CM8 S2 - Loudspeaker B&W - Free user manual and instructions

Product type	Passive loudspeaker
Brand	Bowers & Wilkins (B&W)
Model	CM8 S2
Category	Loudspeaker
Positioning	Floor-standing, with spikes or rubber feet
Supplied accessories	M6 spikes, lock nuts, rubber feet, floor support, screws, washers, Allen key, foam bungs
Connections	Bi-wiring possible (two pairs of terminals with removable links)
Impedance	Not specified in the manual
Sensitivity	Not specified in the manual
Recommended power	Not specified in the manual
Frequency response	Not specified in the manual
Dimensions	Not specified in the manual
Weight	Not specified in the manual
Cabinet material	Real wood veneer with anti-UV varnish
Maintenance	Dusting; cleaning with soapy water or glass cleaner on microfiber cloth; do not touch the drivers
Break-in	Approximately 15 hours of normal use to reach optimal performance
Magnetic fields	Keep at least 50 cm away from CRT screens and magnetic media
Environmental compliance	RoHS, REACH, WEEE
Spare parts	Not mentioned in the manual
Repairability	Not mentioned in the manual

Frequently Asked Questions - CM8 S2 B&W

How to install the spikes on the speaker?

Screw the spikes completely into the threaded inserts of the floor support. Place the lock nuts so that they are flush with the carpet once the spikes contact the hard floor. Adjust each spike to level the speaker, then tighten the lock nuts against the base.

Can bi-wiring or bi-amping be used?

Yes, remove the links between the two pairs of terminals on the back of the speaker, then connect each pair independently to the amplifier. This improves fine detail resolution.

What to do if the bass level is too high?

Move the speakers away from walls to reduce bass. You can also insert the supplied foam bungs into the bass ports: only the outer part for moderate reduction, or the full bung for stronger reduction.

How to clean the speakers without damaging them?

Dust with a soft cloth. For stubborn marks, use glass cleaner sprayed on a microfiber cloth (do not spray directly). Avoid abrasive, acidic, ammonia-based, or antibacterial products. Never clean the drivers.

What is the break-in period for the speakers?

Allow a weekend for the temperature to stabilize after storage, then approximately 15 hours of normal use for the suspensions to loosen and achieve optimal performance.

How to attach the floor stand (base)?

Align the base with the fixing holes at the bottom of the cabinet, with the arrow pointing forward. Use the supplied M6 screws, flat washers and self-locking washers, tighten with the Allen key.

What minimum distance should be kept from walls?

For stereo installation, keep the speakers at least 50 cm from the rear wall and side walls. For home cinema, place them about 50 cm from each side of the screen and 50 cm from adjacent walls.

Why is the polarity of the connections important?

Respecting the polarity (+/-) between the amplifier and the speaker is essential for correct stereo imaging and well-defined bass. Reversal degrades the soundstage and reduces bass.

Do the speakers generate dangerous magnetic fields?

The drivers produce magnetic fields. Maintain a distance of at least 50 cm from CRT televisions, cassettes, magnetic cards, etc. LCD, OLED, and plasma screens are not affected.

How to use the foam bungs to adjust the bass?

Insert the bungs into the bass ports on the rear of the speaker. Use only the outer part for light reduction, or insert the full bung for more significant bass level reduction.

USER MANUAL CM8 S2 B&W

CM8 S2 CM9 S2 CM10 S2

Welcome and thank you for choosing Bowers & Wilkins.

Our founder, John Bowers, believed that imaginative design, innovative engineering and advanced technology were keys that could unlock the enjoyment of audio in the home. His belief is one that we continue to share and inspires every product we design.

This is a high performance product that rewards thoughtful installation, so we suggest that you take some time to read this manual before you begin. Continue on page 5 →

1. Unpacking

Carton Contents

Check in the carton for:

1 Foam plug
1 Accessory pack containing
4 Rubber feet
4 M6 spike feet
4 Lock nuts (10mm across flats)
1 Plinth
1 Accessory pack containing
1 Allen key
4 M6 x 35mm screws
4 Plain washers
4 Shakeproof washers

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Environmental Information

This product complies with international directives, including but not limited to:

i. the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment,

ii. the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals (REACH)

iii. the disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).

