Owner's Manual: ST-series D
Owner's Manual: ST-series D
ST-series D
Date Purchased
At: www.zapco.com
                                                               Committed to Excellence
                                           Zapco is dedicated to the pursuit of audio fidelity. Our prime objectives are to design
                              and manufacture audio products of unsurpassed quality, to provide unparalleled support and
                              service for these products, and to conduct business in a manner that will enhance the quality of
                              life for all involved.
                                                        Experience: Knowledge from Doing
                                        There is absolutely no substitute for experience; that is a simple fact of life. Another
                              simple fact is that Zapco has, for over forty years, been the leader in defining quality standards for
                              the car audio industry. These years of experience have led to a thorough understanding of the
                              challenges that are unique to the world of car audio. Zapco's relentless quest for sonic purity
                              consistently yields imaginative designs that utilize the most innovative technologies. The resulting
                              products set the criteria by which all others in the industry are judged.
                                        Zapco introduced the industry to great sounding Class D amplifiers some 10 years ago
                              with the famous C2K-9.0XD. In those days, the filtering and control systems needed to make Zapco
                              sound quality in a Class D amplifier meant it had to be expensive and it had to be big.
                                        Today's technology, however, has allowed us to develop a line of great sounding full
                              range Class D amps at an affordable price range and in a size that's an easy fit in today's smaller
                              cars. Small car doesn't have to mean small sound, and you won't have to give up the back seat for
                              an amplifier. And even motorcycles. In fact, at only 6.3" x 6.7", the ST2D is the ideal amplifier for a
                              motorcycle. Small size, big power. And talk about POWER! This tiny little monster is going to
                              give you 400watts RMS. With that kind of power on your bike, you're going to need louder pipes,
                              and, since these little power houses are Zapco amps, you know they're going to sound great.
                                         Just like with the Z-Series and the ZX-Series, we kept the ST-D series simple. The feature
                              set is kept to the essentials. They all have 18dB crossovers, speaker level inputs, and optional
                              remote level controls, but, they don't have chrome or fancy paint jobs, and they don't look like
                              hot rod engines or computers. They look like car audio amplifiers. We put our efforts (and your
                              money) into great sound and reliable power.
                                         Even though they're Class D they have less than 0.05% THD+noise and 90dB signal to
                              noise ratio. After all, loud is no good unless it sounds great as well. And these new amplifiers
                              sound awesome. Audition one today and you'll know what we mean.
                                        And, though the 2ch, 4ch, and 5ch powerhouses have way more punch than you'd expect
                              from such a diminutive chassis, we know you're going to want dedicated bass amps as well. And the
                              ST-D series has 'em! You can choose 500 watts at 1 ohm or 1,000 watts at 1 ohm, and even the 1,000
                              watt amp is less than 10" long.
                                       You can certainly save money by buying cheap small gauge wire, but
                                       remember...It will cost you in power and may even damage your car by passing
                                       too much current and causing shorts or even fires. Protect your investment in
                                       Zapco amplifiers by using high quality, proper gauge wire.
                                       And remember... Current in the amplifier runs in a complete circuit from the
                                       battery to the amp and back to the battery through the chassis and frame. The
                                       ground wire us just as important as the power input wire. Positive and Negative
                                       connections must always use the same gauge wire.
                                                                  Installation Guidelines
                                       Mounting your ST-Series Amplifier is easy. Keep in mind the following
                                       guidelines:
                                          The amplifier may be mounted in any direction, on wood, metal or carpet.
                                          The metal case of the amplifier may be grounded or left isolated.
                                          The amplifier requires adequate ventilation. Position the amplifier with
                                          sufficient surrounding area for proper cooling. Keep fan and vent
                                          endplates clear for proper internal cooling.
                                          Keep the amplifier out of the engine compartment and other locations that
                                          may cause excessive heat or moisture.
                                          Make sure your ground point is at the frame or a chassis point with direct
                                          frame contact. Note: the "quiet metal" on many new cars make body
                                          panels very bad ground points, so always try to use the frame.
