RetroSound SUB-8100 User manual
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLC Page i
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLC
No text, illustraons ons, or format of this manual in printed or electronic form may be copied without
wri en permission from Retro Manufacturing, LLC or any of its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES:
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLC Page 1
Table of Contents
Welcome! .......................................................................................2
What’s in the Box ........................................................................... 2
Warnings and Precau ons .............................................................. 3
Installa on ......................................................................................6
End Panel Controls/Connec ons .................................................... 7
Troubleshoo ng ............................................................................. 9
Specifi ca ons ................................................................................ 11
Limited Warranty .......................................................................... 12
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLCPage 2
Welcome!
Thank you for your purchase of our Retrosound SUB-8100! We hope it will pro-
vide you with years of enjoyment. Below are some features of this unit:
• Aluminum Enclosure for Op mum Heat Dissipat on
• Compact Footprint (9.2”W x 2.75”H x 13.77”L)
• 100 Wa Max Power Output
• High/Low Level Inputs
• Fully Adjustable Crossover Network (50-160Hz)
• Adjustable 0-180 Degree Phase Control
• Frequency Response Range (35-100Hz)
What’s in the Box
The accessory items and hardware shown below are packaged with your
SUB-8100 subwoofer.
Wire & Wire Harness (x1)
Remote Bass Control (x1) Installaon Hardware (x18)
Moun ng Brackets (x4)
Adhesive tape (for alternate installaons
where mounng brackets can’t be used
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLC Page 3
Warnings and Precautions
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to pro-
vide reasonable protec on against harmful interference in a residen al instal-
la on. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy,
and, if not installed and used in accordance with instruc ons, may cause harm-
ful interference with radio communica ons. However, there is no guarantee
that radio interference will not occur in a par cular installa on. If this equip-
ment does cause harmful interference to radio or television recep on, which
can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged
to consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. You are
cauoned that any changes or modifi ca ons not expressly approved in this
manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.
Observe these warnings and precauons when using this unit:
• Carefully read this manual before using the unit. If you encounter any prob-
lems that are not covered in this manual, please consult the dealer where
you purchased the unit or the dealer nearest you. You may also email us at:
support@retrosoundusa.com.
• Do not turn the unit on if the temperature inside the car is very high.
Always allow the unit to cool down before usage.
• Do not operate the system while driving. Opera ng the system will dis-
tract the driver from safe driving and can cause accidents. Always stop the
vehicle in a safe loca on and engage the parking brake before opera ng
the system.
• This product is designed for opera on with a nega ve grounded 12 V DC
ba ery system. Never operate this product with other ba ery systems,
especially a 24 V DC ba ery system.
• Do not disassemble, modify the unit or a empt to repair the product
yourself. If the product needs to be repaired, consult your dealer or Retro
Manufacturing directly.
• Do not use the unit when it is out of order. If the unit is out of order (no
power, no sound) or in an abnormal state (is exposed to water, is smoking,
or emits an odor), turn it off immediately and consult your dealer.
• Refer fuse replacement to qualifie d service personnel. When the fuse
blows out, eliminate the cause and have it replaced with the fuse pre-
scribed for this unit by a qualified service technician. Incorrect replacement
of the fuse may lead to smoke, fire, and damage to the product.
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLCPage 4
• If the unit does not turn on, check the connec ons first. Then, check
whether the fuse in your vehicle’s fuse box is blown and check the fuse at
the unit’s wiring harness.
• Keep the sound volume at an appropriate level. Ac ve subwoofers may
produce sound pressure levels that exceed the threshold at which hear-
ing loss may result. Prac ce safe listending and keep the volume level low
enough to be aware of road and traffi c condi ons while driving.
Observe these warnings and precauons during installa on:
• Avoid installing this unit where it will be exposed to direct sunlight or ex-
cessive heat, as smoke, fire, or other damage to the unit may occur.
• Avoid installing this unit where it will be exposed to water, moisture, dust,
or excessive vibra on. Exposure of the unit to water, moisture, or dust may
lead to smoke, fire, or other damage to the unit.
