Audio Control DQL-8 Owner's Manual

The Strength of

Digital

Digital

DQL-8

Eight Channel Line Output Converter
with Digital Signal Processing and Auxiliary Input

Owner’s Enjoyment Manual

AudioControl

22410 70th Avenue West • Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 USA

Phone [phone] • Fax [phone]

www.audiocontrol.com

tm

®

AudioControl®

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Owner’s Enjoyment Manual

The Strength of Digital

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

™

Key Features and Highlights

Quick Installation Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Guided Tour of the DQL-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Placement and mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Power wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Audio wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

System diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Level matching

Dash Control

Navigating the DQL-8 Menu Screens

Equalization adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

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Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Owner’s Enjoyment Manual

AudioControl®

INTRODUCTION

Greetings from the rainforest, the home of
AudioControl, the world’s leading designer and
manufacturer of high performance signal pro
cessing for autosound systems. If you are read
ing this manual, you have most likely made a
decision to maximize the performance of your
factory installed system and wisely purchased
the DQL-8, eight channel line output converter
with digital signal processing. This product is a
unique combination of AudioControl’s lengthy
experience in Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
combined with a high-performance speaker­level line output converter. Additionally the
DQL-8 will also allow you to interface a second
ary source unit with your system, such as a
portable CD player, satellite radio system or even
a very “rare” product called an iPod.

Now before you start salivating too much just
thinking about the benefits of the DQL-8, take
a few minutes to sit back, grab yourself a cold
(or warm) one, and spend a few minutes reading
through this manual. It contains lots of useful
facts and information (and besides, we spent a
lot of time writing it!)

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KEY FEATURES OF THE DQL-8

Here are some of the cool features that are en

closed in this magical box:

• Eight speaker-level inputs – can accept 400­watt signals!

• Six output channels with a 24dB/octave Link
witz-Riley alignment crossover

• Auxiliary input for secondary sources

• One third octave
equalization controls

• Two, fully-adjustable parametric equalizers per
pair of channels

• Internal Channel summing

• GTO™ - signal-sensing inputs

• 12 volt output trigger

• Dash mount control for subwoofer level or
master volume

• Eight user-adjustable memories

• 24-bit digital signal processing

• Input for optional DDC Digital Dash Control
(sold separately of course!)

Quite frankly your DQL-8 has a lot of features

so quit wasting your time and read on!!

plus one half octave graphic

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FEATURES AND HIGHLIGHTS

Eight Speaker-Level Inputs: If you are like

many people who like the look and features of
their factory-installed source unit but feel your
system overall is lacking power and bass, we have
good news. The DQL-8 has high-impedance
speaker-level inputs that allow it to accept am
plified signals from factory-installed source units
(even Bose) and output a high-quality pre-amp
signal via standard RCA connectors. This will
allow you to add better-quality aftermarket am
plifiers, processors and speakers to your system
while keeping the convenience features of your
factory-installed source unit. Unlike inexpensive
speaker-level and line-output converters avail
able, the DQL-8 offers the highest sound quality
and can handle the full signal strength of a 400­watt amplifier.

Auxiliary Input:

enthusiasts want to listen to multiple source
units, the DQL-8 provides an auxiliary input for
a secondary source. This is ideal for adding an
iPod, satellite radio tuner, or a portable turntable
to your system.

Graphic and Parametric Equalization

Controls: Car interiors vary widely in size and

acoustic make-up. Doors, kick-panels, and rear

Since many car audio

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decks don’t make the best location for speaker
placement causing your high-performance
speaker system to sound somewhat lackluster.
The DQL-8 offers 130 individual one-third and
one-half octave graphic equalization controls
for your front, rear, and subwoofer channels plus
two parametric bands for each channel. This
precise filtering of the DQL-8 allows you to select
bandwidths as narrow as 1/12 octave!

Internal Channel Summing: The DQL-8
has the unique ability to sum together mul­tiple input channels (4, 6, or 8) from the factory
source unit into 2 channels. This is handy when
using the DQL-8 with a factory system that has
actively crossed-over signals being sent from the
OEM source unit or amplifier(s). For example, in
some vehicles there is an actively crossed-over
tweeter, midrange, and woofer in the front of the
vehicle. The DQL-8 lets you take all of those sig
nals and sum them together to get a high qual­ity, full-range, pre-amp signal without the use of
any additional cables or hardware.

Dash Control For Master Volume
or Subwoofer Level Control: With the

addition of high performance aftermarket
amplifier(s) and speakers, you may feel the need
to have more control over your system. The

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mote Subwoofer Level Control (included) al­lows you to add a dash-mounted control to your
DQL-8 that will adjust the level of the subwoofer
output or act as a master volume control.

GTO™ Signal-Sensing Inputs:

tory-installed source units lack the features that
make it easy to upgrade with really good-sound
ing, performance aftermarket products. One of
those key features is a 12-volt trigger that will
turn on devices like the DQL-8 and your external
amplifiers. Therefore, we have equipped your
DQL-8 with our unique GTO™ (Great Turn On)
signal-sensing inputs. Once the GTO input de
tects a speaker-level signal on the “Main Inputs”,
it powers up. When the speaker-level signal goes
away, your DQL-8 will automatically turn-off.
Optionally, your DQL-8 is also equipped with a
standard 12-volt trigger (Remote In) that will al
low you to turn on your DQL-8 in the traditional
manner.

