thecustomsoundseries Installation Guide CWA-1

Transcription

1 thecustomsoundseries Installation Guide CWA-1

2 CONTENTS I. Important Safety Instructions II. Introduction III. Unpacking IV. Warranty Registration V. Chassis Care VI. Quick Start VII. Room Acoustics, In-wall Subwoofer Placement, Multiple Subwoofers VIII.Controls and Connections Front Panel Controls Back Panel Control and Connections Accessing the Fuses IX. Connecting Audio Components To The CWA-1 and Setup What You Should Know A Little Background Input and Outputs CWA-1 Block Diagram Connecting to the CWA-1 Using Stereo Preamp Line-Level Outputs Connecting the CWA-1 Using a Subwoofer/LFE Output X. Setup and Calibration Adjusting the Parametric Equalizer Setting up the CWA-1 with a spectrum analyzer Setting up the CWA-1 by Ear XI. In Case of Problems XII. Specifications 2

3 I. Important Safety Instructions 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions. 3. Heed all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions. 5. Do not use this apparatus near water. 6. Clean only with dry cloth. 7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. 8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. 9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong is provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet. 10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus. 11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer. 12. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time. 13. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped. 14. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, this apparatus should not be exposed to rain or moisture and objects filled with liquids, such as vases, should not be placed on this apparatus. 15. To completely disconnect this equipment from the mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug from the receptacle. 16. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall remain readily operable. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product. 3

4 II. Introduction The PSB CustomSound series CWA-1 subwoofer amplifier is a complete solution for powering and equalizing any in-wall or in-cabinet passive subwoofer. It is an ideal companion for the PSB CWS8 in-wall subwoofer and any other custom installed sub. When paired with the CWS8 the CWA-1 will deliver solid dynamic bass for music and movie sound tracks. The amplifier has a built-in variable crossover that makes it easy to achieve a seamless blend with the main speakers, while 24dB/octave lowpass filters prevent the subwoofer from being easily localized by the ear, increasing placement flexibility. A crossover bypass position is provided for use with home theater electronics that perform their own bass management functions. Equalization is provided with two extension frequencies to suit large and small subwoofers. A special feature is a parametric equalizer to help eradicate any of the typical room related problems. The CWA-1 is attractively housed in a standard 17 inch wide chassis that can be adapted to a compact 2 space x 19-inch rack enclosure. Auto on/off and 12 volt amplifier switching and easily accessible controls make the CWA-1 subwoofer amplifier as convenient to use as it is exciting to listen to. It also utilizes a high power discrete class AB output stage. The high current design allows continuous operation into 2 ohm loads. III. Unpacking The packing materials of your PSB CWA-1 Subwoofer Amplifier are designed to protect it from damage during shipping. Retain the packaging in case the need arises to transport the amplifier in the future. IV. Warranty Registration We recommend you take a few moments now to register your warranty, preferably on-line at psbspeakers.com/w/warranty.html or via the enclosed registration form so that we will be able to serve you better in the future. V. Chassis Care The chassis has varying materials and finishes including painted sheet steel and painted anodized aluminum parts. They should be treated as you would any other electronic equipment with similar finishes. Dust lightly with a soft cloth; avoiding abrasives. If necessary, wipe carefully with a cloth slightly dampened with glass cleaner to remove heavy soil. 4

