Amplified Keypad Eliminates Separate Amplifiers

Russound, a leading manufacturer of audio products for residential and commercial custom installation, has introduced an innovative system called A-Bus that eliminates the need for room or distribution amplifiers in multi-room audio installations. The versatile A-Bus in-wall keypad provides a variety of control functions and incorporates an amplifier. Not only does the A-Bus directly lower the cost of many distributed audio systems, it decreases the secondary cost by simplifying the installation, and it delivers a purer signal by virtue of shortening the signal path.ìA-Bus is truly the beginning of a new way to deliver audio,î said Oscar Ciornei, Russoundís Chief Operating Officer. ìIt makes installing and operating a complex system easier and makes it affordable to more people. A-Bus can and will expand the market for custom installation.îRussoundís A-Bus system is a multi-element array consisting of a keypad, connecting block, and power supply. A single power supply can handle up to four keypads. Each keypad requires its own connecting block.The only element a user will see is the A-Bus keypad. The handsome Decora-style in-wall control fits neatly into a single-gang box. The keypad incorporates a built-in amplifier as well as pre-amp outputs should a user want higher power. Since placing the amplifier at the keypad shortens the cable run from the amplifier to the speaker, it also decreases the amplifier power needed to provide enough watts to the room. The A-Bus keypad incorporates an amplifier that delivers 7.5 watts, RMS, per channel - the equivalent of an amplifier several times more powerful, but located further away.The keypad also provides a 10-step volume control with LED indicators. In addition, it has a built-in infrared receiver for source component control and dual illuminating LED indicator for system status and IR information. The elastomer keypad buttons are back lit, so they can be easily activated even in a dimly lit room.Connecting the A-Bus keypad is as easy as operating it. The keypad has an 8-pole connector for CAT5 control wire and a 4-pole connector suitable for 14AWG wire.The A-Bus keypads operate with either the ACB-4 in-wall or ACB-4IR connecting blocks. When used with the ACB-4, a Russound IRB-6 in-wall IR connecting block must also be used.The ACB-4 is a Decora-style in-wall control matching the A-Bus keypad. It utilizes RCA-type jacks for stereo input and output. Again, connection is simple, the output of a pre-amp or tape loop goes to the input of the ACB-4. In turn, the output of the ACB-4 is fed to the input of a tape loop, or can be daisy chained to another ACB-4 connecting block. The front of the connecting block has an input jack for the APS-1 power supply. Other features include four detachable 8-pole connectors for the A-Bus keypad volume control and one detachable 4-pole connector to send power, IR signal, system status, and ground signals to the IRB-6. In addition, the ACB-4 has a removable status jumper to override the status indicator on the A-Bus volume control.The ACB-4IR is a connecting block for the A-Bus system and includes IR outputs. It features a system power jack for the APS-1 power supply, system power and status indicator LEDs, status power jack for a 12vDC power supply, 4 IR output jacks, IR confirmation LED, and RCA-type jacks for stereo input and output.The final component of the A-Bus system is the APS-1 power supply. It provides 24vDC @ 4 amps and runs at 120/240VAC 50/60Hz AC input. It has been UL/CSA/CE listed.The Russound A-Bus volume control keypad has a suggested retail price of $169. The ACB-4 connecting block carries a suggested retail price tag of $59. The ACB-4IR has a suggested retail of $139. And the APS-1 power supply is priced at $149 retail.

For more information about this and other Russound products, visit the Russound Web site at http://www.russound.com. Russound maintains an e-mail tech support service for customers at: tech@russound.com. The company can also be reached by phone at 80