TAPCO Juice Power Amps In the past few years, the once staid world of power amps has crossed the line into the realm of rocket science as features like DSP processing and networked diagnostics and control become more common. With the introduction of new models like Crowns iTech, this trend will only accelerate. And as the Product Gallery on page 14 attests, amps are getting smaller and lighter all the time. But sometimes you just need good solid power without the bells and whistles, and times like that call for an amp like those in the new Juice series from TAPCO. Yes, I said TAPCO. Hang with me here. In case you hadnt heard, TAPCO (officially TAPCO by Mackie) was reintroduced last year as Mackies entry-level retail brand. We received a pair of Juice amps: the 450-watt J1400 and the 750-watt J2500 (both amps power per channel at four ohms). The first thing we noticed on removing them from the box was the lack of MI grade I/O common on other entry level amps. Inputs are a choice of Balanced TRS or XLR and all outputs are Neutrik Speakonno combi-jacks, 1/4-inch speaker outs or binding posts. In fact, there are three Speakonsone each for the A and B channels and a third for either bridged mono, or it will carry both the A and B outputs on a single Neutrik NL4 connector, which is a nice little touch. Rear panel controls include the expected mono/stereo/bridge switch, but also a less expected in this price range defeatable limiter and a 9dB at 30 Hz low end filter. The front panel is the model of simplicity with an on/off rocker switch and a pair of output pots with signal present and overload LEDs. Though they are part of the same series, there is more of a difference between the two models than total output power, with both the J1400 and its smaller sibling the J800 being of the AB variety and the J2500 being a class H amp. We put both amps through the wringer for the better part of three months without any glitches or problems. In applications ranging from driving a couple of wedge mixes to powering subs for a mid-sized corporate one-off, they did exactly what they were supposed toprovide power without problems. Yes, they are made in China and they are not exactly lightweight. No, you are not going to replace your touring-grade workhorses with a rack of Juice amps. But as a backup or a way to extend your power inventory without spending a mint, the Juice line is worth a look. What it is: Solid power amps with mid-line performance at an entry-level price. Who its for: Bands and smaller venues and soundcos. Pros: Solid performance, pro I/O, great value Cons: Weight to power ratio How much: J1400 MSRP $549, J2500 MSRP $699

owners manual

J800 J1400 J2500

OL SIG OL SIG

INPUT B

INPUT CONNECTION

CAUTION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING.

SPEAKER CONNECTION

OFF ON SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz

BREAKER

SERIAL /DATE CODE

T59052 T59052

(BALANCED)

AMP MODE

STEREO/MONO

BRIDGED

INPUT A

CLIP LIMIT

OFF ON

MONO STEREO

CHANNEL B

CHANNEL A

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN CHINA. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC.

