JL Audio A1200 User Manual

A120 0

monoblock full-range amplifier

OWNER’S MANUAL

Thank you for purchasing a JL Audio amplifier for

your automotive sound system.

Your amplifier has been designed and manufactured to exacting

standards in order to ensure years of musical enjoyment in your vehicle.

For maximum performance and extended warranty

coverage, we highly recommend that you have your new amplifier

installed by an authorized JL Audio dealer. Your authorized

dealer has the training, expertise and installation equipment to ensure

optimum performance from this product. Should you

decide to install the amplifier yourself, please take the time

to read this manual thoroughly so as to familiarize yourself

with its installation requirements and setup procedures.

If you have any questions regarding the instructions in this

manual or any aspect of your amplifier’s operation, please contact your

authorized JL Audio dealer for assistance. If you need further assistance,

please call the JL Audio Technical Support Department

at [phone] during business hours.

PROTECT YOUR HEARING!

We value you as a long-term customer. For
that reason, we urge you to practice restraint in
the operation of this product so as not to damage
your hearing and that of others in your vehicle.
Studies have shown that continuous exposure to
high sound pressure levels can lead to permanent
(irreparable) hearing loss. This and all other
high-power amplifiers are capable of producing
such high sound pressure levels when connected
to a speaker system. Please limit your continuous
exposure to high volume levels.

While driving, operate your audio system in
a manner that still allows you to hear necessary
noises to operate your vehicle safely (horns,
sirens, etc.).

SERIAL NUMBER

In the event that your amplifier requires
service or is ever stolen, you will need to have
a record of the product’s serial number. Please
take the time to enter that number in the space
provided below. The serial number can be found
on the bottom panel of the amplifier and on the
amplifier packaging.

Serial Number:

INSTALLATION APPLICATIONS

This amplifier is designed for operation in
vehicles with 12 volt, negative-ground electrical
systems. Use of this product in vehicles with
positive ground and/or voltages other than 12V
may result in damage to the product and will void
the warranty.

This product is not certif ied or approved for
use in aircraft.

Do not attempt to “ bridge” the outputs of this
amplifier with the outputs of a second amplifier,
including an identical one.

Chassis Ground

Connector

(pg. 5)

+12 V Power

Connector

(pg. 5)

Remote Turn-On

Connector

(pg. 6)

PLANNING YOUR INSTALLATION

It is important that you take the time to read
this manual and that you plan out your
installation carefully. The following are some
considerations that you must take into account
when planning your installation.

Cooling Efficiency Considerations:

The outer shell of your JL Audio amplif ier
is designed to remove heat from the amplifier
circuitry. For optimum cooling performance,
this outer shell should be exposed to as large a
volume of air as possible. Enclosing the amplifier
in a small, poorly ventilated chamber can
lead to excessive heat build-up and degraded
performance. If an installation calls for an
enclosure around the amplifier, we recommend
that this enclosure be ventilated with the aid
of a fan. In normal applications, fan-cooling
is not necessary.

Speaker Outputs

(pg. 10)

Mounting the amplifier upside down is
strongly discouraged.

If mounting the amplifier under a seat,
make sure there is at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of
space above the amplifier’s outer shell to permit
proper cooling.

Safety Considerations:

Your amplifier needs to be installed in a dry,
well-ventilated environment and in a manner
which does not interfere with your vehicle’s safety
equipment (air bags, seat belt systems, ABS brake
systems, etc.). You should also take the time to
securely mount the amplifier using the supplied
screws so that it does not come loose in the event
of a collision or a sudden jolt to the vehicle.

Stupid Mistakes to Avoid

• Check before drilling any holes in your vehicle

to make sure that you will not be drilling
through a gas tank, brake line, wiring harness or
other vital vehicle system.

• Do not run system wiring outside or underneath

the vehicle. This is an extremely dangerous
practice which can result in severe damage to
your vehicle and person.

Input Voltage

Selection

(pg. 7)

Preamp Input Jacks

2 JL AUDIO A1200

Left & Right

Preamp Output Jacks

Left & Right

(pg. 6)

(pg. 9)

Protection Status

Power Status

Indicator

(pg. 11)

Indicator

(pg. 11)

Jack for
Remote Bass
Control Knob

(pg. 9)

Bass EQ

On/Off Switch

(pg. 9)

Input Sensitivity

Control

(pg. 7)

Filter Mode

Selection

(pg. 7)

Filter

Frequency Selector

(pg. 7)

• Protect all system wires from sharp metal
edges and wear by carefully routing them,
tying them down and using grommets and
loom where appropriate.

• Do not mount the amplifier in the engine
compartment, under the vehicle, on the roof
or in any other area that will expose the
amplifier circuitry to the elements.

JL AUDIO A1200 3

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The JL Audio A1200 is a monoblock,
full-range amplif ier utilizing patented Absolute
Symmetry™ Class A/B technology.

