Audio Control OVERDRIVE Owner's Manual

Installation Examples and Hookup Diagrams

The Simple, but Killer, Competition Two-way system

Competition Two-way System

Four Channel System with Two Overdrives

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Two-way System with Passive Crossover

Installation Precautions/Hints

Do not mount the OVERDRIVE Line Driver where it will be exposed to outside elements or extreme temperatures. Avoid areas of severe vibration or shock. The front bumper is off limits.

• Mount the OVERDRIVE as close to the head unit as possible. Absolutely

mount it at the front of the vehicle.

• Use high quality, 100% shielded audio cables.

• Plan on a single-point (star ground) scheme so all components, including the head unit, connect to a common ground point. Use no less than 14 gauge wire for the power and ground connections.

• Make certain that there are no fuel lines, brake lines, electrical wires or anything else that you don’t want to run a drill bit through. That includes things on the back side of that floor panel you’re about to punch a hole in.

• Make certain the OVERDRIVE is firmly mounted with screws so it won’t come flying off the next time you blast over a speed bump.

• Adjust the Overdrive for the maximum that the next component in the chain can handle. Make certain that whatever component you put after the OVERDRIVE can withstand the output voltage you dial up. The inputs to many crossovers and amplifiers will clip around 2 volts. All AudioControl products can handle inputs from 5 to 9 volt RMS.

• Turn down your amp gains to their minimum setting. Then you can run a higher signal (better signal to noise) into the amplifiers. Don’t worry, your amps will still go to full output (unless they actually MUTE when at minimum). For more information on this, ask us for Tech Note 1006.

The OVERDRIVE Line Driver is part of the AudioControl Performance Match Series of products. The Performance Match products will extract killer performance from your car stereo system.

There are real world barriers to good autosound such as the fact that doors and trunks rarely make good speaker boxes. AudioControl Performance Match products like the Concert Series 2XStm and 3XStm crossovers; the Concert Series EQLtm, EQXtm, and EQTtm equalizers; and The Concert Series Epicenter bass maximizer will help you overcome those barriers. AudioControl components make it easy to adjust or “voice” components to the specific acoustics and hostile elements of your stereo system whether it’s a sleek Honda or stylish ThunderBird. The result is, as one warranty card stated, “A dream come true.”

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Blatant Plug

And now a word from the legal department...

The WARRANTY

People are scared of warranties. Lots of fine print, lots of noncooperation, months of waiting around. Well, don’t be scared of this warranty. It’s designed to make you rave about us to your friends. It’s a warranty that looks out for you and helps you resist the temptation to have your friend “who’s good with electronics” try to repair your AudioControl OVERDRIVE. So go ahead and read this warranty, then enjoy your new component for a few days before sending in the warranty card and comments.

“Conditional” doesn’t mean anything ominous. 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 honor these conditions, we will warrant all materials and workmanship on your OVERDRIVE for five years from the date you bought it, if installed by an authorized AudioControl dealer, and will fix or replace it, at our option, during that time.

Here are the conditions that make this warranty conditional:

1. You have to fill out the warranty card and send it to us within

15 days after you purchase your OVERDRIVE.

2. You must keep your sales slip or receipt so you have proof

when and from whom you bought your OVERDRIVE. We’re

not the only company to require this, so it’s a good habit to be

in with any stereo purchase.

3. Your OVERDRIVE has to have been originally purchased from

an authorized AudioControl dealer. You do not have to be the

original owner to take advantage of the warranty, but the date

of purchase is still important, so be sure to get a copy of the

sales slip from the original owner.

4. You cannot let anybody who isn’t: (a) the AudioControl

Factory; (b) an authorized service center; or (c) someone

authorized in writing by AudioControl service your OVER-

DRIVE. If anyone other than (a), (b) or (c) messes with your

OVERDRIVE, that voids the warranty.

5. The warranty is also void if the serial number has been altered

or removed, or if the AudioControl OVERDRIVE is used

improperly. Now, that sounds like a big loophole, but here is

all we mean by it.

Unwarranted abuse is: (a) physical damage (our mobile products are not meant to be used as jack stands for your car); (b) improper connection (we have done the best we can to protect the inputs, however, 120 volts into the jacks can fry the innards of the poor beasty); (c) sadistic things.

This is the best mobile product we know how to manufacture, but if you use it for the front bumper of your Baja bug and get it full of water and dirt, things will go wrong.

Assuming you conform to numbers 1 through 5, and it isn’t all that hard to do, we get the option of deciding whether to fix your old unit or replace it with a new one.

Legalese Section

This is the only warranty given by AudioControl. This warranty gives you specific legal rights which vary from state to state.

