The Rane MA 3 is a three-channel amplifier designed to operate in commercial environments, such as paging, foreground music and background music distribution. Up to three optional 40 watt, 70.7 volt or 100 volt constant-voltage audio transformers may be installed inside the amplifier, eliminating the need for external wiring or transformer mounting.

The MA 3 uses a conventional linear power supply with toroidal transformer. This configuration minimizes the emissions associated with switching supplies and noisier transformer designs. The power supply features independent secondary supplies for each channel, minimizing load regulation interaction and crosstalk.

Thermal management is accomplished in the MA 3 with a sealed heat-tunnel design incorporating low velocity forced air and large aperture openings. This design minimizes the noise usually associated with forced air-cooling and eliminates the need for an air filter. Forced air-cooling allows the amplifier to operate reliably in harsh environments and avoid the buildup of heat in unventilated racks associated with passive convection cooling.

Dynamic protection circuitry completely safeguards each channel against over-voltage, under-voltage, overloads, transients from inductive loads, thermal runaway and instantaneous temperature peaks. Biasing is not allowed to occur when an under-voltage condition exists, reducing turn on and turn off transients. Fast-response limiters allow the MA 3 to tolerate up to 20dB of overdrive into 8 and 4 ohm loads while holding THD below 1 percent. This means no loss of speech intelligibility or harsh clipping, and greatly increases the dynamic range of the system without the use of external limiters.

The peak-responding, load-adaptive meters of the MA 3 accurately indicate the remaining headroom. The meters are helpful in setting system levels and indicating signal compression. Internally selectable 80Hz high-pass filters offer protection against over excursion of small bookshelf speakers and saturation of distribution transformers at low frequencies.

3 Independent Amplifiers    60W Continuous at 4 Ohms    40W Continuous at 8 Ohms    SPiKe Protection Circuitry    High-Capacity Linear Power Supply    Forced-Air Cooling    80 Hz High-Pass Filter Selection

Three independent amplifiers in a single enclosure

Load sensitive dynamic limiters and headroom meters

High capacity linear power supply

Separate input level controls on the back panel allow convenient level balancing of all channels

Sealed heat-tunnel forced air cooling

80Hz high-pass filter selection

Safeguards each channel against over-voltage, under-voltage, overloads, transients from inductive loads, thermal runaway and instantaneous temperature peaks

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Can I use bluetooth with this kit?

A: I know that this question and previous answer is a couple of years old, but technically the answer is not accurate. You can connect a Bluetooth receiver that has an RCA output to this system to make it Bluetooth capable.

Q: 2. How can I turn off the amplifier's sleep mode?

A: We are having BIG problems with the Sleep Mode. Even when there is signal, the unit is going in to sleep mode. We stood in front of a group of 15 at a church yesterday, all of them angry that we don't have a solution for this. Most times the unit does not come back on with signal, we have to power cycle, which causes a significant pop in the speakers.

Q: 3. Is this an original version of the amplifier with the fan speed control? The product image silkscreen seems to indicate this is NOS.

A: No, this is the current version of the Rane MA 3 Three-Channel Power Amplifier which does not offer control of the fan speed. The earlier version did have a two-way switch that allowed you to run the fan at normal or fast speed. According to Rane, it was seldom necessary, if ever, to run the fan at the fast speed, except perhaps in very hot environments when used for heavily compressed music into a demanding load. The downside of running the fan at the fast speed was noise. For that reason the current version does not include fan speed control and provides thermal management with a sealed heat-tunnel design incorporating low velocity forced-air and large aperture openings. This design minimizes the noise usually associated with forced air cooling and eliminates the need for an air filter. Forced air-cooling allows the amplifier to operate reliably in harsh environments and avoid the buildup of heat in unventilated racks.

Q: 4. how do i set the jumpers in back i cant understand the diagram on the back?

A: The jumper settings on the ISA Ti will depend on the mode you are using the amplifier. Switch 1&2 correspond to the limiter and filter for channel 1, switch 9&10 correspond to the filter and limiter on channel 2. The center switches (3-8) set the amplifier mode: Stereo parallel or Bridged. Settings are shown on the rear panel diagram. If you are still having issues please contact a Pro Audio Rep here for assistance at 800-606-6969, or email a href= http://audio@bandh.com target= _blank audio@bandh.com/a

Q: 5. How many speakers can this support? I have 5 JBL 25t speakers and want to make sure it can support all 5 or if I need to look at a different model.

A: Yes, depending on how you wire the system.

Q: 6. Hi,Would it be possible to power my 200 watts speaker using RANE MA3?

A: This amp is not powerful enough at 40 watts per channel to power a 200 watt speaker. The Lab.Gruppen LUCIA 240/1-70 Mono Amplifier for 70V Installations (1 x 240W), B&H # LAL240170US would be good for one speaker. If you have 2 speakers , then I would look at the QSC SPA Series ENERGY STAR 2-Channel Power Amplifier (200W/Channel), B&H # QSSPA2200.

Q: 7. Can this system work with a PC?

A: Yes as long as it has an analog audio out (headphone/ 3.5mm output)

Q: 8. The amp is listed as 120 watts and there are two output channels. So, the amp is 120 watts per channel, correct? In other words, in a 70v application with two separate chains of speakers, each chain would have 120 watts available?

A: This amp is 120 watts per channel. In a 70v setup, each amp is putting out 120 watts.

Q: 9. Can it be used for Bass amplification

A: Yes it can most definitely be used for bass amplification

Q: 10. Will this amp work with a JBL 25t?

A: Yes it should power them just fine.