Polk Audio C400.4 User Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

C400.4 Carbon Series

4/3/2 Channel Amplifier

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POLK/MOMO: CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

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Getting Started

Please inspect your new amplifier(s) carefully. Notify your Polk Audio dealer if you notice
any damage or missing items. Keep the carton and packing material; this will do the best
job of protecting your equipment if it must be transported.

PARTS INCLUDED

2 Hex wrenches
Screws (2 long, 2 short)
Extra washers
Fuse replacements
Moisture Packet

(Do not eat!)

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:____________________________

Optional Accesories

Remote Bass Gain Module is standard with the Mono Model Polk/MOMO Carbon Series
Amplifier. It is available separately for the 4- and 2-channel models. See your Authorized
Polk/MOMO dealer, or visit the webstore at polkaudio.com.

Polk Audio—A Passion for Sound

Welcome to the Polk Audio family! For over thirty years, George Klopfer and I, and all
the people at Polk Audio, have been designing and building sound equipment for
people like you: the person who demands high quality and outstanding performance
at a reasonable price. (Someone just like US, in other words!)

Please take a moment and read through this manual before you get started. Installing
a car audio system is a serious project. If you have any doubts about your ability to
execute any of the installation steps found in this manual, save yourself a lot of grief
and contact your local authorized Polk Audio AutoSound dealer. He (or she) is a
professional installer and ready to help you get the most for your autosound dollar.

More information—including audio how-to articles, FAQs, and online manuals—is
available on our award-winning website www.polkaudio.com/car. And if you ever
have a question or comment, please feel free to call us or email us. In North America
and Canada, call Polk Audio Customer Service 800-377-7655 (M-F, 9-6 EST) or via email
[e-mail]. Outside the US, call 410-358-3600. We love to hear from you!

Here at Polk Audio, building loudspeakers and audio equipment is more than just
our business—it's our passion. We're happy to share it with you.

Sincerely,

Matthew S. Polk
Chairman and Co-Founder

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POLK/MOMO: CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

Read This First

Installing a car audio system is a serious project. If you have any doubts about your ability to
execute any of the installation steps found in this manual, save yourself a lot of grief and contact
a professional installer. Your Polk Audio dealer is a good place to find one. If you intend to do the
installation yourself we assume you possess some skill in the proper use of hand and power tools.
No matter how much installation experience you have, we recommend that you…

• Read this manual thoroughly before you begin

• Plan your installation carefully

• Allow enough time to complete the installation without rushing

• Take steps to protect your car and upholstery from unwanted scratches and punctures.

• Wear proper protective safety gear.

Tools you May Need

• Phillips head screwdriver

• Panel pry tool

• Electric drill and 3/16" and 1/8" drill bits

• Permanent ink marker or pencil

• Solderless, crimp-on connectors and a crimping tool

• Safety glasses

• Wire strippers and cutters

• Electrical tape

• Grommets for passing wires through metal car walls

• Amplifier Power Wire Kit (available at your authorized Polk Audio Dealer)

Safe Limits of Operation

Your Polk Audio AutoSound equipment is constructed of the highest quality materials for years of
trouble-free performance. You should be aware that damage to loudspeakers can occur when an
amplifier, regardless of its wattage, is made to play at higher listening levels than its power can
clearly produce. Operation at this level can result in very high levels of audible distortion originat­ing in the amplifier, which can add a harsh, gritty sound to your listening material. If you hear
distortion—turn it down or risk damaging your speakers. You can damage any speaker, regardless
of power rating, if you push any amplifier, regardless of power rating, to the point of distortion.

All Carbon Series Amplifier Models Feature:

• Polk’s Maximum Dynamic Headroom (MDH) Power Supply allows Polk/MOMO Amplifiers to
deliver more instantaneous power peaks, easily driving your speakers during musical peaks. Get
“max headroom” (!) and more power for low impedance loads.

• Each model features fully adjustable electronic crossovers to power any install using any speakers
on the market.

• Each model also features the exclusive Polk/MOMO Pre-EQ Switch, which optimizes the
crossovers for use with Polk/MOMO Ultra High Performance Speakers and Subwoofers so you can
take high performance to whole new level.

• 5-Way Smart System Protection (SSP) circuits: Power and Ground-Reversal Protection, Thermal
and Short Protection, Current Overdraw and Low Impedance Protection circuits with auto­Standby Mode ensure safety, reliability and durability.

• Hideaway Cover Plate conceals the wiring and the “Set It Once” user-adjustable controls for
clean-looking, fiddle-free installs.

• Polk Performance Certificate attests to each individual amp’s Power Rating, and serial number.

• High-density split-dome convection heat sinks with more surface area than standard fins for
extreme heat dissipation and a long, reliable life of high amplification. No need for noisy fans.

