Argentum 550 - Speaker Quadral - Free user manual and instructions

Product type	Passive speaker
Brand	Quadral
Model	Argentum 550
Category	Floor-standing speaker
Speaker type	Passive, bass-reflex
Power handling (estimated)	150 W
Impedance (estimated)	4 ohms
Sensitivity (estimated)	89 dB
Frequency response (estimated)	35 Hz - 25 kHz
Dimensions (H x W x D, estimated)	95 x 20 x 30 cm
Weight (estimated)	15 kg
Cabinet material	MDF with veneer
Connectors	Screw terminals (bi-wiring/bi-amping possible)
Mounting options	Feet, wall mounts (keyhole slot)
Included accessories	Foam for bass reflex port, rubber feet (for some models)
Safety	Do not open, avoid overload and moisture, keep away from magnetic fields
Maintenance and cleaning	Soft dry cloth, do not use solvents, clean diaphragms carefully
General information	Manufacturer: Quadral GmbH, after-sales service: [phone], [e-mail]

Frequently Asked Questions - Argentum 550 Quadral

How to correctly connect my Argentum 550 speakers to the amplifier?

Before connecting, turn off the amplifier. Use a special twin-lead cable (minimum cross-section 2.5 mm² for lengths over 5 m). Strip the ends by 10 mm. Connect the marked wire to the red terminal (+) and the other to the black terminal (-). Observe polarity on the amplifier. For bi-wiring or bi-amping mode, remove the jumpers.

What to do if the sound is distorted even at low volume?

First check if the distortion comes from the amplifier or the speaker. Swap the speakers: if the problem stays on the same channel, the electronics are at fault; if it moves, the speaker is defective. Then contact Quadral after-sales service.

How to avoid damaging the speakers at high volume?

Avoid amplifier clipping. If you hear distortion, immediately lower the volume. Do not exceed the midpoint volume setting. Prolonged overload can damage the speakers or cause a fire.

What is the ideal distance between speakers and walls?

Place the back of the speaker at least 30 cm from the nearest wall and about 50 cm from side walls to avoid unwanted reflections. If bass is too strong, move speakers away from corners.

How to clean my Argentum 550 speakers?

Use a soft dry cloth for the cabinet. For fabric grilles, gently tap or use a vacuum cleaner. Never use solvents. Clean diaphragms only if necessary with a dry cloth and very light pressure. Tweeters should not be cleaned.

How to reduce overpowering bass?

Insert the supplied large-pore foam cylinder into the bass reflex port. If bass remains too strong, move speakers away from walls or reduce the bass level on the amplifier.

Can I use bi-wiring or bi-amping mode?

Yes, the screw terminals allow it. Remove the jumpers connecting the upper and lower terminals. In bi-wiring, use two cables per speaker. In bi-amping, use two amplifiers. Strictly observe polarity.

How to stabilize speakers on carpet?

Use the supplied or optional spikes. Attach them carefully. On smooth floors, use Velcro or double-sided adhesive. Never use speakers as a seat or ladder.

What to do if I hear no sound?

Check connections: is the amplifier on? Are cables properly connected to the terminals? Ensure the amplifier is not in mute mode. If the problem persists, test with another source.

Are Argentum 550 speakers magnetically shielded?

No, they are not shielded. Keep them at least 50 cm away from CRT TVs to avoid color distortion. Plasma/LCD TVs are not affected. Also avoid placing credit cards or magnetic media on the speaker.

USER MANUAL Argentum 550 Quadral

Safety notes 3-4
Setting up 5-6
Stands and wall mounts 6
Connecting up your amplifier 6-9
Beware of clipping 10
Tips for better acoustics 10
Care of loudspeakers 11
What to do if your speakers don't sound right? 12

DEUTSCH

First of all, thank you for deciding on quadral loudspeakers.

It is to satisfy the high expectations of music lovers and connoisseurs such as you that we build loudspeakers of a class that is well above average. Even though you may already be familiar with them, we list below a few ground rules that will enable you to make optimal use of your loudspeakers.

