Behringer Eurolive B1020 User manual

www.behringer.com
Version 1.2 June 2001
Users Manual
F1220
F1520
B1520
B1800X
B1220
B1020
B1500X
EUROLIVE® SERIES
ENGLISH

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EUROLIVE SERIES
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
For your own safe y, as well as ha of your colleagues and your audience, please:
- carefully read he following safe y precau ions and opera ing ins ruc ions prior o opera ion
- observe he following safe y precau ions and opera ing ins ruc ions during opera ion and
- s ore his manual in a safe place for fu ure reference.
Thank you.
Caution! EUROLIVE speakers are not designed to be suspended!
EUROLIVE SERIES enclosures are designed exclusively for floor-moun ed use. Al hough he enclosures will
wi hs and rough handling over many years, hey are no designed o be suspended. If suspension of he
speakers is unavoidable, please be sure ha sui able fix ures are moun ed by qualified personnel.
Suspension of your EUROLIVE enclosures will always be at your own risk!
Check the condition of the protecti e corners:
EUROLIVE loudspeaker enclosures are equipped wi h in erlocking pro ec ive corners, which allow for slip-free
s acking. Damaged corners reduce he s abili y of speaker s acks. Please inspec hem a regular in ervals
and replace damaged corners immediately.
Safe speaker installation:
- Be sure o moun your speakers on a solid, s able and level base or s and. Vibra ing floors (e.g. elemen s/
componen s on he s age), as well as ables, chairs or similar objec s do no provide reliable suppor for
speaker enclosures or s acks.
- Se ing up your speakers a a dis ance from he audience area, dance floor, musicians and/or personnel will
minimize he risk of acciden .
- Should local condi ions preven you from following hese safe y precau ions, please be sure o secure he
speakers so ha hey canno fall or be knocked over. Always consult a P.A. or rigging expert.
Pre ention of speaker damage:
Please pro ec your speakers from damage due o objec s or liquids en ering he enclosure.
Damage and repair:
EUROLIVE enclosures mus be repaired by qualified personnel if:
- objec s or liquids have en ered he enclosure,
- he speakers have been subjec o rain or excessive mois ure,
- he enclosure does no work properly or displays obvious performance de eriora ion or
- he enclosure has been dropped or o herwise physically damaged.
Maintenance:
Main enance or modifica ions which may be carried ou by he user is defined in he users manual. Any
addi ional main enance/repair work should be carried ou by qualified service personnel only.

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EUROLIVE SERIES
FOREWORD
Dear Cus omer,
Welcome o he eam of EUROLIVE users and hank you very much for expressing your confidence in
BEHRINGER produc s by purchasing his P.A. loudspeaker enclosure.
I is wi h grea pleasure ha I wri e his le er o you. I represen s he culmina ion of many mon hs of hard work
delivered by our engineering eam o reach a very ambi ious goal: o presen you wi h an ou s anding P.A.
loudspeaker sys em ha gives you maximum flexibili y and performance along wi h unique audio quali ies and
a broad range of fea ures. Designing he new EUROLIVE SERIES was a grea challenge filled wi h responsibili y,
which we ackled by focusing on you, he discerning user and musician. I was also a lo of work, wi h nigh and
weekend shif s. Bu i was fun, oo. Developing a produc usually brings a lo of people oge her, and i s a grea
feeling when everybody involved can be proud of wha heyve achieved.
I is par of our philosophy o share our gra ifica ion wi h you, since youre he mos impor an member of he
BEHRINGER eam. Wi h your highly compe en sugges ions for new produc s, youve con ribu ed immensely
o he developmen and success of our company. In re urn, we bring you uncompromising quali y, guaran eed
by he s ringen BEHRINGER quali y con rol sys em, as well as excellen echnical and audio specifica ions,
a an ex remely favorable price. We hope ha his will enable you o fully unfold your crea ivi y wi hou being
hampered by budge cons rain s.
We are of en asked how we manage o produce such high-grade devices a such unbelievably low prices. The
answer is qui e simple: i s you, our cus omers! Lo s of sa isfied cus omers means large sales volumes, which
in urn enables us o reduce produc ion and logis ics expenses. We believe i s only fair o pass his benefi
back o youaf er all, your success is our success!
I would like o hank everyone who helped make he EUROLIVE SERIES projec possible and successful.
Each of hose people made very personal con ribu ions, from our engineers and designers o our numerous
s aff members and finally o you as a BEHRINGER user.
My friends, i s been wor h he rouble!
Thank you very much,
Uli Behringer

