Kicker KQ30 30-Band Car Equalizer
Contents
1. m 1 Turn the gain controls on your amplifier s the way down 2 Disconnect the remote turn on lead s from your amplifier s Be sure to insulate the exposed copper wire with electrical tape to prevent acci dental damage to your source unit s remote turn on lead output Step 2a OR As an alternative you could disconnect the RCA inputs to your amplifiers and insulate them with electrical tape Step 2b If you choose to disconnect the RCA leads be sure to do this with your system off 3 Set all the equalization controls on the KQ30 to their center detent 0 dB position 4 Set the Input Gain controls on the KQ30 at their minimum fully counter clock wise position 5 Set the Output Level controls on the KQ30 at their minimum fully counter clock wise position 6 Using a well recorded CD with a strong signal or better yet a continu ous 1KHz tone recorded at 0 dB track 10 from AutoSound 2000 CD 104 turn your source unit up to 90 of it s maximum output 7 Turn the KQ30 Left channel Input Gain control up until the Left channel input clipping LED starts to flash 8 Adjust the KQ30 Right channel Input Gain control to match the Left 9 Turn the KQ30 Left channel Output Level control up until the Left chan nel output clipping LED starts to flash 10 Adjust the KQ30 Right channel Output Level control to match the Left 11 Turn the source unit down and shut off the system 12 Re2. eee Pe ie k ps 0 020 2020 0 S02 02002020 SEA cues RCA T gt KQ5 Fig 3 To Crossover or Amplifier s KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 11 Two KQ30s Stereo Operation In this application you are using two KQ30s and will have the ability to equalize your Left channel independently from your Right channel This type of setup is employed by the Die Hard competitors using equalization to move the location of the sound stage in their car or my cousin Bernie who still claims he can hear grass grow Once you have your interconnect cables routed from your source unit to the KQ30s simply connect the Left channel RCA output from your source unit into the Left channel RCA input on KQ30 number 1 Now connect the Left channel RCA output from KQ30 number 1 to the Left channel input of your electronic crossover or amplifier s KQ30 number 1 is now the equalizer for just the Left channel of your system Fig 1 Next take the Right channel RCA output from your source unit into the Left channel input of KQ30 number 2 Now connect the Left channel RCA output from KQ30 number 2 to the Right channel input of your electronic crossover or amplifier s KQ50 number 2 is now the equalizer for just the Right channel of your system Fig 1 RCA Outputs SOURCE UNIT Fig 1 UPPER MIDRANGE m wc Er ae TREBLE
3. Items returned from unauthorized individuals or heat chemical cleaners and or UV radiation dealers Damage through negligence misuse accident e Return shipping on non defective items abuse Repeated returns for the same damage may e Products with tampered or missing barcode labels be considered abuse e Products returned without a Return Authorization Freight damage RA number e The cost of shipping product to Stillwater Designs How Long Will It Take Stillwater Designs maintains a goal of 24 hour service for all returns Delays may be incurred if lack of replace ment inventory or parts is encountered International Warranty Contact your International Stillwater Designs dealer or distributor concerning specific procedures for your coun try s warranty policies Box 459 Stillwater Oklahoma 74076 U S A 405 624 8510 Veri KICKER drivers are capable of producing sound levels that can permanently damage your hearing Turning up a system to a level that has audible distortion is more damaging to your ears than listening to an undis torted system at the same volume level The threshold of pain is always an indicator that the sound level is 0 loud and may permanently damage your hearing Please use common sense when controlling volume January 2002 eA a Stillwater Designs P O Box 459 Stillwater OK 74076 USA 405 624 8510 www Kicker com
4. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 po Lo Do do do do dopo 1 Cello Eod 9 9 6 Clarinet ito 102 2102020 O Flute ito ti d ad 3 2 113 O O Trumpet 1 1 Ga erererereres i 20 i 40 i 63 i 100 i 156 i 250 400 635 1K 1 16K 25K 4K 64K i 10K i 16K 315 50 80 126 200 320 500 800 127K 2K 3 2K 5K 8K 128K 20K 1 3 Octave Frequency Spectrum gt Fundamental Frequency Harmonic or Overtone KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 5 The previous chart gives you an idea where popular instruments and voices are located in the audible spectrum Knowing this can help give you some direction on tuning your vehicle for that certain sound you are after or adding a little more definition and character to a particular instrument In most cases nothing you do will help the cat howling except a well thrown shoe and James Brown has plenty of definition and character just the way he is adjustments here are not required The chart below breaks the frequency ranges down into smaller groups and gives you a general idea of how each range effects the musical spectrum The last column on the right gives you an idea of what can happen if you apply too much equalization to that area Equalization is like adding spices to your food Not enough and the food tastes bland too much and your reach ing for the water The right amount of boosting and cutting will real