User Memories: The DQL-8 has the ability to
set and store eight different system equalization
settings in individual memory locations. The
first four memories (1 –4) are tied to the main
inputs and memories 5 through 8 are available
specifically for use with the auxiliary inputs. Al
though some of us have foggy memories, for one

Most fac-

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reason or another, the memories in your DQL-8
are non-volatile. This means they won’t go away
when you leave your dome light on at night and
kill your battery!

12-Volt Output Trigger: Since you will be
using an external amplifier(s) and processor in
your system, you will need the ability to “trig
ger” or turn-on these devices (a romantic dinner
won’t quite work here). Your DQL-8 has a high­current 12-volt output (labeled Remote Out) that
will provide a trigger to these remote devices,
when the DQL-8 is powered up. Please note that
this output is not to be used as the main power
for these devices.

AutoMode: This feature allows you to gener­ate a subwoofer output with its own indepen
dent equalization even if you don’t feed the
DQL-8 a separate subwoofer input. While in
Independent Sub Mode, the DQL-8 will sense
whether or not you have a subwoofer input. If
it doesn’t detect one, it will take the input from
the Channel 3 / Rear input and feed the sub­woofer output. You can then use the DQL-8’s sub
EQ section and crossover to tailor your subwoof
er to your liking.

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Subwoofer is fed from the Front channel input so
this feature is inactive.

Note: In 2ch and 4ch modes, the

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Bulletproof Warranty:

tant feature of all. Every AudioControl product
is selflessly designed and manufactured in our
factory located in the rainforests of the Pacific
Northwest. We take every effort to ensure that
you will have many years of enjoyment out of
your DQL-8. To ensure optimal performance
we highly recommend that you allow your
authorized AudioControl dealer to perform the
installation. Not only do they have all the right
knowledge and tools, but also in the unlikely
chance your DQL-8 should stop working, we will
back it with a limited five years parts and labor
warranty. Should you choose to install it your
self we will still give you one-year parts and labor
warranty. To activate your warranty, you need
to FILL OUT AND SEND IN YOUR WARRANTY
CARD!

We also recommend that you save

your invoice or sales slip as

b u t s h ou ld your DQL-8 “walk

away” one day while your car is parked at

The most impor-

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proof of installation

and ownership. Not

only is it necessary for
warranty purposes,

your local latté stand, you will find insurance
companies very unforgiving without proof of
purchase.

IF YOU LIKE THE DQL-8, YOU’LL
LOVE . . .

The AudioControl Digital Dash Control (or
DDC as it is called by its closest friends) is an
optional remote-mountable control for your
DQL-8. The DDC can be installed almost any­where in your vehicle and then connected to
your DQL-8 via a cable. This allows you to make
all of your equalization settings from the conve
nience of your front seat. In addition with the
DDC, you can see “many colors” without any
hallucinogenics by changing the display colors
and backlighting.

AudioControl DDC - Digital Dash Control

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AudioControl®

QUICK INSTALLATION INFORMATION

For those of you short on time, but high on
ambition, we offer the following section to speed
up your installation of the DQL-8:

1) The DQL-8 needs to be installed in the signal
path between your OEM source unit (or factory
installed amplifier) and your aftermarket exter
nal amplifier(s). If this is not obvious to you,
quickly pack up your DQL-8 and run to your
nearest authorized AudioControl dealer to have
them perform the installation. You will thank us
later.

2) Physically mount the DQL-8 in a location
that keeps it away from soda spills, food crumbs,
and curious fingers. You will want to select a
location that allows you to see the display and
access the equalization controls during setup. If
your are using our optional DDC (Digital Dash
Control) then you can probably install the
DQL-8 wherever you want, just as long as the
cable from the DDC will reach.

3) Hook up +12 volt power, ground, and remote
turn-on if available. If you need to know more,
then read on. Heck, if you don’t think you need
to know more, you should still read on, because
you can never know too much.

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4) Adjust the “Input Level” control on your
DQL-8 to match the source unit’s output and
then adjust the “Output Level” controls to
match your amplifier inputs.

Note: You will want to turn the gains on your
amplifiers DOWN to maximize your systems perfor
mance.

5) Scroll through menu screens on your DQL-8
and select the proper Input Mode. Your choices
are 2 Channel, 4 Channel, or independent sub (6
channel) so this should not be too complicated.

6) Scroll through the menu’s again and select
the proper crossover settings for your system, ac
cording to system design, speaker manufacturer
specs, etc. Also set whether the remote is sub
woofer output or master volume.

7) Now comes the fun part. Set your equaliza
tion controls to where your system sounds the
most balanced yet dynamic. More about this
in the section titled “Adjusting Your Equalizer”…
and you thought you would not have to read the
rest of the manual. Hah!

8) Last but not least, scroll through those
menus again (see a common theme) and you
will want to save your system settings in one of
the memory locations.

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Figure 1: Basic DQL-8 System. Push dash control to select auxiliary input

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AudioControl®

A GUIDED TOUR OF DQL-8

❶ Digital Dash Control (DDC) Input:

This input allows you to connect the optional
AudioControl Digital Dash Control (DDC) which
will control your DQL-8 from the convenience
of the driver’s seat, passengers seat, back seat or
anywhere else the cable will stretch. See your
authorized AudioControl dealer for more infor
mation about this option or check out www.
audiocontrol.com.

