BRIDGEABLE FOUR-CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER
AMPLIFICATEUR DE PUISSANCE PONTABLE À QUATRE CANAUX
AMPLIFICADOR DE POTENCIA DE CUATRO CANALES EN PUENTE
GM-A6604
GM-A4604
EnglishFrançaisEspañol
Owner’s Manual
Mode d’emploi
Manual de instrucciones
Section
01
Before you start
Thank you for purchasing this PIONEER
product
To ensure proper use, please read through this
manual before using this product. It is especially important that you read and observe
WARNINGs and CAUTIONs in this manual.
Please keep the manual in a safe and accessible
place for future reference.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
Information to User
Alteration or modifications carried out without
appropriate authorization may invalidate the
user’s right to operate the equipment.
Note
This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to
correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment
and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.
After-sales service for
Pioneer products
Please contact the dealer or distributor from
where you purchased this unit for after-sales
service (including warranty conditions) or any
other information. In case the necessary information is not available, please contact the
companies listed below:
Please do not ship your unit to the companies
at the addresses listed below for repair without
advance contact.
U.S.A.
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT DIVISION
P.O. Box 1760
Long Beach, CA 90801-1760
800-421-1404
CANADA
Pioneer Electronics of Canada, Inc.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DEPARTMENT
340 Ferrier Street
Unit 2
Markham, Ontario L3R 2Z5, Canada
1-877-283-5901
905-479-4411
For warranty information please see the Limited Warranty sheet included with this unit.
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Before you start
Section
01
If you experience problems
Should this product fail to operate properly,
please contact your dealer or nearest authorized Pioneer Service Station.
Visit our website
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com
in Canada
http://www.pioneerelectronics.ca
! Learn about product updates (such as firm-
ware updates) for your product.
! Register your product to receive notices
about product updates and to safeguard
purchase details in our files in the event of
loss or theft.
! Access owner’s manuals, spare parts infor-
mation, service information, and much
more.
The Safety of Your Ears is in
Your Hands
Get the most out of your equipment by playing
it at a safe level—a level that lets the sound
come through clearly without annoying blaring or distortion and, most importantly, without affecting your sensitive hearing. Sound
can be deceiving. Over time, your hearing
“comfort level” adapts to higher volumes of
sound, so what sounds “normal” can actually
be loud and harmful to your hearing. Guard
against this by setting your equipment at a
safe level BEFORE your hearing adapts.
ESTABLISH A SAFE LEVEL:
! Set your volume control at a low setting.
! Slowly increase the sound until you can
hear it comfortably and clearly, without distortion.
! Once you have established a comfortable
sound level, set the dial and leave it there.
BE SURE TO OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING
English
GUIDELINES:
! Do not turn up the volume so high that you
can’t hear what’s around you.
! Use caution or temporarily discontinue use
in potentially hazardous situations.
! Do not use headphones while operating a
motorized vehicle; the use of headphones
may create a traffic hazard and is illegal in
many areas.
Before connecting/
installing the amplifier
WARNING
! Handling the cord on this product or cords as-
sociated with accessories sold with the product may expose you to chemicals listed on
proposition 65 known to the State of California
and other governmental entities to cause cancer and birth defect or other reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.
! The use of a special red battery and ground
wire RD-223, available separately, is recommended. Connect the battery wire directly to
the car battery positive terminal + and the
ground wire to the car body.
! This unit is for vehicles with a 12 V battery and
negative grounding. Before installing in recreational vehicles, trucks or buses, check the
battery voltage.
! When installing this unit, make sure to con-
nect the ground wire first. Ensure that the
ground wire is properly connected to metal
parts of the car’s body. The ground wire of the
one of this unit must be connected to the car
separately with different screws. If the screw
for the ground wire loosens or falls out, it
could result in fire, generation of smoke or
malfunction.
! Always use a fuse of the rating prescribed.
The use of an improper fuse could result in
overheating and smoke, damage to the product and injury, including burns.
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3
Section
01
Before you start
! Check the connections of the power supply
and speakers if the fuse of the separately sold
battery wire or the amplifier fuse blows. Determine and resolve the cause, then replace the
fuse with and identical equivalent.