                                          Do not mount the amplifier to a subwoofer enclosure or any other place
                                          that may have excessive vibration!
                                                                              -3-
                                       Proper gain setting is one of the most important factors in setting up a stereo
                                       system. Unfortunately, gain setting is quite often done wrong. Turning up the
                                       gain of an amp is the very last thing you should ever do to a system.
                                       An amplifier is a step up transformer. Period. Any signal you put in is boosted by a
                                       fixed factor, whether it's music, hiss, or any other noise. A large number of
                                       noise problems are simply a matter of improper gain settings. The goal of gain
                                       setting is to achieve the maximum amount of musical output from the amplifier
                                       while getting the least amount of hiss or noise from the system. Your ST-Series
                                       amplifier accepts an extremely wide range of input levels. As little as .5 volts
                                       on the RCAs to as much as 8 volts. The basic gain setting is very simple and
                                       requires no special tools. Whether you have a simple system with a deck and an
                                       amp, or a system with a deck, line driver, equalizer, crossover, and amp, the
                                       procedure is always the same. First, hook up the system with all gain controls at
                                       minimum (turn the gain pot fully counter-clockwise with a small screwdriver).
                                       Then turn on the head unit and turn up the volume. If you achieve clean sound,
                                       and, more volume than you want, you don’t need to make any adjustments.
                                       However, if you turn up the volume and begin to hear distorted sound before it
                                       becomes loud, you are clipping (distorting) the deck (probably a little over ¾
                                       volume). Turn the deck down just enough to hear clean sound again, and then
                                       move to the next component in your system. With the deck playing at “maximum
                                       clean volume” adjust the gain of the next component to its “maximum clean
                                       volume”. If you adjust your gains this way, always starting at the head unit and
                                       working down the line to the amplifier, you will get the most performance out of
                                       your amplifier(s) with the least amount of unwanted distortion and noise.
                                                                          Presenting
                                                            The Zapco Studio-D Series Amplifiers
-4-
                                      ST-4D
                                          High efficiency Class D amplifier
                                          (efficiency : 80% @ 4 ohm, at 1kHz)
                                          4/3/2 channel bridgeable car amplifier
                                          Ultra low power consumption
                                          Ultra compact heatsink
                                          Stable into 4 ohms bridged or 2 ohms stereo load
                                          PWM MOSFET power supply
                                          Input sensitivity (gain) control variable
                                          18dB octave crossover slope
                                          Variable, selectable FULL/ LP / HP crossover
                                          2 dB bass boost equalization control variable
                                          Signal input RCA connectors
                                          High level input connectors
                                          Multi-way protection circuitry
                                          (thermal / over current / speaker short / speaker DC protection)
                                          Tested voltage & THD: 14.4V & less than 0.05% THD
                                          Operating voltage : DC10V~15.5V power input
-3-
                                      ST-500DM
                                          High efficiency Class D amplifier
                                          (efficiency : 80% @ 4 ohm, at 1kHz)
                                          Ultra low power consumption
                                          Ultra compact heatsink
                                          MOS-FET PWM power supply
                                          High level input connectors
                                          Multi-way protection circuitry
                                          (thermal / over current / speaker short / speaker DC protection)
                                          Tested voltage & THD: 14.4V & less than 0.1% THD
                                          Operating voltage : DC10V~15.5V power input
                                          Wired remote controller
                                      ST-1KDM
                                          High efficiency Class D amplifier
                                          (efficiency : 80% @ 4 ohm, at 1kHz)
                                          Ultra low power consumption
                                          Ultra small sized heatsink
                                          MOS-FET PWM power supply
                                          High level input connectors
                                          Multi-way protection circuitry
                                          (thermal / over current / speaker short / speaker DC protection)
                                          Tested voltage & THD: 14.4V & less than 0.1% THD
                                          Operating voltage : DC10V~15.5V power input
                                          Wired remote controller
                                                                              -4-
                                                     INPUT   OUTPUT
                                                      CH1     CH1     HI-INPUT
                                                                                   GAIN                           FREQ          BASS
                                                                                                                                                           ST-2D
                                                                      + - - +