5 VI. Quick Start If you cannot wait to hear your new PSB subwoofer amplifier: Turn off all other components, and follow one of the connection diagrams. Connect the supplied power cord to the AC power socket. Set the PSB subwoofer amplifier volume control to its minimum position (counterclockwise), then plug the amplifier into an active AC outlet. The same receptacle as the rest of your audio/video system or another on the same electrical circuit should be used to avoid ground hum. Set the amplifier's Sub Cut-Off Frequency control to its midpoint, the Parametric Equalizer Boost/Cut at 0dB, the Low Frequency Cutoff at 45Hz and the phase switch to +. Flip the Power Switch to the ON position. Play a bass-rich program source, and slowly bring up the Sub Volume control (clockwise) until the subwoofer contributes a natural level of low frequency sound. Now please read the rest of this guide and fine-tune your installation accordingly it will be time well spent! VII. Room Acoustics, In-wall Subwoofer Placement, Multiple Subwoofers Room Acoustics Since the earliest days of high fidelity, one of the main challenges for the designers of speakers, and of their users, has been management of the lowest frequencies of deep bass. Many of the most notable developments in speaker design have been made with a view to getting more bass output from smaller boxes. One consideration is the size of the listening room. The larger the volume of air a speaker must excite, the more acoustic output you will require from it to achieve the sound levels you want. In any environment, sounds attenuate as you move farther away from their source, but in smaller rooms that tends to be offset by reinforcement from wall reflections. The larger the space is, the farther the sound has to travel both to reach the reflecting surfaces and then to get to your ears, which means it has to be louder to begin with. With traditional full-range speakers, that involves an intricate matching act between amplifier power, speaker sensitivity, impedance and power handling. But the bulk of the power goes to reproducing bass, so the use of powered subwoofers and separate midrange/treble satellites both allows you to be conservative in the amount of power your main amplifier produces, and ensures a good match between the low-frequency amplifier and the woofer it is paired with. After size, the most important aspect of a listening room is its shape. In any room, sound reflects off the walls, ceiling, and floor. If the distance between two opposite parallel surfaces is a simple multiple of the wavelength of a particular frequency, notes of that frequency will bounce back and forth in perfect phase an effect called a standing wave or room mode. At some point in the room, this note will be reinforced substantially; at others it will cancel out almost entirely. If the prime listening seat is placed at either of these locations, the note will be a horrible boom or virtually non-existent. The standing waves are different between floor and ceiling, side walls, and end walls, 5

6 unless any of these dimensions are the same. An ideal listening room would have no parallel surfaces an unusual situation, to say the least so that such waves would not establish themselves. The worst kind of room is a perfect cube. Almost all rooms are susceptible to some standing waves at low frequencies, but their effects can be minimized by careful positioning of both the speakers and the listening seat. Moving either of these even a few inches is sometimes enough to cure or create an intolerable sound. The only way to find out what works best is by experimentation. With full-range speakers, the range of places you can put the speakers and still get proper imaging may be fairly limited, and some of these positions may result in standing waves that can't be tamed. Things are more controllable through the use of a subwoofer or two. Positioning of the bass speakers has almost no impact on imaging, so a subwoofer can be located with only standing waves in mind. In-Wall Subwoofer Placement The CWA-1 can be used with nearly any passive subwoofer. This includes the PSB CWS8 in-wall subwoofer as well as future models, both in-wall and enclosed. Obviously an in-wall subwoofer must be located on the wall surface while a conventional subwoofer allows more freedom of location. There is no argument among audiophiles that the loudest bass output from a subwoofer comes from corner placement. The natural megaphone-like flaring outward of walls from a room corner focuses low frequencies giving them no place to go but toward you. In the case of subwoofers, there is no automatic penalty in giving overall balance for this maximal bass, since your main speakers can be located elsewhere. Unless you are seated in a null spot, where sound from the sub is cancelled or diminished by out-of-phase reflections from elsewhere, there should be plenty of bass from corner placement. Most bass output, even bass response Moderate bass output, more even bass response If you are seated in such a null spot, your only real choices are generally to move either the subwoofer or your listening position until bass returns to the point that satisfies. Cranking up the level control or changing the crossover point almost certainly won't help much. But flipping the phase control 180 degrees sometimes may make a difference, especially if the null is a product of cancellations caused by interaction with low frequencies from your main speakers If you are in the opposite sort of situation, where direct and reflected bass waves converge in phase and produce a strong peak at your listening location, you 6