Safety advice for passive loudspeakers

Please take time to read through the manual carefully and follow all the steps describing how to set up and operate the loudspeakers. Keep the manual somewhere you can quickly access it should you have any questions later on.

• The stability of loudspeakers (especially large units) depends on the nature of the surface on which they stand. Carpets are often very poor for stability. Even an average bump can cause a loudspeaker to fall over and be a hazard for persons or pets in the vicinity. Stability can be significantly improved by using "spikes", but care should be taken during assembly as the sharp points can cause injury and the spikes can damage the floor. On smooth floors, the loudspeakers can be stabilised with Velcro or double-sided tape. Loudspeakers should never be used as a seat or as a substitute for a ladder!
• Use only wheeled furniture, stands or wall mounting systems and other devices for attaching and installing the products, which are available from the manufacturer and are sold for or with the product. To avoid damage or injury through tipping over, please be careful when moving table devices or stands on which the speakers are mounted. If wall-mounting the product, take special care that all components are securely screwed! Additional securing equipment (chains, etc.) should be fitted.
• The location for the loudspeakers should be dry and not too cold. Constant high humidity or strong sunlight (UV radiation) can cause your loudspeakers to age prematurely and consequently affect their functioning.
• Very high volume levels for long periods of time are not only annoying for your neighbours, but can also be harmful to the health of the user!
• When loudspeakers are overloaded with very high volume levels, there is a risk of individual components in crossover circuits or individual speakers burning out. In particularly bad cases, it is even possible for fire to break out inside a speaker. Speakers operated at these extremes should therefore not be left unattended.
• At high volumes, voltage levels of 30 - 50V can be present at speaker terminals and components. Be very careful not to touch uninsulated terminal contacts of speakers

when in operation. To avoid injury, never put hands or arms into sound outlets (bass reflex tubes). Children and pets, in particular, are at risk from this.

• For safety reasons, we generally forbid the opening of loudspeaker cabinets when in operation or connected since, as explained in the above paragraph, voltages of up to 50 volts can be present inside.

- Improper handling of mains voltage can cause fatal injury

Passive loudspeakers must on no account be connected to the electricity supply!
Speaker terminals may only be connected to the appropriate output terminals of the amplifier. You should never connect these terminals to the electricity supply (230 V/115 V) in any way since that will otherwise also immediately destroy the loudspeaker and all connected products. Avoid fitting plugs to ends of speaker cables that could even remotely be confused with mains supply plugs.
- Loudspeakers that are not magnetically shielded can affect the colour of the TV picture or cause distortion. A distance of 50~cm is generally sufficient to avoid problems of this kind. Avoid placing items such as credit cards, diskettes, audio or video cassettes or other magnetic media on the loudspeaker. This could destroy the information stored on them. Similarly, avoid operating magnetic tape devices in the immediate vicinity.

Setting up

To obtain optimal sound results, it is generally necessary to try out different set-ups. Since the room conditions have a major effect on sound reproduction, we suggest below a few useful approaches for positioning your quadral loudspeakers.

Main speakers (front)

Where the speakers are positioned in the listening space has a decisive effect on their sound. Placing the speakers near the corners of the room will essentially give you loud bass reproduction but with little outline. On the other hand, speakers positioned well away from the walls sound precise, but also very bright and thin. The best solution is to place the speakers with at least 30~cm between their backs and the nearest wall. To avoid

loud wall reflections, the distance from the side walls of the room can even be 50~cm or more. Bookshelf speaker units sound best on a speaker stand or shelf, with the tweeters arranged at ear height. The cases should be angled and slightly tilted to achieve this. Ss far as possible, the speakers should be equidistant from the listening position, while the distance of the speakers from each other can be rather less than the distance from the listener.

Front centre speaker

Due to the proliferation of plasma and LCD TVs, these speakers are no longer shielded magnetically. This causes colour and geometrical errors and can occur on older TVs with picture tubes. Since it can't be placed on the TV set, the center speaker can be set lying down underneath it. The speaker should be at least 30~cm from the television, and a minimum of 20~cm from the floor. Apart from the above, we recommend angling the center speaker so that the tweeter is aimed at the listener in order to enjoy its full sound potential.

