Audio Control Three.2 User manual
THREE.2t~
System Controller, Precision Equalizer,
Crossover with Auxiliary Inputs
Owner's Enjoyment Manual
AudioContpol®
Making Good Sound Better®
22410 70th Avenue West •Mountlake Terrace,
WA
98043
USA
•Phone 425-775-8461 •
Fax
425-778-3166
THREE.2tm~
Table
Of
Contents
Introduction
1
Congratulations
on
your purchase
of
atruly unique
and
versatile product,
the
AudioControl
THREE.2,
the
latest
and greatest
in
the
family ofAudioControl in-dash signal
processors. More
than
just
an
equalizer,
the
THREE.2
is
a
complete system controller/pre-amp, just like you find in
the
best audiophile
home
sound systems. The
THREE.2
not
only
improves
the
soundquality
and
performance of
any
ampli-
fied car audio system but,
it
provides you
with
an
audiophile
quality 24dB/octave electronic crossover. This new
THREE.2
expands your system choices by providing dual Auxiliary
Inputs. Now you can plug afriend's iPod
into
your system at
any
time. No
fuss,
no
muss. The
THREE.2
is
the
ideal com-
bination offeatures and improved performance for
any
car
audio enthusiast, regardless of
whether
you
are adyed in
the
wool sound-offcompetitor or you just
want
to
crank your
system up until
the
nearby buildings shake.
--:;:;:;:;Jf
It's all about sound quality
and
choice
...
yours.
.~
'7
:/
The
THREE.2
will let you
tune
your system
to
L'
.~""~
what
you like,
and
use whatever source you want
.~.
~~
.'.
to
use
...
when
you want
to
use it. In
the
words
:
;~
ofMel Brooks "It's good
to
be
the
King"
~Z.;,
Now sit back
and
grab a
home
brew
and
peruse
through
this Enjoyment
Manual for
the
THREE.2
in-dash
equalizer.
')'
\c;fJP
Owner's Enjoyment
Manual
Introduction 1
Features
and
Highlights. .......................... 3
AGuided Tour of
the
THREE.2
5
Installation 8
Placement
and
Mounting 8
Power Wiring 9
Audio Wiring
10
Level Matching
12
Adjusting
the
equalizer
13
Crossover Modules
14
Troubleshooting
15
Warranty
16
Specifications
17
AudioCom.OI@
Features
of
the
THREE.2
•Stereographic equalization
•Front
and
Rear,
Dual Auxiliary inputs
•
Para-BASS®
low frequency
contouring
•Selectable Cool Blue
or
Hot
Red back-lighting
•Z4dB/Octave Linkwitz Riley crossover
•Pre-ampgain
of
ZOdB
•Line driver:
13
volts peak
output
•Subwoofer level control
•High
headroom
PWM switching power supply
•Master volume
and
fader control
•
LED
Voltage Indicator
QUICK
INSTALLATION
INFO
For those
of
you
who
are short
on
time
and
brimming
with
confidence,
or
caffeine for
that
matter, refer
to
pages 8
to
13
(Fig-
ures
6,
7,
8
and
9).
As
a
matter
ofreference
the
THREE.2
is
shipped
in
the
following configuration:
Shipped
Option
Page
Main
Input
Unbalanced Balanced 6
Aux Inputs Balanced Unbalanced 6
Ground Isolation Isolated
ZOO
ohm
or
Ground
7
Input
Gain
Unity
o
to
+ZOdB
7
Crossover frequency
90Hz
30Hz -3500Hz 7
IlluminationColor Cool Blue Hot Red 7
AudioControl builds high performance, technical products
and
we
invest considerable time training
with
our
dealers
to
get
the
maximum
performancefrom each product.
That
is
why
we
recommend
that
you
consider having your authorized Audio-
Control dealer install your
THREE.Z.
In fact, if
he
or
she installs
your
THREE.2,
we will
extend
your warranty
to
an
unbelievable
5years parts
and
labor. Should you
opt
to
install
the
THREE.2
on
your own,
we
will warranty it for 1year parts
and
labor.
