Pioneer GM-X542 User Manual

Thank you for purchasing this PIONEER product. It is designed to give you many years of enjoyment. PIONEER SUGGESTS USING A PROFESSIONAL INSTALLER DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS PRODUCT. Please read all instructions and

WARN-

INGS in this manual before attempting

operation. Should you have any questions, contact your nearest Pioneer authorized dealer or installation specialist.

Important

The serial number of this amplifier is written on the bottom of the unit. For your own security and convenience, write it down on the enclosed warranty card. Keep the card handy for future reference.

WARNING

• Always use the special red battery and ground wire [RD-223], which is sold separately. Connect the battery wire directly to the car battery positive terminal (+) and the ground wire to the car body.

• Do not touch the amplifier with wet hands. Otherwise you may get an electric shock. Also, do not touch the amplifier when it is wet.

• For traffic safety and to maintain safe driving conditions, keep the volume low enough so that you can still hear normal traffic sound.

• Check the connections of the power supply and speakers if the fuse of the separately sold battery wire or the amplifier fuse blows. Detect the cause and solve the problem, then replace the fuse with another one of the same size and rating.

• To prevent malfunction of the amplifier and speakers, the protective circuit will cut the power supply to the amplifier (sound will stop) when an abnormal condition occurs. In such a case, switch the power to the system OFF and check the connection of the power supply and speakers. Detect the cause and solve the problem.

• Contact the dealer if you cannot detect the cause.

• To prevent an electric shock or short-circuit during connection and installation, be sure to disconnect the negative (–) terminal of the battery beforehand.

• Confirm that no parts are behind the panel when drilling a hole for installation of the amplifier. Be sure to protect all cables and important equipment such as fuel lines, brake lines and the electrical wiring from damage.

Before Using This Product

After-sales service for Pioneer products

Please contact the dealer or distributor from where you purchased the product for its 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 product to the companies at the addresses listed below for repair without advance contact.

7 U.S.A.

Pioneer Electronics Service, Inc. CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT P.O. Box 1760 Long Beach, CA 90801 800-421-1404

7 CANADA

Pioneer Electronics of Canada, Inc. CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT 300 Allstate Parkway Markham, Ontario L3R 0P2 (905) 479-4411 1-877-283-5901

For warranty information please see the Limited Warranty sheet included with your product.

Selecting fine audio equipment such as the unit you’ve just purchased is only the start of your musical enjoyment. Now it’s time to consider how you can maximize the fun and excitement your equipment offers. This manufacturer and the Electronic Industries Association’s Consumer Electronics Group want you to get the most out of your equipment by playing it at a safe level. One that lets the sound come through loud and clear 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.

To establish a safe level:

• Start your volume control at a low setting.

• Slowly increase the sound until you can hear it comfortably and clearly, and without distortion.

Once you have established a comfortable sound level:

• Set the dial and leave it there.

Taking a minute to do this now will help to prevent hearing damage or loss in the future. After all,

we want you listening for a lifetime.

We Want You Listening For A Lifetime

Used wisely, your new sound equipment will provide a lifetime of fun and enjoyment. Since hearing damage from loud noise is often undetectable until it is too late, this manufacturer and the Electronic Industries Association’s Consumer Electronics Group recommend you avoid prolonged exposure to excessive noise. This list of sound levels is included for your protection.

Decibel Level Example

30 Quiet library, soft whispers 40 Living room,refrigerator, bedroom away from traffic 50 Light traffic, normal conversation, quiet office 60 Air conditioner at 20 feet, sewing machine 70 Vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, noisy restaurant 80 Average city traffic, garbage disposals, alarm clock at two feet.

THE FOLLOWING NOISES CAN BE DANGEROUS UNDER CONSTANT EXPOSURE

90 Subway, motorcycle, truck traffic, lawn mower 100 Garbage truck, chain saw, pneumatic drill 120 Rock band concert in front of speakers, thunderclap 140 Gunshot blast, jet plane 180 Rocket launching pad

Information courtesy of the Deafness Research Foundation.

PIONEER CORPORATION

4-1, MEGURO 1-CHOME, MEGURO-KU, TOKYO 153-8654, JAPAN

PIONEER ELECTRONICS (USA) INC.

P.O. Box 1760, Long Beach, California 90801, U.S.A. TEL: (800) 421-1404

PIONEER ELECTRONIC (EUROPE) N.V.

Haven 1087 Keetberglaan 1, 9120 Melsele, Belgium TEL: (0) 3/570.05.11

PIONEER ELECTRONICS AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

178-184 Boundary Road, Braeside, Victoria 3195, Australia TEL: (03) 9586-6300

PIONEER ELECTRONICS OF CANADA, INC.

300 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario L3R 0P2, Canada TEL: (905) 479-4411

PIONEER ELECTRONICS DE MEXICO, S.A. de C.V.

