Hifonics Zeus Power ZXR600/2 User's Manual

Safety Instructions

The purchased device is only suitable for operation with a 12V on-board electrical system of a vehicle. Otherwise, fire hazard, risk of injury, and electric shock may occur.

Do not operate the sound system in a way that distracts from safe driving. Perform such operations only after stopping the vehicle in a safe place.

Adjust the sound volume to an appropriate level that allows you to still hear exterior noises while driving. High-performance sound systems can generate the acoustic pressure of a live concert. Prolonged exposure to extremely loud music may lead to hearing loss or damage. Listening to loud music while driving can impair your cognition of warning signals. For general safety, it is recommended to drive with a lower sound volume.

Do not cover cooling vents and heat sinks, as this may cause heat accumulation in the device and fire hazard.

Do not open the device, as this may cause fire hazard, risk of injury, electric shock, and loss of warranty.

Replace fuses only with fuses of the same rating. Otherwise, fire hazard and risk of electric shock may occur.

Do not use the device if a malfunction occurs that cannot be remedied. Refer to the troubleshooting section. Otherwise, risk of injury and damage to the device may occur. Return the device to an authorized retailer for repair.

Interconnection and installation should be accomplished by skilled staff only. The interconnection and installation of this device demand technical aptitude and experience. For your own safety, entrust the interconnection and installation to your car audio retailer.

Disconnect the ground connection from the vehicle's battery before installation. Before starting the installation, disconnect the ground supply wire from the battery to avoid any risk of electric shock and short circuits.

Choose an appropriate location for installation that ensures sufficient air circulation. Spare wheel cavities and open trunk areas are ideal. Less suitable are storage spaces behind side coverings or under car seats.

Do not install the device in locations exposed to high humidity and dust. Protect the device from high humidity and dust, as these can cause malfunctions.

Mount the device and other components securely. Otherwise, they may become loose and act as dangerous objects, causing serious harm and damage.

Ensure correct connection of all terminals. Faulty connections can cause fire hazard and damage to the device.

Do not damage vehicle components, wires, and cables when drilling mounting holes. Avoid damaging or blocking fuel pipes, gas tanks, or other wires and electrical cables.

Do not install audio cables and power supply wires together. Keep them separated to avoid interference. This also applies to the bass remote wire.

Ensure that cables are not caught by nearby objects. Install cables so they do not hinder the driver. Cables near the steering wheel, gear lever, or brake pedal can cause dangerous situations.

Do not splice electrical wires. Do not bare wires to supply power to other devices, as this may overload the wire's capacity, leading to fire hazard or electric shock. Use appropriate distribution blocks.

Do not use bolts and screw nuts of the brake or steering system as ground points. This can cause fire hazard or compromise driving safety.

Ensure cables are not bent or squeezed by sharp objects. Avoid installing cables near movable objects or sharp edges. Protect cables passing through metal sheets with rubber grommets.

Keep small parts and jacks away from children. If swallowed, these objects can cause serious injury. Seek medical attention immediately if a child swallows a small object.

Symbol Guide:

• 12V: Operates on a 12-volt vehicle electrical system.
• 10~90%: Operating humidity range.
• 5~50°C: Operating temperature range.
• No Rain Symbol: Do not expose to rain.
• Sun Symbol: Protect from direct sunlight.

Technical Specifications

All specifications are subject to change.

Intended Use

This product is designed for use in a vehicle with a 12-volt on-board voltage and negative ground. It functions as an amplifier for audio signals. Any other use may lead to damage to the product or its surroundings.

Disposal

Do not dispose of this electronic device in household waste. Dispose of the device in a suitable recycling facility in accordance with local waste regulations. Consult your local authority or dealer if necessary.

Mechanical Installation

Fastening

BLC Installation A: Surface mount with housing (Screws not included)

BLC Installation B: Flush mount without housing (Dashboard or Center Console)

CAUTION: Before installation, disconnect the ground connection wire from the battery to avoid electric shocks and short circuits.

Electrical Interconnection

Before Connecting:

For professional installation, car audio retail stores offer appropriate wiring kits. Ensure sufficient cable cross-section and suitable fuse rating. Clean and remove rust and oxidized areas on battery and ground connection contact points. Ensure all screws are tight after installation, as loose connections can cause malfunctions, insufficient power supply, or interference.

1. GND: Connect the GND terminal to a suitable contact ground point on the vehicle's chassis. Use a short, blank metallic point. Ensure a stable electric connection to the battery's negative pole. Use a ground wire with sufficient cross-section, same as the +12V power supply wire.
2. REM IN/OUT: Connect the turn-on signal or remote signal from your head unit to the REM IN/OUT terminal of the amplifier. Use a cable with a 0.5 mm² cross-section. The amplifier turns on/off with the head unit. If using AUTO TURN-ON, this terminal is not needed but can be used to send a control signal to another amplifier (REM OUT function).
3. +12V: Connect the +12V terminal to the vehicle's battery +12V pole using a suitable cable with sufficient cross-section.
4. FUSE: The amplifier has no internal fuse. Use the supplied 50A fuse with holder in the power cable between the battery and the amplifier, within 30 cm of the amplifier.
5. ADDITIONAL CABLE FUSE (NOT INCLUDED): Install an extra fuse near the battery for the +12V power cable. The fuse size must match the cable cross-section. This fuse protects the cable, not the amplifier, against short circuits.

Cable Cross-Section Table (Minimum in mm²):

Recommended minimum cable cross-section: Up to 3 m: 16 mm², From 3 m: 20 mm²

CAUTION: Replace defective fuses only with a new one of the same type and rating.