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EUROLIVE SERIES
SERIES
EUROLIVE®
Professional Loudspeaker System
sPowerful, durable P.A. loudspeaker enclosures wi h excellen cu ing power
sEx remely high sound pressure levels for firs -class sound and op imum performance
sDis or ion-free reproduc ion of audio ma erial
sSwi chable bi-amping mode on all mul i-way sys ems (excep B1020)
sSwi chable crossover on all subwoofers for op ional passive or ac ive (bi-amping) opera ion
s1" i anium diaphragm on all mul i-way sys ems for brillian , na ural high-frequency reproduc ion
sSpecially developed BEHRINGER CD horn echnology for op imal wide-angle dispersion
sIn egra ed HF driver pro ec ion
sTrapezoidal enclosures for perfec clus er forma ion
sUl ra-rugged carpe covering for efficien cabine pro ec ion
sRugged pro ec ive corners wi h s acking profile
sRecessed, ergonomically shaped die-cas handles for easy ranspor
sRugged s eel grilles plus acous ically ransparen polyes er foam for op imal speaker pro ec ion
sDie-cas socke for s and or pole moun ing on all EUROLIVE sys ems (excep F1220/F1520)
sFloor wedges allow angles of 30 or 60 degrees
sProfessional Speakon® connec ors on s urdy aluminum panel
sEnclosures cons ruc ed en irely of environmen ally-friendly E1 MDF wood
sThe EUROLIVE SERIES includes floor wedges, full-range enclosures and subwoofers
sManufac ured under he s ringen BEHRINGER quali y con rol sys em

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EUROLIVE SERIES
ATTENTION!
+The EUROLIVE SERIES loudspeakers are capable of producing extreme olumes. Please bear
in mind, that high sound pressures do not only temporarily damage your sense of hearing, but
can also cause permanent damage. Be careful to select a suitable olume.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 Before you begin ............................................................................................................................. 6
1.2 Connec ion ...................................................................................................................................... 6
2. OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE .................................................................................................. 7
2.1 HF driver ......................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Avoiding feedback ........................................................................................................................... 7
2.3 Avoiding feedback when using urn ables (e.g. DJ applica ions)....................................................... 7
2.4 Pro ec ing your speakers wi h a low-cu fil er .................................................................................. 7
3. OPERATING MODES ............................................................................................................. 7
3.1 FULL-RANGE opera ion .................................................................................................................. 7
3.2 BI-AMPING opera ion ...................................................................................................................... 8
3.2.1 Advan ages ........................................................................................................................... 8
3.2.2 Selec ing he crossover frequency ......................................................................................... 8
3.3 ACTIVE (BI-AMPING)/PASSIVE subwoofer opera ion ...................................................................... 8
3.4 Looping hrough subwoofer signals .................................................................................................. 8
4. PIN ASSIGNMENTS ................................................................................................................ 8
4.1 FULL-RANGE opera ion .................................................................................................................. 8
4.2 BI-AMPING opera ion ...................................................................................................................... 9
4.3 Subwoofer (PASSIVE) ..................................................................................................................... 9
4.4 Subwoofer (ACTIVE/BI-AMPING) .................................................................................................... 9
5. WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED? .......................................................................... 9
5.1 Leng h and gauge of speaker cables ............................................................................................... 9
5.2 Power amp performance ................................................................................................................. 9
5.3 Fuses .............................................................................................................................................9
5.3.1 Pro ec ing your sys em ......................................................................................................... 9
6. SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 1
7. WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................... 11

