LS360 Loudspeaker System

Owner’s

Manual

LS360

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: 607-723-3512 FAX: 607-724-0549

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WARNING - TO REDUCE RISK OF

FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO

NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO

RAIN OR MOISTURE.

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS

INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONS!

PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE

OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.

General:

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Warning: To reduce risk of fire or electrical shock, do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture.

This unit is capable of producing high sound pressure levels. Continued exposure to high sound pressure levels can cause permanent hearing impairment or loss. User caution is advised and ear protection is recommended when playing at high volumes.

6. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.

Installation:

7. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other equipment (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

9. Do not use this equipment near water.

10. Do not expose this equipment to dripping or splashing and ensure that no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the equipment.

11. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the equipment. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/equipment combination to avoid injury from tipover.

Care of Equipment:

12. Clean only with a dry cloth.

13. Do not permit objects or liquids of any kind to be pushed, spilled and/or fall into the equipment through enclosure openings.

Repair of Equipment:

14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the equipment has been damaged in any way, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the equipment, the equipment has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

15. Do not attempt to service beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other service should be referred to qualified service personnel.

16. When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by

McIntosh or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.

17. 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.

Thank You

Your decision to own this McIntosh LS360 Loudspeaker

System ranks you at the very top among discriminating music listeners. You now have “The Best.” The McIntosh dedication to “Quality,” is assurance that you will receive many years of musical enjoyment from this unit.

Please take a short time to read the information in this manual. We want you to be as familiar as possible with all the features and functions of your new McIntosh.

Table of Contents

Safety Instructions ............................................................. 2

Thank You and Please Take a Moment ............................. 3

Technical Assistance and Customer Service ..................... 3

Table of Contents and General Notes................................ 3

Introduction ....................................................................... 4

Performance Features ........................................................ 4

Dimensions ................................................................... 5 - 6

Installation ......................................................................... 7

How to Connect ................................................................. 8

Front and Rear Views ........................................................ 9

Specifications .................................................................. 10

Packing Instruction .......................................................... 11

Please Take A Moment

The serial number, purchase date and McIntosh dealer name are important to you for possible insurance claim or future service. The spaces below have been provided for you to record that information:

Serial Number:

Purchase Date:

Dealer Name:

Technical Assistance

If at any time you have questions about your McIntosh product, contact your McIntosh dealer who is familiar with your McIntosh equipment and any other brands that may be part of your system. If you or your dealer wish additional help concerning a suspected problem, you can receive technical assistance for all McIntosh products at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

2 Chambers Street

Binghamton, New York 13903

Phone: 607-723-1545

Fax: 607-723-3636

Customer Service

If it is determined that your McIntosh product is in need of repair, you can return it to your dealer. You can also return it to the McIntosh Laboratory Service Department. For assistance on factory repair return procedure, contact the

McIntosh Service Department at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

2 Chambers Street

Binghamton, New York 13903

Phone: 607-723-3515

Fax: 607-723-1917

General Notes

1. It is very important that loudspeaker cables of adequate size be used in your music system, to ensure that there will be no power loss or heating. Cable size is specified in Gauge numbers or AWG (American Wire Gauge). The smaller the

Gauge number, the larger the wire size:

If your loudspeaker cables are 25 feet (7.62m) or less, use at least 18 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.

If your loudspeaker cables are 50 feet (38.1m) or less, use at least 16 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.

If your loudspeaker cables are 100 feet (76.2m) or less, use at least 14 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.

The Loudspeaker Connection Terminals can accept up to

12 Gauge (AWG) wire.

2. For additional connection information, refer to the owner’s manual(s) for any component(s) connected to the LS360

Loudspeaker.

3. The LS360 has built-in speaker protection in the form of three automatic resetting solid-state devices as part of the crossover network. One protects the tweeters, one the midrange and the other the woofers. The characteristics of this protection are that a certain amount of overdrive is allowed but extended periods of overdrive will trigger protection. If an obvious lack of high or low frequencies is noticed, the Loudspeaker Protection Device may have activated. Sound output from the Loudspeaker Element affected will be reduced when the protection is triggered. The protection devices will automatically reset when the volume control is reduced significantly and kept low until the output of the affected Loudspeaker Element returns to normal.

Copyright 2000 ã by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

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Introduction and Performance Features

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Introduction

The McIntosh LS360 Loudspeaker System is designed for

Home Theater and Music Reproduction. It is a three-way system with two 10 inch LD/HP

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woofers, one 8 inch LD/

HP midrange and five 1 inch dome tweeters. The LS360 is designed to work as a Left or Right (Main) Loudspeaker in a Music System, or as a Main or Surround Loudspeaker in a Home Theater System.

