car audio power amplifier owner’s manual
THANK YOU
for purchasing a JBL Power Series® amplifier.
In order that we may better serve you should you require warranty service for your new amplifier, please retain your original purchase receipt and return the enclosed warranty registration card.
INSTALLATION
WARNING: Playing loud music in an automobile can hinder your ability to hear traffic and permanently damage your hearing. We recommend
listening at low or moderate levels while driving your car. JBL accepts no liability for hearing loss, bodily injury or property damage resulting from the use or misuse of this product.
IMPORTANT: To get the best performance from your JBL Power Series® amplifiers, we strongly recommend that installation be entrusted to a qualified professional. Although these instructions explain how to install JBL Power Series amplifiers in a general sense, they do not show specific installation methods that may be required for your particular vehicle.
If you do not have the necessary tools or experience, do not attempt the installation yourself. Instead, please ask your authorized JBL car audio dealer about professional installation.
INSTALLATION
WARNINGS AND TIPS
•Always wear protective eyewear when using tools.
•Turn off all audio systems and other electrical devices before you start. Disconnect the (–) negative lead from your vehicle’s battery.
•Check clearances on both sides of a planned mounting surface before drilling any holes or installing any screws. Remember that the screws can extend behind the surface.
•At the installation sites, locate and make a note of all fuel lines, hydraulic brake lines, vacuum lines, and electrical wiring. Use extreme caution when cutting or drilling in and around these areas.
•Before drilling or cutting holes, use a utility knife to remove unwanted fabric or vinyl to keep material from snagging in a drill bit.
•When routing cables, keep inputsignal cables away from power cables and speaker wires.
•When making connections, make certain they are secure and properly insulated.
•If the amplifier’s fuse must be replaced, use only the same type and rating as that of the original. Do not substitute another kind.
CHOOSING A LOCATION
AND MOUNTING THE
AMPLIFIER
Amplifiers need air to stay cool. Suitable locations are under a seat (provided the amplifier doesn’t interfere with the seat adjustment mechanism), in the trunk, or in any other location which provides enough air for the amp to cool itself. Do not mount the amplifier with the heat sink facing downward, as this makes convection cooling of the amplifier impossible.
Mount the amplifier so that it is not damaged by the feet of backseat passengers or shifting cargo in the trunk. Mount the amplifier so that it remains dry – never mount an amplifier outside the car or in the engine compartment. Using the amplifier as
a template, mark the location of the mounting holes on the mounting surface, drill pilot holes, and attach the amplifier to the mounting surface with screws. Make sure the amplifier is mounted securely.
POWER CONNECTIONS
The Power Series amplifiers are capable of delivering extremely high power levels, and require a heavy-duty and reliable connection to the vehicle’s electrical system in order to perform optimally. Please adhere to the following instructions carefully:
Ground Connection
Connect the amplifier’s Ground (GND) terminal to a solid point on the vehicle’s metal chassis, as close to the amplifier as possible. Refer to the chart below to determine minimum
wire-gauge size. Scrape away any paint from this location; use a star-type lock washer to secure the connection.
Power Connection
Connect a wire (see chart at right for appropriate gauge) directly to the vehicle’s positive battery terminal, and install an appropriate fuse holder
within 18" of the battery terminal. Do not install the fuse at this time. Route the wire to the amplifier’s location, and connect it to the amplifier’s Positive (BATT +) terminal. Be sure to use appropriate grommets whenever routing wires through the firewall or other sheet metal. Failure to adequately protect the positive wire from potential damage may result in a vehicle fire.
When you are done routing and connecting this wire, you may install the fuse at the battery.
NOTE: The BPx2200.1 is supplied with an external 150A fuse. If you are running a dedicated wire to this amplifier, this fuse should be installed near the battery, as specified above. If you are running multiple amplifiers off a power distribution block, this fuse should be installed between the distribution block and the BPx2200.1.
In any case, a fuse must be installed within 18" of the battery terminal.