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EUROLIVE SERIES
1. INTRODUCTION
Wi h he BEHRINGER EUROLIVE, you have acquired a firs -class P.A. loudspeaker sys em. You now own a
leas one componen of an expandable sys em ha gives you well-balanced, dis or ion-free reproduc ion of
your audio ma erial.
Wi h i s numerous fea ures, he EUROLIVE SERIES represen s an ideal P.A. loudspeaker sys em for a varie y
of applica ions, from churches and schools o clubs o larger venues. We designed he EUROLIVE SERIES o
provide you wi h a comple e range of speaker enclosures wi h consis en quali y plus all he op ions you need
o expand your P.A. sys em according o your needs, like pro-level Speakon® inpu s and ou pu s.
The rugged enclosures ensure ha your EUROLIVE speakers will wi hs and even he roughes handling on he
road. They are made en irely of high-grade, non-pollu ing, formaldehyde-free E1 MDF boards wi h mul i-glued
ongue-and-groove cons ruc ion. Your EUROLIVE enclosure was manufac ured in compliance wi h
BEHRINGERs s ringen quali y con rol sys em.
1.1 Before you begin
Your EUROLIVE speaker was carefully packed in he fac ory and he packaging is designed o pro ec he uni
from rough handling. Never heless, we recommend ha you carefully examine packaging and con en s for any
signs of physical damage which may have occurred during ransi .
+If the unit is damaged, please do not return it to BEHRINGER, but notify your dealer and the
shipping company immediately. Otherwise, claims for damage or replacement may not be
granted. Shipping claims must be made by the consignee.
1.2 Connection
Use he speaker connec ors on he rear of he uni o connec he EUROLIVE enclosure o your power amplifier.
+Make sure to turn down your amplifier olume before you connect the speaker(s).
Fig. 1.1: Connector panel on multi-way systems Fig. 1.2: B1020 connector panel
(except B1020)
Fig. 1.3: Connector panel on subwoo ers
1. INTRODUCTION

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EUROLIVE SERIES
2. OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE
The EUROLIVE SERIES was designed for use in a varie y of applica ions. Na urally, he sound of your speaker
enclosures largely depends on he acous ic proper ies of he environmen in which i is used. The following
poin s should help you ge he mos ou of your EUROLIVE speaker sys em.
2.1 HF driver
High frequencies are a crucial par of he audio spec rum, which ensures clear sound and speech in elligibili y.
Whereas hese frequencies are he mos easily loca ed, hey are also he firs o be acous ically blocked. We
herefore recommend ha you se up your speakers so ha he HF driver is si ua ed sligh ly above he heads
of he audience. This will ensure no only op imal dispersion of he high-frequency con en , bu also considerably
improved speech in elligibili y and clari y.
2.2 Avoiding feedback
Always place he fron -of-house speakers ( he enclosures facing he audience) in fron of he microphones.
Use professional floor wedges (e.g. EUROLIVE F1220 or F1520), so ha he performers on s age can hear
hemselves.
2.3 Avoiding feedback when using turntables (e.g. J applications)
Turn ables of en produce low-end feedback: low frequencies are fed back o he pickup arm and car ridge and
reproduced again by he speakers. Common causes of low-end feedback are speakers se up oo close o he
urn able, rooms wi h a wooden floor or elemen s placed on he s age. In such cases, ry moving he speakers
away from he urn able or off he s age and placing hem on a solid suppor . Ano her possibili y is o moun he
enclosures on s ands, hus minimizing direc con ac be ween floor and speakers.
2.4 Protecting your speakers with a low-cut filter
Low-frequency rumble or ex reme low frequencies can lead o an excessive displacemen of he speaker
diaphragm and in urn o permanen damage. Using an equalizer or a low-cu /high-pass fil er o elimina e he
low frequencies below he response curve of he speaker can effec ively preven his. Mos equalizers and
sound enhancers provide a low-cu func ion (e.g. BEHRINGER ULTRA-GRAPH PRO GEQ3102).
The use of a low-cu fil er in he signal pa h is especially recommended when using urn ables and/or
CD players as signal sources. CD players of en produce ex remely low frequencies, which can lead o excessive
diaphragm displacemen .
3. OPERATING MODES
Wi h he excep ion of he B1020, all EUROLIVE SERIES mul i-way sys ems can be opera ed in wo various
modes: FULL-RANGE and BI-AMPING. The subwoofers can ei her be opera ed in ACTIVE (BI-AMPING) or
PASSIVE mode. Use he swi ch on he rear panel of he enclosure o selec he appropria e mode for your
applica ion (see chap er 3.3). In bo h modes, he speakers are connec ed using he Speakon® inpu s.
+Ne er change the operating mode while an audio signal is present.
3.1 FULL-RANGE operation
All EUROLIVE models are equipped wi h a buil -in passive crossover ne work, which ensures a smoo h ransi ion
be ween he individual frequency ranges in FULL-RANGE mode. This mode is par icularly sui able for applica ions
ha require only a small-scale se up, such as speech applica ions in churches and schools, sound reinforcemen
in small clubs e c.
3. OPERATING MODES

