Boston Acoustics Bravo II Center User manual

High Performance Center Channel Speaker

Specifications
Frequency Response (±3dB) 80Hz–20,000Hz
Recommended Amplifier Power 15–125 watts
Nominal Impedance 8 ohms
Sensitivity [1 watt (2.83v) at 1m] 89dB
Bass Unit 41⁄2"(115mm) copolymer
Tweeter 1"(25mm) black anodized
aluminum dome with AMD
Crossover Frequency 2500Hz
Dimensions (HxWxD) 141⁄4x 61⁄2x 41⁄4" (362 x 166 x 108mm)
Weight 5.5 lbs. (2.48kg)
Finish Black, or Silver textured ABS
with matching metal grille
Description
The Boston Bravo II Center is a compact, high performance center channel loudspeaker which is magnetically shielded
with MagnaGuard®for interference-free placement on top of any type of television set. It uses Boston’s patented
1-inch aluminum dome VR tweeter with AMD and a 41⁄2-inch woofer. Its built-in, height adjustable rear stand allows it
to be safely placed on top of any type of television set regardless how wide the top surface is or how much it angles.
Setting up the Bravo II Center on any television set is as simple as loosening the thumbwheel on the adjustable rear
stand and then sliding the rear leg up or down to accommodate the top surface of your television. This adjustable rear
stand can also be used to safely angle the Bravo II Center to compensate for the height of the television set in relation
to the listening position. You can also use the Boston CRB swivel bracket to wall mount the Bravo II Center. The CRB
easily attaches to the two compatible screw holes located above the sliding stand on the rear.
An ideal home theater application would be to use the Bravo II Center in conjunction with four standard Boston
Bravos. When four are placed vertically in the corners of a room, the standard Boston Bravo creates an unusually wide
listening window, providing true stereo or surround sound reproduction over the broadest possible area. However,
since it shares the Boston Sound™with all other Boston speakers, the Bravo II Center can be used successfully as a
center channel speaker with any Boston main and surround speakers. Add the Bravo II Center and a Boston powered
subwoofer and you have a compact and powerful, yet unobtrusive home theater/surround sound system.
2

How to Connect Your Speaker
Correctly wiring your Bravo II Center is important for achieving the best sound quality. Wiring should take just a few
minutes, but it’s important to do it carefully, since incorrect wiring (such as reversed connections) can result in a poor
soundstage and poor bass.
We recommend 18-gauge wire or thicker for runs up to 15 feet (4.5m), and 16-gauge wire or thicker for longer runs.
Separate the first few inches of the wire conductors. Strip off 1⁄2-inch (12mm) of insulation from the ends of each
speaker wire to expose the two conductors and tightly twist the wire strands.
WARNING: To prevent electrical shock hazard, always switch off the amplifier or receiver when making connections
to the speaker.
IMPORTANT: Typically, one side of the wire is smooth.
Connect this side to the –(black) connection. The
other side has a rib or stripe. Connect this to the
+(red) connection.
Using the spring terminal posts: The spring terminal
posts permit easy connection to banana plugs, spade
lugs, and bare wire.
Push the the top of the terminal down by approximately
1⁄4-inch, exposing the hole. Insert the wire in the hole
and release the terminal.
1
/
4
"
1. Connect the speaker terminals to the amplifier
speaker outputs.
2. When making all connections, be sure to connect
+to +and –to –.
3. On the Receiver, set the center channel’s bass
management to SMALL in the speaker setup menu.
This will divert very low frequencies away from the
center channel to the main speakers and/or
subwoofer.
Connecting the Bravo II Center to Your Amplifier or Receiver
surround sound receiver/amplifier
left
front
center right
front
3

