owner’s manual 5-Channel Class-D System Amplifier Thank you for purchasing a JL Audio amplifier for your automotive sound system. Your amplifier has been designed and manufactured to exacting standards in order to ensure years of musical enjoyment in your vehicle. For maximum performance, we highly recommend that you have your new amplifier installed by an authorized JL Audio dealer.
Protect Your Hearing! We value you as a long-term customer. For that reason, we urge you to practice restraint in the operation of this product so as not to damage your hearing and that of others in your vehicle. Studies have shown that continuous exposure to high sound pressure levels can lead to permanent (irreparable) hearing loss. This and all other high-power amplifiers are capable of producing such high sound pressure levels when connected to a speaker system.
quency ctor 11) Cooling Efficiency Considerations: Your JL Audio amplifier employs an advanced type of heat management, called RealSink™. This feature takes advantage of convection and radiation effects to remove heat from the amplifier circuitry. For optimum cooling performance, the vertical heat sinks located at the sides of the amplifier should be exposed to as large a volume of air as possible.
Product Description The JL Audio HD900/5 is a very powerful and compact five-channel amplifier utilizing patented Single Cycle Control™ Class D technology for all channels. This groundbreaking technology delivers reference-grade, fullrange sonic performance while requiring far less current from the vehicle’s electrical system than a conventional amplifier. JL Audio’s exclusive R.I.P.S. power supply design optimizes the output of each channel section for any impedance between 1.
Typical Installation Sequence The following represents the sequence for a typical amplifier installation, using an aftermarket source unit or OEM Interface processor (like the CleanSweep® CL441dsp). Additional steps and different procedures may be required in some applications. If you have any questions, please contact your authorized JL Audio dealer for assistance. 1) Disconnect the negative battery post connection and secure the disconnected cable to prevent accidental re-connection during installation.
Power and Turn-on Connections Before installing the amplifier, disconnect the negative (ground) wire from the vehicle’s battery. This will prevent accidental damage to the system, the vehicle and your body during installation. +12V Battery Connection You will need to connect a power wire to the vehicle’s positive battery terminal, using an appropriate power ring or specialized battery terminal connector, such as the JL Audio XB-BTU.
For optimal grounding, we recommend the use of a JL Audio ECS master ground lug (XB-MGLU). Alternatively, a sheet metal screw or bolt can be used with a star washer. Many vehicles employ small (10 AWG - 6 AWG) wire to ground the battery to the vehicle chassis and to connect the alternator’s positive connection to the battery. To prevent voltage drops, these wires should be upgraded to 4 AWG pure copper wire when installing amplifier systems with main fuse ratings above 60A.
AMPLIFIER MOUNTING OPTIONS The HD900/5 has two mounting options to ease in installation. Standard Mounting The standard method of mounting requires removal of the four corner caps with the 4 mm hex wrench included with your amplifier. Using appropriate mounting screws (not included), secure the amplifier in all four corners and replace the corner caps to cover the screws. Lateral Mounting Feet Lateral Mounting Feet are also included with your HD900/5 to provide an alternative mounting option.
AMPLIFIER INPuTS The HD900/5 has three separate input sections, one for the “Front” left and right channels, another for the “Rear” left and right channels and one for the Subwoofer Channel. Each section consists of a pair of RCA-type input jacks on the Connection Panel of the amplifier and input controls on the Control Panel of the amplifier: a single “Input Voltage” switch, an “Input Mode” switch and three individual “Input Sens.” rotary controls (one in each channel section).
The output of the amplifier decreases for a given input voltage when the “Input Range” switch is placed in the “High” position. The output increases with the switch in the “Low” position. While this may sound counterintuitive, it is correct as described. CHANNEL CONTROL SECTIONS To the left of the “General Setup” section on the Control Panel of the amplifer are three sets of controls: one for the “Rear Channel Controls” one for the “Front Channel Controls” and one for the “Subwoofer Channel Controls”.
while the “Sub” channel filter is a low-pass filter (attenuates high frequencies). For each filter, the user can select from a shallow (12dB/octave) filter slope or a more aggressive (24dB/octave) slope. 1) “High-Pass Filter” Controls (Front and Rear channels) or “Low-Pass Filter” Control (Sub Channel): These switches allow you to select filter slopes or defeat the filter(s) completely. “Off”: Defeats the filter completely.