Consult your local waste disposal authority for guidance on how properly to recycle or dispose of this product.

2. Positioning

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Speaker Installation

The speakers are intended to be floor mounted only. It is important to ensure that the speakers stand firmly on the floor using the spike feet supplied whenever possible. In addition, fit the plinth for proper stability.

You may attach the plinth during the unpacking process, following the diagrams on the top flap of the carton. Alternatively, you may attach it after the product has been fully unpacked, by covering a suitable support such as a table with a cloth and laying the speaker on its side with the base of the cabinet overhanging the support. Align the plinth with its attachment holes in the underside of the cabinet, ensuring that the arrow on the underside of the plinth points forwards. Secure the plinth using the screws and washers supplied. Fit the shakeproof washers between the plain washers and the screw heads. Tighten the screws using the Allen key supplied.

The spike feet are designed to pierce carpet and rest on the floor surface. Initially, screw the lock nuts onto the spikes enough to leave the nuts floating just above the carpet when the spikes are resting on the floor beneath. Screw the spikes fully into the threaded inserts in the plinth. If the cabinet rocks when placed on the floor, unscrew the two spikes that do not touch the floor until the cabinet rests firmly without rocking. Finally, lock the nuts against the cabinet. It may be more convenient to fit and adjust the spike feet after speaker positioning has been optimised.

If there is no carpet and you wish to avoid scratching the floor surface, use either a protective metal disc (a coin perhaps) between the spike and the floor, or use the supplied rubber feet. Fit the rubber feet and level the cabinet in the same manner as with the spike feet.

For CM10 S2 only, remove the transit clamp disc from the rear of the cabinet to free up the decoupling mechanism of the FST midrange drive unit. We recommend you retain the disc and securing screw should you need to transport the speaker at some future time.

Speaker Positioning

Adjustment of speaker position following initial installation will probably further improve the sound quality and is usually worthwhile.

In either stereo or home theatre installations, try to ensure that the immediate surroundings of each speaker are similar in acoustic character. For example, if one speaker is adjacent to bare walls while the other is adjacent to soft furnishings and curtains, both the overall sound quality and the stereo image are likely to be compromised.

Conventional Stereo Systems

To begin with, the speakers should be positioned between 1.5m and 3m apart at two corners of an equilateral triangle completed by the listening area at the third corner. The speakers should be approximately 0.5m away from the back wall, and at least 0.5m away from any side walls (above).

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Home Theatre Systems

If the speakers are to be used for the front channels in a home theatre system, they should be placed closer together than for 2-channel audio, because the surround channels tend to widen the image. Positioning the speakers within approximately 0.5m of the sides of the screen will also help keep the sound image in scale with the visual image. As with conventional stereo positioning, the speakers should ideally be at least 0.5m away from any side walls. If you would prefer to place your speaker against the back wall and this location results in over emphasised bass, see the Fine Tuning section of this manual for information on using the foam plugs.

Stray magnetic fields

The speaker drive units create stray magnetic fields that extend beyond the boundaries of the cabinet. We recommend you keep magnetically sensitive articles (CRT television and computer screens, computer discs, audio and video tapes, swipe cards and the like) at least 0.5m from the speaker. LCD, OLED and plasma screens are not affected by magnetic fields.

3. Connections

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All connections should be made with the audio equipment switched off.
There are 2 linked pairs of terminals on the back of the speaker. For conventional connection (above left), the terminal links should remain in place (as delivered) and just one pair of terminals connected to the amplifier. For bi-wire connections or bi-amplification (above right), the terminal links should be removed and each pair of terminals connected to the amplifier or amplifiers independently. Bi-wiring can improve the resolution of low-level detail.

