SMD HLC2 Active High-Level Converter Owner’s Manual

: June 5, 2024
: SMD

Table of Contents

SMD HLC2 Active High-Level Converter
Features
Description and about the Design
Specifications
Installation
Bypass (crossover off)
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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: