Operating the Device
The Devine Onyx speakers can be used for a wide variety of purposes, but it’s important to be aware of the
following information beforehand in order to achieve optimal performance.
Warning Before Use
Devine Onyx speakers are capable of producing volume levels that can cause temporary or permanent
hearing damage. Use these units with care and keep the volume at a reasonable level when possible. The
volume should ideally be set to a comfortable level when listening to music.
Devine cannot be held liable for any injuries or damage resulting from the use of this product.
70.7/100V Functionality
Warning! Audio signal current of 100 Volts!
Touching non-isolated wire terminals or wires can cause pain.
Switch off the audio signal of the amplifier before working with or connecting the wire
terminals or wires.
This version of the Devine Onyx speaker features a built-in 70.7/100V transformer with ‘tapping’ functionality.
This means that the speaker performs best when used for mobile public announcement systems and fixed
installations for PA systems and/or background music.
In order to make use of the 70.7/100V functionality, a separate 70.7/100V amplifier is required. Your local
audio specialist should be able to offer advice in this regard. The speaker automatically determines if it’s
supposed to operate in 70.7V or 100V mode. If you’re using the speaker in constantly changing conditions,
it’s also possible to set it to a ‘standard’ 8-Ohm mode so that it works in combination with a traditional power
amplifier. In this case, the impedance of the speaker is 8 Ohms.
The difference between a 70.7 and 100V system is practically neglectable. The first is widely used in the
United States, while 100V systems are generally used across Europe. Since European countries tend to use
higher voltages, the current running through the cables is lower, which means that with a thinner cable, a
larger distance can be bridged. From a traditional power amplifier point of view, the signal is passed through
a step-up transformer that sends out a fixed-current signal. The speaker itself features a transformer with a
step-down transformer, which converts the signal back to a regular speaker signal.
The same principle is used for transmission towers. These make use of relatively thin cables intended to
supply a specific region with electricity. These cables end up at a number of step-down transformers where
high currents are run through (such as for 3-phase power) and which convert the signal back to lower
voltages.
The advantage here is that you don’t have to concern yourself with changes in electrical resistance. While 2,
4 and 8 Ohm settings result in enormous differences in performance in the case of traditional speaker
systems, this is irrelevant in 70.7/100V systems because you only need to take into account the total power
capacity of all the connected speakers – which cannot exceed the maximum power capacity of the speaker.
Speaker Cables
Please be aware that 70.7/100V systems require matching speaker cables. As stated above, thinner cables
can be used, which is to say, the copper core of the cable can be thinner. On the other hand, since the
tension is higher, the isolation needs to be thicker. Any speaker cables used should therefore be suitable for
100V.
Tap Function
A typical characteristic of a 70.7/100V system is that the amplifier largely determines the maximum power
capacity. This is a specified amount that’s available usually as a mono signal, for instance 70, 100, 150 or
even 200 Watts.
The information in this user manual is subject to change at any time without notice.
Version: 1.0
Date of creation and author’s initials: 09-01-2020 RV Revision date and author’s initials: -