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Ensure that the positive terminals on the speaker (marked + and coloured red) are connected to the positive output terminal on the amplifier and the negative terminals on the speaker (marked – and coloured black) are connected to the negative output terminal on the amplifier. Incorrect connection can result in poor imaging and loss of bass.
Ask your dealer for advice when selecting speaker cable.

1. Fine Tuning
   

Before fine tuning, make sure that all the connections in the installation are correct and secure.

Moving the speakers further from the walls will generally reduce the volume of bass. Space behind the speakers will also help to create an aural impression of depth. Conversely, moving the speakers closer to the walls will increase the volume of bass. If you want to reduce the volume of bass without moving the speakers further from the wall, fit the foam plugs or, for less severe bass reduction, the foam rings in the port tubes (above).

If the bass seems uneven with frequency this will most probably be a consequence of the acoustic properties of your listening room. Even small changes in the position of the speakers or listening position can have a significant effect on sonic performance, especially at low frequencies. Try moving your listening position or locating your speakers along a different wall if possible.

If no alternatives exist, you can adjust your loudspeakers' low-frequency performance using the supplied foam bungs. The bungs are a two-piece part, allowing for a degree of fine-tuning using either the outer, larger-diameter piece in isolation or the two parts together. Using solely the outer, larger-diameter foam bung will deliver less bass attenuation than the complete bung assembly.

1. Running In 6. Aftercare

The performance of the speaker will change subtly during the initial listening period. If the speaker has been stored in a cold environment, the damping compounds and suspension materials of the drive units will take some time to recover their correct mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions will also loosen up during the first hours of use. The time taken for the speaker to achieve its intended performance will vary depending on previous storage conditions and how it is used. As a guide, allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the mechanical parts to attain their intended design characteristics.

The cabinet surfaces will usually only require dusting. If you wish to use an aerosol or other cleaner, apply the cleaner onto the cloth, not directly onto the product and test a small area first, as some cleaning products may damage some of the surfaces. Avoid products that are abrasive, or contain acid, alkali or antibacterial agents. Marks on the paint surface may be removed with a dilute perfume-free soap solution. Remove any remaining streak marks by spraying with a proprietary glass cleaner and lightly wiping dry with a microfibre cloth. Do not use cleaning agents on the drive units and avoid touching them as damage may result.

Real wood veneers are treated with an ultra-violet resistant lacquer to minimise changes in colour over time. Nevertheless, like all natural materials, a degree of colour change is to be expected. Colour differences may be rectified by exposing all the veneer surfaces equally and evenly to sunlight until the colour is uniform. This process can take a long time, but may be accelerated by careful use of an ultra-violet lamp. Keep the speakers away from direct sources of heat such as radiators and warm air vents in order to minimise the possibility of the wood veneer cracking.

1. Déballage

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Kartoninhalt

Im Karton liegen:

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Heimkinosysteme

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Conteúdos da caixa

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Installazione

Posizionamento

Sistemi Home Theatre

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Inhoud doos

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Luidspreker Installeren

Luidsprekeropstelling

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Home Theater Systemen

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Τοποθέτηση ηχείου

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Содержание упаковки

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Установка колонок

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Obsah balení

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Pozice reprosoustav

Domácí kino

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Instalacja głośnika

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Ustawienie głośnika

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包装箱内的物品

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环保信息

本产品符合国际指令，包括但不限于：

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扬声器的安装

扬声器的定位

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家庭影院系统

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包装箱内的物品

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内容物

以下の内容を確認してください。

フォームプラグ 1個

アクセサリーパック1袋

中身

ゴム足 4個

M6スパイク 4本

ロックナット（10mm平面幅）4個

台座 1個

アクセサリーパック 1袋

中身

六角レンチ 1個

M6 x 35mmネジ 4個

平ワッシャー 4個

菊座ワッシャー 4個

環境関連情報

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スピーカーの設置

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スピーカー設置位置

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