                                                                      CH1   CH2   MIN   MAX                      50Hz   250Hz   0dB   12dB
                                                                                              LPF          HPF
                                                                                                    FULL
CH2 CH2
                                                                                  to INPUT of
                                                  HEAD UNIT                       ADDITIONAL
                                                                                  AMPLIFIERS
ST-4D
                                                         INPUT
                                                      CH1      CH3    HI-INPUT
                                                                                   GAIN                           FREQ          BASS
                                                                                                                                             CHANNEL 1/2
                                                                                                                                                           ST-4D
                                                                      + - - +
                                                                      CH1   CH2   MIN   MAX                      50Hz   250Hz   0dB   12dB
                                                                                              LPF FULL HPF
                                                                      +
                                                                      CH3- CH4
                                                                           - +
HEAD UNIT
                                    Connect your source unit to the amplifier using the "INPUT" RCA connectors. The "OUTPUT" connector
                                    can be used to pass the input signal to another amplier. For Initial Setup: Always set bass boost to 0dB,
                                    and set the amplifier gain to minimum (8V sensitivity). Remember: amp gain is not a volume control.
                                    It is used only to match your amplifier input sensitivity to your source unit output.
-5-
                                                                                                                                                                  ST-5D
                                                                       + - - +
                                                                       CH1   CH2   MIN     MAX              50Hz    1KHz   10Hz    60Hz   30Hz   250Hz
                                                                                                 FULL HPF
                                                                       +
                                                                       CH3- CH4
                                                                            - +                                                           + - CH5B
                                                                                                                                          CH5A - +
HEAD UNIT
ST-500DM / ST-1KDM
                                               CH1/L
                                                                      + - - +
                                                                       CH1   CH2   Min    Max
CH2/R
HEAD UNIT
                                    Connect your source unit to the amplifier using the "INPUT" RCA connectors.
                                    Remember: amp gain is not a volume control.
                                    It is used only to match your amplifier input sensitivity to your source unit output.
-6-
                                                    INPUT   OUTPUT
                                                     CH1     CH1     HI-INPUT
                                                                                  GAIN                           FREQ           BASS
                                                                                                                                                           ST-2D
                                                                     + - - +
                                                                     CH1   CH2   MIN   MAX                      50Hz   250Hz    0dB   12dB
                                                                                             LPF          HPF
                                                                                                   FULL
CH2 CH2
                                                                                 CH2+
                                                                                 CH2 -                                         HEAD UNIT
                                                                                 CH1 -
                                                                                 CH1+
ST-4D
                                                        INPUT
                                                     CH1      CH3    HI-INPUT
                                                                                  GAIN                           FREQ           BASS
                                                                                                                                             CHANNEL 1/2
                                                                     + - - +
                                                                                                                                                           ST-4D
                                                                     CH1   CH2   MIN   MAX                      50Hz   250Hz    0dB   12dB
                                                                                             LPF FULL HPF
                                                                     +
                                                                     CH3- CH4
                                                                          - +
HEAD UNIT
                                                                                 CH4+                                                                         CH2+
                                                                                 CH4 -                                                                        CH2 -
                                                                                 CH3 -                                                                        CH1 -
                                                                                 CH3+                                                                         CH1+
                                                                                                   Caution
                                       If the HIGH LEVEL INPUTS are used, do not use the LOW LEVEL RCA inputs at the same time.
