Arcam A38 User Manual

A38/P38

Handbook Integrated and power ampliﬁers

ank you and congratulations for purchasing your Arcam FMJ Ampliﬁer.

contents

Arcam has been producing specialist audio products of remarkable quality for over three

decades and the new A38 and P38 ampliﬁers are the latest in a long line of award winning

HiFi. e design of the FMJ range draws upon all of Arcam’s experience as one of the UK’s most

respected audio companies, to produce Arcam’s best preforming Stereo ampliﬁers yet; designed

and built to give you years of listening enjoyment.

safety guidelines.......................................E-2

Important safety instructions........................... E-2

Safety compliance ................................................ E-2

welcome......................................................E-3

welcome

overview .....................................................E-4

Placing the unit ..................................................... E-5

Power......................................................................... E-5

Interconnect cables.............................................. E-5

is handbook is intended to give you a detailed guide to using both the A38 Integrated

Ampliﬁer and P38 Power Ampliﬁer systems. It starts by giving advice on installation, moves

on to describe how to use the product and ﬁnishes with additional information on the more

advanced features. Use the contents list shown on this page to guide you to the section of

interest.

A38 connections .......................................E-6

Audio inputs ........................................................... E-7

Recording loops .................................................... E-7

Phono input............................................................ E-7

Pre-/power-ampliﬁer connections................. E-7

Controlling A38 from a second room............ E-7

We hope that your FMJ Ampliﬁer will give you years of trouble-free operation. In the unlikely

event of any fault, or if you simply require further information about Arcam products, our

network of dealers will be happy to help you. Further information can also be found on the

Arcam website at www.arcam.co.uk.

loudspeakers .............................................E-8

Connecting loudspeakers to the A38/P38.. E-8

Single wiring........................................................... E-9

Bi-wiring ................................................................... E-9

Bi-amping ................................................................ E-9

e FMJ development team

A38 operation......................................... E-10

Switching the A38 on........................................E-10

Changing the volume .......................................E-10

Selecting an audio source ...............................E-10

Recording an audio source .............................E-10

A38 setup................................................. E-11

Conﬁguring your A38 ampliﬁer.....................E-11

remote control........................................ E-12

The CR90 Universal remote controller........E-12

Source keys............................................................E-12

Amp commands..................................................E-13

P38connections...................................... E-14

Connecting to loudspeakers ..........................E-14

Other connections..............................................E-14

Remote switching...............................................E-15

speciﬁcations.......................................... E-16

Troubleshooting..................................................E-17

Remote-control codes ......................................E-17

product guarantee ................................ E-18

e-3

Arcam’s A38 Integrated Ampliﬁer – and its companion

P38 Power Ampliﬁer – provide class-leading sound

quality.

with sealed reed relays from Arcam’s range-topping

C31, deliver a wonderfully transparent signal to each

power ampliﬁer. A completely new volume control

gives unprecedented linearity and noise performance,

allowing ﬁne details to be reproduced in startling clarity.

e A38 Integrated Ampliﬁer and P38 Power

Ampliﬁer are designed to produce a level of

performance that will truly bring music and movies

to life.

e A38 features a number of new technologies

which practically eliminate thermal modulation of

audio signals, ensuring truly dynamic and thrilling

reproduction. New output devices and dramatically

improved thermal coupling results in much improved

linearity.

e CR90 remote control supplied with the A38 is an

eight-page ‘universal’ learning remote control which

is simple to use, and once set up is able to control a

complete system. It can be programmed using a vast

internal code library to control CD players, tuners, TVs

and other devices.

overview

A massive torroid-based power supply delivers eﬀortless

power with low noise. A new pre-ampliﬁer design,

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e-4

Placing the unit

Power

interconnect cables

Place the ampliﬁer on a level, ﬁrm surface,

avoiding direct sunlight and sources of heat or

damp.

e ampliﬁer is supplied with a moulded mains plug

already ﬁtted to the lead. Check that the plug supplied

ﬁts your supply – should you require a new mains lead,

please contact your Arcam dealer.

We recommend the use of high-quality screened cables

that are designed for the particular application. Other

cables will have diﬀerent impedance characteristics

that will degrade the performance of your system (for

example, do not use cabling intended for video use to

carry audio signals). All cables should be kept as short

as is practically possible.

Do not place the A38 on top of a power ampliﬁer

or other source of heat.

