When first unpacking your new amplifier please check first that the package contains all of the
items below. If something is missing, contact the store where you purchased the product.
• Waterproof Amplifier
• Four (4) Stainless Steel Self Tapping Mounting Screws
If you do not have the necessary skills do not install the amplifier yourself. See your local
authorized Aquatic AV dealer for installation recommendations.
This amplifier is for applications with a negative ground, 12V power supply.
2.2 Mounting Precautions
Choose a mounting location in that provides adequate ventilation around the amplifier. If
possible, mount the amplifier so ventilation air runs along the length of the fins rather than across
them.
Mounting the amplifier in a tight space without any air movement will damage the unit’s internal circuitry over time.
Mount the amplifier on a rigid surface away from subwoofer enclosures or any area that is prone
to vibration. Do not install amplifier on plastic or on any other combustible material.
Check clearances on all sides of the planned installation before drilling any holes or installing any
screws.
Take special care when you work near the gas tank, fuel lines, hydraulic lines and electrical
wiring.
Never operate the amplifier when it is unmounted. Attach all audio system components securely
within the amplifier to prevent damage, especially in an accident.
Do not mount this amplifier so that wire connections are unprotected, in a pinched condition, in
contact with any metal surfaces in your vessel, or likely to be damaged by nearby objects.
Before making or breaking power connections in your system, disconnect the marine vessel
battery. confirm that your head unit or other equipment is turned off while connecting the input
jacks and speaker terminals.
Mount the amplifier so that the panel controls are easily accessible after installation.
If you need to replace the power fuse, replace it only with a fuse identical to that supplied with
the amplifier. Using a fuse of a different type or rating may result in damage to your audio system
or your amplifier which is not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
Read all wiring precautions before starting any installation. If you are not sure of the connections,
please contact your local authorized Aquatic AV dealer.
Before you start, make sure the source unit’s power is switched off.
Disconnect the negative battery terminal before doing any electrical work. Always disconnect the
negative (–) battery post first, followed by the positive (+), and when it’s time to go back together,
connect the positive (+) post first, followed by the negative (–). This can minimize the chance
of sparks and voltage spikes, and is a good general practice when dealing with any DC electrical
system.
Bad grounds under are the number one cause of problem installs.
Always use the shortest length of ground wire possible between chassis ground and the amplifier.
Never use a ground wire longer than the one we provide.
A good chassis ground connection is critical to minimize resistance and avoid noise problems.
Clean off any paint prior to making connections. Securely connect the ground wire to the chassis
and the source unit ground.
The ground wire and power wire are equally important; if either one of them is compromised, the
amplifier’s performance will degrade or cease to function.
Always route wires and cables safely, avoiding sharp edges and burrs along the way. Use wire loom
when possible. Check for proper length to both termination points, knowing where each component mounts, before you cut anything.
When routing RCA cables, always keep these cables away from the power cables and output
speaker wiring.
Using cables that are too long can cause signal loss and act as an antenna for noise. Use only
high quality RCA cables that are no longer than necessary to make connections between the
source unit and amplifier.
Make sure each connection is clean and secure and insulate final connections with electrical tape
or shrink tubing.
Improper connections may damage equipment.
Always install a master fuse within 12” of the battery for any additional equipment added to your
installations electrical system. The mini-fuse installed on the main amplifier only protects the
internal circuitry, not the wiring. In the event of a short, failure to install a fuse near the battery
can cause damage to your electrical system or the possibility of fire.
The way speaker wires are marked for polarity (+/–) varies from brand to brand. Some manufacturers use the stripe as positive (+), while others use the stripe as negative (–). Be sure to check the
documentation of each component you’re dealing with before making connections.
Do not open the amplifier. There are no user-serviceable parts inside. If you require assistance,
consult your local authorized Aquatic AV dealer.
5www.aquaticav.com
Connections and ControlsAD600.5 COMPACT 5/4/3 CHANNEL AMPLIFIER
3.1 Power & Speaker Connections
Power Connector:
Battery (+12V)
Ground (-)
Battery (+12V)
Ground (-)
Power Input
2x 40A Fuse
3.2 Input Connections & Controls
White (+)
White/Black (-)
Gray (+)
Gray/Black (-)
Green (+)
Green/Black (-)
Purple (+)
Purple/Black (-)
CH1 - Front Left
CH2 - Front Right
CH3 - Rear Left
CH4 - Rear Right
POWER
INPUT
123456
INPUT
HI
LOW
INPUT
SPEAKEROUTPUT
BASS
LOW
SUB
LEVEL
MAX
MIN
LEVEL
MIN
MAX
-FRONT-
PASS
50
HIGH PASS
50
EQ
250
18dB
0
HIGH PASS
LEVEL
MAX
MIN
50
250
-REAR-
987
Front Line Input (Black)
Rear Line Input (Gray)
Speaker Connector:
Front Left (CH1)
Front Right (CH2)
Rear Left (CH3)
Rear Right (CH4)
Subwoofer (CH5)
Amplifier Turn On
The AD600.5 requires all six of the amplifier’s RCA inputs to be connected for all five output
channels (front left, front right, rear left, rear right and subwoofer) to have operational output.
If required, please use RCA ‘Y-connectors’ to allow all six of the amplifier’s RCA inputs to be
connected.