! Always install the amplifier on a flat surface.
Do not install the amplifier on a surface that
is not flat or on a surface with a protrusion.
Doing so could result in malfunction.
! When installing the amplifier, do not allow
parts such as extra screws to get caught between the amplifier and the automobile.
Doing so could cause malfunction.
! Do not allow this unit to come into contact
with liquids. Electrical shock could result.
Also, damage to this unit, smoke, and overheating could result from contact with liquids.
The surfaces of the amplifier and any attached
speakers may also heat up and cause minor
burns.
! In the event of any abnormality, the power
supply to the amplifier is cut off to prevent
equipment malfunction. If this occurs, switch
the system power off and check the power
supply and speaker connections. If you are unable to determine the cause, please contact
your dealer.
! Always disconnect the negative * terminal of
the battery beforehand to avoid the risk of
electric shock or short circuit during installation.
! Do not attempt to disassemble or modify this
unit. Doing so may result in fire, electric
shock or other malfunction.
ing functions will operate to protect the product
and speaker output.
! The power indicator will turn off and the am-
plifier will shut down in the situations outlined
below.
— If the speaker output terminal and speaker
wire are short-circuited.
— If a DC voltage is applied to the speaker
output terminal.
! The amplifier will reduce the power output if
the temperature inside the amplifier gets
high. If the temperature gets too high, the
power indicator will turn off, and the amplifier
will shut down.
Important (Serial number)
The serial number is located on the bottom of
this unit. For your own security and convenience,
be sure to record this number on the enclosed
warranty card.
CAUTION
! Always keep the volume low enough to hear
outside sounds.
! Extended use of the car stereo while the en-
gine is at rest or idling may exhaust the battery.
About the protection function
This product has protection function. When this
product detects something abnormal, the follow-
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Setting the unit
Section
02
What’s what
GM-A6604
Front side
Rear side
GM-A4604
Front side
Rear side
To adjust the switch, use a flathead screwdriver if needed.
Switch the settings based on the connected
speaker.
! When the Subwoofer is connected:
Select LPF. This eliminates high range
frequency and outputs low range frequency.
! When the full range speaker is con-
nected:
Select HPF or OFF. HPF eliminates low
range frequency and output high range
frequency. OFF outputs the entire fre-
English
quency range.
2 GAIN (gain) control
Adjusting gain controls CHANNEL A (channel A) and CHANNEL B (channel B) helps
align the car stereo output to the Pioneer
amplifier. Default setting is the NORMAL
position.
If output remains low, even when the car
stereo volume is turned up, turn controls to
lower level. If distortion occurs when the car
stereo volume is turned up, turn these controls to higher level.
! If using only one input plug, set the gain
controls for speaker outputs A and B to
the same position.
! For use with an RCA equipped car stereo
(standard output of 500 mV), set to the
NORMAL position. For use with an RCA
equipped Pioneer car stereo, with maximum output of 4 V or more, adjust level
to match that of the car stereo output.
! For use with an RCA equipped car stereo
with output of 4 V, set to the HIGH position.
3 INPUT SELECT (input select) switch
Select 2CH for two-channel input and 4CH
for four–channel input.
! You can select input select only for con-
nections when using the RCA input jack.
For connections when using the speaker
input wire, 4CH will be used automatically no matter which switch setting is
selected.
4 FREQ (cut off frequency) control
Cut off frequency selectable from 40 Hz to
500 Hz if the LPF/HPF select switch is set to
LPF or HPF.
! You can select cut off frequency only for
CHANNEL B.
5 BASS BOOST (bass boost level control)
switch
You can select a bass boost level from 0 dB
to 12 dB.
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5
Section
02
Setting the unit
! Bass boost level setting applies only to
CHANNEL B (channel B) output.
6 Power indicator
The power indicator lights up to indicate
power ON.
Setting gain properly
! Protective function included to prevent
malfunction of the unit and/or speakers
due to excessive output, improper use or
improper connection.
! When outputting high volume sound etc.,
this function cuts off the output for a few
seconds as a normal function, but output
is restored when the volume of the head
unit is turned down.