Do not place the ampliﬁer in an enclosed space

such as a bookcase or closed cabinet unless there

is good provision for ventilation. e A38 and

P38 are designed to run warm during normal

operation.

If your mains supply voltage or mains plug is diﬀerent,

please contact your Arcam dealer immediately

Push the IEC plug end of the power cable into the

socket on the back of the ampliﬁer, making sure that it

is pushed in ﬁrmly. Plug the other end of the cable into

your mains socket and, if necessary, switch the socket

on.

It is good practice when connecting your equipment to

make sure that the mains power-supply cabling is kept

as far away as possible from your audio cables. Failure to

do so may result in unwanted noise in the audio signals.

Do not place any other component or item on

top of the ampliﬁer as this may obstruct airﬂow

around the heat-sink, causing the ampliﬁer to

run hot. (e unit placed on top of the ampliﬁer

would become hot, too.)

Make sure the remote-control receiver to the

leﬅ of the front panel display is unobstructed,

otherwise this will impair the use of the remote-

control. If line-of-sight is impractical, a remote-

control repeater can be used with the rear panel

connector (see page 7).

Stand-by power

For remote stand-by operation, the ampliﬁer’s control

power-supply is kept powered on all the time the unit is

connected to the mains supply. e front-panel power-

switch powers all other circuitry down and power

consumption in this mode is less than 2W.

is means that even though the power-switch is oﬀ, it

may be possible to hear a slight residual hum coming

from the mains transformer inside the ampliﬁer. is

is perfectly normal. However, if the unit is to be leﬅ

unused for an extended period, we recommend that you

disconnect it from the mains supply.

Do not place your record deck on top of this

unit. Record decks are very sensitive to the noise

generated by mains power supplies which will be

heard as a background ‘hum’ if the record deck is

too close.

e-5

NOTE

e ^{trIG out}and rEMotE In functions are only used

in multi-room systems. ey are not required for

normal use.

A38

connections

Speaker terminals

e A38 is equipped with two pairs of speaker

terminals. See page 8 for information on

connecting loudspeakers.

Phono input

A high quality phono input is available

as an optional extra to the A38.

See page 7 for more information.

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Power inlet

Connect the correct

mains cable here.

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Phono earth terminal

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For connecting your

turntable earth lead (if

required). Note that this

terminal must not be used as

a safety earth.

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Remote in

Voltage select

Ensure the voltage selected

matches the local power supply.

is allows remote-control signals to

be received by the A38 if the remote

sensor is covered (or otherwise not

‘visible’ to the remote-control).

Recording loops

e A38 is equipped with two

recording loops, for use with

recording devices (cassette

decks, CD recorders, etc.).

See page 7 for more information.

Trig out

See pages 7 and 10 for more

information.

is output provides a 12V signal whenever

the unit is switched on (i.e., not ‘oﬀ’ or in

‘stand-by’). is signal can be used to switch

on power ampliﬁers (or other equipment)

connected to the A38.

audio inputs

ese inputs are intended for use with your audio

equipment. e labels above the inputs give suggested

uses, but all 5 inputs have the same characteristics (all

are line-level inputs) and any suitable device may be

connected to any input. (Note, however, that the name

of the input shown on the front-panel display cannot

be changed.)

Pre-/power-ampliﬁer connections

ese sockets are only used if you are using the A38

as a pre-amp, for example, when using the A38 in

conjunction with a P38 in a bi-ampliﬁed system.

See page 9 for more information.

NOTE

Please read the ‘Placing the unit’, ‘Power’ and

‘Interconnect cables’ sections on page 5 before

connecting up your A38 integrated ampliﬁer!

See page 7 for more information.

e-6

audio inputs

Recording loops

e A38 is equipped with two recording loops, for use

with recording devices (such as cassette decks, CD

recorders, DAT recorders, VCR, PVR etc.).

Phono input

Pre-/power-amplifier connections

Although the inputs are labelled for speciﬁc devices, all

have the same characteristics and each may be used with

any line-level product. e exception is the optional

Phono input (see page 16 for speciﬁcation).

As standard, no phono input is ﬁtted to the A38.

PrE out

e phono module (or an external phono ampliﬁer) is

required if you wish to connect a record player to the

A38. is is because the low-voltage output of a record

player requires a pre-ampliﬁcation stage before the signal

can be used.

To use your A38 as a dedicated pre-ampliﬁer, or as part

of a bi-amp’ed system, connect the ^{PrE out}sockets to

the input sockets of your power ampliﬁer.