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EUROLIVE SERIES
3.2 BI-AMPING operation
3.2.1 Ad antages
BI-AMPING gives you a number of impor an advan ages: lower dis or ion, grea er flexibili y of signal ransmission
and improved overall sys em performance.
3.2.2 Selecting the crosso er frequency
For opera ion wi h an ex ernal crossover ne work such as our BEHRINGER SUPER-X PRO CX2310, please
refer o chap er 6 SPECIFICATIONS for recommended crossover frequencies. We recommend using a slope
of a leas 12 dBhigher values will improve performance. A slope of 24 dB is ideal.
3.3 ACTIVE (BI-AMPING)/PASSIVE subwoofer operation
EUROLIVE SERIES subwoofers also fea ure an in egra ed crossover. Driven in passive mode, he B1500X
subwoofer perfec ly complemen s our mul i-way sys em B1020, resul ing in a compac , well-balanced and
sonically accura e sys em. If you wish o opera e your subwoofer in ac ive mode (swi ch o BI-AMPING), i can
be combined wi h vir ually any of he remaining EUROLIVE mul i-way sys ems.
+To ensure optimal performance in combination with the B1020, the polarity of the B1500X
subwoofer has been re ersed (180°) in the factory. For operation with any other EUROLIVE
multi-way enclosure, the loudspeaker polarity must be re ersed by qualified ser ice personnel.
We designed he B1800X as he perfec subwoofer for he EUROLIVE mul i-way enclosures B1220 and B1520.
Of course, he B1800X can also be opera ed ei her in passive or ac ive mode.
The foregoing recommenda ions are only in ended o demons ra e he in erac ion of various EUROLIVE enclosures.
You may, of course, combine enclosures as you like, depending on your personal preferences and applica ions.
3.4 Looping through subwoofer signals
All EUROLIVE SERIES subwoofers are equipped wi h wo parallel Speakon® connec ors. Pins 2-/2+ are
direc ly connec ed o he loudspeaker. Pins 1-/1+ can be used o loop signals hrough, while he high-pass
signal is presen on pins 1-/1+ (ou pu ). Please refer o he ins ruc ions in chap er 4.
+Please note that switching the EUROLIVE subwoofers to BI-AMPING mode mo es the input
signal of the loudspeakers to pins 2-/2+. In this case, pins 1-/1+ act as a loop-through!
4. PIN ASSIGNMENTS
Full-range mode Bi-amping mode
Pins 1-/1+ Full-range input Woofer input
Pins 2-/2+ Loop-through HF driver input
Pins 1-/1+ SPEAKON IN: full-range input
SPEAKON OUT: high-pass output Loop-through
Pins 2-/2+ Loop-through Subwoofer input
Multi-way systems
Subwoofers
B1020,
B/F1220, B/F1520
B1500X, B1800X
Tab. 4.1: PIN assignments
4.1 FULL-RANGE operation
sUse he swi ch on he rear panel of he enclosure o selec FULL-RANGE. To do his, you mus firs
remove he frame surrounding he swi ch. (The frame is in ended o preven acciden al swi ching.) Please
remember o replace he frame af er changing he opera ing mode.
sAssign he inpu signal o pins 1-/1+. In his mode, pins 2-/2+ ac as a loop- hrough.
4. PIN ASSIGNMENTS