Description of Operation

6. LINE INPUT: Connect the LINE INPUT RCA jacks with the head unit using appropriate audio signal cables.

7. LINE OUTPUT: The LINE OUTPUT RCA jacks provide a linear full-range audio signal for driving additional amplifiers, such as the ZXR1200/1 monoblock.

8. HIGH LEVEL INPUT: If your head unit lacks RCA preamp outputs, use the HIGH LEVEL INPUT. Connect the loudspeaker cables of the head unit to the included cable harness.

9. AUTO TURN-ON: If your head unit lacks a turn-on signal (REM), use the automatic turn-on function. This can be set via the AUTO TURN-ON switch:

• DC: Works with HIGH LEVEL INPUT. The amplifier detects a voltage rise to 6 volts (DC Offset) when the head unit turns on.
• VOX: Works with LINE INPUT RCA jacks. The amplifier detects a voltage increase in the incoming audio signal when the head unit turns on.

Note: The amplifier turns off when the head unit is switched off. The REM terminal can be used to supply turn-on signals to additional amplifiers.

10. BLC REMOTE: Connects the bass level remote controller for adjusting bass from the driver's seat. Use only the supplied controller and cable. Works only in LP/BP mode.

11. POWER/PROTECT: Green LED indicates operation; red LED indicates a malfunction. Refer to troubleshooting.

12. LEVEL: Adjusts input sensitivity to match the head unit's output signal.

13. X-OVER MODE: Selects the amplifier's operating mode:

• FULL: Full Range mode.
• HP: High Pass mode, limits frequency downwards.
• LP/BP: Low Pass mode, limits frequency upwards. HIGH PASS acts as a Bandpass filter.

Note: If HIGH PASS is set higher than LOW PASS, no sound is heard.

14. HIGH PASS: Limits frequencies downwards, cutting off low frequencies that could damage loudspeakers. Adjustable from 10 Hz to 500 Hz.

15. LOW PASS: Limits frequencies upwards. Adjustable from 50 Hz to 5000 Hz (5 kHz).

16. BASS BOOST: Adjusts bass boost from 0 dB to +12 dB at 45 Hz.

Trouble Shooting

CAUTION: Refer to the entire sound system and its components for troubleshooting. Features may not match descriptions; skip if necessary.

NO FUNCTION / POWER LED NOT ILLUMINATED:

• Check the fuse of the power cable on the vehicle battery.
• Fuse defective: Replace with an equivalent fuse. If it blows again, check for a short circuit between the fuse and amplifier or a short to ground. Replace the power cable if necessary.
• Fuse okay: Check voltage between +12V connection and ground. If no voltage, check fuse holder or fuse. If voltage is present, ensure the remote turn-on wire (REM) is correctly connected from the head unit to the amplifier. If using RCA, AUTO TURN-ON should be OFF. Test AUTO TURN-ON switch to ON. If it works, the control line is faulty. Check REM wire for shorts. If voltage is present on REM, the amplifier may be malfunctioning. If using high-level signals, AUTO TURN-ON must be ON. If it remains off, check speaker cables for shorts or damage.

POWER LED ON, BUT NO SOUND FROM SPEAKERS:

• Low level mode (RCA): Check RCA cable connections. A defective RCA cable may be the cause. Test RCA cables on another device.
• High level mode: Check loudspeaker cable connections. A defective speaker cable may be the cause. Insulate damaged areas.
• Check speaker cable connections between speakers/subwoofer and amplifier outputs. A defective speaker cable may be the cause. Insulate damaged areas.
• Check if the high pass or subsonic filter is set higher than the low pass filter. Adjust the controller downwards.
• Check input mode switch and crossover switches for correct settings.
• Test speakers/subwoofers with a 9V battery. If a cracking sound is heard, they are fine. If no sound, they may be defective.
• Check head unit settings: fader, balance, mute, filters, playback status, source, subwoofer output.

DISTORTION OR HISSING NOISE:

• Check input level and Bass Boost controller settings; reduce if too high.
• Check loudness and EQ settings on the head unit; reduce if too high.

ENGINE SPEED DEPENDENT NOISE:

• Ensure RCA cables are laid separately from power cables.
• Check amplifier ground connection; ensure it's not directly to the battery negative pole. Use a suitable chassis ground point. Improve conductivity with contact spray if needed.
• Check conductivity of the battery ground cable to the body. Use contact spray if needed.

ACTIVE TWEETER DISTORTED OR CRACKED:

• CAUTION: Tweeters can be damaged by low frequencies. Set crossover to high pass (HP or HPF).
• Adjust the high pass filter slowly counter-clockwise until clean sound is heard from tweeters, balanced with woofers/mid-range speakers. Ensure woofers/mid-range speakers are correctly set.

AMPLIFIER ACTIVATES PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT / PROTECT LED LIGHTS UP:

• Short circuit on speaker cables: Disconnect all speaker cables. Measure impedance of each speaker. Standard speakers: 3-5 Ohms. Subwoofers: lower. If resistance is < 0.5 Ohms, there's a short. Check speaker wiring. If speaker wiring is fine, the speaker may be defective. Replace defective speaker cables or speakers.
• Load impedance too low: Compare speaker/subwoofer impedance with amplifier specifications. Do not connect speakers with impedance lower than the amplifier's rating (e.g., < 2 Ohms for a 2 or 4 Ohm amplifier).
• Power cable cross-section too small: Insufficient cross-section causes increased resistance, voltage drop, and higher heat development, triggering thermal protection. Use recommended cable cross-sections.
• Amplifier overheated: Ensure sufficient airflow for the heat sink. Change installation position if necessary. Turn off the system for 30 minutes to cool down. High temperatures and direct sunlight can cause overheating.