AV rEcord out

Connect these output sockets to the input sockets of

your recording device (usually labelled ^rEcordor In).

dVd

Pwr In

Intended for the analogue outputs from a DVD-player.

To use your A38 as a power-ampliﬁer, connect the

output of your pre-ampliﬁer to the ^{Pwr In}sockets.

A very high quality phono input is available as an optional

extra: please consult your dealer for price and availability.

AV PLAy In

Intended for the analogue outputs from general audio-

visual equipment, such as a VCR, digital TV/satellite

receiver, or Nicam tuner.

Connect the output sockets of your recording device

(usually labelled ^PLAyor out) to these inputs.

If you wish to use your A38 as a dedicated pre- or

power-ampliﬁer (but not in the case of a bi-amp’ed

system), press the ^PrE/Pwrswitch in on the rear panel.

is separates internally the connection between the

pre- and power-amp. stages of the A38.

e Arcam phono module is compatible with moving-

magnet cartridges (MM) and moving-coil cartridges

(MC). Once the module is ﬁtted, you should select MM

or MC via the recessed ^MM/Mcback panel switch (push

the switch in for MC).

If you do not have a recording device, you can use this

input for other (line-level) equipment, such as a TV,

DVD, CD-player, radio tuner, PVR, etc.

tunEr

Intended for the analogue outputs from a radio tuner.

When used as a power ampliﬁer, your A38 has exactly

the same speciﬁcation and performance as a P38,

described later in this handbook.

If you have already an external phono ampliﬁer that you

wish to use, connect this to one of the line-level inputs,

such as the ^AuXinput.

PVr rEcord out

ese output sockets can be connected to the input

sockets of a second recording device.

Intended for the analogue outputs from a CD player.

AuX

PVr PLAy In

is is intended for general use. Connect the analogue

audio outputs of any unit with a line-level output (such

as a games console or set-top box).

Connect the output sockets of your second recording

device to these inputs. Alternatively, this input may be

used for other (line-level) equipment such as a games

console, set-top box, etc.

aV dubbing

You can perform tape dubbing from PVr to AV, but not

from AV to PVr.

controlling a38 from a second room

e A38 will require a remote pick-up device with a 12V external power supply

(such as a Xantech Dinky Link) located in Zone 2, together with a power ampliﬁer

(such as an Arcam A38 or P38) to complete the system.

For example, to copy from a cassette recorder connected

to the ^PVrsocket, to a cassette recorder connected to the

AV socket, ﬁrst use the rEcord button to select ‘Record

PVR’. is routes the PVR signal to the AV output.

e diagram below shows the wiring scheme, which will also apply to other IR

pick-up devices commonly available.

rEMotE In

Tip = Signal

Sleeve = 0V

Dinky Link, located in Zone 2

Signal

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e A38 can also provide a +12V trigger output to control devices such as the

power ampliﬁer in Zone 2. e +12V trigger is active when the unit is ‘On’.

e-7

connecting loudspeakers to the A38/P38

loudspeakers

Single wiring

notes on making speaker

Single wiring is the conventional wiring method of

connections

running a single cable per channel between the ampliﬁer

and the speaker; this is the easiest technique.

Do not make any connections to any ampliﬁer

while it is switched on. We recommend that

your ampliﬁer is completely disconnected

from the mains supply before starting.

bi-wiring

Bi-wiring is running two separate cables between the

ampliﬁer and each speaker, with one cable carrying

the low-frequency information, the other the higher-

frequency signals.

Before switching your ampliﬁer(s) on for the

ﬁrst time aﬅer connecting to speakers, please

check all connections thoroughly. Ensure

that bare wires or cables are not touching

each other or the ampliﬁer’s chassis (which

could cause short circuits), and that you

have connected positive (+) to positive and

negative (–) to negative. Be sure to check the

wiring for both the ampliﬁer and the speaker.

Bi-wiring can improve the sound of your system because

the separation of high- and low-frequency signal

currents into diﬀerent speaker cables avoids distortions

caused by the diﬀerent currents interacting with one-

another within a single cable, as occurs in single-wired

systems.

e A38 and P38 are designed to allow easy bi-wiring,

but you will need to connect to loudspeakers that

provide separate terminals for the two cables. Each

speaker must have two pairs of terminals; one pair

labelled ^hfor ‘High Frequency’, the other pair labelled

Lf or ‘Low Frequency’.