5. 80 dB Equalization 25 31 5 40 50 63 80 100 126 50 bands 156 200 250 320 400 500 655 1 5 octave centering 800 1K 1 27K 1 6K 2K 2 5K 12 dB per band 3 2K 4K 5K 6 4K 8K 10K 12 8K measured in Hz 16K 20K Dimensions Width 10 25in 26 04 cm Depth 7 50in 19 05 cm Height 1 125in 2 86 cm KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 21 Ings 44 Hm 00 Uu 2 Andino ONOW LNdLNO ous W xen uw 7 xew um 7 diio 114110 5 OF 9 ZH08 zH 9 ZHOG 2 ZHGLE ZHSC B 5579 9 9 l O 0 gpe 7 37 Ww 7 Ww Vv 4 57 WB 4 HAZEL ZHAL 2 008 ZHS 9 ZHOOS 2 000 2 028 2 092 2 002 2 99 2 92 2 001 39NVUdGIm 5579 BR BS 2 02 2 91 ZHX8 CL ZHXOL ZHX8 ZHX v9 2899 ZHyv ZHXIC ZHISC 2 2 4 91 J183dL 0655 5 2 4 2 KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 Page 22 January 1 2002 ELECTRONICS LIMITED WARRANTY Stillwater Designs warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use for a period of three 3 years from date of original purchase when purchased from and installed by an Authorized KICKER Dealer or one 1 year from date of original purchase if purchased from and not installed
6. VEU 020 020 MID BASS s Pu LOWER MIDRANGE SELLA MD s eren KQ30 number 1 M s s eren KQ30 number 2 twa UPPER MIDRANGE MI TABLE 1 dette MID BASS s LOWER 1 1 MNT ET lo e EOR LJ U 27 0 U U uU 1 1 1 1 Either Input Can be used A Extra Output Either Input Can be used i Extra Output but use only one but use only one I To Left Channel Input of 4 To Right Channel Input of Crossover or Amplifier Crossover or Amplifier Fig 2 Check the STEREO MONO switch on both and make sure a m they are in the MONO in position Also check the EQ BYPASS BYPASS MONO switch on both KQ30s and make sure they are in the EQ out posi tions Fig 2 When using the KQ30 in this setup the Right channel Output EQ BYPASS Switch Out of each unit is identical to the Left channel of that unit This is STEREO MONO Switch In helpful if you need an additional Left or Right stereo channel out put to feed another device KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 12 Two KQ30s Stereo Operation continued If you are using a pre amplifier like a KICKER KQ5 then your signal chain should go from your source unit to the KQ5 and then on to the KQ30s The output of the KQ30s woul
7. confirm that a dealer is authorized by asking to see a current authorized dealer window decal If it becomes necessary for you to return defective merchandise call the Kicker Customer Service Department at 405 624 8510 for a Return Authorization RA number Package all defective items in the original container or in a package that will pre vent shipping damage and return to Stillwater Designs 5021 North Perkins Road Stillwater OK 74075 The RA number must be clearly marked on the outside of the package Return only defective components Non defective items received will be returned freight collect Include a dated proof of purchase from an Authorized Dealer Warranty expiration on items returned without proof of pur chase will be determined from the manufacturing date code Coverage may be invalidated if this date is greater than 18 months previous to the date item is sent in Freight must be prepaid items received freight collect will be refused Failure to follow these steps may void your warranty Any questions can be directed to the Kicker Customer Service Department at 405 624 8510 What Is Not Covered This warranty is valid only if the product is used for the purpose for which it was designed It does not cover e Products purchased from an unauthorized dealer Items previously repaired or modified by any Damage due to improper installation unauthorized repair facility Damage caused by exposure to water excessive
8. my cousin Bernie who claims he can hear grass grow but that s another story The 10 Octaves of Human Hearing 20 Hz to 20 kHz 20 40 80 160 320 640 1280 2 5k 5 0k 40k 20k Sub bass Mid bass Mid range High Frequency 2 octaves 5 6 octaves 2 3 octaves Ok so now we know what an octave is and what the 10 octaves of the human hearing range are What is 1 3 octave Well it is simply the same 20 Hz to 20 kHz range broken into 1 3 octave slices To calculate 1 3 octave intervals is pretty easy too You simply start at 20 Hz and multiply it by 1 26 to get 25 2 Hz we simply round this to 25 Hz So 1 5 octave up from 20 Hz is 25 Hz The next step up from 25 Hz would be 25 x 1 26 or 31 5 Hz Next 1 3 Octave step is 31 5 x 1 26 or 59 69 Hz Like above that is rounded to 40 Hz This goes on and on all the way up to 20 kHz One Third Octaves from 20 Hz to 20 kHz Sub bass Mid bass Mid range High Frequency 20 i 40 i 63 i 100 i 156 i 250 400 635 i 1K i L6K i 25 4K i 64K 10K i 16K 315 50 80 126 200 320 500 800 127K 2K 32K 5k 8K 128K 20K Un Fun Math Notice Right know you might be saying to yourself just where do we get 1 26 Isn t 33 equal to 1 3 Just trust us when we say to use 1 26 we are skipping a bunch of difficult math We hear in a logarithmic scale not linear and 1 26 breaks the logarithmic scale up into 1 3 slices OK Good Let s move on KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 2 So if our hearing wo
9. set an the pink noise continuously playing through your system put the RTA into analyzer mode You will now see a graphical representation of how your system is working at playing back the pink noise test sig nal Figure 1 gives you an idea of what Fig 4 you should be seeing except yours will be moving up and down at the various E pe frequencies Real Time Spectrum Analyzer The pink noise that you are playing through your system is a recording of equal energy at all octaves being played Average at the same time If you were to look at it as a pure signal before it went through all your amplifiers crossovers Dot Bar and speakers it would like the display in Figure 2 Freeze Fast Slow Beer Whiskey 20 How is this useful Well Knowing that the signal coming off the CD before it goes through your system is supposed IN 10 to look like a flat line gives you a known reference Looking at it with micro phone after it has gone through your head unit equalizers crossovers ampli fiers and finally your speakers gives you Average an idea of how the signal is being affect ed by these components Freeze Fast Slow g Dot Bar You also see the effect that speaker placement and phasing has on what you hear as well as how the car itself is affecting the signal 20 i 40 100 i 156 31 5 126 Beer Whiskey The end result is the ability to look at how everything and we mean everything is affecting the sound
