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AMPLIFIERS
INST All A TI o N Gu I de
SI-
SeRIeS 2
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CONGRATULATIONS! Thank you for purchasing the award winning Niles SI-1230 Series 2, one of the most versatile and powerful multi-channel amplifiers ever offered. Like all Niles products, the SI-1230 is built to the highest standards of quality and reliability. With proper installation and operation, you’ll enjoy years of trouble-free use. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 4 FEATURES AND BENEFITS 5 SYSTEM DESIGN BASIC
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2 Channel, BridgaBle Power maPlifiers ImpORTANT SAFETy INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read these instructions. 19. Open flame sources, such as lighted candles, should NOT be placed on the apparatus. 2. Keep these instructions. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric 3. Heed all warnings. shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or 4. Follow all instructions. moisture. 5. Do not use this apparatus near water. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is 6. Clean
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INTROdUCTION We call the SI-1230 a Systems Integration Amplifier because it is a power amplifier specifically designed to solve the problems of interfacing with different brands and models of equipment, different acoustic environments in different rooms, and different kinds of applications: home theater, stereo, and background music. As you read this manual and become more familiar with the capabilities of the SI-1230 you’ll understand why its predecessor, the SI-1200, was selected Best Ne
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2 Channel, BridgaBle Power aP m lifiers FEATURES ANd BENEFITS REAL wORLd pOwER The SI-1230 is a 12-channel amplifier that delivers a solid 30 watts per channel RMS into 8 ohms and 40 watts per channel RMS into 4 ohms. A new digital power transformer design provides the energy necessary to efficiently deliver solid, deep, controlled bass response to a house full of speakers. TwEL vE TO SIx ChANNEL CONFIGURABLE pOwER Each of the SI-1230’s six adjacent speaker output pairs are bridgeable. You c
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FEATURES ANd BENEFITS CONTINUEd... INdEpENdENT LEvEL CONTROLS Each amplifier channel has an independent level control enabling you to adjust the volume settings for twelve different speaker locations individually. Each speaker can now be adjusted specifically for its location and for who will be listening! TURN-ON mOdES The SI-1230 features three turn-on modes: 1. Manual turn-on via the front panel switch, 2. Audio Sense and 3. External Voltage trigger. Audio Sense and External Voltage trig
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2 Channel, BridgaBle Power P ma lifiers SSTE y m dESIGN BASICS As shown in Figure 1, a distributed audio/video system is defined by the number of listening zones it has. Within a listening zone you can listen to only one source (e.g. CD, Radio, iPod, etc.) at any one time. A listening zone can consist of a single room or a group of rooms. To achieve different volumes and greater convenience in different rooms within a zone, individual volume controls can be used. Niles makes volume controls
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SySTEm dESIGN BASICS CONTINUEd... A MultiZone system as shown in Figure 2, offers the house hold more flexibility. For instance, a family might have their family room wired for surround sound and their living room wired for background music. In a two zone system, the children can watch TV in surround sound while Mom and Dad are reading the paper and enjoying background music in the living room. Figure 2 Plasma/ LCD Blu-ray CD Cable Player Player Box RECEIVER RECEIVER Family Room Living Room
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2 Channel, BridgaBle Power maPlifiers SySTE m dESIGN CONSIERA d TIONS SpEAkER COmp ATIBILITy A single channel (not bridged) of the SI-1230 is capable of driving a 4 ohm impedance speaker load. No more than two 8 ohm speakers or no more than one 4-6 ohm speaker can be safely connected to a single channel. Proper ventilation of the SI-1230 is critical when driving lower impedance loads. If the SI-1230 is not properly ventilated, the protection circuits may activate and shut off the channel at
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SySTEm dESIGN CONSIdERATIONS CONTINUEd... USING mONO FOR SmOOThER COvERAGE In large or irregularly shaped rooms, you may find that the main listening area may be closer to one of the speakers. If the speakers in the room are connected to a stereo amplifier you will only hear half the music. The SI-1230’s BusMatrix™ enables you to create mono sound from one speaker without impacting the stereo quality in the rest of the system. You can configure each room to either stereo or mono as needed w
