THREE.
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THREE.2 tm In-Dash Table Of Contents Introduction Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Congratulations on your purchase of a truly unique and versatile product, the AudioControl THREE.2, the latest and greatest in the family of AudioControl in-dash signal processors. More than just an equalizer, the THREE.2 is a complete system controller/pre-amp, just like you find in the best audiophile home sound systems. The THREE.
® Features of the THREE.2 QUICK INSTALLATION INFO For those of you who are short on time and brimming with confidence, or caffeine for that matter, refer to pages 8 to 13 (Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9). As a matter of reference the THREE.
THREE.2 tm In-Dash FEATURES AND HIGHLIGHTS The following section will tell you about all of the nifty features of your THREE.2. Knowing these features will help you maximize the performance of your THREE.2 in-dash preamp/equalizer/crossover. You will also score points with your fellow autosound buddies. Graphic Stereo Equalization: The THREE.2 turns the dashboard of your car into a mini-mixing board, just like that in a recording studio. The THREE.2 has three frequency controls set at 125Hz, 1.
® output voltage of a head unit and increases it 20dB (up to 13 volts peak) and then delivers it downstream to the amplifier inputs. Master Volume: The THREE.2 has a big master volume KNOB (no annoying up & down switches for us) to control the signal output to the amplifiers. Raise the volume level on your source units to their maximum and you will never need to touch them again.
THREE.2 tm In-Dash A GUIDED TOUR OF THE THREE.2 1. Aux Input: An 1/8” jack on the front panel allows an Auxiliary input to be plugged in quickly and easily at any time. Plugging into the front Aux In jack will automatically override the Rear Aux In. When you unplug from the front jack, the rear jack will again be active. Cool eh? 2. Graphic Equalization Bands: Three stereo controls centered at 125Hz, 1.25KHz, and 10 KHz with 12dB of boost or cut.
® 7. Source: The source button lets you pick between the MAIN differentially balanced input and the active Auxiliary input 10 9 8 Unbalanced Balanced 11 13 INPUT SELECTOR 12 9. Output Jacks: Next to the inputs are the outputs, which should be connected to the front, rear and subwoofer amplifiers, if applicable. Ground Isolated 10. Power Connections: This nifty connector is a blessing to anyone who has tried to wire up their gear with their head crammed under the dash.
THREE.2 tm In-Dash shipped in the unbalanced mode, which is often best, it may be necessary to change this depending upon the configura tion of the components you use. To change this, move the appropriate jumper on the 3-pin header. 12. Input Gain Control: This potentiometer (aka “pot”) is used to increase the amount of signal voltage to your power amplifiers. With this control you can provide up to 13 Volts (peak) to your amplifier’s inputs.
® INSTALLING YOUR THREE.2 IN-DASH SYSTEM CONTROLLER Having absorbed everything in the manual up to this point, then you probably know we endorse having a pro fessional install your THREE.2, as it would be in your best interest for performance and it will extend your warranty to 5 years. Above and beyond having all of the appropriate techni cal know-how and experience, they have lots of cool tools. If you are still with us and are feeling confident, then read on... A. Placement and Mounting the THREE.
THREE.2 tm In-Dash B. THREE.2 Power Wiring • ENLIGHTENING INFO • Disconnect the negative terminal of your car’s battery before working on any electrical connections. Failure to do so could lead to a dramatic spark in your life. Remote Turn-On: Connect a 22 to 18 gauge wire from the head-unit’s remote turn-on to the “Remote” connector on the THREE.2. Positive(+12V) Connection: Insert an 18 gauge or larger wire into the connector labeled “Power” on the nifty connector of your THREE.2.
® Front, rear and subwoofer amplifier C. THREE.2 Audio Wiring Planning: As you may already have guessed, there are numerous ways to configure the THREE.2 in your audio system. Spend a little quality time planning out your system and even sketching it out on paper if you can. The following diagrams are just a few of the possibilities. Figure 5: THREE.
THREE.2 tm In-Dash Four channel and subwoofer amplifier Figure 6: THREE.2 source unit, 4 channel amp and sub amplifier RV/Boat without a fixed source unit Figure 7: The THREE.
® Simple 2-way system D. Level Matching Many manufacturers claim that their source units produce signal voltages in the area of 2 to 4 volts. However, what they neglect to mention is that you only achieve these incredible voltage levels when the volume is turned all the way up. Try listening to that all of the time. By following the level matching steps for the THREE.2 you will be able to take full advantage of the high voltage output of your head unit. 1.
THREE.2 tm In-Dash 3. Using a small screwdriver, adjust the “Input Gain” control on the top of the THREE.2 until the yellow “Maximized” LED starts to flicker with the music (NOTE: If the Maximized light does not come on, because of the low output of the source unit, turn the Input Gain pot to maximum). 4. Turn off the entire system and attach the output RCA’s from the THREE.2 to the next component in line. 5.
® Para-BASS ® Controls: The Para-BASS® system control works with any system that can reproduce bass in the 40-80Hz range. The bass response in a system is affected by four factors (1) the acoustics of the vehicle, (2) the location of the speakers, (3) the music source you are listening to and (4) the speakers used. Because of the variations in the recording process, we developed The Epicenter™ to help restore any low frequencies lost during the recording process.
THREE.2 tm In-Dash If You Like The THREE.2, You’ll Love... G. Troubleshooting Problem Suggestions No Sound 1. Is the “Source” button in the wrong position? 2. Is an Aux in plugged in but not turned on? 3. Check “Power” and remote turn on for proper voltage. (Is power light on?) 4. Center the fader control. 5. Turn up “Input Gain” control. 6. Check ground connections. Hiss 1. Turn down amp gains 2. Turn down amp gains 3. Turn down amp gains 4. Adjust source unit output Distorting Speakers 1.
® The WARRANTY People are scared of warranties. Lots of fine print. Months of waiting around. Well, fear no more, this warranty is designed to make you rave about us to your friends. It’s a warranty that looks out for you and helps you resist the temptation to have your friend, “...who’s good with electronics”, try to repair your AudioControl product. So go ahead, read this warranty, then take a few days to enjoy your new THREE.2 before registering on-line and giving us your comments.
THREE.2 tm In-Dash THREE.2 SPECIFICATIONS All specifications are measured at 14.4 VDC (standard automotive voltage). As technology advances, AudioControl reserves the right to continuously change our specifications, like our weather. Maximum input/output level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.5Vrms/13V peak Frequency response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Hz-20kHz;+/-1dB Total harmonic distortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.
® Making Good Sound Great ® 22410 70th Avenue West Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 USA 425-775-8461 • Fax 425-778-3166 www.audiocontrol.com © 2021, AudioControl, Inc.
