CPA3000 Preamplifier
CONTENTS PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 3 INVENTORY 3 WHEN SETTING UP 4 SAFETY WARNINGS 5 AC POWER CONNECTION 6 CONNECTING YOUR EQUIPMENT 7 INPUT CONNECTIONS 8 OUTPUT CONNECTIONS 9 RECORDING 10 AV BYPASS 11 EVERYDAY USE OF YOUR CPA3000 12 USING THE REMOTE CONTROL 14 MAINTENANCE 16 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 16 TRIGGER OUTPUTS 17 PRODUCT SPECIFICATION 18 2
CPA3000 Preamplifier Thank you for buying a Chord Electronics product. Before you start to enjoy your preamplifier, please take a couple of minutes to read how to connect your audio equipment and how to maximise your listening experience. Product Description Using similar technology as the highly successful CPA5000 reference preamplifier the CPA3000 features a high frequency switch mode power supply and ultra low noise circuitry to give the very best noise floor performance.
When setting up To ensure that your CPA3000 works efficiently and safely, please pay particular attention to the following issues. ventilation Your CPA3000 should have at least 5cm of clear space all around it to ensure a free flow of air at all times. We do not recommend that you place CPA3000 directly on a carpet. If you have the optional integra leg system fitted it is recommended that the power amplifiers sit above the CPA3000.
Safety Warnings It is important that your CPA3000 is earthed at all times via its own mains lead. Failure to do this may be hazardous. The power supply components within the CPA3000 are designed to operate at lethal voltages and energy levels. Circuit designs that embody these components conform to applicable safety requirements. Precautions must be taken to prevent accidental contact with power-line potentials. Do not connect grounded test equipment.
AC Power connection The AC power connector of CPA3000 is at the back of the unit. Plug the female end (socket) of the power cord into the power connector of the transport, and the male end(plug) of the power cord into AC wall socket or AC extension socket. The CPA3000 features a universal voltage high frequency power supply and will operate automatically from 65V to 260V AC, 50 or 60Hz.
Connecting your equipment Chord amplifiers are supplied with and designed to be connected using balanced inputs. The interconnecting cables you use will depend on the available input and output sockets on your other equipment. We have installed unbalanced inputs on all Chord equipment, thus enabling you to mix Chord Electronics and other manufacturer’s equipment.
Input Connections You can connect up to 7 items of source equipment. Included is a tape loop for recording purposes. All input connections are on the rear panel and are marked with the corresponding Line number. Lines 1 to 4 are balanced inputs, Line 5, 6 and TAPE are RCA phono style inputs. Left channel connections are at the top, right channel connections are at the bottom.
Output Connections You need to connect the outputs on the back of the CPA3000 to a power amplifier in order to drive your loudspeakers. There is one pair of balanced XLR outputs or one pair of RCA phono outputs each of which will drive a 68 ohm load. Choose either depending on the appropriate input connection on your power amplifier. Left channel connections are at the top, right channel connections are at the bottom.
Recording You can record an input from any of the connected audio sources to the tape output. If you’ve been using a tape recorder as an input source, it will already be connected to the TAPE IN socket. Connect the tape recorder input to the TAPE OUT RCA connection to record the selected audio source. connecting to a Tape recorder to tape an audio source Use RCA connectors to the left and right pairs marked OUT TAPE.
AV Bypass AV Bypass mode allows the output of an AV surround sound processor to be connected and then routed directly to the output of the CPA3000. The volume control and signal processing are bypassed so that the signal from the AV processor reaches the power amplifier exactly as if it were connected directly.
Everyday use of your CPA3000 Turning on your CPA3000 Press the power button on the back of the CPA3000. Press again to switch off. Select the input source Press the INPUT button on the front panel to select the input source. The options are shown in the diagram below.
Select the output Press the RESET button to select the output. adjusting the volume Use the volume knob to adjust the volume manually. A clockwise turn of the knob will increase the volume and an anticlockwise turn of the knob will decrease the volume. The volume range runs from 0 to 98 and is displayed on the CPA3000 display as you change the volume. If the outputs are muted, a volume change will un-mute the outputs to prevent large changes in volume from damaging your loudspeakers.
Using the remote control The CPA3000 is supplied with the system remote control that is a universal controller for all Chord products, televisions and DVD players. Full instructions can be found in the System Remote Manual supplied but for the purposes of controlling the CPA3000 the main functions are listed on the next few pages. Press the HIFI key to begin controlling the CPA3000.
Selecting the input source Press the Line- or Line+ keys on the centre control to cycle through the inputs. For convenience you can directly access the first 5 inputs using the buttons at the bottom of the remote control. Adjusting the volume Press the Vol+ button on the centre control to increase the volume, press the Vol- button on the centre control to decrease the volume. Adjusting the balance Press the Bal+ button to move the balance towards the right.
Maintenance adjusting the settings Always remember to make any changes to settings with the volume set low or an instant burst of sound could damage your loudspeaker. cleaning To clean finger marks and other blemishes from your amplifier spray clear glass cleaner onto a soft lint free cloth and then use the cloth to gently clean your amplifier. changing the batteries in the remote control Simply push the button on the bottom of your remote control to release the battery cover.
Trigger Outputs The CPA3000 features two trigger outputs that can be used to remotely trigger other Chord equipment. The external trigger should be connected via a standard 1/8th inch / 3.5mm (mono or stereo) jack plug to the socket fitted to the rear of the unit. The CPA3000 should be switched off, the trigger lead inserted, then the unit switched back on. The connections are as follows: 0V / Ground +5V to +12V c.
Product Specification Unbalanced Inputs: Balanced Inputs: Outputs: AV Bypass input: Intermodulation Distortion: Signal to Noise Ratio: Frequency Range: Nominal Gain: THD: Channel Separation: Channel Balance: Input impedance: Output impedance: Output Offset: Max Input Voltage: Max Output Voltage: Potentiometer Performance: Power Consumption: Operating Voltage: Dimensions: Weight: Line 5, Line 6, Tape. 3 x pairs RCA Phono style, gold-plated with Teflon dielectric insulation. Line 1 to Line 4.