2Owner's Enjoyment
Manual
THREE.2tm~
OwnersEnjoyment
Manual
FEATURES
AND
HIGHLIGHTS
The following section will tell you
about
all
of
the
nifty
features
of
your
THREEo2.
Knowing these features will help
you maximize
the
performance
of
your
THREEo2
in-dash pre-
amp/equalizer/crossover.
You
will also score points
with
your
fellow
autosound
buddies.
Graphic
Stereo
Equalization:
The
THREEo2
turns
the
dashboard
of
your car
into
amini-mixing board, just like
that
in
arecording studio. The
THREE.2
has three frequency
controlsset
at
125Hz,
1025KHz,
and
10KHz respectively. The
frequencies were selected
to
provide
you
with
ajust
enough
control
to
make
dramatic improvements
in
any
system.
Para-BASS®:
You
want
bass, we
got
bass. This specially
designed equalizer control lets you adapt
the
bass response
of
any
system
to
your listening desire. Given all
of
the
vari-
ous types
of
music combined
with
numerous
possible bass
response anomalies
in
every vehicle, asingle control for bass
just doesn't
cut
it. It's like paintingapicture
with
only
one
color
...
BORING!
Input
Selection:
The
THREEo2
provides a"Main"
RCA
input
on
the
back panel
of
the
unit. It also
prOVides
two
choices for
an
Auxiliary input. One
is
on
the
back panel for a
permanent
Aux-in,
and
the
other
is
located
on
the
front pan-
el.
If
you just want
to
be able
to
plug
an
iPod
in
on
occasion,
then
you
can
use
the
front
panell/8"
input.
Also,
the
THREEo2
Aux-ins have been optimized
with
extragain
to
compensate
for weak signals from iPods
and
other
MP3 players.
24dB/Octave
Linkwitz
Riley
Crossover:
What
is
the
benefit offine
tuning
your system ifyou
cannot
accu-
rately
route
the
proper frequencies
to
the
proper amplifier
channels? The programmable audiophile crossover
in
the
THREE.2
is
the
same crossover
in
many
other
award winning
AudioControl components.Know
who
else gives you a24dB
Linkwitz-Riley
in
their in-dash
EQ?
Nobody! This
is
also afar
cry from
the
wimpy
crossovers
that
find
their
way
into
some
amplifiers these days.
Pre-Amp
Line
Driver: Talk
about
your ironies. Am-
plifiers require ahigh voltage
input
signal (generally 2
to
5
volts)
to
operate
with
maximum
dynamic
range
and
the
best
signal-to-noise ratio.
On
the
other
hand, typical source units
only
produce1
to
2volts,
if
your lucky. In asystem where
the
source
unit
is
located
in
the
front
of
the
car
and
the
amplifier(s) are located
in
the
rear,
the
length
of
the
connect-
ing cables
can
have
an
negative
impact
on
the
strength of
the
signal.
The
THREEo2
includes aline driver
that
takes
the
weak
3
AudioContPOI®
output
voltage
of
ahead
unit
and
increases it 20dB (up
to
13
volts peak)
and
then
delivers it downstream
to
the
amplifier
inputs.
Master
Volume:
The
THREE.2
has abig master volume
KNOB
(no annoying
up
&down switches for
us)
to
control
the signal
output
to
the
amplifiers.
Raise
the
volume level
on
your source units
to
their
maximum
and
you will never need
to
touch
them
again.
Subwoofer
Level
Control:
Need alittle more bass
to
impress your buddies? Or maybe you want
to
tone it
down
so
you don'tscare off your date. Whatever
the
case,
the
THREE.2
has asubwoofer
output
level control
that
allows you
to
balance
the
amount
of
signal
that
goes
to
your subwoofer
outputs.
Fader
Control:
The
THREE.2
has 4
output
channels
and
afader control
to
allow for easy balancing between
the
front
and
rear speakers.
AudioControl's
Bulletproof
Reliability.
That's
right, your AudioControl
THREE.2
comes
with
afull 5year
parts and labor warranty
when
it
is
installed by
an
authorized
United States AudioControl dealer. These seasoned pro's have
the
training
and
the
equipment
to
take care
of
the
job qUickly
and
not
leave your dashboard looking like Swiss cheese.