The LS360 Loudspeaker performance is equivalent to the quality of McIntosh’s legendary line of Amplifiers,

Preamplifiers, Signal Processors and Signal Sources, without imparting distortion or coloration of its own. It also complements the capabilities and the remarkably low distortion of McIntosh Power Amplifiers.

Many of today’s loudspeakers are designed only for

Home Theater applications. Not so with the LS360. It is also designed for the accurate reproduction of music. Motion picture sound effects, explosions, screams, and vehicle crashes require a wide dynamic range and high sound levels. These sounds are such that a speaker system having moderate distortion would reproduce them with little audible difference. This is not true with the reproduction of music. Music is by nature and definition harmonious. To reproduce it accurately, all forms of distortion, both harmonic and intermodulation, must be kept to a minimum.

This has been the result of the design of the new McIntosh

LS360 Loudspeaker System. Each loudspeaker element and crossover component has been carefully designed for durability, efficiency, and above all, low distortion. The

McIntosh LS360 Loudspeaker System will reproduce music accurately and function as an excellent Home Theater

Loudspeaker.

Performance Features

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Gold Plated Input Connectors

The LS360 input connectors are gold plated for superior corrosion resistance and high electrical conductivity.

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Five Tweeter Bessel Function Array

The LS360 utilizes five tweeters wired to produce a Bessel

Function Array. The individual tweeter amplitudes and phase relationships are adjusted so the array acts as a high frequency point source. One advantage of such an arrangement is a very smooth and even acoustic polar response. This allows the listener to move off axis without suffering a change in high frequency output. The use of multiple tweeters, combined with a mechanical heat sink, also provides greatly increased power handling at high frequencies.

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Patented LD/HP Technology

The McIntosh Low Frequency and Midrange Loudspeaker

Elements feature the patented LD/HP motor structure. This design, when compared to conventional Loudspeaker

Elements, reduces distortion significantly. It also increases power handling and efficiency.

•

Shielded Magnetic Field

The LS360 may be used in Home Theater Installations near a television receiver or monitor without causing the television image to degrade. McIntosh has designed special shielding around the magnetic structure of the

LS360 Loudspeaker Elements to prevent interference.

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High Power Handling

The Loudspeaker Elements and crossover components of the LS360 are all chosen for use with powerful amplifiers up to 600 watts.

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High Efficiency

The Loudspeaker Elements used in the LS360

Loudspeaker System have also been designed for high efficiency. As a result any McIntosh Power Amplifier, even our smallest, will provide satisfying room filling sound.

•

Automatic Overload Protection

The LS360 has built-in Loudspeaker Element Protection in the form of three automatic resetting solid-state devices as a part of the crossover network.

•

Flared Acoustic Bass Ports

The Acoustic Bass Ports in the LS360 have flared front and rear openings to eliminate air movement noise.

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LD/HP Pat. No. 5,151,943

LS360 Dimensions

The following dimensions can assist in determining the best location for your LS360 Loudspeaker System. There is additional information on the next page pertaining to installing the LS360 into cabinets.

Dimensions

Front View of LS360 with Grille Removed Rear View of LS360

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Dimensions

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Side View of LS360 with Grille Side View of LS360 with Grille Removed

Installation

Installation

Optional Feet

Two sets of optional feet (four Tiptoes and four Glides) are supplied with the

LS360 Loudspeaker System. To prevent crushing carpet use the Tiptoe spikes; to protect non-carpeted flooring use the chrome Glides. Both the Glides and Tiptoes have a threaded shaft and locking nut that screw into the tapped holes in the bottom of the LS360’s base rails. The feet can be independently adjusted to compensate for uneven flooring or to aim the loudspeakers upward or downward.

Tiptoes

Glides

Locating your Loudspeakers

Loudspeaker placement in a room can greatly affect performance. The LS360 is designed to work as a Left or

Right (Main) Loudspeaker in a Music System, or as a

Main or Surround Loudspeaker in a Home Theater System.

The optimal method for selecting speaker locations includes the use of a real time spectrum analyzer operated by an experienced system installer. An uncompromising installation would take into consideration the floor, wall and ceiling coverings, the type and placement of furniture and can even include the architectural design of the room and its construction materials.

Locating Loudspeakers for use in Home Theater

In a Home Theater application, the placement of Left and

Right Front Loudspeakers can be limited by such considerations as the size and location of the video monitor. The locating suggestions in the “for use in a

Music System” section below can still be helpful. Side

Surround Loudspeakers work best located to either side of and above the listening position, the same distance from the monitor. Back Surround Loudspeakers work best on the back wall. Refer to figure 1.

