Clarion APX400.4 User Manual

OPERATION

INSTALLATION

MANUAL

clafton

4

Channel

Power

System

Amplifier

INTRODUCTION

The ClanonAPX400AISa full-featured four-channel amplifier.Itcomes wIth

The Clarion APX400.4 is a full-featured four-channel amplifier. It comes with

the folloWIng features:

the followmg features:

• Full frequency response wIth low distortIon and exceptIOnal sIgnal to

l

Full frequency response with low distortion and exceptional signal to noise

performance

performance

• Advanced

l

Advanced circuit design features bridgeable and mixed mode operation for

use m a vanety

use m a variety of 4,3 or 2 channel systems

• Independent front andrear, low-pass/hlgh-pass electromc crossovers each

l

Independent front and rear, low-pass/high-pass electromc crossovers each

With

with a 12dB per octave slope and full adjustment range (from 55Hz to 550Hz

Front and 55Hz to 5.5kHz Rear) to aId

Front and 55Hz to 5.5kHz Rear) to aid m audio system design

• Vanable bass boost

l

Variable bass boost cncmt to reinforce low frequency signals that may be

lost due to subwoofer box design

lost due to subwoofer box design

• Adjustable Input level controls

l

Adjustable input level controls with ground loop isolation accepting a wide

range

range of input signals

• Remote tum-on

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Remote turn-on with “soft start” mutmg to prevent turn-on “thump”

• Pulse-WIdth modulated (PWM) MOSFET power supply

l

Pulse-width modulated (PWM) MOSFET power supply with low AM RF1

and protectIOn

and protection circuits for overheating and speaker shorts

• 2 ohm load capacity

l

2 ohm load capacity to drive a variety of speaker systems

• Gold-plated Input/output connectors and an external automotIVe type fuse

l

Gold-plated mput/output connectors and an external automotive type fuse

• Alummumheat

l

Aluminum heat smk for efficient heat dissipatton

• Low profile, compact size for space limited InstallatIOns

l

Low profile, compact size for space limited installations

ABOUT

b

To

start enjoyIng your new

To start enjoying your new Clarion four-channel amplifier, please read the

InstructIOns listed

mstructtons listed m this manual. Keep all instructions for future reference.

Please fill out and send

Please fill out and send m the enclosed warranty card to protect your purchase

and aid

and aid m warranty service. Also, save your original sales receipt as proof of

purchase.

purchase.

CIrcUIt

desIgn features bndgeable and mIxed mode operatIOn for

of

4, 3 or 2 channel systems

a 12dB per octave slope and full adjustment range (from 55Hz to 550Hz

In

audio system design

CIrcUIt

to remforce low frequency signals that may be

With

ground loop IsolatIOn acceptIng a wide

of

Input signals

With

"soft start" mutmg to prevent tum-on "thump"

With

low

CircUits

THE

MANUAL

In

warranty service. Also, save

for overheatIng and speaker shorts

to

dnve a vanetyofspeaker systems

SInk

for effiCient heat

AND

WARRANTY

Clanon

In

thiS

manual. Keep all InstructIOns for future reference.

In

the enclosed warranty card to protect your purchase

diSSipatIOn

four-channel amplifier, please read the

your

original

sales

receiptasproof

AM

nOIse

RFI

of

TABLEOFCONTENTS

Descrlptlon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*..o..o.~

DescrIption • •

Input ConnectIOns andAudio Controls

Input Connections and Audio Controls

ConnectIOns for Power and Speakers

Connections for Power and Speakers

Applications l ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~6

ApplicatIons

Installation l ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~*~~~~~

InstallatIon

Mo~tlngPrecautlons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..oll

MountIng

WirlngPrecautlons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..***o*ll

WirIng

&ttlngth&aln l ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3

SettIng

Se~lngtheCrossover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...013

Setting the Crossover

Se~lngtheBassBoost l ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3

Setting the Bass Boost

FinalSystemChecks l ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4

Final System Checks

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...14

TroubleshootIng

ProductSpecs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l .ee.15

Product

Nofes..o.......o..............................ol5

Notes·

2

2

PrecautIons

the

Specs

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PrecautIons

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OWNER'S

MANUAL

DESCRIPnON

The ClanonAPX400.4 4-channel car audio amplifierISan excellent choice for
creatmg a vanetyofmulti-channel sound systems.Itfeatures built-m system
deSign flexibility that allows you to create a 2, 3 or 4 channel amplifier
flipofa sWitch.
mixed mode operatIOn to dnve a setofsatellite speakers and/or subwoofer.

The built-m12dB per octave electrOnIc crossover lets you custom tailor the
soundofthe front and rear channels, usmg two mdependent filters
adjustable crossover frequencies for high-pass or low-pass filtermg.

The amplifier also uses an unregulated MOSFET power supply for supenor
controlofoutput wattage. A torOid-coil transformer yields maximum power
transfer
levels, so you
ProtectIOn
or Improper load conditIOns occur.

All connections and controls are on the end panels and are easy to understand.
We
connectIOn for your system. Included are external automotive type fuses that
are easy to replace.

INPUT

The front panelofthe APX400.4 contams connectIOns for RCA Inputs and
Audio Control as shown below.
The Input ConnectIOns are gold-plated RCA Jacks and are labeled as FRONT

With

use gold-plated RCA and

CONNECTIONS AND AUDIO

You

can also configure the front or rear amplifier sectIOns for a

minImum heat loss. Careful

won't

hear unwanted

CirCUits

safeguard the amplifier when overheatmg and speaker shorts

bamer

CirCUit

deSign keeps AM RFI at low

nOise

when the levelIScranked up.

connectors to ensure the best electncal

CONTROL

With

With

a

Figure 1-

1.