• Refer wiring and installa on to qualified service personnel. Installa on of
this unit requires special skills and experience. For maximum safety, have it
installed by your dealer. Retro Manufacturing is not liable for any problems
resul ng from your own installa on of the unit. Please be sure to follow
our instruc ons carefully before a emp ng installa
on. Not following the
instruc ons to properly install and wire the product could cause an ac-
cident or fi re.
• Disconnect the lead from the negave (–) ba ery terminal before installa-
on. Wiring and installa on with the nega ve (–) ba ery terminal con-
nected may cause electrical shock and injury due to a short circuit. Some
cars equipped with the electrical safety system have specifi c procedures
for ba ery terminal disconnec on. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE
MAY LEAD TO THE UNINTENDED ACTIVATION OF THE ELECTRICAL SAFETY
SYSTEM RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND PERSONAL INJURY
OR DEATH.
• Take care not to damage the leads. When wiring, take care not to damage
the leads. Prevent them from geng caught in the vehicle chassis, screws,
and moving parts such as seat rails. Do not scratch, pull, bend or twist the
leads. Do not run them near heat sources or place heavy objects on them.
If leads must be routed around sharp metal edges, protect the leads by
winding them with vinyl tape or similar protec on.
• Use the supplied or designated parts and appropriate tools to install the
product. The use of parts other than those supplied or designated may
result in internal damage to the unit. Faulty installa on may lead to an ac-
cident, a malfunc on or fire.
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLC Page 5
• Never use safety-related components for installa
on, grounding, and other
such func ons. Do not use safety-related vehicle components (fuel tank,
brake, suspension, steering wheel, pedals, airbag, etc.) for wiring or fi xing
the product or its accessories.
• Installing the product on the air bag cover or in a loca on where it inter-
feres with airbag opera on is prohibited.
• In the case of installa on to an airbag-equipped car, confirm warnings and
cau ons of the vehicle manufacturer before installa on.
• Check for piping, gasoline tank, electric wiring, and other items before
installing the product. If you need to open a hole in the vehicle chassis to
a ach or wire the product, first check where the wire harness, gasoline
tank, and electric wiring are located. Then open the hole from outside if
possible.
• Never install the product in a loca on where it interferes with your fi eld of
vision.
• Never have the power cord branched to supply other equipment with
power.
• AL er installa on and wiring, you should check the normal opera on of
other electrical equipment. The contu nua on of their use in abnormal con-
di ons may cause fire, electrical shock or a traffi c accident.
• Make sure the leads do not interfere with driving or geng
in and out of
the vehicle.
• Insulate all exposed wires to prevent short circui ng.
• This unit is designed for use exclusively in automobiles.
• Do not operate the unit for a prolonged period with the engine turned
off . Opera ng the audio system for a long period of me with the engine
turned off will drain the ba ery.
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLCPage 6
Installation
To ensure proper opera
read these instrucons carefully before using and installing this
powered subwoofer.
This Owner’s manual does not cover all possible installa on scenarios. If you
feel you can’t install this product yourself, please take it to a local car audio
professional, or contact us via at support@retrosoundusa.com or call
909-364-1372 | 888-325-1555.
IMPORTANT! This device is a high-power audio amplifier intended for instal-
la on in vehicles with a 12-Volt nega ve ground electrical system. Connec ng
or opera ng the amplifier with another type of electrical system may cause
damage to the amplifier or electrical system.
IMPORTANT! Disconnect the nega ve (-) ba ery cable before beginning instal-
la on. Verify the ba ery ground by checking that one wire is connected to the
starter moun ng bolt or engine block and another to the vehicle chassis using
at least a #8 gauge wire. Also make sure the alternator connec ons are secure
and free from corrosion, rust or dirt.
WARNING! The amplif er must not be enclosed or covered, as it may overheat.
Do not cover with carpets or enclose it behind trim panels. Do not mount the
amplifi er in an inverted or upside down posi on. Select a moun ng loca on
where drilling of pilot holes will not damage any wires, control cables, fuel lines,
fuel tanks, hydraulic lines or other vehicle systems or components.
1. Affi x the Moun ng Brackets to the bo om of the amp using the enclosed
Moun ng Bracket Bolts.
2. Use the enclosed Sheet Metal Screws to mount the powered sub to the
desired loca on.