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❷ Auxiliary Input: This input accepts

a two-channel audio signal from a secondary
source unit (i.e., iPod, satellite radio, or turntable)
and feeds it into the front, rear, and subwoofer
output channels, depending upon which of the
Output Modes is selected. The input is activated
when you tap the dash control knob. The Aux
Input is selected when the LED is on.

❸ Speaker Level Inputs: The DQL-8 has

eight speaker-level inputs. These inputs get their
signals from the speaker-level outputs of your
factory-installed source unit or amplifier (if your
vehicle is so equipped). If your source unit has
front, rear, and subwoofer speaker-level outputs,
connect them to the appropriate inputs on your
DQL-8. If the source unit only has front and rear

inputs, the Auto Mode circuitry in your DQL-8
automatically routes the Channel 3 / Rear input
channels to the subwoofer channels.

❹ Input Level: These knobs allow you to

maximize the signal level that goes from your
source unit into your DQL-8 to achieve maxi
mum signal-to-noise ratio.

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❺ Input Maximized Indicators: These

nifty LED’s (Light Emitting Diode if you are curi
ous) indicate that you are supplying the DQL-8
digital signal processor its optimum signal volt
age. If the LED indicators never come on, don’t
assume that it is not working (since LED’s rarely
break) but you might consider adding a line driv
er to your system for more input signal strength.

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❻ Output Level Controls: Although your

DQL-8 has the ability to increase your signal
voltage, your amplifiers may not necessarily ac
cept that high a signal. These controls allow you
to regulate the proper amount of pre-amp signal
from the DQL-8 to the amplifiers.

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❼ Select: Use this button to select one of the

various equalization, crossover, display, or mem
ory modes of your DQL-8.

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❺

❹

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❽

❻

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❶

Figure 2: Top view of the DQL-8

❷ ❸

❾ ❿

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AudioControl®

❽ Navigation Arrows: These multi-func-

tion buttons perform a number of duties, de
pending upon which mode your DQL-8 is in.
You can do anything from applying boost or
cut to your equalization filters to changing the
memories. However, if you get the high score,
you cannot enter your initials!

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❾ Output Voltage Indicators: Brightly

colored LED’s indicate the level of signal voltage
that is coming out of the various outputs of your
DQL-8. Use these to assist in level matching your
source unit with your amplifiers.

❿ Outputs: RCA connectors used for wiring

to the next component(s) after the DQL-8, usu
ally an amplifier. Do not connect any speakers
directly to your DQL-8 or to any home appli
ances, like your toaster.

Power Connections: This incredibly
handy connector is a godsend to those who
have tried to wire up their gear with their body
crammed in the trunk. You can wire up the
power, ground, and remote turn-on from the
convenience of outside your car and then casu
ally plug it into your DQL-8.

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Output Mode: These cool blue lights indi­cate the input mode of your DQL-8, as this deter
mines which outputs are active. For example, a
two-channel signal will only route the signal to
the “Front Highpass” and “Subwoofer” outputs
whereas a four-channel input will route signals
to all of your outputs.

Level Control: Connect this input to the
remote level control knob. The remote control
can be mounted somewhere convenient, like
in the front of your vehicle. Via the software in
your DQL-8, you can have the remote control
the level of your Subwoofer or the Master Vol
ume of your system.

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INSTALLING THE DQL-8

Up to this point everything you have read has
served to educate you on the operations of your
DQL-8. We are sure that you are chomping at the
bit to install your DQL-8 so we recommend you
read the following sections very carefully.

1) Placement & Mounting of your DQL-8

Placement: The DQL-8 needs to be installed

in the signal path after your factory OEM am
plifiers. The chassis is usually mounted in the
rear of the vehicle, as close to the aftermarket
amplifiers as possible. If your going to be using
a Digital Dash Control (DDC) with your DQL-8,
you will want to pick out its mounting location
early on so you can route your wires appropri
ately.

Mounting: Once you have selected a per­manent mounting location, position the unit
and mark the appropriate mounting holes with
a felt-tip pin or scratch awl. Before doing any
thing else, make sure you are not about to drill a
hole in a gas tank or pierce any existing wiring.
Nothing ruins your day more than an expen
sive repair bill. Drill a few small pilot holes and
secure the chassis of the DQL-8 with self-tapping
screws.

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2) DQL-8 Power Wiring

WARNING: Failure to disconnect the negative
terminal of your battery prior to the installation of
your DQL-8 can result in a warm tingly feeling.

Remote Turn-On:

gauge wire from the head-unit’s remote turn-on
(if it has one!) to the “Remote” connector on the
DQL-8. If there is no turn-on wire, the GTO will
turn the unit on automatically with signal from
the amps.

Positive (+12V) Connection:

18-gauge wire into the opening labeled “Power”
on the nifty connector of your DQL-8. Connect
it to a good constant source of 12 volts (we sug
gest the battery), fused at 2 amps.

Ground Connection:

wire or larger as you did for the positive connec
tor and run it from the “Ground” connector on
the DQL-8 to the negative terminal of the bat
tery, a ground bus, or a verified ground location.
The factory head unit ground is not, not, not a
good ground! When the electrical connections
are complete for all components, you may now
reconnect the negative terminal to your battery.

Connect an 18 to 22-

Insert a 12 to

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Use the same gauge

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AudioControl®

3) DQL-8 Audio Wiring

Planning: As you may already have guessed,

there are numerous ways to configure the DQL-8
in your audio system. Spend a little quality time
planning out your system and even sketching
it out on paper. The diagrams on the following
pages are just a few of the system options:

Figure 3: Eight channel inputs with six channel out. Crossed over front inputs summed together.

