Behringer Eurolive B1220 Pro User manual

EUROLIVE® SERIES
www.behringer.com
Version 1.0 May 2000
User´s Manual
F1220
F1520
B1520
B1800
B1220
ENGLISH

2
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
EUROLIVE speaker boxes are equipped with interlocking plastic corners, which allow for slip-free stacking.
However,toensurebothyourownandyouraudience’ssafety,pleasefollowtheinstructionsgivenbelow.
Caution! EUROLIVE speakers are not designed to be suspended!
EUROLIVE speakers are designed exclusively for floor-mounted use. Although the cabinets will withstand
roughhandlingovermanyyears,theyarenotdesignedtobesuspended.Ifthesuspensionofthespeakersis
unavoidable please be sure that suitable fixtures are mounted by qualified personnel. Suspension of your
speakers will always be at your own risk!
Check the condition of the plastic corners:
Damaged plastic corners reduce the stability of speaker stacks. Therefore, damaged plastic corners must
be replaced.
Positioning of the speakers:
Besuretomountyourspeakersonasolid and stable base. Vibratingfloors(e.g.elements/components on the
stage) as well as tables and chairs do not provide reliable support for speaker stacks.
Make sure your EUROLIVE speakers are set up properly:
Distance your speakers from dance floors and crowds to minimize the risk of accident.
Safe stacking:
Iflocal conditions make it impossible tofollowtheinstructions mentioned above, the speaker stacksshouldbe
secured so that they cannot be knocked over. Always consult a P.A. or rigging expert.
Prior to operation:
Carefullyreadallsafetyprecautionsandoperatinginstructions.
Storage:
Keepall safety precautions and operating instructions for future reference.
Observe safety precautions:
Please observe all safety precautions stated in the user’s manual.
Observe operating instructions:
Pleaseobserve all operating and application instructions.
Penetration of objects and/or liquids into the speaker cabinet:
Please protect your speakers from damage due to objects or liquids entering the speaker cabinet.
Damages and repairs:
Speakersmustberepairedbyqualifiedpersonnelif:
-objectsor liquids have entered the speaker cabinet,
- the speakers have been subject to rain or moisture,
-theydonotworkproperlyor show a clear performance deterioration,
-theyhavebeendroppedorifthecabinethasbeendamaged.
Maintenance:
Themaintenance work to becarriedoutby the user is listedintheuser’s manual. Any additional maintenance/
repairworkmustbe carried out by qualified personnel only.

3
Foreword
DearCustomer,
Welcome to the team of EUROLIVE users and thank you very much for expressing your confidence in
BEHRINGERproducts by purchasing this P.A.loudspeaker box.
It is one of my most pleasant tasks to write this letter to you, because it is the culmination of many months of
hardwork deliveredbyour engineering teamtoreach averyambitious goal: topresentyou withanoutstanding
P.A.loudspeakersystemthatgivesyoumaximumflexibilityand performance with its unique sound character
and broad range of features. The task to design the new EUROLIVE SERIES certainly meant a great deal of
responsibility,whichweassumed by focusing on you, the discerning user and musician. It alsomeantalotof
work and night shifts to accomplish this goal. But it was fun, too. Developing a product usually brings a lot of
peopletogether, and what a great feelingitiswheneverybody who participated in such aprojectcanbeproud
ofwhatwe’veachieved.
Itis our philosophy toshareour joy with you, becauseyouare the most importantmemberofthe BEHRINGER
team. With your highly competent suggestions for new products you’ve greatly contributed to shaping our
companyand making it successful. Inreturn,weguarantee you uncompromising quality (manufactured under
the stringent BEHRINGER quality-control system) as well as excellent technical and audio properties at an
extremely favorable price. All of this will enable you to fully unfold your creativity without being hampered by
budgetconstraints.
Weare often asked how we canmanagetoproducesuch high-grade devices at such unbelievablylowprices.
The answer is quite simple: it’s you, our customers! Many satisfied customers means large sales volumes
enablingusto negotiate better conditions of purchase for components etc. Isn’titonlyfair to pass this benefit
back to you? Because we know that your success is also our success!
Iwould liketo thank allpeople whosehelpon “ProjectEUROLIVESERIES” hasmadeit allpossible.Everybody
hasmade very personal contributions, starting from the designers oftheunittothemany staff members in our
company and finally to you, the user of BEHRINGER products.
Myfriends, it’s been worth thetrouble!
Thankyou very much,
UliBehringer

