Triggering an RS 500 or RS 1000 amplifier on & off

Triggering an RS 500 or RS 1000 amplifier on & off

There are a few ways to turn the RS amplifiers on and off, and depending on which one you wish to use, you might need to change.

Trigger Methods

Power Button


The power button on the front panel of the unit will turn your RS amplifier on and put it into standby when there is no external trigger present.

If there is +12V present on any of the trigger inputs, or if the Global Power icon in the web interface is turned on, the power button will not put the amplifier into standby. The amp will remain powered on until the trigger is removed, or the power button in the web UI is turned off.

Master Trigger Input

Trigger Jumper: The amplifier comes with a 3-pin terminal connector with a jumper wire between the constant +12V output and the trigger input, keeping the amplifier on and keeping the output active unless Signal Sense is enabled.
Signal Sense: The amplifier needs to be triggered on in order for signal sense to turn the zone on. Leave the trigger jumper in place to allow signal sense to work normally. When signal is sensed, the amplified output will power up. After 2 minutes without signal, the zone will go into standby.
Contact Closure: Remove the trigger jumper from the 3-pin connector. If you are using a contact closure to power the unit ON, connect the closure between the +12V and trigger input terminals. If you are using  a contact closure to turn the unit OFF, connect it between the GND and trigger input terminals.
External 12V Trigger: If you are using an external 12V trigger with bare wire ends, remove the jumper from the connector, and wire the positive lead into the trigger input terminal, and the negative wire to the GND terminal.

The +12V terminal outputs around 1A of current. It's designed to wire into its adjacent Trigger Input terminal or to a relay/contact closure, and should not be used to provide constant power to a device, or to jump start your car battery. As long as the main power switch is on, the +12V Terminal is active, even if the amplifier is in standby.

+12V Mini Plug Trigger Input

The mini plug input and the 3-pin connector work in conjunction with each other. Both jacks may function as inputs or outputs, and either can receive a +12V trigger as an input to turn the unit on. 
If the the unit is triggered on via the 3-pin connector, the mini plug can output +12V to trigger a device downstream. And, if the mini plug receives a trigger, the Trigger Input on the 3-pin connector will activate and can trigger a device downstream.

If you are wiring a cable to connect to the mini plug trigger input, make sure the positive wire connects to the tip of the jack, and the negative or ground goes to the sleeve of the jack.

IP Control & Commands

Most control systems will send the command to turn the single zone of an RS amplifier on and off, leaving the global power alone. When using a third party control system, we recommend leaving the trigger jumper in place, and making sure the global power in the web interface is off.

Using the Web Interface



When you first boot up the web interface for your RS amplifier and the trigger jumper is in place, you'll see that the global power (at the top of the page) is OFF, and the zone power (next to Zone 1) is ON. Even though the power on the web UI is off, the amp is still active and can output audio.
If you remove the trigger jumper, the Zone will turn off. Re-apply the trigger and the zone will turn on.
Easy-peasy!

The Global Power in the amp's web interface works as a sort of internal trigger jumper.
When the global power is on, external 12V triggers will not affect the status of the output. In this state, only IP commands will turn the zone on or off.

If Signal Sense is on, either the trigger jumper must be connected or the global power must be on. Also, make sure that the zone power icon is on. If the zone is turned off, and signal sense is on, the zone will not turn on when signal is sensed.

Troubleshooting

If everything seems like it should be triggering on and off correctly, it may be best to factory reset the unit and start over. The Master Reset button is located next to the Ethernet port on the rear of the amplifier. To initialize a reset, use a small pin or paperclip and gently press the button down and hold it for 3 seconds, then release.

Once the amp has been reset, do not click either of the power icons in the web interface. Use your trigger method, whether that be an external +12V trigger, signal sense, or an IP command sent from a control system*, and see if the amp powers on and off as expected.

By default, Signal Sense turns on after a factory reset, so you may need to turn it off for your trigger method.

*If you use signal sense or IP commands, be sure the trigger jumper is in place during your test.

Additional Assistance

Check out the other articles available on the subject at support.audiocontrolpro.com.
You may find this article on using +12V Triggers helpful.

You can also call our fabulous tech support team at 425-755-8461 or email them at techsupport@audiocontrolpro.com