There are four control knobs on the rear of the SP-8S: “Level,” “Phase,”
“Subwoofer” LPF cutoff frequency, and “Satellites” HPF cutoff frequency.
These combined controls make it possible to optimally match the low bass
frequencies from the subwoofer to your unique combination of satellite speakers,
room characteristics and subwoofer position. Because of these variables, there is
no single recipe for obtaining the best audio results. While you can certainly
apply sound meters and other analysis equipment in establishing the right
settings, most people use their ears and a few familiar recordings to determine
the best settings.
Setting the Level Control
Use the Level control (#2) to adjust the volume of the subwoofer to properly
match that of the satellite speakers. We suggest starting with this knob in the
12 o’clock position.
Note: Placement has a great deal to do with how the Level knob is
set. If the SP-8S is placed on the floor against one wall in a normal
room, for example, the resulting sound pressure may be as much
as 3dB greater than if the subwoofer stands alone. Placement in a
corner could add another 3dB of sound pressure over placement
against a wall alone.
Setting the Phase Control
The purpose of the Phase control (#3) is to match the phase of the Satellite
HPF cut off frequency to the phase of the Subwoofer LPF cutoff frequency.
Adjust the Phase in order to make sure that the Subwoofer and Satellites are
in phase at the selected crossover frequency. This will allow you to achieve
the maximum sound pressure and the most accurate sound quality from the
whole system.
A little experimentation here may be in order. When signals are out of phase, they
tend to cancel each other. This is most likely to occur when using bass
management, in which case both the “Subwoofer” and “Satellites” cutoff
frequencies are set to the same frequency settings (see the next two sections for
more information). Rotate the Phase control knob until the SP-8S sounds the
most robust, or return it to the 0 degree position if that is the optimum setting or
if you hear no difference.
Setting the Subwoofer LPF and the Satellites HPF
The fundamental concept behind the Stereo Bass Management System is to
isolate the upper and lower frequency ranges and direct them respectively to the
component best suited to reproduce them. In order to accomplish this, the SP-8S
utilizes a crossover network to determine how different frequency ranges are
distributed to the subwoofer and satellite monitors.
9
Summary of Contents for Studiophile SP-8S
Page 2: ...2...
