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TECHNOLOGY
ПАСЕ
Operating Instructions
series
WELCOME! TECHNOLOGY
Thank you for selecting Phase Technology speakers. We know there are a wide variety
of choices available today and we sincerely appreciate your purchase of our product.
Phase Technology speakers are built to exacting standards and will provide many
years of listening enjoyment.
Our speakers are the result of over four decades designing and manufacturing what
many consider the finest sound reproduction products available. We hold several key
patents in loudspeaker technology including the soft-dome tweeter. Our mission, our
passion is to constantly advance the art and science of accurate audio reproduction. Our
dedication insures that your new speakers will accurately reproduce all the impact,
detail and delicacy of today’s digital technology.
Regardless of application, serious audiophile listening or home theater, we recommend
that you take the time to read this manual thoroughly before connecting speakers to
your amplifier or receiver. In the highly unlikely event that you should experience a
problem with set-up or operation, please contact one of our carefully chosen retail
dealers for assistance.
We trust that your new Phase Technology speakers will enrich your enjoyment of music
and movies.....beyond your expectations.
Bill Hecht, Chairman Ken Hecht, President
TABLE OF (CONTENTS
Welcome
Getting started / Initial hook-up
First Listening / Listening in stereo
Home Theater Installation
Connecting subwoofers
Powered subwoofer features
Troubleshooting Guide
9 0 BR © W N
Glossary of Terms
GETTING STARTED
Please read the following installation instructions thoroughly
BEFORE CONNECTING THE SPEAKERS TO YOUR
AMPLIFIER OR RECEIVER. Even the most experienced
among us can benefit from these tips that will insure
both the proper set-up of your equipment and the best
possible entertainment experience.
1. Unpack your speakers carefully and save the boxes
and packing materials. These cartons will protect your
investment should you need to ship or store your
speakers at some later time.
2. Turn your system off and disconnect the amplifier or
receiver from the power source. This step is necessary
to avoid the possibility of damage which can be caused
by power surges or incorrect wiring.
NOTE: We strongly recommend the use of a surge
protector or other safety device between house
current and sensitive electronic components.
3. Be sure you have sufficient length of quality speaker
wire for your installation.
Generally speaking the heavier the wire (the lower
the gauge #) the better overall sound quality you
will experience. Always consider the distance the
speakers will be from the amplifier or receiver. The
longer the distance, the thicker the wire should be.
We suggest nothing smaller than 16-gauge for
most home applications. Always add a few feet to
your measurements so that splicing will not be
required.
4. Speaker placement options will vary according to the
product s design and application. For example, smaller
bookshelf units should be placed on sturdy stands or on
bookshelves, not on the floor. Subwoofers should be
placed on the floor and not inside cabinets or other
furniture. Floor-standing systems should have some
room behind and to the sides of each speaker.
5. Be prepared to experiment a little with room placement.
The unique Absolute Phase™ crossover network used
in Phase Technology speakers allows for a variety of
placement options without degrading performance.
However, walls, furniture, and drapes, etc. will have
some affect upon the perceived sound coming from
the speakers. Correct speaker placement is covered
in greater detail in a later section.
6. High quality speaker stands are a good choice when shelf or
cabinet placement is not practical. Make sure the model you
choose is sturdily constructed and will support the size and
weight of your Phase lech speaker.
7. И you encounter any difficulties with setup or
operation, check the troubleshooting guide at
the back of this manual before contacting your
local Phase Technology retailer.
INTIAL Hook-Up
If you are using speaker stands, assemble them prior to
hooking up the speakers. Stands should be a solid, stable
platform on which the speakers will rest. If spikes are supplied
with the model you have purchased, they should be used only
on carpeted areas to avoid damage to hard surfaces.
Speaker polarity, the correct connection of positive (+) and
negative (-) terminals, is critical for proper speaker
operation. When the positive connection of the amplifier
or receiver is connected to the positive connector on the
loudspeakers, the speaker cones travel together to insure
optimum performance. This is called being “in phase”.
