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© 2008 Directed Electronics. All rights reserved. 6
AMPLIFIER SETTINGS
Signal Input and Output Configurations
The input section of the amplifier consists of a phase switch that sets
the output configuration, subsonic switch, gain controls, low pass
crossovers controls, Bass Boost, and RCA inputs. The input section
makes it easy to adapt this amplifier to most system configurations.
Input Gain
These Orion amplifiers have level adjustments to allow for easy inte-
gration with any source unit. The input sensitivity can be adjusted
from 200mV to 8V. Refer to Testing the System and Adjusting the
Sound of the System sections of this manual for detailed instructions
on setting the gain.
Subsonic Filter
Mostly used with vented designs because of the port tuning frequen-
cy, the speaker can be destroyed by very little power being applied to
it. This means you need to use a subsonic filter with a vented design
or risk speaker damage.
Subsonic filters can also be called an infrasonic filter, a subsonic fil-
ter cuts off extremely low bass (below the range of human hearing)
that many speakers cannot effectively reproduce, thereby making
the amp’s power supply and output devices, and the speaker, more
efficient.
Adjusting Bass Boost
Bass Boost maximizes the performance of a subwoofer and allows for
continuous adjustment of low frequency boost on the rear channels.
Bass Boost can be adjusted from 0dB to 18dB of boost centered at
45Hz. Initially the Q is very low (wide). As Boost is added, the Q rises
(narrows). This allows the amplifier to overcome acoustic deficiencies
in your vehicle. The type of enclosure used, the sub-woofer’s excursion
capability, personal preference, and attitude determine acceptable
boost levels.
WARNING! Exercise caution when setting Bass Boost. Maximum boost
can potentially cause woofer damage due to over-excursion.
Infinite Baffle Example High-Pass Set at 30Hz
By removing low frequency signal that the woofer cannot produce,
the woofer can play its capable range louder. The first example is
an infinite baffle situation. The first graph displays the frequency
response of a 12-inch woofer in an infinite baffle application without
the high-pass filter. As you can see, with +3dB of boost and the high
pass filter set to 30Hz, the woofer has more output down to 25Hz and
less overall excursion when compared to the non-high-pass response.
Maximum physical excursion capability of the woofer is 15mm.