BRIDGE

WWW.TAPCOGEAR.COM

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK) NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL
Heat This product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, or other devices which produce heat. Power Sources This product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in these operation instructions or as marked on this product.
ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUN ENTRETIEN DE PIECES INTERIEURES PAR L'USAGER. CONFIER L'ENTRETIEN AU PERSONNEL QUALIFIE. AVIS: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES D'INCENDIE OU D'ELECTROCUTION, N'EXPOSEZ PAS CET ARTICLE A LA PLUIE OU A L'HUMIDITE
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the products enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. Le symbole clair avec point de flche l'intrieur d'un triangle quilatral est utilis pour alerter l'utilisateur de la prsence l'intrieur du coffret de voltage dangereux non isol d'ampleur suffisante pour constituer un risque d'lctrocution. The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user of the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance. Le point d'exclamation l'intrieur d'un triangle quilatral est employ pour alerter les utilisateurs de la prsence d'instructions importantes pour le fonctionnement et l'entretien (service) dans le livret d'instruction accompagnant l'appareil.
10. Power Cord Protection Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked upon or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit this product. 11. Object and Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not fall on, and liquids are not spilled into, this product. 12. Damage Requiring Service This product should be serviced only by qualied service personnel when: A. The power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into this product; or C. This product has been exposed to rain; or D. This product does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or E. This product has been dropped, or its chassis damaged. 13. Servicing The user should not attempt to service this product beyond those means described in this operating manual. All other servicing should be referred to the Tapco Service Department. 14. To prevent electric shock, do not use this polarized plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure. Pour prevenir les chocs lectriques ne pas utiliser cette che polarise avec un prolongateur, un prise de courant ou une autre sortie de courant, sauf si les lames peuvent tre insres fond sans laisser aucune pariie dcouvert. 15. Grounding or Polarization Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of this product is not defeated. 16. Power Precaution Unplug this product during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time. 17. This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B (whichever is applicable) limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications. ATTENTION Le prsent appareil numrique nmet pas de bruits radiolectriques dpassant las limites applicables aux appareils numriques de class A/de class B (selon le cas) prescrites dans le rglement sur le brouillage radiolectrique dict par les ministere des communications du Canada.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Read Instructions All the safety and operation instructions should be read before this product is operated. Retain Instructions The safety and operating instructions should be kept for future reference. Heed Warnings All warnings on this product and in these operating instructions should be followed. Follow Instructions All operating and other instructions should be followed. Water and Moisture This product should not be used near water for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool, etc. Cleaning Clean only with a dry cloth. Ventilation This product should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, the Component should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block any ventilation openings, or placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the ow of air through ventilation openings.

PORTABLE CART WARNING

Carts and stands - The Component should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer. A Component and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the Component and cart combination to overturn.
WARNING To reduce the risk of re or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.
18. Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing loss. Individuals vary considerably in susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss, but nearly everyone will lose some hearing if exposed to sufciently intense noise for a period of time. The U.S. Governments Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specied the permissible noise level exposures shown in the following chart.
According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of these permissible limits could result in some hearing loss. To ensure against potentially dangerous exposure to high sound pressure levels, it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high sound pressure levels use hearing protectors while the equipment is in operation. Ear plugs or protectors in the ear canals or over the ears must be worn when operating the equipment in order to prevent permanent hearing loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here.

Duration Per Day Sound Level dBA, In Hours Slow Response

2 1.0.5 0.25 or less 115

Typical Example
Packed garage concert VW Bus Peace Train Cranked psychedelic tunes High speed chase on C.H.I.P.s Loudest parts at a Heavy Metal concert

What me, read a manual?

Before you begin, please make sure you read the Safety Instructions on page 2 and Getting Started on page 4. Your new TAPCO amplier is designed to set up quickly and operate easily. We know its often seen as a sign of weakness to read a manual, along with asking for directions when lost, but maybe you can read the rest when nobody is looking. It is important to keep your receipt in a safe place, and not a bad idea to write your product information here for future reference (i.e., insurance claims, tech support, return authorization, etc.).

Product Serial #:

Purchased at:

Date of purchase:

Part No. 0007787 Rev. A 08/Mackie Designs Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Getting Started

The following steps will help you set up your amplier, and get the levels just right.

SETTINGS:

1. Be sure the ampliers POWER switch is off. 2. Turn down both Level controls. 3. On the rear panel, set the SUBSONIC FILTER switch OFF and the CLIP LIMIT switch ON. 4. Determine which AMP MODE is best for your application: STEREO mode is the typical setup for amplifying stereo signals. INPUT A is routed to CHANNEL A output, and INPUT B is routed to CHANNEL B output. MONO mode is used for sending a mono signal to both outputs, with separately adjustable level controls. INPUT A is used in MONO mode (leave INPUT B disconnected). BRIDGE mode uses both outputs to double the power to one speaker (or set of speakers). INPUT A is used in BRIDGE mode (leave INPUT B disconnected and the B Level control turned down). NOTE: 4 ohms is the minimum speaker impedance you should connect to the amplier in BRIDGE mode. See Do the Math in Appendix B for information on calculating speaker impedances. 5. Set the AMP MODE switch according to your application. 4. In STEREO and MONO modes, connect Speakon connectors to the CHANNEL A and CHANNEL B speaker outputs. The Speakon connectors are wired as follows: 1+ = hot (+ speaker terminal) 1 = cold ( speaker terminal). 5. In BRIDGE mode, use the center Speakon connector. The BRIDGED Speakon connector is wired as follows: 1+ = hot (+ speaker terminal) 2+ = cold ( speaker terminal). 6. Plug all the sound system components into suitable AC outlets, properly grounded and capable of delivering adequate current. 7. Make sure your signal source is powered up and delivering signal to the amp. 8. Turn the power ampliers switch on. Verify that the POWER LED lights. 9. Slowly turn up both Level controls on the amplier. You should hear music and see the SIG LEDs ashing. If the OL (Overload) LEDs are ashing, turn down either the Level controls on the amp or the source signals output level controls (i.e., master faders), until the OL LEDs either blink occasionally or not at all. 10. For quieter listening, it is preferable to adjust the amps Level controls rather than the source signals output level (unless you have the sources control all the way up!).

CONNECTIONS:

1. Using balanced cables, make connections from your mixer (or other signal source) MAIN OUT to your ampliers INPUTs. 2. In STEREO mode, connect the cables from your signal source to the ampliers INPUT jacks, either XLR or 1/4 TRS. The XLR and TRS inputs for each channel are wired in parallel. The balanced XLR inputs are wired as follows: Pin 1 = shield (ground) Pin 2 = hot (+) Pin 3 = cold () The 1/4 TRS inputs are wired as follows: Tip = hot (+) Ring = cold () Sleeve = shield (ground) 3. In MONO mode and BRIDGE mode, connect one cable from the input source to INPUT A, and connect nothing to INPUT B.

Things To Remember:

Never plug amplier outputs into anything except speakers (unless you have an outboard box specically designed to handle speaker-level signals). Before making connections to an amp or reconguring an amps routing, turn the amps level controls down, turn the power off, make the changes, turn the power back on, and then turn the level controls back up. If you shut down your equipment, turn off the ampliers rst. When powering up, turn on the ampliers last. Save the shipping box and packing material! You may need it someday. If not, it makes a great end table or hiding place for your cat.

SERIAL / DATE CODE

SUBSONIC FILTER AT 30Hz
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GROOVY FOLKS IN WOODINVILLE, WA, USA. MANUFACTURED IN ITALY. "TAPCO" AND "MACKIE" ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGNS INC.

Contents

Safety Instructions...2 Getting Started..4 Introduction...6 Hookup Diagrams...7 TAPCO Juice Features...8 Front Panel Features..8 LEVEL...8 SIG..8 OL...8 POWER..8 Rear Panel Features..8 POWER CORD SOCKET..8 BREAKER...9 SPEAKER OUTPUTS..9 INPUTS..9 SUBSONIC FILTER..9 CLIP LIMIT...9 AMP MODE...9 General Precautions..9 Rack Mounting..9 Thermal Considerations.10 AC Power Considerations..10 Input Wiring...10 Output Wiring...11 Appendix A: Service Information.13 Warranty Service..13 Troubleshooting..13 Repair...14 Appendix B: Technical Info.15 Do The Math: Ohms, Loads, and Such.15 Juice Series Specications.16 Juice Series Block Diagram..17 TAPCO Limited Warranty..19 Dont forget to visit our website at www.tapcogear.com for more information about this and other TAPCO products.

