UNPACKING
These speakers are very heavy, so 2 persons minimum are
required to unpack and re-pack them. Never seize the sphere
when carrying or moving the speakers. Remove the plastic film
and cut the strips of the packing. Remove the outer card-
board box, cut the tapes of the inner one and fold back its 4
sides. Set the Karissima upright with the foam wedges around
the bottom plate on. Lean the speaker towards the back and
remove the front wedge, then lean it frontwards to remove the
back wedge. We suggest you to retain the packing for future use.
POSITIONING
Speakers positioning
Our speakers have been designed to function in a vertical posi-
tion. Under these conditions, the polar response is most uni-
form.
The Karissima speakers are delivered with a set of decoupling
spikes or cones
1
, these accessories are to be screwed in the
inserts under the cabinets. These accessories ensure the stability
of the speaker while limiting resonance coming from certain
types of grounds like wood floors.
Karissima is fitted with a removable grill to protect the TC23
tri-axial unit. Thanks to a magnetic device, you only need to give
the grill a gentle pull to take it out. To put it back, simply pre-
sent the grill in front of the TC23. We recommend to keep the
grill on when the speakers are not in use. Thanks to the very spe-
cial shape and high acoustical transparency of this grill, the
speakers can be used with them on.
ATTENTION !
The grill protecting the woofer and the front
ports of the Karissima on the main body of the speaker is not
removable. Any attempt by an unauthorised person to remo-
ve this grill will invalidate every warranty.
Powerful drivers generate magnetic fields that can extend
beyond the boundaries of the speaker cabinet. We recom-
mend you keep magnetically sensitive articles (TV, computer
screen, computer discs, audio and video tapes, swipe cards...)
at least 1.5 ft (50 cm) away from the speaker.
Positioning speakers in a room
In addition to vertical position of the speakers themselves,
their location in the listening room, as well as the acoustical cha-
racteristics of the room, are also very important. As it is impos-
sible to indicate a typical location of speaker systems without
a few tests, we suggest several general rules that are impor-
tant to apply in order to obtain the best listening results.
Optimal positioning for a 2.0 or stereo system
2
■
For the ideal positioning of your speakers follow diagram.
If «d» is the distance between the two speakers, this distance
must be higher than 5 ft (1.5 m) and the two speakers must be
at equal distance from the listening area which forms with
them an equilateral triangle.
■
The drivers must be directed towards the listening area.
■
The speakers should be located so that their diffusion follows
the longest dimension of the room.
■
Generally speaking it is better to avoid putting the speakers
in the corners of a room as this amplifies the low frequencies
and tends to enhance the room resonances. If possible it is
better to place the speakers at least 8 inches (20 cm) from
the walls.
■
Moreover, in order to obtain a more accurate frequency res-
ponse, it is recommended to raise a compact speaker from
12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) above the floor by placing them
on stands. The tweeters of the speakers must be roughly at
the same height of the listener’s ear when the listener is in sit-
ting position.
■
No solid object or piece of furniture should be placed between
the speakers and the listener. An effect of mask, even partial dis-
turbs completely the sound reproduction as it attenuates the
high frequencies and also, in most cases, the midrange fre-
quencies.
■
Placing the speakers in niches is not recommended. Unless
designed for this application, bookshelf placement will alter the
frequency response of the speaker, especially in the low fre-
quencies. If a bookshelf location cannot be avoid, the speaker
should be set up to minimize various resonance, and the visible
part of the grille must be outside the niche.
Optimal positioning for a 5.1
or home theatre system
3
Setting up a multi-channel Audio-Video system requires great
care when positioning the specific AV speakers.
■
The centre speaker should be placed as close as possible to
the screen and where it sounds best from your listening spot
while offering the optimal picture/dialogues cohesion. Theo-
retically, the screen should be located within a virtual triangle
formed by the acoustical centres of the main speakers and the
centre speaker. Practically speaking, this means that the prin-
cipal speaker should be placed above the screen if the main
speakers are below it, and below the screen if the main spea-
kers are above. The centre speaker should also, if possible, be
set slightly back from the others, so that it is located at the same
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Thank you very much for choosing Cabasse speakers.
Please read carefully these instructions before setting up your speakers.
KARISSIMA
Cab notice Karissima-5 28/08/06 11:02 Page 6
