Cinema 500

Home theater speaker system quick-start guide

thank You For Choosing this JBl

®

ProduCt

The Cinema 500 is a complete six-piece home theater speaker system that includes four identical, two-way, video-shielded satellite speakers, a dedicated, voice-matched, video-shielded center speaker with dual midrange drivers an 8-inch (203mm), 150-watt powered subwoofer and all of the cables you need to connect all of the speakers to your audio/ video receiver or preamp/processor and amplifier.

We're confident that this JBL system will provide every note of enjoyment that you expect – and that when you think about purchasing additional audio equipment for your home, car or office, you will once again choose JBL products.

This quick-start guide contains all the information you need to set up, connect and adjust your new speaker system. For more in-depth information, go to our Web site: www.jbl.com.

inCluded items

4X

0234CSK - JBL Cinema 500 Quick Start ENG.indd 3

1X

1X

1X

3X

15 ft (4.5m)

4X 4X

2X

30 ft (9.0m)

8X 1X

05/10/10 12:29:10

suBwooFer rear-Panel Controls and ConneCtions

On/Standby

LED

Crossover

Control

Phase Switch

Power-On

Mode Switch

Subwoofer

Level Control

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme

NMB-003 du Canada.

Line-Level In

LFE Connector

Line-Level In

L/R Connectors

Power Switch

Power Cord

on/standby led: When the Power-On Mode Switch is in the “Auto” position, this LED indicates whether the subwoofer is in the On or Standby state:

• When the LED glows green, the subwoofer is turned on.

• When the LED glows red, the subwoofer is in the Standby mode.

When the Power Switch is set to “Off,” the LED will not light up, no matter what setting the Power-On Mode Switch is in.

has gone without receiving an audio signal for 20 minutes. When this switch is set in the “On” position, the subwoofer will remain on whether or not it is receiving an audio signal.

subwoofer level Control: Use this control to adjust the subwoofer’s volume. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the volume; turn the knob counterclockwise to decrease the volume.

Crossover Control: This control determines the highest frequency at which the subwoofer reproduces sounds. The higher you set the Crossover Control, the higher in frequency the subwoofer will operate and the more its bass will “overlap” that of the satellite speakers. This adjustment helps achieve a smooth transition of bass frequencies between the subwoofer and the satellites for a variety of different rooms and subwoofer locations.

NOTE: The Crossover Control functions only when you are using the Line-Level

In L/R Connectors. The Line-Level In LFE Connector bypasses the subwoofer’s built-in crossover and Crossover Control.

Use the supplied mono RCA cable (purple connectors) to connect the Line-

Level In LFE Connector to the dedicated subwoofer output of a receiver or preamp/processor.

line-level in l/r Connectors: These inputs pass through the subwoofer’s built-in crossover. Use them if your receiver or preamp/processor does not have a dedicated subwoofer output that is low-pass filtered.

Phase switch: This switch determines whether the subwoofer driver’s piston-like action moves in and out in phase with the satellite speakers. If the subwoofer were to play out of phase with the satellite speakers, the sound waves from the satellites could partially cancel out the sound waves from the subwoofer, reducing bass performance and sonic impact. This phenomenon depends in part on the placement of all the speakers relative to each other in the room.

Power-on mode switch: When this switch is set in the “Auto” position and the Power Switch is set to “On,” the subwoofer will automatically turn itself on when it receives an audio signal and will enter the Standby mode when it

line-level in lFe Connector: This input bypasses the subwoofer’s internal crossover circuitry, so use it only with a receiver or processor subwoofer output that has been low-pass filtered. If your receiver or processor does not have a dedicated subwoofer output that is low-pass filtered, use the subwoofer’s Line-Level In L/R Connectors (see below) instead.

Power switch: Set this switch in the “On” position to turn the subwoofer on.

The subwoofer will then be in On or Standby mode, depending on the setting of the Power-On Mode Switch.

Power Cord: After you have made and verified all subwoofer and speaker connections described in this manual, plug the power cord into an active,

unswitched electrical outlet for proper operation of the subwoofer. DO NOT plug this cord into the accessory outlets found on some audio components.

4

0234CSK - JBL Cinema 500 Quick Start ENG.indd 4 05/10/10 12:29:11

PlaCing the sPeakers

Front LeFt and right speakers

TV

Front Left

Speaker

Front Right

Speaker center speaker

Front Left

Speaker

Center

Speaker

TV

0 – 2 ft

(0 – 61cm)

Front Right

Speaker

Surround Right

Speaker surround speakers and subwooFer

Front Left

Speaker

TV

Center

Speaker

Front Right

Speaker

Subwoofer

Surround Left

Speaker

5 – 6 ft

(1.5m – 1.8m)

Surround Left

Speaker

Surround Right

Speaker

0234CSK - JBL Cinema 500 Quick Start ENG.indd 5 www.jbl.com

5

05/10/10 12:29:12

sPeaker mounting oPtions

sheLF-Mounting satellites:

1. 2. 3.