Aﬅer making connections: switch the

ampliﬁer(s) on, select a source signal, then

gradually increase the volume to the required

listening level.

If you are unsure as to how your system

should be connected, or need advice on

bi-wiring or bi-amping, please contact your

Arcam dealer who will be happy to help you.

bi-amping

Bi-amping is the separation of the ampliﬁcation of low-

and high-frequency signals over two ampliﬁers.

Bi-amping requires the use of two ampliﬁers per

channel. Normally, your A38 is used to drive the high-

frequency (treble) speakers, with the P38 used for the

lower (bass) frequencies.

e-8

Single wiring

Both the A38 and P38 are designed for bi-wiring, which is why there are duplicate speaker

terminals on the back. For single wiring, we recommend that you use the lower set of

speaker terminals on your ampliﬁer. If each speaker has more than one pair of connecting

terminals, use the terminals labelled ^Lfor ‘Low Frequency’ for each speaker.

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Connect the positive terminal of the right speaker connection on the ampliﬁer (coloured

red and labelled +r) to the positive terminal of your right speaker. Similarly, connect the

negative terminal of the ampliﬁer (coloured black and labelled with r–) to the negative

terminal of your speaker. Repeat the process for the leﬅ speaker, using the ampliﬁer

terminals labelled +L and L–.

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An A38 or P38 connected to speakers using single wiring

If your speakers support bi-wiring, then there is a strip of conductive metal on the

speakers connecting the low-frequency terminals to those for the higher-frequencies; this

mUST NOT bE REmOVED in a single-wired system.

bi-wiring

Bi-wiring is performed in the same way as single wiring except that, for each speaker, a

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pair of cables are used to connect the ampliﬁer to each speaker.

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Follow the instructions given for single wiring; then perform the same actions, this time

connecting the upper set of speaker terminals on your ampliﬁer to the terminals labelled

hf or ‘High Frequency’ for each speaker. Please refer to the illustration.

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Speakers that support bi-wiring have a strip of metal on the speakers connecting the low-

frequency terminals to those for the higher-frequencies; this mUST bE REmOVED in a

bi-wired system.

An A38 or P38 connected to speakers using bi‑wiring

bi-amping

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Bi-amping requires the use of two ampliﬁers per channel. Normally, your A38 is used to

drive the high-frequency (treble) speakers, while a power-ampliﬁer (such as a P38) is used

for the lower (bass) frequencies.

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Connect your A38 to the speakers as described for single wiring, with the exception that

the A38 should be connected to the speaker terminals labelled ^hfor ‘High Frequency’.

en connect the power ampliﬁer (P38, for example) to the Lf or ‘Low Frequency’

terminals, as in the diagram. A pair of audio interconnect cables are also required to

connect the pre-amp outputs of the A38 to the power amp inputs of the P38.

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Note that the strip of metal on the speakers connecting the lower terminals to the

upper terminals mUST bE REmOVED. Failure to do so will result in damage to both

ampliﬁers, which will not normally be covered under warranty.

An A38 and P38 connected to speakers using bi‑amping

e-9

A38

operation

Switching the a38 on

changing the volume

Use the control knob to change the volume. Turn the

knob clockwise to increase the volume, anti-clockwise

to reduce it.

e output of the A38 can be muted by pressing ^MutE.

Press MutE for a second time (or change the volume) to

cancel the mute.

Selecting an audio source

Recording an audio source

e PowEr button switches the unit on and oﬀ;

A source-selection button is used to select the source

that is connected to the input corresponding to the

button. A light above the relevant button indicates which

input is selected and this information is also shown on

the display.

e A38 allows listening to and recording from the

same source, or listening to one source whilst recording

another. e signal to be recorded is sent to both the AV

and PVr output sockets.

alternatively, the unit can be switched in and out of

stand-by mode by pressing the button on the remote

control handset.

e power light (next to the ‘A38 Integrated Ampliﬁer’

text) indicates the state of the ampliﬁer:

1. A red light means that the ampliﬁer is in stand-by

mode;

2. When you switch your ampliﬁer on, the power

light glows amber for a few seconds; during this

time the outputs are muted;

3. e light changes to green when the ampliﬁer is

ready for use.