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Figure 4: Four channel inputs with six output channels. Subwoofer output fed by crossed over main input.

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Figure 5: Four input channels with Auxiliary input with six output channels. Subwoofer output fed via automode from rear input.

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Speaker-Level Inputs

The DQL-8 is designed to accept an amplified,
speaker-level signal from a factory source unit
or amplifier. You will want to refer to a factory
service manual or wiring-harness schematic to
determine which wires are the speaker wires for
your system. If you are unsure which wires are
the speaker wires, it is recommended you look
at the color of the speaker wire connected to the
speakers and follow them back to the factory
source or amplifier. Connect the speaker wires
to the Speaker-Level Inputs on your DQL-8.
sure to get your “pluses” and “minuses” connect
ed properly.

Pre-Amp Outputs

Connect good quality RCA connectors from
these outputs to the inputs of your amplifiers.
While we won’t get into the discussion as to
whether plutonium cables sound better than
un-obtainium cables we will tell you that well­constructed cables are less problematic in rugged
environments like your car system.

Make

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Summing The Outputs

The software in your DQL-8 allows you to
receive signals from the Main Inputs, along
with Channel 2, Channel 3, and/or Channel 4,
which can then be summed together internally.
The LED indicators on your DQL-8 will indicate
which channels are being summed. The shipped­from-the-factory setting is in the “None” posi
tion. See section on “Navigating the Menus”,
page 18, for more information.

When you have summed several channels
together, you will want to make sure the out
put levels are providing a balanced frequency
response. A simple technique involves using a
pink noise CD and a real-time audio analyzer
(AudioControl happens to make a great one!)

1) Perform all of the steps necessary to install

your DQL-8.

2) Connect the Main Outputs from your
DQL-8 to the audio input on your real-time ana
lyzer. Yes, your amplifiers will be disconnected
from the DQL-8 at this time.

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3) Start playing pink noise on your CD player
and raise the volume level until signal is dis
played on your real-time audio analyzer (RTA).

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4) Adjust the DQL-8 input level controls for
each input until your RTA is displaying a smooth
or flat response curve.

5) If you need to make any additional frequen
cy response adjustments you can use the equal
izers built-in to the DQL-8.

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Figure 6: Using an AudioControl real time analyzer to measure the summed front factory outputs

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Level Matching

If you have ever listened to a friend’s “killer”
car audio system and heard lots of hiss then you
have experienced an improperly level-matched
system. When a performance autosound system
is properly level matched, you should get the
maximum output from your source unit and
amplifiers without any clipping or that annoy
ing hiss! The following steps will help guide you
through the process, although at the end of the
day, your ears will be your guide!

1) Set your source unit’s fader and balance con

trols to their center positions.

2) Disconnect the output RCA connections
between your DQL-8 and the amplifier(s) . . . oth
erwise get some earplugs.

3) Start playing some relatively dynamic music
and set the volume on your source unit to about
3/4 of maximum. You should not hear anything
at this point. If you are hearing music, go back
to step #2. If you are hearing voices, go see a doc
tor!

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5) Now adjust the output level control until
the “2 volt” or “5 volt” light starts to flicker. You
will want the output voltage to match up to
your amplifier’s input gain levels. If you don’t
know how much this is, ASK the amplifier
manufacturer or read the owner’s manual of the
amplifier.

6) Very Important - Set the input gains on the
amplifier(s) at minimum!

7) Double check that you performed Step #6

8) Decrease the volume control on your source
unit and re-connect the RCA’s between the
DQL-8 and the amplifier(s).

9) Now increase the volume on your source
unit to your normal listening level. For some of
you, this may be louder than others!

10) At this point you may find yourself going
back and adjusting the “Output Level” controls
on your DQL-8 to accommodate for the speaker
placement and efficiency.

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4) Starting with the DQL-8 “Input Level” con
trols, adjust the control knobs until the “Input
Maximized” LED’s begin to flicker steadily with
the music.

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AudioControl®

Dash Control

Placement And Mounting

The dash control may be mounted under the
dash using its own bracket or through a custom
hole in the dash. It should be within
reach of the driver and in a
spot where the LED is
plainly visible.

Figure 7: Dash Control Assembly

Dash Bracket Installation

The dash control mounts with two screws,
which attach to the underside of the dashboard.
Slide under the dash and place the dash control
in its mounting position, mark the two mount
ing holes, drill pilot holes, and secure with two
screws.

Custom Installation

For that custom, finished look, the dash con­trol can be flush mounted directly on the dash
board (or anywhere else). We have provided an
extra label to help make this happen. Referenc
ing Figure 7, disassemble the dash control from
the mounting bracket. Start by pushing the LED
from its holder followed by removing the circuit
board and rotary control from the bracket. Drill
a 9/32 hole in the dashboard for the control
along with a 1/8 hole for the lock tab and a 13/64
hole for the LED holder. Reassemble the dash
control components on the dashboard and ap
ply the new label over the openings

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Navigating Your DQL-8 Menus

One of the major benefits of using an
AudioControl digital processor is that digital
technology provides the ability to use less knobs
and buttons yet you can get more control. In
the past, a processor that has all of the equaliza
tion and crossover characteristics of the DQL-8
would normally require almost 200 individual
controls and occupy an area as large as your
trunk. AudioControl’s digital technology allows
the DQL-8 to offer a plethora of features in one
compact chassis. And since there are only a few
knobs, navigating through the DQL-8’s functions
is quite simple.