7 can if you like deal with that both with changes in placement or in the position of your sub's level control (or, less likely but possible, the crossover frequency chosen). We say if you like because there is no such thing as too much bass for some listeners, and we don't want to be dogmatic. You are definitely the one who has to be pleased, unless your Significant Other chimes in to the contrary. As you go outward from the corner along the wall, the general consensus (with which we tend to agree) is that while bass output diminishes somewhat, it also becomes more uniform throughout the room, with fewer of the standing waves that produce peaks and nulls at various points. Chances are things won't be so simple, so the best method for positioning a subwoofer, although a rather undignified-looking one, is to put a conventional enclosed subwoofer in your listening chair, then play music with lots of bass through the system, something with steady low frequencies (such as organ music) or continuous test tones, not movie material. Move around the perimeter of the room and note where the bass sounds best; if you place the in-wall subwoofer there and yourself in your chair, you should get the same bass performance. Bear in mind that the test only works if you have your ears as high off the floor as the subwoofer will be, so don't be afraid to crawl around. A simple recommendation for the placement of an in-wall subwoofer would be in either of the front corner walls of the room (on either side of the main speakers). Multiple Subwoofers Why Two Subs Are Better Than One Since the objective of most people who buy subs is to make sure of plentiful low frequencies, the only situation most of us will run into that makes subwoofer placement really difficult is the factor we all fear - the bad room that just won't let you get satisfying amounts or quality of bass. There are rooms with troublesome dimensions, especially as you approach a perfect cube (with a closed door). There is unlikely to be any combination of speaker and listener position that will be free of obvious acoustic anomalies. In such a case, the best way to iron out those anomalies is with two subwoofers, placed carefully to work with each other. This can also be true when the problem is too much, or too uneven, bass. The overall system needs all the help it can get, and that often means the use of two subwoofers, each one of which corrects for the acoustic problems excited by the other. Recent studies have shown that two subwoofers placed in the center of two opposite walls so that the subwoofers and listening area are on a line, will give the smoothest possible bass performance. The two opposite walls could be the left and right walls or the front and back walls. It may be fine to use two lesser subs to equal the performance of one with stronger specs. 7

8 VIII. Controls, and Connections Front Panel Controls A. POWER switch The power switch turns the CWA-1 on and off. As the CWA-1 draws only an extremely small current when in standby, this switch may be normally left on and turned off only when you do not expect to use the amp for an extended period. The power switch must be in the on position for normal operation. Press the upper half of the switch to turn on the amp and the lower half to turn it off. B. LED indicator Amber - standby green - ON red - protection The LED indicator will not light up when the amplifier is off. C. PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER Boost/Cut Adjusts the amount of equalization; determines if the band of frequencies will receive amplification or attenuation. Setting the control to 0dB effectively removes the parametric equalizer from the circuit. Bandwidth Knob Adjusts the width of the frequencies to be affected. Frequency Knob Adjusts the center of the band of frequencies that will be primarily affected. D. LOW FREQUENCY CUTOFF Switch Adjusts the lowest frequency that the CWA-1 will direct to the subwoofer. E. PHASE switch Switches the polarity of the speaker output(s). Experiment with this setting. The correct setting is that which yields the fullest bass. F. CROSSOVER FREQUENCY Knob Adjusts the lowpass crossover point and thus the upper frequency range of the CWA-1. This should initially be set to a frequency equal to the low end response of your main front speakers (consult your speaker manual for this information). G. VOLUME Knob Sets subwoofer volume level. Start at 5 and then adjust upward or downward as required to achieve an appropriate bass level. If extreme settings are required, check your processor s LFE or subwoofer gain settings. 8

9 Back Panel Controls and Connections H. LINE LEVEL STEREO INPUT/OUTPUT Jacks Connect to the subwoofer or LFE output of your receiver or processor, a separate component preamplifier, or to an integrated amplifier or receiver with preamplifierout/main-in facilities. Low level outputs are high pass filtered with a fixed crossover frequency of 80Hz. See IX. Connecting Audio Components To The CWA-1 and Setup I. LINE LEVEL XOVER BYPASS/ LFE INPUT Jack Connect to a receiver/processor with an LFE output and/or internal low pass filter See IX. Connecting Audio Components To The CWA-1 and Setup. J. 12-volt TRIGGER switch ON Position - Amp is on whenever the front panel switch is in the ON position. EXT. TRIG - Amp begins in standby mode whenever the front panel switch is in the ON position. The CWA-1 turns on when a 12-volt power supply triggers it. Be sure to use a power supply that is rated as "9 to 14 volts DC. Observe polarity as marked. MUSIC Position - Amp is in standby mode whenever the front panel switch is in the ON position. The CWA-1 turns on when an audio input signal triggers it. K. TRIGGER terminal block IN - connect to the source of your 12V trigger. Set 12V trigger switch to EXT TRIG position OUT - connect to other components requiring a 12V trigger Note: the terminal block can be removed to simplify wiring by giving it a firm tug. L. SPEAKER terminals Connect one or two subwoofers to these terminals. Note that these outputs are wired in parallel and the total parallel impedance of two subwoofers should not be less than 2 ohms. M. AC POWER Socket Supplies AC power to the CWA-1. Connect the supplied power cord to the AC power socket. Plug the power cord into any standard wall outlet. With 230 volt versions, in some countries it may be nessessary to replace the power cord to meet the standards locally in use. 9

