EarthQuake IQ600 User Manual

Digital Feedback Class “J” Subwoofer Amplifier

600WRMS

USER MANUAL

Earthquake Sound Corporation | 2727 McCone Avenue, Hayward CA 94545

www.earthquakesound.com

IQ600

MODEL

Sound That Will Move You.

The IQ600 is capable of generating high sound
pressure levels. You should exercisecaution when

operating this amplifier system. Long term
exposures to high levels of sound pressure will cause
permanent damage to your hearing. Sound pressure levels
exceeding 85dB can be dangerous withconstant exposure. Set
your audio system toa comfortable loudness level. Earthquake
Sound Corporation does not assume liability for damages
resulting from the direct use of the IQ600 , and urges users to
play the IQ600 at moderatelisteninglevels.

THE C HART (O N THE SI DE) SHO WS THE U.S . GOVE RNME NTS

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA)

REG ULATIONS WH ICH WE RE IN EFF ECT AT THE TIME O F THIS

PUBLICATION FOR PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURE,

PER 29CFR1910.95, TABLE G-16.

97
100
102
105
110
115

3
2
1 - 1 1/ 2
1
1/2
1/ 4 or l ess

SOUND LEVEL

DBA

90

92

95

8
6
4

DURATION

IN HOURS

Congratulations and thank you for choosing the new Earthquake
Subwoofer Power Amplifier as a key component for your audiophile system.
The amplifier is designed to meet the highest standards of performance
and soundquality. In addition Earthquake Sound’s IQ certification and patented
Class “J” circuitry ensure that the amplifier meets and exceeds all industry
standards. The new amplifiers include many unique technologies that
allow it to deliver “World Class” performance, even under extreme operating
conditions.

The is a ruggedly constructed high quality professional amplifier. The
Digital feedback class “J” Circuitry, allows the amplifier to produce massive
amounts ofpower with minimal heat production.This patented circuitry delivers
high efficiency in the range of 99%- The typical classAB amplifier runs at about
40 to 50%.

IQ600

IQ600

IQ600

IQ600

IQ600

IQ600

The offers a roomcorrectiontechnique that surpasses thatof all previous
attempts. The intelligent “Back emf” drive circuit interacts with the subwoofer
design and memorizes system tuning frequencies and system type. The
information which is stored in microprocessor turns on a preset group delay
curve that serves as a correction reference. This information deals only with
time correction thatmovesthe peaks and the dipsina room to a flat.Oncethat is
achieved the userwill resort to the finalcorrection- EQ the room.Forthat reason
Earthquake’s is truly an intelligent system. 20Hz, 30Hz and 40Hz
frequencies canbe cut orboosted by awhopping 6dB, these corrections help in
producing wider range oflisteningpositionthatis unprecedented for the room.

(Note: boosting the response at 20Hz is very demanding for your subwoofer.
Consult with your subwoofer maker, and determine if their subwoofer is
designed to take a boost at such low frequencies.)

Introduction

2

CAUTION:

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

Unpacking and Warnings

Specifications & features are subject to change without notice. www.earthquakesound.com

3

ITEMIZED LIST OF INCLUDEDACCESSORIES:

1. One (1) AC Power Cable

2. One (1) OwnersManual

3. One (1) RegistrationCard

4. One (1) RemoteControl

4. Rack Mounting Bracketsand Screws

When you have safelyremovedthe amplifier from the packagingand placed it in a safearea,perform a thorough physical inspection andreportany damage to the dealer
that you purchasedtheunit from. We suggest thatyoukeep the original packaging,andthat it should be storedin a safe, dry placeincase you’re required totransportthe
unit. The customized packaging isspecially designed to protect the amplifier frompotentialdamagethat can arise when shipping sucha product.

To reduce the risk of fireor electric shock, do not expose this product torain or moisture. Don not attempt to “lift theground” by removing
the ground pin from the AC cable. Make sure that your household electrical wiring supports proper AC grounding techniques before
plugging in this product. Keep the heat sinks and topcover freeof dust to allow for proper heat dissipation. Never expose this product to
extreme temperature. Always connect the audio signal pathcable prior to connecting theAC mains.

WARNING!

CAUTION!

No user-serviceableparts inside. Do not attempt to removecover or repair this product, as severeelectrical shock may result andit may
disrupt your warranty.

IMPORTANT!

Make sure thatyourlocalAC voltage complies with the unit’s label.Damagecaused by plugging thisamplifierintoanACreceptacle of the
wrong voltage will notbecoveredbywarranty.

