Feb 6, 2013 2:43 PM

Harman’s Crown Audio introduces its DriveCore Install (DCi) Series power amplifiers, which will be available in spring 2013. Successor to the company’s CTs Series, the new DCi Analog stereo and multichannel amplifiers incorporate a host of improvements including Harman’s exclusive DriveCore technology to set new industry standards in reliability, sound quality, flexibility and efficiency.

Twelve models in the DCi Series are available, ranging from 300 watts to 600 watts (into 4 and 8 ohms and 70Vrms and 100Vrms). The first number in the model is the amount of channels and the second number indicates the watts-per-channel power rating. All amplifiers are two rackspaces high, to conserve valuable installation space.

Harman’s proprietary DriveCore amplifier IC chip combines the amplifier driver stage into the power output stage along with additional audio-signal functions. Crown states that it is about the size of a postage stamp. DriveCore and the DCi Series’ leading-edge amplifier topologies promise a dramatic reduction in size and power consumption requirements, and are said to yield more energy-efficient operation that conforms to Harman International’s GreenEdge environmental initiative.

DriveCore technology reduces the footprint of the amplifier by replacing more than 500 parts from a typical amplifier design with one single IC. Smaller amplifier engines means more channels can be put into a two-rackspace box with more capabilities.

Crown DCi Series amplifiers can be operated into 8-, 4- or 2-ohm loads and offer direct drive “constant voltage” capabilities for 70Vrms and 100Vrms amplification without the need for a step-up transformer, yielding higher audio quality in distributed audio applications. The amplifiers incorporate an exclusive Power Factor Corrected Global Power Supply that is designed to deliver maximum power in any country and their universal AC input accepts voltages from 100 to 240 VAC, 50/60Hz (+/- 10%).

The DCi Series has a Power Factor Corrected (PFC) power supply, a selectable power-save auto-standby mode, in which the amplifier will power down after 30 minutes of no input signal and consume less than 1 watt. In addition to the amplifiers’ balanced 3-pin input connectors and 2-pin terminal strip output connectors, a rear-panel Aux port enables the amplifiers to be integrated into control systems for remote on/off and amplifier fault monitoring.

Crown DCi Series amplifiers are built for the demanding conditions of continuous professional use and carry a 3-year, no-fault fully transferrable warranty.

Find more information about Crown's DriveCore Install Series Network.

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