Bi-AmpLIFIED SYSTEMS Bi-amplified systems are defined as systems in which separate amplifier channels drive lowfrequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) speakers and are separately filtered to send appropriate frequency ranges to each speaker system. The most common application of bi-amplification in mobile audio is to drive a subwoofer system from one or more amplifiers or channels and component speakers from separate amplifiers or channels.
REmote level control (OPTIONAL) With the addition of the optional Remote Level Control (HD-RLC), you can control the level of the Subwoofer Channel of the HD900/5 from the front of the vehicle. The HD-RLC connects to the jack labeled “Remote Level Control” on the Connection Panel of the amplifier using a standard telephone cable (supplied with the HD-RLC). If desired, multiple HD amplifiers can be controlled from a single HD-RLC controller using a simple phone line “splitter” and multiple phone cables.
Bridging Considerations Bridging is the practice of combining the output of two amplifier channels to drive a single load. When bridged, each channel produces signals of equal magnitude, but opposite polarity. The combined output of the two channels provides twice the output voltage available from a single channel. The HD900/5 has been designed for bridging of its two main channel pairs without the need for input inversion adaptors. The mono subwoofer channel cannot be bridged to another mono channel.
“Status” LED / Protection Circuitry There is a single multi-color LED on the control panel of the amplifier to indicate the amplifier’s operating status. This LED’s behavior is as follows: 1) Flashing Green: amplifier is powering up, audio output is muted. 2) Constant Green: amplifier is on and functioning normally, audio output is active.
Servicing your JL Audio Amplifier If your amplifier fails or malfunctions, please return it to your authorized JL Audio dealer so that it may be sent in to JL Audio for service. There are no user serviceable parts or fuses inside the amplifier. The unique nature of the circuitry in the JL Audio amplifiers requires specifically trained service personnel. Do not attempt to service the amplifier yourself or through unauthorized repair facilities.
Appendix A: HD900/5 Specifications Amplifier Topology: Class D, switching type with patented Single-Cycle Control™ technology. Power Supply: Pulse width modulation-regulated switching power supply Recommended Fuse Value / Type: 60A (AFS, AGU or MaxiFuse™) Rated Power (Main Channels / Stereo): 100W RMS x 4 @ 4Ω (11V - 14.5V) 75W RMS x 4 @ 1.5-3Ω (11V - 14.5V) Rated Power (Main Channels / Bridged): 200W RMS x 2 @ 8Ω (11V - 14.5V) 150W RMS x 2 @ 3-6Ω (11V - 14.
Appendix B: Precise Frequency Selection Chart “Filter FREQ” Detent Panel Actual Number Marking Freq. (Hz) Full counter-clockwise: 53 01 . . . . . . . . . . . . “50” . . . . . . . . . . . 53 02 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 04 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 05 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 06 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 07 . . .
The Nine-Step Procedure (follow this procedure for each pair of channels) 1) Disconnect the Speaker Connector Plugs. 2) Turn off all processing on the source unit (bass/treble, loudness, EQ, etc.). Set fader control to center position and subwoofer level control to 3/4 of maximum (if used to drive the HD900/5). Disconnect the HD-RLC Remote Level Control temporarily (if one is being used). 3) Switch the “Input Voltage” to “Low” and turn the “Input Sens.” control on both sets of channels all the way down.
Appendix D: TROUBLESHOOTING “How do I properly set the input sensitivity on my amplifier” Please refer to Appendix C (pages 18, 19) to set the input sensitivity for maximum, low-distortion output. “My amplifier doesn’t turn on” Check the fuse(s), not just visually, but with a continuity meter. It is possible for a fuse to have poor internal connections that cannot be found by visual inspection. It is best to take the fuse out of the holder for testing.
“My amplifier shuts off once in a while, usually at higher volumes” Check your voltage source and grounding point. The power supply of the HD900/5 will operate with charging system voltages down to 9V. Shutdown problems at higher volume levels can occur when the charging system voltage drops below 9V. These dips can be of very short duration making them extremely difficult to detect with a common DC voltmeter. To ensure proper voltage, inspect all wiring and termination points.
INSTALLATION NOTES: Use this diagram to document your amplifier’s switch and control positions.
Limited Warranty - Amplifiers (USA) JL AUDIO warrants this product to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of two (2) years from the original date of purchase. This warranty is not transferable and applies only to the original purchaser from an authorized JL AUDIO dealer.