Directed Audio 1200T User Manual

model

1200

t

22

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Limited Two-year Consumer Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Installation Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Front Panel Connections/Status LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Rear Panel connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Top Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Amplifier Controls Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Bitwriter® Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Speaker Wiring Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Crossover Settings and Gain Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Subsonic Filter Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Congratulations for choosing a Directed
Audio power amplifier from Directed
Electronics, the industry leader in high
quality automotive security and audio
equipment since 1990.

Directed Audio power amplifiers
continue to set new standards of perfor­mance, reliability, and affordability in
the mobile electronics industry.

Featuring high-efficiency MOSFET power
supplies, flexible on-board crossovers,
and state of the art audio design,
Directed Audio power amplifiers will
excite and delight the mobile sound

enthusiast with years of high-quality
audio reproduction.

Directed Audio power amplifiers come
with a two-year limited warranty if
installed by an authorized Directed
dealer. If not installed by an authorized
dealer, Directed Audio power amplifiers
are covered by a one-year, parts-and­labor limited warranty.

Be sure to retain your original sales
receipt and refer to the warranty section
of this guide for full details about your
coverage.

CONGRATULATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIMITED TWO-YEAR CONSUMER WARRANTY

33

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

Directed Electronics, Inc. promises to the
original purchaser, to replace this product
should it prove to be defective in workman­ship or material under normal use, for a
period of two years from the date of
purchase by the dealer as indicated by the
date code marking of the product PROVIDED
the product was installed by an authorized
Directed dealer. During this two year period,
there will be no charge for this replacement
PROVIDED the unit is returned to Directed,
shipping pre-paid. If the unit is installed by
anyone other than an authorized Directed
dealer, the warranty period will be one-year
from the date of purchase by the dealer as
indicated by the date code marking of the
product. During this one-year period there
will be no charge for this replacement
PROVIDED the unit is returned to Directed,
shipping pre-paid. This warranty is non-trans­ferable and does not apply to any unit that
has been modified or used in a manner
contrary to its intended purpose, and does
not cover damage to the unit caused by
installation or removal of the unit. This
warranty is void if the product has been
damaged by accident or unreasonable use,
neglect, improper service or other causes
not arising out of defects in materials or
construction. ALL WARRANTIES INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO EXPRESS WARRANTY,
IMPLIED WARRANTY, WARRANTY OF

MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR PARTIC­ULAR PURPOSE, AND WARRANTY OF NON­INFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED TO THE
MAXIMUM EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, AND
DIRECTED NEITHER ASSUMES NOR AUTHO­RIZES ANY PERSON TO ASSUME FOR IT ANY
LIABILITY IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE
OF THE PRODUCT. DIRECTED HAS
ABSOLUTELY NO LIABILITY FOR ANY AND
ALL ACTS OF THIRD PARTIES INCLUDING ITS
AUTHORIZED DEALERS OR INSTALLERS. Unit
must be returned to Directed, postage pre­paid, with: consumer’s name, telephone
number, and address, authorized dealer’s
name and address, and product description.
IN ORDER FOR THIS WARRANTY TO BE VALID,
YOUR UNIT MUST BE SHIPPED WITH PROOF
OF INSTALLATION BY AN AUTHORIZED
DIRECTED DEALER. ALL UNITS RECEIVED BY
DIRECTED FOR WARRANTY REPAIR WITHOUT
PROOF OF DIRECTED DEALER INSTALLATION
WILL BE COVERED BY THE LIMITED ONE-YEAR
PARTS AND LABOR WARRANTY. Note: This
warranty does not cover labor costs for the
removal and reinstallation of the unit. BY
PURCHASING THIS PRODUCT, THE
CONSUMER AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT
ALL DISPUTES BETWEEN THE CONSUMER
AND Directed SHALL BE RESOLVED IN ACCOR­DANCE WITH CALIFORNIA LAWS IN SAN
DIEGO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

44

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

FEATURES

 High-speed MOSFET switching

power supply and dual N-channel
MOSFET outputs

 Stereo, mono, or simultaneous

stereo/mono operation

 Thermal, DC offset, reverse polarity,

short circuit and over/under
voltage protection

 Top-mounted controls located under

smoked plexiglass cover

 Programmable features controlled

via ESP serial databus and
Directed's proprietary Bitwriter

®

tool (998T)

**

**

The Bitwriter

®

unit must have version

1.8 or above to access the amplifier
features menu.