! A cut in sound output may indicate impro-
per setting of the gain control. To ensure
continuous sound output with the head
unit at a high volume, set amplifier gain
control to a level appropriate for the preout
maximum output level of the head unit, so
that volume can remain unchanged and to
control excess output.
! Despite correct volume and gain settings,
the unit sound still cuts out periodically. In
such cases, please contact the nearest
authorized Pioneer Service Station.
Relationship between amplifier gain
and head unit output power
If amplifier gain is raised improperly, this will
simply increase distortion, with little increase
in power.
Signal waveform when outputting at
high volume using amplifier gain
control
If the signal waveform is distorted due to high
output, even if the amplifier gain is raised, the
output power will change only slightly.
Gain control of this unit
Preout level: 2 V
(Standard: 500 mV)
Preout level: 4 V
Above illustration shows NORMAL gain setting.
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Connecting the units
Section
03
Connection diagram
1 Special red battery wire
RD-223 (sold separately)
After completing all other amplifier connections, finally connect the battery wire terminal
of the amplifier to the positive + battery terminal.
2 Ground wire (Black)
RD-223 (sold separately)
Connect to metal body or chassis.
3 Car stereo with RCA output jacks (sold sepa-
rately)
4 External output
If only one input plug is used, do not connect
anything to RCA input jack B.
5 Connecting wire with RCA pin plugs (sold se-
parately)
6 RCA input jack A
7 RCA input jack B
8 Speaker input terminal (use a connector in-
cluded)
Please see the following section for speaker
English
connection instructions. Refer to Connections
when using the speaker input wire on page 10.
9 Speaker output terminals
Please see the following section for speaker
connection instructions. Refer to Connectionswhen using the speaker input wire on page 10.
a System remote control wire (sold separately)
Connect male terminal of this wire to the system remote control terminal of the car stereo.
The female terminal can be connected to the
auto-antenna relay control terminal. If the car
stereo lacks a system remote control terminal,
connect the male terminal to the power terminal via the ignition switch.
b Fuse 25 A× 2 (GM-A6604) / 30A × 1 (GM-
A4604)
c Fuse (30 A) × 2
d Grommet
e Rear side
f Front side
Note
INPUT SELECT (input select) switch must be set.
For details, see Setting the unit on page 5.
Before connecting the
amplifier
WARNING
! Secure the wiring with cable clamps or adhe-
sive tape. To protect the wiring, wrap sections
in contact with metal parts in adhesive tape.
! Never cut the insulation of the power supply
to feed power to other equipment. Current capacity of the wire is limited.
CAUTION
! Never shorten any wires, the protection circuit
may malfunction.
! Never wire the speaker negative cable directly
to ground.
! Never band together multiple speaker’s nega-
tive cables.
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7
Section
03
Connecting the units
! If the system remote control wire of the ampli-
fier is connected to the power terminal via the
ignition switch (12 V DC), the amplifier will remain on with the ignition whether the car
stereo is on or off, which may exhaust battery
if the engine is at rest or idling.
! Install and route the separately sold battery
wire as far as possible from the speaker wires.
Install and route the separately sold battery
wire, ground wire, speaker wires and the amplifier as far away as possible from the antenna, antenna cable and tuner.
About bridged mode
! Do not install or use this amplifier by wiring
speakers rated at 4W (or lower) in parallel to
achieve a 2 W (or lower) bridged mode (Diagram B).
Amplifier damage, smoke, and overheating
could result from improper bridging. The amplifier surface could also become hot to the
touch and minor burns could result.
To properly install or use a bridged mode and
achieve a 4 W load, wire two 8 W speakers in
parallel with Left + and Right * (Diagram A)
or use a single 4 W speaker.
In addition, refer to the speaker instruction
manual for information on the correct connection procedure.
! For any further enquiries, contact your local
authorized Pioneer dealer or customer
service.
About suitable
specification of speaker
Ensure speakers conform to the following
standards, otherwise there is a risk of fire,
smoke or damage. Speaker impedance is 2 W
to 8 W,or4W to 8 W for two-channel and other
bridge connections.
