PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The JL Audio 500/5 is a five-channel system amplifier utilizing patented Absolute Symmetry™ Class AB technology for its front and rear channels and patented Class D technology for its subwoofer channel. Front and subwoofer channels benefit from JL Audio's exclusive R.I.P.S. power supply design which optimizes the output of each section for any impedance between 1.5 and 4 ohms per channel.

The staggered power distribution of the front and rear channel pairs (100W x 2 for front and 25 x 2 for rear) allows for a wide variety of application options.The 500/5 can be operated in the following modes:

1) As a full-system amplifier in bi-amp mode with

its subwoofer channel driving subwoofers in low-

pass mode (250W x 1), front channels driving front

component speakers (100W x 2) in high-pass

mode and rear channels driving rear component

speakers in high-pass mode (25W x 2).

2) As a full-system amplifier in a tri-amplified

system, delivering band-passed signals through its

front channels to mid-bass/mid-range speakers and

high-passed signals through its front channels to

tweeters.

The 500/5's flexible input and crossover sections

TYPICAL INSTALLATION SEQUENCE

The following represents the sequence for a typical amplifier installation, using an aftermarket source unit. 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.

This step is not optional!

2) Run power wire (minimum 4 AWG) from

the battery location to the amplifier mounting

location, taking care to route it in such a way that

it will not be damaged and will not interfere with

vehicle operation. Use 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG

power wire if additional amplifiers are being

installed with the 500/5.

3) Connect power wire to the positive battery

post. Fuse the wire with an appropriate fuse block

(and connectors) within 18 inches (45 cm) wire

length of the positive battery post. This fuse is

essential to protect the vehicle. Do not install the

fuse until the power wire has been connected to

the amplifier.

12)Carefully review the amplifier’s control settings to make sure that they are set according to the needs of the system.

13)Install power wire fuse (50A for a

single 500/5) and reconnect the negative battery post terminal.

14)Turn on the source unit at a low level to double-check that the amplifier is configured correctly. Resist the temptation to crank it up until you have verified the control settings.

15)Make necessary adjustments to the input sensitivity controls of the subwoofer channel and front and rear channel pairs to obtain the right overall output and the desired balance between their outputs. See Appendix B (page 22) for the recommended input sensitivity setting method.

16)Enjoy the fruits of your labor with your favorite music.

POWER 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.

To connect the power wires to the amplifier, first back out the set screw on the top of the amplifier, using the supplied 2.5 mm hex wrench. Strip

1/2 inch (12 mm) of insulation from the end of each wire and insert the bare wire into the receptacle on the front panel of the amplifier, seating it firmly so that no bare wire is exposed.While holding the wire in place, tighten the set screw firmly, taking care not to strip the head of the screw.

The ground connection should be made using the same gauge wire as the power connection (4 AWG) and should be kept as short as possible, while accessing a solid piece of sheet metal in the vehicle.The surface of the sheet metal should be sanded at the contact point to create a clean, metal- to-metal connection between the chassis and the termination of the ground wire.The use of a star washer to lock down the connection is advisable.

Any wires run through metal barriers (such as firewalls), must be protected with a high quality rubber grommet to prevent damage to the insulation of the wire. Failure to do so may result in a dangerous short circuit.

! IMPORTANT

permit operation with a wide variety of source units

and system configurations.The 500/5 can operate

with a single pair of stereo inputs or with separate

inputs for front and rear channel pairs, if the source

unit is equipped with front and rear outputs.The

subwoofer channel can be driven with a discrete

signal from a source unit’s subwoofer output or can

receive its signal from the front and/or rear channel

inputs.

The 500/5's preamp output can send pass-

through signals from the front inputs only, the

subwoofer inputs only OR a sum of the front and

rear input signals.This allows the connection of

additional subwoofer amplifier(s) or full-range

amplifiers.

4) Run signal cables (RCA cables) and remote

turn-on wire from the source unit to the amplifier

mounting location.There are several ways to provide

input to the 500/5. Please read the rest of this manual

carefully to choose the best one for your system.

5) Run speaker wire from the speaker systems to

the amplifier mounting location.

6) Find a good, solid metal grounding point close

to the amplifier and connect the negative power wire

to it using appropriate hardware. Use 4 AWG power

wire, no longer than 36 inches (90 cm) from the

amplifier to the ground connection point. In some

vehicles, it may be necessary to upgrade the battery

ground wire. (See page 5 for important notice).

7) Securely mount the amplifier using the

supplied screws.

8)Connect the positive and negative power wires to the amplifier. A fuse near the amplifier is not necessary.

9)Connect the remote turn-on wire

to the amplifier.

10)Connect the RCA input cables to the amplifier.

11)Connect the speaker wires to the amplifier.

 

+12VDC Ground Remote

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

 

JL AUDIO 500/5

be upgraded to 4 AWG when installing amplifier

 

systems with main fuse ratings above 60A.

 

five-channel system amplifier

 

 

 

FUSE REQUIREMENTS

The 500/5's “+12 VDC” and “Ground”

It is absolutely vital that the main power wire(s)

connections are designed to accept 4 AWG power

to the amplifier(s) in the system be fused within

wire. 4 AWG is the only recommended

18 inches (45 cm) of the positive battery post

power wire size for this amplifier.

connection.The fuse value at each power wire

If you are installing the 500/5 with other

should be high enough for all of the equipment

amplifiers and wish to use a single main power wire,

being run from that power wire. If only the

use 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG main power wire

500/5 is being run from that power wire, we

(depending on the overall current demands of all

recommend a 50A fuse be used. AGU (big glass

the amplifiers in the system).This 2 AWG or 1/0

fuse) or MaxiFuse™ (big plastic-body fuse) types

AWG power wire should terminate into a

are recommended.

distribution block mounted as close to the amplifiers

No fuse is required or recommended directly

as possible and should connect to the 500/5 with

before the amplifier power connection. If one is

4 AWG power wire.

desired, we recommend the use of a 50A AGU fuse

Please note that smaller AWG numbers mean

or MaxiFuse™ type.

bigger wire and vice-versa (1/0 AWG is biggest, 2

 

AWG is smaller, then 4 AWG, then 8 AWG, etc.).

 

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JL AUDIO 500/5

JL AUDIO 500/5

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