Clarion Xc7120 Quick start guide

Owner’s & Installation Manual

XC7120

Monoblock Class D Subwoofer

Ampliﬁer

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THANK YOU

Congratulations on your purchase of a Clarion XC7 Series ampliﬁer. This series of ultra

high speed digital switching ampliﬁers was designed in the United States to offer sound

quality that exceeds that of many conventional Class AB designs while offering excellent

efﬁciency.

When installed and conﬁgured properly, XC7 ampliﬁers will bring a new level of realism

and impact to your mobile entertainment system. To get the best performance from your

ampliﬁer, Clarion recommends that you have this ampliﬁer installed and conﬁgured by an

experienced professional.

ABOUT THE MANUAL AND WARRANTY

This manual describes the basic requirements to install the Clarion XC7120 ampliﬁer. The

installation and conﬁguration of this ampliﬁer can be quite complex. If you do not possess

the necessary knowledge, experience and/or tools to perform this installation, please

contact your local authorized Clarion dealer to arrange for professional installation. Keep

all instructions and your sales receipt for future reference and warranty purposes.

WARNING

Clarion products are capable of producing high sound pressure levels that can damage

your hearing and make it difﬁcult for the driver of the vehicle to hear other cars or

emergency vehicles. Clarion wants you as a customer for life - please be responsible at all

times while enjoying your audio system.

Clarion takes no responsibility for any personal injury, loss, damage or loss of income

associated with the use, or misuse of this product. Please refer to the included warranty

statement for details.

XC7 AMPLIFIER FEATURES

The Clarion XC7 Series of ampliﬁers are designed with performance and convenience in

mind. Through the use of state-of-the art high-speed output devices, these ampliﬁers offer

a level of sound quality that has been unheard of in a high speed switching ampliﬁer. The

XC7120 ampliﬁer includes the following features:

• Ultra High Speed output devices for dynamic performance

• Pulse Width Modulated MOSFET Power Supply for efﬁcient power delivery

• Remote Turn-On with muting for silent start-up

• 2 Channel RCA Input

• 2 Channel RCA Output

• Adjustable input level controls with ground loop isolation

• Variable Low-Pass electronic crossover with -12dB/Octave Slope

• Variable Infrasonic ﬁlter with -12dB/Octave Slope

• Variable Phase Control

• 1-Ohm stable

• BC2 Remote Level control Included

• Speaker level input RCA adapters included

• TRI-ON Auto-Sense turn-on detection for OEM integration

• Corrosion resistant power, speaker and RCA connections

• Circuit Boards with a conformal coating to resist moisture damage

• Low Proﬁle design with corrosion resistant high-efﬁciency aluminum heat sink

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XC7120 CONNECTIONS AND CONTROLS

1. Three 30 Amp ATO Fuses

2. +12V Constant Power Source

3. Remote Turn-On Connection

4. Ground Connection

5. Channel 1 Input RCA Connection

6. Channel 1 Output RCA Connection

7. TRI-ON Channel 1 Auto Sensing Control switch

8. Input Sensitivity Control (Gain)

9. BC2 Remote Level Control Connection Jack

10. Crossover Frequency Control

11. Infrasonic Filter Frequency Control

12. Phase Adjustment Control

13. Bass EQ Level Control

14. Channel 2 Input RCA Connection

15. Power/Protect LED

16. Channel 2 Output RCA Connection

17. Positive Speaker Output Terminals

18. Negative Speaker Output Terminals

MARINE READY DESIGN

All Clarion XC7 ampliﬁers are Marine Ready. This means that the components used to

construct the ampliﬁer are, as much as possible, designed to withstand exposure to the

high humidity conditions commonly associated with marine applications. The Marine

Ready features include aluminum heat sinks, stainless steel hardware and a conformal

coating on the circuit boards.

The Marine Ready designation does not in any way imply that Clarion XC7 ampliﬁers are

waterproof or water resistant. These ampliﬁers must be installed in a location that will

remain dry at all times.

1 2 3 4 5 76 8 9 10 12

17 181614

1311

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GENERAL FUNCTION EXPLANATION

Sensitivity Control

This adjustment is provided to adjust the ampliﬁer sensitivity so that it will produce

maximum power given a variety of different input signal voltages. Setting this control

correctly will ensure that you get maximum performance from your ampliﬁer and is critical

to ensuring that minimal noise and distortion is produced.

Clarion recommends the use of an Oscilloscope or distortion detecting device such as the

SMD DD-1 or DD-1+ Distortion Detector to properly set ampliﬁer sensitivity. A headroom

setting of approximately 10dB will help to ensure that music that is recorded at low levels

can still be reproduced at high volume levels. With this setting, it is the responsibility of the

operator to use the ampliﬁer in a manner that will not produce audible distortion.

