General
The bi-amplified Genelec 4040A is a power-
ful but compact two way active loudspeaker
designed for fixed installations. As an active
loudspeaker, it contains drivers, power ampli-
fiers, active crossover filters and protection
circuitry. The 4040A is designed for indoor
use only, in temperatures between 15 to
35 degrees Celsius and relative humidity
between 20 % and 90 %.
The MDE™ (Minimum Diffraction Enclo-
sure™) loudspeaker enclosure is made
of die-cast aluminium and shaped to
reduce edge diffraction. Combined with the
advanced Directivity Control Waveguide
TM
(DCW
TM
), this design provides excellent fre-
quency balance in difficult acoustic environ-
ments.
Positioning The Loudspeaker
Each 4040A is supplied with an integrated
amplifier unit, mains cable, a 5-pin connec-
tor for audio signal and 12 V trigger voltage,
a keyhole type wallmount and an operating
manual. After unpacking, place the loud-
speaker in its required listening position,
taking note of the line of the acoustic axis.
The axis should be pointed towards the
center of the listening area.
Connections
Before connecting up, ensure that the loud-
speakers and the signal source have been
switched off. The power switch of the 4040A
is located on the back panel (see Figure
3). Connect the loudspeaker to an earthed
mains connection with the supplied mains
cable. Never connect the loudspeaker to
an unearthed mains supply or using an
unearthed mains cable. Audio input is via
a 10 kOhm balanced Phoenix connec-
tor. The connector also has two pins for 12
V trigger voltage for power switching. The
pin sequence of the connector is shown in
Figure 2.
Connect the signal cable and 12 V trigger
voltage to the 5-pole plug provided with the
loudspeaker and secure the connections by
tightening the screws on each pole. Push the
plug into the connector on the loudspeaker.
Never connect the 4040A to the loud-
speaker outputs of a power amplifier or an
integrated amplifier or receiver.
Once the connections have been made,
the loudspeaker is ready to be switched on.
Controls
Level Control
The input sensitivity of the loudspeaker can
be matched to the output of the signal source
by adjusting the rotary level control on the
rear panel.
Autostart Sensitivity
This control sets the triggering sensitivity of
the signal sensing Autostart function. In case
of a high background noise level in the audio
network, the automatic shutoff may not func-
tion as the circuit detects the noise and mis-
interprets it as a valid signal. Switching the
“Autostart Sensitivity” switch to “ON” reduces
the triggering sensitivity and gives better
immunity to noise in the signal network. On
the other hand, if a very low playback level
is desirable, the Autostart function works
better in the more sensitive “OFF” setting.
The required triggering voltages are approxi-
mately 0.4 mV (OFF) and 1.4 mV (ON).
Autostart Off Time
This control sets the shutoff delay of the
Autostart function. When the switch is set to
“OFF”, the loudspeaker shuts off one hour
after ending the playback. In the “ON” setting,
the delay is 15 minutes.
Led Off
This switch turns off the green power indica-
tor LED. However, the overload indication by
red coloured LED remains active.
Tone Controls
The frequency response of the Genelec
4040A can be adjusted to match the acous-
tic environment by setting the tone control
switches on the rear panel. The controls
are “Bass Roll-Off”, “Bass Tilt” and “Treble
Tilt”. An acoustic measuring system is rec-
ommended for analyzing the effects of the
adjustments, however, careful listening with
suitable test recordings can also lead to good
results if a test system is not available. Table
1 shows some examples of typical settings in
various situations. Figure 4 shows the effect
of the controls on the anechoic frequency
response.
Bass Roll-Off
The Bass Roll-Off control (switches 1 to 3
in switch group 1) affects the low frequency
roll-off of the loudspeaker and attenuates its
energy output near the cut-off frequency (55
Hz). Attenuation levels of -2, -4 or -6 dB can
be selected.
Bass Tilt
The Bass Tilt control (switches 2 to 4 in
switch group 2) offers three attenuation levels
for the bass response of the loudspeaker
below 800 Hz, usually necessary when the
loudspeaker is placed near a wall or other
room boundaries. The attenuation levels are
-2 dB (switch 3 “ON”), -4 dB (switch 4 “ON”)
and -6 dB (both switches “ON”).
Treble Tilt
The Treble Tilt control (switches 2 to 4 in
switch group 3) adjusts the treble response
of the loudspeaker at frequencies above 4
kHz. Two attenuation levels, -2 dB (switch 3
“ON”) or -4 dB (switch 2 “ON”) are available
for smoothening down an excessively bright
sounding system, while the +2 dB setting
(switch 4 “ON”) provides slightly increased
treble level suitable for heavily damped sur-
roundings.
The factory setting for all tone controls is
“OFF” to give a flat anechoic frequency
response. Always start adjustment by set-
ting all switches to “OFF” position. Measure
or listen systematically through the different
combinations of settings to find the best fre-
quency balance.
ACOUSTIC
AXIS
225 mm
8 7/8”
Figure 1: Location of the acoustic axis
Figure 2: Audio and 12 V trigger
connector pin sequence
