DS18 X1 Ultra Compact Class D 1 Channel Amplifier Owner’s Manual
- June 5, 2024
- DS18
Table of Contents
DS18 X1 Ultra Compact Class D 1 Channel Amplifier Owner’s Manual
WHERE ARE YOU HEADED?
Thank you for choosing DS18/X series amplifier!
Your choice of candy series amps indicates a desire for high quality music
reproduction in the automobile. DS18/X amplifier brings to you over four
decades of car audio expertise. So weather you are a daily driver music lover,
or a serious car audio competitor. DS18/X amplifiers have the product for you.
To take full advantage of the DS18/X amplifier gear you have just purchased,
please read and follow the instructions in this manual. As with all of our
products, professional installation by an authorized dealer is highly
recommended. Otherwise, the performance of your new gear may not be
satisfactory.
In addition to the installation services and expertise offered by an
authorized DS18/X amplifier dealer, the warranty of this product may be
extended when installed by an authorized DS18/X amplifiar dealer.
Be sure to ask your authorized DS18/X amplifiar dealer about wheather your
product may qualify for an extended warranty. You are headed in the right
direction with DS18/X amplifier.
INTRODUCTION
The DS18/X amplifier for high quality audio reproduction for the audiophile
and the everyday listener a like. Allowing you the ability to taylor the sound
to best fit the speakers and your listening preferences ensures solid
electrical connections that resist corrosion. Fully variable crossover.
Aditionally, they may be used in conjuction with outboard passive or active
crossovers, depending on the complexity required by the system. the 12dB per
octave slope offers steep roll-off above or below the selected frequency.
Protection circuitry against overload, short circuit, thermal, low voltage,
high voltage, and reverse polarity.
This protecction features are designed to protect the amplifier from missuse,
as well as from common causes of amplifier failure.
INSTALLATION
Professional installation by an authorized DS18/X Series amps dealer is highly
recommended!
Otherwise, the performance of your new gear may not be satisfactory. In the
event that you decide to do your own installation, please read and follow this
manual very carefully. Failure to do so may compromise the integrity of this
product, your automobile, and possibly avoid the product warranty.
Amplifiers are generally mounted in the hatch/trunk are of a car or SUV, and
under or behind the seat of most pick up trucks.
Select a location that will provide adequate ventilation for the amplifier.
Avoid mounting the amplifier with the fins facing down.
The fins should be facing up, either vertically or horizontally. Secure the
amplifier with the screws provided.
INPUT
Before securing the amplifier, inspect the mounting location carefully to ensure that you do not drill into or damage any electrical, hydraulic, fluid or fuel lines.
Input Section
Because of the wide range of head unit output configurations all DS18/X Series
amps have an adjustable input sensitivity of “Gain”, The gain is not a volume
or a power limiting control like a throttle.
It makes the amp more sensitive to input from the stereo. With the gain up the
amp will reach full output at a lower volume setting on the deck. At higher
gain settings the amp also becomes more sensitive to noise from the car’s
electrical system. Try to run the gain at the lowest setting possible for your
system.
There is no correct gain setting. Because speakers require different power demands to reach the same output, the gains most often need to be used to compensate for these differences. If you, tried to set all the gains at half way you would probably find the system didn’t sound very good. Using good judgement and listening carefully to each speaker is still the best way to tune a system.
CROSSOVER CONTROLS
A crossover is a device that removes unwanted frequencies from a speaker or
amplifier. A tweeter can easily be destroyed by bass notes if they are not
filtered out. Likewise a subwoofer will not sound natural if it is playing
midrange notes.
A crossover removes these sounds from the speaker.
As you might guess, careful adjustment in need to ensure that all the speakers
are playing the right sounds and that you are left with no “holes” or low
spots in the frequency response.
SPEAKER OUTPUTS
This amplifier is a multi channel amplifier design.
Meaning it has more than one channel of speaker outputs. It is equipped with a
quick disconnected plugs for speaker connection. Make this connection
carefully and neatly. Strip your wire back and twist the exposed leads and
insert them into the block terminal while being careful that there is no loose
or frayed strands of wire and tighten the flat head screw down on the terminal
till the wire is tightly secured in place.
If the wires ever come in contact with each other the amplifier will go into
protection. Know your total ohm load before you make any connections.
INSTALLATION OF X1
NOTE
If Only connect ONE subwoofer whether #1 or #2, the maximum
Impedance of subwoofer requires 1 ohm;
If connect BOTH subwoofer on #1 and #2, the maximum impedance of each
subwoofer require 2 ohm!
INSTALLATION OF X2
INSTALLATION OF X4
X4 BRIDGED MODE
WARRANTY
Please visit our website DS18.com for more information on our warranty policy.
We reserve the right to change products and specifications at any time without
notice.
Images may or may not included optional equipment.