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a TAPCO Juice power amplier by Mackie Designs. The TAPCO product line hails back to the days of TAPCO Corporation, Greg Mackies rst company. TAPCO revolutionized the audio industry back in 1969 with the very rst 6-channel mixer specically designed for keyboards and rock N roll PA. In essence, TAPCO re-dened the price performance ratio and made high-quality professional audio mixers accessible to virtually anyone. Today, TAPCO is reborn with the same ideals and is backed by the world-class engineering and manufacturing horsepower of Mackie Designs. The TAPCO J800, J1400, and J2500 are the rst power TAPCO version of Greg ampliers in the TAPCO by Mackie family. The Juice Series of ampliers are powerful and tough. They are designed to withstand the punishing rigors of the road and continue to crank out amplied sound day after day, year after year.
Heres a quick glance at the features packed into these juicy ampliers:
J800: 800 watts continuous @ 4 ohms bridged J1400: 1400 watts continuous @ 4 ohms bridged J2500: 2500 watts continuous @ 4 ohms bridged Ultra-low noise/low-distortion design Switchable low-cut lter @ 30 Hz on both channels Switchable limiter on both channels Balanced/unbalanced 1/4" TRS and XLR line input jacks Speakon output connectors Detented rotary gain controls calibrated in dB Signal present and OL (overload) LEDs Variable speed fans for superior cooling TAPCO van (a.k.a. micro bus)

Hookup Diagrams

Stereo Hookup
FROM MIXING CONSOLE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN OUT

AMP MODE SWITCH STEREO

Passive Speakers (Mackie C300s)

Mono Hookup

FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN OUT

AMP MODE SWITCH MONO

Bridge Hookup

AMP MODE SWITCH BRIDGE

Passive Speaker (Mackie C300)

TAPCO Juice Features

OL SIG

FRONT PANEL FEATURES

1. Level
These two knobs control the levels of Channels A and B. The knobs are detented to make it easy to set both controls to the same level. Usually, these controls are set all the way up. The ampliers are designed so that a +3.4 dBu (1.15V rms) input signal drives the amplier to full power into 4 ohms: J800 = 300 watts per channel into 4 ohms J1400 = 450 watts per channel into 4 ohms J2500 = 750 watts per channel into 4 ohms This equates to a gain of about 30 dB (30 dB, 32 dB, and 34 dB respectively). The graphics around the knob indicate full gain of (about) 30 dB when the knob is all the way up (fully clockwise). After you have set the levels for the mixer (or other signal source), adjust the Level controls on the amplier as the nal adjustment to set the overall volume for the system.

This is short for overload. These red LEDs indicate when the output of the amplier has reached the maximum, and is right on the hairy edge of clipping. Clipping is bad for speakers and should be avoided. It is okay if the OL LED blinks occasionally. It means that the transient peaks of the music are just hitting the full output of the amplier. However, if the OL (overload) LED is blinking frequently or continuously, turn down the source signal (i.e., the mixers master faders) or the ampliers Level controls.

4. POWER

This handy switch turns the power amplier on and off. When the amplier is on, the POWER LED lights to let you know Juice is ready and rarin to go!

REAR PANEL FEATURES

5. Power Cord Socket
Here is where you connect the detachable power cord that came in the box with your amplier. Plug the other end of the power cord into an AC outlet properly congured with the voltage required for your particular model.

2. SIG

This is short for signal present. These green LEDs indicate when a signal is present after the Level controls, at the output stage of the power amplier. If the Level controls are turned all the way down (fully counterclockwise), these indicators will not light.

STEREO/MONO BRIDGED

6. BREAKER
This is a resettable circuit breaker that monitors the amount of current being drawn by the amplier. Under normal operating conditions, this should never pop. An unusual condition may cause the breaker to pop, such as a mains voltage surge occurring at the same time as a peak amplier output. Turn the POWER switch off, and push the BREAKER button in to reset the circuit breaker. Turn the POWER switch back on and the amplier should resume normal operation. If the circuit breaker pops again, something probably isnt right. Make sure that the total impedance of the speakers connected to the outputs is 2 ohms or greater (per channel) in stereo mode, or 4 ohms or greater in bridged mode. If the breaker pops right away, even with the Level controls turned down and the speakers disconnected, there may be something wrong inside the amplier. Refer to Appendix A: Service Info.

