ASW850 - Subwoofer BOWERS & WILKINS - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL ASW850 BOWERS & WILKINS

....................52English Limited Warranty Dear customer, Welcome to B&W.This product has been designed andmanufactured to the highest qualitystandards. However, if something does gowrong with this product, B&WLoudspeakers and its national distributorswarrant free of charge labour (exclusionmay apply) and replacement parts in anycountry served by an official B&Wdistributor.This limited warranty is valid for a period offive years from the date of purchase or twoyears for electronics including amplifiedloudspeakers. Terms and Conditions 1 The warranty is limited to the repair ofthe equipment. Neither transportation,nor any other costs, nor any risk forremoval, transportation and installationof products is covered by this warranty.2 This warranty is only valid for theoriginal owner. It is not transferable.3 This warranty will not be applicable incases other than defects in materialsand/or workmanship at the time ofpurchase and will not be applicable:a for damages caused by incorrectinstallation, connection or packing,b for damages caused by any use otherthan correct use described in the usermanual, negligence, modifications, oruse of parts that are not made orauthorised by B&W,c for damages caused by faulty orunsuitable ancillary equipment,d for damages caused by accidents,lightning, water, fire heat, war, publicdisturbances or any other causebeyond the reasonable control of B&Wand its appointed distributors,e for products whose serial number hasbeen altered, deleted, removed ormade illegible,f if repairs or modifications have beenexecuted by an unauthorised person.4 This guarantee complements anynational/regional law obligations ofdealers or national distributors anddoes not affect your statutory rights asa customer. How to claim repairs under warranty Should service be required, please followthe following procedure:1 If the equipment is being used in thecountry of purchase, you shouldcontact the B&W authorised dealerfrom whom the equipment waspurchased.2 If the equipment is being used outsidethe country of purchase, you shouldcontact B&W national distributor in thecountry of residence who will advisewhere the equipment can be serviced.You can call B&W in the UK or visit ourweb site to get the contact details ofyour local distributor.To validate your warranty, you will need toproduce this warranty booklet completedand stamped by your dealer on the date ofpurchase. Alternatively, you will need theoriginal sales invoice or other proof ofownership and date of purchase. Owner’s manual IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Caution: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do notremove the back panel and do not exposethe apparatus to rain or moisture. No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing toqualified personnel. Explanation of Graphical Symbols: The lightning flash within anequilateral triangle is intendedto alert you to the presence ofuninsulated “dangerousvoltage” within the product’senclosure that may be ofsufficient magnitude toconstitute an electric shock topersons.The exclamation point withinan equilateral triangle isintended to alert you to thepresence of importantoperating and maintenance(servicing) instructions in theliterature accompanying theappliance. WARNINGS: 1 Read Instructions – All the safety andoperating instructions should be readbefore the appliance is operated.2 Retain Instructions – The safety andoperating instructions should beretained for future reference.3 Heed Warnings – All warnings on theappliance and in the operatinginstructions should be adhered to.4 Follow Instructions – All operating anduse instructions should be followed.5 Installation – Install in accordance withthe manufacturer's instructions.6 Power Sources – This product shouldbe operated only from the type ofpower source indicated by the markingsituated on the rear panel. If you arenot sure of the type of power supply toyour home, consult your productdealer or local power company.7 Grounding or Polarisation – Theappliance is not required to begrounded. Ensure the plug is fullyinserted into the wall outlet orextension cord receptacle to preventblade or pin exposure. Some versionsof the product are equipped with apower cord fitted with a polarisedalternating line plug (a plug having oneblade wider than the other). This plugwill fit onto the power outlet only oneway. This is a safety feature. If you areunable to insert the plug fully into theoutlet, try reversing the plug. If the plugshould still fail to fit, contact yourelectrician to replace your obsoleteoutlet. Do not defeat the safetypurpose of the polarised plug. Whenusing an extension power-supply cordor a power-supply cord other than thatsupplied with the appliance, it shouldbe fitted with the appropriate moulded-on plugs and carry safety approvalappropriate to the country of use.8 Power Cord Protection – Power-supplycords should be routed so that theyare not likely to be walked on orpinched by items placed on or againstthem, paying particular attention tocords at plugs, conveniencereceptacles and the point where theyexit from the appliance.9 Overloading – Do not overload walloutlets, extension cords or integralconvenience receptacles, as this canresult in a risk of fire or electric shock.10 Ventilation – The amplifier panel at therear of the product forms part of thecooling mechanism and must not beobscured by placing the product on abed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface.Do not cover the amplifier panel withany items such as tablecloths,newspapers, etc. Ensure the heat sinkfins are aligned vertically to ensureproper cooling. There should be a cleargap of at least 50mm (2-in) betweenthe back of the product and any wallor partition. If the product is placed ina built-in installation, such as a rack,bookcase or cabinet, proper provisionfor air to circulate must be provided,either by a) 12mm (1/2-in) clear gapround the top, sides and bottom of theproduct venting into the room or b) twoducts of 150 sq cm (24 sq in) minimumcross section from the room leading toslots 300mm (12-in) wide x 50mm (2-in) deep at top and bottom of thecompartment, in line with the gapbehind the product.11 Heat – The product should be situatedaway from heat sources such asradiators, heat registers, stoves, orother products (including amplifiers)that produce heat. No naked flamesources, such as lighted candles,should be placed on the apparatus.12 Wall or Ceiling Mounting – The productshould be mounted to a wall or ceilingonly as recommended by themanufacturer.13 Water and Moisture – To reduce therisk of fire or electric shock, do not

