Cambridge Audio Azur 340A: 340A Integrated amplifer

340A Integrated amplifer

azur integrated amplifier  

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Bass  and  treble  tone  controls

These controls allow subtle adjustments to the tonal balance of the

sound. In the central position these controls have no effect. These

controls only modify the sound through your loudspeakers, they do not

affect the signals sent through the Tape Out connections. With a well

produced CD and a good system the tone controls are unnecessary and

can be switched out. If the musical recording is of poor quality and/or

the loudspeakers/surroundings are lacking it may be necessary to

adjust the tone controls to compensate.

Volume

The Volume control increases/decreases the level of the sound from the

outputs of the amplifier. This control affects the level of the Loudspeaker

output and the headphone output. It does not affect the Tape Out

Connections.

It is advisable to turn the Volume control fully anti-clockwise before

switching the amplifier on.

Balance

This control allows you to adjust the relative output levels of the left and

right channels. In the central position the output from each channel is

equal. This control only modifies the sound through your loudspeakers,

it does not affect the signals sent through the Tape Out connections.

Input  selection  push  buttons

Push the appropriate input selection button to select the source

component that you wish to listen to. The signal selected is also fed to

the Tape Out sockets so that it may be recorded. The input should not

be changed whilst recording, although the recorded signal can be

checked using the tape input Tape monitor.

Tape  monitor  selection  button

This control lets you listen to the output signal from a tape recorder or

signal processor connected to the amplifier's Tape monitor sockets.

When Tape monitor is selected, the source component chosen by the

input selection push buttons continues to be routed to the Tape Out

sockets for recording or processing.

Remote  control  operation/features

This Amplifier is supplied with a system remote control that operates

both this amplifier and the Cambridge Azur CD players. The functions

relevant to the amplifier are as follows:

Mute  - Mutes the audio (indicated by the input LED flashing). 

Volume  +/- - The volume buttons increase and decrease the Volume of

the amplifier output. 

Input  select  - The five input select buttons and the Tape monitor select

button are used to change the input source.

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azur integrated amplifier

DC  offset  protection

The DC offset protection system immediately isolates the amplifier from

the loudspeakers by positively opening an output relay, in the unlikely

event of an amplifier error. Errors of either polarity on both channels are

detected.

Voltage  clamping

When rapid transients are applied to reactive loads in extreme

circumstances, flyback pulses can be generated which are larger than

the amplifier supply rail voltages and have the potential to cause harm

to the output devices. The Azur 340A has a comprehensive voltage

clamping system that ensures that such pulses are safely absorbed by

the amplifier and no damage can result.

The Azur 340A protection system comprises of:

Overload  and  Short-C

Circuit  Protection

The Azur 340A is fully protected against excessively low load

impedances, taking into account the fact that a reactive load puts much

more severe demands on a amplifier stage than a pure resistor.

The overload and short-circuit protection systems continuously monitor

the voltage, current and temperature conditions of each of the output

devices, and comparing them with the defined Safe Operating Area or

SOA. This sophisticated system allows the protection to act positively in

case of genuine necessity, but without false triggering.

Over  temperature  detection

The instantaneous temperatures of the output devices of the Azur 340A

are continuously monitored to ensure that junction temperatures do not

get dangerously high. When an overtemperature condition occurs, the

output is muted until the devices cool. The operation is carefully

controlled to minimise the exposure of the output devices to wide

temperature variations, which can impair reliability by thermal cycling.

This is accomplished by making the muting periods relatively short, so

the amplifier appears to be turning on and off. This puts the least stress

on the output devices.

Careful definition of the protection parameters ensures that the 340A is

not subject to nuisance tripping, but only closes down when the need is

real. Typically this can only happen if the ventilation openings of the

amplifier are obstructed while low-impedance speakers are driven at a

high level for extended periods.

PROTECTION SYSTEM