MTX_Audio_Car_Amplifier

TA92001 Owner???s Manual

Introduction

Thank you for choosing MTX to help reach the ultimate goal with your vehicle. Adding MTX ampli???ers and matching MTX speakers and subwoofers with StreetWires connections will put you in a better position to hear, feel, and experience all of the music the artist intended.

Speci???cations

THD+Noise (Distortion) (1 watt): .5%

Frequency Response (-3dB): 20Hz-200Hz

Maximum Input Signal: 10V

Maximum Sensitivity: 100mV

Dimensions: 9-5/8??? x 24-11/16??? x 2-1/2??? (245mm x 625mm x 65mm)

Patented Smart Engage??? Auto-Turn-On (Patent No: US06556683)

Patented Adaptive Class D Technology (Patent No: US06753729)

Patented Power Supply (US05598325)

Input Sensitivity Switch: 100mV-1V/1V-10V

Crossover: Low @ 40Hz-200Hz, 24dB

Subsonic @ 20-50Hz, 12dB/oct

Parametric EQ: Boost/Cut +/-12dB, Freq. 30Hz-80Hz, Q 0.5-4.0

Remote Subwoofer Level Control

Selectable Phase: 0 or 180 degrees

Defeatable feature Bypass

Features

1.Prizm EFX ??? All MTX ampli???ers include backlit adjustment controls on the top surface of the product.

???Color ??? The backlit controls offer unlimited colors on the display -- from RED, GREEN, and BLUE to any color in between.

???EFX ??? You can switch Prizm EFX lighting to ???pulsate??? with the beat of the music.

2.Xtant Technology Cooling (XTC) ??? A thermal-regulated turbo-charged intercooler supplies fan forced cool air evenly and constantly through tightly packed bonded ???ns. Fan speed is continuously variable and controlled by ampli???er???s output, temperature of the heatsink and transformers. Exhaust from the internal heatsink is strategically positioned to cool the transformers to maintain maximum performance at all volumes.

3.Bi-Level Inputs with Smart Engage??? ??? All MTX ampli???ers feature RCA type input connections. All MTX ampli???ers allow both high level and line level input into the RCA type input connections.

???Low Level Input ??? Source units with an output signal level of 100mV???10V may be used. See ???Input

Sensitivity??? for proper voltage level setting.

???High Level Inputs with Smart Engage??? ??? All MTX ampli???ers allow high level inputs through RCA type input connections using provided high level adapters. Source units with an output signal level of 100mV???10V may be used. See ???Input Sensitivity??? for proper voltage level setting.

??? Smart-Engage??? Auto-Turn-On ??? An auto-turn-on circuit is included within the ampli???er. A remote turn-on wire is not necessary when connecting the ampli???er???s high level input to a high-powered source unit (car stereo). The ampli???er will automatically turn on when music is received through this type of connection.

Note: Smart Engage??? is only active on the left input.

4. Input Sensitivity ??? The Input Sensitivity switch is used to set the proper input voltage range:

X1 POSITION: 100mV???1V (Typically for RCA Input)

X10 POSITION: 1V???10V (Typically for Speaker Level Input)

5.Gain Control ??? This feature is used to ???ne-tune the input sensitivity of the ampli???er to the source unit???s output level.

6.Variable 40Hz-200Hz Low-Pass X-over with 24dB per octave Slope ??? This control allows the user to choose the exact low pass frequency range the ampli???er will play for the best possible performance. The upper crossover frequency point can be selected from 40Hz???200Hz at 24dB per octave.

7.Variable Subsonic Filter ??? This feature limits the lower end of the frequencies sent to the subwoofers. The subsonic feature includes a control knob used to adjust the subsonic setting from 15Hz-60Hz at 12dB per octave

8.Parametric Equalizer ??? This one band parametric equalizer provides individual frequency, Q/bandwidth, and +/-12dB gain adjustment controls. Any frequency from 30Hz to 80Hz can be chosen and boosted or cut up to 12dB. The ???Q??? ranges from 0.5 to 4.0 in value allowing a wide variety of bandwidth adjustment to address the subtle tuning requirements common to mobile audio systems.