Always use high-quality RCA cables for best audio performance.
Right
Left
Stereo with 2x RCA full-range outputs (Left & Right).
In this application the
AD600.5 is used to power
two full-range speakers and
a subwoofer.
2 ohm and 4 ohm stable in
stereo mode.
POWER
INPUT
SPEAKER
OUTPUT
CH1 Front LeftCH2 Front Right
White (+)
White/Black (-)
CH5 Subwoofer
Gray (+)
Gray/Black (-)
Yellow/Black (-)Yellow (+)
5.6 Bridged Mode
Bridged Mode operation allows you to combine the power of two output channels into a single
output channel. Each bridged channel can power one full-range 4 ohm speaker.
The gain control allows the nominal operating level of the amplifier to be set from 200mV to 4V
for RCA inputs or 600mV to 10V for speaker level inputs.
After installation follow these steps and then follow section 6.4 ‘Final System Checks’.
1. Turn the gain control all the way counter clockwise.
2. Turn the ignition switch on.
3. Turn the source unit on.
4. Turn loudness off and set all tone or equalisation controls to flat positions.
5. Play music content from the source unit and set the volume to 75% of full level.
6. Slowly increase the gain control. Stop when you hear a slight distortion in the signal and
decrease the gain slightly below this threshold.
6.2 Setting Bass Boost
The amplifier includes a Bass Boost circuit which acts much like an equalizer with variable gain
fixed at 50Hz.
Use this control to tune low-frequency (bass) responses. The added boost produces rich, full bass
tones that are normally difficult to reproduce.
1. Set the Bass Boost control to off.
2. Listen to a variety of music styles and increase the bass boost control until you notice an
increase in low bass response.
If you don’t want to boost the bass frequencies, set this control to minimum.
if you hear a pop caused by speaker over exertion, lower the bass boost to prevent damage to speaker.
6.3 Setting Crossovers
Using both the High Pass and Low Pass controls you can set the crossovers according to your
speakers frequency response. Setting the crossovers correctly allows for a louder and clearer
sound without damaging the speakers or amplifier.
For detailed information on how to tune the crossover correctly contact your local authorized
Aquatic AV dealer for tuning recommendations.
1. Turn on the power to your audio system and ensure the stereo source unit is also powered
on.
2. The amplifier’s status LED will turn red during ‘start up’ and after a few seconds will then
turn blue to indicate the amplifier is operational.
If the LED remains red this indicates the amplifier is in Protect mode. Turn the amplifier off, check all wiring and
turn on again. If LED continues to stay red, contact your local Aquatic AV dealer.
3. Once the LED illuminates blue, wait at least two seconds then slowly increase the volume
control and listen to the audio. If you hear any noise, static, distortion or no sound at all,
check all the connections and refer to Troubleshooting. Depending on your system, the
volume may become quite loud even at low level settings. Use care when adjusting the
controls.
4. Turn the source unit’s balance controls to extreme positions (left and right) and listen to
the results. Audio output from the speakers should match the source unit settings (i.e. audio
from left speaker when balance is left).
5. Increase the volume and ensure the amplifier produces the audio at full frequencies and
without distortion. If you hear any distortion check the connections and verify that the gain
control is set correctly and/or Refer to troubleshooting.
Aquatic AV offers a limited warranty of our products on the following terms:
Length of warranty
2 years on audio systems, electronics, speakers, and accessories (receipt required).
Coverage
This warranty covers only the original purchaser of a Aquatic AV product purchased from an
authorized Aquatic AV dealer in the United States. In order to receive service, the purchaser must
provide Aquatic AV with a copy of the receipt stating the customer name, dealer name, product
purchased and date of purchase.
Defective products
Products found to be defective during the warranty period will be repaired or replaced (with a
product deemed to be equivalent) at Aquatic AV’s discretion.
What is not covered
Damage caused by accident, abuse, improper operations, theft. Any cost or expense related to
the removal or reinstallation of product. Service performed by anyone other than an authorized
Aquatic AV service center. Any product with the serial number or tamper labels defaced, altered,
or removed. Subsequent damage to other components. Any product not purchased from an authorized Aquatic AV dealer.
Limit on implied warranties
Any implied warranties including warranties of fitness for use and merchantability are limited in
duration to the period of the express warranty set forth above. Some states do not allow limitations on the length of an implied warranty, so this limitation may not apply. No person is authorized to assume for Aquatic AV any other liability in connection with the sale of the product.
How to obtain service
You must obtain a return material authorization number (RMA) to return any product to Aquatic
AV. You are responsible for shipping charges of returned products to Aquatic AV.
Priority Customer Support & Free Extended Warranty
In order to receive the best customer support from Aquatic AV we recommend you register your
product for a free extended warranty.
Register your product for extended warranty and priority support at www.aquaticav.com/register
Please record the model and serial number[s] of your equipment in the space provided below as
your permanent record and will assist us with your factory warranty coverage. These numbers can
be found on the underside of the amplifier.
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 of the following measures:
1. Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
2. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
3. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
4. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
FCC Caution:
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
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
California Proposition
65 Warning
WARNING: This product contains
chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer, and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
For more information: www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
Product design and specification subject to change without notice. E&OE.