-7-
                                                                                                                                                                 ST-5D
                                                                      + - - +
                                                                      CH1   CH2   MIN     MAX              50Hz    1KHz   10Hz    60Hz   30Hz   250Hz
                                                                                                FULL HPF
                                                                      +
                                                                      CH3- CH4
                                                                           - +                                                           + - CH5B
                                                                                                                                         CH5A - +
                                                                                                   HEAD UNIT
                                                                                                                           CH5A+
                                                                                                                           CH5A-
                                                                                                                           CH5B-
                                                                                  CH4+                                     CH5B+                                    CH2+
                                                                                  CH4 -                                                                             CH2 -
                                                                                  CH3 -                                                                             CH1 -
                                                                                  CH3+                                                                              CH1+
ST-500DM / ST-1KDM
                                              CH1/L
                                                                     + - - +
                                                                      CH1   CH2   Min    Max
CH2/R
                                                                                  CH2+
                                                                                  CH2 -                                      HEAD UNIT
                                                                                  CH1 -
                                                                                  CH1+
                                                                                                 Caution
                                       If the HIGH LEVEL INPUTS are used, do not use the LOW LEVEL RCA inputs at the same time.
-8-
GND REM B+
POWER INPUT
                                      GROUND
                                                                                                       Caution
                                              to REMOTE Turn-on                       This amplifier is not supplied with internal
                                              from HEAD UNIT                          fuse in itself. Make sure you install in-line
                                                                                      fuse holder from the +terminal of battery.
                                                                                      Recommend 70 Ampere fuse.(ST-2D)
                                                                                      Recommend 100 Ampere fuse.(ST-4D)
                                                                                      Recommend 150 Ampere fuse.(ST-5D)
                                                                                      Recommend 100 Ampere fuse.(ST-500DM)
                                                                                      Recommend 200 Ampere fuse.(ST-1KDM)
                                          HEAD UNIT
                                                                            BATTERY
                                                                                              GROUND
                                    +12V Power
                                    Disconnect the Battery ground. Connect the +12V terminal of the amplifier to the + terminal of
                                    the battery using the appropriate guage wire cable. Always use the same guage wire for Power
                                    and Ground. Install an in-line fuse holder, within approximately 14" of the + terminal of battery.
                                    GROUND
                                    Connect the GND (ground) terminal to the cars frame of chassis.
                                    Keep this cable as short as possible and make sure that the connection with the frame or chassis is rust
                                    free and clear of paint or grime. Any ground connection should be at the frame or a part with direct
                                    connection to a major frame component.
                                    REMOTE
                                    Connect the REM terminal of the amplifier to the 12v trigger output of the source unit or a car accessory
                                    terminal at the fuse box or ignition switch using appropriate gauge wire.
                                                                                         Caution
                                       After all electrical connections are made: You may re-connect the battery ground.
                                       Always use recommended fuse ratings. Wire must always be fused at the battery for protection
                                       against possible damage to the vehicle. If you need to replace the power fuse, replace it with
                                       a fuse of the same value.
-9-
                                                                                       CH1/2 BRIDGED
                                               GND      REM        B+      PWR     CH1            CH2
                                                                           PRT
                                                                                                                     CH1-MONO
                                                                                                                    SUBWOOFER
                                                                                                              Speaker Impedance
                                                                                                                  4~8 ohms
2 Channel Stereo
                                                                                       CH1/2 BRIDGED
                                               GND      REM        B+      PWR     CH1            CH2
                                                                                                                     CH2
                                                                           PRT
CH1
                                                                                                                     CH2
                                                                           PRT
                                                                                                                     CH1
                                                                                                        X-O
                                                                                                        X-O
                                                                                 X-O
                                                                                                              Speaker Impedance
                                                                                          -10-                    4~8 ohms
                                                                                                                                       CH1
                                                               CH1    CH2
                        GND      REM        B+           PWR   CH3    CH4
                                                         PRT
                                                                            CH1/2 BRIDGED
                                                                            CH1     CH2                                       Speaker Impedance
                                                                            CH3     CH4                                           4~8 ohms
                                                                            CH3/4 BRIDGED