9.Remote Subwoofer Level Control (Remote Gain) ??? This port allows the use of the optional ???remote level control???. The Remote Subwoofer Level Control is a bass control module that can be installed in any location within the vehicle for remote adjustments.

10.Phase Switch ??? The phase select switch allows you to invert the ampli???ers output phase by 180 degrees to ensure the frequency interaction between the speakers is consistent within the vehicle. This also enables the advanced bridging operation when using two ampli???ers on one speaker.

11.Processor Bypass ??? This feature routes the audio signal to around all enhancement features and crossover

???lters to achieve a purely ???at response for use with outboard processors.

12.StreetWires Connectors ??? All MTX ampli???ers include StreetWires connectors for ef???cient current and maximum voltage transfer.

13.Speaker Connection ??? Two sets of speaker terminals are provided for dual woofer applications. When connecting a single woofer, use only one set of speaker terminals (8 and 9 series are bridgeable with Phase

Switch).

14.Power Terminals ??? This is the main power connection for the ampli???er. The power and ground wire size should be the same gauge.

???GND: The ground wire from this connection must be attached to bare metal on the vehicle. The distance to the ground should be as short as possible and no more than 18???.

???REM: To turn the ampli???er on/off, this terminal must be connected to the source unit???s ???remote or electric antenna??? wire.

???+12V: The power wire from this connection must be attached to the positive side of the vehicle battery.

???CAP+: Capacitor Positive Input - The ideal connection point for the positive sides of the capacitor to increase the ampli???er???s performance.

???CAP-: Capacitor Negative Input - The ideal connection point for the negative side of the capacitor to increase the ampli???er???s performance.

Before Starting

MTX recommends that you have your new Thunder ampli???ers installed by an authorized MTX retailer, preferably MECP certi???ed. If you do decide to do it yourself, make sure you have read the instructions carefully and have the following tools:

???Electric drill

???Phillips bit or screwdriver

???1/8??? bit

???Wire cutters/crimpers

???Safety glasses

???X-Acto knife

???VOM

Disconnect the vehicle???s negative battery connection. Any deviation from the recommended connection procedures may cause serious damage to the ampli???er, speakers, and/or vehicle electrical system. Please double check the connections before turning the system on.

Installation

Mounting

Place your Thunder ampli???er at the predetermined mounting location. Use a felt pen to mark the exact position of the mounting holes on the mounting surface. Set the ampli???er aside. Then with a sharp, precise blade cut small circles in the carpet and padding around the four marks denoting your mounting holes to expose the metal underneath. Use a center punch to make an indentation in the metal to ensure that you drill the exact position for the screws.

Note: Please use common sense and make sure that all vehicle wires, gas lines, brake lines, etc. are clear and will not interfere with the installation. ALWAYS WEAR PROPER SAFETY GLASSES.

Connections

1. Bi-Level Inputs (Low/High Level Input) with Smart Engage??? ???

Both a low and high level signal can be used. Be sure to lay the signal wire away from all power cables and vehicle computers. Use high quality twisted pair interconnect cables to decrease the possibility of radiated noise entering the system.

???Using RCA Connections: If the source unit has RCA outputs, simply attach a signal cable from source unit to the amp???s RCA input. This will provide signal to the amp.

???Using Speaker Level Connections: If the source unit does not have RCA outputs, a high level signal can be used instead by taking the supplied high level RCA adapter cables and connecting the bare wire ends to the vehicle???s rear speaker wiring. Connect the left negative speaker wire to the green with black stripe wire on the supplied high level RCA adapter. Connect the left positive speaker wire to the solid green wire. Do the same for the right speaker connection using the purple wire. Now plug the RCA connectors into the amp???s inputs.

2.Speaker Wire Connections ??? When installing the speaker wires, please take proper measures to protect them.

For example, when connecting the door speakers, the speaker wire should run from the ampli???er???s output terminals, under the carpet, and through the factory rubber boot (loom) that protects the wires in the inner door jam. If the factory boot cannot be used, take other measures to protect these wires. Sometimes the door has to be completely removed to use the factory boot. If this is something that you do not feel comfortable doing, please ask a professional to help you.

When connecting the speaker wires to the ampli???er please observe the printed polarity markings on the ampli???er???s StreetWires connector. Failing to wire the speakers in proper phase could result in a loss of bass response and/or poor overall sound quality.

