Placement
4400A Series monitors are available as
muuTor
-imaged
pairs to acliieve a symmetri-
cal wavefront. For best results, there are a few general placement guidelines that
should be followed. They are:
1. Listening Distance:
Having evaluated numerous studio environments, it was
determined that close-proximity monitors are generally placed 1 to 1.5 meters (3
to 5 ft) from the common listening position, typically over the meter bridge or just
behind on stands. While 4400A Series monitors will deliver excellent performance
at almost any listening distance, the 1 to 1.5 meter range usually provides greater
control over listening room interaction, particularly when the control room is not
an optimized control room. With this In mind, please see Fig. 1, "Quick Set-Up
Guide" for a visual guide on recommended placement and positioning.
2. Vertical vs. Horizontal Orientation:
Models 4408A and 441 OA were
engineered to deliver best results when positioned vertically. However, the 4408A
can also be used horizontally with minimal impact on performance. The 4412A is
designed to be positioned horizontally.
3- Angling Towards the Listening Area:
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the monitors
should be angled so they directly face the listener. The center of the high
frequency transducer should be on axis with the listener eye level.
4. Placement Near Walls:
In a typical commercial studio environment, close-
proximity monitors are usually located in a fairly open area, away from walls.
However, the limited space in most home studios or video post production work
centers often places the loudspeakers near walls or comers of the room. You
should keep in mind that the placement of any speaker system near a wall(s) will
affect low frequency response and change the system's tonal balance. 4400A
Series monitors exhibit the most balanced frequency response when located away
from walls.
5.
Mi nor-Imaging - Which is 'Left'and Which is 'Right?:
As previously
mentioned, 4400A Series monitors are available as mirror-imaged pairs. In other
words, there are units that are designated as 'Left' and 'Right'. Under normal
circumstances, the high frequency elements are to be located to the outside edge of
the enclosure. Again, referring to the "Quick Set Up Guide" and Fig. 1, the ideal
set-up is that of an equilateral triangle where the speakers are as far apart from
each other as they are from you. Should your space/placement restrictions force
you to place the loudspeakers farther apart than their distance from you, locating
the high frequency elements to the inside may yield better imaging.
6. Stray Magnetic Fields:
4400A Series monitors contain extremely high quality
components that depend on powerful magnets for superior performance. The
high flux of these magnets can cause stray magnetic fields to affect the performance
of video monitors, computers or other magnetically sensitive equipment. It is
recommended that these monitor loudspeakers be placed no closer than 450 mm
(approximately 18 inches) to magnetically sensitive equipment. Should you need
magnetically sluelded loudspeaker systems, please contact your local JBL dealer or
the factory for information on Control Series or 4200 Series monitors.
Connection
4400A Series monitors are equipped with 5-way binding post input connectors.
Positive voltage to the
v i
Red" (+) terminal will produce a foward motion in the low
frequency cone. The connectors are designed to accept up to 12 AWG bare wire,
Spade Lugs or a standard Banana jack. Spacing of the two input terminals is
intended to allow use of a standard Dual Banana jack.
Use only two-conductor insulated speaker wire, preferably of a gauge no smaller
than 16 AWG. Cable inns exceeding 10 meters (30 ft) should be made with a
heavier wire, 14 or 12 AWG.
Power Requirements
As a generally safe guideline, JBL recommends that your power amplifier's output
rating be no less than the rated maximum power handling of the loudspeaker
system. A quite common but inaccurate assumption is that a power amplifier
whose output power rating is lower than the stated speaker power handling is
incapable of damaging the loudspeaker. To the contrary! The highest percentage
of component failures occur when the amplifier cannot deliver clean,
nndistorted power to the loudspeakers. For a more detailed explanation, write to
IBL and request the Technical Note entitled "Danger: Low Power."
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