3. Refer to “End Panel Controls/Connec ons” for connec on instruc ons.
1a 1b 1c
on of this Retrosound product, please
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLC Page 7
End Panel Controls/Connections
1. PHASE: Adjust subwoofer polarity between 0 (normal) and 180 degrees
(reverse). At 0, the subwoofer is “in-phase” with the other speakers, mean-
ing the subwoofer moves in/out along with the speakers. When reversed,
the subwoofer moves in when the speakers move out. Reversing polarity
may be useful depending on subwoofer placement and acous cs.
2. FREQ: The Low Pass Filter controls adjust the crossover point. The typical
crossover seng is between 60Hz and 80Hz. Since musical tastes vary, you
should play music that you would normally listen to in your vehicle, using
the above se ngs as a star ng point. If necessary, we suggest se ng the
crossover point by ear.
4. GAIN: The input level control (GAIN) matches the output of your radio to
the input of the amplifier. To adjust the input gain a er install, begin by
turning the control all the way to the le . Play your input source (CD player,
etc.), with the bass and treble se ngs flat, then slowly increase the volume
un l you begin to hear distor on. Adjust the volume back down un l the
distor on is no longer heard. Next, increase the amplifier GAIN slowly unl
you begin to hear distor on. Adjust the GAIN back down un l the distor-
on is no longer heard. Your radio and amplif er levels are now matched.
6. POWER: The power LED provides a blue indica
7. MAIN HARNESS: This harness contains power, ground, remote turn on and
High level input speaker leads if your radio doesn’t have RCA connecons
you can use these leads to connect to your speaker wires so the amp receives
on that the amplifi er is
turned on.
5. LOW INPUT L: White RCA connector for
low level input.
3. REMOTE LEVEL CONTROL INPUT: Plug included remote bass level control
into this port
123456
HIGH INPUT
7
BAT REM L R
++ +
++
BAT REM L R
++ +
++
LOW INPUT R: Red RCA connector for right low level input.
your source signal.
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLCPage 8
7. (Connued), MAIN HARNESS
• BAT: Connect directly to the vehicle’s bat tery posi
ve (+) terminal with a
10-14 gauge wire.
• REM: Connect the power antenna or amplifier turn-on lead from the
receiver to the amplif er remote (REM) terminal.
• L/R: High level input should be used when an RCA output is not avail-
able from the receiver. Connect the speaker outputs from the receiver
to the high level input connector, observing proper polarity.
NOTE: Connect only the low level (RCA) or high level input. Do not
connect both at the same me.
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLC Page 9
Troubleshooting
Problem Possible Cause Acon to Solve Problem
Powered
subwoofer will
not turn on (no
Power on LED
indicator)
12 Volt Ba + wire not con-
nected or incorrect voltage
/ remote wire not connect-
ed or incorrect voltage
Check all connec ons for
proper voltage with a volt
meter. Voltage range: 12-15
volts.
Ground wire not connected Check ground connec on.
Fuse on Ba + is blown Replace blown fuse.
No sound heard
from unit but
LED power indi-
cator is on
Volume turned all the way
down
Increase head unit volume /
check volume level on head
unit.
Gain control on sub amp is
turned down
Increase gain control on end
panel of sub amp.
Input signal not connected Check low level inputs for
proper connec on.
Unit blows fuses Incorrect fuse ra ng Use fuses with correct 10
amp ra ng.
Ba + wire is touching chas-
sis ground
Check for pinched or
shorted wire.
On-board subwoofer defec-
ve
Check/replace subwoofer.
Not +12 Volts / car ba ery
not connected
Make sure the vehicle is + 12
volts and that the car bat-
tery is correctly connected
to the vehicle.
Remote lead shor ng Check the Remote lead to
make sure it is not shor ng
out the amp.
Engine noise Bad ground connec on Make sure the Sub-8100
unit is grounded to clean
bare metal of the vehicle.
Signal ground loop or RFI
interference
Re-route RCA cables from
exis ng high current wiring .
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLCPage 10
Problem Possible Cause Acon to Solve Problem
Distorted audio
output
Incorrect input signal type
or input level is too high
Check connec ons and
reduce/adjust input level.
Poor bass response Adjust phase control.
Check polarity of speaker
wires if using high level
input.
Low audio
Output
Incorrect input signal type
or input level too low
Check connec ons and in-
crease/adjust input level.