10 Accessing the Fuses Disconnect the power cord and input/output wires. Turn the amplifier upside down and lay it on its top. Remove two Phillips screws used to secure the fuse cover panel located on the bottom panel below the power cord socket. Locate the two fuses (F1 & F2) inside the opening (as shown below). Remove and check both fuses. The fuse is definitely damaged if the inside element is broken or if the glass is discolored. If there is still any doubt, check the fuses with a multi-meter. Replace with the same type fuses as required. The replacement fuse for the CWA-1 is a T2.5A 250V, Size: 5x20mm. Reinstall the fuse cover panel and the two Phillip screws. Return the unit to the upright position and reconnect the AC cord. If the LED indicator still doesn t illuminate, the amplifier requires service by an authorized PSB Speakers Service Technician. F1 Front of CWA-1 Fuse Access Opening F2 10

11 IX. Connecting Audio Components To The CWA-1 and Setup What you should know Connecting your CWA-1 is straightforward but there are a number of system variables that may confuse the issue of how best to connect the CWA-1 and what settings your other equipment will need in order for the full system to work at its best. In this section we will discuss some of the variations, both in wiring and settings, and then give concrete examples of how to connect your CWA-1 into the most frequently encountered systems. In all systems the CWA-1 comes next in line after your system processor. This processor may be a stereo preamplifier or receiver or it may be a 5.1 (6.1 or 7.1 as well) AV processor or receiver. Whatever the preceding piece of equipment we will want to get an isolated bass signal from it to drive the CWA-1 or get 1 or 2 full range channels from the processor that we can filter the bass from. In the case of stereo (2 channel systems) most processors don't have subwoofer outputs and we will use the internal filtering of the CWA-1. This means that the left and right channels can be fed to the CWA-1's LINE LEVEL INPUTS, the CWA-1's LINE LEVEL OUTPUTS would then have the stereo signal minus all bass below 80Hz. This signal will be returned to the power amplifier or the power amp section of the receiver for ultimately driving the main left and right speakers. Conversely, most multichannel processors have subwoofer outputs and provisions for bass management. Bass management is a fancy term for the various options that determine, for different kinds of signals (stereo, Dolby prologic, or Dolby Digital) and different speaker configurations (large or small speakers, subs or no subs) where the bass is routed to. A little background Digital 5.1 source material (Dolby Digital or DTS) has a separate bass track usually reserved for movie explosions and rumblings. This is called the LFE (Low Frequency Effects) or.1 channel. The other 5 channels are full range as well and will all have some bass content, such as the background music of a movie or perhaps all the bass content of a music video. When a subwoofer is present we may want to route the bass from all channels to the subwoofer. If the power handling of the front and surround speakers is limited, then this is certainly the case. In some systems an owner will have a preference for sending only the.1 effects bass to the subwoofer and allowing the bass from other channels to carry on to their respective channels. This might be the case where the front channel speakers are full range and, we like their bass character on music, as an example. Such variations are handled by the processors Bass Management options usually by designating the various channels as large or small. These code names simply mean: Send the bass of this channel to its respective speaker in the case of large, or No, send the bass of this channel to the subwoofer output, in the case of small. The main points to be emphasized are that the processors settings must be set such that no bass content is lost and at the same time speakers that might not be able to handle heavy bass content have it diverted to the subwoofer. The best approach is to study the owners manual of the processor and, based on the discussion above, to make the appropriate settings. 11