Promises of how well your OVERDRIVE will work are not implied by this warranty. Other than what we’ve covered in this warranty, we have no obligation, express or implied. Also, we will not be obligated for direct or indirect consequential damage to your system caused by hooking up the AudioControl OVERDRIVE.

Failure to send in a properly-completed warranty card negates any service claims.

information on level matching. products make it a snap to set levels! Request Tech Note 1006 for more anywhere from 5 to 9 volts RMS. LED voltage indicators on many of our signal processors can all put out at least 7.5 volts RMS, and can take in amplifiers can handle up to about 2 volts before they clip. AudioControl you MATCH the input voltage of your components. Most crossovers and products are capable of high-voltage input and output, it is important that possible signal levels for best signal-to-noise ratio. Since all AudioControl the not so joyous sound of clipping. At the same time, you want the highest signal into an electronic component. If you send too much, you’ll experience

Level Matching is about making sure you run just the right amount of

gain in all of its signal processors. setting levels in your car’s system. And that’s why AudioControl provides have a quiet head unit. This “weakest link” theory is the basic idea behind only be as good as the noisiest component. Which is why it’s important to level up at the beginning of the signal path. The signal-to-noise ratio will be readily improved by raising the signal level. It’s best to get the signal better. Since you really can’t reduce the noise floor, signal-to-noise ratio can and the noise floor of an electronic component. The higher the signal, the

Signal-to-noise ratio is simply the difference between the signal level

Ratio and Level Matching

Short course in Signal-to-Noise

isolated) to either the top two pins (ground) or the bottom two pins (200Ω). system power OFF, move the black jumpers from the center two pins (fully different settings if you run into this problem. To change the settings, turn provided some alternate power supply grounding choices. Experiment with

Should alternator whine rear its ugly head during the installation, we have

´ Ground Isolation Jumpers

thank you. these two jumpers to their Unbalanced position. The OVERDRIVE will OVERDRIVE like The Epicenter or ESP-2, it is important that you change

The Inside

set this one for you. If, however, you have an unbalanced input after the know you prefer balanced-input AudioControl components downstream, so we

We ship the OVERDRIVE with these in the BALANCED position. We

³ Output Grounding Jumpers

that event, go ahead and change the jumper position to UNbalanced. head unit may require that its output RCA shield be connected to ground. In

Leave this one set to BALANCED for most applications. Occasionally a

² Input Grounding Jumpers

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Overdrive just will not power up! up. But if you put the plug in upside down, nothing will be damaged, the your trunk’s cavernous darkness. Screws on top of the connector should face convenience of a well-lighted area and then plug them in by feel all at once in up all the power and turn-on wires for your OVERDRIVE Line Driver in the

± Power Connector: This convenient little connector allows you to hook

7.5 volt RMS light flickering. Go ahead. Light it up! component that you connect after the OVERDRIVE Line Driver won’t mind the flicker, more if the rest of your components can handle it. Any AudioControl

The Outside

5 volts or 7.5 volts RMS. You’ll most likely want at least the 2 volt light to

2, 5, 7.5 Volt: These lights will tell you when the signal level is at 2 volts,

backing off on the Gain Control until it stops flickering. pushing the limit — nearing the redline — entering the danger zone. Try

° Maximized: When this light flickers while music is playing, you’re

properly connecting the power terminal.

¯ Power: If you see this one lighted, pat yourself on the back for

Output status LEDs

the OVERDRIVE, up to 7.5 volts RMS. component , you can rest assured it can handle the hot signal voltage from may have in your system. If you connect the outputs to any AudioControl equalizer, crossover, amplifier, or virtually any other electronic gadget you be connected to the next component in your system. This could be an

® Outputs: Next to the inputs are the balanced outputs which should

If in doubt, check with the manufacturer. about 2 volts input without clipping (AudioControl units can take much more). overdriving your average crossover or amplifier. Many can’t handle more than 4 volts RMS out of the OVERDRIVE Line Driver. However, be careful about system. Even if your head unit’s output is as little as 250mV, you can still get OVERDRIVE will be able to squirt out 8 volts RMS into the rest of your amplifiers inputs. If your head unit’s maximum output is only 500mV, the to 24dB of gain or 13 volts peak (9 volts RMS) to your signal processors or downstream signal processors or amplifiers. With this control you can get up

- Input Gain Control: Used to increase the amount of signal to your

balanced. The OVERDRIVE will still reject the noise. We designed it that way. fewer ground loops from these guys. Don’t worry if your source is not directly from the main source unit/head unit. You’ll get noise rejection and

¬ Inputs: The OVERDRIVE’s balanced inputs get their signals

A GUIDED TOUR OF THE OVERDRIVE

OVERDRIVE

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.

