MACKIE Reach - Manual (Page 17)

Owner’
s Manual
17
Owner’s Manual
Smart Protect
There are advanced DSP protection mechanisms
designed into Reach to safeguard the speakers and
amplifiers from inadvertent damage.
The protection circuits are designed
to protect the speakers under reasonable
and sensible conditions. Should you choose
to ignore the warning signs [e.g. excessive distortion],
you can still damage the speaker by overdriving it past
the point of amplifier clipping. Such damage is beyond
the scope of the warranty.
Limiting
Each driver has its own compression circuit which
helps protect it from damaging transient peaks.
The compressor is designed to be transparent and
is not noticeable under normal operating conditions.
Overexcursion Protection
A 12 dB/octave high-pass filter just prior to the
low-frequency amplifier prevents very low frequencies
from being amplified. Excessive low-frequency energy
can damage the woofer by causing it to “bottom out,”
also know as overexcursion, which is equivalent to
a mechanical form of clipping.
Thermal Protection
All amplifiers produce heat. Reach is designed
to be efficient both electrically and thermally.
In the unlikely event of the amplifier overheating,
a built-in thermal switch will activate, muting the
signal.
When the amplifier has cooled down to a safe
operating temperature, the thermal switch resets
itself, and Reach resumes normal operation.
If the thermal switch activates, try turning down
the level control a notch or two on the mixing
console (or the back of Reach) to avoid overheating
the amplifier. Be aware that direct sunlight and/or
hot stage lights may be the culprit of an amplifier
overheating.
AC Power
Be sure Reach is plugged into an outlet that is able
to supply the correct voltage. It will continue to operate
at lower voltages, but will not reach full power.
Be sure the electrical service can supply enough
amperage for all the components connected to it.
We recommend that a stiff (robust) supply of AC
power be used because the amplifiers place high
current demands on the AC line. The more power that is
available on the line, the louder the speakers will play
and the more peak output power will be available for a
cleaner, punchier bass. A suspected problem of “poor
bass performance” is often caused by a weak AC supply
to the amplifiers.
Never remove the ground pin on the power
cord or any other component of Reach.
This is very dangerous.
Care and Maintenance
Reach will provide many years of reliable service if
you follow these guidelines:
• Avoid exposing it to moisture. If it’s set up
outdoors, be sure it’s under cover if rain is
expected.
• Avoid exposure to extreme cold (below
freezing temperatures). If you must operate
Reach in a cold environment, warm up the
voice coils slowly by sending a low-level signal
through them for about 15 minutes prior to
high-power operation.
• Use a dry cloth to clean Reach. Only do this
when the power is turned off. Avoid getting
moisture into any of the openings.