10. will sum whatever is input to both the left and right channels into a mono signal and then pass this signal to both the left and right outputs See the diagrams further in this manual for details EQ Bypass Switch Whether your tweaking your system by ear to get that sound you want or using a real time analyzer for an ultra smooth response curve you ll find times when you want to compare what you had to what you got This is what the EQ Bypass switch does When in bypass mode it sends the input signal directly to the output jacks without any equalization So with a simple press of the switch you can compare life before the KQ30 and after Three Year Warranty When you re Livin Loud you want the tunes to roll non stop and we couldn t agree more When you purchase your KQ30 from an authorized KICKER dealer we back it up with a full year warranty parts and labor If you have an authorized KICKER dealer install it for you at the time of purchase we push that warranty out to a full THREE years We build our products to give you years of trouble free performance and know that if it is installed right the first time you will get just that so we back it up KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 6 Mounting Instructions When selecting a location to mount your Kicker KQ30 equalizer be sure it is structurally sound and that there are no items behind the area that could be damaged by the screws Check for wiring brake l
11. 02 Page 19 Step 8 KQ30 Output Jacks m A Ga Volt Volt No bero Ed OUTPUT LEVEL Step 10 SOURCE UNIT cOooooo y gt Volume Down System Off ca Step 11 Adjusting Equalizer Controls Cousin Bernie amp Dr Koneairea Chat Over Lunch If after doing all your equalization and level adjustments you feel that your system lacks bite even with your source unit turned up to 90 of its full output potential then the gain settings on your amplifier s may be turned up slightly Keep in mind that the gain settings on any amplifier are for level matching only they do not increase the power output of your amplifier The lowest gain setting that will allow your amplifier to make full power is always best for sound quality lowest system noise and reliability If you go back at a later date and make changes to the equalizer that involve boosting of the controls you may need to perform the Final Gain Setting process detailed on page 19 again A good indication that you need to do this would be if the Output Level Clipping LEDs stay on continuously It is ok for the clipping LED indicators to blink but they should never be fully lit up for any extended period of time Page 21 lists the specifications of the KQ30 and has a blank area to use as a notes page Here you can scribble down any little tidbits tha
12. 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 14 Adjusting Equalizer Controls Gain Setting Procedure Ok you now have your KQ30 mounted and wired ready for action We now need to adjust the input gain and output level controls on the unit before we proceed with equalization The whole purpose to level setting is to get as much signal as possible both into and out of a unit without clipping the signal If these settings are not adjusted properly you can suffer from lack of output poor signal to noise ratio which results in a lot of audible hissing or even clipping which cause your music to sound harsh and un natural Proper level setting will avoid all these pitfalls while giving you the highest performance possible from your system This may seem like a difficult process with lots of steps but it is very easy Just follow the steps one at a time and you will be a level setting pro in no time Min Max Amplifier s Input Gain Step 2a Electrical Tape x Amplifier s Remote Lead Step 2b LI Amplifier s RCA Inputs Step 3 0 3dB 3dB 6dB 6 9 9dB 12dB 12dB EQ Controls Step 4 lt 4 Y y a 74 Min L INPUT GAIN Step 5 germs BOT 4 4 Y y P o 7 Min L OUTPUT LEVEL Step 6 Q SOURCE UNIT C c c c c c System On Volume to 90
13. I KICKER KQ30 Technical Manual KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 This Technical Manual covers all the information contained in the KQ30 installation manual plus more in depth information concerning the installation setup and use of your new KICKER equalization tool Be sure to check our site at www Kicker com for the latest information on this or any other KICKER product OK so your best bud talked you into buying this thing or maybe it was the installer at your favorite shop the salesman was on a selling high and rolled one into your new system or maybe you just liked the thought of play ing with ALL those dials No matter what got you here we will now help you get the most out of it The first thing we need to understand is that everything we hear whether it is musical instruments a person s voice or the constant howling of the cat next door is comprised of sounds that fall within the 10 octaves of fre quencies that we as human beings can hear An octave is simply a halving or a doubling of a frequency from a given starting point and for most of us that starting point is 20 Hz the lowest low frequency which we can hear An octave up from 20 Hz would be 40 Hz The next octave up is 80 Hz then 160 Hz and so on and so on until we reach the limit of our hearing which tops out at 20 kHz the highest high frequency we can hear Everything we can hear falls within this 20 Hz to 20 kHz range Unless you re
