I have been trying to trigger my Arcam Alpha 10p power amps for the last few days. Had tried to do it via the action switches of my Tag AV32R and had all the wiring working, but no response from the Arcams.

I have 4 arcams daisychained and they will turn each other on using the jack leads, I just couldn't make them work from an additional item. i.e. the Tag.

I discovered that the signal the Arcams send between each other is a half second 'burst', and I'm guessing this is why they are not responding to the continuous '12v on' that the action switch on the Tag provides once it has come out of standby.

Can I use the relays on the RFX9600? will it provide a 12v short duration burst to trigger the Arcams.

Any help enormously appreciated.

Output is not 12v

relays are 48 VAC or VDC 2 amps
general ouput is 5V
More than likely no joy

This is just what the relays are rated to switch.

Take the 12v output from your Tag, break the + wire and put it on the relay.

Now build a simple macro with the delays needed to triger the arcam.

Why is it important to break the positive wire, surely the relay just completes a circuit?

How do I know, from a standard 12v plug in transformer which is the +ve wire?

Also, will the polarity of the jack matter?

You can break the + or - wire, its just good practice to switch the +.

The only proper way to fine the + is to test it with a meter, but on most plug in transformers the lead with the white stripe is +.

I would not use a plug in transformer. It just another item that will be using you power 24/7 and another item that could fail. You said your Tag had a 12v trigger output, why not use it?

The polarity of the jack is VERY important. Arcam use the tip of the 3.5mm jack as + and the sleeve as -. You Tag will probably be the same but as said above check it with a meter.

Unfortunately the action switches on the tag are just that, switches. They don't supply any power.

I have tried wiring the jack both ways round and cannot get the arcams to trigger. They trigger from each other without any trouble (I have 4 daisychained), but I just cannot get them to fire from an outside source (and therefore from a remote).

I can only assume that there is something specific in the signals the arcams send to each other, whether it's not 12v or it's a specific duration that I haven't discovered yet.

I will give Arcam another ring tomorrow, and see if they can let me in on their magic ingredient!

Use a regulated 12VDC power supply from Radio Shack and relay off the RFX9600 with delays as suggested and it should work just fine. Break the positive (+) lead and wire it through the relay.

It is really that simple. If you are level 1 certified on Philips site, download and review the materials for level 2 test as the PDFs contain example hookups for RFX9600 dry contact relays.

I couldn't get a Proceed to trigger with a regulated 12V signal, but it worked fine with a 12V power supply (always provides more than 12V in my experience.) Not sure if this applies to the Arcam, but thought I'd mention it.

Well I spoke to Arcam again today.

They're stumped....

It's a completely basic 12v trigger system in the alpha 10p power amps, so what I'm currently doing should be working, and they can't understand why it isn't...

Ho hum... have another go at the weekend, then give up!!

Maybe because the Tag only provides a closure circuit (a switch - didn't you say something like this earlier)? If Tag provides on voltage output, then that is the problem. Use the Tag just like you would an RFX9600 relay and simply run the positive line of a 12VDC power supply through the Tag. Connect the negative line from the power supply directly to Arcam and then the output of the switch 12VDC positive side from the Tag to the Arcam.