 Top and side panel ESP I/O ports

for connection for ESP-2 Security
components and current Bitwriter
module with Audio programming

 Continuously variable 12 dB/octave

two-way crossover (Selectable 24
dB LP/mono mode)

 Variable 0-15 dB bass EQ function

 Buffered stereo full-range RCA

output jacks

 Gold-plated RCA jacks ensure

maximum signal transfer

 Rugged one-piece extruded heat

sink finished with injection-molded
mounting feet

High-powered car audio
systems may produce

sound pressure levels that
exceed the threshold at which hearing
loss may result.

They may also impair a driver’s ability to
hear traffic sounds or emergency vehi­cles. Use common sense and practice
safe listening habits when listening to or
adjusting your audio system.

WARNING

55

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

INSTALLATION GUIDELINES

1. Please read this owner's manual care-

fully before installing this amplifier.

2. Disconnect the battery ground

terminal prior to making any elec­trical connections.

3. Check for any hazards or obstruc-

tions such as gas tanks, fuel or
brake lines, and wiring harnesses
before mounting the amplifier.

4. Pick a mounting location that will

provide adequate access and venti­lation and protect the amplifier
from heat, moisture, and dirt.

5. Avoid sharp metal areas when

routing cables to the amplifier, and
run RCA cables away from the
power cables and other potentially
noisy car harnesses.

6. The amplifier should be grounded

with a short, heavy gauge wire
connected directly to the car at a
bare metal surface, preferably

scraped body sheet metal. Do not
use factory grounded locations,
seat bolts, or brackets that are
spotwelded.

7. Always fuse your power connection
within in 8 to 10 inches of the
battery terminal. Use a fuse or
circuit breaker rated slightly more
than the on-board fuse(s) of the
amplifier(s). The gauge of power
wire used should take into account
the total current draw of the
system, and the length of the wire
used. IASCA and other auto sound
competition organizations have
charts available for this; you can
also find a chart in the MECP study
guide. Minimum wire gauge recom­mendations for the individual ampli­fiers are listed on the specification
page. Always use the same gauge
wire for the amplifier ground that
you use for the power wire. Be sure
to examine the battery ground

Prior to servicing your vehicle ensure
that the alarm system is

ddiissaarrmmeedd

. Due
to the amplifier’s anti-theft feature (if
enabled), if the main power to the

amplifier is removed while the alarm is
armed the amplifier operation is
disabled. The amplifier operation must
then be reset by your Directed dealer.

NOTE

66

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

cable of the vehicle, and if neces­sary, upgrade it by adding an addi­tional ground wire that is the same
gauge as the amplifier's power
wire. Remember, the amplifier can
only deliver its rated output when it
is not current limited by the power
and ground supply wires.

8. This amplifier is designed to drive a

speaker load that measures from 1
to 8 ohms. Keep in mind that heat
is the long-term enemy of automo­tive electronics and the lower your
speaker load, the more heat is
generated. For low impedance
speaker applications or restricted
ventilation installations, an external
cooling fan may be advisable.

9. Battery and ground connections to

the vehicle should be made with

crimped ring terminals of the appro­priate size (surface area is what
counts); soldering the terminals after
crimping is also recommended.

10. Due to the high-frequency MOSFET
switching power supply, filtering the
power cable is not generally
required (remember that the amp
can't deliver full output if the power
supply is restricted). Proper
grounding of the signal source is
mandatory for the amplifier to
reach its performance peak. If the
RCA inputs are not grounded
adequately via the signal source,
electrical noise from the vehicle
may be picked up in the system.

77

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

1.

RRCCAA OOuuttppuutt JJaacckkss

- These pass
through RCA jacks can be used to
send a signal to a second amplifier.

2.

RRCCAA IInnppuutt JJaacckkss

- Accepts line level
outputs from head units or signal
processors at voltages between
250 mV and 8 volts.

3.

SSppeeaakkeerr LLooaadd SSeelleecctt

- Set 1 or 2/4
ohm to match the stereo load
impedance of the system.

4.

FFaann PPoorrtt

- connection port for

connecting external, 12v DC brush­less fan.

5.

EESSPP PPoorrtt

- For connecting the ampli­fier to ESP-2 alarm or second
1200T amplifier.

6.

RReemmoottee LLeevve

ell --

Optional accessory
which allows the level to be
adjusted remotely (usually located
for control by the vehicle’s driver).

FRONT PANEL CONNECTIONS/STATUS LED

FIGURE 1—AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS 1200T FRONT

1

4

23

5 6

SPEAKER LOAD

OUTPUT INPUT

R

L

SELECT

2/4

1

- +

ESP

FAN

PORT

REMOTE

LEVEL

88

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

1.

SSppeeaakkeerr OOuutt TTeerrmmiinnaallss

- Connect
the speakers to these terminals.
(Refer to the

Speaker Connection

section of this guide.)

