8
compounds and suspension materials of the drive
units will take some time to recover their correct
mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions
will also loosen up during the first hours of use. The
time taken for the speaker to achieve its intended
performance will vary depending on previous
storage conditions and how it is used. As a guide,
allow up to a week for the temperature effects to
stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the
mechanical parts to attain their intended design
characteristics.
However, longer run-in periods (as long as a month)
have been reported and there is evidence to
suggest that this has little to do with the speaker
changing and more to do with the listener getting
used to the new sound. This is especially so with
highly revealing speakers such as these where there
may be a significant increase in the amount of detail
compared with what the listener has previously been
used to; the sound may at first appear too “up front”
and perhaps a little hard. After an extended period
of time the sound will seem to mellow, but without
losing clarity and detail.
Aftercare
The cabinet surfaces usually only require dusting. If
you wish to use an aerosol or other cleaner, remove
the grille first by gently pulling it away from the
cabinet. Spray aerosols onto the cleaning cloth, not
directly onto the product. Test a small area first, as
some cleaning products may damage some of the
surfaces. Avoid products that are abrasive, or
contain acid, alkali or anti-bacterial agents. Do not
use cleaning agents on the drive units. The grille
fabric may be cleaned with a normal clothes brush
whilst the grille is detached from the cabinet.
Do not use the subwoofer as a table. When in use,
objects left on top of the subwoofer are liable to
rattle. In particular, avoid the risk of liquids being
spilled (e.g. from drinks or vases of flowers).
If the system is taken out of use for a long period,
disconnect the subwoofer amplifier from the mains
supply.
Neutrik
®
and the names of Neutrik
®
products
referenced herein are either trademarks and/or
service marks of Neutrik
®
.
Warranty
Bowers & Wilkins products are designed and
manufactured to the highest quality standards.
However, if something does go wrong with the
product, B&W Group Ltd. and its national
distributors warrant free of charge labour (exclusions
may apply) and replacement parts in any country
served by an official Bowers & Wilkins distributor.
This warranty complements any national or regional
legal obligations of dealers or national distributors
and does not affect your statutory rights as a
customer. Some regional legal obligations outside
amplifiers feeding the satellite speakers invert the
signal or that the subwoofer is not placed close to
the satellite speakers.
Next, adjust the VOLUME of the subwoofer amplifier
relative to the satellite systems to your liking. Use a
wide variety of programme material to get an
average setting. A setting that sounds impressive on
one piece may sound overpowering on another.
Listen at a realistic volume level as the perception of
musical balance varies with sound level.
Finally, adjust the LOW-PASS FREQ control to give
the smoothest transition between the subwoofer
and satellite speakers.
All Applications
The BASS EXTENSION switch offers three options
of subwoofer bass extension. Position A gives the
greatest extension and position C gives the least
extension. Position B provides a compromise
setting. If the system is to be used at very high
volume levels or in a large listening room, restricting
the bass extension by selecting either B or C may
help ensure that the subwoofer is not asked to
exceed its performance limits. In most situations the
BASS EXTENSION switch should be left in
position A.
The EQUALISATION switch alters the subwoofer
bass roll-off alignment appropriate to MOVIE or
MUSIC listening. The MOVIE position gives a “drier”
alignment, more suited to the demands of action
movie low frequency effects. The MUSIC position is
suited to a faster more accurate bass line. The
3.5mm Equalisation input on the back panel is
designed to receive a 12V signal that will toggle the
MOVIE/MUSIC setting at the front panel. Set
appropriately, the 12V trigger output of a processor
can automate ideal performance of the subwoofer. If
the front panel switch is set for MOVIE, the 12V
trigger will change it to MUSIC. The reverse is also
true. Care must be taken in setup of the processor
in order to take advantage of this feature.
If you get problems with uneven bass – certain bass
notes are exaggerated more than others – then you
probably have a room interface problem and it is
worth experimenting with the location of the
subwoofer. What may seem like small changes in
position – 15cm (6in) or so – can have a profound
effect on the sound. The use of multiple subwoofers
can smooth the effects of room resonances, as
each subwoofer will tend to excite resonances at
different frequencies. If you appreciably alter the
relative distances from the subwoofer(s) and satellite
speakers to the listening position, re-assess the
PHASE switch setting. You should also check the
volume of the subwoofer (using either the processor
output levels or the VOLUME control on the
subwoofer amplifier as appropriate), but only after
setting the phase correctly.
Running-in Period
The performance of the speaker will change subtly
during the initial listening period. If the speaker has
been stored in a cold environment, the damping
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