Clarion APA5241 User Manual

OPERATION/INSTALLATION MANUAL
EVERYONE WANTS "MORE BASS"
In the car audio environment, subsonic bass information (often called
“thump”) requires three sizable components:
1. Speaker Piston Area (the size of the moving surface)
2. Cone Excursion (the amount of surface travel)
3. Power (the ability to move the surface)
In a home, bass is easily propagated (i.e., reproduce one complete cycle of
an audio signal), whereas in a small vehicle, “air pressure” must be
modulated to simulate propagation of the bass wave. Speaker piston area
and cone excursion become the critical factors in producing low-
frequency response.
As a general rule of thumb, remember that the smaller the speaker, the
greater the mechanical cone travel required to produce low bass. The
larger the speaker, the shorter the mechanical cone travel required to
produce the same bass response.
A single subwoofer can only produce as much “pressure” as the piston area
and the amount of mechanical cone excursion allow. Throwing more
power on a single subwoofer may not be the best answer to more bass
response. Adding multiple subwoofers to an audio system is often more
economical than adding sheer brute amplifier power.
The best answer may be a combination of factors, including larger
speakers, multiple drivers, and bigger amplifiers. This may require
modification of the car’s electrical system, or special installation skills
necessary to design and install multiple subwoofer speaker systems. Just
how much bass is enough?
Everyone wants “more BASS” in the car audio environment. If this is
your goal, we suggest visiting your local authorized Clarion dealer for
professional system designs and installation options.
Everyone Wants "More Bass"* 19

Clarion APA5241 Specifications

Power Specifications

maximum power output	550 watts
continuous average power output (channels 1-4)	35 watts x 4 into 4 ohms
continuous average power output (bridged)	90 watts x 2 into 4 ohms
continuous average power output (channel 5)	100 watts x 1 into 4 ohms

Performance Specifications

frequency response	10 Hz to 50 kHz
signal-to-noise ratio	100 dB or better
input sensitivity (low-level RCA)	200 mV to 5 V
input sensitivity (speaker-level)	400 mV to 10 V

Electrical Specifications

current use	< 45 amps
speaker load capacity (channels 1-4)	2 ohms stereo
speaker load capacity (channel 5)	4 ohms mono

Weight and Dimensions

dimensions	230 mm x 47.5 mm x 400 mm