10. CLIP LIMIT

The CLIP LIMIT switch is there to protect your loudspeakers from the effects of clipping. It is designed to be virtually transparent, meaning you probably wont even notice any audible difference when the switch is turned on. We recommend that you leave this switch on at all times. However, if you are working at quiet levels, or you have already placed a compressor/limiter in the signal path, you can leave the CLIP LIMIT switch off.

11. AMP MODE

This switch determines the input signal routing within the amplier. For most applications, you will use the STEREO setting. However, some applications might be better suited for using either the MONO or the BRIDGE setting. STEREO: This mode accepts separate left and right inputs (A and B), and routes them to the CHANNEL A and CHANNEL B outputs. Each channels Level control adjusts the gain for its own channel. MONO: This mode accepts a single input (INPUT A), and routes it to both the CHANNEL A and CHANNEL B outputs. Each channels Level control adjusts the gain for its own channel. BRIDGE: This mode accepts a single input (INPUT A), and uses both amplier outputs to double the power to one speaker (or set of speakers). Use the Channel A Level control to adjust the gain (turn the Channel B Level control all the way down). See Output Wiring on page 11 for information on how to connect a speaker in Bridge mode.

7. SPEAKER OUTPUTS

Connect your speakers to these Speakon output jacks. There are three Speakon connectors on the back of the Juice ampliers. Use the two outer connectors (CHANNEL A and CHANNEL B) when using stereo or mono modes. Use the center connector (BRIDGED) when using bridge mode. See Output Wiring on page 11 for information on output connection wiring.

8. INPUTS

The Juice ampliers give you two options for connecting the input signal XLR input connectors and 1/4 TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) connectors. These inputs are in parallel, and are identical, electrically speaking. You can connect either a balanced or an unbalanced signal here. Since these two inputs are in parallel, you shouldnt connect more than one source to the INPUT A or INPUT B jacks. However, you can use the unused input jack as a Thru connector, to daisy-chain the signal to another amplier. See Input Wiring on page 10 for information on input connection wiring.

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS

Rack Mounting

The Juice ampliers are designed to be mounted in a standard rack. They require two rack spaces (2U = 3.5). They also require 15.75 depth inside the rack, including the rear support brackets. When designing your rack, put the heavier items at the bottom and the lighter items toward the top. Secure the front panel of the amplier to the front of the rack using four screws with soft washers to prevent scratching the panel. In addition, because of the weight of the amplier, you must secure the rear support brackets of the amplier to the back of the rack. You could use a support rail or shelf across the back of the rack, or angle brackets attached between the rear support rails and the rear rails of the rack. This is recommended for all components mounted in a rack that is going to be moved frequently (or thrown in the back of a pickup truck and transported down a bumpy gravel road to that outdoor festival!).

9. SUBSONIC FILTER

Turn this switch on to engage a low-frequency cutoff (high-pass) lter at 30 Hz. The Juice ampliers can amplify signals below 20 Hz, but most speakers cant reproduce frequencies that low. By engaging the SUBSONIC FILTER, you allow the amplier to power only the frequencies that you can hear. In addition, this lter can remove low-frequency stage noise (footsteps) and accidental microphone pops that could damage a loudspeaker.

Thermal Considerations

The Juice ampliers are fan-cooled with two separate fans. One fan brings cool air in from the back and the other fan blows the warm air out the front of the chassis. Make sure that cool air is available at the back of the amplier, and that there is room in the front for the warm air to exit from the amplier and dissipate. If rack-mounted, make sure the air being drawn from the rack is cool. Some rack-mounted equipment expel warm air into the rack. When the amplier is rst turned on, the fans run at low speed. As the power output increases and the amp warms up, the fans gradually increase in speed to provide additional cooling.
use a high-quality 2-conductor shielded cable. Your TAPCO Dealer can recommend a suitable cable for your application. When connecting a balanced signal, the connectors are wired thusly, according to the AES (Audio Engineering Society) standards: XLR Pin 2 Pin 3 Pin 1 TRS Tip Ring Shield

SHIELD HOT

Hot (+) Cold () Shield (Gnd)

AC Power Considerations

Be sure the amplier is plugged into an AC outlet that is able to supply the specied voltage. Be sure the AC outlet can supply enough current to allow full power operation of all the ampliers plugged into it. The outlet should be a three-prong socket that matches the power cord. WARNING: Bypassing the plugs safety ground pin can be dangerous. Dont do it!

