powersoft K Series How To Use

TECHNICAL NOTE #04 rev. 01
K Series step-up procedure
How to use Powersoft K Series Step-Up card to upgrade the amplifier power output
Powersoft K4 to K10 share the same hardware platform: the
power output is firmware limited. A Step-Up card allows to
upgrade a K4, K6, K8 to the closer higer model (from K4 to K6,
from K6 to K8, from K8 to K10).
K3 and K20 have dedicated hardware platforms and can not
be upgraded.
Each Step-Up card can upgrade just one step per K Series (K4,
K6, K8) amplifier; once the procedure is performed the Step-
Up card is useless and can not be re-used. It is not possible to
downgrade an upgraded K Series amplifier nor transfer an upgrade
to another amplifier.
It is possible to upgrade an amplifier until K10 top performances
are achieved, so more than a Step-Up card is necessary to upgrade
K4 or K6 to K10; please remember that any subsequent upgrade
can be performed only after having finalized the first step-up
through the K Series website, as detailed below here.
Step-Up process must be finalized through registering the
upgrade on http://www.powersoft-audio.com/en/k-series-step-up.
If the upgrade is not registered within 50 working hours after
the Step-Up has been used – the so called temporary Step-Up
period – the amplifier will automatically return to the original
setting, losing the upgrade: a new Step-Up card have to be
purchased in order to newly upgrade the amplifier.
The Step-Up functionality is available for any existing K Series
amplifier hardware revision, however a proper firmware version
(3.8.5 or higher) is strictly required.
For this reason, please check if your amp is running a compatible
firmware revision, following these simple steps:
f Power on the amplifier
f Press the MENU button
f Scroll down to SETUP and confirm with OK
f Press OK to enter the HARDWARE INFO
f Display will show amplifier model and serial number
f Press MORE and the following info will appear:
KFRONT: X.Y.Z–B
KCNTRL: X.Y.Z–B
KDSP: X.Y.Z–S
where X.Y.Z is the firmware version, B is build number and S
(4 digits) is the SHARC firmware version in case the KDSP op-
tional board is installed.
If either KFRONT or KCNTRL versions are older than 3.8.5
you need to perform a firmware update via a dedicated Firmware
Update Smart Card. Please refer to your local distributor/dealer
to receive a firmware update Smart Card.
© 2012 - 2013 Powersoft
powersoft_TN004_StepUpKSeries_en_v1.1
[if KDSP optional board is NOT
installed on this row you will
read KDSP: N.A. (not available)]
FIGURE 1: Step-Up Smart Card.
1 Step-Up Procedure
1. Power on the amplifier; if the amp is brand new keep it on for
at least 15 minutes before proceeding to next step.
2. Hold the Step-Up card with the Powersoft logo faceing up
and the electrical contacts faceing down: insert the Step-Up
card softly into the smart card slot just above the display of
the amplifier. Be sure to completly insert the card reaching
the end of the slot. "Checking upgrade card" should appear
on the display; if no messages are displayed, please consider
that either the card does not fill completly the slot or the
electrical contacts could be dirty: try to extract and insert
the card again.
3. After checking the Step-Up card, the amplifier's display
shows the message "Upgrade available!" and requests
to confirm the upgrade. Depending on the model the
message "K4 K6?", "K6 K8?" or "K8 K10?" is shown.
Push the OK button or cancel by pressing the BACK button.
4. Confirming the Step-Up with OK will start the upgrade: after
few seconds "Upgrade Complete" appears on the display.
The amplifier automatically restarts: it switches off and then
back on.
At the end of this process the amplifier behave as the closer
higher model – K4 will become a K6, K6 will become a K8,
K8 will become a K10 – offering immediatly larger power handling
(temporary Step-Up period).
Keep This Technical Note For Future Reference