Installation & System Wiring
It is important to read this manual thoroughly before starting your installation and always plan
accordingly. Before installing any Wāvtech product, disconnect the negative (ground) wire from the
vehicle’s battery to avoid damage to the vehicle or yourself. Following all guidelines will help provide
years of enjoyment with your Wāvtech link8 audio interface.
Ground Connection (GND): The GND terminal must be connected to a metal part of the vehicle that is
welded to the vehicle body with ground plane back to the main battery ground attachment point (a.k.a.
chassis ground). This wire should be a minimum of 18AWG and as short as possible to minimize potential
for noise to enter the system. The chassis ground connection point should have all of the paint removed
and be scuffed to the bare metal. The ground wire should be terminated by a ground specific interlocking
terminal such as the EARL terminal or ring terminal securely bolted to the vehicle with star or lock washer
and nut to prevent from coming loose. Avoid using factory ground points to reduce the chance of
induced noise from other components.
Power Connection (+12V): The constant power connection should be made at the vehicle battery when
possible. For direct battery connection, a 1-amp fuse must be installed in-line with the power wire within
18”of the battery and securely connected to the positive battery terminal bolt with a ring terminal. If
connecting to another available co12V power source, a 1-amp in-line fuse must be added at the
connection point. The power wire should be a minimum of 18AWG. Do not install the fuse until all other
system connections have been made.
Speaker Level Inputs (SPK): Connect the speaker wires from the source unit to corresponding input
terminals at the interface. Always ensure correct polarity of each channel when making these
connections, as failure to do so can severely effect sound performance.
Remote Input (REM IN): If the source unit has a remote output wire (pr12V only when turned on),
connect it to the REM IN terminal. If a remote lead is unavailable, the link8 is also enabled with an
automatic turn-on circuit that detects audio signal from SPK and AUX inputs, as well as DC-offset from
SPK inputs. While auto turn-on will work in most applications, there may be some cases were detection
level is not satisfactory and connecting a +12V trigger to REM IN is needed.
Remote Output (REM OUT): Use the remote output to provide a +12V trigger to turn on amplifiers or
other components. This +12V output is generated internally by the interface when turned on either by
REM IN or automatic sensing, and will provide over 500mA continuous current for external devices.
Auxiliary Input (AUX): Connect the auxiliary low level source to the 3.5mm AUX input jack with a quality
3-conductor stereo 3.5mm audio cable. If the source has RCA outputs, an adapter will be required. Ensure
the audio cable is routed away from power wires to minimize potential for induced noise.
Remote Level Control (RLC): Connect the multi-function remote to the link8’s RLC port with the supplied
16.4ft/5m cable. Plan cable routing before mounting the remote to ensure proper length. If additional
length is required, a standard 8-conductor CAT5 or CAT6 ethernet cable or extension may be used. The
cable may also be shortened and re-terminated with a RJ45 connector and ethernet crimping tool.
Example-1: Factory Radio (4-in/6-out)
System Examples
5
Note:
For systems where only remote sub level control is needed for a speaker level source, select system Type-1
(factory setting) at the multi-function remote. For a 4-channel source as shown above, there are multiple input
configurations that can be chosen with the link8. This particular 5-channel aftermarket system could benefit from
retaining front/rear fading as well as a Never-Zero subwoofer output with independent gain. To achieve this, the front
speaker level signals from CH1/2 are also connected to CH7/8’s input via jumper wires, which allows CH7/8’s input select
to be set to sum CH5+7/CH6+8 front and rear channels together for output to the subwoofer.
+12V
GND
Type-1
Ÿ
Main CH7/8
RLC
CH5/6 SPK IN
CH1/2 SPK IN
REM OUT