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EUROLIVE SERIES
4.2 BI-AMPING operation
sUse he swi ch on he rear panel of he enclosure o selec BI-AMP. Again, you have o remove he frame
firs (see chap er 4.1).
sAssign he low-frequency signal o pins 1-/1+ and he high frequency signal o pins 2-/2+ by modifying
your connec ion cable(s).
4.3 Subwoofer (PASSIVE)
sAssign he full-range signal o inpu pins 1-/1+. The high-pass signal is presen on ou pu pins 1-/1+.
Pins 2-/2+ ac as a loop- hrough.
4.4 Subwoofer (ACTIVE/BI-AMPING)
sAssign he subwoofer signal o pins 2-/2+ by modifying your connec ion cable(s).
sUse pins 1-/1+ o loop he high-pass signal hrough o pins 1-/1+ of he full-range enclosure.
sIn his opera ing mode, pins 1-/1+ are always looped hrough o pins 2-/2+.
5. WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?
5.1 Length and gauge of speaker cables
Low-gauge speaker cables can considerably reduce he performance of your power amps, and hus of your
en ire sys em. The longer he cable, he more crucial he gauge. As a consequence, he user ends o urn up
he power amp, which in urn can lead o speaker damage. You should use a leas 14-gauge cable12-gauge
is ideal. Try o avoid using cables longer han 30 m (100 f ).
5.2 Power amp performance
Choosing he righ power amp can be difficul . The following rule of humb may be helpful: he amp should
provide abou wice as much power as he speakers can handle. A speaker wi h a con inuous power ra ing of
200 Wa s should be driven by power amps wi h 400 Wa s of ou pu power.
5.3 Fuses
We do no recommend he use of fuses for audio applica ions. Speakers can be damaged by high signal peaks
or high ou pu power. Fuses can only pro ec he speaker agains one of hese, bu never agains bo h. In
addi ion, fuses can have nonlinear resis ances, which can lead o dis or ion and unpredic able overdriving of he
speakers.
5.3.1 Protecting your system
sExercise cau ion while se ing levels and avoid overdriving your power amps.
sRespec he physical limi s of your P.A. sys em.
sUse a limi er o limi he ou pu level. Inser he limi er be ween he mixing console ou pu and your
power amp. Our proven compressors COMPOSER PRO MDX2200, AUTOCOM PRO MDX1400 and
MULTICOM PRO MDX4400, all of which provide limi er func ions, are ideal for his applica ion. Used
properly, hey can elimina e overdriving of your audio signals and effec ively suppress dangerous signal
peaks.
+Our crosso er network SUPER-X PRO CX3400, which features independent limiters on each
indi idual output, can also be used to protect your system.
5. WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?

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EUROLIVE SERIES
6. SPECIFICATIONS
6. SPECIFICATIONS
BEHRINGER is constantly striving to maintain the highest professional standards. As a result of these efforts, modifications may be
made from time to time to e isting products without prior notice. Specifications and appearance may differ from those listed or
shown.