Congratulations on purchasing this JBL Synthesis
®
Array
™
Module home theater speaker. This product represents the
synthesis of everything that JBL has learned about the emotional power of audio and video in sixty years of preemi-
nence in the field. It sets new benchmarks in the use of “high technology” and provides you with the experience of
being in some of the world’s greatest movie houses and concert halls, right at home! JBL’s Synthesis Array speaker
systems feature the following:
THX U
LTRA
2
™
-L
ICENSED
H
OME
A
UDIO
S
YSTEM
:
When used with a THX
®
controller and amplifiers, your
speaker system will deliver a state-of-the-art THX home theater experience to your living room. You will hear in your
home exactly what the director and sound engineer heard in the recording studio. The system will reproduce the
audio flawlessly and without distortion.
U
LTRAHIGH
-F
REQUENCY
C
OMPRESSION
D
RIVER
:
1" Pure-titanium compression driver with aluminum edge-
wound voice coil and 2-inch neodymium motor assembly, mounted in a SonoGlass
®
constant-directivity horn for
extended high-frequency response to exceed SACD
™
and DVD-Audio specifications.
H
IGH
-P
OWER
C
OMPRESSION
H
ORN
:
Horns are commonplace in movie theaters across the world, because
of their high power handling and well-defined high-frequency output. The horns employed in SAM1HF have very
low distortion and a well-controlled directivity, to put the dialogue at the center of the screen and the effects all
around you.
A
CCURATE
M
ID
-B
ASS
D
RIVERS AND
S
UBWOOFERS
:
The 8-inch mid-bass drivers incorporate many of JBL’s
patented technologies – such as Symmetrical Field Geometry
™
(SFG), Symmetrical Inductance Modulation (SIM) and
Vented Gap Cooling
™
(VGC) – as well as unique cone and dome materials, to provide tight, smooth midrange sound
without harshness, stridency or listener fatigue. From two to as many as four high-power subwoofers (15- or 18-inch)
complete the experience with earth-shattering, deep bass.
C
OMMON
V
OICING
:
Synthesis Array uses common voicing across the front three channels. Since identical drivers
are used, each speaker has the same tonal qualities, thus as a sound is panned from one side to the other, there will
be no change in timbre.
M
AGNETIC
S
HIELDING
:
All front speakers are magnetically shielded, allowing you to place them near video mon-
itors without generating interference or distorting the picture.
D
UAL
“I
NSIDE
” N
EODYMIUM
M
OTOR
S
TRUCTURE
:
Two neodymium magnets are used. The “top” neodymium
magnet is magnetized with opposite polarity to the main, lower neodymium magnet. This inverted dual-magnet configu-
ration improves magnetic shielding and offers increased acoustic output.
D
EEP
-A
NODIZED
C
ONE AND
D
OME
M
ATERIAL
:
The special deep-anodized aluminum cone and dome material,
together with the motor features, helps to reduce midband distortions to very low levels (approximately 50dB to 60dB
below the fundamental signal driven at 100dB output).
T
WO
-S
TAGE
P
HASE
P
LUG
:
The phase plug is a key element in this compression driver. The accuracy of the phase
plug geometry is most important to achieve a wide and flat frequency response. The pressure distribution in the phase
plug is manipulated by adjustments to the number and width of the slots and is optimized to achieve a coherent pres-
sure front across the operating range at the exit of the phase plug.
S
YMMETRICAL
I
NDUCTANCE
M
ODULATION
(SIM):
The flux-stabilizing ring and copper gap ring are also opti-
mized for size and position, to help minimize or eliminate “asymmetrical inductance modulation.” Minimizing this
asymmetrical inductance modulation leads to even further distortion reduction and improved vocal clarity.
3
I
NTRODUCTION
......................................................................................................................................................3
I
NCLUDED
.............................................................................................................................................................4
S
PEAKER
P
LACEMENT
.............................................................................................................................................4
L
EFT AND
R
IGHT
S
PEAKERS
..............................................................................................................................4
C
ENTER
C
HANNEL
S
PEAKERS
...........................................................................................................................4
A
MBIENT
S
URROUND
S
PEAKERS
.......................................................................................................................5
5.1-C
HANNEL
S
YSTEMS
..........................................................................................................................5
6.1-C
HANNEL
S
YSTEMS
..........................................................................................................................6
7.1-C
HANNEL
S
YSTEMS
..........................................................................................................................6
SAM1HF
AND
SAM2LF C
ONFIGURATION AND
A
SSEMBLY
.........................................................................................7
C
ONNECTING THE
S
PEAKERS TO THE
R
EST OF
Y
OUR
S
YSTEM
.......................................................................................10
P
REPARING THE
H
OOKUP
W
IRE
.......................................................................................................................10
C
ONNECTIONS TO THE
S
YNTHESIS
E
LECTRONICS
................................................................................................10
T
ROUBLESHOOTING
...............................................................................................................................................13
S
PECIFICATIONS
...................................................................................................................................................14
2
C
ONTENTS
I
NTRODUCTION
