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M2-SUB INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

1690 Corporate Circle, Petaluma, CA 94954 • 800-472-5555  • FAX 707-283-5901 • www.panamax.com

INS0838 REV. B   11/07

 LINE

FAULT

PRO

TECT

ION OK 

GRO

UN

D O

REMOTE 

POWERED

SUB

WOOFER

M2-SUB

AC LINE

SIGNAL LINE

LINEAR FILTRATION - ALWAYS ON

BANK 3      

BANK 3      

BANK 1      

120 VAC/15A      

15 AMP      

MAIN POWER 

SUB / 

AM

P                                                  R

ECEIVE

R      

HIGH CURRENT      

DVD                                                                 C

D      

LINEAR FILTRATION - SWITCHED      

PRE 

AMP

                                                   D

IGIT

AL

 RA

DIO

     

HD

 CAB

LE

 SA

T                                      H

DTV / M

ONIT

OR     

VCR / 

AUX                                                         D

VR   

BANK 1      

ON

  IN

  12V

        TRIGGER      

UNIVERSAL COAX PROTECTION     

1                         2                         3      

 LAN 1
LINE IN

LAN 2

LINE IN               EQUIP.

PHONE

LINE IN            EQUIP.

PROPERLY

GROUNDED

AC OUTLET

M5100-PM 

SIGNAL LINE OUT FROM 

PRE-AMP OR RECEIVER

Outlet A

Outlet B

Installation Procedures
1.

 Plug the M2-SUB directly into a 15-amp, 120 volt AC wall outlet near the subwoofer.

2.

 Verify that the green "Ground OK" and "Protection OK" lights are on.

3.

 Use a line-level RCA audio cable (not included) to connect the subwoofer output(s) from the 

preamp or receiver to the A/V RCA input jack(s) on the Panamax component located at the main 
system. 

4-A.

 Use another line-level RCA audio cable (not included) to connect the A/V RCA output jacks(s) 

to a second M2-SUB (not included sold separately) plugged into a Panamax component (located 
at main system) to the input jack(s) on the M2-SUB at outlet B.  The input jacks are color-coded; 
one circuit is red and the other circuit is white. 

Important Safety Points 

Panamax surge protectors and the connected equipment must be indoors in a dry location and in the same building.  Do not install any 

Panamax product near heat emitting appliances such as a radiator or heat register.  Do not install this product where excessive moisture is 

present; for example, near a bathtub, sink, pool, basement floor, fish tank, etc.

It is not uncommon for a building to be improperly grounded.  In order to protect your equipment, and validate the connected equipment policy, 

Panamax products must be plugged into a properly grounded 3-wire outlet.  Additionally, building wiring and grounding must conform to 

applicable codes (NEC for USA or CEC for Canada) for the Panamax connected equipment policy to be valid.

Do not use 2-blade adapters with this product.  If an extension cord is required, use only a Panamax extension cord.  If at any time your surge 

protector indicates a Line Fault, your wall outlet may not be properly wired or grounded.

 

Important! Please Note:  

"Backdoor" Surges

AC power surges can enter an entertainment system at the main system AC outlet, (Outlet A) or at the AC outlet where the subwoofer is installed - the "backdoor" (Outlet B).  The signal-line 
connections between the subwoofer and the main system provide a bi-directional pathway for potential surge damage due to ground skew (voltage differential between the main system and 
subwoofer).  To protect the main system against these backdoor surges, a second M2-SUB or Panamax component (or both) must be used for the signal–line cable(s) entering the main system.

Signal-line connection between the subwoofer and the main system

provide a bi directional pathway for potential surge damage.

Properly Connecting Your Surge Protector

To completely protect your equipment from power surges, every wire leading into or out of the equipment you want to protect must be connected to the appropriate Panamax surge protector. 
Damaging lightning and power surges can get into your system through any AC power or signal line (phone lines, grounding wires, coax cables, modem lines, etc.) connected to your electrical 
equipment. The $5,000,000 Connected Equipment Policy is invalid if any wire leading into or out of the equipment is not properly connected to the appropriate Panamax surge protector(s). The 
surge protector must also be plugged into a properly wired and grounded 3-wire outlet.  Please see the connected equipment policy for details or contact the Panamax Customer Relations 
department with questions.

The M2-SUB also features 3 diagnostic lights for maximum safety. They are designated as follows:

1. Power ON/Protection OK

 – (green) normally ON – indicates that the power is on, surge protector is functioning                               

properly, and all connected equipment is protected.

2. Line Fault 

– (red) normally OFF – when lit, indicates that the wall outlet is improperly wired.

3. Ground OK

 – (green) normally ON – indicates that the wall outlet is properly grounded.

Full protection and proper operation occurs when the two green lights are on. 

The M2-SUB is designed to protect a "remote" powered subwoofer.  The term "remote" indicates that the subwoofer is plugged into a different AC outlet than the stereo component that is providing 
the audio signal.  It protects the AC power path to the subwoofer and can protect the line-level RCA signal path between the subwoofer and the main audio/video system. (See “backdoor surges 
below).

1

2 3

Two signal line protection circuits (In / Out)

 

AC outlet

AC outlet

The unit provides 2 AC outlets and 2 signal-line protection circuits.  It features Panamax’s exclusive Protect or Disconnect™ 
circuitry for AC surge protection, which, in order to keep your equipment safe, will disconnect the power when hit by a 
catastrophic surge like lightning.  The signal-line protection circuits are designed for audio signals so that optimal 
performance is achieved and signal integrity is not compromised.

5.

 Use another line-level RCA audio cable (not included) to connect the output jack(s) on 

M2-SUB to the subwoofer input(s). 

6. 

Plug the subwoofer AC power cord into the M2-SUB.

7.

 Turn-on the audio/video system and subwoofer. Check the subwoofer for power. 

8.

 Play an audio source through the audio/video system and verify that the subwoofer is 

working properly.

4-B. 

If you have not purchased and installed a second M2-SUB, please be aware you will

have only AC line surge protection from the remote AC outlet (B) to your powered 
subwoofer. (See “Backdoor Surges” below)

M2-SUB

AC LINE

SIGNAL LINE

(second)

PROPERLY

GROUNDED

AC OUTLET

SIGNAL LINE

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