Boston Mobile Audio GTA-400m User manual

High Performance
Monoblock Ampliers
GTA

Specifications
2
Introduction
Thank you for choosing Boston Acoustics and congratulations, you’ve
made the right choice. You’re now equipped for the open road. Your high
performance GTA amplifiers are engineered to perform and built to last.
These products represent the pinnacle of performance and innovation that
Boston Acoustics is famous for. We hope you enjoy your amplifier and the
road ahead.
Technical Specifications:
GTA-400m GTA-800m
Rated Power (CEA-2006-A):
@ 2-Ohm (Mono) 400 Watts x 1 800 Watts x 1
@ 4-Ohm (Mono) 250 Watts x 1 500 Watts x 1
Impedance Stability: 2Ω2Ω
Frequency Response (-3dB): 10Hz–150Hz 10Hz–150Hz
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >90dB >90dB
(A Weighted)
THD+N: 0.05 0.05
Lowpass Crossover:
Frequency Range: 50Hz - 150Hz 50Hz - 150Hz
Slope (dB Per Octave): 12dB 12dB
Subsonic Filter (Highpass):
Frequency Range: 10Hz - 50Hz 10Hz - 50Hz
Slope (dB Per Octave): 12dB 12dB
Signal Voltage Input Range:
Low Level (RCA) Input: 200mv - 5v 200mv - 5v
Speaker Level Input: 400mv - 10v 400mv - 10v
Fuse Amp Rating (ATC): 40 Amp 2 x 40 Amp
Dimensions:
Width: 10
5
⁄
8
” (268mm) 12
1
⁄
2
” (318mm)
Height: 2
3
⁄
8
” (60mm) 2
3
⁄
8
” (60mm)
Depth: 8
3
⁄
8
” (211mm) 8
3
⁄
8
” (211mm)
Parts List:
GTA-400m GTA-800m
Owners Manual: x 1 x 1
3mm Hex Wrench: x 1 x 1
4mm Hex Wrench: x 1 x 1
Speaker Level Input Cable: x 1 x 1
Mounting Screws: x 4 x 4
Replacement Fuses (ATC): x 1 (40 amp) x 2 (40 amp)

Connections / Controls
3
Status LED
The Boston Logo will illuminate “Blue” under normal operating conditions.
The LED will illuminate “Red” during start-up and under fault conditions. If the
LED is still red after start-up, please refer to troubleshooting on page 8.
Speaker Level Input
RCA Input (Left and Right)
Gain (250mv to 5.0v - continuously variable)
Q-Tune™“Q” Adjustment (0.707 to 1.6 - cont. variable)
Lowpass Crossover Adjustment (50Hz to 150Hz - cont. variable)
Q-Tune™Highpass (Subsonic) Adjustment (10Hz to 50Hz - cont. variable)
GTA-RSL Port (Remote Gain)
Speaker Output Block
Status LED (Blue = Normal / Red = Fault Mode)
Fuse (Replace with same value only, refer to specifications on page 2)
Power Block (12v / Remote / Ground)
35
1
489
10
11
7
2
6
35
1
489
10
11
7
2
6
GTA-400m
GTA-800m
Connections and Controls
Speaker Level Input Cable
GTA amplifiers offer a dedicated speaker level input for ease installation into
factory systems when an RCA (low level) signal is not available. Wiring code for
the cable is industry standard;
White Solid = Left Positive White w/ Black Stripe = Left Negative
Gray Solid = Right Positive Gray w/ Black Stripe = Right Negative
Warning: Do not connect both Speaker Level and RCAs into the amplifier at the
same time as damage to the amplifier may occur.