Keep
in
mind
that
if you
or
your friends are "good
with
electron-
ics"
and
choose
to
install ityourself, your
THREE.2
still has
a 1year parts
and
labor warranty.
To
activate your warrant)!,
just go on-line
to
audiocontrolregistration.com
and
fill
out
the
requested information
Also,
save your invoice or sales slip
as
proofof purchase.
Not
only
is
this necessary for warranty
purposes, it's also
important
if the unforeseen disappearance
ofyour
THREE.2
should happen while you are socializing
at
the
local espresso
and
salmon bar. Insurance companies have
very little imagination.
Illumination:
The
THREE.2
illuminates so you
can
see
what
your doing
at
night
with
either Cool Blue or Hot
Red
back-lighting.
You
get
to
pick
the
color
that
fits you best.
4OwnersEnjoyment
Manual
THREE.2~~
AGUIDED TOUR
OF
THE THREE.2
1.
Alix
Input:
An
1/8" jack
on
the
front panel allows
an
Auxiliary
input
to
be plugged
in
quickly
andeasily at any
time. Plugging
into
the
front Aux In jack will
automatically
override the
Rear
Aux In. When you
unplug
from the front
jack,
the
reilf
jack will again
be
active. Cool eh?
2.
Gral)hic
Equalization
Bands:
Three slereo
controls
centered
at
125Hz, 1.25KHz,
and
10 KHz
with
12dB
of
boost
or
cut.
These
controls
should
be used
to
tweak
your
system, depending upon your mood
or
program material.
3.
Para·BASS
Controls:
Twosimplecontrolsallow
for
killer bass tweaking.
The
sweep
knob
selects
the
center
fre-
quency,
between
40
and
80Hz.
The
gain
knob
provides 12dB
of
boost
or
cut, centered
around
the
sweep frequency.
4.
Subwoofcr
Level
Control:
Exactly
what
it says
it
is.
Controls
the
amount
of
signal
that
goes
to
the
sub-woofer
output
of
your
THREE.2.
5.
Fader:
When
amplifier
channels
are
connected
10
the
front
and
rear
outputs,
the
fader
control
will allow you
to
fade
the
signallevcl back
and
forth.
This
also
means
you
can
have
front
and
rear fading
even
though
your
source
unit
only
has
2-ehannel
outputs.
6.
Volume:
Because
the
THREE2
is
a
true
pre-amp, it
serves as
the
main
control
unit
in
the
audio
system.
It
has a
master
volume
control
that
controls
the
output
to
all
of
your
ampl
ifiers.
The
best signal-to-noise ratio
(and
therefor
the best
sound
quality)
from
your
head
unit
is
at
about
3/4
volume.
Now,
you
can
turn
the
head
unit
IIp
to
where
it
sounds
best
and
then
use
the
volume
knob
of
the
THREE2
to
give your
amps
the
cleanest signal at
the
volume
YOll
wallt
to
listen to.
Result?
The
best
sound
at every
volume
level.
1
FiSllr(' I: From Viewo{THREE.2
Owner~
Enjoyment Manual 5
AudioContPOI@
Figure
3:
Top
View ofTHREE.2/
with
apeek
at
what's inside
7.
Source:
The source
button
lets you pick between
the
MAIN
differentially balanced
input
and
the
active Auxiliary
input
8.
Input
Jacks:
The
THREE.2
has three sets ofinputs,
MAIN
plus two Auxiliaries. MAIN inputs shouldget their
r-
10
-,
I9 , i8i
signals from
the
main
source
unit/head
unit
and
attach
to
the
RCA
jacks.
Auxiliary inputs will plug
into
the
1/8" jack
on
the
back panel
input
for permanent connectionor
into
the front panel jack for temporary
use.
Connecting
the
Front
and
Rear panel Aux inputs
at
the
same time will cause
no
damage to
the
units,
but
it may create atear
in
the
time space
continuum. Actually
when
you plug
into
the
front
input
the
THREE.2
will automatically
shut
off
the
rear panel
input
9.
Output
Jacks:
Next
to
the
inputs are
the
outputs,
which
should be connected
to
the
front, rear
and
subwoofer
amplifiers, if applicable.