When you first apply power to your DQL­8, it will go through a few “wake-up” screens,
including some subliminal promotion of the
AudioControl brand. It will then display a
friendly blue screen (not the scary blue screen
found on many computers). Fear not, because
the blue screen on the DQL-8 is actually a good
thing.

-

Menu Tree:

on one of these menu screens, you will want to
spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself with
the various modes. Although the DQL-8 has
one main screen, there are numerous sub menu
screens that allow you to access and program all
of the various functions of your DQL-8. Figure
8 shows you how the Menu Tree of your DQL-8
flows.

Once your DQL-8 has settled

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Figure 8: DQL-8 Menu Tree

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1) Digital Status Display: This cool blue

screen will tell you which mode your DQL-8 is in.

2) Select: Every time you tap this button, you
will scroll through the various modes in your
DQL-8.

3) “+” and “-” Navigation Buttons:
Depending upon where your cursor is flash
ing, these buttons will allow you to change the
frequency, apply boost/cut and vary the band
width or “Q” of your equalization filters.

4) Left and Right Navigation Buttons:
Within each mode there are several sub func
tions (i.e. Freq., Lvl, Width, etc.) that you can
access using these buttons. By tapping on these
buttons and watching the flashing cursor, you
can navigate through each function on the
screen.

❶ ❷ ❸

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-

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¹

Summing, Output Modes, and
Level Control

The DQL-8 has the ability to accept two, four,
six or eight inputs, sum them together, and pro
vide up to six channels of output. The system
diagrams on the previous pages will give you
an idea of some of the possible configurations.
Using the “Select” button, toggle through the
menu’s to the Summing Mode screen:

-

SumChs=1,2,3,4 DDC^
Mode=2ch Lvl=Mstr

Figure 10: Summing

In this menu you have the ability to sum to­gether channels, select Output Configurations,
and select whether the Level Control is con
trolling the Subwoofer level or is serving as the
Master Volume control for the system:

Summing: The DQL-8 will allow you to sum
together the signals from your factory installed
source unit or amplifier. This means that if your
factory installed system is actively crossed over,
you can sum the signals together into a full
range signal. Here are the

SumChs options:

-

Figure 9: DQL-8 Main Menu Screen

“None” All Inputs and are independent.
Main Inputs feed signals to Front Highpass

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put, Channel 3 / Rear inputs feed Rear Highpass
outputs, and Channel 4 / Sub inputs feed the
Subwoofer outputs.

“1 + 2” Sums together the Main Inputs with

the Channel 2 inputs.

“1 + 2 + 3” Sums together the Main Inputs

with the Channel 2 and Channel 3 inputs.

“1 + 2 + 3 + 4” Sums together the Main In­puts with the Channel 2 , Channel 3 and Chan­nel 4 inputs.

“1 + 2 & 3 +4” Sums together the Main In­puts with the Channel 2 inputs (outputs to Front
High Pass and sub) plus Channel 3 and Channel
4 inputs (outputs to rear High Pass).

tion is only available in the 4 channel mode.

Use the “+” and “-” buttons and navigation ar
rows to select the proper Summing Mode.

Output Mode: Once this mode is selected
you will want to select the appropriate Output
Mode to activate the Outputs of the DQL-8.
Depending upon your system configuration, you
have three basic configurations:

2 ch – Outputs to the Front and Subwoofer
channels

4 ch – Outputs to the Front, Rear, and Sub­woofer outputs with the Subwoofer receiving
signal from your Front signals.

21

Note: This op-

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Owner’s Enjoyment Manual

Independent Sub – Outputs to the Front,
Rear, and Subwoofer outputs with the Subwoof
er being fed from the Channel 4 Inputs.

The “+” and “-“ buttons will allow you to
select an “Output Mode” that matches up with
the outputs of your source unit (i.e., 2 channel,
4 channel, or Independent Sub). Once you have
selected the proper mode, tap the “Select” button
and the DQL-8 will prompt you to confirm your
choice. Your DQL-8 has cool blue LED indica
tors located on the top chassis that will indicate
which “Output Mode” you are in.

Level Control: Your DQL-8 comes with a
remote level control that can serve as the Master
Volume or Subwoofer level for your system. The
“+” or “-“ buttons will allow you to select be
tween
If your system is equipped with a DDC, you
actually have the option of toggling between the
Master Volume Control and the Subwoofer level
control from the front seat of the car. Select
“Sub” in your “Lvl” menu and then proceed
to use the dash level control to set the subwoofer
to an optimum level. You can then return to the
“Lvl” menu and change to the master volume
to “Mstr” and use the dash level control (not
the DDC) to control the volume

“Mstr” or “Sub” under the “Lvl” menu.

.

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Auxiliary Input: Your DQL-8 is equipped
with a 2-channel auxiliary input that allows you
to add an external audio source like an iPod, Sat
ellite Radio tuner, etc. To activate this input, you
need to push the Master Level control volume
knob. It will click once and a bright blue LED
will come on your dash control indicating that
the auxiliary input is now turned on. When
using a second source you will want to use the
Master Volume control to control this source’s
loudness.