Center: waLL-Mounting

imPortant saFetY note: The customer is solely responsible for proper selection and installation of mounting hardware not included with the speakers.

JBL disclaims any liability for the selection and installation of mounting hardware. satellite

1-15/16"

(49mm)

2-3/16"

(55mm)

Be sure to follow these installation instructions carefully. If you have any questions or doubts about your ability to wall-mount the speakers correctly, consult with your authorized JBL dealer or custom installer.

Center

7-11/16"

(195.5mm)

1. Decide on locations for the speakers according to the recommendations in

Placing the Speakers, on page 5.

2. Select wall-hanging hardware that is appropriate for the construction and materials of your walls. The Cinema 500 front and surround speakers weigh 3.2 lb (1.45kg); the Cinema 500 center speaker weighs 3.25 lb

(1.47kg). Be sure to use hardware that can support their weight.

3. Install the wall-hanging hardware on the walls. Make sure that the hardware is driven into studs and not into drywall or plaster. if the hardware must be mounted in drywall or plaster, you are responsible for selecting and using wall anchors that are appropriate for the construction and materials of your walls.

4. Hang the speakers on the wall-mount hardware.

6

0234CSK - JBL Cinema 500 Quick Start ENG.indd 6 05/10/10 12:29:16

ConneCting the sPeakers

Caution: Before making speaker connections, be sure that your receiver or amplifier is turned off and preferably that its aC cord is unplugged from the aC power outlet.

Connect the speakers to your receiver or amplifier: Connect the speaker's "+" terminal to the amplifier's "+" terminal:

1.

Speaker

2.

3.

Colored Band to "+" Terminal

Connect the speakers to the proper amplifier channels:

Front Left

Surround Left

Wire with

White Bands

Wire with

Colored Band to “+” Terminal

Amplifier

SPEAKER

OUTPUT

Wire with

Colored Band to “+” Terminal

Front Right

Center

Wire with

Green Bands

Wire with

Red Bands

Surround Right

Wire with

Blue Bands

Receiver or Amplifier

Wire with

Gray Bands imPortant: make sure the ( + ) and ( – ) bare wires do not touch each other or the other terminal. touching wires can cause a short circuit that can damage your receiver or amplifier.

www.jbl.com

7

0234CSK - JBL Cinema 500 Quick Start ENG.indd 7 05/10/10 12:29:18

ConneCting the suBwooFer

to a receiver or preaMp/processor with a dedicated subwooFer output receiver or amplifier

Mono RCA Cable

(included) to a receiver or preaMp/processor with a preaMp outputs receiver or amplifier sub 140p subwooFer

Mono RCA Cable

(included)

Mono RCA Cable

(not included) suB 140P subwoofer to a receiver or preaMp/processor with a preaMp outputs connected to Main aMp inputs receiver or amplifier

PREAMP

OUTPUTS

L R

MAIN AMP

INPUTS

L R

Stereo

“Y” Cable

(not included) suB 140P subwoofer

Stereo

Audio Cable

(not included)

Mono RCA Cable

(included)

Mono RCA Cable

(not included)

8

0234CSK - JBL Cinema 500 Quick Start ENG.indd 8 05/10/10 12:29:20

oPerating the suBwooFer

turning the subwooFer on and oFF

Set the subwoofer’s Power Switch to the “On” position.

• If the subwoofer’s Power-On Mode Switch is set to “Auto,” the subwoofer will automatically turn itself on when it receives an audio signal, and it will go into Standby mode after it has received no audio signal for 20 minutes.

The subwoofer’s LED will glow green when the subwoofer is on and will glow red when the subwoofer is in Standby.

• If the Power-On Mode Switch is set to “On,” the subwoofer will remain on at all times. The subwoofer’s LED will glow green.

If you will not be using the subwoofer for an extended period – for instance, if you’re going on vacation – set the Power Switch to the “Off” position.

subwooFer adJustMents: phase

The Phase Switch determines whether the subwoofer driver’s piston-like action moves in and out in phase with the satellite speakers. If the subwoofer were to play out of phase with the satellite speakers, the sound waves from the satellites could partially cancel out the waves from the subwoofer, reducing bass performance and sonic impact. This phenomenon depends in part on the placement of all the speakers relative to each other in the room.

