88C Series Amplifiers

 

Linea’s 88C Series of eight channel amplifiers are optimised for use in installations. Combining massive power and peerless audio performance with unique DSP, the 88C Series also incorporates many features that ease it’s integration on to both new and legacy systems, the 88C Series represents an unmatched advancement in amplifier technology.

88C Series Features

  • Eight channels of sonically pure Class D amplification
  • Unique, precise, 96kHz digital signal processing
  • Over‐designed switch mode power supply
  • 85V to 240V Auto-sensing PSU
  • 3,000 to 20,000 watts RMS total output
  • Tamperproof front panel
  • Ethernet network for system operation and monitoring
  • Analogue, AES3 and optional Dante™ / AES67 digital network audio
  • Powerful grouping & multi‐layer EQ
  • Accepts 48kHz and 96kHz FIR files via System Engineer (certain models)
  • Fully designed and engineered in house by Linea Research
  • Manufactured in the UK

RMS per channel, all 8 channels driven
Model 2 Ohms 4 Ohms 8 Ohms 70/100V
88C20 1500W 2500W 1500W 2500W
88C10 1250W 1250W 1250W 1250W
88C06 750W 750W 750W 750W
88C03 400W 400W 400W 400W

Linea’s 88C Series of eight channel amplifiers are optimised for use in installations. Combining massive power and peerless audio performance with unique DSP, the 88C Series also incorporates many features that ease it’s integration on to both new and legacy systems, the 88C Series represents an unmatched advancement in amplifier technology.

Sharing the same feature set and form factor as Linea's 44C Series of four channel amplifiers the 88C Series is available in models that develop between 400Watts and 2,500 Watts per channel (up to 5,000 Watts for a bridged pair). Unusually these are not, ‘transient’, ‘burst’ or ‘peak’ power figures, they are the power levels that are delivered by all channels simultaneously even when driven with the same dense program material.

With Linea amplifiers there is no need to ration power between channels, you can use all the power you have paid for all the time. This has been independently verified.

Linea can do this because state of the art components and a finely optimised design results in an amplifier that is between 7% and 10% more efficient than any competitive product. This efficiency gain directly translates in to the generation of about half the wasted energy (heat) which is clearly significant. In addition to reducing energy costs high efficiency results in generous power reserves ensuring that pristine sound quality is maintained even under the most extreme conditions.

Ethernet is used for remote control and monitoring while the tamper proof front panel allows easy verification of the operating status and signal levels. Control via Linea’s intuitive Podware PC application provides many convenient and time saving features such as very flexible management of presets, and Overlay grouping of Mutes, Gains, Delays and EQ across an entire system. Control from 3rd party systems is also possible via TCP/IP, RS232 and RS485 while comprehensive relay and contact closure ports ensure that basic control can be achieved very easily.

The advanced 96kHz DSP is fully integrated into the product and provides an array of unique and genuinely useful features. Because all aspects of the DSP algorithms are designed and hand crafted in house by Linea, they are not available on products from any other manufacturer. For example, LIR linear phase crossover filters which are as easy to use as more conventional filter shapes, and have less latency than FIR filters. Also the powerful VX Limiter suite which sports Peak, RMS and Excursion limiting, as well as multiband limiting for passive 2-way enclosures.

General Specifications­

Number of output channels Eight
Total power output, all channels driven 20,000, 10,000, 6,000 and 3,000 Watts RMS
Audio inputs 8x Analogue, 2x AES3 and 8x Dante™ / AES67 (factory fitted option)
Digital Signal Processing High performance 96kHz DSP on all inputs and outputs
Control, monitoring and system status alarms Ethernet network, RS232 & RS485

Volt-free relay and contact closure ports. Heartbeat system health output

Power-save modes Standby after user defined time with fast wake up on audio

Deep ECO sleep after user defined time with wake up on command

System standby and wakeup Network command, audio detection & contact closure

Power Output

Model 88 C20 88 C10 88 C06 88 C03
Power specification RMS output power per channel, all channels driven with continuous program material and a nominal ambient temperature of 40ºC / 105ºF
Crest Factor of 4 (12dB), 2-Ohm nominal load 1,500W 1,250W 750W 400W
Crest Factor of 2.8 (9dB), 4-Ohm nominal load 2,500W 1,250W 750W 400W
Crest Factor of 2 (6dB), 8-Ohm nominal load 1,500W 1,250W 750W 400W
Bridged, per channel pair, 4 or 8-Ohm load 3,000W / 5,000W 2,500W 1,500W 800W
100V line (CV) operation, Crest Factor 4 (12dB) 2,500W 1,250W 750W 400W
70V line (CV) operation, Crest Factor 4 (12dB) 1,937W 1,250W 750W 400W
25V line (CV) operation, Crest Factor 4 (12dB) 625W 625W 485W 355W

Audio Performance

Amplifier topology Linea Research high performance Class D
Amplifier modulation scheme Low feedback, multiple loop, with feed-forward error correction
Dynamic range

