table of contents
introduction | 1 |
about this manual | 2 |
features of your PowerPlate™ | 2 |
warning and tips | 3 |
mounting locations | 3 |
system planning | 4 |
system configurations | 5-9 |
amplifier and crossover controls | 10-11 |
installation | 12 |
controls and connections | 12-13 |
signal sources | 14 |
internal signal routing | 15 |
multi-cross™ crossover and configurations | 16 |
constant bass control | 17 |
AC502 operation | 17 |
tuning | 17-18 |
troubleshooting | 19-20 |
specifications | 21 |
warranty information | 22 |
introduction
Although it may be hard to remember, back in the 1970’s, car audio as we now know it didn’t really exist. Sure, music lovers could buy a cassette or 8-track tape deck and some 6" x 9" three-way speakers. Advanced stereo buffs might even add a "power-booster" to increase output too as much as 12 watts RMS! But none of this really delivered the power to cut through road noise with sound quality that compared with the best home audio. Not until 1979 that is, when a/d/s/ introduced the revolutionary PowerPlate™ P100 amplifier and 300i 2-way plate loudspeakers. Aesthetically, the P100 introduced the low profile design which has been an a/d/s/ trademark to this day. Technologically, the P100 combined a high efficiency switching power supply with a state-of-the-art, discrete high-current stereo power amplifier. For the first time, a car audio system existed with the musical integrity and dynamic range that made you want to take long drives to nowhere, just to listen to the music. High quality car audio was born, and the original a/d/s/ PowerPlate™ P100 made it happen.
The latest improvements to the PowerPlate™ line-up include increased heatsink area to facilitate higher power output, Constant Bass circuit for subwoofer signal that can be mixed into all channels, and fully balanced high-level inputs compatible with any source. The amplifier you have purchased is an enhancement of the respected P-series multichannel amplifiers. In this version, we have improved upon the already acclaimed sound quality by addressing internal details, and upgrading selected components to incorporate the latest technology which was not available when the P-series was originally designed. Selected low-noise, high-speed Burr-Brown® op amps are used in critical circuits. Class-A biasing is used throughout the voltage-gain and active crossover stages. Numerous modifications and "tweaks" were also performed which improve the power supply dynamics and reduce noise. These changes improve transparency and dynamic linearity, resulting in a smoother and more detailed top-end, tighter bass, more explosive dynamic contrasts, and virtually holographic imaging. Left intact are the P-series unequalled flexibility, high efficiency and superb reliability. These, along with multichannel design, are fundamental in the a/d/s/ approach to systems engineering, which makes achieving true high fidelity reproduction simple and predictable in any installation.