10.
Power
Connections:
This nifty connector
is
abless-
ing
to
anyone
who
has tried
to
wire up their gear
with
their
head crammed
under
the
dash.
You
can wire
up
the
power,
ground, remote turn-on, and illumination from
the
conve-
nience of
the
drivers seat
and
then
casually plug
it
in
the
back
ofyour
THREE.2.
11.
Balanced
Input
Selector:
Located
under
the
cover
and
behind
the
Input
connectors are jumpers
that
allow you
utilize orbypass
the
balanced
input
circuitry. Although
it
is
6
Owner's
Enjoyment Manual
THREE.2tm~
shipped
in
the
unbalanced mode,
which
is
often
best,
it
may
be necessary
to
change this depending
upon
the
configura-
tion
of
the
components
you
use.
To
change this, move
the
appropriate jumper
on
the
3-pin header.
12.
Input
Gain
Control:
These potentiometers(aka
"pots") are used
to
increase
the
amount
ofsignal voltage to
your power amplifiers. With these controls you
can
provide
up
to
13
Volts
(peak)
to
your amplifier's inputs. Check
with
your amplifier manufacturer's specs
to
determine exactly
how
much
voltage
they
can really handle. More info
on
this
in
the
section
on
"Level Matching" page
12.
13.
Crossover
Frequency
Selection:
Under
the
top
cover of your THREE.2lies aplug-in module
that
controls
the
crossover frequency. The module selects
the
frequency
that
the
front
and
rear outputs of your
THREE.2
will play
down
to
as
well
as
determining where your subwoofer will begin
playing. The jumperlets you defeat
the
crossover, so if your
system does
not
use a separate subwoofer, all your amplifiers
will get afull range signal.
14.
Illumination
Selection:
These jumpers let you
change
the
backlight illumination
to
Cool Blue
or
Hot
Red.
Given
that
we are acclimated
to
sun
free life
in
the
rainforest,
we
have shipped
the
THREE.2
in
the
Cool Blue mode.
15.
Ground
Isolation
Selector:
This feature allows
you to change the power supply
ground
for different systems.
When
the
THREE.2
is
shipped from
the
factory,
the
selector
is
in
the
fully isolated position (which
is
generally
the
best).
Alas,
not
every manufacturer devotes so
much
time
into
getting its grounds right. Therefore,
we
have
prOVided
other
ground
isolation options
to
help if you have a
ground
loop
noise (alternator whine)
in
your system. Experiment
with
different settings if you
run
into
this
type
of
problem.
To
change
the
settings,
turn
the system off, carefully move
the
black jumper from
the
center two pins (Isolated)
and
move it
to
either
the
top two pins (2000hm)
or
the
bottom
two pins
(Ground).
Now:
If
you
don't
feel comfortable
with
everything you
have read
up
to
this point, run,
don't
walk
to
your nearest
authorized AudioControl dealer
and
let
them
install it.
Life
is
too
short
to
be tearing your hair
out
over your car audio
system.
Owner's Enjoyment
Manual
7
AudiOContPOI®
INSTALLING
YOUR
THREE.2
IN-DASH
SYSTEM
CONTROLLER
Having absorbed everything
in
the manual
up
to
this
point,
then
you probably
know
we endorse having apro-
fessional install your
THREE.2,
as
it would be
in
your best
interest for performance
and
it
will extend your warranty
to
5
years. Above
and
beyond having all of
the
appropriate techni-
cal know-how
and
experience, they have lots of cool tools.
If
you are still
with
us
and
are feeling confident,
then
read
on
...
A.
Placement
and
Mounting
the
THREE.2
In-Dash
Equalizer/crossover
Placement:
By
definition,
the
THREE.2
in-dash equalizer
was
designed
to
be installed
on
or
near
the
dashboard
of
most
cars. However, if
you
are building areal trick system, like
with
aseparate audio system
in
the
front
and
aseparate
one
in
the
rear
of
avehicle,
the
THREE.2
is
an
ideal pre-amp control
that
can be
mounted
in
the
front
and/or
the rear of
the
vehicle.
