Audio Control EPIC-150 User manual

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In-Dash Bass Processor/SPL Meter
Owner’s Enjoyment Manual
Congratulations on your purchase of the world’s first in-dash
bass restoration processor with an SPL (sound pressure level)
display. Whether this is your first product from the rainforest
dwellers of AudioControl or you are already a firm believer, you
will definitely enjoy the EPIC-150. Remember, it comes from
AudioControl, the experts at bass enhancement and building SPL
displays and measurement tools.
Now before you start salivating too much just thinking about
what the EPIC-150 can add to your system, take a few minutes to
sit back, have a latté, decaffeinated if necessary, and read through
this manual. It contains lots of useful facts and information (and
besides, we spent a lot of time writing it)!!
Features Of The EPIC-150
Here are some of the cool features that are enclosed in this
magicalbox:
22410 70th Avenue West • Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
Phone [phone] • Fax [phone] • www.audiocontrol.com
®
• Patented bass restoration circuit
• SPL display up to 150 dB
• Battery Voltage indicator
• Speaker level inputs
• Para-BASS Controls
• Balanced differential inputs

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FEATURES AND HIGHLIGHTS
Patented Bass Restoration: The EPIC-150 contains the most popular
bass maximization circuitry in the world made famous by The Epicenter.
This circuit accurately recreates and injects low frequency information
back into the signal path. What that means in everyday terms is that the
EPIC-150 will give more bass impact to your best compact discs, MP3
tracks or even your old tapes (if you happen to have any lying around).
US Patent #4,698,842.
SPL display: AudioControl designs and manufactures a complete line
of professional real time analyzers/SPL meters and microphone calibra-
tors that are used by professional sound contractors, studio engineers and
are the standard measurement tools for sound-off organizations like
IASCA and USAC. It is that background that lets us equip the EPIC-150
with a 150 dB capable microphone and SPL display.
Battery Voltage Indicator: The EPIC-150 gives you the option of
measuring the SPL output of your system and it also allows monitoring of
the battery voltage of your system. Wonder why your SPL is a little
lower this week versus last? Many times you should check your cars
electrical system to make sure it is still putting out like it used to.
Speaker Level Inputs: If you are like most people and like the look and
features of your factory installed source unit but feel it’s lacking power
(and bass), we have good news. The EPIC-150 has a unique high imped-
ance speaker level input that will interface with most factory installed
source units (even Bose) and let you add amplifiers and speakers to your
hearts content. However, unlike some of the cheesy LOC’s (line output
converters) available, the EPIC-150 offers a very high fidelity sound
quality input.
Para-BASStm Equalization: The EPIC-150 will increase your bass,
and control it. The EPIC-150 uses our Para- BASS equalization circuit to
help shape the enhanced bass to match with your speaker system.
Bulletproof Warranty: The most important feature of all. Every
AudioControl product is selflessly designed and manufactured by the
occupants of our rainforest factory. We take every effort to ensure that
you will have many years of enjoyment out of your
EPIC-150. To ensure the performance of your
new toy, we highly recommend that you allow
your authorized AudioControl dealer to
perform the installation. Not only do they
have all the right knowledge and tools, but also in the unlikely

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chance the EPIC-150 should fail, we will back it with a limited five years
parts and labor warranty. Should you choose to install it yourself we will
still give you one-year parts and labor warranty. To activate your war-
ranty, you need to FILL OUT AND SEND IN YOUR
WARRANTY CARD!
We also recommend that you save your invoice or sales
slip as proof of installation and ownership. Not only is it
necessary for warranty purposes, but should your EPIC-
150 turn up “missing” some day while you are out
watching the salmon run, you will find insurance
companies very unforgiving without proof of pur-
chase.
We interruptyourreadingofthis manual to provide theimpatient
peoplewith “Quick Install”information andguidelines:
The AudioControl EPIC-150 was designed to produce bass like you
have never heard before. With that said it is important to take the follow-
ing precautions during its use.
1. If you have an equalizer in your system, turn down any bass
tone controls and initally use the EPIC-150 to pump up your
bass. Otherwise, the results could be, shall we say... interesting.
2. You will want to reduce any bass tone control, loudness con-
trol, or other secondary bass controls prior to turning on the
EPIC-150. Once your system is up and running, you may then
opt to use them again, although we doubt it!
3. Good bass response requires an appropriate choice of speakers
and amplification. Since the bass frequencies always require more
power and cone area than higher frequencies...BE PREPARED.
Small speakers (smaller than 6x9 or 8”) and lack of power will be
detrimental to your system (and themselves).
Now back to your previously interrupted Owner’s Enjoyment Manual

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Quick Install Information
The EPIC-150 needs to be installed in the signal path between a source
unit and an external amplifier(s). Although it can be installed after an
equalizer, it must be installed BEFORE A CROSSOVER.
Once this is done, you need to hook up + 12 volt power, -12 volt
ground, remote turn-on, and connect the illumination wire. If you need to
know more, then read on. Heck if you don’t think you need to know
more, you should still read on, because you can never know too much.
FACTORY SETTINGS
ShippedShipped
ShippedShipped
Shipped OptionsOptions
OptionsOptions
Options PP
PP
Page #age #
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Para-BASS
FrequencyCenter 40Hz 27Hz-63Hz 9
Para-BASS Bandwidth Wide Range from 30Hz-250Hz 9
Input Grounding Balanced Unbalanced 7
Ground Isolation Isolated 200ohm or Ground 7
Choice of beverage Micro-brew Latté 16
Note: Moving jumpers or adjusting the Para-BASS controls can
change these configurations.
Figure 1: Basic EPIC-150 System

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Figure 2: EPIC-150 Front Panel
A GUIDED TOUR OF THE EPIC-150
The Front Panel
ÊBass Restoration Control a.k.a. “The Knob”: This knob controls
how much of the restored bass is added to your audio signal. Being that it
is a knob, this means you can SLOWLY increase or decrease the amount
of processed bass. (Read as: LISTEN FIRST, CRANK SECOND!)
ËRestoration: By pushing in this switch you engage the bass restora-
tion circuit.
ÌPara-BASS Controls: These two knobs control the Para-BASS
equalization functions of the EPIC-150. The “Frequency” knob allows
you to select the center frequency that you want the EPIC-150 bass
maximization circuit to affect. The “Width” knob adjusts how wide of a
range around the center frequency the EPIC-150 will affect.
ÍdB/Volts: Although this sounds like a new heavy metal group, this
switch allows you to select whether the display on your EPIC-150 is
showing SPL levels in dB (decibels) or electrical levels in volts. Rock on!
ÎPeak Hold: If you ever got high score on Space Invaders but nobody
was there to watch, you know what this switch is for. When engaged, the
display on your EPIC-150 will show the highest SPL or voltage reading
that it measured (as long as your EPIC-150 is turned on).
➏ SPL/Voltage Display: This super bright display will show either the
sound pressure levels or battery voltage depending on where the dB/Volts
switch is set.
ÐBass Restoration Indicator: If this light is flashing, your car should
bebump’n!
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ÑHigh SPL Warning Indicator: Since you will probably brush over
our warning about SPL and potential hearing damage, this indicator light
comes on at 120 dB to give you a gentle warning about how loud your
system is.
ÒÒ
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Ò150 dB Microphone: Behind this tiny little hole is the microphone
element that measures your systems SPL. Should you wish to have very
low readings make sure you cover this opening.
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