14. Source Fig 1 Fig 2 When routing your signal cables do not coil or tie the cable into loops or bundles Fig 5 Fig 4 Fig 5 Doing this enhances the wires ability to act as an antenna and will increase the chances that the cable will pick up induced noise from the car or other wiring and inject it into your audio system TO KQ30 gt Q n source Fig TO TO KQ30 Source E Source Fig 4 TO KQ30 Fig 5 Finally do not use an excessively long interconnect cable Fig 6 You want to use just enough cable to get from your source unit to the KQ30 and just a little bit extra for usability and serviceability Typically 6 12 inches per end is plenty of extra cable to accomplish this 2 gt source KQ30 KICKER O e pom gl For example if the distance from your amen PRET EE source unit to the KQ30 is 17 feet Dashed line in Fig 6 then use a cable longer than 19 feet Do not use a 25 foot cable Using more cable than you need leads to the problems described above in Figures 5 4 and 5 Dashed line is length of cable needed to run from the head unit to the KQ30 KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 10 One Stereo Operation Got one KQ30 Want to equalize both the Left and Right channels This is the diagram for you In this application one KQ30 will equalize both the left and right channels
15. ale The Fundamental Frequencies are the primary sounds the instrument makes when played The Harmonics or Overtones are multiples of the Fundamental sound Think of it like striking a hollow drum When you hit the drum it makes a distinct sound but there are also extra sounds that reverberate from the original strike These extra sounds are Harmonics These Harmonics plus the Fundamental give every instrument voice or sound it s own unique sound James Brown KickDrum lt tt Snare Drum i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 9 6 6 Cymbals 1 a i i 001 d i GO 6 6 6 6 e Chimes D0 1 00 0 0 30 10 0 m 9 5 5 10 Bass Guitar CHEER Lead Guitar ft d a DU MED JT OMEN bos rrr rg g am C Mi Female Vocal 5 i 0 a a 94 9 9 9 9 9 9 a GNE Male Vocal i i i l i i i e i i i i i i i l i i i C Cat Howling i i i i i l i I I 1 I i i l C 99 Saxaphone i i i i i i i i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9900009 i i i i i Organ C Piano CO String Bass 9 oi 0 bobo d d d d P Pp P 11 11 P o P o P o J Violin 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
16. allows you to tweak input channel balancing as well Separate Left and Right Output Controls To minimize noise in your system you want to pass as much audio signal voltage as you can down the line to the next component Too much and you will cause undesired dis tortion not enough and your system will sound thin and not play to it s full potential The left and right output controls allow you to find just the right amount of signal to accomplish this and do any channel balancing tasks required at this stage Separate Left and Right Input Clipping LED s Clipping the input of your pre amp components is not a good thing when you want clean sound The LED indicators are a great tool to help you in setting up the input gain controls on your KQ30 These indicators will blink as you get within 3 dB of clipping the input section of your unit Separate Left and Right Output Clipping LED s Just as with the input you do not want to clip the output of your KQ30 The output LED indicators will blink as you get within 3 dB of driving the KQ30 into clipping to help you with setting up your ed Mono Stereo Selector The KQ30 is a stereo equalizer and will do its magic on both the left and right channels at the same time For those Livin Loud tweakers who want to have separate left and right controls you can use two units and equalize the channels independently Just grab two units flip the switches to Mono and you are ready to go In Mono mode the KQ30
17. by an Authorized KICKER Dealer If this product is labeled B Stock it is warranted for one 1 year from date of purchase regardless of place of installation Should service be necessary under this warranty for any reason due to manufacturing defect or malfunction during the warranty peri od Stillwater Designs will replace or repair at its discretion the defective merchandise with equivalent merchandise at no charge Warranty replacements on B Stock merchandise may have cosmetic scratches and blemishes Discontinued products may be replaced with equivalent products This warranty is valid only for the original purchaser and is not extended to owners of the product subsequent to the origi nal purchaser Any applicable implied warranties are limited in duration to a period of the express warranty as provided herein beginning with the date of the original purchase at retail and no warranties whether express or implied shall apply to this product thereafter Some states do not allow limitations on implied warranties therefore these exclusions may not apply to you This warranty gives you specific legal rights however you may have other rights that vary from state to state WHAT TO DO IF YOU NEED WARRANTY OR SERVICE Defective merchandise must be returned to your local Authorized Stillwater Designs Kicker Dealer for warranty Assistance in locating an Authorized Dealer can be obtained by writing or calling Stillwater Designs direct You can
18. connect the remote turn on leads to your amplifier s Step 12a OR RCA cables Step 12b Relax the initial level setting is now complete Find a cold beverage and then move on the the next page KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 15 Step 7 INPUT GAIN Step 8 ro mz 59D 2 Ly E Min L OUTPUT LEVEL Step 10 pU Clip LED Min Max OUTPUT LEVEL Step 11 SOURCE UNIT Volume Down System Off Step 12a Electrical Tape Removed Amplifier s RCA Inputs Adjusting Equalizer Controls The KQ30 will have enough output to operate most amplifiers to their full power output even with the amplifier s gain control set at its lowest position Remember the gain settings on any amplifier are for level matching only they do not increase the power output of your amplifier The lowest gain setting that will allow your amplifier to make full power is always best for sound quality lowest system noise and reliability RTA Equalization OK now we are ready to get an RTA in the car and adjust the KQ30 If you do not have access to an RTA then skip this section labeled RTA Equalization set the equalizer to what sounds best to you and move to the next section labeled Final Gain Settings Fir