Installation - General
4
WARNING! Before driving the amplifier mounting screws through any surface,
be sure of what is behind that surface. Check for the gas tank, brake lines, and
any vehicle wiring harness. Never run wires outside or under the vehicle or
where they could become broken or interfere with the safe operation of the
vehicle.
Before You Install
Before you install the unit, disconnect the negative (–) battery cable in the
engine compartment of the vehicle. Doing so will prevent damage to both the
electrical system of the vehicle and the amplifier during installation.
Battery and Charging System
In order for the amplifier to function correctly, the electrical system of the
vehicle should be professionally checked for overall electrical capacity. When
used, the amplifier will increase the demand on the battery and alternator.
Therefore, both should be thoroughly evaluated before installing the amplifier
to ensure they are in normal operating condition and able to handle the
increased demand the amplifier will present to the vehicle’s electrical system.
Wire Routing
Do not run the power wire near any low-level signals or audio cables such as
the RCAs from the head unit. Noise can be introduced into the amplifier when
this occurs. It is helpful to diagram the wire layout first before any installation
is initiated.
Choose the Mounting Location
Plan your installation so that the amplifier is mounted where adequate
ventilation is available. Never mount an amplifier in the engine compartment
of a vehicle!
Passenger and Trunk Compartment Mounting
If the amplifier is mounted under a seat, be sure that there is adequate space
around the amplifier once installed, 1” (25mm) recommended minimum. Do not
allow seat padding or other obstructive material to press down on the amplifier.
When mounting in a trunk, choose a location that will be protected from sliding
cargo or other materials. Mount the amplifier to solid surfaces only. Do not
mount to plastic trim panels. Do not mount the amplifier with Velcro, double-stick
tape, or by wedging into position. Amplifier should be mounted using the screw
mounts in the endpanels and with the provided mounting screws.
Cooling
Position the amplifier so that there is adequate space around the amplifier once
installed, 1” (25mm) recommended minimum.
Installation - General

Installation - Wiring
5
Amplifier Fuses
Although the amplifier has an internal fuse (s), additional fuse protection
should be installed as close as possible to the battery on the positive (+) power
wire going to the amplifier. An inline fuse should be installed at no more than
18" (46cm) on the positive (+) power wire. The rating of the inline fuse should
equal the value of the internal fuse of the amplifier if only the single amplifier is
connected to this wire. If other devices are connected to this wire, the fuse
value should be of sufficient capacity to handle the demand.
Wire Gauge
The amplifier accepts up to 4-gauge (8-gauge on GTA-400m) stripped wire at
the DC power and ground input terminals, and 4-gauge (8-gauge on GTA-400m)
is recommended as a minimum. Wire runs should be kept to the minimum
practical length.
Power 12v and Ground (GND) Connection
Strip approximately 5/8” (16mm) of insulation. The positive (+) power wire is
installed into the amplifier terminal marked “12v”. The negative (–) wire is
installed into the terminal marked “GND”. The ground wire should be as short
as possible and connected directly to the chassis of the vehicle. Make sure that
the chassis connection point is free of rust, grease, dirt, paint, and other
materials that may insulate the ground wire from making proper connection.
Tighten the 12v and GND terminals with the supplied 4mm (3mm on
GTA-400m) hex wrench to secure the wire into the terminals. If the power wire
must be routed through a drilled or existing hole, use a nylon panel grommet
to prevent the insulation from fraying. Failure to do so could lead to an
electrical short if the wire insulation is worn through and the power wire is
shorted to ground.
Remote Input Connection
Connect the REMOTE trigger lead from the head unit to the amplifier using the
3mm hex wrench to tighten the connector on the power block of the amplifier.
(refer to the diagram on page 3).
Speaker Output Connection
Prepare each wire by stripping approximately 5⁄8” (16mm) of insulation. The pos-
itive (+) speaker wires are installed into the amplifier terminal marked “SPEAK-
ER OUTPUT” / “+” (refer to the diagram on page 3). The negative (–) speaker
wires are installed into the amplifier terminal marked “SPEAKER OUTPUT” /
“-”. Tighten the “SPEAKER OUTPUT”, “+”, and “-” terminals with the supplied
3mm hex wrench to secure the wires into the terminals. If the speaker wires
must be routed through a drilled or existing hole, use a nylon panel grommet
to prevent fraying the wire insulation. Failure to do so could lead to an electrical
short if the wire insulation is worn through and the speaker wires are shorted
to ground.
WARNING! Subwoofer impedance must not fall below 2-ohms
Installation - Wiring

