Due to continuous improvement of the product the Specifications are subject to change without notice.
LIMITED WARRANTY
DB DRIVE warrants any products purchased in the U.S.A. from
an authorized DB DRIVE dealer. All products are warranted to be free
from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and
service for a period of (1) year when the unit is installed by an autho-
rized DB DRIVE dealer. Non-authorized dealer installed products carry
a one (1) year parts and labor limited warranty. This warranty applies to
the original purchase only.
DB DRIVE will either repair or replace (as its option) any unit
that has been found to be defective and under warranty provided the
defect occurs within:
One (1) year if purchased through an authorized DB DRIVE dealer.
This limited warranty does not extend to units that have been
subjected to misuse, abuse, neglect, or accident. Products that in DB
DRIVE’s judgment shows evidence of having been altered, modified, or
serviced without DB DRIVE’s authorization, will be ineligible under this
warranty.
SPA90.2 SPA90.4 SPA150.4
SPA1000D SPA1300D
SPA1600D SPA1900D
AMPLIFIERS
To obtain warranty service please contact your retailer or see
our web site at wwwdbdrive.net for more details.
DB Research L.L.P.
302 Hanmore Industrial Parkway // Harlingen, TX 78550
ph: 877.787.0101 // fx: 956.421.4513 // www.dbdrive.net
®
Instruction Manual
• Instalation Instructions / Owners Manual •
INTRODUCTION
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Congratulations on your purchase of a DB Drive state-of-the-art power amplifier. Your
selection of a DB Drive car audio product indicates a true appreciation of fine musical
reproduction. Whether adding to an existing system or including your DB Drive amplifier in
a new system, you are certain to notice immediate performance benefits.
KEEP YOUR SALES RECEIPT
Take this time to attach your sales receipt to the manual and put in a safe place. In case
of any unforeseen reason this product may need warranty service, your receipt will be
necessary to establish purchase date.
RECOMMENDATION
A power amplifier’s performance is only as good as its installation. Proper installation will
maximize the system’s overall performance. It is recommended that you have our product
installed by an authorized DB Drive retailer. However, if you decide to install it yourself,
please carefully read through this manual and take your time to do a quality installation.
Due to continuing product improvements and possible manual revisions, we recommend
checking our website for latest product information at www.dbdrive.net.
IMPORTANT! Before making any connections, disconnect the car’s battery until the
installation is completed to avoid possible damage to the electrical system.
Fuse amplifiers power wire at the battery
Be sure to fuse the power wire within 12” of the car’s battery. This will protect the car’s
battery in case of a short circuit between the power amplifier and battery. THIS IS A
MUST, the amplifier’s built-in fuse will only protect the power amplifier not the car’s
battery!
Use high grade wire connectors
To ensure maximum power transfer and secure safe connections, it is recommended to
use high grade barrier spades (for connection at amplifier) and terminal rings (for connection at battery).
Do not run any wires underneath vehicle
Exposed wires have a chance of being cut or damaged. It is best to run all wires through
the vehicle under the carpet and/or side panels. This lends to a cleaner installation and
less risk of damage.
Use caution when mounting amplifier
Remember there are many electrical wires, gas lines, vacuum lines, brake lines as well as
a gas tank in the automobile. Make sure you now where they are when mounting the
amplifier to avoid puncturing lines, shorting wires or drilling holes in the gas tank.
Run signal wires away from electrical wires
WARNING!
Exposure to high power sound system can cause hearing loss or
damage. Listening to your system at loud levels while driving will
impair your ability to hear traffic sounds and emergency vehicles.
Use common sense when listening to your system.
Serial # ___________________ Model # _______________________
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To avoid possibility of induced noise from the car’s electrical system (i.e. popping noises
or engine noise), run wires away from the car’s electrical wiring.
Make all ground wires as short as possible and at the same point
In order to reduce the chance of ground loops (i.e. engine noise), make the grounding
wire as short as possible to reduce the wire’s resistance. Also, when using multiple
components, make sure all units are grounded at the same point.
Avoid sharp edges when running the wires
To avoid the possibility of power, signal or speaker shorts, be careful not to allow the
amplifiers wires to come in contact with sharp edges. Use a grommet to protect the wire
when running through the fire wall.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Line out
DC Offset Protection
This circuit protects the output of the amplifier against DC voltage. If for some reason DC
voltage is detected at the output stage, the amplifier will shut down protecting the speakers
from direct current.
Short Circuit Protection
The circuit protects the amplifier from damage due to a short found in the speakers or
wiring. If one of the speakers or its wiring comes in contact with ground, the amplifier will
shut down. To resume normal operation, correct the problem and turn the head unit off, then
back on. The amplifier will reset and play again.
Thermal Protection
To protect the amplifier circuitry against damage caused by prolonged exposure to high
temperatures, a thermal protection circuit is activated if the amplifier reaches excessively
high operating temperature. Once the thermal circuit is activated, the amplifier will shut
down to cool off. The amplifier will automatically turn back on once it cools down to a safe
operating temperature.
Power Indicator
The diagnostic L.E.D. illuminates when the amplifier is on and receiving power.
Built-in Crossover
The “Speed Series” amplifiers include a built-in variable crossovers. The crossover features
a variable frequency selection for precise low pass filtering for the SPA1000D, SPA1300D ,
SPA1600D and SPA1900D. The SPA90.2 , SPA90.4 and SPA150.4 also offer the same
frequency selection with the option of low or high pass filtering.
Full range line outputs have been provided for convenient connection to additional amplifiers in the system. The outputs are buffered to reduce signal loss. Please note that the
amplifier’s input level adjusts these level outputs.
Power Fusing
This protects the amplifier against short circuits and excessive current.
Remote Turn-on
Automatically turns amplifier on when connected to the head unit’s remote output. The
amplifier will turn on and off with the head unit to save current consumption. This control
also operates the reset circuit for the amplifier’s protection. It must be connected with the
head unit in order to reset protection circuits.
Adjustable Input Sensitivity
Allows you to fine-tune the level matching between your source and the power amplifier.
Low Impedance Stability
SPA1000D -1 Ohm Mono
SPA1300D -1 Ohm Mono
SPA1600D -1 Ohm Mono
SPA1900D -1 Ohm Mono
SPA90.2 -2 Ohm Stereo, 4 Ohm Bridged
SPA90.4 -2 Ohm Stereo, 4 Ohm Bridged
SPA150.4 -2 Ohm Stereo, 4 Ohm Bridged
Power and Speaker Distribution Blocks
Heavy gauge bare wire distribution blocks are provided for maximum power and signal
transfer with minimal resistance.
Bass Boost (SPA1000D SPA1300D SPA1600D SPA1900D)
For added low frequency performance the amplifiers are equipped with a variable *0~18 dB
bass boost @ 45Hz.
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