Procedure (Oscilloscope) Method:

1. Obtain a test disc with a selection of Sine Waves recorded at -5dB and -10dB.

2. Turn the gain all the way down on the ampliﬁer (to the left).

3. Connect the ground terminal of the scope lead to the shield of the RCA cable

coming from the source unit. Do no connect the scope lead to the speaker output

terminals.

4. Connect the scope probe to a speaker terminal on the channel you want to adjust.

5. Select a Sine wave frequency that is well away from the chosen crossover frequency.

For midrange speakers use 1kHz at -5dB, use 40Hz at -10dB for subwoofers.

6. Turn the source unit up as high as possible without distortion.

7. Monitor the output waveform of the amp on the scope.

8. Increase the sensitivity of the ampliﬁer until the scope waveform shows a small ﬂat

spot on the top or bottom of the waveform. See Figure 2 for an example of what to

look for.

SMD DD-1 Method:

1. Following the instructions provided with the DD-1, use the 0dB track to conﬁrm the

output of the audio signal source is unclipped.

2. Connect the DD-1 to the output of the ampliﬁer and use an appropriate -5dB or -10dB

track. Increase the gain on the ampliﬁer until the Distortion LED illuminates

You should be able to turn the volume up to almost full (or wherever your source unit clips/

distorts) without hearing distortion. If you can’t turn the volume up most of the way without

distortion, the sensitivity control is not adjusted properly.

Sine wave unclipped

Clipped Sine wave

Sine wave well bellow clipping

Fig 1 - Sine Wave at different Levels Fig 2 - Close-Up of waveform

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GENERAL FUNCTION EXPLANATION - CON’T

TRI-ON Auto Sensing Function Switch

All XC7 ampliﬁers feature an automatic turn-on circuit called TRI-ON that will activate the

ampliﬁer without the need for a connection to the REM terminal. The switch has three

positions - SIG, OFF and DC.

SIG - Signal Detect Mode

In this setting, the ampliﬁer will monitor Channel 1 input for the presence of an audio

signal. The signal needs to be moderately loud in order for the ampliﬁer to activate.

NOTE: in some applications where the speaker level input adapters are used and a

speaker is still connected, the voltage produced from speaker moving when a door is

closed may be adequate to trick the amp to turn on. This is the least desirable setting.

OFF - Remote Turn-On Connection Mode

In this mode, the ampliﬁer turns on when a 12V signal is connected to the REM terminal.

This is the preferred method of turning on the ampliﬁer.

DC - DC Voltage Detection Mode

In this mode, the ampliﬁer will monitor Channel 1 input for the DC offset voltage produced

by a BTL type ampliﬁer. To check for the presence of BTL, you can monitor the DC

voltage on the speaker wires of the signal source. When you turn on the source, you

should see 5-6 Volts DC (or more) on the wires when referenced to the chassis ground.

Remote Turn-On Connection

When +12V is applied to this terminal, the ampliﬁer will turn on. When installing the

ampliﬁer with an after market source unit, this wire is typically Blue with a White stripe.

Some OEM source units have a wire that behaves similarly.

Crossover Frequency Control

This adjustment allows the use to alter the -3dB frequency of the crossover. This setting is

adjustable from 50Hz to 250Hz.

Infrasonic Filter Frequency Control

This control allows you to adjust a high-pass ﬁlter built in to the ampliﬁer. This can be used

to limit driver excursion when a subwoofer is used a vented enclosure with a high tuning

frequency. The control is adjustable from 10Hz to 50Hz and has a slope of -12 dB/Octave.

Phase Control

This analog control allows you to alter the phase of the output of the amp with respect

to the input signal. This is used to allow the installer to ensure that the output of the

subwoofer blends seamlessly with the midbass/midrange drivers being used in the

system. To adjust, turn the control until your system produces maximum acoustical output

at the crossover point.

Bass EQ Level Control

This control allows you to add up to 12dB of boost, centered at 45Hz to the audio signal.

Be judicious with the use of this control, as it can dramatically increase the current

requirements of your ampliﬁer, drive the ampliﬁer into clipping and potentially cause

damage to your speakers.

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GENERAL FUNCTION EXPLANATION - CON’T

Speaker Connections

The XC7120 ampliﬁer is capable of driving reactive loads with a minimum nominal

impedance of 1 Ohm.

Input RCA Connections

The RCA Input connections should be connected to

the RCA Pre-amp outputs of an after market head

unit. If you are using a head unit or factory ampliﬁer

that only has speaker level outputs, please use

the high-level input adapters that are included

with each amp. Please wire them according to the

adjacent image. Note, there are components in these connectors to attenuate the input

signal. Do not substitute conventional RCA terminals for these adapters or damage will

occur. Damage from over-driving the input stage of the ampliﬁer is not covered under the

manufacturer’s warranty.