-

MODE: Crossover

6 ch FH=90 RH=90
Mode PFM=250 Sub=90

Figure 11: Crossover Screen

4 ch – Outputs to the Front, Rear, and Sub­woofer outputs with the Subwoofer receiving
signal from your Front signals.

The top left hand corner of the Crossover
screen will indicate which “Output” mode
you are in. The display also shows the current
crossover and subsonic filter frequency settings.
These are the points where the subwoofer out
put begins, where the subwoofer/midrange meet
and where the midrange/highpass outputs cross
over. Using the “Left” and “Right” arrows you

-

can scroll between the following settings:

FH: Lowest frequency of your Front output

RH: Lowest frequency of your Rear output.

Sub: Subwoofer crossover frequency.

PFM: The Programmable Frequency Match

(PFM) is a high pass filter that serves as a 24 dB/
octave subsonic filter for your system. Typically
you will want to set this at the absolute bottom
end or tuning frequency of your system.

MODE: Front EQ, Rear EQ,
Sub EQ

Front EQ Freq = 1kHz
L= +6dB >o< R =+4dB

Figure 12: Graphic EQ Screen

Your DQL-8 has numerous graphical equaliza­tion filters for each channel; thirty for the front
channels and nineteen for the rear plus sixteen
for the subwoofer. In the Graphic EQ mode,
you can select any of the frequencies, one at a
time, and apply boost or cut. The menu screens
for your graphic equalizers are labeled Front EQ,
Rear EQ, and Sub EQ respectfully. In addition
you can select whether you want the equaliza

­tion controls to affect the left and right channels

-

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individually or control both channels at the
same time.

Freq(uency): This corner of the screen indi­cates which frequency you are boosting or cut
ting. If you wish to select another frequency, tap
the left or right arrow buttons until the cursor is
flashing on the number next to “Freq=”. Then
use the “+” and “-” controls to select the frequen
cy to which you wish to apply boost or cut.

Single or Dual Channel Equalization:
After you have selected a frequency to equalize,
you must decide whether you wish to equal
ize the left channel, the right channel, or both
channels simultaneously. If you are a first time
user, we suggest you equalize both channels
together at first and then individually. Use the
arrow keys to move the cursor to one of the fol
lowing positions:

“L=” Equalizing on the left channel

“>o<”

“R=” Equalizing on the right channel

When the cursor highlights this screen, you
can now apply boost or cut, using the “+” and
“-” controls, to the frequency you selected in the
previous step.

Equalizing both channels simultaneously

-

-

-

Once you have made your equalization set
tings, you will want to tap the Select button, go
to the Memories screen, and save your settings
in one of the eight memory locations. Keep
in mind you have the ability to equalize your
Front, Rear, and Subwoofer speakers individually.

MODE: Front PEQ1, Rear PEQ1

-

and Sub PEQ1

Besides having a highly-flexible graphic equal­izer, your DQL-8 also has two fully program
mable parametric bands for each pair of chan
nels. These allow you to select a frequency, apply
boost or cut, and change the bandwidth or “Q”
of the filter.

FrontPEQ1 mode allows you to set the controls
for the first of the front parametric equalizers
while FrontPEQ2 mode lets you change the set
tings for the second parametric band.

Front PEQ1 Freq=1.00k
Width=1/3 Lvl= 0dB

Figure 13: Front Parametric Equalizer screen

Rear PEQ1 Freq=1.00k
Width=1/3 Lvl= 0dB

Figure 14: Rear Parametric Equalizer screen

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Sub PEQ1 Freq=1.00k
Width=1/3 Lvl= 0dB

Figure 15: Sub Parametric Equalizer screen

Freq(uency): This corner of the screen indi­cates which frequency you are boosting or cut
ting. If you wish to select another frequency, tap
the left or right arrow buttons until the cursor is
flashing on the number next to “Freq=”. Then
use the “+” and “-” controls to select the frequen
cy to which you wish to apply boost or cut.

Lvl: When the cursor highlights this part of
the screen, you can now apply boost or cut to
both channels using the “+” and “-” controls.
Please note that you do not have individual
channel control using the parametric equalizers.

Width: This control lets you select how wide
of an area each of the DQL-8’s parametric bands
affects. You can choose a real narrow bandwidth,
like 1/12 th of an octave or go as wide as three
full octaves. Setting to 1 octave at 60 Hz makes
for a nice sub level control. Adjust to taste.

MODE : Memories

This screen allows you to save or recall settings
to or from one of the eight memory locations.

-

-

Using the Left and Right arrows will cause the cur­sor to highlight one of the following functions:

Recall: When the cursor is flashing next to
this word, you have the ability to recall one of
the eight memories. Push the “+” or “-” buttons
to scroll through the memories and select a
memory to recall.

Memories Recall #1
Save #1

Figure 16: Memory screen

Save: Once you have made your equalization
settings, you will want to save them in one of
the eight memory locations. When the cursor is
flashing next to the word “Save”, use the “+” or
“-” buttons to select a memory location. Once
you have selected a memory location, tap either
the “Left” or “Right” button and the cursor will
move to the bottom left of the screen between
“N(-)” and “Y(+)”. Tap the (+) button to complete
the saving process or tap (-) to quit.

Please note that while you are RECALLING or
SAVING a memory, the cursor will stop blinking.
Once the processor has SAVED or RECALLED all
your settings, it will begin flashing again.

