4/3/2 CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER

KAC-8452 KAC-8402

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

B64-3017-00/01 (MV)

Safety precautions

2WARNING

To prevent injury or fire, take the following precautions:
When extending the ignition, battery, or ground wires, make sure to use automotive-grade wires or other wires with a 8 mm (AWG 8) or more to prevent wire deterioration and damage to the wire coating. To prevent a short circuit, never put or leave any metallic objects (such as coins or metal tools) inside the unit. If the unit starts to emit smoke or strange smells, turn off the power immediately and consult your Kenwood dealer. Do not touch the unit during use because the surface of the unit becomes hot and may cause burns if touched.

Cleaning the unit

If the front panel gets dirty, turn off the power and wipe the panel with a dry silicon cloth or soft cloth.

2CAUTION

Do not wipe the panel with a hard cloth or a cloth dampened by volatile solvents such as paint thinner and alcohol. They can scratch the surface of the panel and/or cause the indicator letters to peel off.

To prevent battery rise

When the unit is used in the ACC ON position without turning the engine ON, it depletes the battery. Use it after starting the engine.

Protection function

To prevent damage to the machine, take the following precautions:
Be sure the unit is connected to a 12V DC power supply with a negative ground connection. Do not open the top or bottom covers of the unit. Do not install the unit in a spot exposed to direct sunlight or excessive heat or humidity. Also avoid places with too much dust or the possibility of water splashing. When replacing a fuse, only use a new one with the prescribed rating. Using a fuse with the wrong rating may cause your unit to malfunction. To prevent a short circuit when replacing a fuse, first disconnect the wiring harness.
The protection function is activated in the following situations: This unit is equipped with a protection function for protecting this unit and your speakers from various accidents or problems that can occur. When the protection function is triggered, the Power indicator goes OFF and the amplifier stops operating. When a speaker wire may be short-circuited. When a speaker output contacts ground. When the unit malfunctions and a DC signal is sent to the speaker output. When the internal temperature is high and unit wont operate. When a ground wire of the center unit (cassette receiver, CD receiver, etc.) or this unit is not connected to a metal part serving as an electrical ground passing electricity to the battery's negative - terminal.

Wiring

Take the battery wire for this unit directly from the battery. If its connected to the vehicles wiring harness, it can cause blown fuses etc. If a buzzing noise is heard from the speakers when the engine is running, connect a line noise filter (optional) to each of the battery wire. Do not allow the wire to directly contact the edge of the iron plate by using Grommets. Connect the ground wire to a metal part of the car chassis that acts as an electrical ground passing electricity to the batterys negative - terminal. Do not turn the power on if the ground wire is not connected. Be sure to install a protective fuse in the power cord near the battery. The protective fuse should be the same capacity as the units fuse capacity or somewhat larger. For the power cord and ground, use a vehicle type (fireproof ) power wring cord with a current capacity greater than the units fuse capacity. (Use a power wiring cord with a diameter of 8 mm (AWG 8) or greater.) When more than one power amplifier are going to be used, use a power supply wiring wire and protective fuse of greater current-handling capacity than the total maximum current drawn by each amplifier.

If you experience problems during installation, consult your Kenwood dealer. If the unit does not seem to be working right, consult your Kenwood dealer.

Speaker Selection

The rated input power of the speakers that are going to be connected should be greater than the maximum output power (in Watts) of the amplifier. Use of speakers having input power ratings that are less than the output power of the amplifier will cause smoke to be emitted as well as damage. The impedance of the speakers that are going to be connected should be 2 or greater (for stereo connections), or 4 or greater (for bridged connections). When more than one set of speakers are going to be used, calculate the combined impedance of the speakers and then connect suitable speakers to the amplifier.