These amps will have two PARALLEL speaker terminals, a positive and negative for a single woofer and

OPTIONAL second set of positive and negative terminals for a two woofer con???guration. These amps can drive a minimum of a 1 ohm load.

??? Strapping Two Amps: Strapping two Thunder TA92001 ampli???ers together has never been easier. When two Thunder TA92001 ampli???ers are strapped, you can expect power output in excess of 8,000 watts and a total current draw of around 600 amps. Please see Power Terminals for suggested electrical system upgrades.

To successfully link the two ampli???ers together you will have to follow the steps below carefully. The following information will explain how to con???gure each ampli???er so one becomes the ???positive??? (Push) ampli???er and the other becomes the ???negative??? (Pull) ampli???er. Just follow the steps below and you will be on your way to massive amounts of power.

1)Label the ???rst ampli???er as the Positive amp. Then set the phase switch on this amp to the 0 degree setting.

Now label the second ampli???er as the Negative and set the phase switch on that ampli???er to the 180 degree setting.

2)The interconnects coming from the source unit need to be split into each of these two ampli???ers. Using a ???Y??? connector, split the ???Left??? side of the interconnect from the source so that it can go into the ???Left??? RCA input receptacles on each ampli???er. Using another ???Y??? connector, split the ???Right??? side of the interconnect into the ???Right??? RCA input receptacles on the ampli???ers in the same way.

3)Only the positive speaker terminals on each ampli???er will be used as the connection points for the speaker. Connect the positive side of the speaker wire to the positive terminal of the ampli???er labeled Positive.

Connect the negative side of the speaker wire to the positive terminal of the ampli???er labeled Negative. Make sure that the impedance of the subwoofer is no lower than a 4 ohm load. This is important in order to avoid possible damage to the ampli???er.

Running two ampli???ers strapped will require ???gain matching.??? This will require source material that includes test tones and a volt ohm/multi meter. Please see ???Adjusting Individual Gain Controls???

Note: Please pay attention and make sure the speakers or woofers are the correct IMPEDANCE (OHMS) BEFORE attaching to the ampli???er.

3.Power Terminals ??? Please take proper measures during installation to protect the power wires as best you can. For example, when running the power cable from the vehicle???s battery through the ???rewall, use a ???rewall bushing for protection. Run the power wire through the interior of the vehicle, under the carpet, and to the ampli???er. If this is something that you do not feel comfortable doing, please ask a professional to help you. Be sure to lay the power wire away from all signal cables.

When connecting the power wires to the ampli???er please observe the printed markings on the ampli???er???s

StreetWires power connector. Failing to wire the power cables properly could result in ampli???er damage.

???+12V: This is the main power input for the ampli???er and must be connected directly to the positive terminal of the car battery for the ampli???er to operate properly. It is important that a main fuse is installed a maximum of 18??? from the battery.

???GND: This is the ground connection for the ampli???er and must be connected directly to the metal chassis

of the vehicle for the ampli???er to operate properly. A properly grounded ampli???er can be run harder and longer than a poorly grounded ampli???er. The ground on the ampli???er should be as short as possible and be connected directly to the vehicle???s metal chassis. Do not connect to factory bolts of ANY kind. When

attaching the ground to the chassis, sand all the paint away from the contact point. A grounding block like the

StreetWires GT0 should be used whenever possible as this piece of equipment has 5 times the surface area of a normal screw.

The gauge of the power and ground wire is often an overlooked aspect of ampli???er installation. The more power the ampli???er receives, the more power it will produce. Power cables have a natural resistance, and will lose voltage by the time the power makes its way to the ampli???er. The larger gauge (diameter) wire will hold more voltage over longer runs. Also, by having a larger diameter ground wire, the ampli???er can run more ef???ciently.

MTX recommends using a minimum of 1/0 gauge power and ground cables to get the best performance.

??? REM: This connection turns the ampli???er on and off and needs to be connected to a remote turn-on wire from your source unit if you are using a low level input connection.

Note: When numerous ampli???ers are used in the same system, look into using a relay with a separate power wire connected to an alternative power source to take the strain off the source unit. Normal source units can only keep a constant 12 volts to 2 or possibly 3 amps. This wire should also be run away from the RCA cables.