Subwoofer
Speaker channelPower
Four-channel output
Two-channel output
Three-channel
Speaker output A
Three-channel
Speaker output B
Other than subwoofer
Speaker channelPower
Four-channel output
Two-channel output
Three-channel
Speaker output A
Three-channel
Speaker output B
Nominal input:
Min. 60 W (GM-A6604)
Min. 40 W (GM-A4604)
Nominal input:
Min. 180 W (GM-A6604)
Min. 120 W (GM-A4604)
Nominal input:
Min. 60 W (GM-A6604)
Min. 40 W (GM-A4604)
Nominal input:
Min. 180 W (GM-A6604)
Min. 120 W (GM-A4604)
Max. input:
Min. 120 W (GM-A6604)
Min. 80 W (GM-A4604)
Max. input:
Min. 360 W (GM-A6604)
Min. 240 W (GM-A4604)
Max. input:
Min. 120 W (GM-A6604)
Min. 80 W (GM-A4604)
Max. input:
Min. 360 W (GM-A6604)
Min. 240 W (GM-A4604)
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Connecting the units
Section
03
Connecting the speakers
The speaker output mode can be four-channel,
three-channel (stereo and mono) or two-channel (stereo or mono). Connect the speaker
leads based on the mode and the figures
shown below.
Four-channel output
1
3
2
2
4
1
1 Right
2 Left
3 Speaker out A
4 Speaker out B
Three-channel output
English
1
3
2
4
1 Right
2 Left
3 Speaker out A
4 Speaker out B (Mono)
Two-channel output (Stereo)
1 Speaker (Right)
2 Speaker (Left)
2
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9
4
3
Section
03
Connecting the units
Two-channel output (Mono)
1
1 Speaker (Mono)
Connections when using
the RCA input jack
Connect the car stereo RCA output jack and
the RCA input jack of the amplifier.
Four-channel / Three-channel output
! Slide INPUT SELECT (input select) switch
to 4CH position.
12
If only one input plug is used, e.g. when the
car stereo has only one output (RCA output),
connect the plug to RCA input jack A rather
than B.
Two-channel output (Stereo) / (Mono)
! Slide INPUT SELECT (input select) switch
to 2CH position.
1
2
1 RCA input jack A
For two-channel output, connect the RCA
plugs to the RCA input jack A.
2 Connecting wire with RCA pin plugs (sold se-
parately)
3 From car stereo (RCA output)
Connections when using
the speaker input wire
Connect the car stereo speaker output wires
to the amplifier using the supplied speaker
input wire.
! Do not connect both the RCA input and the
speaker input at the same time.
3
1 RCA input jack A
2 RCA input jack B
3 Connecting wires with RCA plugs (sold sepa-
rately)
4 From car stereo (RCA output)
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Connecting the units
Section
03
1 Car Stereo
2 Speaker output
3 White/black: CH A, Left *
4 White: CH A, Left +
5 Gray/black: CH A, Right *
6 Gray: CH A, Right +
7 Green/black: CH B, Left *
8 Green: CH B, Left +
9 Violet/black: CH B, Right *
a Violet: CH B, Right +
b Speaker input connector
To speaker input terminal of this unit.
Note
If speaker input wires from a headunit are connected to this amplifier, the amplifier will automatically turn on when the headunit is turned on.
When the headunit is turned off, the amplifier
turns off automatically. This function may not
work with some headunits. In such cases, please
use a system remote control wire (sold separately). If multiple amplifiers are to be connected
together synchronously, connect the head unit
and all amplifiers via the system remote control
wire.
Connecting the power
terminal
The use of a special red battery and ground
wire RD-223 (sold separately) is recommended. Connect the battery wire directly to
the car battery positive terminal + and the
ground wire to the car body.
wire damaging it by the cut edges or burrs
English
of the hole.
After completing all other amplifier connections, finally connect the battery wire terminal
of the amplifier to the positive + battery terminal.
1 Positive + terminal
2 Engine compartment
3 Vehicle interior
4 Fuse (30 A) × 2
5 Insert the O-ring rubber grommet into the
vehicle body.
6 Drill a 14 mm (1/2 in.) hole into the vehicle
body.
2 Twist the battery wire, ground wire
and system remote control wire.
Twist
3 Attach lugs to wire ends.
Use pliers, etc., to crimp lugs to wires.