Combined impedance

English

Installation

Accessories
Part name Self-tapping screws (mm) Terminal cover (Power terminal) Speaker level input cable Hexagon Wrench External View Number of Items 1 1

Installation procedure

Since there are large variety of settings and connections possible according to applications, read the instruction manual well to select the proper setting and connection. 1. Remove the ignition key and disconnect the negative - terminal of the battery to prevent short circuits. 2. Set the unit according to the intended usage. 3. Connect the input and output wires of the units. 4. Connect the speaker wires. 5. Connect the power wire, power control wire and grounding wire following this order. 6. Install the installation fittings in the unit. 7. Attach the unit. 8. Connect the negative - terminal of the battery.
The rear side cover is fixed and cannot be removed. Front side cover Hexagon socket head cap screw (Mmm) Hexagon Wrench
Do not install in the below locations; (Unstable location, In a location that interferes with driving, In a location that gets wet, In a dusty location, In a place that gets hot, In a place that gets direct sunlight, In a location that gets hit by hot air) Do not install the unit under the carpet. Otherwise heat build-up occurs and the unit may be damaged. Install this unit in a location which allows heat to easily dissipate. Once installed, do not place any object on top of the unit. The surface temperature of the amplifier will become hot during use. Install the amplifier in a place where people, resins, and other substances that are sensitive to heat will not come into contact with it. When making a hole under a seat, inside the trunk, or somewhere else in the vehicle, check that there is nothing hazardous on the opposite side such as a gasoline tank, brake pipe, or wiring harness, and be careful not to cause scratches or other damage. Do not install near the dashboard, rear tray, or air bag safety parts. The installation to the vehicle should securely fasten the unit to a place in which it will not obstruct driving. If the unit comes off due to a shock and hits a person or safety part, it may cause injury or an accident. After installing the unit, check to make sure that electrical equipment such as the brake lamps, turn signal lamps and windshield wipers operate normally.

Self-tapping screw (mm) Installation board, etc. (thickness : 15 mm or more)

Connection

RCA cable or Speaker level input connection RCA cable Connections
CENTER UNIT (CD receiver, etc.) Power control wire
To prevent fire caused by a short in the wiring, connect a fusible link or breaker nearby the batterys positive terminal.
If sound is not output normally, immediately turn power off and check connections. Be sure to turn the power off before changing the setting of any switch. If the fuse blows, check wires for shorts, then replace the fuse with one of the same rating. Check that no unconnected wires or connectors are touching the car body. Do not remove caps from unconnected wires or connectors to prevent short circuits. Connect the speaker wires to appropriate speaker connectors separately. Sharing the negative wire of the speaker or grounding speaker wires to the metal body of the car can cause this unit to fail. After installation, check that the brake lamps, winkers, and wipers work properly.
RCA cable* RCA cable ground terminal

A channel input

B channel input
Speaker level input Connections
Cable Color of the connector A channel 9 White White/Black Left A channel 9 Gray Gray/Black Right B channel 9 Green Green/Black Left B channel 9 Purple Purple/Black Right
Do not connect cables and leads to both RCA cable input jacks and the speaker level input terminals simultaneously, for this may cause malfunction or damage. * Commercially available parts
Genuine-accessory car stereo (No line output center unit etc.)

Car fuse box ACC Battery

Power wire and Speaker wire connection
Power control wire Lead terminal*
B channel Right speaker Terminal cover Battery wire* Protective Fuse* B channel Left speaker A channel Right speaker A channel Left speaker

Bridged Connections

B channel Speaker (Bridged) Battery Ground wire* A channel Speaker (Bridged)

Controls

The control panel locates under the front side cover. Remove the cover to access to its controls for adjustment. (See page 3)
This is a 4 channel amplifier including 2 stereo amplifiers in a body. One amplifier is referred to as amplifier A and the other is amplifier B. This unit is compatible with a large variety of systems by combining the switches and functions described in the following.

7 Speaker level input terminals

# INPUT SELECTOR switch

This switch selects the input method of the signals to be amplified by amplifiers A and B.