                                                                            SPEAKER
                              POWER INPUT
CH2
4 Channel Stereo
CH2
                                                                                                                         CH1
                                                               CH1    CH2
                        GND      REM        B+           PWR   CH3    CH4
                                                                            CH1/2 BRIDGED
                                                         PRT                CH1     CH2
                                                                                                               Speaker Impedance
                                                                                                                   2~8 ohms
                                                                            CH3     CH4
                                                                            CH3/4 BRIDGED
                                                                            SPEAKER
                              POWER INPUT
CH3
CH4
                                                                                X-O                                                     CH5-MONO
                                                                                                                                       SUBWOOFER
                                                                                X-O                      CH2
                                                                                                                        CH1
                                                               CH1    CH2
                        GND      REM        B+           PWR   CH3    CH4
                                                         PRT
                                                                            CH1/2 BRIDGED
                                                                            CH1     CH2                               Speaker Impedance
                                                                            CH3     CH4
                                                                            CH3/4 BRIDGED
                                                                                                                          4~8 ohms
                                                                            SPEAKER
                              POWER INPUT
CH3
                                                                                                         CH4
                                                                                            X-O
                                                                                            X-O
                                                                                                                                        CH6-MONO
                                                                                                                                       SUBWOOFER
X-O
-11-
                                                  PRT
                                                                                                                          CH2
                                                                                              SPEAKER
                             POWER INPUT
                                                                                                                           Speaker Impedance
                                                                                                                               2~8 ohms
CH3
CH4
                                                                                                       CH5
                                                                                                   SUB WOOFER
Bridge Mode
                                                        CH5
                                                              CH3/4 BRIDGED
                                                              CH4     CH3
                                                                              CH1/2 BRIDGED
                                                                              CH2     CH1                       CH1/2Full Range
                       GND      REM        B+     PWR   CH5   CH4     CH3     CH2     CH1
PRT
                                                                                                                                           CH5
                                                                                                                                       SUB WOOFER
-12-
                                                                                                                X-O
                                                              CH3/4 BRIDGED   CH1/2 BRIDGED
                                                        CH5   CH4     CH3     CH2     CH1
                       GND      REM        B+     PWR   CH5   CH4     CH3     CH2     CH1
                                                                                                                                            CH1/2
                                                                                                                                           BRIDGED
                                                  PRT
                                                                                              SPEAKER
                             POWER INPUT
                                                                                                                X-O
                                                                                                                             CH1
X-O CH2
                                                                                                                             Speaker Impedance
                                                                                                                                 4~8 ohms
                                                                                                                X-O
                                                                                                                             CH3
X-O CH4
                                                                                                                                            CH3/4
                                                                                                                                           BRIDGED
X-O
-13-
GND REM B+ PWR SPK A SPK B GND REM B+ PWR SPK A SPK B
PRT PRT
+ - + - - +
                                                             SUBWOOFER                                                                                                                                SUBWOOFER x 2
                                                        (4   Single Voice Coil)                                                                                                              (4        Single Voice Coil)
                                                                                                                                    1 Ohm Load
PRT
+ - + - - + - +
                                                                                                                              SUBWOOFER x 4
                                                                                                                         (4    Single Voice Coil)
2. Dual Voice
GND REM B+ PWR SPK A SPK B GND REM B+ PWR SPK A SPK B
PRT PRT
+ - - +
+ - - + + - - +
                                                                         SUBWOOFER                                                                   2                                                                                             2
                                                             (4          Dual Voice Coil)
                                                                                                                                                               SUBWOOFER                                               SUBWOOFER
                                                                                                                                                 (4            Dual Voice Coil)                            (4          Dual Voice Coil)
                                                                                                                                               Caution
                                                              These amplifiers can not be "strapped" with another amp. If you use this
                                                              amplifier in "Strapped" mode, damage may occur.
                                                              Use the amplifier in MONO mode only in compliance with above shown pictures.