The A1200 can be operated with a wide variety
of source units and system configurations.

TYPICAL INSTALLATION SEQUENCE

The following represents the sequence
for a typical amplifier installation, using an
aftermarket source unit or OEM Interface
processor (like the CleanSweep CL441dsp).
Additional steps and different procedures may
be required in some applications. If you have
any questions, please contact your authorized
JL Audio dealer for assistance.

1) Disconnect the negative battery post

connection and secure the disconnected cable
to prevent accidental re-connection during
installation. This step is not optional.

2) Run power wire (minimum 8 AWG) from the

battery location to the amplifier mounting
location, taking care to route it in such a
way that it will not be damaged and will not
interfere with vehicle operation. Use 4 AWG
or larger power wire and a power distribution
block if additional amplifiers are being
installed with the A1200.

3) Connect power wire to the positive battery

post. Fuse the wire with an appropriate fuse
block (and connectors) within 18 inches (45
cm) wire length of the positive battery post.

This fuse is essential to protect the vehicle.
Do not install the fuse until the power wire
has been securely connected to the amplifier.

4) Run signal cables and remote turn-on wire

from the source unit to the final amplifier
mounting location.

5) Run speaker cables from the speaker systems

to the amplifier mounting location.

6) Find a good, solid metal grounding point

close to the amplifier and connect the
negative power wire to it using appropriate
hardware (use of the JL Audio ECS master
ground lug, XA-MGL-1 is recommended).
Use the same size power wire as the wire
connected to the “+1 2VD C” connection
(minimum 8 AWG), no longer than 36 inches
(90 cm) from the amplifier to the ground
connection point. In some vehicles, it may be
necessary to upgrade the battery ground wire.
(See page 5 for important notice).

7) Securely mount the amplifier using the

supplied screws.

8) Connect the positive and negative power

wires to the amplifier. A fuse near the
amplif ier is not necessary.

9) Connect the remote turn-on wire

to the amplifier.

10) Connect the input cables to the amplifier.

11) Connect the speaker cables to the amplifier.

12) Carefully review the amplifier’s control

settings to make sure that they are set
according to the needs of the system.

13) Install the power wire fuse (25A for a

single A1200) and reconnect the negative
battery post terminal.

14) Turn on the source unit at a low level

to double-check that the amplifier is
configured correctly. Resist the temptation
to crank it up until you have verified the
control settings.

15) Make necessary adjustments to the input

sensitivity controls to obtain the right
overall output and the desired balance
in the system. See Appendix A (page 12)
for the recommended input sensitivity
setting method.

16) Enjoy the fruits of your labor with your

favorite music.

POWER CONNECTIONS

Before installing the amplifier, disconnect the
negative (ground) wire from the vehicle’s battery.
This will prevent accidental damage to the system,
the vehicle and your body during installation.

The A1200’s “+12V DC ” and “Ground”
connections are designed to accept 8 AWG ­4 AWG power wire. 8 AWG is a minimum power

wire size for this amplifier.

If you are installing the A1200 with other
amplifiers and wish to use a single main power
wire, use 4 AWG or larger main power wire
(depending on the overall current demands of all
the amplifiers in the system). This 4 AWG or
larger power wire should terminate into a
distribution block mounted as close to the
amplif iers as possible and should connect to the
A1200 with 8 AWG - 4 AWG power wire.

Note: that smaller AWG numbers mean bigger
wire and vice-versa (1/0 AWG is the largest, 2
AWG is sma l l e r, t hen 4 AWG , t h e n
8 AWG, etc.).

To connect the power wires to the amplifier,
first back out the set screw on the top of the
terminal block, using the supplied 2.5 mm hex
wrench. Strip 1/2 inch (12 mm) of insulation from
the end of each wire and insert the bare wire into
the terminal block, seating it firmly so that no
bare wire is exposed. While holding the wire in
place, tighten the set screw f irmly, taking care not
to strip the head of the screw.

The ground connection should be made using
the same gauge wire as the power connection
and should be kept as short as possible, while
accessing a solid piece of sheet metal in the
vehicle. The surface of the sheet meta l should
be sanded at the contact point to create a clean,
metal-to-metal connection between the chassis
and the termination of the ground wire. For
optimal grounding, we recommend the use of a
JL Audio ECS master ground lug (X A-MGL-1).
Alternatively, a sheet metal screw or bolt can be
used with a star washer.

Any wires run through metal barriers (such
as firewalls), must be protected with a high
quality rubber grommet to prevent damage to the
insulation of the wire. Failure to do so may result
in a dangerous short circuit.

Many vehicles employ small (10 AWG ­6 AWG) wire to ground the battery to the
vehicle chassis and to connect the alternator’s
positive connection to the battery. To prevent
voltage drops, these wires should be upgraded
to 4 AWG when installing amplifier systems
with main fuse ratings above 60A.