SHIELD COLD HOT

Balanced XLR Connector

RING SLEEVE

SLEEVE RING TIP

TIP RING TIP

The AC current demand of an amplier varies depending on several factors, including the load impedance, the crest factor, and the duty cycle of the program material. Under typical conditions reproducing rock music where musical peaks are just below clipping, the Juice ampliers require the following average currents. J800 = 5 A J1400 = 7 A J2500 =10 A It is recommended that a stiff supply of AC power be used because the amplier places high current demands on the AC line. The more power that is available on the line, the louder the amplier will play and the more peak output power will be available for cleaner, punchier bass. If you have more than one amplier sharing an AC outlet, you should avoid turning them all on at the same time. Rather, sequence them on, one at a time, to prevent popping the circuit breaker (due to in-rush current).

SLEEVE

Balanced 1/4" TRS Plug Unbalanced TS (Tip-Sleeve) lines can be accommodated via the TRS jack. Make sure the cord terminates with a TS plug (like a guitar plug), or if it is a TRS plug (like a headphone plug), make sure the ring is tied to the shield, preferably at the source.

SLEEVE SLEEVE TIP

TIP TIP
Unbalanced 1/4" TS Plug
If you set the AMP MODE switch to MONO or BRIDGE, use the INPUT A input only.

Input Wiring

Use a high-quality 3-conductor shielded cable to connect the signal between the signal source (mixing console, equalizer, etc.) and the balanced inputs to the amplier. If you are using unbalanced inputs,
Using the 1/4" TRS Input as a Thru Connector Because the XLR connector and the 1/4" TRS connector are in parallel, you can use the 1/4" TRS jack as a Thru connector to pass the input signal on to another ampliers input (see Figure below).
Note: If you use an unbalanced 1/4" TS cable to daisy-chain the TRS input jack to another amplier, you will unbalance the XLR input on the Juice amplier. This negates the benets associated with balanced lines and inputs.

Using the 1/4" TRS Input as a Thru Connector

CLOSER

In MONO and BRIDGE modes, INPUT A and INPUT B are connected together in parallel. This allows you to use INPUT B as a Thru connector to daisy-chain the input signal to another amplier.

Output Wiring

Use heavy gauge, stranded wire for connecting speakers to the Speakon outputs jacks. As the distance between the amplier and the speakers increases, the thickness of the wire should also increase. Speaker wire has resistance, and when electricity passes through a resistor, power is lost. The thicker the wire, the less resistance it offers, and the more power actually gets to the speaker. The thickness of the wire is rated in gauges. Use the chart at the right to determine the correct gauge of wire to use according to the distance between the speakers and the amplier, and the impedance of the load the amplier is driving. This ensures that the power lost across the speaker wire is less than 0.5 dB.
Load Wire Length Impedance Up to 25 ft. 8 Up to 40 ft. 8 Up to 60 ft. 8 Up to 100 ft. 8 Up to 150 ft. 8 Up to 250 ft. 8
Gauge of Wire 14 gauge 16 gauge 18 gauge 12 gauge 14 gauge 18 gauge 10 gauge 12 gauge 16 gauge 8 gauge 10 gauge 14 gauge 6 gauge 8 gauge 12 gauge 4 gauge 6 gauge 10 gauge
Stereo and Mono Modes When using stereo or mono modes, wire the Speakon connectors as shown below:

COLD HOT

1 2+ 2 1+
Stereo and Mono Speakon Connection Bridge Mode When using bridge mode, wire the Speakon connector as follows:

AMPLIFIER END

Dual-Channel Connection The BRIDGED connector has the added feature of providing both speaker outputs on a single connector. This allows you to use a single cable to carry both channels from the amplier to the speakers. Many speakers with Speakon connectors provide an Input connector and a Thru connector for connecting a second speaker in parallel. You can use the Thru connector to connect the CHANNEL B amplier output to the Channel B speaker. In stereo mode, CHANNEL A output is available at Pins 1+ and 1, and CHANNEL B is available at Pins 2+ and 2 on the BRIDGED connector. Wire all four pins in the Speakon connector, as shown below, at both ends of the cable. For the cable connecting the Thru connector to the second speaker, you need to use a crossover cable that connects pins 2+ and 2 on the Thru connector to pins 1+ and 1 on the second speaker input end.

1 2+ 1+ SPEAKER END 2

Bridged Speakon Connection
Passive Speakers (Mackie C300s) AMP MODE SWITCH STEREO

CHANNEL A COLD

TO FIRST SPEAKER INPUT

SPEAKER END

FROM "THRU" OUTPUT

TO SECOND SPEAKER INPUT

COLD CHANNEL B
Crossover Cable (Pin 2+ to Pin 1+ Pin 2 to Pin 1)
FROM "THRU" 2+ OUTPUT

1+ HOT 2

Dual-Channel Speakon Connection
Appendix A: Service Information

Warranty Service

Details concerning Warranty Service are spelled out in the Warranty section on page 19. If you think your amplier has a problem, please do everything you can to conrm it before calling for service. Doing so might save you from the deprivation of your amplier and the associated suffering. These may sound obvious to you, but here are some things you can check. Read on.
One side is way louder than the other
Are both Level controls set to the same position? Check your source signal to make sure the left and right signals are balanced. Are the speaker impedances matched? Different speaker loads can cause different volume levels on each side. Try switching sides: Turn off the amp, swap the speaker cables at the amp, turn the amp back on. If the same side is still louder, the problem is with your speaker cabling. If the other side is louder now, the problem is with the mixer, the amp, or the line-level cabling.

Troubleshooting

No Power
Our favorite question: Is it plugged in? Make sure the AC outlet is live (check with a tester or lamp). Our next favorite question: Is the POWER switch on? If not, try turning it on. Is the red LED next to the POWER switch illuminated? If not, make sure the AC outlet is live. If so, refer to No Sound below. Has the BREAKER switch popped? Try pushing in the BREAKER switch. If it pops out again right away, refer to Repair on the next page. The AC fuse inside the amplier is blown. This is not a user-serviceable part. Refer to Repair on the next page to nd out how to proceed.
The stereo music sounds kind of sideways, and the bass frequencies diminish when standing center, but get louder as you approach one side
Check the polarity of the speaker cable connections. You may have your positive and negative reversed at one end of one speaker cable.
As soon as the music gets loud, the amp shuts down
Check the OL LEDs and make sure that they are not lighting continuously. If they are, turn down the signal source or the Level controls on the amp. Can the amp breathe? The amplier draws its ventilation air in from the back. It needs plenty of fresh air to stay cool. Do not block the ventilation holes.

No Sound

Are the channel Level controls turned up? Slowly turn them up and see if you hear anything. Is the signal source turned up? Make sure the signal level from the mixing console (or whatever device immediately precedes the amplier) is high enough to produce sound in the amplier. The SIG LEDs should be blinking to indicate that signal is present. If the speakers are wired for BRIDGE mode, make sure the AMP MODE switch is set to BRIDGE. If the amplier has gotten extremely hot, the thermal protection circuit may have activated. Allow the amplier to cool down and normal operation should resume. Are there fuses in the speakers, or in-line fuses in the speaker wire? Check em to see if theyre blown. Make sure the speakers are working properly.

Please keep your sales receipt in a safe place. Mackie., the Running Man gure, and TAPCO are registered trademarks of Mackie Designs Inc. Juice is a trademark of Mackie Designs Inc. All other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders, and are hereby acknowledged. 2003 Mackie Designs Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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