-14-
                                                                                                                ST-5D
                                       Rated power output
                                          -RMS power, 4 ohms stereo -------------------------------------------- 80W x 4CH + 225W x 1CH
                                          -RMS power, 2 ohms stereo -------------------------------------------- 150W x 4CH + 380W x 1CH
                                          -RMS power, 4 ohms bridged ------------------------------------------ 300 w x 2CH + 380W x 1CH
                                       Signal to Noise Ratio ----------------------------------------------------- >90dB
                                       Low Pass Crossover ------------------------------------------------------- 30Hz ~ 300Hz
                                       High Pass Crossover ------------------------------------------------------- 50Hz ~ 1KHz(CH1/4)
                                                              ------------------------------------------------------- 10Hz ~ 2KHz(CH3/4)
                                       Subsonic filter -------------------------------------------------------------- 10Hz ~ 250Hz
                                       Frequency Response ------------------------------------------------------ 10Hz ~ 30KHz (+/-1dB)
                                       T.H.D @ 4 ohms ----------------------------------------------------------- < 0.05%
                                       Channel Separation ------------------------------------------------------- 60dB
                                       Fuse Rating --------------------------------------------------------------- 150A(external type fuse)
                                       Input Sensitivity (low input) -------------------------------------------- 200mV~8V (+/- 5%)
                                                            (high input) ------------------------------------------ 2V~10V (+/- 5%)
                                       Dimensions(mm) --------------------------------------------------------- 170(W) x 51(H) x 270(L)
                                                                                ST-500DM                        ST-1KDM
                                       Rated power output
                                          -RMS power, 4 ohm mono --------- 200W x 1CH                        360W x 1CH
                                          -RMS power, 2 ohm mono --------- 370W x 1CH                        700W x 1CH
                                          -RMS power, 1 ohm mono --------- 500W x 1CH                        1000W x 1CH
                                       Signal to Noise Ratio ----------------- > 90dB                        > 90dB
                                       Frequency response-------------------- 10Hz~350Hz (+/- 1dB)           10Hz~350Hz (+/- 1dB)
                                       T.H.D @ 4 ohms ----------------------- < 0.1%                         < 0.1%
                                       Efficiency @ 4 ohm--------------------- 82%                           82%
                                       Fuse rating------------------------------ 100A(external type fuse)    200A(external type fuse)
                                       nput Sensitivity (low input) --------- 200mV~8V (+/- 5%)              200mV~8V (+/- 5%)
                                                          (high input) -------- 2V~10V (+/- 5%)              2V~10V (+/- 5%)
                                       Dimensions(mm) --------------------- 170(W) x 52(H) x 190(L)          170(W) x 52(H) x 250(L)
The above specifications shall be modified by manufacturer for improvement without prior notice.
-15-
                                     FUSE BLOWING
                                       Check if the minimum speaker impedance is met.
                                       Check for short-circuits on power cable and vehicle chassis.
                                     OVERHEATING
                                       Check if the minimum speaker impedance is met.
                                       Check speakers for short-circuits.
                                       Check if there is good airflow around the amplifier
-16-
                                      Should you experience a problem with your DSP6-SL or DRC-SL, please contact the
                                      dealer that sold you this product. If your dealer is unable to solve your problem, you
                                      may contact the factory service department directly.
                                      Phone: (209) 577-4268 Monday - Friday, 8AM - 5PM Pacific Standard Time FAX: (209)
                                      577-8548
                                      Also, check our web page, www.zapco.com, for tips. You can also e-mail for technical
                                      help directly from our web page.
                                      If you need to return this product for repair, please call the factory for a Return Materials
                                      Authorization (RMA) number. We will ask you for information that will include your name,
                                      return shipping address, daytime phone number, model and serial number, and a detailed
                                      description of your problem. A photocopy of your original purchase receipt is necessary
                                      to determine warranty status and should also be included. Once we issue you an RMA,
                                      please write it in a highly visible area on the package. ZAPCO will not accept any
                                      packages that do not have a valid RMA number clearly marked on the outside of the
                                      package.
                                      Once you have a valid RMA number, send all repairs to:
                                                           A.R.P.A. of America Corp. / Zapco
                                                           Attn.: Service Department
                                                           3037 E Palm Ave Suite 102, Manteca, CA 95337
-17-