Maximum input/output level ........................................... 9Vrms/13V peak

Frequency response ..................................................... 10Hz-100kHz;±1dB

Total harmonic distortion ................................................................ 0.005%

Signal to Noise ratio ........................................................................ >110dB

Input Impedance ........................................................................... 20Kohms

Output Impedance ........................................................................... 45ohms

Input gain .......................................................................................... 0-24dB

Power supply ....................... transformer isolated PWM DC/DC converter

Power draw ....................................................................................... 150mA

Recommended fuse rating ................................................................. 1 Amp

Size ........................................................................... 5.00” x 4.25” x 1.25”

Weight................................................................................................... 2 lbs

Balanced Differential Inputs .................................................................. Yes

Input Ground Isolation Jumpers ............................................................. Yes

Output Ground Isolation Jumpers .......................................................... Yes

AudioControl, Making Good Stereo Sound Better, Performance Match, and

OVERDRIVE are all trademarks of Electronic Engineering and Manufacturing, Inc.

This literature was conceived, designed, and written under the protective canopy of the lush, green, misty rain forest on a drizzly, gray overcast day at our home in the Pacific Northwest.

22410 70th Avenue West • Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 425-775-8461 • Fax 425-778-3166 • www.audiocontrol.com

P/N 9130380

Concert Series

Line Driver

Owner’s Enjoyment

Manual

Congratulations!

You have just purchased a high-performance autosound product, the

AudioControl OVERDRIVE Line Driver. The OVERDRIVE will allow you to utilize every last bit of performance and sound quality that you’ve always strived for from your vehicle’s sound system. So find a nice dry spot well away from the rainforest drizzle, and take in the clean air along with this Enjoyment Manual for the OVERDRIVE Line Driver.

Features of the Concert Series OVERDRIVE:

• High signal voltage capability: 13 volts peak output

• 24 dB of gain

• Balanced differential inputs

• Low-impedance balanced differential outputs

• Ultra-low distortion, ultra-quiet operation

• Anti-oscillating, high-current output circuitry

• High-headroom PWM switching power supply

• Selectable ground isolation

• Optimum voltage indicator LEDs

making good stereo sound better

FEATURES

High-Voltage Line Driver

The OVERDRIVE is a line driver that takes the input voltage of a source unit and increases it (up to 13 volts peak) and then delivers it downstream. No more feeble output voltage to send or allow noise into the rest of your system.

Balanced Inputs & Outputs

The OVERDRIVE uses balanced differential input circuitry that rejects any noise that radiates into the signal path between the source unit and your OVERDRIVE. The OVERDRIVE can then send a balanced signal downstream to another processor or amplifier that has balanced inputs, (or not) i.e., AudioControl signal processors and System90 powered signal processors. The balanced output will ensure that the signal will remain noise free.

Anti-Oscillating Output Circuitry

Driving long lengths of cable can present a nasty capacitive load to the source that has to drive them. This capacitance can cause instabilties which can lead to oscillations, radio interference and excessive system hiss. The OVERDRIVE’s low-impedance, high-current output circuitry can easily handle long cable runs without their associated problems.

Four Output Voltage Indicators

Setting voltage levels for best signal-to-noise performance can be a real pain — especially when you have to get out the old digital voltmeter and find a way to make those probes stay put while you try to read the dancing LCD display. With the OVERDRIVE’s voltage indicator LEDs, you can say good-bye to that headache. Just turn the OVERDRIVE gain control until your favorite light flickers and you’re done!

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Selectable Ground Isolation

Avoiding ground loops and grounding-related noises are of paramount importance in any installation. For this reason we have provided a flexible scheme of isolating signal grounds and power grounds.

The Most Important Feature Of All: Reliability.

That’s right, your AudioControl OVERDRIVE comes with a full 5 year parts and labor warranty when it is installed by an authorized United States AudioControl dealer. These seasoned pros have the training and the equipment to take care of the job quickly and not leave your installation looking like some of those things in the back of the refrigerator. Keep in mind that if you or your friends are “good with electronics” and you choose to install it yourselves, your OVERDRIVE still has a 1 year parts and labor warranty.

To activate your warranty, you need to FILL OUT AND SEND IN YOUR WARRANTY CARD! Also, save your invoice or sales slip as proof of purchase. Not only are these necessary for warranty purposes, they are also important if the unforeseen disappearance of your OVER-

DRIVE should happen while you are socializing at the local espresso and salmon bar. Insurance companies have very little imagination.