NOTE: When connecting to the output of a factory ampliﬁer, you may need to install

load resistors on the ampliﬁer outputs to compensate for the output ﬁltering circuit of the

ampliﬁer. A 50 Ohm, 5 Watt resistor usually works well. Always use an Oscilloscope to

conﬁrm that you have a clean source signal.

BC2 Remote Level Control Installation

Clarion includes an remote subwoofer level control called the BC2 included in the box with

all XC7 ampliﬁers. When connected to the XC7120, it gives you the ability to decrease the

output level of the ampliﬁer to ﬁne tune the subwoofer level for the selection of music that

is playing. Always set the ampliﬁer sensitivity (gain) control with the BC2 at it’s maximum

position.

The BC2 can be easily disassembled for custom installations. Please ensure that the

contacts on the circuit board never come in contact with any metal surfaces in the vehicle.

INSTALLATION PLANNING AND CONSIDERATIONS

Clarion XC7 ampliﬁers are designed for installation in vehicles with 12V electrical systems

and a chassis ground conﬁguration. While Clarion strongly recommends professional

installation of our products to maximize the performance of the product, installing the

ampliﬁer yourself can certainly produce impressive results. Please take into consideration

the following when planning your installation.

• Take care in choosing a mounting location for the ampliﬁer. Clarion does not

recommend mounting an ampliﬁer to a subwoofer enclosure. Vibration could damage

internal components of the ampliﬁer.

• Ensure that the screws used to mount the ampliﬁer will not damage anything

underneath or behind the mounting location such as interconnects, speaker wires,

factory wiring harnesses, computer modules, factory ﬂuid lines or fuel tank. Mounting

hardware should be sufﬁcient to ensure that the amp will not come loose in the event

of a vehicle accident.

Red

White

Red

Black

White

Blue

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INSTALLATION PLANNING AND CONSIDERATIONS CON’T

• All wiring running to and from the ampliﬁer should be planned so that it’s route does

not bring it in proximity of any high-current devices or computer modules. This will

help to prevent noise from being induced in the audio system.

• XC7 Ampliﬁers incorporate balanced differential inputs. As such, Clarion recommends

the use of twisted pair interconnects to ensure that the signal on the center pin and

shield of the interconnect allow this circuitry to perform to the best of its ability in

terms of rejecting unwanted noise.

• Although the XC7 ampliﬁers are suitable for marine installations, they are in no way

water resistant. XC7 ampliﬁers should be mounted in a dry, well-ventilated location.

The marine features of the amp are designed to handle humid conditions commonly

associated with installations in boats.

• Ampliﬁers dramatically increase the load on the vehicles electrical system. Please

conﬁrm that the vehicle battery and alternator are in good condition. Clarion

recommends the use of a heavy duty AGM style battery to increase current delivery

and play time. The use of a high quality, low ESR stiffening capacitor will provide

increased instantaneous current to the ampliﬁer.

• Supplying adequate current to your ampliﬁer may require that some of the factory

electrical connections under the hood of your vehicle be upgraded. The industry

refers to these upgrades as ‘The Big 3’. Performing these upgrades are optional, but

highly recommend. Additional current delivery capability will increase the performance

and longevity of any electrical component you add to your vehicle. These upgrades

include:

- A new ground wire from the engine in your vehicle to the battery ground terminal.

- A new ground wire from the ground terminal of your battery to the chassis of the

vehicle.

- A new power wire from the output of your alternator to the positive terminal of your

battery.

Some vehicles use aluminum or adhesive-bonded connections between body panels

and will not allow adequate current to pass. Clarion recommends that a parallel

ground wire be installed to decrease resistance in the return path. Please see the

Power Connections portion of this manual for details.

INSTALLATION

1. Once a safe and suitable location has been chosen for your ampliﬁer, remove both

top trim pieces from the ampliﬁer using a 2mm hex driver. Store the four screws and

trim pieces in a safe location.

2. Locate the ampliﬁer and mark the mounting hole locations.

3. Remove the amp and pre-drill the mounting holes.

4. Replace the ampliﬁer and secure with adequate hardware.

5. Replace the upper trim panel and secure.

6. Make all the power, signal and speaker connections to the amp.

7. Complete the remainder of the system installation and ﬁnish tuning the ampliﬁer and

system

8. Install the lower trim panel and secure.

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Power Connections

Your XC7-Series ampliﬁer can only produce power if it is fed power efﬁciently. Clarion

recommends the use of minimum of 4 AWG copper wire for all power and ground

connections. The use of undersized power wiring may result in damage to your ampliﬁer.

Clarion also recommends performing “The Big Three” upgrade to your electrical system

when any high power ampliﬁer is being installed. This upgrade includes installing

larger power wire between your battery and the alternator for both positive and ground

connections, as well upgrading the ground connection between the battery and the

chassis and/or rear ground location.