Mounting:
The
THREE.2
is
flexible enough
to
mount
almost anywhere,
although
somewhere
on
the
dash
or
in
a
center console
is
the
most logical.
You
will want
to
be able
to
access it while you are sitting in
the
driver's seat
of
your
Figure
3:
THREE.2
with
mounting
brackets
vehicle. The
THREE.2
is
designed
to
be physically
mounted
almost anywhere
in
avehicle, although it
is
recommended
to avoid
hot
spots like
the
firewall, engine compartment, or
tail pipe. The
mounting
location must also be safe from water
seepage or areas
with
badseals (rubber gaskets,
not
sleek furry
mammals
who
eat salmon).
If
there are old water stains, be
wary
of
leaks
and
stay
away.
We
have
prOVided
brackets
to
assist you in
mounting
the
THREE.2
chassis
under
the
dash-
board
or
glove box. The screw holes
on
the
THREE.2
chassis
also allow for easy installation underneath aradio or
with
a
dash kit.
It
is
of
utmost
importance to
mount
the
THREE.2
securely
to
avoid
any
undue
stress or breakage from over
ac-
celeration or braking.
8Owners Enjoyment Manual
THREE.2·~
B.
THREE.2
Power
Wiring
•
ENLIGHTENING
INFO.
Disconnect
the
negative
terminal
of
your
car's
battery before
working
on
any electri-
cal connections. Failure
todo
so could
!e,KI
to
adramatic
spark
in
your
Ii
(e.
Remote
Turn-On:
Connect a22 to
18
gauge wire from
the head-unit's remote turn-on
to
Ihe "Remote"connector
on
the
THREE2.
Positivc(+12V)
Connection:
Insert
an
18gaugeor
larger wire
into
the
connector
labeled "Power"
on
the
nifty
connector
of
your
THREE2.
Connect
it
to
agood, constant
fused
source
of
12
volts (we suggest I
he
b.1ltery).
Ground
Connection:
Usc
the samegauge wire
as
yOlI
did
for the positiveconnector and run it
from
the
"Ground"
connector
on
the
THREE.2
10
the
negative terminal
of
the
battery, aground
buss,
or
averified ground location. The
fac-
tory
head
unit
ground
is
IIot recommended.
Illumination:
The connectorlabeled "III
umination"
on
your
THREE.2
provides power
to
the backlighting
of
your
unit.Connecting
it
to
aswitched
12
volt
source, such
as
the
"Remote"
will
Iight up the backlighting
of
your
THREE.2.
Areally cool idea
is
to
connect the
illumination
wire
to
a
factory dash
light
dimmer
and have the
ability
to
dim
the
backlighting
of
the
THREE.2
with
your
dash
lights.
0
....
'
Dno~O
Ground
lIIumination
•(f) (f) (f) (f) (f) (f) (f) (f)
••••
FiSlire
4:
Rcar lIiclI'o{Ore THREE.2 Power Co"nnector
OwnersEn;oyment
Manual
9
AudioContPOl®
c.
THREE.2
Audio
Wiring
Planning:
As
you
may
already have guessed, there are
numerous ways
to
configure
the
THREE.2
in
your
audio
system. Spend alittle quality
time
planning
out
yoursystem
and
even sketching
it
out
on
paper
if
you can.
The
following
diagrams are just afew
of
the
possibilities.
Front,
rear
and
subwoofer amplifier
Head Unit
- !
i."....(-:.,
LJLJ
0 0 0 0
!u~~;HT
I
~
R L R L R L R L
~~
Rear Front Lowpass Input .J[ill
Highpass Highpass 0
IOutputs I
.\I~
r
........
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Figure
5:
THREE.2
with
source
unit,
iPod,
and
three
amplifiers
OwnersEnjoyment
Manual
THREE.2tm~
Four
channel
and
subwoofer
amplifier
RV/Boat
without
a
fixed
source
unit
Head
Unit Satellite Radio
ux
put
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Figure
6:
THREE.2
source
unit, 4channel amp andsubamplifier
Figure
7:
The
THREE.2
can
be
mounted into aboat
or
RV
and
iPod
can
be
a
removable
source
unit
Owner's Enjoyment
Manual
11
AudioContPOI®
Simple
2-way
system
D.