DO NOT OPENexpose the product to rain or excessive moisture such as in a sauna or bathroom. Do not use this product near water – for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool and the like. 14 Object and Liquid Entry – Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings, as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product. Do not place any object containing liquid on top of the product. 15 Cleaning – Unplug the product from the wall outlet before cleaning. The cabinet of the subwoofer may be cleaned by dusting with a dry cloth. If you wish to use an aerosol cleaning spray, do not spray directly on the cabinet; spray onto the cloth. Remove the grille first so that the cloth does not become stained, but be careful not to disturb the drive unit. The grille itself may be cleaned using a soft brush. 16 Attachments – Do not use attachments not recommended by the product manufacturer, as they may cause hazards. 17 Accessories – Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table recommended by the manufacturer or sold with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow the manufacturer’s instructions and should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer. 18 Moving the appliance – A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination to overturn. Check that there are no cables under the carpet that may be damaged by the spike feet. Do not walk the product on the spike feet as this may cause them to become detached from the cabinet and cause damage. Take care not to impale yourself with the spike feet. 19 Non-use Periods – The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet during lightning storms or when the apparatus is left unused for a long period of time. 20 Servicing – Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. 21 Damage Requiring Service – Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified personnel under the following conditions: a When the power-supply cord or plug has been damaged. b If liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the appliance. c If the product has been exposed to rain or water. d If the product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions, as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to its normal operation. e If the product has been dropped, or damaged in any way. f When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance – this indicates a need for service. 22 Replacement Parts – When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorised substitutions may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards. 23 Mains Fuses – For continued protection against fire hazard, use fuses only of the correct type and rating. The amplifier is designed to operate with nominal mains supplies in the range 100V to 230V AC, but different types of fuse are used, dependent on the mains voltage. The correct fuse specification for each voltage range is marked on the product. 24 Safety Check – Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition. 25 Magnetic Fields – the product creates a stray static magnetic field. Do not place any object that may be damaged by this magnetic field (eg cathode ray tube televisions or computer monitors, audio and video tapes and swipe cards) within 0.5m (2 feet) of the appliance. The appliance may cause distortion of cathode ray tube images beyond this distance. Introduction Thank you for purchasing a B&W ASW Active Subwoofer. Since its foundation in 1966, the continuing philosophy of B&W has been the quest for perfect sound reproduction. Inspired by the company’s founder, the late John Bowers, this quest has entailed not only high investment in audio technology and innovation but also an abiding appreciation of music and the demands of film sound to ensure that the technology is put to maximum effect. This subwoofer has been designed for Home Theatre installations and to augment the bass performance of full-range speakers in 2-channel audio use. Adding the subwoofer to your system not only extends the bass to lower frequencies, it improves the midrange clarity by reducing the low-frequency demands on your existing speakers. Please read through this manual fully before using the subwoofer. All sound installations require some planning and experimentation if you are to get the best out of the products used and this manual will guide you in this process. As the subwoofer is connected to the electricity power supply, it is important that you familiarise yourself with the safety instructions and heed all warnings. Keep this manual in a safe place for future reference. B&W products are distributed to over 60 countries worldwide and we maintain an international network of carefully chosen and dedicated distributors. If you have a problem, which your dealer cannot resolve, our distributors will be more than willing to assist you. Unpacking (figure 1) The easiest way to unpack the subwoofer and avoid damage is as follows:

• Open the carton flaps right back and invert the carton and contents.