Although in most cases you should leave the Phase Switch in the “Normal” position, there is no absolutely correct setting for the Phase Switch. When the subwoofer is properly in phase with the satellite speakers, the sound will be clearer and have maximum impact, and percussive sounds like drums, piano and plucked strings will sound more lifelike. The best way to set the

Phase Switch is to listen to music that you know well and to set the switch in the position that gives drums and other percussive sounds maximum impact.

subwooFer adJustMents: crossover controL

NOTE: The Crossover Control functions only when you are using the Line-Level In L/R Connectors. The

Line-Level In LFE Connector bypasses the subwoofer’s built-in crossover and the Crossover Control.

The Crossover Control adjusts the subwoofer’s built-in crossover between 50Hz and 200Hz. The higher you set the Crossover Control, the higher in frequency the subwoofer will operate and the more its bass will

“overlap” that of the satellite speakers. This adjustment helps achieve a smooth transition of bass frequencies between the subwoofer and the satellites for a variety of different rooms and subwoofer locations.

To set the Crossover Control, listen for the smoothness of the bass. If the bass seems too strong at certain frequencies, try a lower Crossover Control setting. If the bass seems too weak at certain frequencies, try a higher

Crossover Control setting.

subwooFer adJustMents: voLuMe

Use the Subwoofer Level Control to set the subwoofer’s volume. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the subwoofer’s volume; turn the knob counterclockwise to decrease the volume. Once you have balanced the subwoofer’s volume with that of the other speakers in your system, you shouldn’t have to change it.

notes on setting subwoofer Volume:

• Sometimes the ideal subwoofer volume setting for music is too loud for films, while the ideal setting for films is too quiet for music. When setting the subwoofer volume, listen to both music and films with strong bass content and find a “middle ground” volume level that works for both.

• If your subwoofer always seems too loud or too quiet, you may want to place it in a different location. Placing the subwoofer in a corner will always tend to increase its bass output, while placing it away from any walls or corners will always tend to lessen its bass output.

0234CSK - JBL Cinema 500 Quick Start ENG.indd 9 www.jbl.com

9

05/10/10 12:29:21

sPeCiFiCations

cinema 500 system

Frequency response: 32Hz – 20kHz (–6dB) cinema 500 satellite speakers

Low-frequency transducer:

High-frequency transducer:

Two 3" (75mm) PolyPlas™ cones, video-shielded

1" (25mm) titanium-laminate dome, video-shielded

Recommended amplifier power: 100 watts

Nominal impedance: 8 ohms

Sensitivity (2.83V/1m):

Crossover frequency:

Enclosure type:

89dB

3.7kHz

Sealed

Connector type:

Dimensions (H x W x D):

Weight:

Push-spring terminal

11-3/8" x 4-3/4" x 3-3/8" (289mm x 121mm x 86mm)

3.2 lb (1.45kg) cinema 500 center speaker

Low-frequency transducer:

High-frequency transducer:

Recommended power handling:

Nominal impedance:

Sensitivity (2.83V/1m):

Crossover frequency:

Enclosure type:

Connector type:

Dimensions (H x W x D):

Weight:

Two 3" (75mm) PolyPlas cones,video-shielded

1" (25mm) titanium-laminate dome, video-shielded

100 watts

8 ohms

89dB

3.7kHz

Sealed

Push-spring terminal

4-7/8" x 12" x 3-3/8" (124mm x 305mm x 86mm)

3.25 lb (1.47kg) sub140p subwoofer

Low-frequency transducer:

Enclosure type:

Amplifier power:

Frequency response:

Audio controls:

Connections:

Power requirement:

Power consumption:

Dimensions (W x H x D):

Weight:

8" (200mm) cone (down-firing)

Ported (down-firing)

150 watts

32Hz –200Hz (–6dB)

Volume level, phase, crossover frequency

LFE input, left and right RCA line-level inputs

120V/60Hz, 150W (US); 220V – 240V/50Hz, 150W (EU)

<1W (8mA@120V) standby; 300w (2.5A@120V) maximum

19" x 14" x 14" (483mm x 355mm x 355mm)

22 lb (10kg)

Features, specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice.

HARMAN Consumer, Inc.

8500 Balboa Boulevard, Northridge, CA 91329 USA

© 2010 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

JBL is a trademark of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries.

PolyPlas is a trademark of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated.

Part No. 950-0296-001, Rev.: A www.jbl.com

0234CSK - JBL Cinema 500 Quick Start ENG.indd 10 05/10/10 12:29:22