Subwoofer Placement
This subwoofer is engineered, designed and built to reproduce
low frequencies at and below 150Hz. Frequencies at this level are
basically omni-directional. This makes it easy to find a good place
for the sub; however, there are also several location options that can
either give more or less bass. When placed near a wall, you will get
louder, deeper bass. Placing the subwoofer in a corner will produce
a high volume of bass output, while near only one wall will provide
less bass. Placement away from any wall may not produce enough
bass. Because even a slight change of how the unit sits will alter the
bass output, we suggest trying your subwoofer in different locations.
This will allows you to hear the difference of bass output and decide
what is best for that particular room and the listener’s preference.
Our suggestion is to place the subwoofer close to the pair of
speakers it will be matched with. For example, if the subwoofer is
to reproduce bass from the front two channels, then it should be
located near the front two speakers. If it’s to reproduce bass from
the rear effect channels, then the sub should be located near the rear
speakers.
Because this TruAudio series of subwoofers are ported from the
front, they can be built-in to a wall, into cabinetry etc.
NOTE:
Even though they are ported from the front, the amp
panel is still located on the back of the subwoofer cabinet. Proper
ventilation is needed for the amp to "breathe". If the subwoofer will
be “built-in”, make sure there is enough space in the area behind it
for proper air flow. Otherwise, you could over heat and damage the
sub amplifier.
One more NOTE:
because of the acoustics of the sub installed
into an enclosed area, we also suggest using some kind of sound
dampening material in the space. This will prevent a hollow
“boomy” sound coming from the area behind the subwoofer.
We all know that one location or setting will NOT work for all
installations. Above are only suggestions. Each installation of these
products can be different and you must figure out what works best
for that specific room and system. Make sure to talk with your client
and find out their preference when it comes to bass output and
loudness of the subwoofer.
Input Connections of the Subwoofers:
These subwoofers offer several different “input” connections
allowing them to be compatible with almost all A/V equipment.
The “Line Level” input connection is usually the best choice when
connecting the subwoofer to a system that uses a preamp/processor
and a separate amplifier or a receiver that features main channel
preamp output or subwoofer outputs. The “Speaker Level” inputs
are typically used when connecting the subwoofer to a receiver that
offers no subwoofer outputs or preamp outputs.
“Line-in” Line Level Input Connections:
Connect a mono subwoofer output on your receiver/pre-amp to
the input connection on the rear panel of your subwoofer. If for
some reason you still need more subwoofer volume, first make sure
the volume knob is turn all the way up. Then, if you still need
more volume, attach a “Y” adapter cord to the subwoofer cable and
then to both input jacks. This will give about another 3 to 6dB of
subwoofer output.
This connection should be made using a good quality RCA
interconnect. Try to keep this cable as short as possible and also try
to avoid running it close to other electrical equipment that could
cause unwanted noise or hum. If the cable is being installed inside
the wall cavity, make sure the subwoofer cable is kept away from
electrical wire.
“Speaker In” Speaker Cable Input Connections:
To connect your subwoofer parallel with your two main speakers
(main R & L) you will use these connection on the back the
subwoofer amp panel. Locate the “Main Speakers” connections on
the back of the receiver. Connect a good quality speaker cable from
these connectors to the “Speaker In” on the back of the subwoofer
(the black and red binding posts). Then also connect a good quality
speaker cable from the same connectors on the back of the receiver
to the main Right and Left speakers. Or if the receiver has a “main
speaker B”, you can connect your main speaker to these connectors.
“LFE in” Input Connection:
This input should be connected to a low pass filtered LFE
subwoofer output jack on your receiver/preamp. It is usually
featured on the newer 5.1 surround sound receivers, preamps or
processors. NOTE: Signals coming into this jack will not be affected
when adjusting the “Low-Pass” level knob on the subwoofer amp
panel. The “LFE in” input and “Line in” input can be used at the
same time if your receiver/preamp offers output for both. The “LFE
in” can also be used at the same time as the “speaker in”. “line in”
and “speaker in” CANNOT Be used at the same time.
Adjusting subwoofer settings in your receiver/
preamp:
Read the instruction manual for your receiver/preamp
to understand all settings available for subwoofer, low level, and
internal crossover adjustments. Go to the “Setup Menu” in the
receiver or preamp. Find the section for subwoofer adjustments
and make sure all the proper settings for subwoofer outputs are on
and set to the correct level for that application. Different receivers
and preamps will offer different types of features and settings for
subwoofer output.
Digital 5.1 home theater equipment
dedicates one
channel to reproduce the special low-frequency information
contained in digitally encoded soundtracks. Go to your receiver’s
menu and select subwoofer “yes”. Having it set this way will relieve
the amplifier of having to reproduce the difficult low bass signals
that can drive the receiver into audio distortion.
When using Dolby Pro Logic systems:
First locate the
subwoofer output. Most units will have a single sub out connection.
Go to the receiver’s menu and set the center channel mode to
“normal”. This will divert any bass from the center channel to the
subwoofer, resulting in maximum system bass output.
Subwoofer Amplifier Controls
After the subwoofer is connected to the receiver/preamp and all the
settings are complete, it is time to adjust the subwoofer amplifier
controls.
This series of subwoofers provides a wide range of adjustments
to optimize its performance in any listening area and with any
combination of speaker systems. These adjustments are located on
the back of the subwoofer on the amplifier panel.
Volume Knob:
Adjusts the sound level of the subwoofer. This
is used to give more or less volume to the overall sound of the
subwoofer. Also use this adjustment to match the volume of the
subwoofer to other speakers in the system. When turning this up or
down, it only affects the signal of the subwoofer inputs. It will not
adjust the volume of your main speakers. A good starting point is to
set the knob 1/3 of the way up (10 o’clock).
Low Pass Filter:
This is a variable filter that controls the
upper frequencies of the subwoofer. The SS Series uses a filter that
is continuously variable from 40 Hz to 180 Hz. If this is adjusted
properly, it will help smooth the listening frequencies between the
subwoofer and the main two speakers. NOTE: This must be set
properly; please take the time to try different settings. Setting the
filter too high will cause the bass from the main speakers to overlap
the bass from the subwoofer and will cause a distorted bass sound.
If the filter is set too low, there will seem to be missing frequencies
between the bass from the sub and the main speakers.
Phase Switch:
This is used to select the polarity for the
subwoofer and should be relative to your front speakers. It allows for
cancellation of bass energy caused by the particular listening room
or area. To set this: while sitting in the main listening seat, listen
to a recording that has low frequency percussion instruments or
music with a continuous bass line. Try it first in the “0” setting and
then listening to the same music in the “180” setting. Then set the
switch to the setting that reproduced the most bass. Furniture, wall
coverings, and subwoofer location all can affect this setting.