Tuning The Amplifier - Subwoofer(s)
6
Tuning The Amplifier - Subwoofer(s)
1) Head Unit
The head unit should have all controls such as bass, treble, balance, and fader
set to the flat or centered position. The volume control should be at the
minimum setting. If the head unit has any equalization or bass management
features such as
boost
, they should be deactivated at this time. Turn head unit
on, and verify that the Blue status LED (logo) is illuminated on the amplifier.
2) Volume
With the chosen musical track playing, turn the head unit volume control up
until the maximum level of undistorted signal is heard from the speakers. For
most head units, this will be at the end of the volume control range.
WARNING! A distorted signal from the head unit sent to the amplifier can
cause speaker failure at higher listening levels.
3) Input Sensitivity Control (Gain)
Turn control (refer to the diagram on page 3) all the way counterclockwise
(minimum position). In this position, the amplifier will be less sensitive to the
input signal from the head unit. Slowly rotate this control clockwise until
maximum undistorted playing level is heard from the subwoofer(s). Listen
closely for faults such as bottoming from the subwoofer(s). If fault is detected,
rotate input sensitivity control counterclockwise until fault is eliminated. At this
point, the maximum undistorted subwoofer playing level has been defined.
Configuration and
C
GTA-400m Amplifier Powering a Subwoofe
r

Tuning The Amplifier - Subwoofer(s)
7
Tuning The Amplifier - Subwoofer(s)
4) Lowpass Crossover Control
Experiment with the crossover point settings while the subwoofer is active.
A higher setting will increase the perceived output, and a lower setting will
make the bass response more omnidirectional. Since the Lowpass cannot be
disengaged, set to 15Hz if using an outboard processor or electronic
crossover on the headunit.
5) Q-Tune™Control
Once the highpass crossover point has been determined, use the Q-Tune™ control
(refer to the diagram on page 3) to increase the bass information centered around
the highpass crossover point.
Setting the Q-Tune™ control is done in conjunction with setting the levels on the
input sensitivity and highpass crossover (subsonic) frequency controls. You may find
while setting the Q-Tune™ that over-excursion may be detected in the subwoofer (s);
lowering the Q-Tune™ input sensitivity or raising the highpass crossover point will
eliminate this. Minor adjustments to each setting are required to fine-tune the sys-
tem.
Setting the Q-Tune™ is a subtle process. It is recommended that the Q-Tune™ set-
ting be left in the 0.7 position and adjusted only after the input sensitivity and
highpass crossover ranges are known. Small adjustments to the Q-Tune™ setting
are all that are required to fine-tune the system.
6) GTA-RSL Control
The remote level control (GTA-RSL) gives you independent level adjustment of the
subwoofer’s output level beyond the standard system volume control. Please refer
to the RSL’s manual for installation instruction. The GTA-RSL is available separately,
please consult your authorized Boston Acoustics dealer.
fuse
C
onnection Diagram:
r
(80Hz Lowpass, 35Hz Higpass, and Q of 1.2)

