JL Audio M200/2 Owner's Manual
OWNER’S MANUAL
200W Marine 2-Channel Amplier
Thank you for purchasing a JL Audio amplifier for
your marine 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 the JL Audio Technical Support Department
at (954) 443-1100 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 vessel.
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 vessel 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
vessels with 12 volt, negative-ground electrical
systems. Use of this product in vessels with
positive ground and/or voltages other than 12V
may result in damage to the product and will void
th e w arra nty.
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.
2 | JL Audio - XD200/2 Owner’s Manual
Status
LED
(pg. 11)
Ch. 1 & 2
Filter Mode
Selection
(pg. 8)
Ch. 1 & 2 Filter
Frequency
Ch. 1 & 2 Input
Sensitivity Control
(pg. 7)
Selector
(pg. 8)
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 amplif ier
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.
Mounting the amplifier upside down is
strongly discouraged.
Safety Considerations:
Your amplifier needs to be installed in a dry,
well-ventilated environment and in a manner
which does not interfere with your vessel’s factory
installed electronic devices. 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 vessel.
Stupid Mistakes to Avoid:
• Check before drilling any holes in your vessel to
make sure that you will not be drilling through
the hull, a fuel tank, fuel line, wiring harness or
other vital vessel system.
• Do not run system wiring outside or underneath
the vessel. This is an extremely dangerous
practice which can result in severe damage to
your vessel and person.
• Protect all system wires from sharp edges
(metal, fiberglass, etc.) by carefully routing
them, tying them down and using grommets
and loom where appropriate.
• Do not mount the amplifier in the engine
compartment or in any other area that will
expose the amplifier circuitry to the elements.
Chassis Ground
+12 V Power
Connector
(pg. 5)
Connector
(pg. 5)
Remote Turn-On
Connector
(pg. 6)
Left & Right Preamp
Output Jacks
Channels 1 & 2
Preamp Input Jacks
(pg. 6)
While this amplifier is specially designed
for marine applications, it is not waterproof
and it should not be mounted where it is
likely to get wet.
(pg. 9)
Jack for
Remote Level
Control Knob
(pg. 9)
Channels 1 & 2
Speaker Outputs
(pg. 10)
3
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The JL Audio M200/2 is a two-channel,
full-range audio amplifier utilizing JL Audio
NexD™ ultra-high speed switching technology to
deliver outstanding fidelity and efficiency.
The M200/2 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. 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 batter y post
connection and secure the disconnected cable
to prevent accidental re-connection during
installation. This step is not optional.
2) Run 8 AWG (minimum) 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 vessel operation. Use 4 AWG
or larger power wire and a power distribution
block if additional amplifiers are being
installed with the M200/2.
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 vessel. Do
not install the fuse until the power wire has
been securely connected to the amplifier.
4) Connect negative power wire to the negative
battery post. Use the same size power
wire as the wire connected to the “+12V ”
connection (minimum 4 AWG).
5) Run signal cables and remote turn-on wire
from the source unit to the amplifier
mounting location.
6) Run speaker cable from the speaker systems
to the amplifier mounting location.
7) Securely mount the amplifier.
8) Connect the positive and negative power
wires to the amplifier. A fuse near the
amplifier is not necessary if the M200/2 is the
only device being run from the fused main
power wire. If the fused main power wire is
shared by the M200/2 and other amplifiers
or devices, fuse each amplif ier/device
within 12 inches (30 cm) of wire length,
via a fused distribution block or multiple
individual fuse blocks/on-board fuses.
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 (20A for a
single M200/2) and reconnect the negative
battery post terminal. Install the fuse (20A)
near the amplifier (if applicable).
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.
4 | JL Audio - XD200/2 Owner’s Manual
POWER CONNECTIONS
Before installing the amplifier, disconnect the
negative (ground) wire from the vessel’s battery.
This will prevent accidental damage to the system,
the vessel and your body during installation.
The M200/2’s “+12 V DC” and “Ground”
connections are designed to accept 8-4 AWG
power wire. 8 AWG is the minimum required
wire size for this amplifier.
If you are installing the M200/2 with other
amplifiers and wish to use a single main power
wire, use 4 AWG, 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG main
power wire (depending on the overall current
demands of all the amplifiers in the system).
This large power wire should terminate into a
fused distribution block mounted as close to
the amplifiers as possible (within 12 inches /
30cm of wire length). The fused output of the
distribution block will connect to the M200/2
with 8 or 4 AWG power wire. JL Audio ECS
fused distribution blocks are recommended
(XD-FDBU-2 and X D-FDBU-4)
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.).
Any wires run through barriers 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.
Some vessels employ small (10 AWG -
6 AWG) wire to connect the alternator's
positive connection to the batter y. To prevent
voltage drops, these wires should be upgraded
to 4 AWG when installing amplifier systems
with main fuse ratings above 60A.
It is also common for the alternator to be
grounded through its chassis to the engine and
for the engine to be grounded to the battery or a
ground stud via a dedicated wire or strap. This
wire or strap should also be upgraded to 4 AWG or
larger 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 value at each
power wire should be high enough for all of the
equipment being run from that power wire. If
only the M200/2 is being run from that power
wire, we recommend a 20A fuse be used.
If fusing the amplif ier near its power
connections (when more than one amp is being
run from the main power wire), use a 20A fuse.
MAXI™ plastic-body fuses are recommended.
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 firmly, 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.
5
TURNON LEAD
The M200/2 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 M200/2’s “Remote” turn-on connector is
designed to accept 18 AWG – 12 AWG wire. To
connect the remote turn-on wire to the amplifier,
first back out the set screw on the top of the
terminal block, using the supplied 2.5mm 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 (not the
insulation) is firmly gripped by the set screw.
INPUT SECTION
The M200/2’s input section allows you
to send signals to the amplifier section
through the use of two differential inputs.
Input connections are via up to one pair of
traditional RCA-type jacks.
Input Voltage Range:
The M200/2’s input sections are designed to
accept signal voltages from 100mV – 4V. This
will accommodate all preamp level signals and
many speaker level signals.
To use speaker-level sources, simply splice
the speaker output wires of the source unit
onto a pair of RCA plugs. (or use JL Audio part
XD-CLRAIC2-SW) No “line output converter” is
needed in most cases.
If you find that the output cannot be reduced
suff iciently with a direct speaker level signal
applied to the amplifier, you may use a “line
output converter” to reduce the signal level.
6 | JL Audio - XD200/2 Owner’s Manual
Loading...