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2 Channel, BridgaBle Power amPlifiers ALICA pp TIONS Adv ANTAGES OF USING ThE SI-1230 IN A SINGLE ZONE SySTEm When you connect the preamplifier outputs of your stereo receiver or stereo preamplifier to the SI-1230 BusMatrix™ you dedicate a robust 30 watts to each speaker in your multi-room system as shown in Figure 3. Each channel of the SI-1230 has its own level control so you can compensate for architectural differences that create sonic imbalances. In addition, you can fine tune the sy
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AppLICATIONS USING A dUAL-ZONE RECEIvER FOR TwO LISTENING ZONES Most of today’s Dolby Digital Audio Video Receivers include a second zone preamplifier output to create a second listening zone. Using this output with the SI-1230 BusMatrix™ input provides amplification for multiple rooms within a second listening zone as shown in Figure 4. In addition, in this example high power is supplied to the patio stereo speakers by bridging channel pair 9 and 10 for the left speaker and bridging channel
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Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 2 Channel, BridgaBle Power amPlifiers AppLICATIONS Exp ANdING A mULTIZONE SySTEm TO INCLUdE mORE ROOmS In the ultimate MultiZone system, you connect six stereo preamplifiers (or a single component multi-zone/multi-source preamplifier) to the dedicated inputs of SI-1230. These dedicated input signals are then routed to the appropriate amplifier channels via dip switch settings creating six completely independent listening zones. MultiZone systems enable
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AppLICATIONS AddING pREAmpS TO CREATE mORE LISTENING ZONES In the ultimate MultiZone system, you connect six stereo preamplifiers (or a single component multi-zone/multi-source preamplifier) to the dedicated inputs of SI- 1230. These dedicated input signals are then routed to the appropriate amplifier channels via dip switch settings creating six completely independent listening zones. MultiZone systems enable listeners located in the six separate zones to simultaneously listen to different
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2 Channel, BridgaBle Power amPlifiers CONFIGURING OUR S y ySTEm Because the SI-1230 offers so many configuration possibilities it is important to plan carefully before you install it. Draw a block diagram of your system and use the Configuration Worksheet on page 27 to record how you plan to connect your SI-1230. Here is an example filled out according to the block diagram on page 10. Example 1 BUS INS & OUTS CONNECTED TO Left Main Bus Stereo Receiver - 2nd Zone - Left Pre-Output Right Main
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INSTALLATION CONSIERA d TIONS Automating the turn-on of your SI-1230 is one of the easiest steps when installing it in a distributed system. However, do not plug the main power cord into the switched AC outlet of your preamplifier or receiver. The high power design of the SI-1230 requires large amounts of current from its AC power source. Additionally, it is always recommended to activate the system preamplifier/receiver before turning on your SI-1230 in order to prevent system “turn-on thu
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2 Channel, BridgaBle Power maPlifiers INSTALLATION CONSIdERATIONS pLACEmENT Place the SI-1230 on a flat, level surface like a table or shelf. It should be placed upright so that its weight rests on the unit’s four feet. PLACING THE WEIGHT OF THE AMPLIFIER ON THE REAR OR FRONT PANEL FOR EVEN AN INSTANT WILL RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE AMPLIFIER’S CONNECTORS AND CONTROLS. The SI-1230, like any hi-fi component, will last much longer if it is given adequate ventilation for proper cooling. When insta
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FRONT ANd REAR p ANEL dETAILS ® S I- 12 30 S y s t em s In t e g r a t i on A m p lif ie r Front panel “Master Power” switch turns off the entire amplifier, including the Turn- On circuitry Cascade outputs of the main bus input Main Bus Inputs enable you to route enable you to daisy chain multiple a stereo line level source to the amplifiers BusMatrix™ of the SI-1230 This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operati
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2 Channel, BridgaBle Power P am lifiers FRONT ANd REAR p ANEL dETAILS ® S I- 12 30 S y s t em s In t e g r a t i on A m p lif ie r Bicolor Status LED illuminates “green” when the amplifier circuitry has been turned on by the Turn-On circuits, and Power LED illuminates to confirm the amplifier is illuminates “red” to indicate connected to a live AC power outlet and that the activation of the amplifier’s master power switch is on built-in protection circuitry Bridging switches, BusMatrix
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INSTALLATION LINE LEvEL AUdIO INpUT CAuTION! The amplifier must be off whenever you make changes to the input connections. STEp DESCrIpTIon 1. label all of the interconnecting cables for the sources use audio patch cables with rca phono plugs they connect to. attached to the ends. 2. connect the sources by inserting the rca plug into the connect outputs from your sources to inputs on the amplifier’s jacks. noTe: if you are using two amplifier amplifier. never connect a source or preamplifie