12 Inputs and Outputs For receiving and sending a signal back and forth between the rest of the system the CWA-1 uses line level inputs and outputs. These are at the intermediate levels found just prior to amplification to the power required to drive a loudspeaker. There are three inputs to the CWA-1: one stereo pair is marked simply INPUT while a third jack is labeled X'OVER BYPASS, LFE INPUT The distinction between these two input types are that signals connected to the X'OVER (crossover) BYPASS input do not go through the CWA-1's variable filter. In the case of using this input the front panel control labeled CROSSOVER FREQUENCY is not in circuit. All other controls (PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER, PHASE, etc.) are still in circuit. The X'OVER BYPASS input will only be used if frequency filtering is in the preceding processor and you want that to be the only filtering in circuit. Signals sent to the other jacks (INPUT) will have any low frequency content summed. That is, bass from the left and right channels of a stereo signal will be combined for the one subwoofer. It is perfectly acceptable to connect a single filtered subwoofer or LFE signal to these inputs in which case either the Left or Right channel input can be used with exactly the same effect. A final pair of line level jacks are marked OUTPUT. These contain the Left and Right Input signals but with the bass content filtered below a fixed crossover frequency of 80Hz. Although the bass is mono combined, these outputs maintain full stereo isolation. Note that if the X'OVER BYPASS input is used no signal will be present at these outputs. Toward the right side of the amplifier are the Subwoofer output 5-way binding posts marked SPEAKER. These binding posts are for the speaker level connection to one or 2 subwoofers. The two red (+) and black(-) binding posts are in parallel. The CWA-1 will drive down to 2 ohms so it is permissible to connect two 4 Ohm subwoofers in parallel through these posts for a combined impedance of 2 Ohm. 12

13 CWA-1 Block Diagram Line Level Stereo Inputs LEFT INPUT RIGHT Crossover Frequency High Bypass Filter 80 Hz Parametric EQ XOVER BYPASS LFE INPUT VOLUME Low Frequency Cutoff Line Level Stereo Output LEFT OUTPUT RIGHT PHASE Switch Boost/Cut Bandwidth Frequency Power Amp Trigger In Out ON EXT VOLTS SPEAKERS MUSIC Speaker Level Output 13

14 Connecting to the CWA-1 Using Stereo Preamp Line-Level Outputs Connecting from: Benefits: Challenges: Stereo preamp or receiver Subwoofer operation with all sources Bass to the main speakers not limited Receiver Pre-amplifier Pre-amp Out R L Power Amp Input/Main In R L Speaker R Speaker L CWA-1 4 CWS8 Receiver Pre-amplifier Pre-amp Out R L 4 4 Speaker R Speaker L R L Input/Main In Power Amp Optional 4 4 Optional Best Preamp or Receiver Settings Subwoofer = No Front Channels = Large Center and Surround Channels = Small Best Settings for CWA-1 Crossover Frequency = 80 Hz 14

15 Connecting to the CWA-1 Using a Subwoofer/LFE Output Connecting from: Benefits: Challenges: Dolby Pro Logic Digital 5.1, 7.1 Receiver or Processor Simplest Connection Some receivers may not send information to this output when in stereo mode while playing back CDs, records, VCR, or stereo satellite receiver CWS8 Receiver or Processor with Internal Crossover 4 Sub/LFE Output CWA-1 CWS8 Subwoofer Out Receiver or Processor without Internal Crossover Optional 4 Optional Best Preamp or Receiver Settings Subwoofer = Yes Front Channels = Small Crossover Frequency (where applicable) = as desired; Hz recommended Best Settings for CWA-1 Crossover Frequency = Hz if using Subwoofer Output into CWA-1 L or R Input if Receiver/Processor does not contain a subwoofer crossover 15

16 X. Setup and Calibration If you are critical about low-frequency response, there's quite a bit of useful experimentation you can do, especially in combination with the crossover, level, phase and parametric equalizer controls of the CWA-1. Adjusting the Parametric Equalizer A unique feature of the CWA-1 is its parametric equalizer. No matter how good the subwoofer, bass response is usually strongly compromised by the dimensions and material properties of the typical listening room. With the CWA-1's parametric equalizer you can isolate the worst problem of the room and equalize it to flat, thereby much improving bass accuracy and naturalness. Unlike the commonly encountered graphic equalizer, a parametric equalizer allows full control of frequency, bandwidth and amount (boost or cut) of equalization. The CWA-1's equalizer, as well as its other controls, can be set by ear or via a spectrum analyzer. Instructions will be given for both methods in the following sections: Setting up the CWA-1 with a spectrum analyzer A spectrum analyzer will usually be a real time 1/3 or 1/6th octave analyzer. Typically pink noise is sent through the system and a microphone is placed at the center of the listening area. The system response can then be viewed on the spectrum analyzer. Feeding pink noise through the system processor or AV receiver will feed front channels as well as the subwoofer and will allow optimization of all of the CWA-1's crossover controls. The best method is to feed the spectrum analyzer to the processor via a Y connector to any pair of analog inputs (left and right). To control which channels are driven, switch between normal stereo and Dolby Pro Logic. When in Pro Logic the processor will steer the input to the center channel and subwoofer only. When in stereo, the pink noise should come out of the front left, front right and the subwoofer (bass management settings permitting). Each control will impact a particular bass area. Look for the following response effects and make adjustments as needed. CROSSOVER FREQUENCY will determine the upper frequency where the CWA-1 and subwoofer roll off. This frequency needs to be a good match to the lower frequency cutoff of the front speakers. If the front speakers are rolled off beginning at 80Hz then the subwoofer will need to match that. You will see that raising the crossover frequency above that frequency will cause overlap of woofer and front speakers and will give more energy around 80 Hz. Turning the crossover frequency lower will reduce the total energy around 80 Hz and may even create a response hole. At the same time try the PHASE (+-) switch in both positions. Usually one position will give more level in the crossover region. This is the setting that gives the best phase match between subwoofer and fronts. Try this with both the left and right front speakers on, and also with just the center on. Leave the switch in whichever postion gives the most level of mid-bass energy, even if the response mounds up above flat, then readjust the crossover frequency for flattest response in the crossover region. Set the bass level (via the large VOLUME knob) so that it is some amount 16