Front RCA Input Jacks

2.

Rear RCA Input Jacks

3.

Front Gam Control

4. Rear Gam Control

5.

Bass Boost Control

6.

Rear Channel Input Selector

7 Front Input Mode SWitch

2

10

6

11

8.

Rear

9 Speaker Level Inputs

10.

Front Frequency Control

11.

Front X-Over Mode SWitch

12.

Rear Frequency Control

13.

Multiplier SWitch

14.

Rear X-Over Mode SWitch

14

Input Mode SWitch

3

clarion

RIGHT, FRONT LEFT, REAR RIGHT and REAR LEFT. The Gam Controls
provIde a wIde adjustment range to accommodate output levels from any brand
of

source umt.

•

Gain
nommal operatmg levelofthe amplifier. The amplifier's range, 250mV to 2.5V
for RCA mputs or 500mV to 5V for speaker level mputs, can accommodate
mput levels from vIrtually any brandofsource umt.

4 Channel Power System Amplifier

Controls

- Seperate Front and Rear Gam Controls allow you to set the

• Bass Boost
frequency band) Bass Boost
adjustable gam (from 0 to +18dB) fixed at 45Hz. Use
frequency audio response to compensate for a less than Ideal subwoofer
enclosure desIgn. The added boost produces nch, full bass tones that are
normally difficult to reproduce m the car audio enVIronment. Note:IfBass
BoostISundesIred, set Bass Boost to

Control

- The amplifier also features a "high-Q" (i.e. narrow
CIrcUit.Itacts much like an equalizer, wIth

thIS

feature to tune low-

OdB.

High-passlLow-pass Filter Controls

•

Freq

(Hz)

Controls
between 55Hz and 550Hz. The rear crossover frequencyISfully adjustable
between 55Hz and 5500Hz (vIa the Rear Crossover Frequency MultIplier) for a
wIde rangeofcrossover pomts. Use
manufacturer's recommended crossover frequencIes, to qUickly desIgn a more
advanced system (see ApplicatIons on page 6.) NOTE:IfeItherofthe X-Over
Mode SWItchesISset to OFF, varymg the Freq (Hz) Control will produce no
effect.

•

Rear

X-Over
mcreases the crossover frequencyofthe rear channels by a factorof10.
Example:Ifthe Freq (Hz) dialISset for 240Hz, pushmg m the multIplier
SWItch

•
electromc filters for preCIse frequency attenuatIOn wIth mimmal phase
distortIOn. The steep crossover slopes keep mIdrange tones outofthe
subwoofer and thereby elimmatmg an unnatural "nasal" tone quality m the
audio system. Each filterISactIvated by sliding the X-Over Mode
eIther LP or

changes the settmg to 2400Hz.

X-Over

Mode

HP.

- The front crossover frequencyISfully adjustable

thIS

feature, along wIth your speaker

Frequency

Switches - These sWItches are eqUipped wIth 12dB per octave

Multiplier

Switch - When engaged,

thIS

SWItch

sWItch

to

•

Input

Mode

Switches - These sWItches allow you to set the mput mode for
front and rear channels. Stereo mput allows full left and
RIght (bndged) mput allows smgle channel mput for bndged operatIOn.
espeCIally useful m hIgh-powered systems when usmg the APX400A as a
bndged 2 channel amplifier. L +R (sum mono) allows a stereo mput to be
summed mto a mono output.

nght

stereo operatIOn.

4

ThIS

IS

OWNER'S

•

Rear

Channel Input Select-

dnve

to

•
source. In additIOn, these connectIOns are provIded for mstallatIOns where the
source

all 4 channelsofthIS

Speaker

Level Inputs - These provIde connectIOns for a hIgh-level stereo

umt's

RCA outputs are unavailable.

ThIS

sWItch allows you to use a 2 channel mput

amplifier.

MANUAL

WARNING: When usmg the speaker (hIgh-level) mputs, the Black

be grounded at the Radio. Failure to do
operatIOn.

CONNECTIONS

The rear panelofthe APX400.4 contams power and speaker connectIOns as
shown below.

Figure

1.

2. RIght Front Speaker Output

3. Remote Tum-on Input

4. Ground Input

2-

Left Front Speaker Output

FOR

POWER

2 6

~BA~~ED~

':~

biJr@

----\------11-------------

7 8

thIS

will result m

AND

SPEAKERS

[irijl

5. Battery

6.40Amp Fuse
7 Left Rear Speaker Output

8.

RIght Rear Speaker Output

+ 12v Input

nOIse

@ j

WIre

must

and Improper

u!

®

5

clarion

4

Channel

Power

System

Amplifier

APPLICATIONS

The Clanon APX400.4 4-channel car audio amplifier can be used In a vanety
of

system applicatiOns. We've enclosed some example systems to help plan

your own InstallatiOn.

4-Channel Full-Range Stereo System

RL

Full

Range

RR

Full

Range

FR

Full

Range

Figure 3 - In

thIS

applicatiOn, the APX400.4ISused as a 4-channel amplifier to

dnve four full-range speakersInstereo.

6

FL

Full

Range