Kicker MX350.4 User manual

lfKICKER®.
MX. 4SeriesMarineAmplifier
Owner'sManual
FourChanneIMode/:
MX350.4
Congratulations on your
KICKER purchase
Please record your purchase
information and keep your sales
receipt for validation of warranty.
Authorized Kicker Dealer:
Purchase Date:
Amplifier Model Number:
Amplifier Serial Number:
MX350.4
Installation ...as easy as 1, 2, 3
1. Mounting Choose astructurally sound location to mount your Kicker amplifier. The controls on the
top of the amplifier need to be accessible for adjustment. Make sure there are no items behind the area
where the screws will be driven. Choose alocation that allows at least 4"
(1 Oem) of open ventilation for
the amplifier.
Mount the amplifier in alocation free from direct contact with water. Drill four holes using a
7/64" (3mm) bit and use the supplied #8 screws to mount the amplifier.
3. Configuration The following diagrams show the most common configurations for your Kicker MX
series amplifier.
TwoChannelOperation (Stereo) These MX amplifiers are capable
of operating into aminimum
impedance
of 2ohms per channel in stereo operation. See Figure 2.
BridgedOperation (Mono) MXA series amplifiers are capable of operating into aminimum
impedance
of 4ohms when in bridged operation. See Figure 3.
StereoBridgedOperation (Simultaneously) The MXA series amplifiers are capable of operating into
aminimum impedance
of 4ohms bridged and 2ohms per channel in stereo operation. See Figure 4.
Figure 1
Sealed Top Panel protects the
controls from water damage.
PowerGroundWire 8GA IIMode1MX350.4 Fuse40A
2. Wiring Disconnect the vehicle's battery
to avoid an electrical short. Then connect an 8gauge
grounding wire from the amplifier to the battery's negative post.
Use atwisted pair(s)
of RCA interconnect cable to feed the audio signal to the amplifier. If you are
using only one pair
of RCA inputs, connect
the RCA cable
to the AMP 1inputs. Leave
the rubber
boots on the AMP 2RCA inputs.
Push the fader button to "OFF", and all four
channels will
work with asingle pair of RCA
input cable. Push the fader button to "ON",
when using two pairs of RCA input cables.
Keep the RCA cable away from factory wiring
harnesses and other power wiring. If you
need
to cross this wiring, cross it at a 90
degree angle.
Install afuse within 18" (45cm)
of the
battery and in-line with the power cable
connected to your amplifier. If you ever need
•
to remove the amplifier from the vehicle after
it has been installed, the ground wire should
be the last wire disconnected from the
amplifier--just the opposite as when you
installed it. See the below for power and
ground wire size, and fusing
recommendations.
2MX.4AMPLIFIER

Figure 2
Minimum impedance of 2ohms per channel in stereo operation
-I 1+
!ij
J
Mono Speeker AMP 2
Right
SpeaJ<er AMP 2 Left Speeker AMP 2
Signal In AMP 2
Signal
In AMP 2
Signal
In AMP 1
Figure 3
-'-"~--[+-~-;:--R--~~--------- ~---~~--'---L---~.- i
',!~~~~~ _.._...._. ._.!!,!!~~~!RING' _.~._ .. .J
Minimum impedance of 4ohms when in bridged operatton
Fuse
Fuse
I(45cm) I
-18"-
Or less
I(45cm) I
-18"-
Or less
Battery
Battery
Ground
Ground
Mono Speaker AMP 1
Figure 4
Minimum impedance of 4ohms when in bridged operation
and 2ohms per channel in stereo operation
Mono Speaker AMP 2
Ground
Battery
I(45cm) I
-18"-
Or less
Fuse
Signal
In AMP 2
Signal
In AMP 1
Right Speaker AMP 1
Note: To get the best performance from your new Kicker Amplifier, we recommend using genuine Kicker Accessories and Wiring. 3

4
Operation
Your Kicker MXA series amplifier has six rotary controls and three switches on the top panel. Before
turning on the system for the first time, remove the sealed top panel (protects the controls from water
damage) by removing the
two phillips screws. See Figure 1. Then turn the six rotary controls on the top
of the amplifier to the full counter-clockwise position.
