Soundstream Reference 200s Owner's Manual

SERIES AND PARALLEL WIRING

REFERENCE

160s
200s

2-4 ohm drivers in parallel

= 2 ohms

2-4 ohm drivers in series

= 8 ohms

SOUNDSTREAM TECHNOLOGIES

120 Blue Ravine Road  Folsom  California 95630 USA

ph 916.351.1288  fax [phone]

rev C - 4.17.96

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4-4 ohm drivers in parallel

=1 ohm

Power Amplifiers

OWNERS MANUAL

AND

INSTALLATION GUIDE

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CONGRATULATIONS!

You now own the REFERENCE Amplifier, the product of an
uncompromising design and engineering philosophy. Your
Soundstream REFERENCE amplifier will outperform any other
amplifier in the world.

To maximize the performance of your system, we recommend that you
thoroughly acquaint yourself with its capabilities and features. Please
retain this manual and your sales and installation receipts for future
reference.

Soundstream amplifiers are the result of American craftsmanship and
the highest quality control standards, and when properly installed, will
provide you with many years of listening pleasure. Should your
amplifier ever need service or replacement due to theft, please record
the following information, which will help protect your investment.

Model and Serial # ____________________________________
Dealer’s Name _______________________________________
Date of Purchase _____________________________________
Installation Shop ______________________________________
Installation Date ______________________________________

SPECIFICATIONS

POWER

4 Ω Stereo

(8 Ω Bridged)

REFERENCE160s

High Power

High Current

20 x 2

(40 x 1)

10 x 2

(20 x 1)

High Power

High Current

25 x 2

(50 x 1)

12.5 x 2
(25 x 1)

THD
Signal to Noise
Frequency Response

Stereo Separation
Damping
Input Sensitivity
Input Impedance

2 Ω Stereo

(4 Ω Bridged)

40 x 2

(80 x 1)

20 x 2

(40 x 1)

1 Ω Stereo

(2 Ω Bridged)

80 x 2

(160 x 1)

40 x 2

(80 x 1)

REFERENCE200s

50 x 2

(100 x 1)

25 x 2

(50 x 1)

100 x 2

(200 x 1)

50 x 2

(100 x 1)

<0.1%
>100 dB

20 Hz to 20 kHz ± 0.5 dB
>90 dB
>200
200 mV - 5.0 V
12K ohms

1/2 Ω Stereo

(1 Ω Bridged)

n/a

80 x 2

(160 x 1)

n/a

100 x 2

(200 x 1)

DESIGN FEATURES

• Uncompromising Design and Construction including mil-spec
glass epoxy circuit boards and high current custom gold-plated solid
brass connections that will accept up to 8 gauge power/ground wire.

• High Power/High Current Capability - Soundstream’s exclusive
circuit which permits customization of your amplifier to its particular
application—high current, low impedance loads (multiple subwoofers,
less than 2 ohms mono) or High Power, higher impedance loads (2
ohms mono and up).

• Coherent StereoTM/Mixed Mono selection for either “pure” stereo
operation or mixed mono for simultaneous stereo and mono.

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Crossover Specifications (REFERENCE200s)

High Pass: 12 dB/octave, factory set at 150 Hz
Low Pass: 12 dB/octave, factory set at 75 Hz

Dimensions (W x D x H)

REFERENCE160s: 6.25” x 9.8” x 2.25”
REFERENCE200s: 7.0” x 9.8” x 2.25”

CAUTION!

Prolonged listening at high levels may result in hearing loss. Even though
your new Soundstream REFERENCE amplifier sounds better than anything
you’ve ever heard, exercise caution to prevent hearing damage.

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PROTECTION CIRCUITRY

Your REFERENCE amplifier is protected against both overheating and short
circuits by means of the following circuits:

• Main power supply fuses

• Circuit breakers

• Smart Power Supply Thermal Rollback activating at 85°C (REF200s).

• A fail-safe thermal protection circuit activating at 95°C.

Your amplifier also incorporates an innovative Fault Diagnosis system that
identifies a blown power supply fuse.

NOTE: If you experience blown main power supply fuses, DO NOT increase
values beyond the original fuse value! Doing so will void your warranty and

• ChassisinkTM Darlington Power Array - Soundstream’s
“overbuilding” of the output section incorporates multiple output
transistors instead of a few for faster, stronger power delivery. The
transistors are sandwiched between the circuit board and the heatsink
in a design called ChassisinkTM to ensure cool, efficient amplifier
operation.

• PowerGrid Power Supply Design - All power supply components
are located near one another, connected by thick, wide PCB traces,
which ensures rapid, high current delivery. The entire power supply is
isolated on one side of the circuit board while the audio stage is
located opposite it, guaranteeing minimal noise.

• Ultra-Low ESR Capacitance Bank - Multiple small input power
capacitors are used to provide a lower ESR (Equivalent Series
Resistance), which means more power in and out faster.

TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM CAUSE

No sound and LEDs are not lit

• no power or ground at amp

• no remote turn-on signal

• blown fuse near battery

Fault LED is lit (REF200s)
Amp has power, but the Power

• amp power supply fuse is blown
or missing

LED is not lit (REF160s)
Repeatedly blown amp fuse, fre-

quent activation of Smart Power
Supply Circuit

• check speaker configuration,
amp may be in “High Power”
mode, put amp into “High Cur­rent” mode if speaker load is less
than 2 ohms (see p.12, “Setting
High Power/High Current
Switch”)

• speaker or leads may be shorted

• verify adequate amplifier ventila-

tion

SERVICE

Your Soundstream REFERENCE amplifier is protected by a limited warranty.
Please read the enclosed warranty card.

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• Smart Thermal Rollback (Reference200s) - Most amplifiers shut off
when they get too hot. In the unlikely event the REFERENCE200s
amplifier reaches 85° C, it will gradually roll back its average power
(without affecting the dynamics). Once the amplifier has cooled off, it
returns to full power output. If overheating should continue, a second
thermal sensing protection circuit will shut off the amplifier if the
heatsink reaches 95° C.

• Unregulated Power Supply - 4 ohm power ratings are measured at
12 volts, meaning substantially greater output in the real world when
the vehicle is running, where voltages range from 13.2 to 14.4 volts.

• Fault Monitor LED (Reference200s) on the top panel notifies you of
blown power supply fuses.

• 1/2 ohm Drive Ability - The REFERENCE amplifiers are designed to
drive virtually any load—all the way down to 1/2 ohm stereo (1 ohm
mono).

• Dual Discrete Class A Drive Stages - Over six times the drive
current of most amps, which maintains performance into low
impedance loads.

• Drive DelayTM Muted Turn-on/off Circuit - A unique circuit which
completely eliminates any amplifier-related turn-on/off noises.

• Flexible Input Sensitivity accepts voltages from 200 mV to 5.0 V,
permitting maximum output from the amplifier with virtually any
source unit.

• Differential Balanced Input Design (Reference200s) for added

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