MTX Audio TA3401 - Manual (Page 3)

2. Speaker Wire Connections – When installing the speaker wires, please take proper measures to protect them.
For example, when connecting the door speakers, the speaker wire should run from the amplifier’s output
terminals, under the carpet and through the factory rubber boot (loom) that protects the wires in the inner
door jam. If the factory boot cannot be used, take other measures to protect these wires. Sometimes the door
has to be completely removed to use the factory boot. If this is something that you do not feel comfortable
doing, please ask a professional to help you.
When connecting the speaker wires to the amplifier please observe the printed polarity markings on the
amplifier’s StreetWires connector. Failing to wire the speakers in proper phase could result in a loss of bass
response and/or poor overall sound quality.
These amps will have two PARALLELED speaker terminals, a positive and negative for a single woofer and
OPTIONAL second set of positive and negative terminals for a two woofer configuration. These amps can
drive a minimum of a 2-ohm load.
Note: Please pay attention and make sure the speakers or woofers are the correct IMPEDANCE (OHMS) BEFORE
attaching to the amplifier.
3. Power Terminals – When installing the power wires, please take proper measures to protect them as best you
can. For example, when running the power cable from the vehicle’s battery through the firewall, use a firewall
bushing for protection. Continue running the power wire through the interior of the vehicle under the carpet
and to the amplifier. If this is something that you do not feel comfortable doing, please ask a professional to
help you. Be sure to lay the power wire away from all signal cables.
When connecting the power wires to the amplifier please observe the printed markings on the amplifier’s
StreetWires power connector. Failing to wire the power cables properly could result in amplifier damage.
1. +12V: This is the main power input for the amplifier and must be connected directly to the positive terminal of
the car battery for the amplifier to operate properly. It is important that a main fuse is installed a maximum of
18” from the battery.
2. GND: This is the ground connection for the amplifier and must be connected directly to the metal chassis
of the vehicle for the amplifier to operate properly. A properly grounded amplifier can be run harder and
longer then a poorly grounded amplifier. The ground on the amplifier should be as short as possible and
be connected directly to the vehicle’s metal chassis. Do not connect to factory bolts of ANY kind. When
attaching the ground to the chassis, sand all the paint away from the contact point, a grounding block like the
StreetWires GT4 should be used whenever possible, this piece of equipment has 5 times the surface area a
normal screw has.
The gauge of the power and ground wire is often an overlooked aspect of amplifier installation. The more
power the amplifier receives, the more power it will produce. Power cables have a natural resistance, and
will lose voltage by the time the power makes its way to the amplifier. The larger gauge (diameter) wire will
hold more voltage over longer runs. Also by having a larger diameter ground wire, the amplifier can run
more efficiently. MTX recommends using a minimum of 8 gauge power and ground cables to get the best
performance.
3. REM: This connection turns the amplifier on and off and needs to be connected to a remote Turn-on wire from
your source unit if you are using a low level input connection.
Note: When numerous amplifiers are used in the same system, look into using a relay with a separate power wire
connected to an alternative power source to take the strain off the source unit. Normal source units can only
keep a constant 12 volts to 2 maybe 3 amps. This wire should also be run on the away from the RCA cables.
Double check all the previous connection installation steps, in particular, the speaker and power wiring.
Securely mount the amplifier. If everything is in order, reconnect the vehicles negative battery connection and
begin following the feature setup and adjustment steps.