2nd 3rd 4th and 8th order 12 18 24 48 dB octave Linkwitz Riley 2nd 4th and 8th order ...

Page 37: ...ms of the pole zero characteristics of individual filters The 18dB oct Linkwitz Riley individually are 18dB oct Butterworth filters in that they have Butterworth pole zero characteristics and also satisfy the criterion for Linkwitz Riley filters When a Linkwitz Riley HPF and LPF of the same corner frequency are summed the combined response is always flat With 12dB oct Linkwitz Riley crossover filt...

Page 38: ...rs Temperature Local temperature used to calculate the speed of sound though air and thus the distance corresponding to the delay time Link Group The link group to which the delay s parameters will be linked Show Detailed Channel Information If both delay functions are used on the same channel all parameters can be viewed in a single window 6 Metering The audio meter allows the signal to be monito...

Page 39: ...the auto manual mixer This does not light the front panel mute LED Auto Button Selects the mixer input channel as an automixer channel when pressed in versus a manual mixer channel when pressed out Manual and automixer channels both get summed into the output mix however the manual channels operate independently and do not participate in the automatic mixing operation Fader Control Adjusts the mix...

Page 40: ...istent final mix level without feedback as channel gains are automatically changing 3 A gain sharing automixer is easier to setup and adjust without the need for threshold attack release depth and number of open mics NOM controls Mixer input channels can be individually selected as auto mixed or manual mixed all summed together to the same mixer output Channels which are selected as auto will part...

Page 41: ...rol settings Up to 100 events can be scheduled All event schedule data is stored in the amplifier A common use of the event scheduler would be for programmable energy ef ficiency Schedule the amp to go idle or off during down times and turning back on when the facility opens for business The date and time of the amplifier s real time clock RTC can be manually set by the user or set to the host PC ...

Page 42: ...the amp from standby mode open the STBY switch Remote standby is unavailable on nX models 2 Remote Control Standby Using software control surface nXe or nXp amplifiers can also be put into standby mode from software functioning the same as the contact closure standby circuit on the back panel Clicking on standby in the software control surface places the unit into standby mode until further action...

Page 43: ...nected to the preset ground pin the amplifier loads the preset or sub preset 1 4 as stored in amplifier memory 3 WR 5 AWR 5 appears in software as a captive device to its host amplifier The six buttons on the WR 5 can be programmed to recall a specific preset or scroll through a defined list of presets 4 neWR 5 A neWR 5 will appear in the software menu tree as a device on the network and must be a...

Page 44: ... associated with each fader which mutes those channels associated with that fader 2 neWR 5 The neWR 5 buttons can be programmed to mute and unmute single or multiple inputs or outputs 3 Event Scheduler The event scheduler can be set to automatically mute or unmute single or multiple inputs or outputs at a predetermined day and time 4 Proteane Software The user can mute inputs or outputs in real ti...

Page 45: ... to any other external grounds 11 1 WR 1 Assembly 11 1a WR 1 Wiring 11 2 WR 1 5 Level Control and Preset Recall Switch Level Control all models preset recall on nXe and nXp models only The WR 1 5 has a four position rotary switch for selection of stored amplifier presets 1 4 and a potentiometer for remote DC level control of one amplifier channel Clear windows are provided for user generated label...

Page 46: ...e as earth ground WR 5 buttons are programmed from Proteane software after the WR 5 is wired to the amplifier and assigned a unique ID number in its WR 5 device window Controlled functions include preset recall scroll mute zone source selection individual channel and matrix point level control Each button has a status LED A clear window is provided for custom button labels 11 5 RD 8C Serial Data F...

Page 47: ...e the closing of a switch wired to the lock out Euroblock renders all buttons inactive 11 7 FR 8 and FR 16 Networked Fader Controller nXp only The FR 8 and FR 16 are Ethernet based remote fader control units with the ability to assign each fader to control one or more input or output DSP gain stages I O mode or control a DSP matrix mixer input level Mixer Mode Each fader s button LED can alternate...

Page 48: ...BU signal and data is ready for processing This LED is disabled when network audio provides the master clock AES Status LED red Receiver Rx1 is Active but has an error AES signal will be muted See Errors Since Reset for specific error 12 4 Software Status Indicators The AES EBU status is found under the Device Options DSP Options menu AES3 Input Status green Receiver is Active and has locked onto ...

Page 49: ...ers with CobraNet installed Each receiver can receive one CobraNet bundle selected by the user It is not necessary to use all receivers Depending on how audio is sent from the CobraNet transmitter a single receiver can be used and its selected bundle and channels routed to individual amplifier inputs using the CobraNet matrix in the input source tab CobraNet Bundle A CobraNet bundle is a group of ...

