4 | JL Audio - XD300/1 Owner’s Manual 5
ENGLISH
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.
The XD300/1’s “+12 VDC”and “Ground”
connections are designed to accept 4 AWG
power wire. 8 AWG is the minimum wire size
for this amplifier.
If you are installing the XD300/1 with other
amplifiers and wish to use a single main power
wire, use 4 AWG, 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG main
power wire (depending on the overall current
demands of all the amplifiers in the system).
This large power wire should terminate into a
fused distribution block mounted as close to
the amplifiers as possible (within 12 inches /
30cm of wire length). The fused output of the
distribution block will connect to the XD300/1
with 8 or 4 AWG power wire. JL Audio ECS
fused distribution blocks are recommended
(XD-FDBU-2 and XD-FDBU-4)
Note: Smaller AWG numbers mean bigger
wire and vice-versa (1/0 AWG is the largest, 2
AWG is smaller, then 4 AWG, then 8 AWG, etc.).
To connect the power wires to the amplifier,
first back out the set screw on the top of the
terminal block, 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 terminal block, 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 4 AWG wire 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. For optimal grounding, we
recommend the use of a JL Audio ECS master
ground lug (XB-MGLU). Alternatively, a sheet
metal screw or bolt can be used with a star
washer.
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.
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 be upgraded
to 4 AWG when installing amplifier systems
with main fuse ratings above 60A.
FUSE REQUIREMENTS
It is absolutely vital that the main power
wire(s) to the amplifier(s) in the system be
fused within 18 inches (45 cm) of the positive
battery post connection. The fuse value at each
power wire should be high enough for all of the
equipment being run from that power wire. If
only the XD300/1 is being run from that power
wire, use a 30A fuse.
If fusing the amplifier near its power
connections (when more than one amp is being
run from the main power wire), use a 30A fuse
(MAXI™ big plastic-body fuse is recommended).
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The XD300/1 is a monoblock
amplifier utilizing JL Audio NexD™ high
speed switching technology to deliver
outstanding fidelity and efficiency.
The XD300/1 can be operated with a wide
variety of source units and system configurations.
Its frequency response is limited to the range
below 1000 Hz (1 kHz). It is not designed for
driving midrange speakers or tweeters. Its
operation has been optimized for low-frequency
amplification. For detailed specifications, please
refer to Appendix C (page 13).
TYPICAL INSTALLATION SEQUENCE
The following represents the sequence
for a typical amplifier installation, using an
aftermarket source unit or OEM Interface
processor (like the CleanSweep CL441dsp).
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 8 or 4 AWG power wire 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 4 AWG or larger
power wire and a power distribution block if
additional amplifiers are being installed with
the XD300/1.
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 securely connected to the amplifier.
4) Run signal cables and remote turn-on wire
from the source unit to the final amplifier
mounting location.
5) Run speaker cables 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 of the JL Audio ECS master
ground lug, XB-MGLU is recommended).
Use 8 or 4 AWG 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.
8) Connect the positive and negative power
wires to the amplifier. A fuse near
the amplifier is not necessary if the
XD300/1 is the only device being run
from the fused main power wire. If
the fused main power wire is shared
by the XD300/1 and other amplifiers
or devices, fuse each amplifier/device
within 12 inches (30 cm) of wire length,
via a fused distribution block or multiple
individual fuse blocks/on-board fuses.
9) Connect the remote turn-on wire
to the amplifier.
10) Connect the input cables to the amplifier.
11) Connect the speaker cables 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 the power wire fuse (30A for a
single XD300/1) and reconnect the negative
battery post terminal. Install the fuse (30A)
near the amplifier (if applicable).
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 to obtain the right
overall output and the desired balance
in the system. See Appendix A (page 12)
for the recommended input sensitivity
setting method.
16) Enjoy the fruits of your labor with your
favorite music.