Speakers connected incorrectly are said to be “out of phase”
and will not reproduce sounds as they are recorded and
meant to be heard. There is also a loss of apparent bass
response and a blurring of center channel vocal placement.
Be certain when hooking up your new speakers that the
positive and negative connections are identical to all
speakers in the system. Most speaker wire has either a
color coded stripe or other indicator that will allow you to
properly determine positive and negative. lt does not
matter which side of the speaker wire you choose for
positive and negative so long as all speakers are connected
to the amplifier or receiver identically.
Begin by stripping about 3/4” of the insulation from the wire
end. Twist the exposed copper strands tightly together.
Attach the positive and negative sides using the directions
supplied with your electronic components. Next, run this
wire to the loudspeakers and repeat this procedure, insuring
once again that the negative wire goes to the (—) connector
on the speaker. Repeat for the positive (+) side.
A high quality amplifier or receiver is critical to
achieving the best possible sound from your new
speakers. As a general rule, the higher amplifier
power, the better. It may come as a surprise that
more loudspeakers are damaged by inadequate power
than too much of it.
Simply put, when asked to play loud passages a low
power amplifier may sometimes "run out of steam" and
create distortion that can damage loudspeakers. Phase
Technology speakers are very efficient and will perform
quite well with as little as 20 watts (RMS) per channel.
However, if you enjoy movies or regularly play music at
life-like volume levels, an amplifier producing 60-80
watts or more of RMS power is highly recommended.
After installation is complete, it is helpful to verify the phase
accuracy of your system.
First LisTENING
Play a stereo CD that contains a strong solo vocalist. Sit at
your normal listening position and listen to the singer. If he
or she sounds “center stage” with music coming between
the speakers, the speakers are in phase. On the other hand,
if vocals sound as if they are coming from the two sides or
are not focused in the central area, the speakers may be out
of phase. In this event, turn off the power, unplug amplifier or
receiver and check that the leads are hooked up correctly.
Then turn everything on and listen again. When the sound is
natural and the soloist is appears to be in the middle of the
sound stage, the speakers are in phase.
LISTENING IN STEREO
Two-CuHanneL SPEAKER PLACEMENT
Phase Technology Loudspeakers utilize a unique Absolute
Phase™ crossover network. This design permits a much
wider vertical output pattern than conventional speakers
permitting the listener to achieve the best quality musical
experience regardless of speaker placement. Absolute
Phase™ crossover technology allows Phase Tech speakers to be
placed in bookshelves, for example, and positioned vertically or
horizontally with little degradation in sound quality. Regardless
of the listeners’ seating position, the transition of sound
from one speaker to the other is seamless and smooth even
if the speakers are not placed at the traditional “ear level”
height recommended by most manufacturers.
In most rectangular rooms speakers sound best when placed
along one of the short walls. Begin by placing the speakers
1-3 feet away from the wall and approximately 6-8 feet
apart. The exact final placement will be determined by how
far away the listener is sitting from the speakers and the
interior environment factors mentioned previously. We
suggest playing a familiar piece of music and adjusting
the placement of the speakers until the desired sound is
achieved.
Sometimes larger bookshelf speakers will sound better when
placed upon stands designed expressly for the purpose of
supporting them above floor level. By “de-coupling” the
speaker cabinet from the floor, bass frequencies are tighter
and high frequencies more distinct. Stands are available in a
wide variety of types, sizes and price ranges from your local
retailer. Many speaker stands are equipped with spikes that
are used when placing the stands on a soft surface such as
carpeting. (Be extra careful not to use speaker spikes on
hardwood floors as they are likely to scratch.)
Smaller speakers can be placed in bookshelves or cabinets
however some loss of imaging may be experienced. Again,
only trial and error will determine the best possible result
given your own circumstances.
Home THEATER INSTALLATIONS
Phase Technology's advanced designs for multi-channel
applications have brought the “Surround Sound” movie
theater experience into your home. Spending a little
extra time setting up your home theater speakers will
result in exciting results.