San Lorenzo Num 1009 3er piso Desp. 302 Col. Del Valle, Mexico D.F. C.P. 03100 TEL: 5-688-52-90

Printed in U.S.A. Imprimé aux Etats-Unis

<HRD0135-A> UC<00A00F0R01>

BRIDGEABLE POWER AMPLIFIER

AMPLIFICATEUR DE PUISSANCE PONTABLE

Owner’s Manual

GM-X542

Mode d’emploi

To prevent damage

• Do not ground the speaker wire directly or connect a negative (–) lead wire for several speakers.

• This unit is for vehicles with a 12-volt battery and negative grounding. Before installing it in a recreational vehicle, truck or bus, check the battery voltage.

• If the car stereo is kept on for a long time while the engine is at rest or idling, the battery may go dead. Turn the car stereo off when the engine is at rest or idling.

• If the system remote control wire of the amplifier is connected to the power terminal through the ignition switch (12 V DC), the amplifier will always be on when the ignition is on— regardless of whether the car stereo is on or off. Because of this, the battery could go dead if the engine is at rest or idle.

• Speakers to be connected to the amplifier should conform with the standards listed below. If they do not conform, they may catch fire, emit smoke or become damaged. The speaker impedance must be 1 to 8 ohms for stereo connection, and 2 to 8 ohms for monaural and other bridge connection.

• Install and route the separately sold battery wire as far away 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.

• Cords for this product and those for other products may be different colors even if they have the same function. When connecting this product to another product, refer to the supplied Installation manuals of both products and connect cords that have the same function.

Connection Diagram

Connecting the Unit

CAUTION

• Disconnect the negative (–) terminal of the battery to avoid the risk of short-circuit and damage to the unit.

• Secure the wiring with cable clamps or adhesive tape. To protect the wiring, wrap adhesive tape around it where they lie against metal parts.

• Do not route wires where they will get hot, for example where the heater will blow over them. If the insulation heats up, it may become damaged, resulting in a short-circuit through the vehicle body.

• Make sure that wires will not interfere with moving parts of the vehicle, such as the gearshift, handbrake or seat sliding mechanism.

• Do not shorten any wires. Otherwise the protection circuit may fail to work when it should.

• Never feed power to other equipment by cutting the insulation of the power supply wire to tap from the wire. The current capacity of the wire will be exceeded, causing overheating.

Fuse (30 A)

Grommet

RCA input

Special red battery wire [RD-223] (sold separately). After making all other connections at the amplifier, connect the battery wire terminal of the amplifier to the positive (+) terminal of the battery.

Ground wire (black) [RD-223] (sold separately). Connect to metal body or chassis.

Amplifier with RCA input jacks

Fuse (25 A)

Car stereo with RCA output jacks

External Output

Connecting wires with RCA pin plugs (sold separately).

RCA input jack

RCA output jack

Speaker terminal See the “Connecting the Speaker wires” section for speaker connection instructions.

System remote control wire (sold separately) Connect the male terminal of this wire to the system remote control terminal of the car stereo (SYSTEM REMOTE CONTROL). The female terminal can be connected to the auto-antenna relay control terminal. If the car stereo does not have a system remote control terminal, connect the male terminal to the power terminal through the ignition switch.

Speaker Channel Speaker Type Power

Two-channel

Subwoofer Nominal input: Min. 60 W Other than subwoofer Max. input: Min. 100 W

One-channel

Subwoofer Nominal input: Min. 165 W Other than subwoofer Max. input: Min. 300 W

Setting the Unit

Gain Control

If the sound level is too low, even when the volume of the car stereo used along with this power amplifier is turned up, turn gain control on the front of the power amplifier clockwise. If the sound distorts when the volume is turned up, turn the gain control counter-clockwise.

• When using with an RCA equipped car stereo (standard output of 500 mV), set to the NORMAL position. When using with an RCA equipped Pioneer car stereo with max. output of 4 V or more, adjust level to match the car stereo output level.

• If you hear too much noise when using the speaker input terminals, turn the gain control counter-clockwise.

Power Indicator

The power indicator lights when the power is switched on.

Fuse (30 A)

Front side

Back side

Bass Boost Level Control

Bass Boost Level Control can boost the level around 60 Hz from 0 to 18 dB.

• Bass Boost Level Control can be adjusted only when the LPF/HPF select switch is set to a position other than HPF.

LPF (Low-Pass Filter)/HPF (High-Pass Filter) Select Switch

Set the LPF/HPF select switch as follows according to the type of speaker that is connected to the speaker output connector and the car stereo system:

LPF/HPF Select Audio frequency range Speaker Remarks Switch to be output Type

LPF (left) Very Low Frequency range Subwoofer Connect a subwoofer. OFF (center) Full range Full range HPF (right) Low Frequency range to Full range Use if you want to cut the

High Frequency range very low frequency range

because it is not necessary for the speakers you are using.