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

Subwoofer Placement Guide

Why having two gains on a mono subwoofer is
a good thing?

Two Subs

Often you hear the term “subwoofers are non-directional”;
this isnot true subwoofer placement is harder to pick when

are crossed . The wider the room, the more
directional the subwoofer. The easiest solution is to use two
subwoofers in the front: one on the left and a second on the
right. The signal to both is mono. In someapplications, users
might have small front speakers or planer speakers. Both
speakers have an early roll off in the sub-harmonics. The
planer needs help from 150Hz on down, having two front
subwoofers placed on the left and the right is a health
solution to this problem.

While having two subwoofers is better than one, the MONO
signal that drives these subwoofer keeps them from
projecting the three dimensional images in the sub­harmonics. The use of two subwoofers allows you to cross
the subup to 150Hz sound quality, imaging and staging. The
two-front-subwoofer-system is an excellentsolutiontoplaner
speaker’s low frequency response early roll off. When
locating these subwoofers in a close proximity to the stereo
satellite, the subs will enhance low frequency extention. It
will be better to have a stereo subwoofer to help in the lower
bass notes and theirplacement.

If a bass Guitar player was standing on the left side of the
stage, and he playedanEE note (42Hz) then therightsub will
also respond to that and create havoc on the stage. In fact if
you only have one single sub in the room and it’s placed on
the right side of the room, while the bass guitar player is
playing his music on the left side of the stage. As soon as he
hits the EE note the sub speaks out on the right and
completely destroys the stage. To give you three­dimensional front-end bass that allows you to have a low
frequency dynamic stage, Earthquake designed dual input
circuits that usebuffersto maintain your stereoseparation on
the processor side while mixing stereo front signals to
produce 3D bass.

to

low frequencies

The blue arrow represents the sub-harmonic
frequencies as they move always toward the
middle in a mono-two-subs- system The red arrow
represent the lows+ the mids+ highs as they follow
the action, Note the breakaway and the image
separation

BETTER / This illustration shows dual subwoofer with mono signal

4

In this illustration the stereo subwoofers keep the
sub-harmonics dynamically synchronized in
motion with the rest of the audio systems. Fully
complementary sub-harmonics to the mids and the
highs

BEST / This illustration shows dual subwoofers with stereo+mono signals

GOOD / This illustration shows a single subwoofer setup

The blue arrow represents the subharmonic
frequencies as they move always toward the sub in
the single sub system The red arrow represents the
lows+ mids+ highs as they follow the action Note
the breakaway and the image separation. Best
response if the blue and the red are identical

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

Front and Back Panel Overview

5

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

Remote Sensor Input

Channel Status LEDs

Auto Sensing

24dB/Oct

Lowpass

With Bypass

Removable

AC Power

Supply Cord

Individual Channel
Gain Controls

0-20 MS.Phase Delay

0°-180° Phase Shift

25Hz, 12dB/Oct

Switchable

Subsonic Filter

20, 30 and 40Hz

Room Equalization

With 12dB range

and Boost

Required LFE Inputs

Use One Only

PHASE SHIFT

0° 180°

1

RCA

XLR

SPK

2

RCA

XLR

SPK

GAIN 1GAIN 2

PHASE DELAY

0 20ms

SUBSONIC

EQUALIZER

ON OFF

ON OFF

20Hz

-6dB +6dB

30Hz

-6dB +6dB

40Hz

-6dB

110-120VAC

ON

+6dB

OFF

POWER

110-120V ~ /60Hz

220-240 5

600W

~ / 0Hz

CROSSOVER

-40Hz 200Hz

ON BY PASS

AUTO

IR INPUT

220-240VAC

POWERED SUBWOOFER

CAUTION VORSICHT

VOR DEM ÖFFNEN
NETZSTECKER ZIEHEN

BEFORE OPENING
PULL MAIN PLUG

RCA Inputs

XLR Inputs

Speaker Level Input

Fuse box

The back side of a typical processor or receiver

Dual Subwoofer Stereo Connection

6

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

PHASE SHIFT

0° 180°

1

RCA

XLR

SPK

2

RCA

XLR

SPK

GAIN 1GAIN 2

PHASE DELAY

0 20ms

SUBSONIC

EQUALIZER

ON OFF

ON OFF

20Hz

-6dB +6dB

30Hz

-6dB +6dB

40Hz

-6dB

110-120VAC

ON

+6dB

OFF

POWER

110-120V ~ /60Hz

220-240 5

600W

~ / 0Hz

CROSSOVER

-40Hz 200Hz

ON BY PASS

AUTO

IR INPUT

220-240VAC

POWERED SUBWOOFER

CAUTION VORSICHT

VOR DEM ÖFFNEN
NETZSTECKER ZIEHEN

BEFORE OPENING
PULL MAIN PLUG

PHASE SHIFT

0° 180°

1

RCA

XLR

SPK

2

RCA

XLR

SPK

GAIN 1GAIN 2

PHASE DELAY

0 20ms

SUBSONIC

EQUALIZER

ON OFF

ON OFF

20Hz

-6dB +6dB

30Hz

-6dB +6dB

40Hz

-6dB

110-120VAC

ON

+6dB

OFF

POWER

110-120V ~ /60Hz

220-240 5

600W

~ / 0Hz

CROSSOVER

-40Hz 200Hz

ON BY PASS

AUTO

IR INPUT

220-240VAC

POWERED SUBWOOFER

CAUTION VORSICHT

VOR DEM ÖFFNEN
NETZSTECKER ZIEHEN

BEFORE OPENING
PULL MAIN PLUG

The same wiring configuration can be
duplicated for the XLR inputs. NOTE: We
provide three different input types, but
do not recommend mixing input types.

LEFT LEFT SUR CENTER

RIGHT

RIGHT SUR

SUB

MAIN AUDIO OUTPUTS

LEFT

RIGHT

INPUT

Split L/R RCA's To Amplifiers
LEFT/RIGHT Channels.

Single Subwoofer Mono Connection

7

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

The back side of a typical processor or receiver

PHASE SHIFT

0° 180°

1

RCA

XLR

SPK

2

RCA

XLR

SPK

GAIN 1GAIN 2

PHASE DELAY

0 20ms

SUBSONIC

EQUALIZER

ON OFF

ON OFF

20Hz

-6dB +6dB

30Hz

-6dB +6dB

40Hz

-6dB

110-120VAC

ON

+6dB

OFF

POWER

110-120V ~ /60Hz

220-240 5

600W

~ / 0Hz

CROSSOVER

-40Hz 200Hz

ON BY PASS

AUTO

IR INPUT

220-240VAC

POWERED SUBWOOFER

CAUTION VORSICHT

VOR DEM ÖFFNEN
NETZSTECKER ZIEHEN

BEFORE OPENING
PULL MAIN PLUG

Usually one RCA has enough signal to
drive the IQ amplifier to its full output.
However, in some cases where signal is
too low for the IQ amp to produce its full
output, you may use a "Y" connector to
increase the amp's sensitivity.

LEFT LEFT SUR CENTER

RIGHT

RIGHT SUR

SUB

MAIN AUDIO OUTPUTS

Room Correction

8

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

Amplifier Specifications

9

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

POWER OUTPUT

FREQUENCY RESPONSE

TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION

SLEW RATE

SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO

LOAD IMPEDANCE

DAMPING FACTOR

CONTROLS

INPUT CONNECTIONS

OUTPUT CONNECTIONS

MODE SWITCHES

PROTECTION CIRCUITRY

POWER REQUIREMENTS

IQ-600R=10A

SIZE AND WEIGHT

1 x 700 watts RMS @ 4 ohms Mono (1% distortion)

1 x 700 watts RMS @ 2 ohms Mono (1% distortion)

1 x 350 watts RMS @ 8 ohms Mono (1% distortion)

20Hz-2kHz

<0.08%, (1W/4ohm)

50 volts / microsecond

> 106dB (balanced) 105dB (unbalanced) @ rated power

2 ohms or greater

> 500

XLR / RCA • High-level

Binding posts • Locking mechanism

Phase switch 0¡ / 180¡ - Variable time delay 0 to 20 millisecond

Short circuit, open circuit, RF burnout, over temp, turn on/off transient
protection, DC protection, limiter circuitry

Power • Room equalization • Room equalization IN/OUT • Subsonic
filter • Phase shift • Lowpass, Bypass • Channel and power status
LEDs • Dual gains internally mixed • Music sensing ON/OFF • DC
turn ON/OFF

110-120VAC~/60Hz

H=1.7" x W=19" x D=14.5"
44mm x 483mm x 367mm

18.04lbs. • 8.2Kg

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

Earthquake warrants the original purchaser that all

be free from defects in material and workmanship, under
normal and proper use, for a period of
(as shown onthe original bill ofsalewith serial number affixed/writtenonit).The
five (5) years warranty period is valid

, and the warranty registration card is properly

filled out and sent to Earthquake Sound Corporation.

(A)

- Earthquake pays for labor, parts, and ground freight (only in
US mainland, not includingAlaska andHawaii)backtocustomer.