Home theater systems rely upon a series of well-placed
loudspeakers to re-create sound as the movie director
intended it to be heard. At a minimum, your system will
consist of two front speakers, two in the rear for ambient
sounds/special effects and a center channel for dialog. It’s
important to note that the center channel often carries over
60 — 80% of the acoustic information available in any given
scene so this speaker should be given careful consideration.
For the ultimate movie soundtrack experience, a subwoofer
(a speaker that produces very low bass frequencies) is
highly recommended. It is this speaker that provides the
earth-shaking special effects that are so much a part of
today's theater going experience.
A powered subwoofer, that is one which contains its own
internal amplifier, is best for most applications. Generally
speaking, the larger the speaker and the higher the amplifi-
er power, the more bass is produced. Some enthusiasts
use two subwoofers for truly impressive effects. Smaller
rooms require less bass reinforcement while large rooms
need more. Again, it all depends upon your specific
requirements.
Ideally, all speakers in the system should be from the same
manufacturer in order that their tonal “signatures” are as
close to identical as possible.
LEFT FRONT RIGHT FRONT
SPEAKER CENTER CHANNEL SPEAKER
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LEFT REAR RIGHT REAR
SPEAKER SPEAKER
As a reminder, Phase Technology Loudspeakers utilize our
exclusive Absolute Phase™ crossover . Due to the unique
properties of this design, placement is much more flexible
that would be the case with conventional loudspeakers.
Absolute Phase™ crossover technology allows Phase Tech
speakers to be placed vertically or horizontally with little
degradation in sound quality. The listeners’ seating position,
is much less a factor than is true in more traditional speaker
designs. The transition of sound from one speaker to the
other is seamless and smooth even if the speakers are not
placed at the traditional "ear level" height recommended by
most manufacturers.
Placement guidelines following the same general principles
as stated for two channel operation with these exceptions:
e The center channel should be as close to the middle of
the screen as possible since this is where most spoken
dialog will occur.
e Rear speakers can be placed higher up in the listening
room as they are used primarily for special effects.
e Subwoofers offer the greatest variety of placement
options since very low frequencies are essentially non-
directional. That is, the human ear cannot determine
where low frequencies originate and thus speaker
placement is open to a wide variety of choices.
|
SUBWOOFER
TV MONITOR
LEFT FRONT RIGHT FRONT
SPEAKER SPEAKER
| MAIN LISTENING/VIEWING
) POSITION
' LEFT REAR | RIGHT REAR |
` SURROUND | SURROUND ;
* SPEAKER SPEAKER.”
CONNECTING Y our SUBWOOFER
Option # 1. Low level set-up
This is the recommended method for those amplifiers and
receivers that are equipped with a "Subwoofer Out" or
"Pre-Amp Out" connection. Virtually all modern audio-
video receivers have this connection clearly marked on
the rear panel.
Using a pair of high quality interconnect cables, connect
the left and right outputs of your amplifier or receiver to
the low level inputs of your new Phase Technology
Subwoofer.
In those instances where the amplifier/receiver has only
one subwoofer output jack, run a dedicated connecting
cable from that jack to the -- low level input on the
Subwoofer.
(You may also connect a single output amplifier/receiver
to both low level inputs by using an RCA-Type "Y"
connector at the back of the amplifier and running
two cables to the subwoofer inputs.)
NOTE:Many home theater receivers have a built-in
processor to control how much bass is sent to the
speakers. Please read the instruction manual for
your own electronics and adjust these settings
PRIOR TO PLAYING YOUR NEW SUBWOOFER!
Option # 2. High Level Input Set-Up
If your amplifier or receiver does not have a dedicated
subwoofer output, it will be necessary to connect your
new subwoofer directly to the speaker output terminals
on the back of the unit.
In this scenario, you will be running high quality speaker
wires from the output of your amplifier/receiver to
the high level inputs on the subwoofer. You will then
need a second set of wires to carry the signal from
the subwoofer back to the main speakers.