2.

PPoowweerr LLEEDD --

This LED will illuminate
Green to indicate the amplifier is on
and operating normally. The LED
will extinguish if the amplifier is off
or if the amplifier shuts-down due
to short circuit, DC offset, or over­heating.

3.

OOnnee OOhhmm

LED--This LED will illumi­nate when the 1-ohm mode is
selected.

4.

FFuussee 3300AA xx 33 --

These fuses protect
the amplifier against internal elec­trical damage and are meant to
protect the amplifier only. All other
power connections should be fused
at the source.

5.

((++)) BBAATTTT

- Connect this terminal
through a FUSE or CIRCUIT
BREAKER to the positive terminal of
the vehicle battery or the positive
terminal of an isolated audio
system battery.

WWAARRNNIINNGG::

Always protect this power wire by installing a fuse
or circuit breaker of the appropriate size within
12 inches of the battery terminal connection.

6.

RREEMM ((RReemmoottee TTuurrnn OOnn))

- This
terminal turns on the amplifier
when (+) 12 volt is applied to it.
Connect it to the remote turn on
lead of the head unit or signal
source. If a (+) 12 volt remote turn
lead is not available, a Remote
Power Adapter (P/N #55000) can
be used to supply a remote turn on
signal. DO NOT connect this
terminal to constant (+) 12 volt.

7.

GGNNDD ((GGrroouunndd)) --

Connect this
terminal directly to the sheet metal
chassis of the vehicle using the
shortest wire necessary to make
this connection. Always use wire of
the same gauge or larger than the
(+) 12 volt power wire. The chassis
connection point should be scraped
free of paint and dirt. Use only
quality crimped and/or soldered
connectors at both ends of this
wire. DO NOT connect this terminal
directly to the vehicle battery
ground terminal or any other
factory ground points.

REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

99

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

1 MIN

FIGURE 2—AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS 1200T REAR

1

6

4

7

5

2, 3

Control Panel Cover

The gain and filter controls are located
under a control panel cover on top of
the amplifier. The control panel cover
must be removed to gain access to the
gain and filter controls.

Remove/Install

Four Allen-head screws hold the control
panel cover to the amplifier top panel,
one at each corner. They can be
removed with the wrench supplied in
the hardware pack.

TOP PANEL FEATURES

L

R

FUSE 30A x 3

+ BATT REM GND

BRIDGED
2 MIN

POWER

ONE OHM

1100

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

AMPLIFIER CONTROLS TOP

1.

EESSPP PPoorrtt --

Allows programming of

the amplifier using the Bitwriter®.

2.

SSuubbssoonniicc FFrreeqquueennccyy HHzz --

This
control adjusts the subsonic filter
cutoff (between 15-50 Hz).

3.

SSuubbssoonniicc FFiilltteerr --

The IN position
places the subsonic filter into the
system, the OUT position takes the
filter out of the system.

4.

CCrroossssoovveerr FFrreeqquueennccyy HHzz

- Adjusts
the crossover point (50-550 Hz)
for the on-board active crossover.

5.

CCrroossssoovveerr SSllooppee SSwwiittcchh

- Controls
the roll-off rate of filter for the on­board active crossover. Switchable
between 12 or 24 dB per octave.
The 12 dB position functions for
both mono and stereo inputs. The
24 dB position functions for mono,
low pass mode only.

6.

IInnppuutt GGaaiinn AAddjjuussttmmeenntt

- Controls
amplifier sensitivity and is used to
match the input level of the ampli­fier to the output level of the signal
source.

7.

BBaassss BBoooosstt AAddjjuusstt --

0 to 15 dB of
additional bass boost. Rotating
control clockwise increases bass
boost.

Amp Mode Switches

8.

MMoonnoo//SStteerreeoo SSwwiittcchh --

This switch
works in conjunction with the
Crossover Slope switch, refer to
item 5 above.

9.

CCrroossssoovveerr SSeelleecctt SSwwiittcchh

- High
attenuates low frequencies and is
used for mid-range speakers and
tweeters. Full does not attenuate
any frequencies and is for full range
speaker systems. Low attenuates
high frequencies and is used for
subwoofers speakers.

NNOOTTEE::

The 24 dB position is intended only for use with the Mode switch in the Mono position and the the Crossover switch to
Lowpass position. If 24 dB is selected for other operating modes, asymmetrical operation of the 2 channels will result.