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Adjusting the Equalizer

When it comes to music, everyone’s taste is
different. Some people want pounding bass and
crisp, blood curdling highs. Others may prefer
a “flat” response (whatever the heck that is). At
the end of the day, most people just want their
system to sound balanced, “just like it did in the
store” or their buddy’s car. The following equal
ization guidelines should help you achieve your
own personal audio nirvana.

1) For optimum performance, get your hands
on a test compact disc that contains pink noise
and a good quality RTA (real-time analyzer);
we happen to know someone who makes a
really good one. If you cannot locate an RTA,
you probably want to have your authorized
AudioControl dealer perform the equalization
adjustments, as they will likely have an ana
lyzer. You can certainly adjust your DQL-8 using
your ears, however an RTA will give you the best
results.

2) Begin playing pink noise through your sys
tem and place the microphone for your analyzer
on a microphone stand in the driver’s seat. Take
a careful look at the “curve” on your analyzer
and how one frequency combines with the next.

-

-

-

There is no one curve that will satisfy every
person, as we all have different tastes. (How else
can you explain Liberace, Brittany Spears or rice
cakes?) The key is to use your DQL-8 to help
balance your system from one frequency to the
next and give your speakers the sparkle, sizzle,
detail or punch that the acoustics of the car have
compromised.

3) Start equalizing by removing any large
bumps, peaks, or areas with too much energy at
a particular frequency. Next, boost the ranges
that do not have enough energy. We strongly rec
ommend that you cut or decrease energy before
you boost. Try to keep any boosts to +6dB or less
for best performance.

4) Although the plethora of controls on your
DQL-8 can be intimidating, fear not; they were
designed to give enough control to maximize
your system’s performance but not enough to
get you in trouble. Here is an explanation of the
key areas you should focus on:

Sub-bass: 100 Hz and below -

out bass is like a day without sunshine, unless
you live where we do because most of the days
in the Pacific Northwest do not have sunshine.
Bass is one of the more critical areas and it is also

A car with-

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one of the most difficult to properly reproduce.
Most people prefer their bass frequencies to be
6 to 9 dB louder than the rest of their system,
although there are some crazy folks that prefer
their bass substantially louder. The key in this
area is to have enough speakers and power to
produce the amount of bass you desire. But don’t
use the controls on the DQL-8 to try and force
your speakers to produce sounds they can’t.
Too much bass boost creates a condition called
“speakerus explodus”, which is not pretty to hear
or watch.

Midbass: 100 Hz to 300Hz: - The phrase,
“too much of a good thing”, can certainly apply
to the midbass frequencies. This is the transi
tion area of the audio spectrum that is an octave
above your sub-bass frequencies and several
octaves below your midrange. Most autosound
systems have too much mid-bass due to the
fact that speakers mounted in the doors or kick
panels cause resonances or peaks in the response
curve. These peaks in the mid-bass can actu
ally mask or block sounds in the all-important
midrange area causing your system to sound dull
and lifeless.

-

-

Midrange: 300Hz to 3kHz - Musical
instruments, vocals, mid-range percussion and
many things we associate with imaging and
staging happen in this area of the bandwidth.
For that reason you will want to keep this area
as smooth and balanced as possible. Too much
boosting can make you feel like you are listening
to your system in a tile bathroom. Not enough
energy in the midrange sounds empty and dry.

Treble: 3KHz and Up - If midrange is the cake,
then these high or upper frequencies are the
frosting. Many autosound systems start a grad
ual decline in this area which is why speaker
placement is very important. The DQL-8 only
gives you a few controls in this area because too
much boosting can really make a speaker sound
unnatural.

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AudioControl®

Troubleshooting

No Power: If the blue display on your

DQL-8 will not turn on, check to make sure
that the power wire and remote turn-on wires
are connected properly or a fuse has not blown.
GTO circuit will turn the DQL-8 on automati
cally with signal from the OEM system.

System Sounds Unbalanced: Check your
graphic and parametric equalization settings to
make sure that one channel is not dramatically
different than another.

No Output: If one or more of your outputs
seem to have…no output, than you will want to
confirm that the Inputs are connected properly,
and that you have the Input Mode set properly.
E.g., if you are in “2 Channel” mode, then you
will not have sound from your rear outputs.
Also, make sure your master volume level is set
high enough.

Sounds Distorted: Should your system
sound distorted or your speakers are moving way
too much, you should make sure you have your
levels matched properly and that your ampli
fier gains are set at minimum. If this checks out

-

-

okay, you will want to look at your EQ controls
to insure that your boost levels are not overly
boosted.

Still Sounds Distorted: Look at the fre­quencies that you have selected for FrontPEQ1
and FrontPEQ 2 and see how much boost or cut
you have applied. Then look at those same fre
quencies on your Graphic EQ. If you have boost
applied to the same frequencies on both types
of equalizers, there is a strong chance you are
overdriving your speakers and amplifiers at that
frequency.

Output Voltage LEDs Don’t Light Up:

If your system is playing music but none of the
output LED’s are on, there is a good chance that
the output voltage of your source unit is not
that strong. Try reducing the gains on the after
market amplifier and running the OEM system
at higher levels.

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Under the Cover

1) Input Grounding: For many systems

you can leave this jumper in the UNBALANCED
position. In other systems, the source unit may
look for a ground through the RCA connection
to the amplifier and create a ground loop, which
in turn can cause a whine (not the type that
comes in a bottle) in your system. In that event,
you should set the jumper to the BALANCED
position.