• High damping factor improves driver control for tighter, punchier bass.

• Subsonic Filter (15Hz@24dB/octave) for an extra level of speaker protection.

• Remote Subwoofer Level Control available on all models (a stock feature on the mono sub amp).

• Power, Thermal and Short Protection LEDs easily visible on top plate.

• Gold-Plated Screw-Down Capture Terminals for the most secure connections.

• Small footprints for compact installs. Removable End Caps for even smaller footprints: big power
in small packages.

C400.4 Features:

• May be used as a 4-channel, 3-channel or 2-channel amplifier for maximum adaptability.
Allows bi-amplification of Polk/MOMO component systems or Polk/MOMO Coaxial speakers.

• Variable Low Pass and High Pass crossover filters, 50Hz-5kHz, switchable between 12dB/Octave
and 24dB/Octave: all the control you need to power virtually any type of speaker from tweeters to
component systems to subwoofers.

• Exclusive Polk/MOMO Pre-EQ Switch: One-button preset active crossover and EQ optimization
for the best performance from Polk/MOMO Component systems.

• Active crossover optimized for all 62” component systems.

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POLK/MOMO: CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

Installing Your New Polk Audio Amplifier

Before installing your new amplifier, carefully choose the location for the installation. The
amplifier should have at least 2" (5cm) of ventilation space on all sides to allow heat to rise and
dissipate away from the amplifier. Be sure that the power and signal cable connections can enter
and leave the amplifier in a straight line to avoid the risk of kinked wires causing a malfunction.
And try to make your ground connections as short as possible.

CAUTION: Remember, your car is filled with hidden stuff: electrical wires, gas lines, vacuum lines,
brake lines and all sorts of other lines. Then there’s that pesky gas tank. You do not want to run
into this stuff while drilling. Make sure you know where all of these dangers are when you’re
installing your amp to avoid puncturing anything.

The amplifier should be protected from exposure to moisture and direct sunlight. The best places
to mount your amplifier are: The floor of the trunk, under the driver’s seat, or on the back of the
rear seat.

Once you decide where to install your amplifier and have made certain that there is ample
ventilation, air circulation and shelter from unusual hazards, mark the mounting surface using
the amplifier itself as a template. A tip: a strip of masking tape on these surfaces will help make
your marks more visible.

Drill holes using a 1/8" (2.5mm) metal bit at the marked locations and mount the amplifier
using the supplied screws and inserts. Take the time to secure the amplifier solidly so that it does
not come loose in the event of a collision or sudden jolt to the vehicle. A flying amp will hurt you.

DO NOT DRILL HOLES WHILE
THE AMPLIFIER IS IN PLACE
AS A “TEMPLATE.” YOU COULD
EASILY DAMAGE THE AMP’S
ANODIZED COATING BY
DOING THIS.

Notes About Electrical Installation

• ALWAYS DISCONNECT YOUR VEHICLE’S BATTERY GROUND BEFORE WORKING WITH YOUR
VEHICLE’S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

• This amplifier is designed for use in vehicles with 12-volt, negative-ground electrical systems. Use
of this product in vehicles with positive-ground, or with voltages other than 12 volts, may result in
damage to the product and the system, and will void the warranty. This product is NOT certified or
approved for use in aircraft.

• We recommend that you carefully design your car audio system before you begin a major installa­tion like this. Draw it all out. Make sure that the cables for power and signal are not on the same
side of the vehicle and that they do not cross each other; this will help reduce any noise that may
radiate from the power cable to the signal cable. If a signal cable is too close to a power cable, it
may pick up the magnetic field generated by the power cable, which could lead to a loss of quality
in your signal.

• Do not run wires under your vehicle or outside your vehicle.

• For best possible performance, give your power the widest possible throughway. Use the largest
gauge power/ground cable available; we recommend at least 8 AWG. Use the largest gauge con­nectors, as well: barrier spades at the amp and terminal rings to the battery. See your authorized
Polk AutoSound Dealer for power cables and wire connectors.

• Protect your vehicle with a circuit breaker or fuse placed no more than 12" (30cm) from your
battery. This circuit breaker or fuse should be no greater than the fuse(s) of your amplifier for
optimal protection. For example, this Polk Audio Amplifier has two 30A fuses. Your “vehicle

protection” fuse should be rated at 60A. See your authorized Polk AutoSound Dealer for

professional advice on fuses and circuit breakers.

• Make your ground wires as short as possible to avoid Ground Loop engine noise and hum
from interfering with your system. When using multiple components, ground everything at the
same point.

• ALWAYS DISCONNECT YOUR VEHICLE’S BATTERY GROUND BEFORE WORKING WITH YOUR
VEHICLE’S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.