???CAP+: This 4 gauge terminal is internally wired in parallel with the +12V on the StreetWires Power connector.

It is the ideal connection point for the positive side of a capacitor to increase the ampli???er???s performance.

???CAP-: This 4 gauge terminal is internally wired in parallel with the GND on the StreetWires Power connector.

It is the ideal connection point for the negative side of the capacitor to increase the ampli???er???s performance.

Note: When strapping two of these ampli???ers, it is important to remember that in order to get the desired power out of them, you have to supply them with the power they need. With the current draw these ampli???ers are capable of pulling, we at MTX highly suggest upgrading to a dual alternator setup at 600 A. At the same time, you must upgrade the stock battery and add a couple more batteries to the system. We recommend a minimum of three batteries with a cold cranking amp (CCA) rating of 725 or more. Please remember to install a minimum of 1/0 AWG power and ground cable for the electrical system upgrades and the amps. Just adding extra batteries will not solve the need for power; it will actually put more of a load on the alternator, in turn yielding less power to the audio system.

Double check all the previous connection installation steps, in particular the speaker and power wiring. Securely mount the ampli???er. If everything is in order, reconnect the vehicles negative battery connection and begin following the feature setup and adjustment steps.

Feature Setup and Adjustments

1. Selecting the Input Sensitivity Range ???

Before you turn on your system, you must select the proper input sensitivity range on your amp using the button labeled INPUT SENS located in the GAIN CONTROL section of the control panel.

??? Setting for Aftermarket Source Units: Refer to your aftermarket owner???s manual for line level output speci???cation. If the speci???cation is not available, please follow the instructions listed below.

X1 POSITION: 100mV???1V (Typically for RCA Input)

??? Setting for Factory (OEM) Source Units: To check the amount of voltage that is present from the source unit, take a multi meter, or a volt/ohm meter, on the AC setting, (range from 100mV up to 10 volts) attach the positive and negative leads directly to any exposed speaker. It will not matter if the polarity is correct, it will read the same amount of voltage.

X10 POSITION: 1V???10V (Typically for Speaker Level Input)

Note: It is important not to have the amp set up to receive a low voltage signal and give it a high voltage signal. Doing this can cause damage to the amp.

2.Adjusting the Gain Control ??? Before you start setting your amp gains, be sure to defeat all EQs (???off??? position).

You want to set the gain levels properly BEFORE applying any equalization.

Start with the source unit???s volume around ?? of the way up and the gain on the amp all the way down (counter- clockwise). Slowly increase the gain clockwise until the speaker starts to distort. Immediately decrease gain until the distortion goes away. This will be a good reference point on the volume control to where the signal starts to distort. Remember every CD will be different; use common sense and constantly listen for obvious distortion and adjust volume accordingly. The gain on the amp has nothing to do with how much power the amp can produce, just how fast the amp puts out max power. Just like in an automobile, full throttle is very rarely needed.

Note: When adjusting the gains for two ampli???ers strapped, you must adjust each ampli???er???s gain, frequency, and

EQ so you will be able to ???match??? the two amps and ensure both ampli???ers are sending the same ac voltage to the woofer. This will require source materials that include test tones and a volt ohm/multi meter.

a)Set the volume around half, play a ???at tone (60-80 Hz) through your head unit and hit repeat. Use this same frequency and volume for the entire process.

b)Set your multi meter on ac voltage and connect it to the Positive ampli???er???s positive and negative output terminals.

c)Switch the multi meter between the amps and make the necessary adjustments so that the ???at tones produced match. If you have access to two multi meters, simply place one on each ampli???er???s terminals and make the adjustments.

3.Adjusting the Low, 24dB @ 40Hz-200Hz Variable Low Pass X-over Frequency Controls???

??? Setting for Subwoofers: Using ???X-OVER??? you have control over what frequency you want your amp to start crossing over your signal. By turning this control all the way counter-clockwise, you are crossing the signal over at 40Hz (the range is counter-clockwise 40Hz to clockwise 200Hz). This means that the amp will send the woofers frequencies from 20Hz to 40Hz and then start to taper down as the frequencies get over 40Hz

(24dB/octave roll off). The industry standard for low pass crossover point is right around 90Hz. However, by experimenting with the crossover point (higher or lower) you will ???nd what sounds best in this install. The decibel per octave roll off (dB/oct) means how fast the ampli???er tapers down as the frequencies get higher.