• Lift the carton away from the product. We recommend that you retain the packaging for future use. In addition to this manual, the carton should contain: 1 Subwoofer 1 Accessory pack containing: 4 Rubber feet 4 Spike feet 4 Lock nuts 1 International warranty document A tour of the subwoofer (figure 2) 1 Power/Standby indicator 2 VOLUME control 3 LOW-PASS FREQUENCY control 4 MODE On/Auto/Standby switch 5 Equalisation switch 6 LOW-PASS FILTER defeat switch 7 Phase switch 8 LINE IN 9 LINE OUT 10 LINK OUT 11 POWER on/off switch 12 Fuse holders 13 Power input socket 3Positioning the subwoofer Because the subwoofer produces only low- frequency sounds, positioning is less critical in some respects compared to full-range speakers. Directional information is much less precise and you have more choice where to place the speakers to good effect. This said, best results are obtained if the subwoofer is placed between the satellite speakers or in the vicinity of one of them. If you use two subwoofers, it is best to put one near each satellite speaker. Placing the subwoofer behind the listeners, even in surround sound installations, generally gives inferior imaging, but may be an acceptable compromise if domestic considerations dictate. As with all speakers, the proximity of room boundaries affects the sound. Bass is generally increased as more surfaces come into close proximity with the speakers. Unlike full-range speakers, however, you can always restore the correct overall system balance by adjusting the volume level of the subwoofer. The more boost you get from the room, the less hard the speaker has to work; but there is a down side. Corner positions often excite more low-frequency room resonances, making the bass more uneven with frequency. There is no substitute for experiment as all rooms behave differently, so try the subwoofer in a variety of positions before making a final decision. A piece of music with a bass line ascending or descending the musical scale is useful for assessing the smoothness of the bass response. Listen for exaggerated or quiet notes. Having a separate subwoofer does enable you to optimise for room resonances independently from siting the satellite speakers for best imaging. If the subwoofer is to be used in a confined space (eg in custom furniture), the space must be ventilated to allow sufficient air to circulate and cool the unit. Ask your dealer for advice. The subwoofer is supplied with four spike feet. The spikes pierce through carpet pile, giving a firm support directly to the floor surface without crushing the pile. If the unit is to be placed on a vulnerable surface, such as a wooden floor, either place a protective disc under each spike or fit the four rubber feet in place of the spikes. When fitting either the rubber feet or the spike feet, first screw the lock nuts fully onto the thread and then screw the feet fully onto the threaded inserts in the base of the cabinet. If the unit rocks, loosen the relevant two opposing feet until the support is firm, then re-tighten the lock nuts to the inserts. Check that there are no cables under the carpet that may be damaged by the spike feet. Do not walk the product on the spike feet as this may cause them to become detached from the cabinet and cause damage. Take care not to impale yourself with the spike feet when moving the product. Electrical connections Disconnect all sound system equipment from the power supply until the signal connections have been made and checked. This avoids the risk of damage whilst connections are made or broken. The function of the subwoofer is to receive signals from the amplification chain and, where necessary for 2-channel audio, split the signal into low bass and higher frequencies and feed the latter back out to the satellite speakers. Left and right channel inputs may be combined into a single mono low bass feed to the subwoofer drive unit if required. The subwoofer will input and output line- level signals via the RCA Phono sockets located on the back panel. Use the following table to select the correct wiring method for your installation: Application: Home Theatre The subwoofer may be used with any decoder that has a line-level subwoofer output (normally from an RCA Phono socket). Most decoders with integral power amplifiers still output the subwoofer or Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) signal at line level.

• Decoder with one or more subwoofers – fig. 3 Application: 2-channel audio Separate pre- & power amplifiers: a One or more subwoofers with output combined into a single mono signal – fig. 4 b Two subwoofers with separate left and right signal – fig. 5 The subwoofer is not suitable for use with 2-channel integrated pre/power amplifiers. Using more than one subwoofer Using more than one unit in a single installation can improve performance in the following ways:

• Maintain stereo separation to the lowest frequencies.

• Cope with larger listening rooms.

• Enable greater maximum sound output – often useful for effectively reproducing special effects in Home Theatre applications.

• Smooth out the effects of low- frequency room resonances. If you are using two subwoofers for 2-channel audio, separation is improved if each channel has its own subwoofer, providing each one is placed close to the relevant satellite speaker. Only use the mono connection of figure 4 if you cannot place each subwoofer close to its satellite speaker. Double-check the connections Before auditioning the sound quality of your new installation and fine-tuning it, double- check the connections. All too often, users complain that they cannot get a decent sound however they set the controls, only to discover something has been wrongly connected. Make sure that:

• The phasing is correct – there should be no positive to negative connections to the satellite speakers. If something is out of phase you may get a fuzzy sound with an imprecise and floating image, a lack of bass or a combination of the two.