Level Matching
Head Unit
Figure
8:
THREE.2
with
source,
iPod,
front
amp,
andsub amp
Many manufacturers claim
that
their source units
producesignal voltages
in
the
area of 2to 4volts. However,
what they neglect
to
mention
is
that
you only achieve these
incredible voltage levels
when
the
volume
is
turnedall
the
way up.
Try
listening
to
that
all of
the
time.
By
following the
level matchingsteps for
the
THREE.2
you will be able
to
take
full advantage
of
the
high voltage
output
of
your head unit.
1.
Disconnect
the
RCA
cables leading
into
your amplifiers,
and make sure
the
only
RCA
cables between your head
unit
and
the
THREE.2's
main inputs are attached. Turn
the
volume
level
knob
on
the
THREE.2
to
maximum.
2.
Playa favorite compact disc or
MP3
that
contains
consistent, dynamic music and
turn
the
source unit's volume
control up to its
maximum
level
(NOTE:
Some source units
may produce distortion or IIclipping",
when
their volume
controls are turned all of
the
way up.
If
this happens, you will
hear distortion even at low levels
when
you connect
the
rest
of the system.
If
this
is
the
case,lower
the
source unit's volume
level until you
no
longer hear distortion). The volume control
on
the
THREE.2
will now be
the
master volume control.
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ill
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IOutputs ITemporary
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•
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12 Owner's Enjoyment
Manual
'ti'
i\
OdB
20d~
0
OdB
20ts
Maximized
THREE.2tm~
3.
Using asmall screwdriver, adjust
the
"Input
Gain" con-
trol
on
the
top
of
the
THREEo2
un
til
the
yellow "Maximized"
LED
starts
to
flicker
with
the
music
(NOTE:
If
the
Maximized
light does
not
come
on, because
of
the
low
output
of
the
source unit,
turn
the
Input
Gain
pot
to
maximum).
4.
Turn off
the
entire system
and
attach
the
output
RCA's
from
the
THREEo2
to
the
next
component
in
line.
•
Important
Tip.
If the Maximized light does
not
come on, because
of
the low
output
of
the
source unit, turn the Input Gain
to
maximum.
Please
refer
to
the amplifier manufacturers specifications on input volt-
age
to
determine whether you will need
to
decrease the "Input
Gain" on the
THREE.2
to
avoid clipping the next component
in
line. If the next component
in
line
is
an
AudioControl component,
there
is
no need
to
re-adjust the "Input Gains", because they
can
handle the
hot
signal voltage the
THREE.2
produces.
5.
Turn
down
the
gain con-
trol
on
your amplifiers
to
the
least sensitive setting which
is
turning
the
gain control coun-
ter clockwise. This will allow
you
to
drive a
hotter
signal
in
to
Figure
9:
Input
Gain
Controls
your amplifiers. For more info
on
this, download Tech Note 1006 from
our
web site.
E.
Adjusting The Equalizer
Stereo
Bands:
There are
no
specific guidelines
as
to
setting
the
main
equalizer controls
on
the
THREEo2.
Keep
in
mind
that
music can sound different depending
upon
who
is
listening
and
what
type
of
music
they
are listening to. For
some mid-bass kick, give
the
125Hz
knob
awhirl. On
the
other
hand
ifyour front
and
rear speakers are having trouble
keeping
up
with
your subwoofer
than
crank125Hz
down
anotch.
If
the
vocals need some boosting
or
even
toning
down, us
the
1025KHz
controls. The frosting
on
any
record-
ing
is
always
the
higher frequencies. The10KHz control lets
you provide just
enough
frosting
or
you
can
cut
back so you
don't
get
any
cavities. There
is
no
need
to
re-adjust
the
"Input
Gains", because
they
can handle
the
hot
signal voltage
the
THREEo2
produces.
Owner's
Enjoyment Manual 13
AudioContpOl®
Para-BASS®
Controls:
The
Para-BASS®
system
con-
trol works
with
any
system
that
can
reproduce bass
in
the
40-80Hz range.