1. CrossoverSwitch The crossover switches on the top panel are for setting the internal crossovers.
In the OFF position the amplifier passes afull-range signal to the speakers. Use the LO position when
connected
to asubwoofer. The HI position should be selected when connected to speakers, which you
do not want to receive any sub-bass information. Never change the crossover "OFF/HI/LO" switch
setting with the audio system on!
2. InputGainControl The input gain control is not avolume control. It matches the output of the
source unit
to the input level of the amplifier. Turn the source unit up to about 3/4 volume (if the source
unit goes
to 30, turn it to 25). Next, slowly turn (clockwise) the gain on the amplifier up until you can
hear audible distortion, then turn it
down alittle. Adjust AMP 1, then proceed to AMP 2.
3. BassBoostControl The bass boost control is designed to give you increased output 0 - 18dB at
40 Hz. The setting for this control is subjective. If you turn it up, you must go back and adjust the input
gain control
to avoid clipping the amplifier.
4. CrossoverControl The setting for this control is subjective; 80Hz is agood place to start.
Two Kicker Coax Speakers wired
in series to asingle channel.
Figure 5
Wiring two Kicker Speakers to a single channel
Modern high performance coaxial and component speakers have alower DC Resistance than what
used to be available. The Kicker speakers are rated at four ohms and work with any source unit or
amplifier designed to operate at afour ohm load. If you want to use two Kicker coax or component
speakers on each channel of your amplifier wire the speakers in series, as shown in Figure 5. This will
improve the
sound quality, lower the total harmonic distortion and lessen the thermal load at the source
unit or amplifier. This may prevent an amplifier from shutting down, due to over-current protection
circuitry.
TroubleShooting
If your amplifier does not appear to be working, check the obvious things first such as blown fuses, poor or incorrect
wiring connections, incorrect setting of crossover switch and gain controls, etc. There is one
LED on the top of your
Kicker MX series amplifier. When the LED is green this indicates the amplifier
is turned on and no trouble exists. If the
LED is red, this indicates that the protection circuitry (SORl) is engaged.
oLED Green. no output? With aVolt Ohm Meter (VOM) check the following: 1) +12 volt power terminal (should
read +
12V to +16V) 2) Remote turn-on terminal (should read +12V to +16V) 3) Check for reversed power and
ground connections 4) Ground terminal, for proper conductivity.
oLED Green, no output? Check the following: 1) RCA connections 2) Test speaker outputs with a "known" good
speaker. 3) Substitute source unit with a"known" good source unit. 4) Check for asignal in the RCA cable feeding
the amplifier
with the "AC" test position selected on the YOM meter.
MX.4AMPLIFIER

o LED Red, no output? 1) Amplifier is very hot. ¢Thermal protection is engaged. Test for proper impedance at the
speaker terminals with aVOM meter (see the diagrams
in this manual for minimum recommended impedance and
multiple speaker wiring suggestions). Also check for adequate airflow around the amplifier. 2) Amplifier shuts down
only while vehicle
is running. ¢Voltage protection circuitry is engaged. Voltage to the amplifier is not within the 9-16
volt operating range. Have the vehicle's charging and electrical system inspected. 3) Amplifier will only play at low
volume levels. ¢Short circuit protection is engaged. Check for speaker wires shorted to each other or to the vehicle
chassis. Check for damaged speakers, or speaker(s) operating below the minimum recommended impedance.
o No output from one channel? 1) Check the balance control on source unit 2) Check the RCA and speaker
output connections
for the channel 3) Swap the RCA cable from left to right. If the problem changes sides then you
have a
bad RCA cable or source unit problem. 4) Swap the speaker output wire from left to right. If the problem
changes sides then
you have a bad speaker cable, passive crossover network and/or speaker.
o Alternator noise-whining sound with engine's RPM? 1) Check for damaged RCA (or speaker input) cable
2) Check the routing of RCA (or speaker input) cable 3) Check the source unit for proper grounding 4) Check the
gain settings and turn them down if they are set too high.
o Poor stereo image or reduced bass response? ¢Check system phasing by turning the balance control from left
to right. If there is more bass output when turned to either side, then check your speaker wiring, passive crossover
networks and speaker terminals for proper positive and negative connections. Reverse aspeaker connection from
positive to negative on the stereo/subwoofer channel(s); if the bass improves, the speaker was out of phase.
o Ground-Loop Noise? ¢If you are using only one pair of RCA inputs, connect the RCA cable to the AMP 1inputs.
o No Fader? ¢When using both sets of low-level (RCA) inputs, the fader button must be in the "ON" position.
