Page 5
IMPORTANT READ THESE NOTES THROUGH FIRST!
5. QUICK SET UP GUIDE
1 Unpack each speaker carefully
. Make sure
that it is in good condition. If not report to your
dealer. It is important that you keep the packaging
for warranty/service return/shipping
2 Position
in approximate listening position
according to diagram (page 5). Fit Spikes
(if
required) after final positioning.
3 Connect amplifier to filter box.
Position at the
rear of the FRm speakers. Use good quality multi
strand speaker cable (it is not necessary to be
very thick e.g. QED 79 strand or similar is ideal).
Connect to “Input” “+” and “-“.
4 Connect filter box to speakers,
using supplied
cable(s). The FRm models 1 & 2 use one pair of
cables from the “Upper” terminals.
5 Check the
polarity of “+” & “-“
of both
speakers at all connection points on both
speakers.
This
is
essential
for
correct
performance.
6 Fine tune positioning
by looking at each
speaker from your listening position. The
speakers should be facing you directly, so that
you cannot see either side of the cabinet. Each
speaker should be exactly the same distance
away.
7
Start “running in”
. If the speakers are cold,
they will take up the 48 hours to normalize. The
“running in” period is much longer than
conventional speakers. This is because the lower
power needed to move the cone takes longer to
“free up the cone suspension parts, and to “run in”
the cone material to its optimum sound quality.
This is also temperature dependant. Do not play
them excessively loud for a few days. The more
you use them the better they will sound. Full
range music of any kind with a good bass content
will help. Begin with a medium to loud volume
which may be increased to YOUR maximum after
a few days. Be patient a substantial improvement
will be noticed after one month. After 3 months of
use the speakers will be at or near their optimum.
When the speakers are in a cold room they may
take 30 minutes
of use to “warm up” even when
“run in” (this is true of all speakers).
Stray magnetic fields
The speaker drive units create stray magnetic
fields that extend beyond the boundaries of the
cabinet.
We recommend you keep magnetically sensitive
articles (television and computer screens,
computer discs, audio and video tapes, swipe
cards and the like) at least 0.5m from the speaker.
6. Getting the best out of your FRm loudspeakers
Experience has shown that the “running in” period
for these speakers is several months of regular
use. Generally the sound becomes more mellow,
so please be a little patient, the improvement is
quite noticeable.
After you have assembled your Hi Fi system you
naturally will want to get the best results. You
probably know there is an intimate relationship
with your amplifier. An ideal amplifier for the FRm
speakers is a low to medium powered valve or
transistor amplifier. The power needed will vary
with room size and the desired maximum sound
level. Amplifiers from 5 to 30 (or more) watts will
be suitable.
For example in a medium to large room well
furnished room (5x7m, 14x22ft) 15w per ch will
adequate for all but extremely loud passages, if
higher sound levels are required you should
consider increasing this by a factor of 1 or 2.
Single
E
nded “Class A” amplifiers work
particularly well. Amplifiers with low or no
feedback are recommended. Larger “Class A/B”
Push Pull valve amplifiers will also work well as
you will be using mostly the “Class A” part of the
power curve.
“Pure Triode” valve amplifiers
generally will have a more pleasing sound, These
could be amplifiers using valves (or tubes) such
as 2A3, 300B, 6AS7, 845, 805, 211, 6C33 etc.
If your valve amplifier uses 6L6, KT66/88/90/120,
EL34, EL84, 6550, (and other pentode types) it is
probably using the “Ultralinear” method which
gives 50% Triode and 50% Pentode.
Listening Room
Although often overlooked, this is the final
component of
your system which can “make or
break” the results you get. For example a room
with tiled floor, lots of windows will sound hard
and bright. Whereas a room with a carpeted floor
and lots of soft furnishing will have a more
pleasing and accurate sound as the sound
reaching your ear is mainly from the speakers,
and not as a result of reflections from the walls,
floor, Ceiling and windows.
When you consider the trouble you have taken to
set up your system, the small investment in time
and trouble needed to correct listening room
problems can give a huge improvement in
listening quality.
It should be remembered that virtually all
loudspeakers are developed in an “anechoic
chamber” where no sound is reflected at all!
Obviously many rooms fall in between these two
extremes, and many things can be done to
improve hard bright rooms such as closing
curtains, hanging drapes, fitting acoustic tiles,
laying rugs and mats. These will all absorb and
break up unwanted sound.