4
SERIES
EUROLIVE®
Professional Loudspeaker System
sPowerful,durableP.A.speakercabinetswithincrediblecutting power
sExtremelyhigh sound pressure level for first-class sound and optimum performance
sDistortion-freereproduction ofaudiomaterial
sOptionalbi-ampingorfullrange operation on all multi-way systems
s1"Titaniumtweeter on all multi-way systems for natural high-frequency reproduction
sBEHRINGERCD-horn technologyforcontrolled dispersion
sIntegratedtweeter protection
sTrapezoidalcabinet for perfect clusterformation
sUltra-ruggedcarpet covering forefficientcabinet protection
sPlastic corners for additional protection and safe stacking
sErgonomicallyshaped handles for easy transport
sSolid steel grille and polyester foam protect the speakers against moisture and mechanical damage
sAll“front-of-house” models include an adapter forstandmounting
sSubwooferswith zero-backlash threaded flange M20 for installation of commercial spacer rods
sFloormonitors feature two different cabinet angles
sDurable,professional quality input/output connectors
sCabinetconstructed entirely ofenvironmentally-friendlyE1-MDF wood
sTheEUROLIVE SERIES includes floor monitors, full range cabinets and subwoofers
sManufacturedunder the BEHRINGER qualitycontrol

5
ATTENTION!
+The EUROLIVE SERIES loudspeakers are capable of producing extreme volumes. 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 volume.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................6
1.1 Beforeyou begin ............................................................................................................................. 6
1.2 Connection...................................................................................................................................... 6
2. OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE..................................................................................................7
2.1 Tweeter ........................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Howto avoidfeedback .................................................................................................................... 7
2.3 Howto avoid feedback when usingturntables(DJApplications)....................................................... 7
2.4 Speaker protectionthrough low-cutfilter .......................................................................................... 7
3. OPERATING MODES .............................................................................................................8
3.1 FULLRANGE operation .................................................................................................................. 8
3.2 BI-AMPINGoperation...................................................................................................................... 8
3.2.1 Advantages ........................................................................................................................... 8
3.2.2 Selectingthe crossover frequency......................................................................................... 8
3.3 Loopingthroughsubwoofersignals.................................................................................................. 8
4. PIN ASSIGNMENTS................................................................................................................8
4.1 FULLRANGE Operation ................................................................................................................. 8
4.2 BI-AMPINGOperation ..................................................................................................................... 9
4.3 Subwoofer ....................................................................................................................................... 9
5. WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?..........................................................................9
5.1 Length and cross-section ofspeakercables ...................................................................................9
5.2 Powerampperformance ................................................................................................................. 9
5.3 Fuses ............................................................................................................................................. 9
5.3.1 How to protect your system .................................................................................................. 9
6. SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................................................10
7. WARRANTY ...........................................................................................................................11

6
1. INTRODUCTION
With the BEHRINGER EUROLIVE you have acquired a first-class P.A. loudspeaker system. You now own
(atleast)onecomponentofanexpandablesystemthatgivesyouanundistortedandwellbalanced reproduction
of your music material.
Itsnumerous features make the EUROLIVESERIEStheideal P.A. loudspeaker system bothforclubgigs and
large arenas. We designed the EUROLIVE SERIES to provide you with a consistent and complete range of
speakersthat gives you all theoptionsyouneed to expand your P.A. system.Allspeakerscome with pro-level
inputs and outputs, so that you are fully free to expand your setup as required.
The robust cabinets ensure that your EUROLIVE speakers will withstand even rough handling on the road.
They are made of high-grade and non-polluting E1-MDF boards, which are grooved, multi-glued and free of
formaldehydes. Your EUROLIVE speaker was manufactured in compliance with BEHRINGER’s stringent
quality-control system.
1.1 Before you begin
YourEUROLIVE speaker was carefully packed inthefactoryand the packaging is designed toprotecttheunit
fromrough handling. Nevertheless, we recommend that youcarefullyexaminethe packaging and its contents
foranysigns of physical damage, which may have occurredduringtransit.
+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 the speaker connectors on the rear of the unit to connect the EUROLIVE to your power amplifier.
+Make sure to mute your amplifier before you connect the speaker.
Fig. 1.1: Interface panel of multi-way system
Fig. 1.2: Interface panel of subwoofer
1. INTRODUCTION