If you have more questions about the installation or operation of your new KICKER prOduct, see the Authorized
KICKER Dealer where you made your purchase. For more advice on installation, click on the SUPPORT tab on the
Kicker homepage, www.kicker.com: Choose the TECHNICAL SUPPORT tab, choose the subject you are interested in,
and then download or view the corresponding information.
Please E-mail [email protected] or call Technical Services [phone] for unanswered or specific questions.
CAUTION: When
jump starting the vehicle, be sure that connections made with jumper cables are correct. Improper
connections can result
in blown amplifier fuses as well as the failure of other critical systems in the vehicle.
Performance
Model
RMS Power
in Watts, all channels driven
@14.4\1, 4Q Stereo ,.;1 %THD+N
@14.4V, 2Q Stereo, ,.;1 %THD+N
@14.4V, 4Q Mono, ,.;1 %THD+N
Length:
Height:
Width:
Frequency Response, ±
0.5 dB:
Signal-to-Noise Ratio:
Inout Sensitivity:
Electronic Crossover:
Bass Boost:
MX350.4
60 x4
90 x4
175 x2
13 1/2" (342mm)
23/8" (60mm)
10" (254mm)
20 Hz -20 kHz
>95 dB, a-weighted,
re: rated power
125
mV - 5 V
Variable
HI, LO or OFF (bypass), 50 -200Hz, 12dB per octave
Variable 0to +18
dB boost @ 40 Hz
Model MX350.4
60 x4@4 ohms, 14.4Vdc, 1%THD, CEA-2006 (Watts)
Signal to Noise Ratio -98 CEA-2006 (ref: 1 W, A-weighted)
All specifications and performance figures are subject to change. Please visit the www.kicker.com for the most current information. 5

6
ElectronicsLimitedWarranty
Kicker warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use for aperiod of
THREE (3) MONTHS from date of original purchase with receipt. When purchased from an Authorized KICKER Dealer
it
is warranted for TWO (2) YEARS from date of original purchase with receipt. In all cases you must have the original
receipt. Should seNice
be necessary under this warranty for any reason due to manufacturing defect or malfunction
during the warranty period, Kicker will repair or replace
(at its discretion) the defective merchandise with equivalent
merchandise at no charge. Warranty replacements may have cosmetic scratches and blemishes. Discontinued
products may be replaced with more current equivalent products.
This warranty
is valid only for the original purchaser and is not extended to owners of the product subsequent to the
original purchaser. Any applicable implied warranties are limited
in duration to aperiod of the express warranty as
provided herein beginning with the date of the original purchase at retail, and no warranties, whether express or
implied,
shall apply to this product thereafter. Some states do not allow limitations on implied warranties; therefore
these exclusions may
not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights; however you may have other
rights that vary from state
to state.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU NEED WARRANTY OR SERVICE
Defective merchandise should be returned to your local Authorized Stillwater Designs (Kicker) Dealer for warranty
seNice. Assistance
in locating an Authorized Dealer can be found at www.kicker.com or by contacting Stillwater
Designs directly.
You can confirm that adealer is authorized by asking to see acurrent authorized dealer window
decal.
If it becomes necessary for you to return defective merchandise directly
to Stillwater Designs (Kicker), call the Kicker
Customer SeNice Department at [phone] for aReturn Merchandise Authorization
(RMA) number. Package all
defective items in the original container or in apackage that will prevent shipping damage, and return to:
Stillwater Designs. 5021 North Perkins Road, Stillwater, OK 74075
The
RMA number must be clearly marked on the outside of the package. Please return only defective components.
The return of functioning items increases your return freight charges. Non-defective items will be returned freight-
collect to you.
Include acopy of the original receipt with the purchase date clearly visible, and a"proof-of-purchase" statement listing
the Customer's name, Dealer's name and invoice number, and product purchased. Warranty expiration on items
without proof-of-purchase will be determined from the type
of sale and manufacturing date code. Freight must be
prepaid; items sent freight-collect, or COD, will be refused.
WHAT IS NOT COVERED?