1111

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

1

3

2

7

9

4

5

6

8

FIGURE 3—AMPLIFIER CONTROLS TOP

NNOOTTEE::

The adjustment for Gain is a digital control (potentiometer). Although it will have the feel of adjustment like the other
controls on this panel (there are no detents), the Gain control has 33 discrete steps in adjustment. Hence a small rota­tional change in the Gain adjustment may not affect the gain of the amplifier.

XOVER

FREQ Hz

55 550

XOVER

SLOPE

GAIN

12 24

dB

ESP

PORT

15 50

BASS

BOOST

SUBSONIC
FREQ Hz

IN OUT

SUBSONIC
FILTER

MIN MAX

AMP

MODE

MONO

STEREO

0 15

dB

FULL

HIGH

LOW

1122

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

ESP FEATURES AND CONTROLS

The ability to access the feature settings
of your amplifier is only possible with
the use of a Directed Electronics
Bitwriter

®

unit. Firmware version 1.8 or

later is required in the Bitwriter

®

.
Versions prior to 1.8 will not program
the amplifier.

MAIN FEATURES

1.

TTuurrnn--oonn ddeellaayy --

0.75, 1.00, 1.25,

1.75, 2.25, 2.75, or 3.25 seconds
is selectable.

22..7755

seconds is the

factory default setting.

2.

AAnnttii--tthheefftt --

On/Off/Reset Anti-Theft
Trigger. Selecting ON places the unit
in the alarm monitoring (amplifier
disable on loss of 12V) condition.
Off disables alarm monitoring.
Reset Anti-Theft Trigger allows the
amplifier to be unlocked from the
loss of 12V.

OOffff

is the factory

default setting.

To unlock the amplifier, use the
following procedure:

AA..

Plug the Bitwriter

®

into one of
the ESP ports and turn the
Bitwriter

®

ON.

BB..

Select

AAnnttii--TThheefftt

from the menu.

ii..

Select

AAnnttii--TThheefftt RReesseett

from

the submenu.

iiii..

Press

WWrriittee

twice.

CC..

Select

AAnnttii--TThheefftt

from the menu

again.

ii..

Select

OOffff

from the submenu.

iiii..

Press

WWrriittee

twice.

A

“

WWrriittiinngg SSuucccceessssffuull

”

message

will appear on the Bitwriter

®

display if the procedure was
successful.

3.

VVaalleett mmoonniittoorriinngg --

Enable/Disabled

DDiissaabblleedd

is the factory default
setting. The amplifier will not power
up if the alarm system is in Valet.

4.

IInnppuutt ggaaiinn aaddjjuussttmmeenntt -- UUnnlloocckk

is
the factory default setting.
Lock/Unlock, in the lock position
the gain adjustment located on the
top panel is software locked at the
input gain range that is selected.

5.

IInnppuutt ggaaiinn rraannggee --

0.25–0.50,

0.50–1.25, 1.25–3.00, or

3.00–6.00 V, and

00..2200––88..0000VV
(factory default). This limits the
gain adjustment to the specified
range.

6.

FFaann CCoonnttrrooll --

On/Auto/Off
This controls an external fan
connected to the fan port.

1133

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

SPEAKER WIRING DIAGRAMS

Stereo operation (top view)

Mono operation (top view)

Simultaneous stereo/mono operation (top view)

1144

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

CROSSOVER SETTINGS AND GAIN ADJUSTMENT

Your Directed Audio power amplifier needs to
be adjusted carefully to achieve maximum
performance. These are some guidelines to
follow when fine-tuning the amplifier.

 For full-range and simultaneous

stereo/mono bass applications, the
crossover selection switch should be
set to FULL. If the amplifier is driving
your subwoofers, set the switch to
LOW, and for mid-bass/midrange
output, set to HIGH.

 The crossover frequency control needs

to be adjusted to suit your particular
system. For subwoofer applications,
try and keep the setting low enough to
prevent image smearing (you should
not be able to hear male voices from
the subwoofer) but not so low as to
create a gap between the subwoofer
and the mid-bass/midrange speakers.
For mid-bass/midrange settings, try to
keep the setting low enough to keep
your sound stage in front of you,
without overdriving the speaker. It will
be to your advantage to spend some
extra time with this adjustment,
listening to familiar music or system
set-up discs to achieve the kind of
musical reproduction that you prefer.

 The gain adjustment allows you to set

proper signal match for clean, quiet
amplifier operation. For full-range and
simultaneous stereo/mono bass appli­cations, start by playing some music
you are familiar with. With the gain
adjustment on the amplifier in the

middle of its rotation, bring up the
volume on your head unit to the 3/4
volume setting or until you start to
hear distortion or clipping. If you hear
distortion before you reach the 3/4
volume setting of your head unit,
reduce the gain setting on the ampli­fier and start to raise the head unit
volume again. When you can listen to
the music at or slightly above 3/4 on
your head unit without audible distor­tion, slowly raise the gain of the ampli­fier until distortion is heard, then back
off the gain until the distortion is not
audible. This setting will allow you to
reach full output with all but the
quietest of source material, while
avoiding excessive noise in the
system.

