4
HOW TO AVOID SPEAKER DAMAGE
(continued)
There is a Limit!
Although more powerful amplifiers are safer, there is a point at which you could have more power
than the speaker can handle. At that point you will overpower the speaker and damage it. Exercise
caution! At loud levels do not increase bass/treble controls from zero and ensure that all loudness/
contour/bass EQ buttons are off (otherwise rated output power will be reached at lower Volume
Control settings). If you listen at loud levels, watch for excessive visible cone excursion (grille
movement) from the woofer—then turn the Volume Control down.
The Right Amount of Power
A power-range rating is given as a guide to indicate the approximate minimum and maximum power
input of your speakers speakers. Amplifiers that exceed your speaker’s power-range rating are
recommended. Their greater power reserves provide better sound. However, exercise caution! Use
the speakers within their power-range rating to prevent damage (keep listening levels below the point
of excessive woofer cone excursion).
YOUR LISTENING ROOM
Your speakers are designed to provide state-of-the-art sound in a wide variety of domestic settings.
Note however, that room construction, dimensions, even furnishings all play a part in the quality of
sound you ultimately achieve. Your listening room will impose its own character on the performance
capabilities of any speaker system. The extra care taken in installation will result in greater listening
enjoyment. Try to follow these guidelines:
• Mid and high frequencies are affected by the amount of soft furnishings in your room—curtains,
carpets, sofas, wall coverings, etc. An excess of such items can result in a somewhat dull sound. The
same room without any soft furnishings can produce an overall bright sound. The typical quantity of
soft furnishings found in most living environments provides the right acoustic characteristics to allow
the speakers to sound balanced;
• Concrete floors and walls tend to aggravate low-frequency standing wave problems and are
less preferred;
• Rooms where height, width and length are similar should be avoided as they can exhibit
significant low-frequency standing wave problems. This may result in reduced clarity. If no other
room is possible, experiment with speaker placement to minimize problems.
5
PLACEMENT
The following placement guidelines will help you get the best performance from your speakers.
Illustrations showing you how to attach the speakers to the wall are provided in the section following.
FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT SPEAKERS
Accurate Timbre
(Fig. 1)
For the most accurate and natural timbre, position speakers so that sound from the high-frequency
drivers reaches the listener at approximately ear level. Keep in mind, your speakers will allow for
higher than usual placement of the high-frequency drivers, a particularly important feature when
wall mounting. Mounting them farther apart on the wall than the width of your flat panel will
promote a wide, deep listening window.
Balanced Bass Performance
(not shown)
Placing front speakers in corners will over-emphasize bass and reduce overall clarity. For more
balanced sound, we recommend avoiding corners when considering speaker placement.
Optimal Imaging
(Fig. 2)
Keeping the above in mind, measure the distance from your main listening area to the front
speakers (“X”). For best imaging, mount speakers on the wall from three-quarters of that distance
up to the same distance from each other (3/4 of “X” to “X”).
CENTER SPEAKER
(Fig. 3)
Mount your center speaker horizontally, directly above or below your TV, whichever position brings
sound closer to ear level. This ensures the most uniform timbral response with the rest of your system.
Some receivers electronically adjust for differences in distance between speakers … check to see if
yours does.
SURROUND/REAR SPEAKERS
(Fig. 4)
To experience the full multichannel music and home theater experience, Paradigm always
recommends the use of surround/rear speakers. When used a surround/rear configuration, for
optimal performance keep speakers well away from the listening area
(see illustration on the
next page)
.
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR SURROUND/REAR SPEAKERS
There are additional custom surround/rear speaker options in Paradigm’s Reference Collection of
custom speakers. Please see your dealer or visit our website
paradigm.com
for more information.