This warranty is valid only if the product is used for the purpose for which it was designed.
It does not cover:
oDamage due to improper installation
oSubsequent damage
to other components
oDamage caused by exposure to moisture, excessive heat, chemical cleaners, and/or UV radiation
oDamage through negligence. misuse, accident or abuse. Repeated returns for the same damage may be
considered abuse
oAny cost or expense related to the removal or reinstallation of product
oSpeakers damaged due
to amplifier clipping or distortion
oItems previously repaired or modified by any unauthorized repair facility
oReturn shipping on non-defective items
oProducts with tampered or missing barcode labels
oProducts returned without aReturn Merchandise Authorization
(RMA) number
oFreight Damage
oThe cost of shipping product to Kicker
oSeNice performed by anyone other than Kicker
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Kicker strives to maintain agoal of 72-hour seNice for all electronics (amplifiers, crossovers, equalizers, etc.) returns.
Delays may be incurred if lack
of replacement inventory or parts is encountered.
Failure to follow these steps may void your warranty. Any questions can be directed
to the Kicker Customer SeNice
Department at
[phone].
MX.4AMPLIFIER

InternationalWarranty
Contact your International Kicker dealer or distributor concerning specific procedures for your country's warranty
policies.
WARNING: KICKER products are capable of producing sound levels that can permanently damage your hearing!
Turning up asystem
to alevel that has audible distortion is more damaging to your ears than listening to an
undistorted system at the same volume level. The threshold of pain is always an indicator that the sound level is too
loud and may permanently damage your hearing. Please use common sense when controlling volume.
GARANTIA INTERNACIONAL Versi6nEspaitoi
Comuniquese con su concesionario 0distribuidor Kicker internacional para obtener infor aci6n sobre procedimientos
especificos relacionados con las normas de garantia de su pais.
ADVERTENCIA: Los excitadores Kicker son capaces de producir niveles de sonido que pueden dafiar
permanentemente
el oido. Subir el volumen del sistema hasta un nivel que produzca distorsi6n es mas dafiino para el
oido que escuchar un sistema sin distorsi6n al mismo volumen. EI dolor es siempre una indicaci6n de que el sonido es
muy fuerte yque puede dafiar permanentemente el oido. Sea precavido cuando controle el volumen.
La frase "combustible para vivir la vida Livin' Loud™ atodo volumen" se refiere al entusiasmo por la vida que la marca
Kicker de estereos de autom6vil representa y a
la recomendaci6n anuestros clientes de que vivan 10 mejor posible ("a
todo volumen") en todo sentido. La linea de altavoces yamplificadores Kicker es la mejor del mercado de audio de
autom6viles ypor 10 tanto representa el "combustible" para vivir atodo volumen en el area de "estereos de autom6vil"
de la vida de nuestros c1ientes. Recomendamos atodos nuestros clientes que obedezcan todas las reg las y
reglamentos locales sobre ruido en cuanto alos niveles legales yapropiados de audici6n fuera del vehfculo.
INTERNATIONALE GARANTIE DeutscheVersion
Nehmen Sie mit Ihren internationalen Kicker-Fachhandler oder Vertrieb Kontakt auf, um Details
Ober die
Garantieleistungen in Ihrem Land zu erfahren.
WARNUNG: KICKER-Treiber kbnnen einen Schallpegel erzeugen, der zu permanenten Gehbrschaden fOhren kann!
Wenn Sie ein System auf einen Pegel stellen, der hbrbare Verzerrungen erzeugt, schadet das Ihren Ohren mehr, als ein
nicht verzerrtes System auf dem gleichen Lautstarkepegel. Die Schmerzschwelle ist immer eine Anzeige dafOr, dass
der Schallpegel
zu laut ist und zu permanenten Gehbrschaden fOhren kann. Seien Sie bei der Lautstarkeeinstellung
bitte vernOnftig!
Pour connaitre les procedures propres a
la politique de garantie de votre pays, contactez votre revendeur ou
distributeur International Kicker.
AVERTISSEMENT: Les haut-parleurs Kicker ont
la capacite de produire des niveaux sonores pouvant endommager
I'oure de faQon irreversible! L'augmentation du volume d'un systeme jusqu'a un niveau presentant une distorsion
audible endommage davantage I'ou',e que I'ecoute d'un systeme sans distorsion au mame volume. Le seuil de la
douleur est toujours Ie signe que Ie niveau sonore est trop eleve et risque d'endommager I'ou',e de faQon irreversible,
Reglez Ie volume en faisant prevue de bon sens !