17 greater than the average level of the front speakers. This is a matter of taste and experience but most listeners (on most programs) like the bass level when the average bass level is about 6dB higher than the midrange level. Now, unless you have an extraordinarily good room, you will see a number of peaks and dips in the bass regions below the crossover point. We will adjust the PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER to flatten the worst of these issues. As a general rule peaks are more audible than dips, however a very wide dip will reveal itself as a lacking or a hole in some bass region. It is a good idea at this time to listen to some program material that you are familiar with having heavy bass content and see subjectively what the worst room effect is. Once that is decided, set the FREQUENCY knob first. You may use the frequency numbers marked on the CWA-1 but confirm that they are the best setting by swinging the setting a bit above and below while watching the spectrum analyzer. Start with the Q set to maximum and the boost/cut control at maximum (+10 if you intend to fill in a dip, - 10 if you want to fix a peak.) Slowly turn the frequency control up and down. You will then easily be able to see when the equalizer frequency is set to match the aberration. Once the frequency is well aligned, adjust the boost or cut until the peak or dip is at the average bass level. Vary the bandwidth control until the flattest response through that region is achieved. A little iteration back and forth between the controls may be required for the best result. Note two things: This room response will vary with listener position. Move the microphone around the listening area to make sure that improvements for one seat haven't made things worse for other seats. Secondly, over correction of room effects can be worse than under correction. Half lowering a peak or half filling in a dip can often sound very good. Once the frequency, bandwidth and boost/cut are set it is recommended that you listen to music and try other amounts of boost or cut (leaving the other two controls fixed). Setting up the CWA-1 by Ear If you don't have access to a spectrum analyzer you will follow all the procedures above using the spectrum analyzer between your own two ears! This is not as hard as it first seems. Start with selecting an item of program material with a varied but persistent bass track. It can be helpful to pick a section and use an AB repeat function to allow seconds of it to repeat over and over. Make adjustments with 2 people, one in the center of the listening area calling the shots, and another adjusting the CWA-1 settings as requested. Set the bass level to approximately the right level via the VOLUME knob and then alternately try the PHASE switch at the + and - positions. Listen for the amount of upper bass between the two positions. Even if it sounds like too much, leave the switch in the position with the fuller mid-bass. Now use the CROSSOVER FREQUENCY adjustment to fine tune the crossover region. First set the knob to the frequency that corresponds to the lowest frequency that the front speakers either naturally respond to, or are forced to roll off at because of a high-pass filter in the processor or AV receiver. If you're using the low level OUTPUTS of the CWA-1, don't forget that they are high pass filtered and the crossover frequency is fixed at 80Hz. Then, if there seems to be too much upper bass, lower the crossover frequency bit by bit. At the same time, make adjustments to bass level. The bass VOLUME knob will effect all bass frequencies, the CROSSOVER FREQUENCY will adjust the level of upper bass 17