The
bass response
in
a
system
is
affected
by
four factors (1)
the
acoustics
of
the
vehicle,
(2)
the
location
of
the
speakers,
(3)
the
music source
you
are listening
to
and
(4)
the
speakers used. Because
of
the
variations
in
the
recording
process, we developed
The
Epicenter™
to
help
restore
any
low frequencies lost
during
the
recording process. However,
the
acoustics
of
various
environments
are different.
With
this
in
mind
our
coffee-laden engineers developed
the
unique
Para-BASS®
system.
The
"Sweep"
control
allows
you
to
select
a
center
frequency
(the
frequency
most
affected)
between
40
and
80hz.
The
"Gain"
control
then
allows
you
to
boost
or
cut
at
the
selected frequency.
Hi-
SPL:
A
quick
way for
more
bass
is
to
crank
the
"Gain"
control
up
to
12dB
and
"Sweep" between 40-80hz
while
lis-
tening
to
some
music.
When
you
get a
sudden
rise
in
the
bass
response,
your
all set.
F.
Crossover
Modules:
Additional crossover
modules
for
the
THREE.2 are available from your
authorized
AudioControl dealer,
or
you
can
create
custom
modules
by
using
the
follOWing formula:
7200 =Resistor Value
In
Kilohms
Frequency (Hz)
•Example: For a2500Hz
module
-7200/2500=2.88Kohms
The
24
dB
crossover
module
requires
eight
resistors
of
this
value.
Note:
Use 1/4
watt
carbon
or
metal
film resistors
of
a
5%
tolerance
or
better.
14
Owner's Enjoyment
Manual
THREE.2tm~
G.
Troubleshooting
If
You
Like
The
THREE.2,
Youlll
Love
...
Problem
Suggestions
No Sound
1.
Is
the
"Source"
button
in
the
wrong position?
2.
Is
an Aux in plugged
in
but
not
turned on?
3.
Check "Power"
and
remote
turn
on
for proper
voltage.
(Is
power light on?)
4.
Center the fader control.
5.
Turn up "InputGain" control.
6.
Check ground connections.
Hiss
1.
Turn down
amp
gains
2.
Turn down
amp
gains
3.
Turn down
amp
gains
4.
Adjust source
unit
output
Distorting
1.
Adjust equalization levels
Speakers
2.
Adjust gain levels
3.
Lower volume level of source
unit
4.
Lower sub level
Whine
1.
Confirm
that
all componentsare using the
same ground point
2.
Change isolation selection of
grounding
jumpers.
See
page
7,
#15
The
EQS
Concert
Series
is
our
award
winning
dual band-
width,
trunk
mount
equalizer.
Thirteen
octave
and
1/2 octave
spaced
bands
help
tame
even
the
most
wicked acoustical
environment,
your
car.
The
Epicenter®Con-
cert
Series
is
our
patented
(U.S.
Patent
#4,698,842) bass
restoration
component,
that
puts
the
"woof"
back
into
any
woofer.
You
have
to
hear
it
to
believe it.
And
now
aword
from
the
legal department...
Owner's Enjoyment
Manual
15
AudioContI-OI®
4.
You
cannot
let
anybody
who
isn't:
(A)
the
AudioControl
factory;
(B)
somebodyauthorized in writing
by
AudioCon-
trol
to
service your
THREE.2.
If
anyone
other
than
(A)
or
(B)
messes
with
your
THREE.2,
that
voids your warranty.
S.
The warranty
is
also void if
the
serial
number
is
altered
or removed,
or
if
the
THREE.2
has been used improperly. Now
that
sounds like abig loophole,
but
here
is
all we
mean
by it.
Unwarranted abuse
is:
(A)
physical damage (don't use
the
THREE.2
for acar
jack);
(B)
improper connections
(120
volts
into
the
power jack can fry
the
poor thing); (C) sadistic things.
This
is
the
best mobile product we know
how
to
build,
but
if you
mount
it
to
the
front
bumper
ofyour car, something
will go wrong.
6.
If
an
authorizedUnitedStates AudioControl dealer
installs
the
THREE.2,
the
warranty
is
five years.
Assuming you conform
to
1
through
6,
and
it really isn't
all
that
hard
to
do,
we
get
the
option offiXing your old
unit
or replacing it
with
anew one.