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2. OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE
Wedesigned the EUROLIVE SERIES for use in avarietyofapplications.Naturally, the sound of your speaker
boxlargely depends on theacousticproperties of the environment inwhichit is set up.Thefollowingpoints will
give you a few hints enabling you to fully exploit all features of your EUROLIVE speaker system.
2.1 Tweeter
Highfrequenciesarethe very part of the audio spectrum that ensures a clear soundand speechintelligibility.
Although these frequencies can be located most easily, they are also the first to be blocked acoustically. We
thereforerecommendthat you set up your speakers so that thetweeterradiates its signals slightly above the
heads of the audience. This will ensure both an optimum dispersion of the high-frequency content and a
considerablyimproved speech intelligibility.
2.2 How to avoid feedback
Always place the “front-of-house” speakers (viewed from the audience) in front of the microphones. Use
professionalfloor monitors (e.g. F1220 or F1520), so thatthemusicians on stage can hear themselves.
2.3 How to avoid feedback when using turntables (DJ Applications)
Turntables often produce feedback in the bass range: low frequencies are fed back to the pick-up arm and
cartridge to be reproduced again by the speakers. The usual reasons for this effect are speakers set up too
close to the turntable, rooms with a wooden floor or elements placed on the stage. In any such case it will be
best to move the speakers away from the turntable or to move them off the stage and place them on a solid
support.Another possibility is the use of stands, so that there is no direct contact between floor and speakers.
2.4 Speaker protection through low-cut filter
Pleaseavoid situations in which rumblenoiseorlow frequencies can lead toanexcessivedisplacement of the
speaker diaphragm. Use an equalizer to cut the bass signal below the response curve of the speaker, or use
a low-cut or high-pass filter. Most equalizers and sound enhancers provide a low-cut function (e.g. our
BEHRINGERULTRA-GRAPHPROGEQ3102).
Theuseofalow-cut filter in the signal path is recommended, in particular, when you are usingturntables and
CD players as your signal sources. CD players often produce extremely low frequencies which can lead to
excessivediaphragm displacement. The only way to avoiddamageis to use a high-pass or low-cutfilter.
2. OPTIMUMPERFORMANCE

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3. OPERATING MODES
Except for the PA SUBWOOFER all speaker systems from the EUROLIVE SERIES can be operated in two
differentmodes: FULL RANGE and BI-AMPING. In bothmodes,the speakers are connected using the high-
quality inputs.
+Never change the operating mode, while an audio signal is active on the EUROLIVE.
3.1 FULL RANGE operation
Exceptfor the subwoofer allEUROLIVEmodelsare equipped with a built-inpassivecrossovernetwork, which
ensures a smooth transition between the individual frequency range in FULL RANGE mode. This mode is
particularlysuitableforsmallclubsandspeechapplications inchurchesandschoolsas wellasforallapplications
that require only a small-scale setup.
3.2 BI-AMPING operation
3.2.1 Advantages
BI-AMPING gives you a number of basic advantages: low distortion, greater flexibility of signal transmission
andan improvedoverallsystem performance.
3.2.2 Selecting the crossover frequency
Whenyou use an external crossovernetworksuchas our BEHRINGER SUPER-X PROCX3400,pleasenote
chapter 6 “Specifications”, where you find some information on recommended crossover frequencies. We
recommenda slope of at least12dB,with higher values providing for improvedperformance.Aslope of 24 dB
is ideal.
3.3 Looping through subwoofer signals
All subwoofers from the EUROLIVE SERIES are equipped with two parallel high-quality connectors.
PINS 2-/2+ are connected to the speaker. PINS 1-/1+ can be used to loop through signals both in FULL
RANGEandBI-AMPINGmodes. Please follow the instructions given in chapter 4.
4. PIN ASSIGNMENTS
Full Range Mode Bi-Amping Mode
PINS 1-/1+ Full Range Input Subwoofer Input
PINS 2-/2+ N/C Tweeter Input
PINS 1-/1+ Loop through -
PINS 2-/2+ Subwoofer Input -
Multi-way systems
Subwoofer
Tab. 4.1: PIN assignments
4.1 FULL RANGE Operation
sUse the selector on the rear to set the unit to FULL RANGE mode.
sAssign the output signal to PINS 1-/1+. PINS 2-/2+ are not used.
3. OPERATINGMODES

