JBL Cruise X User Guide

Cruise X

Quick Start Guide

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PURCHASE . . .

Your JBL product is designed to provide you with the performance and ease of operation you would expect from JBL

ABOUT THE MANUAL

This manual provides general installation guidelines. However, please note that proper installation of mobile audio components requires qualified experience. If you do not have the knowledge and tools to successfully perform this installation, we strongly recommend consulting an authorized JBL dealer about your installation options. Keep all instructions and sales receipts for reference.

DIMENSIONS

MOUNTING THE AMPLIFIER

Recommendations: Choose a location protected from debris, and the elements, which will not interfere with vehicle operation. Using the included stainless steel screws is the preferred method for securing the amplifier to the mounting location.

NOTE: Before securing the amplifier with mounting screws, check beneath the mounting surface to ensure you will not puncture fuel lines, brake lines, or  any vehicle wires.

WIRING FOR POWER AND GROUND

1. Connect the amplifier +12V power wire (yellow) to the positive (+12V) terminal of the vehicle’s battery.
2. Connect the remote in wire (blue) to the vehicle’s 12-volt accessory switch (such as the ignition switch).
3. Connect the ground wire to the vehicle’s chassis using a sheet metal screw and washer, or directly to the negative (ground) terminal of the vehicle’s battery. Be sure to scrape off any paint at the chassis ground location with sandpaper first.
4. OPTIONAL: Connect the remote out (blue/white) wire to the remote in the wire of an optional accessory powered subwoofer, JBL soundbar, or second Cruise X.
   NOTE: If your vehicle does not have a 12-volt accessory switch for remote-in, you can use a 2-way 12-volt toggle switch (not included) to turn the amplifier on/off. In this case, you will need to turn the switch off when not using the audio system to keep from draining your battery.

MOUNTING AND AIMING THE SPEAKERS

Mounting the front and rear speakers
Recommended mounting location: roll cage support bars in UTVs and golf carts; handlebars/horizontal bars in ATVs and motorcycles.

1. Insert the ball of the mounting bracket into the threaded cap on the back of the speaker pod. Lock in place by turning the large plastic nut clockwise.
2. Place the clamp over the desired mounting bar.
3. Thread the clamp into the speaker mounting bracket, making sure that the clamp-tightening nut is in the desired position.
4. Tighten the clamp by turning the nut clockwise with a 7mm nut driver or a flat-blade screwdriver.
   NOTE: Use caution when tightening the clamp not to push the nut into the mounting bracket housing. TIP: For a neat installation, once the clamp is tight, you can cut off the excess length of the strap. Do not cut too much of the excess length off; some slack will be required if you need to loosen the clamp to adjust the mounting bracket position. After cutting off the excess length, slide one of the included protective covers over the remaining strap and ensure it will remain secure with glue or other material, as the resulting edges will be sharp.

Aiming the speakers

The Cruise X speaker pod is capable of 22 degrees of articulation and 360 degrees of swivel. To adjust the position:

1. Loosen the large plastic nut on the ball joint by turning counter-clockwise.
2. Aim the speakers for optimum sound dispersion.
3. Tighten the large plastic nut by turning clockwise.
   Note: The nut on the ball joint is made of plastic; hand tightening is highly recommended to keep from overtightening and damaging the ring. If you would prefer to tighten using a tool, be sure to cover the ring with a cloth to protect it from damage. Do not overtighten.

CONNECTING THE SPEAKERS TO THE AMP

1. Connect the plug on the speaker cable marked “To Speaker” to the plug coming from the speaker. Insert the male plug into the female plug. Then, tighten the ring lock by turning clockwise.
2. Route wires through the vehicle along a path that is protected from debris, and the elements, which does not interfere with vehicle operation.
3. Insert the speaker cable connector marked “To Amplifier” into the appropriate connector at the amplifier’s speaker output connector.
4. Remove the “To Speaker” and “To Amplifier” labels when the connection is complete for a clean installation.
5. Repeat the process for the remaining speakers.
   Tip 1: Connect the speaker cable to the speaker first and route the cable to the amplifier mounting location to ensure that it is long enough. If you need to lengthen your cable, splice new speaker wire 6 inches from the end of the speaker cable marked “To Amplifier.” Be sure to wrap the new speaker wire in insulating material, such as heat-shrink tubing, to protect the new wire connection from debris and other elements.
   Tip 2: For a clean installation, secure the speaker wire from each speaker pod using a cable tie attached to the channel at the base of the mounting bracket. Use the remaining cable ties to secure the rest of the speaker wires to the vehicle as necessary.

REMOTE CONTROL MOUNTING AND FUNCTIONS

Flush mounting on the dash or console
1. Choose a mounting location within easy reach of the driver’s seat.
2. Drill a 25mm (1″) hole in the mounting surface.
3. Remove the L-bracket from the remote assembly by unscrewing the pressure- fit ring and sliding the bracket off.
4. Insert the remote into the pre-cut mounting surface. Secure from behind by attaching the pressure-fit ring onto the back of the remote housing. Do not overtighten.
5. Run the remote wire to the amplifier location along a protected path that will not interfere with vehicle operation. Insert the remote wire into the connector marked “remote” at the amplifier pigtail wiring connector.
Tip: Use electrical tape to seal the connection between the remote wire and the amplifier plug; this will protect it from the elements.

Surface mounting on the dash or console

1. Choose a mounting location within easy reach of the driver’s seat.
2. Use two sheet-metal screws; push through the holes on the L-bracket and screw into the mounting surface.
3. Run the remote wire to the amplifier location along a protected path that will not interfere with vehicle operation. Insert the remote wire into the connector marked “remote” at the amplifier pigtail wiring connector.
Tip: Use electrical tape to seal the connection between the remote wire and the amplifier plug; this will protect it from the elements.