- Earthquake paysfor labor and parts only, customer must
pay freight both ways.

- Earthquake pays labor only. Customer must
pay for parts andfreight both ways.

(B)

Products (sent for repair) that are tested by Earthquake technicians

and deemed tohave no problem,

. Customer will bechargedaminimum of one (1) houroflabor(ongoing

rates) plus shipping chargesbacktocustomer.

(C)

- Defective products/parts have not been altered or repaired by other
than an Earthquake factoryapproved technician.

- Products/parts are not subjected to negligence, misuse, improper use,
or accident,damaged by improperline voltage, usedwith incompatible
products, or have its serial number or any part of it altered, defaced or
removed, or have beenusedinany way that is contraryto Earthquake's
written instructions.

(D)

Earthquake warranty does not cover products that have been modified or
abused. Including but notlimitedtothefollowing:

- Damages to speaker cabinet and cabinet finish due to misuse, abuse,
use of improper useofcleaningmaterials/methods.

- Bent speaker frame, broken speaker connectors, holes in speaker
cone, surround & dustcap, burnt speaker voice coil.

- Fading, deterioration of speaker components & finish due to improper
exposure to elements.

- Bent amplifier casing, damaged finish on the casing due to abuse,
misuse, or improper useofcleaningmaterial.

- Burnt tracerson PCB.

- Product/part damaged due to poor packaging or abusive shipping
conditions.

- Subsequent damage to other products.

A warranty claim will not be valid if the warranty registration card is not properly
filled & returned toEarthquake with a copy of the salesinvoice.

(E)

To receive product/s service, contact Earthquake service department

at [phone] andrequestan RMAnumber(Return MaterialAuthorization),
items shipped without a valid RMA number will be refused. Make sure you
provide uswith your complete/correct shipping address, a valid phone number,
and a brief description of the problem you are experiencing with the product. In
most cases, our technicians might be able to resolve the problem over the
phone, thus eliminating theneedtoshipthe product.

(F)

Product/s must be packaged in itsoriginal protective box/s to minimize

transport damage. Shipper claims regarding items damaged in transit must be
presented to carrier. Earthquake Sound Corporation reservestheright to refuse
product improperly packed. Original bill of sale must accompany product
returned for service. We encourage you to include with the package a written
description of the problem. Ship product to: Earthquake Sound Corp. 2727 Mc
ConeAvenue, Hayward, CA 94545. Ph [phone].You are responsiblefor
the cost of shippingthe product to Earthquake Sound Corporation.

(G)

All disputes - between clients and Earthquake Sound Corporation -

resulting from the five (5) years limited warranty policy must be resolved
according to the laws®ulationsofthe county ofAlameda -California.

Factory Sealed

New Audio Products

five (5) years from the date of purchase

only if the product is properly installed by

an Earthquake authorized party

If the product is installed

by a non-authorized party, a ninety (90) days warrantyperiodapplies.

Five (5) years limitedwarranty plan coverage guidelines:

First year:

Second year:

Third, fourth & fifth year:

Warning:

will not becovered by the five(5) years limited

warranty

Earthquake agrees to repair or replace - at our option - all such defective

products/parts subject to thefollowing provisions:

WarrantyLimitations:

Service Request:

Shipping Instructions:

Disputes Resolution:

Consumer Warranty & Guidelines

10

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

IQ Suboowfer Power Amplifier

11

Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

The IQ600 is capable of generating high sound
pressure levels. You should exercisecaution when

operating this amplifier system. Long term
exposures to high levels of sound pressure will cause
permanent damage to your hearing. Sound pressure levels
exceeding 85dB can be dangerous withconstant exposure. Set
your audio system toa comfortable loudness level. Earthquake
Sound Corporation does not assume liability for damages
resulting from the direct use of the IQ600 , and urges users to
play the IQ600 at moderatelisteninglevels.

THE C HART (O N THE SI DE) SHO WS THE U.S . GOVE RNME NTS

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA)

REG ULATIONS WH ICH WE RE IN EFF ECT AT THE TIME O F THIS

PUBLICATION FOR PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURE,

PER 29CFR1910.95, TABLE G-16.

97
100
102
105
110
115

3
2
1 - 1 1/ 2
1
1/2
1/ 4 or l ess

SOUND LEVEL

DBA

90

92

95

8
6
4

DURATION

IN HOURS

CAUTION:

Earthquake Sound Corporation • www.earthquakesound.com • 2727 McCone Avenue Hayward, California 94545 •Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]

Sound That Will Move You.