Standard Connection for Speakers with Two Input Teminals (Fig. 9)
Leave the jumper bars attached and connect using either set of input
terminals. Your speakers’ binding posts can be used with spade, banana
or pin connectors, as well as with bare wire. Tighten the posts firmly by
hand—do not over tighten!
This section outlines other connection options.
DO NOT attempt to bi-wire or bi-amplify unless you
have removed the jumper bars.
Bi-wire Connection (Fig. 9a)
Bi-wiring can improve clarity and openness, with less grain and more solidity
to the bass. Two cables are required for each speaker that you bi-wire.
Bi-amp Connectio n (Fig. 9b)
Passive bi-amping offers a dramatic improvement in clarity, openness and
detail, with much better bass solidity and definition. The presentation of
music and movie soundtracks is simply more intelligible and transparent.
With passive bi-amping, the speaker’s internal passive crossovers remain
connected. An external electronic crossover is not required and cannot be
used (there is no direct electrical access to individual drive units). This saves
expense and setup difficulties. Passive bi-amping optimizes your speaker to
achieve the best possible high-end performance. To bi-amplify, two power
amplifiers are required. Connection can be either vertical or horizontal.
IMPORTANT!
When bi-amping, always use amplifiers with identical
gain. If uniform amplifier gain is not maintained the speaker-to-speaker
balance will be incorrect when vertically bi-amped, or the speaker
system’s frequency balance will be incorrect when horizontally bi-amped.
To prevent problems use identical amplifiers (Brand and Model) and in
identical operating modes (single channel or bridged).
Vertical Bi-amplification
dedicates one amplifier to each speaker. This
configuration provides complete channel separation, which optimizes your
system’s imaging ability. Connect your speakers to one amplifier at a time.
Horizontal Bi-amplification
dedicates one amplifier to your speakers’
mid/low-frequency inputs and another to their high-frequency inputs. This
configuration can maintain better clarity when listening at loud levels—if
low-frequency demands cause amplifier clipping, distortion will still be
kept away from high-frequency drivers. Connect your speakers to one
amplifier at a time.
Following the instructions in this owners manual, once you have your
speakers positioned in the room and have set speaker distances and
speaker level calibration with your Processor or A/V Receiver, it’s time for
a little fine tuning. Since Paradigm
®
Reference speakers are designed to
provide exceptional high-end performance in a variety of room settings,
fine tuning is simply a matter of making slight adjustments to their
placement in the room, if necessary.
Start with just the front speakers and listen to familiar music in stereo.
The soundstage will be both wide and deep, but this can be tuned to your
personal preference by adjusting the toe-in (the amount the speakers are
turned toward the listening area). More toe-in will increase image depth
and localization, less toe-in will increase image width. Adjust the toe-in
in small increments, listening each time, until you achieve the
soundstage balance you prefer.
Toe-in is not applicable to the other speakers in your system since their
position and sound distribution pattern is fixed.
Fine tuning for the center channel is simply a matter of making level
adjustments that may be required for any particular multichannel music
or movie program. If required, adjust Processor or A/V Receiver levels to
ensure that there is always a cohesive overall soundstage.
FINE TUNING
SOLUTION
PROBLEM
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
No Sound from One or
More Speakers
No Sound
Lack of Bass or
Dislocated Image
Make sure receiver, preamp or amplifier is plugged in and turned on. Check power outlet at the wall is working.
Are headphones plugged in, or is system on Mute?
Re-check all connections.
Check your balance control or VC-150 Volume Control (if using).
Check that all power cords are properly plugged in and functioning.
Swap a non-working speaker with one that works to determine if the problem is with the speaker or something else (i.e. wiring, amplifier).
One or more speakers may be connected out of phase (their polarity is reversed).
Re-check to ensure that each speaker’s cable is connected with correct polarity: red (+) to red (+) and black (-) to black (-).
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