The ampliﬁer ground connection is the most important connection in terms of reliable and

efﬁcient operation of your ampliﬁer. This connection should be made to a solid and secure

point on the vehicle chassis, or directly to the battery. Do not use a seat or seatbelt bolt

as a ground location. All of the sound deadening, paint and primer must be removed from

the chosen ground location. The ground ring terminal(s) should be secured with a bolt and

locking fastener.

NOTE: Many new vehicles are fabricated using aluminum, composites and high strength

adhesives. Clarion recommends running a ground wire of the same size as the power wire

from the negative terminal of your battery to the ground location of your ampliﬁer. This is

known as a parallel ground.

Wiring Precautions

Read all of the wiring precautions prior to making any connections. If you are unsure and/

or don’t have the necessary installation hardware, contact your local Clarion dealer to

perform the installation.

1. Before you begin the installation, make sure the vehicle is not running and is in the

OFF position.

2. Disconnect the negative (-) lead of the battery (or batteries) before making any power

connections.

3. When making connections, be sure that each connection is clean and secure.

4. Insulate connections with split loom or heat shrink tubing where possible.

5. A fuse holder and fuse must be installed on the lead coming from the positive (+)

terminal of the battery. This fuse should located as close a possible to the battery

terminal for maximum protection. Clarion does not recommend the use of a circuit

breaker as a protection device.

6. The battery fuse rating should equal the total current consumption at full output of the

ampliﬁer(s) connected to that wire. Do not install the fuse until the entire installation

has been completed.

+12V GND

REM

Battery

Fuse Blue/White

Parallel Ground

Battery

Ground

Chassis

Ground

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7. When replacing the ampliﬁer or power wire fuse, always use a fuse with the same

amperage rating. Substituting a higher rating fuse or a slow-blow type can result in

serious damage to the ampliﬁer or vehicle.

8. When creating passage holes for power wire, interconnect cables and speaker wires,

use grommets to eliminate any sharp edges created during drilling. This will protect

the wire from being damaged and help to prevent a short circuit.

BC2 Remote Level Control Installation

Clarion includes an remote subwoofer level control called the BC2 included in the box with

all XC7 ampliﬁers. When connected to the XC7120, it gives you the ability to increase or

decrease the output level of the ampliﬁer to ﬁne tune the subwoofer level for the selection

of music that is playing. Always set the ampliﬁer sensitivity (gain) control with the BC2 at

it’s maximum position.

The BC2 can be easily disassembled for custom installations. Please ensure that the

contacts on the circuit board never come in contact with any metal surfaces in the vehicle.

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TROUBLESHOOTING - ERROR CODES

Clarion XC7 ampliﬁers use a microcontroller to manage the operation of the ampliﬁer.

Included in the ﬁrmware is the ability to detect errors in the functionality of the ampliﬁer.

The following error code chart can be used to look up the cause of a fault.

The following codes are shown by a red ﬂashing pattern of the Power/Protect LED.

Code 1 - Indicates that the power connection voltage is too low. Check all your power

connections. This is most commonly caused by a poor ground connection.

Code 2 - There is an over-current condition on Channel 1-4. This could be caused by a

shorted speaker, a grounded speaker wire or an internal fault. Disconnect all speaker

wires and test again.

Code 3 - The ampliﬁer has detected the occurrence of short circuits on the last three

power-up attempts. Correct this condition, remove power from the ampliﬁer for 15 minutes

and try again.

Code 4 - Indicates that the battery connection voltage is too high. Check the functionality

of the vehicle charging system.

Code 5 - This error indicates that there is a DC voltage present on one of the speaker

leads. The ampliﬁer will need to be serviced.

Code 6 - There is an over-current condition on Channel 5 of the XC7520. This could be

caused by a shorted speaker, a grounded speaker wire or an internal fault. Disconnect all

speaker wires and test again.

Heatsink Over Temperature - This error indicates that the chassis of the ampliﬁer has

exceeded the recommended operating voltage. Review your choice of installation location,

ensuring that there is adequate airﬂow around the ampliﬁer. Also check your wiring to

make sure the ampliﬁer is getting enough voltage and has a good ground connection.

Power Supply Over-Temperature - This error indicates that the power supply of the

ampliﬁer has exceeded the recommended operating voltage. Ensure that the ampliﬁer is

getting adequate voltage.

Code 3 - Repeated Short Circuit

Code 4 - Power Supply Over Voltage

Code 1 - Power Supply Under Voltage

Code 2 - Channel 1-4 Short Circuit

Over Temperature - Heatsink

Over Temperature - Power Supply

Code 5 - DC Voltage Speaker Protection

Code 6 - Channel 5 Short Circuit

Turn-On Process

Turn-On Process (after reset)

Table of contents

Clarion XC7120 Quick start guide