Remote Connection
Connect the amplifier’s Remote (REM) terminal to the source unit’s Remote Turn-On lead using a minimum of 18-gauge wire.
Speaker Connections
Refer to the application guides on the pages that follow. Speaker connections should be made using a minimum of 1.5 mm2 wire.
Wire Gauge Chart |
|
|
Amplifier |
Maximum |
Minimum |
Model |
Current Draw |
Wire |
Px300.4 |
78A |
16 mm2 |
Px600.2 |
78A |
16 mm2 |
BPx500.1 |
50A |
10 mm2 |
BPx1100.1 |
110A |
25 mm2 |
BPx2200.1 |
190A |
2 x 25 mm2 |
These recommendations assume
2,3 to 3,5 m wire runs. If your installation differs markedly, you will need to adjust the wire gauge accordingly.
Important Note: If you are planning to use optional neon tubes, you must install them before making any electrical connections to the amplifier (refer to “Installing Neon Tubes” on page 7).
2
APPLICATIONS – BPX MODELS
To the right are several application diagrams to help plan your subwoofer system installation. Figures 1 through 3 show how to configure the JBL Power Series subwoofer amplifiers (models BPx500.1, BPx1100.1 and BPx2200.1) for 2-channel, bridged-mono and parallel-mono operation (also see “Setting the Output Mode” on page 6).
NOTE: For simplicity, Figures 1 through 3 do not show power, remote and input connections.
If the nominal impedance of your speaker system is close to 2 ohms, be prepared to try both bridged and parallel configurations to determine which performs better.
Set OUTPUT MODE to 2CH/BR
(on input panel)
BPx Amplifier
PARALLEL 2CH/BR
OUTPUT MODE
(partial rear panel)
See “Setting the Crossover(s)” on page 6 to adjust X-OVER controls
(on input panel)
X-OVER
FREQ
Figure 1. The JBL Power Series subwoofer amplifier is set to 2-channel mode to drive a pair of subwoofers.
32Hz 320Hz
12dB 24dB
SLOPE
Set OUTPUT MODE to 2CH/BR
(on input panel)
PARALLEL 2CH/BR
OUTPUT MODE
BPx Amplifier
(partial rear panel)
See “Setting the Crossover(s)” on page 6 to adjust X-OVER controls
Figure 2. The JBL Power Series subwoofer amplifier is set to bridged (mono) mode to drive a single subwoofer. Use this mode only when the nominal impedance of the speaker system is 2 ohms or greater.
(on input panel)
X-OVER
FREQ
32Hz 320Hz
12dB 24dB
SLOPE
Set OUTPUT MODE to PARALLEL
(on input panel)
PARALLEL 2CH/BR
OUTPUT MODE
BPx Amplifier
(partial rear panel)
See “Setting the Crossover(s)” on page 6 to adjust X-OVER controls
Figure 3. The JBL Power Series subwoofer amplifier is set to parallel mode to drive a single subwoofer. Use this mode only when the nominal impedance of the speaker system is less than 2 ohms.
NOTE: A jumper is added between the + terminals.
(on input panel)
X-OVER
FREQ
32Hz 320Hz
12dB 24dB
SLOPE
CH 1 |
CH 2 |
2 CHANNEL
BRIDGED
NEON
PARALLEL*
SPEAKER OUTPUTS
*SEE MANUAL FOR PARALLEL CONNECTION
Subwoofer |
Subwoofer |
|
CH 1 |
CH 2 |
|
2 CHANNEL |
|
|
BRIDGED |
NEON |
|
PARALLEL* |
||
|
SPEAKER OUTPUTS
*SEE MANUAL FOR PARALLEL CONNECTION
Subwoofer (2 ohms or greater)
CH 1 |
CH 2 |
2 CHANNEL
BRIDGED
NEON
PARALLEL*
jumper
SPEAKER OUTPUTS
*SEE MANUAL FOR PARALLEL CONNECTION
Subwoofer (less than 2 ohms)
3