Weak bass re-
sponse
Low frequency output is
out of phase
Adjust phase control.
Check crossover adjustment.
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLC Page 11
Specifi cations
Power Supply
Voltage: 10.5 - 16.0 VDC
Idling Current (On): 0.4 A
Idling Current (Off ): <0.002 mA
Amplifi er Stage
Output Power @14.4 V: 100 Wa s RMS / 200 Wa Max
S/N Ra o: > 100 dB
Input Sensi vity: 100 mV - 6.0 V
Frequency Response: 50 Hz - 160 Hz
Total Harmonic Distor on: 0.1%
Filters
Low Pass Filter/Slope: 50 Hz - 160 Hz / 12dB
Phase Control (variable): 0-180
Other Specifi ca ons
Fuse: 10A x 1
Size (W x H x L): 9.2 x 2.75 x 13.74 inches / 350 x 70 x 235 mm
Weight: 9 lbs / 4.08 Kg
SUB-8100 Owner’s Manual
Copyright 2013 © Retro Manufacturing, LLCPage 12
Limited Warranty
If your product does not work properly because of defects in materials and workmanship RetroSound, a
division of Retro Manufacturing, LLC (collec vely referred to as “the warrantor”) will, for the length of the
period indicated in the chart below, which starts with the date of original purchase (“warranty period”),
at its op on either (a) repair your product with new or refurbished parts, or (b) replace it with a new or
refurbished product. The decision to repair or replace will be made by the warrantor.
CATEGORIES PARTS LABOR
Radios Two (2) Years Two (2) Years
Speakers/Amplif ers One (1) Year One (1) Year
Accessories 90 Days 90 Days
During the “Labor” warranty period, there will be no charge for labor. During the “Parts” warranty period,
there will be no charge for parts. You must carry in or mail in your product prepaid during the warranty
period. If ba eries are included, they are not warranted. This warranty only applies to products purchased
and serviced in the United States, Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico. This warranty is extended only to the
original purchaser of a new product which was not sold “as is”. A purchase receipt or other proof of the
original purchase date is required for warranty service.
To handle a warranty issue, contact us at 909-364-1372 or email us at support@retrosoundusa.com and
get a Return Authoriza on number. All returns and warranty issues must receive a Return Authoriza on
(RA) number. Any product received without a RA number will be refused. Once a number is issued, send
the product to this address:
Retro Manufacturing, LLC
5785 Waco Street
Chino, California 91710
Phone: 909-364-1372
Fax: 909-364-8670
LIMITED WARRANTY-LIMITS AND EXCLUSIONS
This warranty ONLY COVERS failures due to defects in materials and workmanship, and DOES NOT COVER
normal wear and tear or cosme c damage. The warranty ALSO DOES NOT COVER damages which occurred
during shipment, failures which are caused by products not supplied by the warrantor, failures which re-
sult from accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, bug infesta on, mishandling, misapplica on, altera on, faulty
installa on, set-up adjustment, maladjustment of consumer control, improper maintenance, improper
antenna, inadequate signal recep on or pickup, power line surge, improper voltage supply, lightning,
modifi ca on, commercial use (such as use in hotels, offi ces, restaurants, or other business uses) or rental
use of the product, or service by anyone other than the technician from Factory Service center or other
authorized service centers, or damage that is a ributable to acts of God.
THERE ARE NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES EXCEPT AS LISTED UNDER “LIMITED WARRANTY COVERAGE”. THE
WARRANTOR IS NOT LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE
OF THIS PRODUCT, OR ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY. (As examples, this excludes
damages for lost me, cost of having someone remove or re-install an installed unit if applicable, travel to
and from the sevicer, and loss of media, data or other memory contents. The items listed are not exclu-
sive, but are for illustra on only.) ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THE WARRANTY
OF MERCHANTABILITY, ARE LIMITED TO THE PERIOD OF THE LIMITED WARRANTY.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limita on of incidental or consequen al damages, or limita ons
on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you
specifi c legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. If a problem with
this product develops during or aer the warranty period, you may contact your dealer or service center.
Retro Manufacturing
5785 Waco Street
Chino, California 91710
Phone: 909-364-1372
Fax: 909-364-8670
www.retrosoundusa.com
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