SMD HLC2 Active High-Level Converter Owner’s Manual
- June 5, 2024
- SMD
Table of Contents
SMD HLC2 Active High-Level Converter
Thank You
Congratulations on your purchase of the SMD / D’Amore Engineering HLC2 /
HLC2X. These units are designed in California, USA with pride. The HLC-2 and
HLC-2X are audiophile-quality stereo-level converters.
Features
HLC-2
- Class A/B Output
- 2-channel active high-level converter
- Balanced 2 wire high-level inputs and unbalanced RCA outputs
- Independent Left/Right gain controls
- 10V RMS Output
- Micro-power high speed mil-spec power supply
- Ultra-low distortion over entire audio spectrum
- Blue LED power good indicator
HLC-2X features all the above plus:
- 12dB/Octave Linkwitz-Riley 100% analog crossovers
- High Pass, Low Pass, or Bypass
- 60Hz, 100Hz, 150Hz selectable
Description and about the Design
The HLC-2 / HCL2X is a 2-channel active high-level converter useful for connecting aftermarket audio amplifiers to OEM audio systems that do not have RCA (low level) inputs. The HLC-2 includes a pair of independent gain controls left and right channels. The HLC-2X adds 12dB/octave Linkwitz-Riley active crossovers (High Pass, Low Pass, or bypass) with 3 selectable frequencies. The output is Class A/B, the filters are 100% analog, and it has a military-grade micro-power high-speed bi-polar boost converter power supply. This means it will deliver a super clean, distortion-free signal over the entire audio spectrum with no low-frequency roll-off, 10 Volts RMS output, all while drawing just 0.08 Amps of current. It draws so little current that one could run it from a 9V battery if they wanted to.
Specifications
- Operating voltage range for power supply: 6 – 18 VDC
- Operating voltage range for remote turn on: 6 – 18 VDC
- Frequency Response: 10Hz – 40,000Hz +/- 0.3dB
- Signal to Noise ratio: > 115dBA:
- THD+N: 20Hz – 20,000Hz < 0.005%
- THD+N: 1 kHz, 4 V RMS < 0.003%
- Maximum Input Voltage: 40 V RMS BTL
- Maximum Output Voltage:10 V RMS
- Current Draw @12.6 V: HLC-2 80mA
- Current Draw @12.6 V: HLC-2X 120mA
- Crossovers (HLC-2X): 12dB/Oct 60,100,150Hz
Installation
- Connect the BLACK wire to ground.
- Connect the RED wire to constant battery voltage.
- Connect the BLUE wire to switched voltage.
- Connect the WHITE signal wire to the left channel (+) speaker output of audio source
- Connect the WHITE with BLACK signal wire to the left channel (-) speaker output of audio source
- Connect the GREY signal wire to the right channel (+) speaker output of audio source
- Connect the GREY with BLACK signal wire to the right channel (-) speaker output of audio source
- Connect the RCA outputs to your favorite D’Amore Engineering audio amplifier, yes you can use other brands, but why?
How to set the Crossovers (HLC-2X only)
Remove access door on the bottom of HLC-2X
Looking into the bottom of the HLC-2X, the switches on your right are for the
left channel and vice versa
(because it is upside down). Not like you would want different crossovers from
left to right, but you could if you wanted to.
Set the switches like this for the desired function:
Bypass (crossover off)
All Switches to the OFF position 
High Pass 60 Hz
High Pass 100 Hz
High Pass 150Hz
Low Pass 60Hz
Low Pass 100 Hz
Low Pass 150 Hz 
D’Amore Engineering
HLC-2 / HLC-2X Owner’s Manual Rev. A 2021
Camarillo, California USA