19. d then connect to the next component in your signal path which is typically your electronic crossover or amplifier s KQ5 RCA Outputs 5 KICKER Fig 1 KQ5 Source Unit RCA Inputs RCA Outputs W W 1 Sooo 5 O comen UPPER MIDRANGE MID BASS Fig 1 s eren KQ30 number 1 dotata debui NUN o 830 KIKICKER KQ30 number 2 W D TREBLE oe co FERRE Gi e a c mms NT LT LOWER MIDRANGE Either Input Can be used but use only one 1 1 Left Channel Input of 1 Crossover or Amplifier Fig 2 EQ STEREO BYPASS MONO EQ BYPASS Switch Out STEREO MONO Switch In KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 13 Extra Output Either Input Can be used but use only one 1 To Right Channel Input of Crossover or Amplifier Check the STEREO MONO switch on both KQ30s and make sure they are in the MONO in position Also check the EQ BYPASS switch on both KQ30s and make sure they are in the EQ ouO positions Fig 2 When using the KQ30 in this setup the Right channel Output of each unit is identical to the Left channel of that unit This is helpful if you need an additional Left or Right stereo channel out put to feed another d
20. evice One Unit Mono Operation The KQ30 is capable of summing the Left and Right channel stereo inputs into a Mono signal and supplying this signal on both the left and right channel out puts RCA Outputs Fig 1 Simply connect the Left and Right channel RCA outputs of your source into the Left and Right channel inputs on the KQ30 and place the STEREO MONO switch on the unit into the MONO in position Fig 1 Mee Rc Right haa e mice The Left and Right channel outputs on the KQ30 will now provide identical Left Right M Mono L R summed mono signals 2 Q EQ STEREO 5 1 BYPASS MONO 1 1 1 1 55 Switch Out Pi STEREO MONO Switch In 7 eee To Crossover or Amplifier Got a pre amplifier like the KICKER KQ5 too You know the drill by now Fig 2 KQ5 KQ5 Source Unit RCA Outputs RCA Inputs RCA Outputs gt 0 000009 KICKER Fig 2 SOURCE UNIT O O O O 0 000000 m TTE xx m MIDRANGE TREBLE 117 Bid GP o M Mono L R g EQ STEREO UJ u m BYPASS MONO EQ BYPASS Switch Out 2 STEREO MONO Switch In To Crossover or Amplifier KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version
21. her 12 volt wiring Try to keep you signal cables at least 12 inches away to lessen the chance of getting any induced noise Fig 5 amp Fig 6 Other 12 Volt Wiring Factory Wiring At Least 12 Inches At Least 112 Inches Y To Source KQ30 To Source KQ30 Fig 5 Fig 6 If you have to route the interconnects parallel to factory wiring or other electrical cable keep the distance they run parallel as short as possible The longer the RCA cable is parallel with these types of cables the greater the chance of picking up induced noise Fig 6 amp Fig 7 Other 12 Volt Wiring Factory Wiring Im gt The Shorter This Distance The Better Eee gt The Shorter This Distance The Better To Source To Source Fig 6 Fig 7 KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 9 Signal Cable Tips Don t Do This When routing your signal cables you want to avoid placing them directly next to any factory wiring harness or other 12 volt power wiring Fig 1 amp Fig 2 If you route your cables like this you greatly increase the possibility of your system picking up noise If you absolutely have to do this refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 on page 9 and keep the distance they run together as short as possible Or better yet Don t Do This Other 12 Volt Wiring Factory Wiring TO Source KQ30 To
22. ines fuel lines gas tanks etc Remember that the controls on top of the equalizer will need to be accessible for adjustment later Keep this in mind as you choose your equalizer s mounting location Now that you are ready to mount your equalizer use the KQ30 chassis as a template and mark the four mounting hole locations with a marking pen or pencil 1930 KIKICKER MA m G Lem MIDRANGE MEE TREBLE r iii moe MID BASS ca LOWER kisii ja ee ee ee PenorPencil um Tiei E E una IT s ul Next remove the KQ30 from the mounting location and using a drill with a 7 64 inch drill bit pre drill the four mounting locations you marked in the above step 7 64 inch Drill Bit MSS REM Pe 22 EQ removed 45011 from mounting 4 location pg Pre drill the NE four holes E ii 7 markedin i AN previous step DES g ses Se ena te nr er pe Finally using the supplied screws and a phillios head screw driver mount the KQ30 into it s new home ap ag e Me dame tim rre ao opem KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 7 When working with power connections it is always recommended that you disconnect the negative terminal from the car battery to prevent accidents Fig 1 Nothing qui
23. l bass heavy sound while your friend does not So you both can have smooth e response curves that look different O because they based on how you like it C to sound Fig 1 amp Fig 2 Q rm Neither curve is more right it just Oo O DE depends on what you like the sound of The one thing you do notice is that each 1 5 octave band is within 5 dB 5 dots of the next band Fig 2 your friend s response curve So what does a bad curve look like M 4 Check out Figure 3 Notice how 31 5 Hz is 4 dB Each dot represents 1 dB below 40 Hz See where 80 Hz is 4 dB above 63 Hz e Ore e Q How about that killer 4 dB spike at 250 Hz The yodeling 5 dB valley at 3 2 KHz That beautiful 4 dB high end slide off at 20 kHz These are the problem areas in Oa CO wees the curve that need to be corrected e Qi ee 15151528 9108 Ln rm aa Your first step should be to always equalize out the peaks by turning the required controls down at or near that Fig 3 frequency Next you would try to bring up the valleys by boosting in those areas or cutting around them Your end result Real Time Spectrum Analyzer is to keep the sound you like but smooth out all the response curve so that from any one 1 3 octave band to the next there is no more than a 3 dB variation Freeze Average So if you start with Figure 3 you want to end up looking more like Figure 1 or Figure 2 Not necessarily the sa