Legalese
Section
This
is
the
only
warranty given by AudioControl. This
warrantygives you specific legal rights
that
vary from state
to
state. Promises of
how
well your
THREE.2
will perform are
not
implied by this warranty. Other
than
what
we have covered in
this warranty, we have
no
obligation, express or implied.
Also,
we will
not
be obligated for direct or indirect consequential
damage
to
your system caused by hooking up
the
AudioCon-
trol
THREE.2.
Failure to send in aproperly completed war-
ranty card negates
any
service claims.
OwnersEnjoyment
Manual
The
WARRANTY
People are scared ofwarranties. Lots of fine print.
Months
ofwaiting around.
Well,
fear
no
more, this warranty
is
designed
to
make
you
rave
about
us
to
your friends. It's awar-
ranty
that
looks
out
for you
and
helps you resist
the
tempta-
tion
to
have your friend, "
...
who'sgood
with
electronics",
try
to
repair your AudioControl product.
So
go ahead, read this
warrant)!,
then
take afew days to enjoy your new
THREE.2
before registering on-line
and
giving us your comments.
"Conditional"doesn't
mean
anything
ominous. The Federal
Trade Commission tells all manufacturers to use
the
term
to
indicate
that
certain conditions have to be
met
before they'll
honor
the warranty.
If
you meetall ofthese conditions, we
will warranty all materials
and
workmanship
on
the
THREE.2
for
one
year from
the
date you bought it (five years if it
is
installed
by
an authorized United States AudioControl dealer)
We
will fix or replace it, at
our
option, during
that
time.
Here are
the
conditional conditions:
1.
You
have
to
goon-line
to
audiocontrolregistration.com
and fill
in
the
warranty information.
2.
You
must keep your sales receipt for proofofpurchase
showing
when
and
from
whom
the
unit
was bought. We're
not
the
only
ones
who
require this, so it's agood habit
to
get
into
with
any
major purchase.
3.
Your
THREE.2
must
have originally been purchased
from
an
authorized AudioControl dealer.
You
do
not
have
to
be
the
original owner,
but
you do need acopy of
the
original
sales slip.
16
THREE.2tm~
THREE.2
SPECIFICATIONS
All
specifications are measured
at
14.4
VDC
(standard
automotive
voltage).
As
technology advances, AudioControl
reserves
the
right to continuouslychange
our
specifications,
like
our
weather.
Maximum
input/output
leveL 9.5Vrms/13V peak
Frequency response 20Hz-20kHz;+/-ldB
Total
harmonic
distortion
0.010/0
Signal
to
Noise ratio -llOdB
Input
Impedance 20K
ohms
Output
Impedance 150
ohms
Input
gain 0-20dB
Equalization Cut/Boost +/-12dB
Crossover slope 24dB/octave Linkwitz Riley
Factory crossover setting 90Hz
Power supply High
headroom
PWM switching
Power draw 2S0mA
Recommended fuse rating 1Amp
IlluminationColor. Blue or Red
(LED
back lighting)
Size I"H X
6.7S"W
x
S"D
Weight
2lbs
Country
oforigin
U.S.A
AudioControl, Making Good Sound Better, Performance
Match,
The
Epicenter,
EQS,
EQL,
EQX,
THREE.2,
and
Para-
BASS
are all trademarks
of
Electronic Engineering
and
Manu-
facturing, Inc. This literature was conceived, designed,
and
written
on
ableak, windy,
and
dreary rain-drenched day at
our
home
in
the
Pacific Northwest Rainforest. The coffee was
hot. No interns were present.
©2010, AudioControl, adivision
of
Electronic Engineering
and
Manufacturing, Inc.
All
rights reserved
OwnersEnjoyment
Manual
17
AudioContpol
®
Making
Good
Sound Better®
22410 70th Avenue West
Mountlake Terrace,
WA
98043
USA
425-775-8461 •
Fax
425-778-3166
www.audiocontrol.com
©2010, AudioControl, adivision
of
Electronic Engineering and
Manufacturing, Inc.
All
rights reserved PIN
913-105-0
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