Remote control functions

Bluetooth pairing| Press and hold 3 seconds; you will hear an audible alert once in  pairing mode, select JBL Cruise X on your Bluetooth device
---|---
Volume up and down| Turn knob to the right for up, and to the left for down
Play/pause| Press the button once to pause the music; press again to play
Track up| Double-press the button quickly to select the next track
Track back| Triple-press the button quickly to select the previous track

BLUETOOTH PAIRING

1. Pair your Bluetooth device:
• Press and hold 3 seconds. You will hear an audible alert and the blue LED ring at the base of the remote is flashing to indicate pairing mode.
• Once in pairing mode, select JBL Cruise X on your Bluetooth device.
• A solid blue LED ring at the base of the remote indicates that your Bluetooth device has successfully paired with the JBL Cruise X.
NOTE: The JBL Cruise X features an attenuation selector switch for the rear speakers on the amplifier control panel. Once you have paired your Bluetooth device, play music and listen at normal volume levels of front and rear speakers. If the rear speakers sound too loud relative to the front speakers, apply -3dB or -6dB of attenuation to the rear speakers using the selector switch on the amplifier end panel.

PHONE CHARGING, EXTRA SOURCES, ANDADDING EXTRA SPEAKERS

The JBL Cruise X features additional wire connections to make installation as flexible as possible, and to allow you to add extra sources and functionality:
1. A USB input with 5V/1A charging for connecting and charging your Bluetooth device.
2. An RCA AUX Output allows you to use the JBL Cruise X as the primary audio source while plugging in additional powered speakers, or powered subwoofer, using RCA patch cables. A remote output wire enables auto turn-on of the powered accessory product/s.
3. An RCA AUX Input allows you to use the JBL Cruise X as a powered speaker system while plugging in the audio signal from an external source, such as a head unit or JBL soundbar using RCA patch cables.
Note: Bluetooth® audio playback will automatically take priority over playback from a source connected to the AUX inputs. The AUX input will play automatically if Bluetooth ® is paused or no audio signal is present. The USB input is for charging only, and does not support audio playback.

SPECIFICATIONS

TROUBLESHOOTING

No Sound (amplifier green LED is on)

• Check the source device volume control to ensure is not turned all the way down.
• If you are trying to listen to a Bluetooth device, make sure the source is paired and connected to the amplifier.

No Sound (amplifier red LED is on)

• Check that +12V and GND connections are properly connected.
• Check if the fuse is on the +12V wire is located near the battery. If it is blown, replace it with an identical fuse.
• Check the fuse located on the amplifier pigtail wiring. If it is blown, replace it with an identical fuse.
• Confirm that the vehicle electrical system is supplying between 8V and 17V DC to the amplifier. If the supply voltage is outside of this range, correct the condition before attempting to power the amplifier.
• If the amplifier has overheated, wait until it has cooled down before attempting to use it again.
• If you have corrected the above conditions and the red led indicator is still on, contact your authorized JBL dealer for assistance.

No Sound (aux-in source  connected to the amplifier)

• Check to make sure a device is not paired to Bluetooth and playing audio.

Loudness or audio performance varies between auxiliary input or Bluetooth

• Loudness and volume will vary between phones. Some phones are capable of reaching higher levels of audio output when Bluetooth streaming or connecting by auxiliary input. If you feel that the product is not loud enough, check your phone settings to see if any adjustments can be made to  improve audio performance, or try using a different audio source or Bluetooth streaming device to determine if performance improves.

Sound is  distorted

• Check that the distortion is not originating from the source device.
• Check to make sure that the battery is fully charged. Audible distortion can be heard if the vehicle charging system is below +12V.

Amplifier will not Turn On

• Check that +12V remote-in is properly connected and receiving +12V. If switched +12V is not provided in the vehicle, wire the remote-in directly to the battery and use a 2-way switch in-line to turn the audio system on/off.
• Check that +12V and GND connections are properly connected
• Check if the fuse on the +12V wire located near the battery is blown; if so, replace it with an identical fuse.
• Check the fuse located on the amplifier pigtail wiring. If it is blown, replace it with an identical fuse.
• Confirm that the vehicle electrical system is supplying between 8V and 17V DC to the amplifier. If the supply voltage is outside of this range, correct the condition before attempting to power the amplifier.
• If you have corrected the above conditions and the red led indicator is still on, contact your authorized JBL dealer for assistance.

Amplifier will not Turn Off

• Check that +12V remote-in is connected to a switched +12V source. If switched +12V is not provided in the vehicle, wire the remote-in directly to the battery and use a 2-way switch in-line to turn the audio system on/off.
• If you have corrected the above conditions and the amplifier will not turn off, contact your authorized JBL dealer for assistance.

Audio play/pause, track forward or track back are slow to respond when using the wired remote control

• This will vary by phone or Bluetooth streaming device. Try using a different Bluetooth streaming device to see if this improves.
• Check to make sure your wired remote control connection is secure at the amplifier pigtail wire. For added security, tape the connectors together after proper connection to ensure a more secure connection.
• If the problem persists, cycle the power off and let the amplifier rest for a few minutes before turning the power on

Audio track is cutoff in the first few seconds when using track forward or track back

• This will vary by phone and the phone’s capability to communicate with Bluetooth control from an external device. Try using a different Bluetooth streaming device to see if this improves.

HARMAN International Industries,
Incorporated 8500 Balboa Boulevard,
Northridge, CA 91329 USA
www.jbl.com

© 2020 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. JBL is a trademark of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries. Features, specifications, and appearance are subject to change without notice.

References

• Official JBL Store - Speakers, Headphones, and More!

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