1 Fuse (40 A)

If you cant find the specified capacity fuse at your store etc., consult your Kenwood dealer.
2 Battery terminal 3 Ground terminal 4 Power control terminal
Controls the unit ON/OFF.
Controls the unit power. Be sure to connect it with all the systems.
The genuine-accessory car stereo shall have a maximum power output of no more than 40 W. Do not connect the speaker output leads from a power amplifier (Optional) to the speaker level input terminals of this unit, for this may cause malfunction or damage. Do not connect cables and leads to both RCA cable input jacks and the speaker level input terminals simultaneously, for this may cause malfunction or damage. Connect the power control lead to a power supply which can be turned ON/OFF by the ignition key switch (ACC line). With this connection, shock noise may be generated when the power of the genuine-accessory car stereo is switched ON/OFF.

A B position:

Amplifies both of the signals input to amplifiers A and B.

A position:

Amplifies only signal input amplifier A with both amplifiers A and B.

$ FILTER switch (B.ch)

This switch allows to apply high-pass or low-pass filtering to the speaker outputs.
HPF (High-Pass Filter) position:
The filter outputs the band of higher frequencies than the frequency set with the "HPF FREQUENCY" control.

OFF position:

The entire bandwidth is output without filtering.
5 Speaker output terminals (A.ch/B.ch) Stereo Connections:
When you wish to use the unit as a stereo amplifier, stereo connections are used. The speakers to be connected should have an impedance of 2 or greater. When multiple speakers are to be connected, ensure that the combined impedance is 2 or greater for each channel.
8 LINE IN terminal (A.ch/B.ch) 9 LINE OUT terminal
These jacks output respectively the signals input to amplifiers A and B. They always output the stereo signals regardless of the position of the "OPERATION" switch.

LPF (Low-Pass Filter) position:
The filter outputs the band of lower frequencies than the frequency set with the "LPF FREQUENCY" control. The speaker output is automatically switched to monaural (L+R).

0 Power indicator

When the power is turned on, the Power indicator lights. If the Power indicator does not light when the power is turned on, the protection function may be activated. Check whether there is any indication of trouble. (See page 2)
% BASS BOOST switch (B.ch)
Setting this switch to "ON" emphasizes the bass. You can use the BASS BOOST for amplifier B only.

Bridged Connections:

When you wish to use the unit as a high-output monaural amplifier, bridged connections are used. (Make connections to the LEFT channel 9 and the RIGHT channel SPEAKER OUTPUT terminals.) The speakers to be connected should have an impedance of 4 or greater. When multiple speakers are to be connected, ensure that the combined impedance is 4 or greater.

ON position:

BASS BOOST is +6 dB.

BASS BOOST is OFF.

! FILTER switch (A.ch)
This switch allows to apply high-pass filtering to the speaker outputs.
^ HPF FREQUENCY control (A.ch/B.ch)
Sets the cutoff frequency when the "FILTER" switch is set to "HPF".
& LPF FREQUENCY control (B.ch)
Sets the cutoff frequency when the "FILTER" switch is set to "LPF".
The rated input of the speakers should be no less than the maximum output of the amplifier. Otherwise malfunction may result.
* INPUT SENSITIVITY control (A.ch/B.ch)
Set this control according to the pre-output level of the center unit connected with this unit, or to the maximum power output of the genuineaccessory car stereo. The sensitivities of amplifiers A and B can be adjusted independently regardless of the position of the input selector switch. Use the diagram on the right as a guide.
@ OPERATION switch (A.ch/B.ch)
The amplification methods of the signals input to amplifiers A and B can be selected independently according to the setting of this switch.
6 RCA cable ground lead terminal
When using an RCA cable with a ground lead attached, connect the ground lead to this terminal.

STEREO position:

The amplifier can be used as a stereo amplifier.

MONO (Lch) position:

Amplifies the signal input from the left side only. Set to this position and make bridged connections to use as a high-power monaural amplifier. (The input right signal is not output.)
For the pre-output level or the maximum power output, refer to the <Specifications> in the instruction manual of the center unit.

System examples

4-channel system
Front Left speaker CENTER UNIT Front Right speaker Rear Left speaker Rear Right speaker CENTER UNIT Right speaker (Bridged)
High-power 2-channel system

Left speaker (Bridged)

2-channel + Subwoofer system (1)
Left speaker (High pass) CENTER UNIT Right speaker (High pass) Subwoofer (Bridged)
2-channel + Subwoofer system (2)

Tri-mode

(High pass) Subwoofer (L + R) (Bridged)

Principle of Tri-mode

Method of frequency band division using a coil and capacitorin case of 6dB/oct. slope. Crossover Frequency 0 dB Coil (L): Passes low frequencies and blocks high frequencies. (Low pass) Capacitor (C): Passes high frequencies and blocks low frequencies. (High pass) fc=Cut of Frequency (Hz) R=Speaker Impedance ()

CENTER UNIT

Frequency L= 159 x R (mH) fc C= 159000 (F) fc R

Example:

When it is required to set a crossover frequency of 120 Hz using speakers with an impedance of 4 ohms. Prepare commercially-available coil and capacitor with the closest ratings to the results calculated from the formula above. The capacitor rating should be as close as possible to 331.25 (F) and the coil rating should be as close as possible to 5.3 (mH).
If you wish to bridge-connect a speaker, the speaker impedance must be no less than 4 ohms. Connecting a speaker with an impedance lower than 4 ohms may damage the unit. Be sure to connect capacitors to speakers to which high frequencies will be passed. Failure to do so will result in a drop of the combined impedance with the subwoofer. Ensure that the withstand voltage and current ratings of the capacitors (C) and coils (L) are sufficient.

Troubleshooting Guide

What might appear to be a malfunction in your unit may just be the result of slight misoperation or miswiring. Before calling service, first check the following table for possible problems.

PROBLEM

No sound. (No sound from one side.) (Blown fuse.)

POSSIBLE CAUSE

Input (or output) cables are disconnected. Protection circuit may be activated. Volume is too high. The speaker cord is shorted.

SOLUTION

Connect the input (or output) cables. Check connections by referring to <Protection function>. Replace the fuse and use lower volume. After check the speaker cord and fixing the cause of the short, replace the fuse. Adjust the control correctly referring to <Controls>. Connect them properly checking the + / - of the terminals and wires well. Connect the speaker wire again so that it is not pinched by anything. Set switches properly by referring to <System examples>.
The output level is too small (or too large). The sound quality is bad. (The sound is distorted.)
The input sensitivity adjusting control is not set to the correct position. The speakers wire are connected with wrong + /-polarity. A speaker wire is pinched by a screw in the car body. The switches may be set improperly.

Specifications

Specifications subject to change without notice. Audio Section..... KAC-8452 KAC-8402
Max Power Output....... 800 W Rated Power Output (+B = 14.4 V) Normal (4 ) (20 Hz 20 kHz, 0.08 % THD).... 70 W 4 Normal (4 ) (DIN : 45324 , +B = 14.4V)..... 70 W 4 Normal (2 ) (1 kHz, 0.8 % THD).....100 W 4 Bridged (4 ) (1 kHz, 0.8 % THD)......200 W 2 Frequency Response (+0, 3 dB)......5 Hz 50 kHz Sensitivity (rated output) (MAX.)...... 0.2 V Sensitivity (rated output) (MIN.)....... 5.0 V Input Impedance....... 10 k Signal to Noise Ratio....... 100 dB Low Pass Filter Frequency (18 dB/oct.) (B channel).... Hz (variable) High Pass Filter Frequency (12 dB/oct.).... Hz (variable) Bass Boost Circuit (90 Hz) (B channel)......+6 dB Operating Voltage...... 14.4 V (V allowable) Current Consumption.......40 A Installation Size (W H D)..... 286 mm Weight.......5.8 kg 720 W 60 W W W W Hz 50 kHz 0.2 V 5.0 V 10 k 100 dB Hz (variable) Hz (variable) +6 dB 14.4 V (V allowable) 40 A 286 mm 5.8 kg