Selecting the source for recording

e recording outputs can be conﬁgured in two ways:

1. To allow recording of the source being listened to;

2. To allow recording of a particular (speciﬁed)

source, regardless of what is being listened to.

listening using headphones

e headphones socket (PhonEs) accepts headphones

with an impedance rating between 8Ω and 2kΩ, ﬁtted

with a 6.5mm stereo jack plug.

SP1 and SP2

ese buttons allow you to switch the main speakers

(connected to the lower set of speaker terminals) and

secondary speakers (connected to the upper set of

speaker terminals) on and oﬀ.

e pre-amp. outputs and speakers are muted when

headphones are plugged in. e headphones socket is

always active, unless the volume has been muted.

To record the source being listened to, press the ^rEcord

button repeatedly until the display shows ‘Record

source’. Aﬅer a few seconds, the display reverts to

showing the volume level, and you are ready to record.

In this conﬁguration, selecting a diﬀerent input changes

the source that is routed to the recording outputs.

e light above each button glows if the corresponding

speakers are currently selected. If you have connected

the A38 to the speakers using the single-wired

conﬁguration described on page 9, then the ^sP1light

should be illuminated; if you have used the bi-wiring

conﬁguration described on page 9, both sP1 and sP2

must be switched on. Note that when both lights are out

then the ampliﬁer will appear not to work, as all speakers

are switched oﬀ.

balance

e power light may ﬂash if a fault has occurred –

the fault type is shown on the display. See page 17,

‘Troubleshooting’, for help in resolving fault situations.

If the fault cannot be cleared, unplug your ampliﬁer and

contact your Arcam dealer.

In addition to the A38 setup menu (see page 11), you

can also control leﬅ-right stereo balance directly from

the bALAncE button on the front-panel.

To record one source whilst listening to another, press

rEcord until the display shows ‘Record’ followed by

the name of an input (e.g., Aux, CD, Tuner, etc.). Now

press the source-selector button on the front-panel for

the source you wish to record. Your selection is shown

on the display for a few seconds, aﬅer which the display

reverts to showing the volume level. You are now ready

to record.

display

e dIsPLAy front panel button changes the display

brightness. ere are three brightness levels: ‘on’,

‘dimmed’ and ‘oﬀ’. If the A38 is switched oﬀ while the

display is set to ‘oﬀ’, the display is set to ‘dimmed’ when

the A38 is switched on again.

When listening to ‘loud’ inputs, such as CDs, the

ampliﬁer may reach its full power before the display

reads Maximum, in contrast, lower-level inputs, such

as tuners, will sound quieter for the same volume level

shown. To compensate for this, the input levels of each

source may be adjusted. is can be done using the A38

setup menu (see page 11).

Pressing a diﬀerent source-selection button changes the

source that you are listening to, but does not alter the

source that is routed to the recording outputs.

e-10

conﬁguring your A38 ampliﬁer

‘Power On’ state

A38 setup

you have found the setting that you wish to adjust (as

adjusting listening settings

e A38 allows you to customise various features of the

ampliﬁer to ﬁt your system. Use this diagram to help you

navigate through the available conﬁguration options.

shown on the front panel display), you can change the

setting using the control knob. Press MEnu to store the

change and return to volume display mode – or press

oK again to move to the next setting.

In the diagram, the control knob is shown as

Note that the menu will time-out aﬅer a short period

without pressing a button, with the display reverting to

the current volume.

Normally, the display shows the current volume and the

control knob is used to adjust this.

e following items can be adjusted from the setup

menu:

Press ^MEnuonce to enter the setup menu, then press

oK repeatedly to cycle through the menu items. When

is allows you to adjust the output balance between leﬅ and right channels. e display is

also available directly by pressing the front panel ^dIsPLAybutton.

Balance

ere are three volume-display options to chose from: ‘Standard’, ‘Fine’ or ‘Reference’.

Standard and Fine represent diﬀerent levels of volume-control sensitivity; the Reference

setting gives absolute increments in 0.5dB steps.

Volume resolution

Input trims are used to compensate for variations in output levels of diﬀerent source

equipment. If, for example, your CD player is louder at a given volume display value

than other inputs, you can attenuate it by using this setting so that it matches your other

components.

Input trims

Use the source-select buttons to select the input you wish to adjust, then the control knob

to set (increase or decrease) the input volume for that source.

is can be used to limit the maximum volume the ampliﬁer operates at when it is ﬁrst

switched on: the A38 comes on at the (reduced) ‘Max. On Volume’ level if the last-used

volume exceeds this value.