Amplifier Troubleshooting Guide
Status LEDs on Amplifier not Lit—Head Unit (Source) Turned “ON”
Verify Remote turn-on wire from source to amplifier has proper voltage
Power (B+) connections at amplifier, terminal blocks, and battery are secure
Ground (GND) connections at amplifier and vehicle chassis are secure
Battery B+ fuse and amplifier fuse are OK
B+ at battery and B+ at amplifier have proper voltage
Status LEDs Lit, no Output from Speakers—Speakers in Normal Operating Condition
Verify High-level cables from speaker(s) to amplifier are securely connected
RCA or Speaker Level Input from amplifier to source are securely connected
Sensitivity adjustment on amplifier is correctly adjusted
Engine Noise from Speaker(s)
Turn source “OFF” and disconnect RCA cables at amplifier
If noise stops, check equipment and cables leading to amplifier
Verify RCA cables are of good quality with no breakage to internal shields
RCA cables from source to amplifier are not run alongside power
Amplifier Output Distorted—Music not Recorded with Intentional Distortion
Verify Source output to amplifier is not distorted
Amplifier input sensitivity is correctly adjusted
Amplifier Shutting Down, RED LED Lit—Amplifier in Thermal Protection Mode
Verify Amplifier is mounted with adequate space around heatsink
Amplifier is not mounted under carpet
Speakers meet correct impedance for application (mono or stereo hookup)
Amplifier not Turning “ON”, RED LED Lit—Amplifier not Connected to a Shorted Speaker
Verify Speaker crossover is not defective
High-level cables from speaker to amplifier are not shorted
Amplifier not Turning “ON”, RED LED Lit—Speakers, Crossovers, and Cable OK
Internal fuse needs to be replaced
Verify Replace fuse with fuse of same value
Amplifier not Turning “ON”, RED LED Lit—Speakers, Crossovers, and Cable OK
Amplifier requires service
Boston, B/A ellipse symbol, Boston Acoustics, and the Boston Acoustics logo are registered trademarks and Q-Tune is a trademark of Boston Acoustics, Inc.
Specifications are subject to change without notice. © 2009 Boston Acoustics, Inc. All rights reserved. Covered by patents issued and/or pending. 142-003821-0
If Service Seems Necessary:
First, contact the dealer from whom you purchased the product, or contact us via e-mail at:
Europe: [email protected]
Japan: [email protected]
We will promptly advise you of what action to take.
Boston Acoustics, Inc. 300 Jubilee Drive, Peabody, MA 01960 USA
T: 978.538.5000 F: 978.538.5100 W: bostonacoustics.com/car

Car Audio Limited Warranty Information
for
the
United States and Canada
Boston
Acoustics
offers
a
limited
warranty
to
the
original
purchaser
of
any
Boston
Acoustics
car
audio
products
or
accessories
purchased
from
an
authorized
dealer
after
January
1, 2003.
This
limited
warranty
protects
against
defects
in
materials
or
workmanship
for
a
period
of
one
(1)
year
from
the
date
of
pur-
chase
and
will
be
repaired
without
charge
for
parts
and
labor.
When
an
authorized
Boston
Acoustics
retailer
installs
your
Boston
Acoustics
automotive
component
or
coaxially
mounted
speakers,
or
power
amplifier,
the
limited
warranty
will
be
extended
one
(1)
addi-
tional
year.
Installation
of
the
product
must
be
noted
on
the
sales
receipt
and
presented
at
the
time
of
repair.
Your
responsibilities,
on
which
the
limited
warranty
is
conditioned,
are
to
install
and
use
the
system
according
to
the
instructions
supplied
with
the
product,
to
provide
safe
and
secure
transportation
of
the
product
to
an
authorized Boston Acoustics service representative,
and
to
present
the
product
proof
of
pur-
chase, in
the
form
of
your
sales
receipt,
when
requesting
service.
The
customer's
sales
receipt
must
note
the
model,
serial
number,
and
date
of
purchase
from
an
authorized
Boston
Acoustics
dealer.
Excluded
from
the
limited
warranty
is
any
damage
to
the
product
that
results
from
abuse,
misuse,
improper
installation,
accidents,
shipping,
or
repairs/modifications
by
anyone
other
than
an
authorized
Boston
Acoustics
service
representative.
The
limited
warranty
is
limited
to
the
Boston
Acoustics
product
only
and
does
not
cover
damage
to
any
associated
equipment.
The
limited
warranty
does
not
cover
the
cost
of
removal,
re-installation,
or
any
loss
of
use
of
the
vehicle
caused
as a
result
of
any
warranty
service.
This
limited
warranty
is
null
and
void
if
either
of
the
following
has
occurred:
•
Serial
numbers
are
defaced
or
removed.
(if
applicable)
•
The
date
sticker
is
removed
from
the
product.
The
limited
warranty
gives
you
specific
legal
rights,
and
you
may
also
have
other
rights
that
are
provided
for
under
local
law.
Product
Information
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splice
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to
ref:.C'>m
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('rroucl.
Model Name: _
Serial Number: _
Date
of
Purchase: _
300 Jubilee Drive
Peabody,
MA
01960
USA
978.538.5000
bostonacoustics.com
Boston,
the
Boston Acoustics Logo, and Boston Acoustics are registered
trademarks of Boston Acoustics,
Inc.
e>
2009 Boston Acoustics,
Inc.
142-001975-1
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