Locating Loudspeakers for use in a Music System

When used as Left and Right Speakers, the distance between the two loudspeakers should not exceed the distance between the listener and either loudspeaker. If the speakers are too far apart relative to the listener, some imaging can be lost. To assure the sound from the left and right speakers arrive at the same time, the distance from each loudspeaker to the listener should be as close to the same as possible. Refer to figure 2. The LS360s Tweeters should be level with the listeners’ ears and adjustment of the height of the feet to angle the loudspeaker up or down is often the way to achieve this.

Placement near a wall, corner, floor, ceiling or any intersecting surfaces will reinforce some bass frequencies.

Which bass frequencies are boosted by placement in a particular location is dependant on the dimensions of the room. Test the various loudspeaker locations by playing music with continuous bass, setting up the speakers and listening to them from the main listening spot. Move the loudspeakers to an alternate location and repeat the listening, paying attention to how the bass qualities and response levels change. Do not assume the loudest bass is best; rather listen for booming (a lack of articulation), as well as a balance over the whole spectrum, to assure the bass will not drown out the other parts of the music.

Experiment with various loudspeaker positions until the locations that sound best are found.

Figure 1

Figure 2

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How to Connect

How to Connect

The McIntosh LS360 Loudspeaker System utilizes binding posts for speaker wire connections. Refer to figure 3.

1. Connect a loudspeaker cable from the black (negative -

) loudspeaker binding post to the negative or common output terminal of one channel of the amplifier.

2. Connect a loudspeaker cable from the red (positive + ) loudspeaker binding post to the positive or 4 ohm output terminal of the same channel of the amplifier.

3. Tighten all of the loudspeaker and amplifier binding posts.

How to Connect to Two Stereo Amplifiers for a Bi-

Amplified Configuration

The McIntosh LS360 Loudspeaker System utilizes two pairs of binding posts for bi-amplified speaker wire connections. Refer to figure 3.

Bi-amplification allows the use of multiple smaller amplifiers connected to one loudspeaker, which increases the acoustical output.

Note: Output levels of the two amplifiers connected to the

HIGH and LOW Loudspeaker Input Terminals must be adjusted to achieve a proper balance between the high and low frequencies reproduced. This adjustment is best achieved through the use of audio test equipment operated by a qualified installer.

1. Remove the gold interconnecting straps from the two pairs of binding posts on the speakers.

2. Connect a loudspeaker cable from the upper (HIGH), black (negative - ) binding post of the right loudspeaker to the negative or common output terminal of the right channel on the amplifier to be used for high and mid-range frequencies.

3. Connect a loudspeaker cable from the upper (HIGH), red (positive + ) binding post of the right loudspeaker to the positive or 4 ohm output terminal of the right channel of the amplifier to be used for high and midrange frequencies.

4. Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 for the left channel speaker and amplifier to be used for high and mid-range frequencies.

5. Connect a loudspeaker cable from the lower (LOW), black (negative - ) binding post of the right loudspeaker to the negative or common output terminal of the right channel on the amplifier to be used for low frequencies.

6. Connect a loudspeaker cable from the lower (LOW), red (positive + ) binding post of the right loudspeaker to the positive or 4 ohm output terminal of the right channel of the amplifier to be used for low frequencies.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the left channel speaker and amplifier to be used for low frequencies.

Speaker Connections

Figure 3

-

+

To Amplifier Terminals

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Right Front Loudspeaker

Left Front Loudspeaker

+

Five 1 inch

Tweeter Array

8 inch LD/HP

Midrange

10 inch LD/HP

Woofers

Ports

Connecting Terminals

Front and Rear Views

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Specifications

Driver Complement

Two 10 inch Woofers

8 inch Midrange

Five 1 inch Dome Tweeters

Impedance

4 ohms Nominal

Frequency Response

29Hz - 20kHz + 2dB (Anechoic Response)

Sensitivity

88dB (2.8V/1m)

Crossover Frequencies

1.5kHz

200Hz

Power Handling

600 Watts Maximum

Dimensions

49-1/4 inches (125.09cm) Height, 13-1/2 inches (33.75cm)

Width, 17-1/2 inches (44.45cm) Depth (including Grille)

Standard Finish

Black Ash, Natural Cherry, Red Cherry

Premium Finish

Rosewood Gloss, Piano Black

Weight (each)

140.5 pounds (63.7kg) net, 176 pounds (79.8kg) in shipping carton

Specifications

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Packing Instructions

In the event it is necessary to repack the equipment for shipment, the equipment must be packed exactly as received. Failure to do this will result in shipping damage.

Use the original shipping carton and interior parts only if they are all in good serviceable condition. If a shipping carton or any of the interior part(s) are needed, please call or write Customer Service Department of McIntosh Laboratory.

Packing Instructions

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McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

2 Chambers Street

Binghamton, NY 13903

McIntosh Part No. 040755