Der Slogan "Treibstoff fOr Livin' Loud" bezieht sich auf die mit den Kicker-Autostereosystemen assoziierte
Lebensfreude und die Tatsache, dass wir unsere Kunden ermutigen, in allen Aspekten ihres Lebens nach dem Besten
("Livin' Loud") zu streben. Die Lautsprecher und Verstarker von Kicker sind auf dem Markt fOr Auto-Soundsysteme
fOhrend und stellen somit den "Treibstoff"
fOr das Autostereoerlebnis unserer Kunden dar, Wir empfehlen allen unseren
Kunden, sich bezOglich der zugelassenen und passenden Lautstarkepegel auBerhalb des Autos an die brtlichen
Larmvorschriften zu halten.
VersionFram;aiseGARANTIE INTERNATIONALE
L'expression "carburant pour vivre plein pot" fait reference au dynamisme de la marque Kicker d'equipements audio
pour vehicules et apour but d'encourager nos clients afaire Ie maximum (" vivre plein pot ") dans taus les aspects de
leur vie. Les haut-parleurs et amplificateurs Kicker sont les meilleurs dans Ie domaine des equipements audio et
representent donc pour nos client Ie "carburant pour vivre plein pot" dans I'aspect "installation audio de vehicule "
de leur vie. Nous encourageons tous nos clients arespecter toutes les lois et reglementations locales relatives aux
niveaux sonores acceptables aI'exterieur des vehicules.
«(
STILLlM4~
1Jelf'~V\ ®
P.O. Box 459. Stillwater, Oklahoma 74076 •U.S.A. •[phone]
01252007+07MX.4 7

U.S.A.
Warranty Registration: return for
FREE lfKICKER
DECAL
AND WEARABLES CATALOG
What KICKER Product(s) did you purchase?
(3nSerial Number '38'Model
(numbel under bat code on carlon Of product) (cg Cl0a F12a AS N025 etc)
(Some models may nol have aseriat number)
Name"' ----======= _
(PLEASE PAINT CLEARLY)
Telephone Fl (~:::-:-:c=:::--f)----------
(AAEACODE)
Daytime phone (8'\-(=:-=-::::cJ-) _
(AREA CODE)
What types of magazines do you read frequently?
(17)0 Car Stereo {
18
1DStcreo (19)0 Music {
20
ID Automotive
{21JO SP0rlS (22)0 Science {23JOFinancial (24 10 News
In what vehicle will you install these products?
'39'Date Purchased:
Month Day Year
Place Purchased:
''''Store Name
''''Address
''''City
,,,,State Zip''''
(9,0 Under 18 ,,,,018-24 ,"'025-31 ,,,,0 _12-38
(13 1039_45 (14)046_52 (15 1053-59 {
16
1D (lO &Over
_____ Zip(6)
Age:
Address'" _
Kicker
10#'3'
(Assigned if you have evef registered product before)
City'" _
State'"
Year ,", Make''''",.· , .. ,,, _
Who will perform the installation? ,,,,0 Store above
{
49
lO Independent Professional/SOlO Myself (51)0 Friend
What types of music do you listen to frequently?
(25)0 Rock (26)0 Pop {27JO Country (28 1D Rap
(29 10Jazz (
30
10 Classical (31)0 New Age (32)0 Alternative
Do you belong to any of the following?
(33)OIASCA (3,,0 USAC ,35,0 CMMA ,30,0 WAC
Model'''' (I:!? ThlltllkrhiroJl _

Outside the USA, please complete and mail to
your country's National' KICKER Distributor.
You can get this address from the retail store
where you purchased your KICKER products.
BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 112 STILLWATER OK
POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE
lfKICKER
U.S.A.
STILLWATER DESIGNS
PO BOX 459
STILLWATER
OK 74076-9907
II ... I. I •• III ••• I. III. 1111 I. I •• I. I •• 11 ••• I ••• I ••• III
NO POSTAGE
NECESSARY
IF MAILED
INTHE
UNITED STATES