24. ly make your system shine Frequency Range Affected Area Results Of Excessive Boost 16 Hz 60 Hz Sense of power music is felt more Makes music sound than heard muddy 60 Hz 250 Hz Fundamentals of the rhythmic section Makes music sound Equalizing here can change the musical boomy balance making it fat or thin 250 Hz 2000 Hz Low order harmonics of most musical Gives telephone like instruments that are horn like Listening quality to the music fatigue may result if improperly equalized Can make the music sound tinny 2 KHz 4 kHz Speech recognition Listening Fatigue Will add a lisping quality to voices M V amp B will become vague 4 KHz 6 KHz Affects clarity and definition of voices Sibilance on vocals and instruments The music will seem harshness Adding closer to the listener with proper setting boost at 5 kHz will make the music seem louder 6 kHz 20 kHz Brilliance and clarity of sounds Gives air Sibilance and or and pressence to the music harshness on voices KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 4 To properly adjust the KQ30 equalizer it is highly recommended that you someone you know or the local dealer have and be familiar with the use of a 1 3 octave RTA Real Time Analyzer The RTA allows you to see where the major peaks and dips in your system s response curve are located and dial in the proper amount of boost or cut at the correct frequencies to get a smooth
25. me curve but a smooth transition from band to band Dot Bar Beer Whiskey e e o e KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 18 Adjusting Equalizer Controls Final Gain Settings If you have made it here then you have either tweaked your KQ30 by ear and skipped the RTA Equalization sec tion completed the RTA Equalization section or just skipped ahead to see how the story ends Now that you have finished tweaking the equalization bands on your KQ30 you are ready to do a final Output Level setup and balance check to insure optimum performance This step is very similar to the initial level setting procedure with a few steps removed and a couple added Mi Amplifier s Input Gain Step 2 KQ30 ea Jacks Min L Min OUTPUT om Step 4 SOURCE UNIT Co c c c c c System On Volume to 90 mum 8 Step 5 ar e N Cip LED X Min L OUTPUT LEVEL Step 6 ge lt Clip LED Min Max OUTPUT LEVEL Step 7 KQ30 Output Jacks LLU 1 4 1 Turn the gain controls on your amplifiers all the way down 2 Remove the RCA cables from the output jacks of the KQ30 and insulate them with tape 3 Set the Output Level controls on the KQ30 at their minimum fully count er clock wise position 4 Using a well recorded CD
26. overall system response The RTA should not be the only source of input to tell you what needs tweaked you must also listen There can be times where no matter how good it looks on the RTA display it simply sounds bad to the ear By the same token a curve that may show some uneven response may actually sound pleasing You always want to start with the RTA and look for major peaks and valleys fix these and then listen Do this back and forth until you get a response as smooth as possible and also sounds realistic Here are 5 basic pointers to keep in mind as you start your E E quest on eq perfection Real Time Spectrum Analyzer a ES 4 43 1 Your goal is a smooth Freez curve with no more than a 5 dB difference between bands Flat lines happy faces or ski slopes are not necessarily the goal unless you are into that sort of thing Q Dot Bar n d Mr aded e eer whiskey 20 140 6 100 156 250 0 35 1K 11 tle as needed to get the desired results For every 3 dB you boost a band you are asking your amp to double it s power output at that frequency 3 Equalization does not change the basics A properly adjusted equalizer is not a Band Aid for poor components or installations Address these issues first Eq last 4 If you find certain frequency valleys that do not respond from boosting you may have some cancellation at that frequency due to the speaker placement speaker phasing crossover
27. phasing or simple vehicle acoustics If this is the case then address these issues separately See your Kicker dealer for more details and help in correcting these issues 5 Your ears are always right No matter how good or bad it looks on the RTA if it sounds bad it sounds bad Period Let the RTA guide you and your ears tell you if it is right Fast Slow If you do not have access to RTA you can still do a decent job of getting your system to sound good Simply sit in the car with the KQ30 within reach and listen to some well recorded music that you are familiar with Start at the lowest EQ band and work your way up one at a time Try boosting and cutting and stick with what sounds best You may find you need to move back and forth between bands that are close together as boosting or cutting one may require changes to the other bands closest to it Be sure to compare what you have with what you had the EQ Bypass switch to make sure you are going the right direction If you get to a point that it sounds worse than when you started then simply set all the dials back to flat 0 position and start again It is a good idea to keep track of your settings and notes on a piece of paper so that if you do need to start over you know what you had This can be helpful if you want to re create certain settings or avoid them IF else fails refer to the advice above which states it is highly recommended that you someone you know or