SPECIFICATIONS
| CLAss | CLAss-D / DIGITAL | CLAss-D / DIGITAL | CLAss-D / DIGITAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| R TYPE | MICRO MONOBLOCK AMP | MICRO STEREO FULL RANGE | MICRO STEREO FULL RANGE |
| CHANNELS | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| TOTAL WATTS (PEAK) | 900W | 1140W | 1320W |
| RMS POWER @ 4 OHM | 140W X 1CH | 140W X 2CH | 70W X 4CH |
| RMS POWER @ 2 OHM | 2200W X 1CH | 230W X 2CH | 140W X 4CH |
| RMS POWER @ 1 OHM | 300W X 1CH | – | – |
| RMS POWER @ 4 OHM BRIDGE | – | 380W X 1CH | 220W X 2CH |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20HZ-500HZ | 20HZ-20KHZ | 20HZ-20KHZ |
| SIGNAL/NOISE RATIO | >90 | >90 | >90 |
| CY @ 4OHM | >80% | >80% | >80% |
| DAMPING FACTOR | >200 | >201 | >202 |
| THD % / DISTORCION ARMONICA TOTAL (THD)% | <0.2% | <0.2% | <0.2% |
| LOW LEVEL INPUT RANGE | 0.2-5V | 0.2-5V | 0.2-5V |
| SELECTABLE X-OVER | FIXED LPF | LPF/FLAT/HPF | LPF/FLAT/HPF |
| X-OVER FILTER RANGE | 50HZ-250HZ | 40HZ-400HZ | FIXED 80HZ |
| BASS BOOST RANGE | 0-18 | – | – |
| BASS BOOST FREQUENCY | 40HZ | – | – |
| INFRAS LTER | 10-55HZ | – | – |
| PHASE SELECTOR | 0 – 180 DEGREES | – | – |
| MINIMUM IMPEDANCE | 1 OHM | 2 OHM | 2 OHM |
| LED INDICATOR | POWER/PROTECTION | POWER/PROTECTION | POWER/PROTECTION |
| POWER INPUT SIZE | 12gA | 12gA | 12gA |
| FUSE RATING | 30A | 40A | 45A |
| REMOTE LEVEL CONTROL | YES – DASH MOUNT | – | – |
| THERMAL PROTECTION | YEs / SI | YEs / SI | YEs / SI |
| OVER-LOAD PROTECTION | YEs / SI | YEs / SI | YEs / SI |
| DC OUTPUT PROTECTION | YEs / SI | YEs / SI | YEs / SI |
| SHORT CIRCUIT OUTPUT PROTECTION | YEs / SI | YEs / SI | YEs / SI |
| VOLTAGE INPUT PROTECTION | YEs / SI | YEs / SI | YEs / SI |
| DIMENSIONS LXWXH (INCHES) | 5.54 X 3.24 X 1.37” / |
140.8 X 82.4 X 34.8 MM
| 5.54 X 3.24 X 1.37” /
140.8 X 82.4 X 34.8 MM
| 5.54 X 3.24 X 1.37” /
140.8 X 82.4 X 34.8 MM
HEATSINK LENGTH| 4.75” / 120.8MM| 4.75” / 120.8MM| 4.75” / 120.8MM
COMPACT SIZE TO EASY INSTALLATION FOR ANY APPLICATIONS| YES / SI| YEs / SI|
YEs / SI
STABLE/RELIABLE FOUR LAYERs TRACEs PCB DESIGN| YEs / SI| YEs / SI| YEs / SI
SURFACE MOUNT COMPONENT| YEs / SI| YEs / SI| YEs / SI
AUDIO PRECIsION QUALITY CONTROL CATION| YEs / SI| YEs / SI| YEs / SI
CATION 2CH/4CH INPUT SELECTOR| NO / NO| NO / NO| YEs / SI
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
- Before you start disconnect the negative cable from the battery. Tape up the end so it is isolated from the battery.
- Run an appropiate gauge wire from the battery to the amplifier. Plan this part of the installation carefully. This cable will carry very high current. If it should short to the body and it is not properly fused it could catch fire.
- Connect the power wire to the battery using a fuse capable of the total current load of all amplifiers connected. Don’t install the fuse yet. Wait until the end. Locate the fuse as close as posible to the battery. The fuse is further that 18 inches (wire lenght) from the battery you should reevaluate the wire and fuse paclement.
- Find the closest clear metal area to the amp for a ground. Sand, grind or scrape all paint and undercoating from the body and mscrew the ground securely in place. It is advisible to test the ground with an ohmmeter between the ground cable and the negative battery cable to ensure a good low resistance connection. Some alloys used in some modern cars do not offer the best ground. If you believe this is the case, consult with the vehicle manufacturer.
- Run the speaker wire to the speakers. it is advised that you leave some extra wire at this point! You can clean it up later.
- If you haven’t already done so, mount the amp now.
- Connect the power and ground to the amplifier (only after this step should you install the fuse at the battery)
- Connect the remote wire from the head unit to the amplifier. Now is a good time to turn on the amplifier for the first time and make sure it turns on properly and does not go into protection.
- Connect the speaker wires to the amp and speakers (make sure the amp is off first) make sure the polarity (+ and -) are correct
- Connect the RCA’s to the amp.
- Double check the amplifier’s control at this time. Make sure everything is set correctly for your system.
- Now you are ready to play it for the first time. It is best to leave the gain all the way down at first. Start with the head unit volume low and make your way up.
- Now you can tune the amp. Take your time and make only one adjustment at a time. It may take some time to get the system fully adjusted. During this time the amp is drawing current from the battery. You should check the battery voltage from time to time and recharge it if it gets low . That’s it . You are done, have fun !