Angled Top Placement
If your TV has a shallow top (less than six inches in depth) and angles downward in the back, then you should use
the sliding rear stand to secure the back half of the speaker. First apply the two front
rubber feet as shown above (do not apply the rear feet). Loosen the knurled
knob, move the slide
down and flip up the
rotating mounting pad.
With the speaker
centered and in the
position that you want
it to stay in, move the
slide down until the
mounting pad contacts the
angled surface of the TV. Pull off
the paper backing from the pre-attached, self-adhesive hook-and-loop strip and stick the mounting pad on the TV.
Press down on the mounting pad to ensure that the two hook-and-loop halves are locked. Adjust the speaker to its
upright position and tighten the knob firmly. If you need to move
the slide down more than one inch, then remove the knob from
the upper hole and screw it into the lower hole as shown to the
left. This will centralize the contact point of the slide and prevent
any rattling that may occur at very loud volumes. It will also
double the adjustment depth to three inches.
Mounting/Installing the Bravo II Center
The Bravo II Center can be configured to accommodate any style of television and home theater
arrangement. Take a minute to study the type of television that you have in order to determine which of the
following configurations you should use.
1
1
/
2
'' (38mm) max
rotating mounting pad
pre-installed self-adhesive strip paper backing
3'' (76mm) max
upper hole
lower hole
Flat Top Placement
This is the simplest way to configure the speaker and should
be used wherever possible. If you are placing the Bravo II
Center on top of a rear projection TV or one with a large flat
top surface (six inches or more in depth), then you can use it
just the way it comes out of the box. Use the four
self-adhesive rubber feet (provided) to protect the TV’s finish
and reduce vibration. Peel off and apply a foot to each
semi-circular pad located underneath the two front corners of
the housing as shown. Apply the other two feet to the outer-
most corners of the rear support section on either side of the rotating mounting pad as shown. Alternatively, you
may wish to secure the speaker to its surface by eliminating the rear feet and using the self-adhesive, pre-installed
hook-and-loop strip instead (see illustration below).
self-adhesive feet
4

Room Placement
When setting up the Bravo II Center to suit your television, try to position it as close as possible to the center of the
screen. The Bravo II Center channel is magnetically shielded with MagnaGuard®and can be placed directly on
top of any type of television and not affect or interfere with the picture in any way. It is not necessary to angle
the speaker to face the listeners, although the adjustable rear stand will allow for this (with the hook-and-
loop strip attached to the TV). Shown is a typical Boston Bravo home theater setup consisting of the Bravo II
Center, two corner mounted standard Bravos in the front and two side wall mounted standard Bravos in the rear
as surrounds. A Boston powered subwoofer completes the home theater experience.
volume0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
crossoverHz crossover polarity
50 150
80 120 set none 0 °180 °
Boston
Listening Levels and Power Handling
The listed power recommendations in the Specifications section assume you will operate your system in a way that
will not produce distortion. Even these rugged speakers can be damaged by a modest amplifier if it produces
distortion. If you hear a harsh, gritty noise, turn down the volume. Prolonged or repeated operation of your
speaker with a distorted signal from the amplifier can cause damage that is not covered by the warranty.
Wall Mounting
You can also mount the Bravo II Center to the
wall above the TV
. To do so, you will need to
purchase the optional Boston CRB swivel
bracket. The CRB will mount to the rear of
the speaker using the two attachment holes
shown to the right. Refer to the
instruction manual that comes with the CRB
bracket for further installation information. You can purchase the Boston CRB bracket from your Boston
Acoustics dealer or use the enclosed order form to purchase it directly from us.
Mounting/Installing the Bravo II Center (con’t)
5
optional CRB bracket

6
300 Jubilee Drive
Peabody, MA 01960 U.S.A.
978.538.5000
www.bostonacoustics.com
Dolby and Dolby Pro Logic are registered trademarks of Dolby
Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
AMD is a trademarks and MagnaGuard, PowerVent, Boston, Boston
Acoustics , the Boston Acoustics logo, and VR are registered trademarks
of Boston Acoustics, Inc.
© 2004 Boston Acoustics, Inc. All rights reserved.
Specifications subject to change without notice.
042-002169-0
If Service Seems Necessary
First, contact the dealer from whom you purchased the speakers. If that is not possible, write to:
Boston Acoustics, Inc. 300 Jubilee Drive Peabody, MA 01960 U.S.A.
We will promptly advise you of what action to take. If it is necessary to return your speaker to the factory, please ship
it prepaid. After it has been repaired, we will return it freight prepaid in the U.S.A. and Canada.