Ayre VX-5 Owner’s Manual Stereo Power Amplifier
Table of Contents Welcome to Ayre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Connections and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Controls and Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Optimization and Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Numbers and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 In Case of Trouble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Statement of Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Welcome to Ayre To our North American customers, please be sure to mail your warranty registration card and photocopy of your original sales receipt within 30 days in order to extend the warranty to five years. Your Ayre VX-5 offers a significant advance in the musical performance of high-fidelity equipment. The warmth and immediacy of a live performance are apparent from the first listening.
Connections and Installation The Ayre VX-5 is easy to use. The following guidelines will ensure that the installation goes smoothly. Location Do not stack the Ayre VX-5 directly with other components, as this may restrict the air flow or induce hum into the audio circuitry. A good location for your power amplifier is in an open-backed cabinet or on a shelf. The VX-5 produces a moderate amount of heat during operation. Be sure to provide at least three inches (75 mm) of air space above the amplifier.
Above each channel’s input connectors is a small toggle switch. Be sure to set the switch to the correct setting for the input you have chose to use. The input configuration switch does not protrude far from the rear panel. This is to avoid accidentally setting it to the wrong position. If necessary use a toothpick (or similar object) to select the switch position. Loudspeaker Outputs The heavy-duty output terminals of the Ayre VX-5 work best with speaker cables equipped with spade lugs.
AC Power The VX-5 may be plugged directly into an unswitched wall outlet. Although proprietary RFI (radio-frequency interference) filtering is built into the amplifier, in some situations an AC power-line filter (such as those offered by Ayre) may provide additional sonic benefits. AyreLink Ports The AyreLink communication system provides a convenient way to control your audio system. There are two AyreLink ports on the rear panel of the VX-5 stereo amplifier.
The linked components may be joined in any convenient order. The linked components should be connected in daisy-chain fashion, connecting each component to another until all of the linked components have been connected. When connecting the linked components to form a chain, be careful not to connect the two ends of the chain. Closing the chain to form a loop will cause the AyreLink system not to function. Break-In 100 to 500 hours of music played through the system will ensure full break-in.
Controls and Operation In addition to the normal controls on the front panel, the Ayre VX-5 may also be controlled via other AyreLink-equipped components. On/Off (1/0) The main power switch for the VX-5 is a rocker at the top center of the rear panel. This switch disconnects the unit completely from the AC power. When the amplifier is turned “off” none of the auxiliary functions (e.g., the AyreLink system communication) are operable.
Mute A short press of the front-panel button provides an easy way to temporarily mute the output of the VX-5. Pressing the button a second time restores the output. When the mute function is activated, the front-panel LED will glow green. Low-Power Consumption Mode Press and hold the front-panel button for three seconds to enter the low-power consumption mode. The audio will shut off, yet the auxiliary functions remain active. This mode is indicated by illuminating the green LED ring in the button.
Optimization and Customization The VX-5 power amplifier is configured from the factory for flexible operation in most audio systems. However, in certain installations it may be desirable to change the factory default settings or create an alternate control connection. Display Brightness Normally the brightness of the status LED is controlled by other linked components connected to the VX-5 via the AyreLink communications port.
button will change the default setting for the brightness of the status LED as noted below: One press – Low brightness Two presses – Medium brightness Three presses – High brightness After the ten-second configuration period has elapsed, the status LED will revert to green (“Mute” mode). If no button presses are detected during the ten second period, the unit will revert to the factory default setting (high brightness).
The unused AyreLink port on the amplifier is then used as a trigger input. Rear view of VX-5 amplifier. An adapter cable must be fabricated to connect the trigger output of the control component to the AyreLink port of the VX-5 amplifier. The easiest way to do this is to remove the modular (RJ-11) connector from one end of a two-line telephone line cord. (This is the type of cord that connects the telephone set to the wall. A two-line cord will have four gold contacts on each connector.
A positive-going pulse of greater than 250 msec is treated as a level-sensitive trigger. Shorter pulses are treated as a pulse-sensitive trigger. The minimum detectable pulse length is 200 µsec. During level-sensitive operation, applying a voltage to the trigger input will set the amplifier to the “Operate” mode. When the applied voltage drops to zero, the unit reverts to the low-power consumption mode.
Numbers and Specifications Power Output Input Impedance XLR Input Polarity Gain 175 watts per channel continuous into 8 ohms 350 watts per channel continuous into 4 ohms 1 MΩ – unbalanced inputs 2 MΩ – balanced inputs (1 MΩ per phase) Pin 1 = Ground Pin 2 = Non-inverting (Positive) Pin 3 = Inverting (Negative) 26 dB Frequency Response DC - 250 kHz Power Consumption 35 watts in low-current consumption mode 325 watts in operating mode, no signal Dimensions Weight 17-¼" W x 18-¾" D x 4-¾" H 44 cm x
In Case of Trouble The Ayre VX-5 provides comprehensive protection for both your amplifier and loudspeakers, including faults that may occur in your source components. Overheating If the unit is operated with insufficient ventilation, the internal temperature may become too high, triggering the thermal protection.
Rail Fuses Eight internal power supply fuses protect both the loudspeakers from excessive current and the amplifier from short-circuits. If any of these fuses blow, the amplifier will not operate and the front-panel LED will flash red. If connected to an AyreLink-equipped preamplifier, a message indicating the amplifier fuse has blown will be displayed. The amplifier must be completely disconnected from the AC power to replace the fuses. Do not remove the amplifier cover.
DC Offset The Ayre VX-5 incorporates a circuit to detect the presence of DC at the output terminals which could be harmful to the loudspeaker. In this situation, the front-panel LED will glow red, the input will be muted, the bias will be removed from the output stage, and the amplifier will not operate. If connected to an AyreLink-equipped preamplifier, a message indicating the amplifier has DC at the output will be displayed.
Statement of Warranty North American Warranty Your Ayre VX-5 power amplifier is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ninety days from the date of original purchase. This ninety-day coverage is automatic upon acceptance of delivery and no registration is required.
North American Warranty Statement 1. If any defects are found in the materials or workmanship of this Ayre product within the warranty period, the unit will be repaired or replaced by Ayre Acoustics, Inc. (Ayre) or its authorized agent. 2. Purchaser must return the product, packed in the original shipping carton, freight prepaid to: Ayre Acoustics, Inc. 2300-B Central Avenue Boulder, Colorado 80301 or to Ayre’s authorized agent.
4. Ayre strives to manufacture the finest possible equipment, and therefore reserves the right to make improvements on its products, without necessarily assuming any obligation to retrofit such changes upon its previously manufactured models. 5. The above warranty is the sole warranty given by Ayre, and is in lieu of all other warranties. All implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose shall be strictly limited to the duration of the above warranty.
A Place for Notes 20 Serial Number: ________________________________________ Purchase Date: ________________________________________ Dealer: ________________________________________ Salesperson: ________________________________________ Rev. 1.
Ayre Acoustics, Inc. 2300-B Central Avenue Boulder, Colorado 80301 www.ayre.