28. rks within these 10 octaves where does 1 3 octave come into play Why 50 bands Well through extensive research at the world famous Huh Earology Institute Dr Koneairea determined that 5 dB changes between 1 3 octaves are the smallest changes the human ear can easily detect His lab assistant Mongo agreed that 30 bands was best since that was the maximum number of dials he could draw on the chalk board So 50 bands it was Seriously though the Kicker KQ30 is a 30 band 1 3 octave equalizer designed for tailoring your sound system to better fit your listening environment your car we hope or to just make it sound like you want it to sound Through experimentation it has been shown that the way the human ear sums energy in the Critical Bands to determine the loudness of a sound are about one third octave apart Because of this one third octave spacing is all that is required to tune a system within the capabilities of the average human ear You could use an equalizer with tighter spacing like 1 6 octave but this would only present you with twice as many dials to adjust 60 0uch and no better audible results than a finely tuned 1 3 octave unit In other words a lot more work for no audible benefit Even the Super Tweaks at Kicker who just love to play with buttons switches and dials agree that 1 3 octave is the way to go The chart below gives you a good idea where some of the musical instruments and voices operate within the 1 3 octave sc
29. rs and it has an extra tap you can use rcm m 5 this in place of the in line fuse as long as you m still fuse it for 5 amps Fig 3 MIDRANGE ae cd bi bib 5A FUSE The turn on terminal is connected to your source unit s remote turn on lead Most source Fig 3 units have an output labeled power antenna or amplifier turn on for this connection If your source unit has both use the output labeled amplifier turn on Fig 2 amp Fig 3 MID BASS LOWER ml P After making all your power connections you can re insert the power plug into the KQ30 and c9GROUND re connect your negative battery cable to your car battery Fig 4 gt REMOTE TURN ON 5 Amp Fuse 4 Gauge Power Line To Trunk 80 A Fuse BATTERY Car Battery KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 8 Signal Cable Tips Do This The use of twisted pair interconnects is recommended for all installations to minimize noise Fig 1 When rout ing these cables through the automobile try to keep them away from factory wiring harnesses and other power wiring If you need to cross any of this wiring do so at a 90 degree angle to reduce the possibility of picking up radiated noise Fig 2 To Source Factory Wiring TO KQ30 Fig 1 Fig 2 IF you have to run your signal cables parallel to a factory wiring harness or ot
30. simultaneously and output the equalized signal to your sys tem This is the most common and typical use of a KQ30 RCA Outputs Once you have your interconnect cables routed from your source unit to the 50 simply connect the Left and Right channel RCA outputs from your source unit into the Left and Right channel inputs of the KQ30 Take the Left and Right channel outputs of the KQ30 and connect them to the next component in your signal path which is typically your electronic crossover amplifier s Fig 1 i 1 stie p BA n MIDRANGE ms 156e x enne Check the STEREO MONO and the EQ BYPASS switches and make sure they are in the STEREO and EQ out posi tions Fig 2 20 OUTPUT 2 L R EQ STEREO BYPASS MONO TT Y Y Fig 2 Both Switches In The Out Position In most cases the KQ30 should be placed directly after your source unit in the signal chain If you are using a pre amplifier like a KICKER KQ5 then your signal chain should go from your source unit to the KQ5 and then on to the KQ30 The output of the KQ30 would then connect to the next component in your signal path which is typically your electronic crossover or amplifier s Fig 5 s eremo i i D SOURCE UNIT a em ee a deba MID BASS LOWER MIDRANGE source Unit RCA Outputs
31. st we need place the RTA s microphone into the car on a microphone stand so that the microphone is located approximately at the same level as your head when you are driving Fig 1 and Fig 2 Fig 1 Top View If you are going to Fig 2 Side View be competing in any Dashboard competition organi zation be sure to place the micro phone at the location specified in their rule Driver Passenger book Otherwise just make sure the micro Back Seat phone is located at approximately ear level Next you want to place a CD into your source unit which contains a continuous pink noise recording The various competition organizations sell CDs with this recording on them or track 18 from the AutoSound 2000 Test CD 102 could be used Be sure to place your source unit into Track Repeat mode so it will keep playing the pink noise track only Now with the RTA in SPL Sound Pressure Level mode you want to turn the volume up on your system until you get a reading in the 80 90 dB range This is how we set the volume to perform the RTA measurements and adjust the equalizer Audio Leap RTA Unit 4 Real Time Spectrum Analyzer Freeze Average Fast Slow 0 2 3 4 5 6 Dot Bar Beer Whiskey 5 sb 8 32K 5K 8K 128K 20K KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 16 Adjusting Equalizer Controls With the SPL
32. t you may need to know later about how you installed this unit or adjusted it Alternate uses of page 21 are Clean place to hold that slice of cold pizza you ordered two hours ago and never got to eat Your latest theories on why time travel is possible A napkin Page 22 has a blank KQ30 settings template We recommend you make several copies of this page so that you always have a nice clean blank Use the copies to keep track of your settings both during and after the KQ30 setup This is helpful in case you ever need to dial back in your settings because of someone accidentally or un acciden tally altering them Note don t confuse the alternate uses for page 21 with page 22 This will render page 22 unusable If this happens you can download a new Technical Manual from www Kicker com If you have any specific questions concerning this product please contact your local Kicker dealer where you pur chased your KQ30 or call us direct at 405 624 8510 and ask for Technical Support The latest information is always available for download from our website at www Kicker com Enjoy KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 20 Specifications Operating voltage 11 to 16 volts DC Chassis Fuse 2A mini ATC Audio Signal Minimum input voltage 500 mV RMS Maximum input voltage 9 Volts RMS Maximum output voltage 9 Volts RMS SNR signal to noise A Weighted Re 9 Volts 120 dB Channel Separation Re 9 Volts