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4.2 BI-AMPING Operation
sUse the selector on the rear to set the unit to BI-AMPING mode.
sAssign the subwoofer signal to PINS 1-/1+ and the tweeter signal to PINS 2-/2+.
4.3 Subwoofer
sAssign the subwoofer signal to PINS 2-/2+.
sSignal loop through: PINS 1-/1+ are arranged in parallel, so you can loop through a full range and/or
high-pass signal to another full range speaker box. Connect the free connector on the subwoofer to
PINS1-/1+on the full range speaker.
5. WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?
5.1 Length and cross-section of speaker cables
Speaker cables with too low a cross-section can considerably reduce the performance of your power amps.
Thelonger the cables, the greater the problem. As a consequence, the user tendsto“turnup”the power amp,
whichinturncanleadto speakerdamage. Youshould neverusecableslongerthan30m. Formost applications
this will not be necessary anyway. The cable cross-section should be at least 1.5 to 2.5 mm².
5.2 Power amp performance
Choosingthe right power amp can bedifficult.Trythe following rule of thumb: theampshouldprovide twice as
muchpower as the speakers can handle. A speaker with a continuous powerratingof200wattscaneasily be
drivenby power amps delivering 400wattsofoutput power.
5.3 Fuses
Wedo not recommend the use of fuses for audio applications. Speakerdamagecanbecausedby high signal
peaks or high output power. However, fuses can only protect the speaker against one of these, but never
againstboth.Additionally,fuses can have nonlinear resistances which can lead to distortion and unexpected
overdrivingofthespeakers.
5.3.1 How to protect your system
sMakesurethat your audio signal is always set to correct levels.Avoidoverdrivingyour power amps.
sRespect the physical limits of your P.A. system.
sUse a limiter to limit the output level. Insert the limiter between the mixing console output and your
power amp. Please consider our proven compressors BEHRINGER AUTOCOM PRO MDX1400,
COMPOSERPRO MDX2200andMULTICOM PRO MDX4400.Allmodels can alsobeused as limiters.
Byeliminatingoverdrivingofyouraudiosignalsyoucaneffectivelysuppressdisturbingsignalpeaks.
+Our crossover network BEHRINGER SUPER-X PRO CX3400 can well be used to protect your
system, as it features independent limiters on each individual output.
5. WHATELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?

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6. SPECIFICATIONS
SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS F1220/B1220 F1520/B1520 B1800
Frequency response 50 Hz - 18 kHz (-10 dB) 50 Hz - 18 kHz (-10 dB) 42 Hz - 250 Hz (-6 dB)
Power rating (RMS) 200 Watts 200 Watts 400 Watts
Power rating1 (pink noise) 400 Watts 400 Watts 600 Watts
Impedance 8 Ohms 8 Ohms 8 Ohms
Sound pressure level2 (1 W @ 1 m) 95 dB (Full Space) 95 dB (Full Space) 98 dB
Dispersion 90°x 40°90°x 40°(F1520);
100°x 40°(B1520) -
Crossover frequency 2,5 kHz 1,8 kHz -
COMPONENTS
Tweeter 44P60A8 44P60A8 -
Woofer 12P200A8 15P200A8 18P400A8
PHYSICAL F1220:
approx. 15.7" * 22.6" * 15.5"
(398 mm * 574 mm * 393 mm)
F1520:
approx. 18.1" * 25.8" * 16.4"
(458 mm * 655 mm * 416 mm)
B1220:
approx. 17.3" * 25.2" * 15.7"
(438 mm * 638 mm * 399 mm)
B1520:
approx. 20.9" * 28.0" * 16.3"
(529 mm * 711 mm * 414 mm)
F1220: approx. 21 kg F1520: approx. 23,10 kg
B1220: approx. 23,25 kg B1520: approx. 29,75 kg
Mounting angle F SERIES 30°/ 60°30°/ 60°-
BI-AMPING MODE
Power rating/Impedance
Woofer 200 Watts RMS/8 Ohms 200 Watts RMS/8 Ohms -
Power rating/Impedance
Tweeter 60 Watts RMS/8 Ohms
(>2,2 kHz/12dB/oct) 60 Watts RMS/8 Ohms (>2,2 kHz/12dB/oct) -
3 Slope: 12 - 24 dB.
(W * H * D) approx. 23.4" * 27.6" * 20.9"
(595 mm * 700 mm * 530 mm)
Type
F1220: 2-way floor monitor
(12" + 1");
B1220: 2-way full range speaker
(12" + 1")
F1520: 2-way floor monitor
(15" + 1");
B1520: 2-way full range speaker
(15" + 1")
Subwoofer (18")
Weight
2 Average value over bandwidth of 100 Hz - 2 kHz (Multi-way systems) and 100 Hz - 250 Hz (subwoofer) according to IEC 268-5.
1 Average value over bandwidth of 50 Hz - 5 kHz (Multi-way systems) and 40 Hz - 250 Hz (subwoofer) according to IEC 268-5.
approx. 35,50 kg
Recommended crossover frequency
(external crossover network)31,8 kHz - 3,5 kHz 80 Hz - 150 Hz1,2 kHz - 2,2 kHz
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 existing products without prior notice. Specifications and appearance may differ from those listed or
shown.
6. SPECIFICATIONS