9
UNDERSTANDING YOUR ME580
ME Amplifiers Melbourne, Australia
for normal speaker systems. One exception here is the BOSE 800/901 series, which do not have a tweeter
(dedicated high frequency unit), and therefore may not need this form of protection. If you are using a
speaker system of this kind, you may find that the ME580 will shut down periodically on high level
passages of music. If this occurs, a modification is possible to make allowances for the high frequency
boosting that the equalizer generates. Please see you Dealer regarding this modification, as disabling this
feature will put normal speaker systems at risk. You should not attempt this modification yourself as your
warranty may be voided.
b)
DC Offsets
DC offsets can be the result of internal malfunctions of the ME580’s circuitry, or DC voltages that have
been fed to the inputs of the ME580, and are potentially dangerous to your loudspeakers. Loudspeakers
cannot deal with significant DC voltages without damage.
c)
Sustained Voltage Limiting
Voltage limiting of the output signal can occur when momentary high amplitude peaks of the input signal
cause the amplifier to exceed the limit of its undistorted output capability. Voltage limiting that continues
for more than a brief period can have a similar effect to that of a DC offset, and is therefore potentially
dangerous to your loudspeakers. If voltage limiting is sustained for more than the predetermined time
that is programmed into the protection system, the amplifier will shut down to protect your loudspeakers.
2.
Fault Detection and FAULT (Output Status) Light
If any of the conditions outlined in 1 exists, the Red FAULT light on the front panel escutcheon of the
ME580 will come on, and the amplifier will shut down, indicated by the ME logo changing from BLUE to
AMBER.
3.
Restarting the ME580 After Fault Detection
If the amplifier shuts down with the Red FAULT light ON, wait for at least 10 seconds, and then attempt to
turn the amplifier on by pressing the POWER button. If the amplifier comes on, this indicates that shut
down occurred because of excessive high frequency signal detection. If the amplifier does not come on
when the POWER button is pressed, this indicates that shut down occurred because of a DC offset
or a sustained voltage limiting condition. In this case, the amplifier must be reset by switching ‘off’ at
the power point and waiting approximately 10 seconds before switching ‘on’ again. The amplifier will
then perform the Initial Power Application Self Test (refer Page 2), after which it can be turned on by
pressing the POWER button on the front panel.
4.
Over-Temperature Detection
If the temperature of either of the two heatsinks inside the amplifier reaches 65°C, or the internal
temperature of the amplifier reaches 65°C,
the TEMP light on the front panel escutcheon changes from
GREEN to AMBER, indicating that the ME580 is beginning to overheat. This is an abnormal condition, so it
is recommended that the reason for the overheating is investigated at this stage, otherwise the amplifier
will shutdown automatically if the temperature continues to rise and reaches the over-temperature limit.
Overheating may be caused by a restriction or loss of cooling air flow, a fault within the ME580 or the
installation, or a problem with the load that the ME580 is driving (e.g. a shorted speaker wire or faulty
speaker system, speaker switching device etc.)
