How to Connect your Car Amplifier

Identify the power, input, and speaker connections for your particular installation. Be sure you understand all the connections before you proceed. Then follow the guide below to set up your car amplifier:

1. Connect the power ground terminal to the closest point on the chassis of the car. Keep this ground wire to less than 39″ (100 cm) in length. Use 8 gauge (or heavier) wire.

2. Connect the remote terminal to the remote output of the head unit using 16 gauge (or heavier) wire.

3. Connect an empty fuse holder within 18″ (45 cm) of the car battery, and run an 8 gauge (or heavier) cable from this fuse to the amplifier location.

4. Check that the fuse holder is empty. Then connect the fuse holder to the “BATT+” positive side connection on the amplifier.

5. If multiple amplifiers are being used in your system.
Either: Run a separate pair of cables from the battery and a chassis ground point to each amplifier. Each (+) cable must have its own inline fuse.
Or: Run a #4 cable from the fuse holder at the battery to a distribution block at or near the amplifier’s location. Then run separate cables from the amplifier to this distribution block and to independent chassis ground points.

6. Connect all line inputs and outputs (if used) using high-quality cables. Connect all speakers, following the diagrams in this manual. Be sure to observe proper polarity to avoid audio phase problems.

7. Insert fuse(s) into the battery fuse holder(s).

8. Recheck all connections before powering up the amplifier.

9. Set all level controls to minimum position, and set all crossover controls/switches to the desired frequency points.

10. Power up the head unit and the amplifier. Then set the volume control on the head unit to about 3/4 volume, and adjust the amplifier’s input level control(s) to just below the level of distortion.

11. Further fine-tuning of the various controls may be necessary to obtain the best results.