FUSE REQUIREMENTS

It is absolutely vital that the main power
wire(s) to the amplifier(s) in the system be
fused within 18 inches (45 cm) of the positive
battery post connection. The fuse va lue at each
power wire should be high enough for all of the
equipment being run from that power wire. If
only the A1200 is being run from that power
wire, we recommend a 25A fuse be used. ANL
(big blade fuse), AFS (small blade fuse), AGU (big
glass fuse) or MaxiFuse™ (big plastic-body fuse)
types are recommended.

No fuse is required or recommended directly
before the amplifier power connection. If one is
desired, we recommend the use of a 25A AGU,
AFS or MaxiFuse™ type.

4 JL AUDIO A1200

JL AUDIO A1200 5

TURNON LEAD

The A1200 uses a conventional +12V remote
turn-on lead, typically controlled by the source
unit’s remote turn-on output. The amplifier will
turn on when +12V is present at its “Remote”
input and turn off when +12V is switched off. If
a source unit does not have a dedicated remote
turn-on output, the amplifier’s turn-on lead can
be connected to +12V via a switch that derives
power from an ignition-switched circuit.

The A1200’s “Remote” turn-on connector is
designed to accept 18 AWG – 12 AWG wire. To
connect the remote turn-on wire to the amplif ier,
first back out the set screw on the top of the
terminal block, using the supplied 2.5 mm hex
wrench. Strip 1/2 inch (12mm) of wire and insert
the bare wire into the terminal block, seating it
firmly so that no bare wire is exposed. While
holding the wire in the terminal, tighten the set
screw firmly, taking care not to strip the head of
the screw and making sure that the wire is firmly
gripped by the set screw.

INPUT SECTION

The A1200’s input section allows you to send
signal to the amplifier section through the use
of two differential-balanced inputs, one for the
left channel signal and one for the right channel
signal. Connection is via RCA-type jacks.

You may run a stereo or a mono signal into
the inputs of the amplifier. The amplifier’s input
section automatically sums stereo signals to mono
for the internal amplifier section.

The amplifier will operate with only one input
connection (left or right), but will require an
increase in input sensitivity to overcome the loss
of signal. If a mono input signal is to be run, we
recommend that you use a “Y-adaptor” to split the
mono signal into both inputs of the amplifier.

Left Channel Only or Right Channel Only
Information: If you wish to send a Left-only or

Right-only signal to the A1200, use a “Y-Adaptor”
to split the single channel signal into both left
and right RCA inputs. This option is useful
when using one A1200 to drive the left channel
speakers only and another A1200 to drive right
channel speakers only.

INPUT VOLTAGE RANGE:

A wide range of signal input voltages can be
accommodated by the A1200’s input section
(200mV – 8V). This wide range is split up into
two sub-ranges, accessible via a switch located to
the left of the Input Connectors.

The “Low” position on the “Input Voltage”
switch selects an input sensitivity range between
200mV and 2V. This means that the “Input
Sens.” rotary control will operate within that
voltage window. If you are using an aftermarket
source unit or an OEM interface processor with
conventional preamp-level outputs, this is most
likely the position that you will use.

The “High” position on the “Input Voltage”
switch selects an input sensitivity range between
800mV and 8V. This is useful for certain high­output preamp level signals as well as speaker-level
output from source units and small amplifiers.

To use speaker-level sources, splice the speaker
output wires of the source unit or small amplif ier
onto a pair of RCA plugs. No line output
converter is needed in most cases.

The output of the amplifier will decrease for
a given input voltage when the “Input Range”
switch is placed in the “High” position.
Conversely, the output will be higher with the
switch in the “Low” position. While this may
sound counter-intuitive, it is consistent with
the descriptions above.

AMPLIFIER CONTROLS

1) “I nput Se ns.”: Once the appropriate “Input
Vol ta ge ” range has been selected, the control
labeled “Input Sens.” located in the “Amplifier
Controls” section can be used to match the

source unit’s output voltage to the input
stage of the amplifier for ma ximum clean
output. Rotating the control clockwise will
result in higher sensitivity (louder for a given
input voltage). Rotating the control counter­clockwise will result in lower sensitivity
(quieter for a given input voltage.)

To properly set the amplifier for maximum
clean output, please refer to Appendix A (page

12). After using this procedure, you can then
adjust the “Input Sens.” level downward if this is
required to achieve the desired system balance.

Do not increase any “Input Sens.” setting

for any channel(s) of any amplifier in the
system beyond the maximum level established
during the procedure outlined in Appendix
A (page 12). Doing so will result in audible
distortion and possible speaker damage.

If you plan to use the “Pre-Outs” to feed
a stereo amplifier, you must connect a
stereo signal to the input of the amplifier.
A mono signal into the amplifier will result
in a mono signal out of the preamp output.
(It’s a great amplifier, but it doesn't do magic).

6 JL AUDIO A1200

JL AUDIO A1200 7