Wherever we talk electrical power, we
talk voltage and current. Not only is the
current as important as the voltage; in
an audio amplifier the amount of availa-
ble current is critical for the sonic per-
formance. Needless to say that a profess-
sional power amplifier should be able to
handle large current safely and properly
in an ever changing environment, to
work and sound well even with low
impedances, and to provide a maximum
of headroom for live sound dynamics.
Our iP Series has been designed to
provide this amount of current, making
these amplifiers truly professional pro-
ducts. Even in extreme situations, e.g.
should you require them to drive 2
Ω
loads and at high power levels, they keep
playing. And thanks to they keep soun-
ding as great as if they were just idling
along. “HiFi performance at maximum
output” – isn’t this what you expect?
Then you have found it!
The iP Series features heavy-duty
power supplies with massive toroidal
transformers, able to support the output
signal in power and quality. Why would
Lab.gruppen as pioneers of the R.SMPS
technology* put a classic power supply
design into their amplifiers, you may ask
yourself. Simply because at the output
power range of the iP Series the conventio-
nal power supply remains to be an efficient
and economic way of providing the necessa-
ry energy. As top model of the iP Series the
iP 2100 with its maximum output power of
more than 2,000 W comes in a compact
2 RU package size weighing only 18 kg
(40 lbs).
Naturally, we were thinking our current
philosophy to its end. So, while dealing with
high current we simultaneously keep an eye
on safety – for both, you and your equip-
ment. Fulfilling the global standards of elec-
trical safety is one way of getting there. The
implementation of “Soft Start” circuitry
protects the connected speakers at one end
of the amplifiers from unwanted spikes and
the mains breakers at another end from
popping during the power-on routine.
Keep the current flowing as high as
your expectations. Use Lab.gruppen.
“Soft Start” protects speakers and mains fuse.
“Amplifiers get hot.” Wrong! Because
there is Lab.gruppen. Sure, heat is gene-
rally a problem because it stresses the
components and has led elsewhere to
shows ending early. Some amplifiers
even go into protection by shutting
down completely or by reducing the
output power dramatically.
We have learned mastering the art of
heat reduction inside power amplifiers
while designing amps capable of provi-
ding more than 6,000 watts of output
power. No doubt that the iP Series is
well able to stay cool.
SPEED-CONTROLLED FANS
iP Series amplifiers produce relatively
little heat to start with. To get rid of it,
we use speed-controlled fans*. They
move the cooling air from front to rear,
because this makes the best sense. The
air is directed into a compression cham-
ber, and then guided through the heat
sinks.
The cooling differs in three distinct
ways to common schemes.
Difference #1:
Our output transistors are
located side-by-side in the airstream, all
getting the same cool air at the same time.
Not one of them gets hotter due to being
positioned at the wrong end of a tunnel. We
keep them all cool.
Difference #2:
Our heat sinks offer plenty
of surface area, again broken up into tiny
little fins. Greater air turbulence = better
cooling.
Difference #3:
Our heat sinks are made
out of copper. Its heat dissipation is many
times better than aluminum.
INTERCOOLER
®
The result is an ultra-efficient and compact
cooling system we call Intercooler®. What
you get is an amplifier that stays cool, even
if driven hard and for long periods of time.
You may also stack as many as you want
directly on top of each other without space
in between.
Pure physics and smart engineering.
Cool!
* = The iP 450 is convection cooled. It has external heat
sinks and operates without fans.
The output transistors are located side-by-side
in the airstream
Copper heat sinks with tiny fins.
The parallel airflow through the Intercooler™.
Removable dust filter on the front panel.
Stay Cool.
Current Capacity.
3
20
0
–20
–50
0
100
150
50
–40
–60
–80
–100
40
60
80
100
A
ms
iP 1350
LAB 1000
* = R.SMPS stands for Lab.gruppen’s unique
Regulated Switch Mode Power Supply as used
e.g. in the fP Series, where it helps optimizing
the power-to-weight ratio at greater output
power levels.