If this item is set to ‘Disabled’, the A38 always comes on at the last used volume, even if this

is very loud.

Max on volume

Processor mode

Processor mode enables you to ﬁx the gain (volume setting) of your A38. e A38 (in

combination with a power amp.) can then be used to drive the front leﬅ and right speakers

of a surround-sound system, when fed from a separate processor. e volume of the entire

system can then be controlled using the processor.

Feed the sound from the processor into the ^AVinput, then set the gain of the A38 to match

the ampliﬁers that drive your other loudspeakers.

Conﬁrming ‘Yes’ restores all ampliﬁer settings to their factory defaults.

Reset

e-11

The cR90 universal remote

Source keys

inserting batteries into the

remote control

controller

As the CR90 can control your A38 as well as a range of

other equipment, many of the buttons have more than

one function depending on the ‘device mode’ or ‘page’

selected.

is section refers only to the A38. Please note that the

P38 Power Ampliﬁer can only be controlled indirectly

through a pre-amp.

remote

control

e device selection keys: ^dVd, sAt, AV (TV), tun, AMP

and AuX, both select the source and conﬁgure the CR90

to control the particular source.

e CR90 is a sophisticated ‘universal’ remote control

that can control up to eight devices. It’s pre-programmed

for use with the A38 and many other Arcam products

(FM/DAB tuners, CD-players and DVD-players).

In other words, the buttons are oﬅen ‘context sensitive’

so you’ll have to tell it what sort of device you wish

to control (press the ^AVbutton for a video display, for

example) before you can control it.

With its extensive built-in library of codes, it can also be

used with thousands of other audio-visual components

– TVs, satellite and set-top boxes, PVRs and third-party

CD players. See the ﬁnal section of the CR90 Handbook

for a list of these.

1. Open the battery compartment by pressing

the button on the back of the handset.

Select the source key ﬁrst

Remember to select a source key before pressing

command buttons – commands vary depending on the

source selected!

e CR90 is a ‘learning’ remote, so you can teach it

almost any function from an old single-device remote.

You can also program the CR90 to issue a sequence of

commands (‘macros’) from a single button press – see

the CR90 Handbook for details.

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As the CR90 is a system remote controller, some of

the keys are not used with the A38. For instance, the

PVr and cd keys can still be programmed to control

products, so if you have a PVR connected directly to

your TV or SAT box, you can use the CR90 to control it

as part of your system.

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2. Insert four ‘AAA’ batteries into the battery

compartment – two facing the top of the unit,

and two facing the end, as in the diagram.

3. Lower the end cap onto the plastic locating

plate in the handset. is acts as a hinge, and

you can now push the end cap ﬁrmly into its

locked position with a click.

dVd

sAt

DVD player

Satellite set-top box

Audio-visual sound input (use with TV)

DAB, FM or AM tuner

tun

AMP

Controls the Ampliﬁer features of the

A38 (and indirectly, of a P38 connected

to the A38)

AuX

Auxiliary input, or an iPod via an rDock

or rLead

PVr

Personal Video Recorder

Compact Disc player

e-12

amp commands

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PowEr – Switches A38 between stand-by

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and on

1–9

Some number keys can be used for source

selection:

�

DVD input

Not used for A38

�

AV (television sound input)

AUX Auxiliary line input

Not used for A38

SAT Satellite decoder input

TUN DAB/FM/AM tuner input

CD input

��

�

��

Not used for A38

��

shIft

Modiﬁes many keys (see individual key

descriptions, below)

��

Navigate the menus on Arcam surround

D E

ampliﬁers. oK conﬁrms a selection.

shIft +

to Power on

to Power oﬀ

shIft +

Conﬁrms a setting (equivalent to ‘Enter’ or

‘Select’ on some remote controls)

ModE

dIsP

Cycles through Display modes on the front

panel

Displays the Ampliﬁer menu on the front

panel

Cycles through Display panel brightness

options (dim to bright, oﬀ)

��

Press once to mute the speaker and pre-amp

outputs. Press for a second time (or change

the volume) to unmute the unit.

