SOA Contour following protection
The SOA is the safe operating area of transistors. A good protection system should
respect this area and its shiftings, as the SOA changes as a function of the operating
temperature. So, at 80°C it is considerably narrower than a 25°C, the start-up temperature.
Some manufacturers decide to use protection systems which compromise on the performance
of the components. You get a fair protection, but the performance remains mediocre. Others
prefer to leave "dark" areas between the safe operating area and the activation of protection,
which is very risky indeed.
The new SOA contour following protection systems built into the APA amplifiers
guarantees total protection of the amplifier at any output power, load or operating temperature,
as the intelligent electronic circuitry permanently watches for changes in the safety area,
adapting itself to any situation.
The best Damping in an amplifier of its class. In the APA series, the typical output
relays have been substituted with an electronic CROW BAR system. This device shunts to
ground any signal in case of high voltages which could damage the connected speakers. Any
kind of relay introduces a mechanical contact in the path of the audio signal to the
loudspeakers. This contact implies a certain degree of wearing and an important reduction of
the amplifiers damping factor. To minimize this implicit loss, the use of premium quality relays
is obligatory, as in the professional PAM amplifier series.
Ecler APA2000 makes use of N-channel mosfets. This technology, which has been
successfully implemented in the industrial product line enviro, allows for very high output
power without the use of bridge configurations. The APA2000 keeps its "All the Power All the
Time" philosophy, even when driving 4 ohm speakers with a musical programme at maximum
level.
All APA amplifiers feature an expansion slot at the rear panel which is specially
designed to fit the TAWA processor cards.
The TAWA cards have been exclusively designed for setting up bi-amplified sound
systems with AWAK series acoustic cabinets, spectacularly increasing their acoustic
performance. They feature a Linkwitz-Riley type crossover filter with 24dB/oct slope, which
confers the system a great precision and clarity, minimizing cancellation and phase problems
caused by other configurations. These cards also perform active signal processing which
effectively improves sonic quality and optimizes the system's dynamic range.
Please refer to your local distributor if you want to install a TAWA processor card in
your APA amplifier.
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