33. te makes your day like a positive voltage wire touching the car chassis or your gear and making sparks fly blowing fuses or breaking your equipment Disconnecting the negative terminal from the car s battery l will nip this problem right in the bud Fig 1 Car Battery To make wiring the power connections to the KQ30 easier you can remove the power plug terminate your wires into it and then re insert it after all wiring is completed Fig 2 The ground should be connected to the 1680 KIKICKER m 1 S Mm Ne equalizer first before making any of the other EXE connections This wire should be as short as possible 36 inches or less and connected to a MT ess omen one paint corrosion free solid metal area of the s wes e im Xii desist Fig 2 car s chassis using 18 Ga wire and a small ring terminal Fig 2 and Fig 3 ae ee Connect the 12V terminal to a constant 12 volt battery source using 18 Ca wire and an in g d VE 2 Q line 5 amp fuse The KQ30 itself has a 2 amp ota tty chassis fuse for protection The additional 5 uus amp in line fuse is to protect the wire feeding d sible to the battery Fig 2 CROWNE the KQ30 and should be placed as close as pos REMOTE TURN ON If you have a fused distribution block in the rear of your vehicle to distribute power to your BATTERY amplifie
34. the local dealer have and be familiar with the use of 1 3 octave RTA Real Time Analyzer With all that said let s dive in and get started KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 5 30 Bands at 1 3 Octave Spacing As stated above in the Introduction 1 3 octave equalizer gives you all the control necessary to adjust your sound system for a smooth response or to dial it in to your ears liking The KQ30 gives you the ISO standard 30 bands at 1 3 octave spacing from 20 Hz to 20 KHz 12 dB Boost or Cut At each of the 30 1 3 octave spaced controls you can boost or cut the intensity of the sig nal by up to 12 decibels dB Plenty of control and then some since most systems typically need no more than 6 dB of boost or cut to get things dialed in High Voltage Pre amp There are quite a variety of head units on the market today not to mention if you are using a line driver or pre amplifier in your system The KQ30 will work with an audio input signal as little as 500 mv up to a mind numbing 9 Volts Plenty of range to work with anything you can throw at it At the same time it can deliver a full 9 volts of audio output to send down the line to your crossovers or amplifiers Separate Left and Right Input Controls For the best possible sound quality and least amount of noise you want to get your KQ30 matched up to your head unit the separate left and right input sensitivity controls let you do just that Being separate
35. with a strong signal or better yet a continuous 4KHz tone recorded at 0 dB track 10 from AutoSound 2000 CD 104 turn your source unit up to 90 of it s maximum output 5 Turn the KQ30s Left channel Output Level control up until the Left chan nel output clipping LED starts to flash 6 Turn the KQ30s Right channel Output Level control up until the Right channel output clipping LED starts to flash 7 With a digital voltmeter set to the AC volts we want to measure the sig nal coming out the Left channel of the KQ30 Use a short RCA cable and place the meters probes on the shield and center pin of the RCA jack 8 Now measure the Right channel using the same procedure as in step 7 9a If the Left and Right channel have the same reading do nothing Skip steps 9b amp 9c and proceed to step 10 9b If the Left channel reading is higher than the Right turn down the Left channel Output Level control until it matches the Right channel Skip step 9c and proceed to step 10 9c If the Right channel reading is higher than the Left turn down the Right channel Output Level control until it matches the Left channel 10 Turn the source unit down and shut off the system 11 Reconnect the RCA cables to your KQ30 That s it you are now ready to enjoy the full capabilities the KQ30 has to offer you Find cousin Bernie and share a cold beverage with him while you admire your work KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 20
36. you hear in your car Does this mean we should equalize the car back to a flat line The short answer is no The long answer is no unless you just want a flat line for showing you can do it Many competitors will shoot for the flat line so they can get a perfect score in the RTA judging section of a contest but for listening a flat line would sound fairly dull and lifeless That is why they use separate EQ s and switch between them One for the RTA judging set up to get as close to a flat line as possible and the other for sound quality If you don t believe me just check with my cousin Bernie you know the one claims he can hear grass grow told you about him right So if playing a source which is essentially a flat line and you don t want me to equalize it back to a flat line just what am supposed to do The key to using the RTA and pink noise is to look for major problems with the response curve and smooth them out Remember from the introduction that we said 5 dB changes between 1 3 octave bands was the smallest change the human ear can detect Well that is what we are trying to do here sim ply keep each 1 3 octave band within 5 dB of the other as we go from 20 Hz to 20 kHz KQ30 Equalizer Technical Manual Version 1 0 January 1 2002 Page 17 Adjusting Equalizer Controls Fig 1 your response curve The overall shape of the curve is not as important as keeping each band within 5 p dB of those around it You may like a rea
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search