��

Decrease (–) and increase (+) ampliﬁer

volume

– /+

��

e-13

��

P38

connections

��

�

��

�

��

daisy chaining more ampliﬁers

connecting to loudspeakers

other connections

e P38 can be connected to further power ampliﬁers

to drive more speakers (e.g., those in other rooms,

tri-ampliﬁed speakers, etc). is technique is called

‘Daisy chaining’.

e P38 ampliﬁer may be connected by simple wiring,

bi-wiring or bi-amping – see page 9 for details. In

addition, see the following section on the Mono Link

(and the diagram below) for another way of bi-amping

loudspeakers using a pair of P38s.

e P38 ampliﬁer provides the following connections:

audio in

Connect the output sockets of your pre-amp. (or the

PrE out sockets of an integrated ampliﬁer, such as the

A38) to one of these inputs.

Connect the ^{AudIo out}sockets on the P38 to the

pre-amp input of the next ampliﬁer in series, leﬅ to leﬅ,

right to right.

Mono link

Note that daisy-chaining cannot be used if the Mono

Link (previously described) is in use.

e P38 can be adapted to provide two mono

loudspeaker outputs from a single input. Using a pair of

P38s (i.e. one power ampliﬁer per loudspeaker) enables

you to bi-amplify a pair of compatible loudspeakers,

reducing the amount of cross-talk between channels

compared with using the P38 in a more conventional

stereo conﬁguration.

1. Connect the ^rIGhtchannel from your pre-amp

(or PrE out r from an A38) to the socket labelled

AudIo In r on your ﬁrst P38.

��

�

��

2. Pull out the link supplied on the back panel

(labelled ‘link’), and use it to connect the leﬅ and

right ^{AudIo out}sockets together.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 on your second P38, but

this time connect the ^LEftchannel from your

pre-amp (or PrE out L from an A38) to the socket

labelled AudIo In L.

��

�

��

�

4. Follow the diagram (leﬅ) for bi-wiring each

speaker, using the ^sP2connections of the P38

for the high-frequency speaker and the sP1

connections for the low-frequencies in each case.

Using a pair of P38s with the Mono Link to bi‑amplify a pair of speakers

e-14

Remote switching

By making a connection from the trIG out socket of

the A38 Integrated Ampliﬁer to the rEMotE In socket

of your P38, you can use the A38 to switch the power

ampliﬁer on and oﬀ.

If conﬁgured in this way, the front panel ^PowErbutton

of the A38 (or the button on the remote control)

switches both ampliﬁers on and oﬀ together. is facility

allows you to position your power ampliﬁer in a remote

location (such as close to the speaker it is amplifying),

yet still control it.

e connecting cable to use is a 3.5mm jack lead. It is

possible to remotely switch several power ampliﬁers

from an A38 by ‘daisy chaining’ from the ^{trIG out}of

one power ampliﬁer into the rEMotE In of the next.

e-15

a38

P38

continual improvement policy

Arcam has a policy of continual improvement for its

products. is means that designs and speciﬁcations

are subject to change without notice.

Continuous power output (20Hz—20kHz at 0.5% THD), per channel

Both channels, 8Ω, 20Hz—20kHz

Single channel, 8Ω, 20Hz—20kHz

Both channels, 4Ω, 20Hz—20kHz

Single channel, 4Ω, at 1kHz

100W

150W

140W

200W

0.005%

100W

150W

140W

200W

0.005%

speciﬁcations

Harmonic distortion, 80% power, 8Ω at 1kHz

Inputs

Phono input (optional module):

Input sensitivity

Input impedance

Signal/noise ratio (CCIR)

Overload margin

Line inputs:

2.7mV (MM); 270µV (MC)

47kΩ (MM); 300Ω (MC)

–79dB (MM); –73dB (MC)

35dB

Nominal sensitivity

Input impedance

250mV—2V

10kΩ

800mV (pre-amp. in)

10kΩ

THD+n (1kHz, 0dB signal, measured 20Hz to

20kHz unweighted)

–104dB

Power ampliﬁer input

Nominal sensitivity

Input impedance

800mV

22kΩ

800mV

22kΩ

Gain

31.5dB

Preampliﬁer output

Nominal output level

Maximum output level

Output impedance

700mV

2.6V RMS

<50Ω

Headphone output

Maximum output level into 600Ω

Output impedance

1.6V rms

4.7Ω

General

Mains voltage

115V or 230V

800VA

115V or 230V

800VA

Power consumption (maximum)

Power consumption (standby)

Dimensions W x D x H (including feet)

Weight (net)

2VA

430 x 370 x 110mm

9.3kg

430 x 350 x 110mm

9.5kg

Weight (packed)

12.2kg

12.5kg

Supplied accessories

mains lead

CR90 remote control

4 x AAA batteries

mains lead

E&OE

NOTE: All speciﬁcation values are typical unless otherwise stated.

e-16

troubleshooting

remote-control codes

If you are having trouble with your ampliﬁer, check the

following items.

e following tables give the infrared commands accepted by the A38.