Page 50: ... Configuration Description Description of the unit and its firmware Location User definable string typically indicating the location of the CobraNet device Contact User definable string typically indicating the con tact person for the CobraNet device Conductor Priority The higher the priority the more likely it is this unit will become the Conductor The conductor is the master clock and all other ...

Page 51: ... integrated into a Dante digital audio system by purchasing our OPTDante module as a factory installed option and controlled using Proteane software Dante Controller shown to right Configuration of Dante audio streams requires the use of Dante Controller This free software fromAudinate is available for Windows and Mac OS X Dante controller allows you to connect network audio receivers and transmit...

Page 52: ...ge irregularities 2 Has the amp shut down fan stopped with protect sleep and power switch LEDs all on If so a critical situation has triggered a fail safe fault response latching the amplifier into its shut down state AC power must be cycled to recover from this state These conditions may be due to internal component failure so before cycling power disconnect all speaker loads The three criti cal ...

Page 53: ...s On Input or Output Channels 1 Has input mixer or output channel DSP been disabled under device options sec 9 2j Event Scheduler Action Does Not Work 1 Does the amplifier s date time match that of the PC running software sec 9 4g 2 Did you click the Update Event button after editing events Remote Control Troubleshooting WR 5 or RD 8C Doesn t Work Properly 1 Is the remote wired correctly to the am...

Page 54: ...ower 4 Ohm 181W 119W 112W 67W 1 8 max power 2 Ohm 230W 133W 142W 82W AC Mains Current Draw Typical input all channels driven 120VAC divide in half for 240V nXp models used Sleep mode 94mA 94mA 94mA 94mA Standby mode 0 27A 0 2A 0 27A 0 2A Idle no signal 0 50A 0 35A 0 50A 0 35A 1 8 max power 25V 1 7A 0 96A 0 86A 0 54A 1 8 max power 70V 1 18A 0 7A 0 83A 0 52A 1 8 max power 100V 1 18A 0 7A 0 83A 0 52A...

Page 55: ... Pins 1 4 Euroblock 3 5mm close contact pin to Ground for preset 1 4 recall Data Connector for Ashly WR 5 RD 8C RS 232 adapter Euroblock 3 5mm Gnd 18V Data Out Data In AUX Output Connector Balanced Euroblock 3 5mm AUX Output on two channel models AUXA B use amp ch 1 2 signal or use matrix mixer if DSPinstalled AUX Outputs on four channel models AUX A B C D use amp ch 1 4 signal post DSP if install...

Page 56: ...ucking Depth 0dB to 30dB Enable Ducking at Matrix Mixer Yes Metering Input Gate Threshold 80dBu to 20dBu Range off 100dB to 0dB Attack 0 2ms dB to 50ms dB Release 5ms dB to 1000ms dB Metering Key Signal Gate LED superimpose on graph Advanced Gate Controls Key Engage Enable Yes Key Frequency 20Hz to 20kHz Key Bandwidth 0 016 to 3 995 octave Gain Gain 50dB to 12dB off polarity invert Gain w VCA 50dB...

Page 57: ...ment Parameters time ms distance ft m Temperature Adjust 22 F to 122 F 30 C to 50 C Maximum Time and Distance 48kHz Sample Rate 72 F Speaker Delay 0 21ms 24ft 7 3m Delay 0 682ms 771ft 235m Maximum Time and Distance 96kHz Sample Rate 72 F Speaker Delay 0 10 6ms 11 8ft 3 6m Delay 0 341ms 378ft 115m Tools Audio Meter Range 60dBu to 20dBu Increments 1dB Peak Hold Indicator yes Signal Generator pink no...

Page 58: ...e of purchase in the form of a valid sales receipt This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state EXCLUSIONS This warranty does not apply in the event of misuse neglect or as a result of unauthorized alterations or repairs made to the product This warranty is void if the serial number is altered defaced or removed ASHLY AUDIO INC res...

Page 59: ...59 Operating Manual nX nXe and nXp 150W 75W Power Amplifiers 17 nX nXe and nXp BLOCK DIAGRAMS ...

Page 60: ...SA Phone 585 872 0010 Fax 585 872 0739 Toll Free 800 828 6308 www ashly com Printed in USA nXa R4 11 17 2017 Ashly Audio Inc All rights reserved worldwide Ashly Audio is a division of Jam Industries Ltd All features specifications and graphical representations are subject to change or improvement without notice ...

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