12
Safety
All loudspeakers have electrical, thermal and physical limits that must be observed to prevent damage or failure.
T
oo much power, low frequencies applied to high frequency drivers, severely clipped waveforms and DC voltage
can all be fatal to cone and compression drivers. The Crest CPX 4 amplifier automatically protects speakers from
DC voltages and subsonic signals. For more information, see the section on Protection Features. Mid- and high-fre-
quency speakers, especially compression drivers, are highly susceptible to damage from overpowering, clipped
waveforms or frequencies below their rated pass band. Be extremely careful that the low and mid bands of an elec-
tronic crossover are connected to the correct amplifiers and drivers and not accidentally connected to those for
a higher frequency band. The amplifier’s clipping point is its maximum peak output power and can deliver more
power than many speakers can safely handle. Be sure the peak power capability of the amplifier is not excessive
for your speaker system.
To ensure that the speakers never receive excessive power and that the amplifier never clips, use a properly adjust-
ed external limiter (or a compressor with a ratio of 10:1 or higher) to control power output. In systems with active
electronic crossovers, use one for each frequency band. The clip limiter will automatically limit the duration of
continuous square waveforms applied to the speakers. Some speaker systems are packaged with processors that
have power limiting circuits and should not require additional external limiting.
Do not drive any low-frequency speaker enclosure with frequencies lower than its own tuned frequency. The
reduced acoustical damping could cause a ported speaker to exceed its mechanical limits and permanently
deform the voice coil, even when driven with comparatively low power. Consult the speaker system specifications
to determine its frequency limits.
Speaker Protection
A CPX 4 amplifier requires no routine maintenance and should never need any internal adjustment during its
lif
etime. Your CPX 4 amplifier is very powerful and can be potentially dangerous to loudspeakers and humans
alike. It is your responsibility to read the Important Precautions section in the front of this manual and to make
sure that the amplifier is installed, wired and operated properly. Many loudspeakers can be easily damaged
or destroyed by overpowering, especially with the high power available from a bridged amplifier. Read the
Speaker Protection section and always be aware of the speaker’s continuous and peak power capabilities.
Amplifier Maintenance and User Responsibility
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