WARNING
If the battery wire is not securely fixed to the terminal using the terminal screws, there is a risk of
overheating, malfunction and injury, including
minor burns.
1 Route battery wire from engine compartment to the vehicle interior.
! When drilling a cable pass-hole into the ve-
hicle body and routing a battery wire thorough it, take care not to short-circuit the
parts in the manner specified. If any parts
other than those supplied are used, they may
damage internal parts of the amplifier, or become loose causing the amplifier to shut
down.
! Do not install in:
— Places where it could injure the driver or
passengers if the vehicle stops suddenly.
— Places where it may interfere with the dri-
ver, such as on the floor in front of the driver’s seat.
! Install tapping screws in such a way that the
screw tip does not touch any wire. This is important to prevent wires from being cut by vibration of the car, which can result in fire.
! Make sure that wires do not get caught in the
sliding mechanism of the seats or touch the
legs of a person in the vehicle as short-circuit
may result.
! When drilling to install the amplifier, always
confirm no parts are behind the panel and
protect all cables and important equipment
(e.g. fuel/brake lines, wiring) from damage.
CAUTION
! To ensure proper heat dissipation of the ampli-
fier, ensure the following during installation:
— Allow adequate space above the amplifier
for proper ventilation.
— Do not cover the amplifier with a floor mat
or carpet.
! Protection function may activate to protect the
amplifier against overheating due to installation in locations where sufficient heat cannot
be dissipated, continuous use under high-volume conditions, etc. In such cases, the amplifier reduces the power output or shuts
down until it has cooled to a certain designated temperature.
! Place all cables away from hot places, such
as near the heater outlet.
! The optimal installation location differs de-
pending on the car model. Secure the amplifier at a sufficiently rigid location.
! Check all connections and systems before
final installation.
! After installing the amplifier, confirm that the
spare tire, jack and tools can be easily removed.
Example of installation on
the floor mat or chassis
1 Place the amplifier in the desired installation location.
Insert the supplied tapping screws (4 mm ×
18 mm (1/8 in. × 3/4 in.)) into the screw holes
and push on the screws with a screwdriver so
they make an imprint where the installation
holes are to be located.
2 Drill 2.5 mm (1/8 in.) diameter holes at
the imprints either on the carpet or directly
on the chassis.
3 Install the amplifier with the use of
supplied tapping screws (4 mm × 18 mm
(1/8 in. × 3/4 in.)).
1
3
4
1 Tapping-screws (4 mm × 18 mm (1/8 in. ×
3/4 in.))
2 Drill a 2.5 mm (1/8 in.) diameter hole.
3 Floor mat or chassis
4 Hole-to-hole distance: 338 mm (13-1/4in.)
(GM-A6604) / 308 mm (12-1/8 in.) (GMA4604)
5 Hole-to-hole distance: 196 mm (7-3/4in.)
2
English
13
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Appendix
Additional information
Specifications
GM-A6604
Power source ............................. 14.4 V DC (10.8 V to 15.1 V
allowable)
Grounding system ................... Negative type
Current consumption ............ 31 A (at continuous power,
4 W)
Average current drawn ......... 8.5 A (4 W for four channels)
14 A (4 W for two channels)
Fuse ................................................ 25 A × 2
Dimensions (W × H × D) ... 348 mm × 60 mm ×
215 mm
(13-3/4 in. × 2-3/8 in. ×
8-1/2 in.)
Weight .......................................... 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs)
(Leads for wiring not in-
cluded)
Maximum power output ....... 120 W × 4 (4 W) / 190W × 4
(2 W) / 760 W TOTAL
(BRIDGE)
Continuous power output ... 60 W × 4 (at 14.4 V, 4 W,
20 Hz to 20 kHz ≦ 1 % THD
+N)
180 W × 2 (at 14.4 V, 4 W
BRIDGE 1 kHz, ≦ 1 % THD
+N)
90 W × 4 (at 14.4 V, 2 W,
1 kHz, ≦ 1 % THD+N)
Load impedance ...................... 4 W (2 W to 8 W allowable)
Frequency response ............... 10 Hz to 70 kHz (+0 dB,
–3 dB)
Signal-to-noise ratio ............... 95 dB (IHF-A network)