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I M P O R TA N T
Speaker loads below 1.5Ω nominal are not
recommended and may cause the amplifier
output to distort excessively.
Speaker connections to the 1200/1v3 are
straightforward and take place at the far right
of the front panel. You will notice that there
are two "+" positive connections and two "–"
negative connections. This is to facilitate multiple
speaker wiring. The two positive and two negative
connections are connected in parallel inside
the amplifier. Connecting two speakers, each to
one set of positive and negative terminals, will
result in a parallel speaker connection. If only
connecting one pair of speaker wires, it is not
necessary to use both sets of connections.
Do not chassis ground any speakers connected
to this or any other JL Audio amplifier. Doing so
will cause the amplifier to go into protection and
mute the output.
The 1200/1v3's speaker connectors are
designed to accept 12 AWG – 8 AWG wire.
To connect the speaker wires to the amplifier,
first back out the set screws on the top of the
amplifier, using the supplied 2.5 mm hex
wrench. Strip 1/2 inch (12 mm) of insulation
from each wire and insert the bare wire end
into the receptacles on the front panel of the
amplifier, seating them firmly so that no bare
wire is exposed. While holding each wire in place,
tighten each set screw firmly, taking care not to
strip the head of the screw and making sure that
the wire is firmly gripped by the set screw.
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I M P O R TA N T
Do NOT attempt to "bridge" two 1200/1v3's or
combine their output to a single load in any
manner. Doing so will damage the amplifier(s).
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I M P O R TA N T
Before reconnecting the battery ground and
turning the system on, verify that all control
settings on the amplifier are set according to
the needs of the system.
12 | JL Audio - 1200/1
Owner's Manual
v3
outPut PolaritY switCH
Depending on the distance relationship
of the mid-bass speakers and the subwoofers
in a system, it can be desirable to reverse
the polarity of the subwoofer system in
order to produce a better transition between
subwoofer and mid-bass speaker output.
The "Output Polarity" switch allows you
to peform this polarity inversion without
removing any wires. Simply flip the switch
from the "Normal" to the "Reversed" position.
Experiment with this switch to determine
which polarity produces the best overall
bass performance in your system, listening
in particular to the mid-bass smoothness
and impact to make your determination.
Low/High
status indiCator ligHts /
ProteCtion CirCuitrY
There are three status indicator lights on the
top of the amplifier. These are as follows:
1) "Power" (Green): lights to indicate that the
amplifier is turned on and operating normally.
2) "Thermal" (Red): lights to indicate that
the amplifier has exceeded its safe operating
temperature, putting the amplifier into a self-
protection mode, which reduces the power
output of the amplifier. The red light will shut
off and the amplifier will return to normal,
full-power operating mode if the heat sink
temperature drops back to a safe level.
3) "Low Ω" (Amber): lights to indicate that the
impedance of the speaker load connected
to the amplifier is lower than the optimum
impedance load range for the amplifier. When
this light is on, a protection circuit engages
and reduces the power output of the amplifier.
The amber indicator will also light when a
short-circuit is detected in the speaker wiring
(this can be a short between the positive and
negative speaker wires or between either
speaker wire and the vehicle chassis).
4) "Low V" (Blue): lights to indicate any
dip in supply voltage below 8 volts. The
blue LED will remain lit longer than the
dip duration to better alert the user to the
problem. This will be accompanied by a
shutdown of the amplifier (green LED
will shut off) and a total loss of output.
Once the voltage rises above 9 volts, the
amplifier will turn itself on. Because voltage
dips occur in rapid succession, the typical
behavior will be a cycling of the amplifier
on and off, accompanied by flashing of the
"Low V" blue LED. If this is happening in
your system, you will need to investigate
the cause of the voltage problem. This could
be a bad ground on the amplifier, battery
or alternator OR a faulty battery/charging
system OR a problem with a fuse holder or
wire connection.
If you are unsure as to the cause of the
problem, please consult your JL Audio dealer or a
qualified automotive electrical specialist.
Keep in mind that any large amplifier, like
the 1200/1v3, places a very heavy demand on a
vehicle's charging system when operated at its
limits. Vehicles with weak charging systems may
need to be serviced and/or upgraded to provide
ample current to a system including a 1200/1v3.
There is only one condition that will shut down
an undamaged 1200/1v3 completely... If battery
voltage drops below 10 volts, the entire amplifier
will shut itself off. The green "Power" indicator
on the top of the amplifier will turn off when this
occurs. The amplifier will turn back on when
voltage climbs back above 10 volts. This may
happen in a rapid cycle when bass-heavy program
material causes a weak charging system to dip
below 10 volts momentarily. If this is happening
in your system, have your charging system
inspected to make sure it is working properly.
For information on troubleshooting this
amplifier, refer to Appendix E (page 20).
serViCing Your Jl audio amPliFier
If your amplifier fails or malfunctions, please
return it to your authorized JL Audio dealer so
that it may be sent in to JL Audio for service.
There are no user serviceable parts or fuses inside
the amplifier. The unique nature of the circuitry
in the JL Audio amplifiers requires specifically
trained service personnel. Do not attempt
to service the amplifier yourself or through
unauthorized repair facilities. This will not only
void the warranty, but may result in the creation
of more problems within the amplifier.
If you have any questions about the installation or
setup of the amplifier not covered in this manual,
please contact your dealer or technical support.
Jl audio technical support:
(954) 443-1100
9:00 AM – 5:30 PM (Eastern Time Zone)
Monday - Friday
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