Repeat this process for both the right and left speaker
outputs.
POWERED Suswoorer Features & CONNECTION Tips
This section will help maximize the performance of your Phase Technology Subwoofer.
NOTE: There are two ways to connect Phase Technology Powered Subwoofers to an existing system. After reading these
connection options thoroughly, choose only the one appropriate for your application. Using both connection options at once
can seriously damage both your speakers and the electronics connected to them.
Phase Technology Subwoofer features:
Power/Auto on — off: This switch, when left “ON”,
automatically activates the subwoofer when an audio
signal is detected and shuts the subwoofer off after
approximately 10 minutes of silence.
Level/volume control: Adjusts the volume of bass energy
allowing you to customize overall tonal balance to your
individual room acoustics and personal taste.
Crossover Control: This adjustment varies the point at
which the subwoofer takes over the task of creating low
bass frequencies from the rest of the audio signal
permitting additional "fine tuning" of the total system.
A little experimentation with this control will allow
you to match the performance of the subwoofer to
the rest of your speakers resulting in extraordinary,
accurate deep bass response. This control is
bypassed when the LFE input is used.
Servo Control: Automatically protects the subwoofer
against damage which can be caused by excessive
amplifier power and/or distortion. Phase Tech's servo
control system constantly monitors the incoming signal.
This active protection circuitry provides listeners with
the full dynamic range of sound while protecting the
subwoofer from potential damage.
. Phase Control: Matches the phase — the in and out
movement of speaker cones — to that of your main
speakers. Adjusting this control provides the best
possible bass frequency response and provides a
method to match the performance of all speakers in
the system.
LFE input: The Low Frequency Effect input or switch
built into Phase Technology's subwoofers bypasses the
built-in crossover network allowing accurate control of
the subwoofer by A/V receivers equipped with their
own "subwoofer out" connection. Depending on the
model of your subwoofer, there will be an LFE input or
an LFE switch. To use the LFE switch, connect your
“Subwoofer Out” from the receiver to the “Low Level
Input” on the subwoofer and turn the LFE switch on.
U.S. Patent # 5,075,634 and
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TROUBLE SHOOTING
No sound
1. Verify that all components are plugged in and turned on.
2. Check all soeaker wires and audio cables for loose connections.
3. Check to see if you have selected a source on your amplifier (say the phono input) to which nothing is
connected.
Voices do not appear to come from between the speakers / bass response is weak
Verify that all soeaker connections from the amplifier to your speakers are running PLUS + to PLUS + and
MINUS - to MINUS -. Reposition any wires not connected in this manner.
Check to see if there are any furnishings, plants etc. that may be blocking the output of one speaker.
Reposition either the item or the speaker so that nothing is directly in front of that speaker.
Sound, but no bass (most likely in systems with a subwoofer)
Verify that the subwoofer is plugged into an AC outlet and the power is switched on.
Check that the speaker wire or cable going from the amplifier or receiver to the subwoofer is securely fastened.
Check the volume control of the subwoofer. Increase if necessary.
NOTE: Many home theater receivers/amplifiers have a “Bass Management” feature that controls
how the bass is processed/delivered to the subwoofers. Look carefully in your amplifier or receiver's
instruction manual for details on how to adjust this feature for your system. Then adjust the subwoofer
controls for best sound.
Muddy or boomy bass
Check to see how high the subwoofer volume control is set. Reduce and listen again. Excess volume can
cause speakers to sound distorted and unnatural.
Try adjusting the crossover control on the subwoofer to a slightly lower frequency (example: down from 120
hz to 80 or 60 hz).
If the subwoofer or full size speaker is close to a corner, side, or back wall, moving it away from that
location may reduce “boomy” bass considerably.
Bookshelf speakers placed in a semi-enclosed space or cabinet can artificially emphasize bass output.
Reduce the bass control on your amplifier or move the speakers to the front of the cabinet. Alternatively,
reposition the speakers to a more open location.