2) Ground Isolation Selector:

ally alternator noise may appear in a system
because the source unit and amplifier are using
different grounding schemes. To help in this sit
uation, we have provided alternative grounding
connections. Make sure your system is turned
OFF before you move these jumpers.

Occasion-

-

And now a word from the legal department.

THE WARRANTY

People are scared of warranties. Lots of fine
print. Months of waiting around. Well, fear no
more, this warranty is designed to make you
rave about us to your friends. It’s a warranty that
looks out for you and helps you resist the temp
tation to have your friend, “...who’s good with
electronics”, try to repair your AudioControl
product. So go ahead, read this warranty, and
then take a few days to enjoy your DQL-8 before
sending in the warranty card and comments.

“Conditional” doesn’t mean anything omi
nous. The Federal Trade Commission tells all
manufacturers to use the term to indicate that
certain conditions have to be met before they’ll
honor the warranty. If you meet all of these
conditions, we will warrant all materials and
workmanship on your DQL-8 for one year from
the date you bought it (five years if it is installed
by an authorized United States AudioControl
dealer). We will fix or replace it, at our option,
during that time.

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Figure 17: Jumper Configuration

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Here are the conditional conditions:

1. You have to fill out the warranty card and
send it to us within 15 days after purchasing your
DQL-8.

2. You must keep your sales receipt for proof
of purchase showing when and from whom the
unit was bought. We’re not the only ones who
require this, so it’s a good habit to get into with
any major purchase.

3. Your DQL-8 must have originally been pur
chased from an authorized AudioControl dealer.
You do not have to be the original owner, but
you do need a copy of the original sales slip.

4. You cannot let anybody who isn’t (A) the
AudioControl factory; (B) somebody authorized
in writing by AudioControl to service your DQL-

8. If anyone other than (A) or (B) messes with
your DQL-8, that voids your warranty.

5. The warranty is also void if the serial num
ber is altered or removed, or if your DQL-8 has
been used improperly. Now that sounds like a
big loophole, but here is all we mean by it.

Unwarranted abuse is (A) physical damage
(don’t use the DQL-8 for a jack stand); (B) improp
er connections (120 volts into the power jack can

-

-

fry the poor thing); (C) sadistic things. This is the
best mobile product we know how to build, but
if you mount it to the front bumper of your car,
something will go wrong.

6. If an authorized United States AudioControl
dealer installs your DQL-8, the warranty is five
years; otherwise the warranty is one year.

Assuming you conform to 1 through 6, and it
really isn’t all that hard to do, we get the option
of fixing your old unit or replacing it with a new
one.

LEGALESE SECTION

This is the only warranty given by
AudioControl. This warranty gives you specific
legal rights that vary from state to state. Prom
ises of how well the DQL-8 will perform are not
implied by this warranty. Other than what we
have covered in this warranty, we have no obli
gation, express or implied. Also, we will not be
obligated for direct or indirect consequential
damage to your system caused by hooking up
the DQL-8.

Failure to send in a properly completed war
ranty card negates any service claims.

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DQL-8 BLOCK DIAGRAM - Two Channel Mode

™

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DQL-8 BLOCK DIAGRAM - Four Channel Mode

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The Strength of Digital

DQL-8 BLOCK DIAGRAM - Six Channel /

DQL-8 BLOCK DIAGRAM - Independent Sub Mode

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DQL-8 SPECIFICATIONS

All specifications are measured at 14.4 VDC (standard automotive voltage). As technology advances,
AudioControl reserves the right to continuously change our specifications like our weather.

©2006, AudioControl,
a division of Electronic
Engineering and
Manufacturing, Inc.
All rights reserved.
AudioControl, Making Good
Stereo Sound Better, DQL­8, DQX, DQT, DDC and
DXS, are all trademarks of
Electronic Engineering and
Manufacturing, Inc.

This manual was conceived,
designed, and written on
several bleak, windy, and
dreary rain-drenched days
at our home in the Pacific
Northwest Rainforest outside
of Seattle, Washington. The
lattés were hot and the
wheat beers were cold like
our weather.

AudioControl

22410 70th Avenue West
Mountlake Terrace, WA

98043 USA

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

www.audiocontrol.com

Maximum speaker level input (each channel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400 watts @ 4 ohms

Maximum output level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.5 Vrms

Output gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +/- 10dB

Frequency response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Hz-22kHz

Total harmonic distortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.01%

Signal to Noise ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105dB

Balanced input noise rejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60dB

Input Impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20k Ohms

Output Impedance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Ohms

Crossover slope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 dB/octave

Crossover type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linkwitz-Riley

Crossover frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 1/12th octave increments

PFM subsonic filter slope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 dB/octave

Graphic Equalization Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Front - 30 bands, 1/3 octave 25 Hz - 20 kHz

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rear - 19 bands, 1/2 octave 32 Hz - 16 kHz

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sub - 14 bands, 1/3 octave 25 Hz - 500 kHz

Parametric Equalization Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 bands, 25 Hz - 20 kHz , Adjustable Centers

Parametric Equalization Bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/12 to 3 octaves

Equalization boost/cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +/- 12 dB

Power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . High headroom PWM switching

Power draw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Amp

®

Recommended fuse rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Amp

Remote Trigger Output Current Maximum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Amp

Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.25”Hx7.2”Dx12.3”W

Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.2 lbs.

Location of AudioControl Factory

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mountlake Terrace, Washington USA

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