Jl audio JX500-1D, JX250-1D, JX1000-1D User Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

Class D Monoblock Subwoofer Amplifiers

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, 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 our 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.).

Chassis Ground

Connector

(pg. 5)

+12 V Power							Remote Turn-On
Connector							Connector
	(pg. 5)						(pg. 6)

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:

Speaker Outputs

(pg. 10)

Power Status

Filter

High-Level

Left & Right

Bass Boost

Indicator

Frequency Selector

Input Jack

Preamp Output Jacks

Control

(pg. 11)

(pg. 8)

(pg. 6,7)

(pg. 8)

(pg. 9)

Protection Status

Input Sensitivity

Left & Right

Remote

Indicator

Control

Preamp Input Jacks

Level Control

(pg. 11)

(pg. 7)

(pg. 6)

(pg. 9)

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INSTALLATION APPLICATIONS

This amplifier is designed for operation in vehicles with 12V, 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 certified 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.

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 amplifier 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.

! I M P O R TA N T !

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 appropriate hardware 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.

•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.

ENGLISH

JX250/1D • JX500/1D • JX1000/1D

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

JL Audio JX monoblock subwoofer amplifiers are specifically designed to drive subwoofers. Their frequency response is limited to the range below 150 Hz, making them unsuitable for driving midrange speakers or tweeters. For detailed specifications,

please refer to Appendix B (page 13).

TYPICAL INSTALLATION SEQUENCE

The following represents the sequence for a typical amplifier installation, using an aftermarket source unit or OEM Interface product. 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 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. See next page for appropriate wire size.

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 connected to the amplifier.

4)Run signal cables (RCA cables) and remote turn-on wire from the source unit to the amplifier mounting location.

5)Run speaker wire 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 the same size power wire used for the +12V connection, no longer than 36 inches (90 cm) from the amplifier's ground (GND) connector 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 appropriate hardware.

8)Connect the positive and negative power wires to the amplifier.

9)Connect the remote turn-on wire to the amplifier.

10)Connect the input cables to the amplifier.

11)Connect the speaker wires 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 power wire fuse (see next page for correct value) 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.

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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 person during installation.

The amplifier’s “+12 VDC” (positive) and “Ground” (ground) connections are designed to accept up to 4 AWG power wire.

Minimum Power / Ground

Wire Size Requirements:

JX250/1D: 8 AWG

JX500/1D: 4 AWG

JX1000/1D: 4 AWG

Note: Smaller AWG numbers mean bigger wire and vice-versa (1/0 AWG is the largest, 2 AWG is smaller, then 4 AWG, then 8 AWG, etc.).

The above wire gauge recommendations assume no other amplifiers are connected to the same wire. Use larger wire with

a fused distribution block (or separate wires) for multiple amplifiers.

If you are installing this amplifier with other amplifiers and wish to use a single main power wire, use 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG main power wire (depending on the overall current demands of all the amplifiers in the system). This 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG power wire should terminate into a fused distribution block mounted as close to the amplifiers as possible and should connect to the

JX monoblock with 4 AWG power wire (8 AWG is sufficient for the JX250/1D only).

To connect the power and ground wires to the amplifier, strip 1/2-inch (12 mm) of insulation from each wire and insert the bare wire into the appropriate terminal block positions on the JX250/1D. Use the supplied

2.5 mm hex wrench to secure the wire via the screw on the top of each terminal.

The “Ground” connection should be made using 4 AWG wire (8 AWG is sufficient for JX250/1D only) and should be kept as short as possible, while accessing a solid piece of sheet metal in the vehicle. The surface of the sheet metal 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. The use of a #10 sheet metal screw and star washer to lock down the connection is advisable. Alternatively, you can use a specialized grounding lug, such as the JL Audio XB-MGLU. Any wires run through metal barriers (such

as firewalls), must be protected with a high quality insulating grommet to prevent damage to the insulation of the wire. Failure to do so may result in a dangerous short circuit.

! I M P O R TA N T !

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

JX250/1D: 30A (AGU or MAXI®) JX500/1D: 50A (AGU or MAXI®) JX1000/1D: 80A (AGU, ANL or MAXI®)

An appropriate fuse at the main power wire(s) to the amplifier(s) is vital for vehicle safety! This fuse must be installed within 18 inches (45 cm) of the positive battery post connection. If the JX monoblock is the only device connected to this main wire, use the corresponding fuse value listed above (no other fuse is required in this situation).

When running multiple devices from one main power wire, the main fuse value and rating of the main power wire must be high enough for all of the equipment being run from it. Use a fused distribution block to split the main power wire feed to each device, with appropriate fusing and power wire for each device.

ENGLISH

JX250/1D • JX500/1D • JX1000/1D

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REMOTE TURN-ON

The JX monoblock amplifier is turned on and off using 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 ignitionswitched circuit.

18 AWG wire is more than adequate for the remote turn-on connection. To connect the remote turn-on wire to the amplifier, strip 1/2- inch (12 mm) of insulation from the wire and insert it into the “Remote” receptacle on the power connector. Tighten the connector down using the supplied 2.5 mm hex wrench.

AMPLIFIER INPUTS

The JX monoblock amplifier offers two input connection methods, one for high-level (speaker level) signals and one for low-level (preamp level) signals.

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. For this reason, when feeding a mono input signal into the "Low-Level Inputs", use a Y-adaptor splitter to split the mono signal and connect it to both the Left and Right Low-Level Inputs of the amplifier.

When feeding a mono signal to the "Hi-Level Inputs", connect it in parallel to both left and right input wires.

1)Low-Level Inputs: A standard left/ right pair of RCA type jacks is used for preamp level (low-level) signal input on the JX monoblocks. This is the preferred connection method whenever available.

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