Connecting the Unit

Connecting the Power Terminal

1. Pass the battery wire from the

engine compartment to the interior of the vehicle.

• After making all other connections to the amplifier, connect the battery wire terminal of the amplifier to the positive (+) terminal of the battery.

2. Twist the battery wire, ground wire and system remote control wire.

3. Attach lugs to wire ends. Lugs not supplied.

• Use pliers, etc., to crimp lugs to wires.

4. Connect the wires to the terminal.

• Fix the wires securely with the terminal screws.

Fuse (30 A)

Engine compartment

Interior of the vehicle

Drill a 14 mm hole into the vehicle body.

Insert the O-ring rubber grommet into the vehicle body.

Twist

Positive terminal

GND terminal

Power terminal

Battery wire

System remote control terminal

System remote control wire

Ground wire

Connecting the Speaker Terminals

1. Expose the end of the speaker wires by about 10 mm and twist using nippers or a cutter.

2. Attach lugs to speaker wire ends. Lugs not supplied.

• Use pliers, etc., to crimp lugs to wires.

3. Connect the speaker wires to the speaker terminals.

• Connect the speaker wires, passing them

through the terminal cover.

• Fix the speaker wires securely with the termi-

nal screws.

4. Push on the terminal cover.

10 mm

Twist

Speaker terminal

Terminal cover

Terminal screw

Speaker wire

Lug

Fuse (30 A)

Battery wire

Ground wire

Lug

Speaker wire

Connecting the Speaker wires

The speaker output mode can be two-channel (stereo), one-channel (mono), or threechannel (stereo + mono). Connect the speaker leads to suit the mode according to the figures shown below.

• When either the RCA input or the speaker input is connected, RCA output becomes functional. Do not connect both the RCA input and the speaker input at the same time.

Two-channel mode (stereo)

One-channel mode (mono)

Three-channel mode (stereo + mono)

The power amplifier is basically a twochannel/one-channel bridgeable amplifier, but three channels can be achieved by combining the stereo and mono modes using inductors and capacitors.

Three-channel mode, two-way system

Three-channel mode, three-way system

• Inductors (L1 and L2 in the diagrams) act as low-pass filters. Capacitors (C1 and C2 in the diagrams) act as high-pass filters. Inductors (L) are used for the woofer/subwoofer, and capacitors (C) are used for the high/mid-high.

• Remember when bridging an amplifier it will see only half of the original speaker impedance. Therefore, you must use speakers that have ratings of 4 ohms or higher. If you use speakers that have lower impedance ratings it may cause damage to the amplifier.

• When the inductors and capacitors are connected to the speaker wires, secure or solder them so they cannot be pulled loose. Tape or use heat shrink on the joints to prevent short circuits.

≠

(Right) Speaker input (Left)

(Left) Speaker (Right)

(Right) Speaker input (Left)

Speaker (Mono)

Mid-high (Left)

Woofer (Mono)

Mid-high (Right)

High/mid-high (Left)

Mid/mid-bass (Left)

Woofer/subwoofer (Mono)

Mid/mid-bass (Right)

High/mid-high (Right)

Component Guide

Speaker load Impedance 2 Ω 4 Ω 8 Ω

fc (Hz) L (mH) C (µF) L (mH) C (µF) L (mH) C (µF)

50 6.4 1,600 12.70 800.0 25.50 400.0

80 4.0 1,000 8.00 500.0 16.00 250.0 125 2.5 640 5.10 300.0 10.00 160.0 200 1.6 400 3.20 200.0 6.40 100.0 320 1.0 250 2.00 125.0 4.00 62.0 500 0.64 160 1.30 80.0 2.60 40.0 800 0.4 100 0.80 50.0 1.60 25.0

1,250 0.25 64 0.50 30.0 1.00 16.0 2,000 0.16 40 0.30 20.0 0.64 10.0 3,200 0.1 25 0.20 12.5 0.40 6.2 5,000 0.06 16 0.13 8.0 0.26 4.0 8,000 0.04 10 0.08 5.0 0.16 2.5

10,000 0.03 8 0.06 4.0 0.13 2.0

Setting the Filter Constant

Low-pass filter (for subwoofer/woofer): 6 dB/octave

High-pass filter (for mid/mid-high): 6 dB/octave

Band-pass filter (combination of low-pass filter and high-pass filter for midbass/mid): 6 dB/octave

• A multi-channel system can be set up using a combination of filters. The inductance (L) and capacitance (C) will determine the frequency (fc) that the speaker will reproduce. Refer to the chart below to determine the components required.

• Use the capacitors specified. Non-polarized capacitors rated at over ±25 V should be used for C1 and C2 in the diagram. Because of the voltage output of the amplifier, it is very important to use non-polarized capacitors rated at or over 25 V. This will prevent a safety hazard.

0dB

–6dB

CH2fCH

0dB

–6dB

0dB

–6dB

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