Contact:

Doug Walmisley 714.434.0556
dougwalmisley@earthlink.net
KENWOOD ANNOUNCES EXPANDED LINE OF CAR AUDIO POWER AMPLIFIERS WITH INCREASED WATTAGE AND NEW COSMETIC DESIGNS
Las Vegas, NV, January 6, 2005 In a move that improves performance and boosts value, Kenwood USA Corporations Car Audio division is introducing a new series of mono and stereo power amplifiers. The nine new models boast higher power output, new performance features and sleek new cosmetics. These Kenwood power amplifiers are CEA 2006 certified and are available in monaural, stereo or fourchannel configurations.
The top three monaural amplifiers, designated the KAC-9152D with 1,800 watts maximum power, the KAC-9102D with 1,700 watts maximum power and the KAC8152D with 1,100 watts maximum power are Class D digital amplifiers and are stable down to 2 ohm impedance. All three offer a Variable Low-Pass Filter (50Hz200Hz, with a 24dB/octave filter slope), and Infrasonic Filters (Off/15Hz-25Hz with an 18dB/octave filter slope). The KAC-9152D has the unique Dual Mono Drive capability which, when used with another KAC-9152D, can be electronically strapped for over 1,800 watts of continuous power. The KAC-9152D and
KAC-8152D feature a wired remote control for Bass Boost (+18dB at 40Hz). The new models have the following suggested retail prices and will be available in March, 2005: KAC-9152D ($380), KAC-9102D ($350), and KAC-8152D ($320).
Three new stereo amplifiers, the KAC-7252 with 1,000 watts maximum power, the KAC-7202 with 920 watts maximum power and the KAC-6202 with 350 watts maximum power are also low impedance design, down to 2 ohm, and are bridgeable for monaural operation. The top two stereo amplifiers feature Variable Low-Pass Filters (50Hz-200Hz, 24dB/octave filter slope), High-Pass Filters (50Hz200Hz, 12dB/octave filter slope), a +18dB Bass Boost at 40Hz and the top model features a wired remote control. The KAC-6202 has Variable Low-Pass Filters (50Hz200Hz, 12dB/octave filter slope) and amplifier connections at both ends of the chassis. The new stereo amplifiers are available between February and April, 2005 at the following suggested retail prices: KAC-7252 ($280), KAC-7202 ($250), and KAC-6202 ($180).
Kenwood has expanded its line of four-channel amplifiers to three models. The KAC-8452 with 800 watts maximum power, the KAC-8402 with 720 watts maximum power and the KAC-6402 with 320 watts maximum power have low impedance capability and are bridgeable for 2-channel operation. All three models offer Variable Low-Pass Filters (50Hz-200Hz) and Variable High-Pass Filters (50Hz200Hz), and the entry-level model; the KAC-6402 has connections at both ends of the chassis for ease of installation. The four channel models will be available 2
between February and April, 2005 with the following suggested retail prices: KAC8452 ($320), KAC-8402 ($300), and KAC-6402 ($230). ###
Kenwood Corporate Information Founded in 1961, Kenwood USA Corporation is a leading developer and manufacturer of audio and video products for home, car, and personal use. Offering more than 250 products, Kenwood is one of the three largest selling brands of audio and video entertainment products in the United States and is recognized by consumers and the consumer electronics industry for providing superior quality, reliability and value. Kenwood Communications, based in Suwanee, GA, established in 1983, maintains a leadership position in North and South America for mobile and portable two-way radios and custom systems. Clients include prominent federal, state and local government agencies and first responders and private industry including manufacturing, contracting, security, hospitality and education. Kenwood USA Corporation, based in Long Beach, Calif., is the largest subsidiary of Kenwood Corporation (Japan).