Measured relative to the amplifier output

Analogue input, better than 113dBA typical

AES / Dante™ input, better than 114dBA typical

Gain (with all the DSP level controls set to 0dB) 32dB
Frequency response, 4 Ohm load <7Hz to >30kHz, 4 Ohms, -2.5dB points
Total harmonic distortion, THD <0.05% typical, 1kHz signal, AES17 filter, 4 Ohm load
Inter-channel crosstalk, worst case combination better than -85dBr at 1kHz and -75dBr at 10kHz
Slew rate >60V per microsecond typical
Damping factor (Ref 8 Ohms) >800 at amplifier output (see Linea’s “Damping factor debunked” white paper)
Maximum analogue input level +20dBu
Analogue input sensitivity range for full output 0dBu to +20dBu, continuously adjustable
Analogue input (four channels) Input 20k Ohm, electronically balanced, link directly connected to input
Analogue ground scheme AES48 standard compliant
AES3 input (two audio channels) Transformer isolated with unique active cable equalisation for extended range
AES3 link (two audio channels) Active AES3 signal regeneration. Automatic direct bypass to the AES3 input ensuring the audio signal will still flow even when the amplifier is powered down
AES3 supported sampling rates 24kHz to 192kHz (auto locking)

Digital Signal Processing

Resolution 40 bit, Linea Research proprietary algorithms
Sample rate 96kHz throughout
Physical inputs to DSP drive modules 8x analogue, 2x AES & 8x Dante™ inputs can be routed to eight DSP drive modules
Drive module input processing Input signal routing, delay, gain, HPF, Phase, Mute

EQ: 2x low shelf, 6x PEQ / band pass and FIR shelving filters

Drive module output processing Source, delay, gain, Phase, Mute, crossover filters, VX limiters

EQ: low shelf, 8x PEQ / band pass and shelving filters

Preset management 10 snapshots for device wide setup, 50 presets for loudspeaker settings

Presets can be recalled to sets of outputs or individual outputs as required

Unique high performance processing
Overlays Twelve additional independent overlays of EQ, Delay and Gain

Flexible grouping for effective control of many amplifier channels in large systems

Class leading VX limiters See the ‘speaker protection systems’ section
Hardman crossover filters Better out of band rejection than Linkwitz-Riley
LIR crossover filters Unique Linear Phase alignments without the compromises of FIR filters

Power Supply

Topology (main power supply) Linea Research high performance Series Resonant
Topology (auxiliary and standby supplies) Low quiescent Eco-Flyback
Internally stored energy >600 Joules
Nominal mains input voltage range 85V to 240V, Power supply automatically detects voltage and configures accordingly
Mains input frequency range 47Hz to 63Hz
Mains inrush current (max for <10ms) 6A at 115V, 12A at 230V

Protections Systems

Under all circumstances the control and protection systems will endeavour to deliver the maximum power possible for a given set of conditions, applying limiters only in extreme circumstances. Muting will only occur when a dangerous situation is detected, normal operation automatically resuming when the condition clears.
System protection Speaker protection
Excessive power supply current or amplifier output current Sustained clipping prevention
Excessive temperature per sub system: PSU, amplifier and DSP DC offset protection
Mains voltage within acceptable limits Excessive HF energy (VHF) limiter
Internal power rails producing correct output  
Fans operating at correct speed VX audio output limiters
Vx provides a linear phase virtual crossover and two limiter paths on each output. This unique system delivers effective protection for systems that incorporate passive crossovers.
Power distribution protection systems Vx Limit      Multiband peak limiter, two per output
Mains inrush current limiting for soft start and anti-surge Vx Max       Multiband overshoot limiter, two per output
Mains average current limiting for mains breaker management X-Max         Driver excursion limiter
Randomised initialisation when remotely powered up T-Max         Driver thermal limiter (long term power limiter)
 
Monitoring, measurements recorded against time Monitoring, device statistics and counters
Supply current Number of power cycles counted
Supply voltage Number of mains brownout events counted
Thermal Capacity Fan speeds continuously monitored
Each driver current Fan under-speed events counted
Each driver impedance Various protection mute events counted
Protection limiting for each output Driver Impedance continuously monitored
An inbuilt notification system is provided that indicates problems to remote devices either via the network or the Volt-free changeover relay contacts accessible on the rear panel.

Physical

Cooling Dual vari-speed fans, front to back airflow. Washable, tool-less change filter media.
Analogue IN and LINK Phoenix™ pluggable terminal block (mating plug supplied)
AES3 IN and LINK Phoenix™ pluggable terminal block (mating plug supplied)
Amplifier output Neutrik Speakon™ NL4 connectors
Mains input connector Neutrik 32A Powercon™
Dante Primary and Secondary 2x Shielded RJ45
Ethernet network Shielded RJ45
RS232 and RS485 Phoenix™ pluggable terminal block (mating plug supplied)
Relay, ‘heatbeat’ outputs Phoenix™ pluggable terminal block (mating plug supplied)
Contact closure inputs Phoenix™ pluggable terminal block (mating plug supplied)
Front panel LED indicators Per channel - Input level, output level & status
Enclosure, all models Standard 19” 2U (88mm), 357mm (14”) deep with handles and optional rear support
Net Weight 12.5kg (27.5 pounds).

88C03 Front

88C06 Front

88C10 Front

88C20 Front

88C03 Front Angle

88C Series Rear Panel

88C10 Front Panel Line Drawing

88C10 Rear Panel Line Drawing