NNoottee::

Remember that the 1200t uses a digital gain control with a
finite number of adjustment steps. A very small adjustment
may not cause any audible change in level.

 The same procedure should be used for

adjusting the amplifier when the on
board crossover is set to LOW or HIGH,
but you will also have to take into
consideration the effect that gain
adjustment has on system frequency
response and imaging. Again, plan on
spending some time with music that
you know getting the gain and
crossover settings the way you like.
Test discs and analyzers may help with
this process, but in the end it's your
ears that count - listen to the music!

1155

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

SUBSONIC FILTER ADJUSTMENT

 Sealed Enclosure: Set to Fs of the woofer or higher.
 Ported Enclosure: Set to tuning frequency of enclosure or higher.
 Sealed Bandpass: Set to Fs of enclosure.
 Ported Bandpass: Set to low tuning frequency of enclosure.
 Infinite Baffle: Set to Fs of the woofer or higher.
 Aperiodic: Set to Fs of the woofer or higher.

This amplifier incorporates a subsonic filter
to maximize the performance of a
subwoofer. The subsonic filter is a high pass
filter that removes unwanted bass output
at very low frequencies from the woofer.
This increases the output of a subwoofer by
as much as 3 dB by increasing the mechan­ical power handling of the subwoofer.
Depending on the type of enclosure the
subsonic filter can increase the useable low
frequency output by an additional 10 dB!
Acceptable boost levels are determined by
the type of enclosure used, wattage of the

amplifier, and the woofer’s excursion capa­bility.

To adjust this filter, place the Subsonic Filter
switch to the IN position and turn the
Subsonic Frequency adjustment to the
desired frequency (15–50 Hz).

The following guidelines should be used
for proper set-up of the subsonic filter to
provide optimum performance and relia­bility from your system.

1166

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

Conversion Efficiency >82% @ 4 ohms
Total Harmonic Distortion THD+N (10Hz–30kHz BW)

4 ohms, 180 watts <0.08%
2 ohms, 400 watts <0.2%

1 ohm, 450 watts <0.5%
Frequency Response 20-20,000 Hz
Signal-to-Noise Ratio >98 dB
Separation 65 dB @ 1 kHz
Damping Factor >150
Crossover Type/Range 2-way Butterworth/55 to

550 Hz

Crossover Slope 12 dB/octave stereo

24 dB/octave mono

(Lowpass mode)
Bass Equalization Variable 0 to +12 dB
Subsonic Filter Variable, 15–50 Hz

SPECIFICATIONS

RMS continuous power per channel, driven in 4
ohm mode @ 14.4 VDC

RMS continuous power per channel, driven in 1
ohm mode @ 14.4 VDC

225 Watts RMS @ 4 ohms
450 Watts RMS @ 2 ohms
900 Watts bridged @ 4 ohms

150 Watts RMS @ 4 ohms
275 Watts RMS @ 2 ohms
500 Watts RMS @ 1 ohms
1000 Watts bridged @ 2 ohms

Power Output: 200 Watts RMS X 2 Channels at 4 Ohms and <

1% THD+N

Signal to Noise Ratio: 80 dBA (reference 1 Watt into 4 Ohms)

1177

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc

RCA Input/Output Jacks 2-channel in/2-channel

buffered full-range out
Input Impedance 30K ohms
Input Sensitivity Variable from 250 mV

to 8 volts
Supply Voltage 10 to 16 VDC
Fusing and Power 30A (qty 3)
Minimum Cable Requirements (AWG) #8
Dimensions 19 x 9¾ x 2 inches
Port Output (Optional Fan) 12V @<200mA

The company behind this system is Directed Electronics, Inc. Since

its inception, Directed has had one purpose, to provide customers with the finest

vehicle security, car stereo products, rear seat entertainment, and accessories avail-

able. The recipient of more than 20 patents in the field of advanced electronic tech-

nology, Directed is ISO 9001 registered.

Directed® is committed to delivering world-class quality
products and services that excite and delight our customers.

Directed Electronics, Inc.
Vista, California 92081
www.directed.com

Directed is a proud member of

Quality Directed products are sold and serviced throughout North America and around the world

Call 800 274 0200 for more information about our products and services

© 2004 Directed Electronics, Inc. - All rights reserved - G45027 10/04