Adaptive Processing Amplification arrives from XTA

Described as ‘sociable, intelligent, adaptable, and green’, the APA (Adaptive Processing Amplification) Series of amplifiers has debuted from UK-based manufacturer XTA. The first product to be released in the range is the APA-4E8, while the series itself is the result of ‘several years of investment in R&D resources, more than doubling the department’s engineering staff’.

At the heart of the range are ‘completely new power and DSP platforms’. These have been designed to ‘interact intelligently and adapt to prevailing conditions’. In real terms, the amplifier can adjust its power consumption and output drive to ensure that maximum permissible power is always available – a core feature delivered through ‘tight coupling’ of the power supply’s behaviour through real-time monitoring of the mains supply, plus more than 20 temperature sense points.

‘The A to D converters positioned at the outputs allow us to monitor the outgoing audio voltages and currents to the same degree of accuracy as we do when digitising incoming analogue audio prior to processing,’ explained XTA technical director John Austin. ‘These outgoing signals are then fed back into the DSP (which is responsible for all the user adjustable EQ and protection) so that it can make adjustments to ensure that any connected speaker driver is being utilised to the best of its abilities.’

Based on a Class-D design with ‘generous energy storage reservoirs’, models within the APA range will, the manufacturer says, boast a system efficiency of 80 per cent with improved sustained peak power at low frequencies. Other key features include a quick start mode and a standby mode with a power consumption of less than 0.75W.

As the first model to be unveiled in the series, the APA-4E8 boasts four channels totalling 20kW peak output into 4-ohms, and continuous power of 3,400W per-channel into 4-ohms. The 2U, 15kg amplifier’s four channels can be individually utilised if required, while a ‘full suite’ of XTA’s DSP is onboard.

In terms of I/O, the amplifier can route audio from analogue, AES or sources including AVB and Dante, with automatic fall-back. The unit also includes a USB port and an internal flash memory. GPIO and remote control via Ethernet, USB and RS-485 has been incorporated.

Justifying the description of the amplifier as ‘sociable, meanwhile, is an innovative use for unused DSP resources. ‘They can be routed onto the network for extra processing power where you need it, helping more basic amplifiers,’ explained technical brand manager Waring Hayes. ‘The devices can also periodically email you (through the XTA APA Server) with a status report, and be set up to contact you should there be any alarm conditions.’

Completing the line-up is a front-panel interface comprising a large colour LCD, user-selectable metrics and tricolour multimode panel metering. Finally, end-users can benefit from multi-user natively-written remote software operating over USB or Ethernet, and running on either Windows or Mac platforms.

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