18 frequencies. The right settings for both will give a proper balance between lower bass frequencies (bass weight ) and upper bass frequencies ( sock or kick ). Adjust to a sound you like but remember that, in the long run, it will be best to have a setting that gives a natural amount of bass rather than an exaggerated amount. Like spice with food, bass is best when it enhances and doesn't overwhelm. Just following the procedure as outlined so far should result in a well balanced bass level and character. Still, some serious listening will probably reveal some bass region where the PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER will further improve matters. Listen for any bass notes that seem out of proportion and drone or overhang. These will be peaks that can be reduced with the PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER. Conversely, if some notes seem artificially subdued then the Equalizer can be used to boost the region. Pick the most offending aberration and use the PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER to correct it. In the example of reducing a peak, you must first match the equalizer to its frequency. You might find it easiest to find that frequency by dialing in boost (even though that will exaggerate the problem): Set the BANDWIDTH to a low value (0.2 to 0.4) and slowly swing the FREQUENCY knob back and forth. When the frequency of the Equalizer and the frequency of the room peak match then the peak will be even more obvious. Once this frequency is found then you will obviously want to shift the BOOST/CUT setting from boost to cut (+ to - ). Try different settings of BOOST/CUT and the BANDWIDTH knob until the most natural and even bass is arrived at. 18

19 XI. In Case of Problems See your dealer if you require service. PSB dealers are equipped to handle almost all problems. If you have moved since your purchase, the nearest authorized PSB dealer should be able to help you. You may locate your nearest PSB authorized dealer on-line at If the problem is not resolved, please contact us, providing the Model name, Serial Number, date of purchase, dealer name, and a full description of the problem. Symptom No sound/power and indicator LED not lit. Indicator LED will not change to green. Sounds distorted Hum Action Ensure the main power switch is toggled to the on position. This switch is located at the front of the amplifier. Ensure the power cord is connected to the amplifier and plugged into a live AC outlet. Check the main fuses accessable from the bottom of the amplifier via the fuse cover. See Section VIII. Controls and Connections. Replace as required. If the new fuse also blows, the subwoofer amplifier requires service. Ensure the amplifier's volume control is NOT in the minimum counterclockwise position. If the trigger switch is in the music position, signal sensing auto on/off circuitry is engaged. If no signal is sent to the amplifier, it will not power up and the front panel power indicator will not illuminate green. When using the subwoofer output of a receiver or processor, no signal may be immediately present in this output. The amplifier will only power up when bass appears at the subwoofer output. If the low level cable or speaker cable connection is poor or has been severed, the amplifier will not power up. Swap cables or turn the trigger switch to the on position to determine if this is the source of the problem. Lower volume if the subwoofer begins to sound distorted to determine if playback at a lower level solves the problem. If a slight reduction in level solves the problem, were you being realistic in your subwoofer level setting? If the distorted sound remains at a low level, one or both of the woofers may be damaged. Hum that appears when using the amplifiers' low level input(s) is usually caused by using an inferior, damaged, exceptionally long low level cable or cables routed near high current wiring/ appliances. Replace/ shorten the low level cable connecting the subwoofer to the source equipment (receiver or processor). Low level cable runs of longer than 50 feet may require the use of a line driver (not available from PSB). Decreasing the volume control of the CWA-1 and increasing the volume control of the receiver/processor/amplifier subwoofer output can sometimes reduce hum to an acceptable level. 19

20 XII. Specifications Amplifier Power Continuous 200 Watts into 4 ohms, 300 Watts into 2 ohms Dynamic 350 Watts into 4 ohms, 500 Watts into 2 ohms Crossover Frequency Range 55 to 150 Hz Filter 24 db/octave Lowpass Parametric Equalizer Boost/ Cut -10 db to +10 db Bandwidth 0.15 Octave to 1.05 Octave Frequency 30 to 100 Hz Inputs Stereo Line Level RCA LFE Line Level RCA Trigger In Outputs Stereo Line Level RCA Speaker x 2 Trigger Out Dimensions (W x H x D) Net 17 x 12 5/8 x 3 ¾ (432mm x 321mm x 95mm) Shipping 21 ½ x 6 ½ x 13 7/8 (547mm x 167mm x 352mm) Weight Net 18.0 lbs (8.2kg) Shipping 20.9 lbs (9.5kg) Volume Shipping 1.12 cu.ft. (0.03 cu.m.) Finish Black Features 2 ohm stable operation Controls for Level, Low Pass Frequency and Phase Two EQ/extension positions for current and future subs Three control Parametric Equalizer Music or voltage sensor triggering Shelf mounting 20

21 PSB Speakers 633 Granite Court Pickering, Ontario L1W 3K1 CANADA (North America) (International) Fax: