CARVIN DCM3000L (01) PDF Document

Upon receiving your CARVIN DCM3000L, you should inspect the unit for any damage that may have occurred during shipping. If any damage is found, please notify the shipping company and CARVIN immediately.

It is important to save the carton and all packing materials. In the event you have to re-ship your unit, you must always use the original carton and packing material to provide the best possible protection during shipment. CARVIN and the shipping company are not liable for any damage caused by improper packing.

Also, save your invoice as it will be required for warranty service if needed. If you find items are missing, they may have been shipped separately, so please allow several days for the rest of your order to arrive before inquiring.

To maintain your CARVIN DCM3000L, avoid spilling liquids or allowing any other foreign matter inside the unit. The front panel of the unit can be wiped from time to time with a dry or slightly damp cloth to remove dust. As with all professional gear, avoid prolonged use in caustic environments such as salt air. When used in such an environment, be sure the amplifier is adequately protected by a rack or covers.

Please adhere to the following safety instructions for your CARVIN DCM3000L:

WATER AND MOISTURE: The appliance should not be used near water (e.g., near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool). Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.

POWER SOURCES: The product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance.

GROUNDING OR POLARIZATION: Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization is not defeated.

POWER CORD PROTECTION: Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliance.

SERVICING: The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.

FUSING: If your unit is equipped with a fuse receptacle, replace only with the same type fuse. Refer to replacement text on the unit for correct fuse type.

For the CARVIN DCM3000L, the minimum impedance is 2 ohms per channel in stereo mode and 4 ohms in bridged mode.

The CARVIN DCM3000L is a standard 19″ (2U) rack mountable design. It is recommended to use the rear support brackets for added stability. The 15″-21.5″ predrilled screw points are normally available on most pro designer or LED standard racks.

The front panel LEDs on your CARVIN DCM3000L provide status information for the amplifier:

POWER LED: The RED PROTECT LED provides operator information about the status of the amplifier. The PROTECT LED will illuminate for approximately 3 seconds when the amplifier is first turned on and then go out. If the PROTECT LED illuminates during use, the cause is typically one of the following:

1. The amp has gone into a “thermal” overload, which is usually caused by operating the amp without a proper load or with inadequate ventilation. The amp will reset itself after it has cooled down.

2. A shorted speaker cable or a short in a speaker cabinet. Unplug the speakers to see if the amplifier will reset. If it does, check the speaker cables and speakers. To test the amp itself, run it without a load attached.

3. Overheating is usually determined when listening stops in the middle of a performance and the RED PROTECT LED comes on. If it’s due to thermal overload, the amp’s top cover will be hot to the touch. The amp will reset after it cools. Check for the following conditions: Is the load impedance below the minimum recommended? Is there adequate ventilation? If the speakers are connected in parallel, check the total impedance. To get more power, use more amps if you must go below the minimum rated impedance.

Other protective devices may be triggered if you try to drive more than one line (connector) to each output.

SIGNAL LED (40% & 80%): The GREEN 40% SIGNAL LED indicates when the amplifier is running at 40% output. The YELLOW 80% SIGNAL LED indicates when the amplifier is running at 80% output. These LEDs will flash to reflect the input signal. Occasional 80% flashes are normal, but constant 80% flashes indicate that the amp is near its maximum output.

CLIP LED: The RED CLIP LED indicators will flash when each channel has reached its maximum output. Occasional flashing is acceptable. However, constant flashing (clipping/square wave) will damage speakers and cause the amplifiers to overheat. Consistent clipping may damage the speakers.

A precision level control is used to adjust the volume levels on the CARVIN DCM3000L. To obtain the amps maximum power and best signal to noise ratio, the input levels should be set near their maximum settings. For multi-speaker systems, the volume levels can be used to match loudspeakers with different output ratings from one side to the other.

Upon installation, the rear of the amplifier must be left exposed to open air. The internal fan draws air in from the rear of the unit, which then exits through the front. The use of internal rack fans can add to the cooling ability of the amp. Be sure the front and rear are not blocked. The exhaust air must be able to escape to a well-ventilated area. The front and rear vents must be free of obstruction. If your rack is enclosed, the hot air must be vented to a cool area. Do not place the amp next to devices that generate heat.

The rear panel of the CARVIN DCM3000L features combination TRS and XLR input jacks for both channels. These inputs are balanced to help reduce signal interference and allow longer cable runs from your signal source (mixer). The TRS 1/4″ input is a 3-conductor balanced jack. The gain is set to be balanced for higher signals using an XLR or balanced TRS 1/4″ plug. The XLR input is wired pin 2 positive, pin 3 negative, and pin 1 ground. Unbalanced 1/4″ TS phone plugs are also designed to receive unbalanced input signals.