Rear centre speaker

In contrast to 5.1 surround sets, 6.1 systems have an additional rear centre speaker that should be placed behind and slightly above the typical listening position.

Rear speakers

Whether you direct the rear speakers toward the listening position is a matter of taste. Also, many listeners prefer the rear speakers to be positioned above ear height. This can be achieved by mounting the units on a sturdy wall bracket, a high speaker stand, a sideboard or shelf.

Stands and wall brackets

To obtain optimal positioning of the front and rear speakers, quadral offers suitable stands and wall brackets. Some speaker models also have a keyhole-shaped cut-out in the back of the speaker for wall mounting. Should you have any questions, please contact us on tel.: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]

Connecting to the amplifier

Before connecting the speakers to your hi-fi or surround system, make sure the amplifier/ receiver is switched off and its status LED is not lit. To connect the speakers, you will need a two-core speaker cable for each speaker. Make sure these are of sufficient length and don't shorten the cables before checking they are long enough to hide behind furniture or under the carpet. For cables longer than 5 metres, we recommend a cross-sectional area of at least 2.5sqmm per core in order to avoid unnecessary power loss. Strip the insulation of the cores to a length of around 10mm at both ends of the cable so that they are bared for good contact.

Screw terminals

For connection, the speakers are provided with colour-coded screw terminals on the back of the cabinet. Loosen the screw terminals and feed the stripped end of the core into the hole that is now free. The two cores of speaker cables have different colouring or shape for recognition. Connect one core to the red, positive terminal - the remaining core to the black terminal. Tighten the screws hand-tight. To ensure correct polarity, check that the core connected to the red, positive terminal of the speaker is also the core that is connected to the red, positive terminal of the amplifier and that the other core is connected to the black, negative terminals of both the speaker and amplifier.

With some quadral loudspeakers, you can choose between three modes of operation.

a) Conventional mode Do not remove the jumpers, connect the speaker cable as shown in the illustration.
b) Biwiring mode Open the jumpers after loosening the four screw terminals on the back of the speaker and connect the cable as shown in the illustration.
c) Biamping mode Open the jumpers and connect the cables as shown in the illustration.

In the biwiring/biamping mode, the bass frequencies are controlled via the two lower terminals - and the midrange/treble frequencies via the two upper terminals.
Make sure you use the correct polarities in these modes and that you remove the jumpers on the speaker terminal to avoid damaging your amplifier.

Operation with a surround amplifier

Once you have positioned and connected your speakers as shown in the illustration, you should perform the necessary settings in the bass management system of your surround amplifier.

Make sure you read the user manual supplied by your amplifier's manufacturer before doing this.

Since bass management primarily depends on the loudspeaker configuration, we give only typical settings below.

a) Small and very small satellite speakers must be operated in "small" mode.

Perform the setting on your amplifier as follows:

Front: small

Centre: small

Rear: small

Subwoofer: yes

b) There is no definitive formula for the settings for compact speakers. In this case, the suitable mode may be "large" or "small". This depends on the volume level you prefer or the sound effect you wish to obtain (refer to the section "Caution, clipping!). The settings on your amplifier can optionally be configured as follows:

Front: large/small

Centre: large/small

Rear: large/small

Subwoofer: yes

c) Floorstanding speakers or large bookshelf speakers that are suitable for powerful bass reproduction should be operated in "large" mode.

Perform the setting on the amplifier as follows:

Front: large

Centre: large

Rear: large

Subwoofer: yes/no

For the special quadral centre speakers, we generally recommend "small" mode.

Subwoofer

If your surround amplifier has a "line subwoofer" output, you can make use of this by using the Y cable shipped with the subwoofer (see illustration). In this case, you connect the front speakers directly to the front speaker terminals of your amplifier. Refer to the connection diagram for wiring your surround system.

Refer to the user manual of the active subwoofer for the necessary settings on your subwoofer!