This amp uses a 24 decibel per octave roll off, which is pretty steep, or tapers off fairly quickly from the crossover point. This design complements both the subwoofer and mids to provide greater musical detail.

4.Setting the 20Hz???50Hz, 12dB Variable Subsonic Filter ??? This feature will help remove some of the potentially damaging low frequencies from your subwoofer system. By turning this control all the way counter-clockwise you are limiting the signal below 20Hz. By turning this control all the way clockwise you are limiting the signal below 50Hz. Start at 20Hz and adjust this feature until your bass response sounds smooth and detailed.

5.Adjusting the Parametric Equalizer ??? In some applications, the bass ampli???er needs some help in boosting or cutting certain frequencies. A parametric equalizer is distinguished from a conventional equalizer circuit in that it allows the user to control the level of the boost or cut, as well as the center frequency and the bandwidth of the boost or cut (the range of frequencies affected).

The following steps describe what each of the three controls of the parametric Bass EQ do in isolation. It is important to understand these behaviors, because they must all be considered when setting up the EQ.

???Setting the ???Q???: The ???Q??? feature can be adjusted to affect a range of frequencies from as wide as 0.5 to as narrow as 4.0 and as a general rule of thumb, start tuning with a ???Q??? setting below ???2???. Higher ???Q??? values are rarely needed unless there is some truly bizarre acoustic problem in the system. Lower ???Q??? values give you a broader (and usually more natural-sounding) effect. A ???Q??? of ???1.6??? (10 o???clock setting) is a good starting point.

???Setting the Frequency: Begin listening for the loudest musical spot or range within the bass range of

your sound system. Adjust the center frequency to match this point. For most systems, the best ???Center

Frequency??? adjustment will be between 40-50Hz. Use 45Hz (12 o???clock setting) as a starting point and adjust up or down gradually.

??? Setting the Boost/Cut: Once you determined the loudest musical spot or range within the bass range of your sound system, start cutting until the response is smooth and even. You can also boost low spots within the musical range, but don???t go crazy with the boost knob. There is a lot of boost available, 12dB, but begin with a low boost setting (around 3dB) and try to stay below 6dB whenever possible. Remember that for every 3dB of additional boost you dial in, you are asking the ampli???er to double its power output for a given signal in the boost region.

6.Remote Subwoofer Level Control (Remote Gain) ??? Let???s say the ampli???er???s gain is set at halfway. When the remote subwoofer level control is plugged in, you now have external control of the gain from zero to halfway. The installation of this level control is NOT necessary to get full power from ampli???er.

Note: One Remote Subwoofer Level Control can control two or more ampli???ers using a mini plug Y-adapter.

7.Setting the Phase ??? Depress the PHASE button to ensure the subwoofer interacts correctly between the mid- bass or midrange speakers. The PHASE button is located in the PROCESSOR section of the control panel.

Whether you want the position of the phase at 0 degrees or 180 degrees will be determined once you hear your audio system produce smooth, tight and louder bass. You need to try both 0 and 180 positions to hear the difference.

8.Processor Bypass ??? The ???PROCESSOR BYPASS??? switch has two modes of operation, on or off. If the switch is set to ???ON??? position, all Crossover ???lters and EQ controls are bypassed, leaving only the operation of the gain control adjustments. If the switch is set to ???OFF??? position, all Crossover ???lters and EQ enabled.

9.Prizm EFX ??? Now that you have completed adjusting all your ampli???er settings, you can set the lighting effects to your personal taste.

???Selecting Colors: You can change the backlit colors simply by turning the Pot labeled PRIZM COLOR located in the MTX PRIZM EFX section of the control panel left or right. Starting at the left most position, the colors range from RED to GREEN, BLUE, and then RED again. You can choose any color in between making the combinations unlimited.

???Selecting the EFX Feature: You can switch Prizm EFX lighting to ???pulsate??? with the beat of the music. Simply depress the button labeled PRIZM EFX located in the in the MTX PRIZM EFX section of the control panel to turn this feature on or off.