The PARALLEL switch allows the input signal from channel one to be sent to channel two, effectively running both channels together from a single input. This eliminates the need for Y-adapter cables when you want to run the same mono signal into both channels. When you engage the switch, the input of CH2 is disconnected, and the input from CH1 is routed to both power amp channels. This is useful for running two similar speakers with the same signal, such as two main speakers or two subwoofers.

The INPUT GROUND LIFT switch is provided to lift the audio ground from the chassis ground. This can be used in a manner to stop “ground-loops” with other units. The ground is automatically lifted on unbalanced 1/4″ TS input cables.

The LIMITER ON/OFF switch activates the internal limiter circuit. The built-in limiters are recommended to hold down peaks that could cause clipping. To check the effectiveness of the limiters, run the amplifier to the clip point (red clip LEDs flashing) and then engage the limiter switch. The output will be reduced by several dB, which removes the clipping and distortion. If you can hear distortion, you need to turn the channel down, as the amp is more powerful with distortion than with the limiters engaged. The level control could damage your ears if the limiters are affecting the signal when the amplifier has entered clipping from excessive gain. Always turn the levels down first before engaging the limiters to reduce this effect.

To use BRIDGE MODE on the CARVIN DCM3000L, follow these steps:

1. Push in the rear BRIDGE MODE switch.

2. Connect your input signal to the CH 1 input only.

3. Use the CH 1 level control to adjust the output volume.

4. Connect your speaker load to the bridged outputs. For speaker connections, use the red binding posts for both CH 1 (+) and CH 2 (-), or use a Speakon™ cable wired to +1 (CH 1) and +2 (CH 2). The minimum impedance in bridge mode is 4 ohms.

In bridge mode, CH 1 is the “in-phase” channel and CH 2 is the “out-of-phase” channel. Additional processing for sub-woofers is best applied before the input signal enters the amplifier. Do not parallel the speaker outputs of one channel with the other when in bridge mode. Channel 2 is not used, except for when it is another bridged amplifier with its own input signal. A bridged amp runs hotter than a stereo amp. Be sure there is adequate ventilation to prevent thermal shutdown by keeping your amp cool.

The CARVIN DCM3000L offers two types of speaker output connections:

Speakon™ / 1/4″ Combo Jacks: The speaker connectors feature a combination of both 1/4″ SPEAKON™ jacks for the power applications of today. The connectors are wired for two-conductor speaker cables. The center Speakon™ connector is for the “Bridge” output and is wired +1,+2 for this position. The center Speakon™ on the 4 channel amps is for the “Bridge” output of channels 3 & 4. Do not use 4-conductor Speakon™ type cables.

Speaker Binding Posts: For use with banana connectors or bare wires, use the rear BINDING POSTS to connect your speakers. Wire sizes up to 7 gauge can be used for the binding posts. For bare wires, strip the insulation back about 3/8 of an inch. For banana plugs which insert into the end of the binding posts, these posts are spaced on standard 3/4″ standards. For Bridge mode, use the two red posts (+ and -).

You can use the CARVIN DCM3000L for bi-amping by using an external electronic crossover to manage your system and separate the low and high frequencies. Send the high-frequency output from the crossover to CH 1 of the amplifier, and the low-frequency output to CH 2. Then connect your high-frequency speakers to the CH 1 output and your low-frequency speakers to the CH 2 output.

1) NO SOUND FROM ONE SIDE: The rear (recessed) BRIDGE switch has been inadvertently pushed in to the mono bridge position.

2) STEREO CHANNELS SOUND THE SAME: The PARALLEL switch has been inadvertently pushed to mono position.

3) NO HIGH FREQUENCIES: Tweeters or drivers have been damaged from feedback or from too much power.

4) NO SOUND FROM CH 2: The rear speaker ground lift switch is in remove from.

5) POOR SOUND (MUDDY): The speaker wire has a bad connection or the speakers are out of phase. To correct phasing, reverse the wires on one speaker connection only and your bass will respond, especially in the bass frequencies.

6) DEDICATED CIRCUIT/ BREAKER TRIPPED: Each amp will require a dedicated circuit breaker for its full output. There can be no other equipment on this breaker. The CARVIN DCM3000L will draw full power at 2 ohm stereo or 4 ohm bridged.

TS 1/4″ Unbalanced: Tip is positive, Sleeve is ground.

TRS 1/4″ Balanced: Tip is positive, Ring is negative, Sleeve is ground.

XLR Connector: Pin 2 is positive (+ SIGNAL), Pin 3 is negative (- SIGNAL), and Pin 1 is ground (SHIELD).

Speakon™ Connector: Strip cable insulation back 3/4″ and tin the wires 1/4″. Slip the “Securing Hub” then “Cable Clamp” over the cable before attaching wires. Solder wires in contacts or use the provided hex screws. The connection configuration is:

Black (1+): positive

White (1-): negative

Red (2+): positive

Green (2-): negative