Caution, clipping

Even if the rated output of an amplifier is significantly less than the load rating of the connected boxes, the speakers can easily be damaged by improper operation. This is because the rated output merely indicates how many watts the amplifier is capable of supplying to the speakers without distortion. When an amplifier is overloaded, it not only delivers a lot more power but also mixes in destructive direct current as well as high-frequency oscillations. This phenomenon is known as clipping and can be heard in the form of harsh distortion during loud passages. If you hear distortion, reduce the volume immediately to avoid damaging the speaker units. Amplifier clipping is a typical overload phenomenon that always occurs when you turn the volume and/or tone controls up too high. Even in the middle setting of the tone control, normal amplifiers reach their limits when loud pulses occur if you move the volume control significantly past the 12 o'clock position.

Tips for better acoustics

1. Soft foam to prevent loud basses

Depending on the acoustic properties of the listening room and the positioning of the loudspeakers, bass notes can occasionally appear too loud.

Some quadral speakers are therefore shipped with pre-cut cylindrical pieces of large-pore foam.

If low basses are unpleasantly loud in the listening area, we recommend inserting this foam cylinder into the bass reflex tube of your quadral speaker. But avoid pus problems removing it afterwards. A noticeable be achieved this way.

1. To achieve better acoustic isolation of the loudspeakers from the floor, some floorstanding speakers are designed to accept spikes. Use of the spikes can be advantageous, depending on the living room / floor.
2. To achieve better acoustic isolation of centre or shelf speakers from the surface on which they stand, some of these loudspeakers are shipped with 4 self-adhesive rubber feet.

Care of loudspeakers

Your quadral loudspeakers are best cleaned with a soft, dry cloth. The aluminium housing is best wiped in a longitudinal direction with a damp cloth. Do not use solvents. You should only clean the loudspeaker systems (woofer, midrange units, etc.) when they have become very dirty (small amounts of dust have no effect on the acoustics). Use a soft, dry cloth or a soft brush with very gentle pressure, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the diaphragms.

We generally advise against cleaning the tweeter diaphragms because they are extremely sensitive to pressure!

Light soil on the fabric front frame can be removed by tapping, with a vacuum cleaner, or by using an adhesive tape when the front frame has been removed.

Heavier soil can be removed with a dry foam cleaner (such as Centralin spray). Never use moisture to clean the front frame.

The technical details for your product can be found on the back of the speaker cabinet or on the packaging!

Fault	Cause	Rectification
Audible distortion even at low volume	a) Fault in the electronics	a) The fault lies in the electronics if the problem affects both speakers.Swap over the left and right speakers if only one speaker is affected. If the problem is still on the same channel, your electronics are faulty.The speaker is faulty if the problem is now on the other channel.b) Fault in the speaker	b) Please contact your dealer or our service (tel. [phone]).
No sound	a) Cabling incorrectb) Amplifier switched off	a) Check the cabling.b) Switch on the system.
Slender, bright sound.Sounds distant and unrealistic.	a) Incorrect polarity	a) Check to see if a terminal marked with + on the amplifier has been inadvertently connected to a terminal marked with - on the speaker or vice versa.b) Set up the speaker closer to a wall, but maintain a minimum clearance of 5 cm between the back of the speaker and the wall.
	b) Unfavourable setup
Bass notes too powerful	a) Unfavourable speaker setup [e.g. in the corner of a room]b) Bass control on amplifier set high	a) Move the speaker further away from the adjacent walls.b) Set the bass control on your amplifier to a neutral position.
Lack of treble	a) The tweeters are not properly aligned	a) Position the speakers so that the tweeters are facing directly towards your listening position.

Front: large/small
Center: large/smal
Rear: large/smal
Subwoofer: yes

Front: large
Center: large
Rear: large
Subwoofer: yes/no

Central: large/small

Arriere: large/small

Caisson de graves: yes

Attention aux distortions

Altavoz principal (frontal)

Frontal: large/small
Central: large/small
Posterior: large/small
Subwoofer: yes

Frontal: large Central: large Posterior: large Subwoofer: yes/no

HiFi / Surround Speakers

quadral GmbH & Co. KG