Distorted sound from the speakers
This problem is usually caused by setting the volume control too high. Reduce the amplifier/receiver volume
to a lower level.
If noise and distortion are audible at higher volume levels, your amplifier may not be powerful enough.
Consider upgrading to a unit with higher power.
NOTE: Remember, even though your Phase Technology speakers can handle considerable power levels
easily, any speaker, used improperly, can be damaged. Consult your Phase Technology dealer for help in
choosing a new amplifier or receiver.
GLOSSARY
Bass Reflex: A speaker design using air-flow from a port
in the cabinet to help bass reproduction.
Bi-Amping: Each drive unit of a speaker is driven by a
separate amplifier channel, so a pair of two-way speakers
needs two stereo amps, and two runs of cable to each
speaker.
Bi-wiring: Some of the benefits of bi-amping but at
lower cost. You need suitable speakers (with two sets
of inputs and a split crossover), then send twin runs of
cable from the amp (again if suitable) to each speaker.
Center Channel: The center speaker in a home theater
setup. Ideally placed above or below the display device.
Important, as voices and many effects in a multichannel
mix come from this speaker.
Coloration: This is a shift away from the natural ren-
dition of music. Coloration is undesirable ‘boomy’
bass, а nasal midband or a splashy treble.
Crossover: Circuit inside loudspeakers which splits the
incoming signal, sending the high frequencies to the
tweeter and the low ones to the woofer.
Dipole: Speakers with drivers on opposite faces of the
cabinet. Recommended by THX for use as surround
speakers to create a more ambient and non-localizable
effect.
Distortion: Signals that are unwanted or signal changes
added by the equipment itself.
Dolby Digital: A home cinema sound system, using
five discrete channels plus a separate channel for a
subwoofer.
Dolby Pro-logic: Uses an extra center speaker at the
front for dialogue and mono rear channels for surround
effects.
DTS: Discrete 5.1 channel home cinema digital sound
system-rival to Dolby Digital.
Frequency: High-pitched sounds have a high frequency, low
pitched ones a low frequency. Audible sounds range from
16Hz to 20kHz.
Hertz: (Hz) Unit of frequency. One Hz means a signal
has one cycle per second.
Imaging: The ability to locate individual sounds in three-
dimensional space.
LFE input: Low Frequency Effect input bypasses the
built-in crossover network allowing accurate control of
the subwoofer by A/V receivers equipped with their
own "subwoofer out" connection.
Line Level: Describes inputs to amplifiers which don't
need amplifying before the amp can use them.
Midband: The frequency range where most of the
instruments and voices are heard. Vital if singers, etc,
are to sound natural.
Ohm: Unit of resistance to current. Impedance of a
speaker is measured in ohms — the lower the figure the
harder it is to drive.
Power Amplifier: Supplies audio signals from the source
component to the loudspeakers.
Power Handling: The highest safe power for speakers.
But remember that it’s actually easier to damage
speakers with an amp of too low power driven hard,
than with too much power.
Subwoofer: A separate woofer box to produce the deep
lows.
THX: Developed by LucasFilm: A set of standards for
Dolby Pro-Logic gear that should ensure a certain
quality of home cinema sound. Needs equipment
made to exacting specifications.
Transients: Short and sudden events in music such as a
cymbal crash or the crack of a stick on a snare drum.
Transients are difficult to reproduce.
Treble: High frequencies. When we say treble is
splashy, it means that cymbals, for example, sound like
they re going ‘tizzshsh’ rather than having a sting and a
crispness to them.
Tweeter: The smaller speaker driver that handles high
(treble) frequencies.
Watt: Unit of power. More watts mean more power, but
how loud a system sounds also depends on speaker
sensitivity and room size.
Woofer: The large drive unit in a speaker which
produces the low (bass) frequencies.
Phase Technology Corporation
6400 Youngerman Circle
Jacksonville, Florida 32244
1-888-PHASE TK
www.phasetech.com
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