Power commands

menu navigation commands

Command

Decimal Code

Command

Decimal Code

no sound

Power toggle

Power-on

Power-oﬀ

16–12

16–123

16–124

16–32

16–33

16–37

16–87

Check the following:

down

sELEct

EntEr

Both the A38 and (if applicable) P38 power-

ampliﬁers are switched on.

e ampliﬁer is not muted (indicated on the A38

by Mutedbeing shown on the front-panel).

e selected source is generating audio (e.g., if CD

is selected, then the CD is playing).

e AV input is not selected on the A38

Source selection commands

Command

Decimal Code

Display control commands

sAt select

Phono select

AV select

tunEr select

dVd select

PVr select

cd select

16–0

16–1

16–2

16–3

16–4

16–6

16–7

16–8

Command

Display

Decimal Code

16–59

(indicated by the light above the ^AVbutton being

illuminated), instead of the expected source. In

this case, press AV again to de-select the AV input.

Volume control commands

Mute

Volume up

e speaker outputs are enabled on the A38/P38,

as indicated by the lights above the ^sP1and/or sP2

buttons (as appropriate) being illuminated.

16–13

16–16

16–17

AuX select

Volume down

Sound cuts-out unexpectedly

If the temperature of the internal heatsink rises above

a safe level, then a thermal cut-out inside the ampliﬁer

operates to protect the unit. During this time, the power

indicator on the front panel ﬂashes and the protection

system temporarily removes power to the speakers. e

system will reset itself as the heatsink cools down.

e following tables give commands accepted by the P38.

Power commands

Speaker control commands

Command

Power toggle

Power-on

Decimal Code

16–12

16–123

Decimal Code

16–35

With two pairs of low-impedance speakers

connected (6Ω or less), overloads are more likely.

Overloading the ampliﬁer may cause it to shut

down because of overheating.

Speaker 1 toggle

Speaker 2 toggle

Speaker 1 on

16–39

16–43

Power-oﬀ

16–124

Note that, due to the high output voltage from a

CD player, it is possible to drive your ampliﬁer at

full power even though the volume is not set at

maximum. See page 11 to adjust the input trim of

a CD player or other input device.

Speaker 1 oﬀ

Speaker 2 on

Speaker 2 oﬀ

16–44

16–45

16–46

Note that the A38 also responds to code 20–53 (the ^PLAycommand for an Arcam CD player). e A38 switches

automatically to CD input on receiving this command.

amplifier does not switch back on

Both the ampliﬁers detailed in this handbook have a

protection mechanism which is activated if you switch

the unit on immediately aﬅer turning it oﬀ. If this

mechanism activates, wait 30 seconds before switching

the unit on again.

e-17

Worldwide guarantee

is entitles you to have the unit repaired free of charge, during the ﬁrst two years

aﬅer purchase, at any authorised Arcam distributor provided that it was originally

purchased from an authorised Arcam dealer or distributor. e manufacturer can take

no responsibility for defects arising from accident, misuse, abuse, wear and tear, neglect

or through unauthorized adjustment and/or repair, neither can they accept responsibility

for damage or loss occurring during transit to or from the person claiming under the

guarantee.

product

guarantee

The warranty covers:

Parts and labour costs for two years from the purchase date. Aﬅer two years you must pay

for both parts and labour costs. e warranty does not cover transportation costs at any

time.

claims under guarantee

is equipment should be packed in the original packing and returned to the dealer from

whom it was purchased, or failing this, directly to the Arcam distributor in the country of

residence.

It should be sent carriage prepaid by a reputable carrier – not by post. No responsibility

can be accepted for the unit whilst in transit to the dealer or distributor and customers are

therefore advised to insure the unit against loss or damage whilst in transit.

For further details contact Arcam at:

Arcam Customer Support Department,

Pembroke Avenue, Waterbeach, CAMBRIDGE, CB25 9QR, England

or via www.arcam.co.uk.

Problems?

If your Arcam dealer is unable to answer any query regarding this or any other Arcam

product please contact Arcam Customer Support at the above address and we will do our

best to help you.

on-line registration

You can register your product on-line at www.arcam.co.uk.

e-18

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