• There are no left to right mix-ups – this can result, for example, in the orchestra being the wrong way round or, more disastrously, sounds on your Home Theatre going in the opposite direction to the action on the screen. Switching on and off We recommend that you switch the subwoofer on before any power amplifiers receiving signals from the subwoofer. Similarly, when switching off, switch the subwoofer off last. The MODE standby/auto/on switch (4) does not isolate the amplifier completely from the power supply. It maintains a low-power input to an auxiliary sensing circuit. The switch (4) operates as follows: On: With the switch in this position, the amplifier remains permanently on, and the light (1) glows green. Auto: On first switching the subwoofer to Auto, the amplifier becomes fully active and the light (1) glows green. After a period of about 5 minutes without an input signal, the amplifier automatically reverts to standby mode, and the light glows red. When an input signal is detected, the amplifier automatically becomes fully active and the light glows green. Standby: In this position, the amplifier is in permanent standby, and the light glows red. If the subwoofer is to be out of use for an extended period of time, we recommend you isolate it from the power supply, either by using the POWER switch (11) or by removing the plug from the power socket. Setting the controls There are 5 controls to consider:

• The VOLUME control (2)

• The EQ (equalisation) switch (5) The optimum settings depend on the other equipment used with the subwoofer. If using more than one subwoofer, ensure the controls on each one are set the same. Use with home theatre decoders The B&W ASW Active Subwoofer is not a THX® licensed component, but may be used with a THX® controller if desired.

• Set the decoder VOLUME control to 4the half way (12 o’clock) position.

• The setting of the LOW-PASS FREQUENCY control is irrelevant.

• Set the PHASE switch initially to 0˚.

• Set the LOW-PASS FILTER switch to OUT.

• Set the EQ switch initially to position A. See also the section “Fine tuning”. If you have a THX® controller, ensure that the subwoofer function is enabled. When so configured it incorporates all the filtering and level setting required for the subwoofer in all modes. For level calibration, the internal test noise and channel level controls in the THX® controller should be used. In all cases the levels should be set to obtain 75dB SPL (C-weighted) at the listening position from the controller’s internal noise test signal. With other decoders, configure the front and surround speakers to “large” or “small” as appropriate before setting the levels. Use the internal noise test signal and volume controls of the decoder to set the levels of all the speakers. Only change the VOLUME control on the subwoofer if there is not enough range in the decoder to achieve the correct levels. Inexpensive sound level meters are readily available from electronics stores and should be used to calibrate the levels. Refer to your decoder manual for further details on how to set the levels. Use for 2-channel audio

• Set the VOLUME control initially to the half way (12 o’clock) position.

• Set the LOW-PASS FREQUENCY initially to 80Hz.

• Set the LOW-PASS FILTER switch to IN.

• Set the EQ switch initially to position A.

Description Drive units System frequency range System frequency response Amplifier Low-Pass Filter High-Pass Filter Dimensions Net Weight Active closed-box subwoofer system 300mm (12 in) paper/Kevlar® cone long-throw -6dB at 15Hz and 40/140Hz adjustable (EQ at A) -3dB 20Hz – 31/110Hz adjustable (EQ at A) Power output: 1000W continuous Input impedance: 33kΩ Signal / noise: >90dB Functions: Input level Low-pass filter frequency Low-pass filter bypass Bass roll-off alignment Auto sense on/standby Phase switch Inputs: Line In (RCA Phono) Outputs: Line Out (RCA Phono) high-passed Link Out (RCA Phono) Active 2nd-order, variable cut-off frequency Active 3rd-order -6dB at 80Hz Height: 529mm (20.8 in) not including feet Width: 476mm (18.7 in) Depth: 351mm (13.8 in) including grille and controls 35kg (77 lb) Active closed-box subwoofer system 380mm (15 in) paper/Kevlar® cone long-throw -6dB at 14Hz and 40/140Hz adjustable (EQ at A) ±3dB 18Hz – 31/110Hz adjustable (EQ at A) Power output: 1000W continuous Input impedance: 33kΩ Signal / noise: >90dB Functions: Input level Low-pass filter frequency Low-pass filter bypass Bass roll-off alignment Auto sense on/standby Phase switch Inputs: Line In (RCA Phono) Outputs: Line Out (RCA Phono) high-passed Link Out (RCA Phono) Active 2nd-order, variable cut-off frequency Active 3rd-order -6dB at 80Hz Height: 529mm (20.8 in) not including feet Width: 562mm (22.1 in) Depth: 522mm (20.6 in) including grille and controls 45kg (99 lb) ASW850