My amp manual is telling me something weird....need assistance

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

Alright, here's the scoop. I recently picked up a Kicker ZX700.5 and am reading the manual, getting myself comfortable with the wiring, RCA input, etc. Then I notice a really weird but that states if I use AMP2, that I should use dummy plugs. Huh?

If any of you don't mind, click this link. It's the PDF of the manual. http://www.kicker.com/06/tech-support/manuals/manuals/2006/2006%20ZX550-3%20700-5%20c01%20WEB.pdf

If you look on the very first page, there's a section entitled 'Wiring' A few sentences down, and it states that "if you are using only one pair of RCA inputs, connect the RCA cable to the AMP inputs. All three or five channels will work with a single pair of RCA input cable; the fader will not operate"

Is this basically stating AMP 2 is worthless? If I'm not supposed to use it, why is it there? And what exactly does a fader on an amp do? I thought the HU was the only place where fading can occur?

Now since I'll be running my tweets and mids off of this amp, would I need a 2 channel 4 meter RCA cable? Something like this? http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KARSS2.4M

On my HU, it's in the sig, it has two inputs for the mids and tweets, so 4 total. 4 cables from the Hu, 2 to the amp...that makes sense. I just don't understand why I shouldn't use AMP 2 if it's there.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks fellas. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Click to read more...

 

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

Alright, here's the scoop. I recently picked up a Kicker ZX700.5 and am reading the manual, getting myself comfortable with the wiring, RCA input, etc. Then I notice a really weird but that states if I use AMP2, that I should use dummy plugs. Huh?

If any of you don't mind, click this link. It's the PDF of the manual. http://www.kicker.com/06/tech-support/manuals/manuals/2006/2006%20ZX550-3%20700-5%20c01%20WEB.pdf

If you look on the very first page, there's a section entitled 'Wiring' A few sentences down, and it states that "if you are using only one pair of RCA inputs, connect the RCA cable to the AMP inputs. All three or five channels will work with a single pair of RCA input cable; the fader will not operate"

Is this basically stating AMP 2 is worthless? If I'm not supposed to use it, why is it there? And what exactly does a fader on an amp do? I thought the HU was the only place where fading can occur?

Now since I'll be running my tweets and mids off of this amp, would I need a 2 channel 4 meter RCA cable? Something like this? http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KARSS2.4M

On my HU, it's in the sig, it has two inputs for the mids and tweets, so 4 total. 4 cables from the Hu, 2 to the amp...that makes sense. I just don't understand why I shouldn't use AMP 2 if it's there.

Oh, and lastly, I found this very informative thread that describes the problem exactly...I'm just not sure why AMP 2 is even on here. The thread I'm referring to can be located here: http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4998

Any help would be appreciated, thanks fellas. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

Alright, here's the scoop. I recently picked up a Kicker ZX700.5 and am reading the manual, getting myself comfortable with the wiring, RCA input, etc. Then I notice a really weird but that states if I use AMP2, that I should use dummy plugs. Huh?

If any of you don't mind, click this link. It's the PDF of the manual. http://www.kicker.com/06/tech-support/manuals/manuals/2006/2006%20ZX550-3%20700-5%20c01%20WEB.pdf

If you look on the very first page, there's a section entitled 'Wiring' A few sentences down, and it states that "if you are using only one pair of RCA inputs, connect the RCA cable to the AMP inputs. All three or five channels will work with a single pair of RCA input cable; the fader will not operate"

Is this basically stating AMP 2 is worthless? If I'm not supposed to use it, why is it there? And what exactly does a fader on an amp do? I thought the HU was the only place where fading can occur?

Now since I'll be running my tweets and mids off of this amp, would I need a 2 channel 4 meter RCA cable? Something like this? http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KARSS2.4M

On my HU, it's in the sig, it has two inputs for the mids and tweets, so 4 total. 4 cables from the Hu, 2 to the amp...that makes sense. I just don't understand why I shouldn't use AMP 2 if it's there.

Oh, and lastly, I found this very informative thread that describes the problem exactly...I'm just not sure why AMP 2 is even on here. The thread I'm referring to can be located here: http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4998

Any help would be appreciated, thanks fellas. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

Wow...not sure what happened here. Can someone delete my two duplicate threads?

Sorry!

 

[95BlackGA 5,000+ posts]

The dummy plugs are only for high level inputs. I.E. you're using a LOC (Line Out Converter), and using the deck's internal amp to feed the audio signal to the external amp instead of the low level (RCA) connections. Since you're using RCA's, you have no reason to mess with the high level inputs nor dummy plugs. The RCA interconnets you picked out will work just fine.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

There's nothing stating that you can't use all pairs of RCA inputs, only that you don't need to to get a signal to all the amp channels. If you're running an active setup, you'll need to use both sets because the crossover on the amp won't do all the freq division that you need. If you are just running normal passive front and rear you only need to use both sets of inputs if you want the fader to work. The fader is a HU function but it requires separate signals for front and rear to the amp.

You don't need to use the high level inputs so ignore all the stuff talking about them, i.e. dummy plugs, etc...

 

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

There's nothing stating that you can't use all pairs of RCA inputs, only that you don't need to to get a signal to all the amp channels. If you're running an active setup, you'll need to use both sets because the crossover on the amp won't do all the freq division that you need. If you are just running normal passive front and rear you only need to use both sets of inputs if you want the fader to work. The fader is a HU function but it requires separate signals for front and rear to the amp.
You don't need to use the high level inputs so ignore all the stuff talking about them, i.e. dummy plugs, etc...

Ah, gotcha. Thanks for breaking it down into plain to read English man, I appreciate it. Especially at the stage I'm in now, ha.

Just for clarification, since I'm running active, I should use all 4 plugs on the amp and not worry about anything about dummy plugs or anything like that?

So a 4 channel 4 meter will work fine me for the mids and tweets? Something like this? http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KARSS4.4M

Then just a 2 channel 2 meter for the sub such as this?

Thanks again for the assistance man, I really do appreciate your input.

 

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

Bump. Sorry guys, I just like to make sure.

I'd hate to accidentally order something I didn't need.

Thanks!