Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4 User manual

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4
ENGLISH
1. Unpacking
Carton Contents
805 D4
2 Grilles
4 Terminal link wires
8 Self-adhesive plastic pads
2 Two-part foam plugs
1 Cleaning cloth
804 D4
2 Midrange grilles
4 Bass grilles
4 Terminal link wires
8 Spikes
8 Rubber feet and lock nuts (tted to the speaker)
1 Metal spike adjustment bar
1 Lock nut adjustment tool
1 Cleaning cloth
The 805 D4 and 804 D4 are very heavy and we
strongly suggest that they are unpacked in the room
in which they are to be used by two people working
together. It is also a sensible precaution to remove
jewellery to negate the risk of scratching the speakers’
surface nish.
The tables above illustrate the component parts that
are packed with the 805 D4 and 804 D4. In the unlikely
event that anything is missing please contact the
retailer from whom you purchased the speakers.
The heavier bass/midrange grilles attach magnetically
and are packed in a separate compartment to prevent
movement in transit.
 Note:Caremustbetakenwhenttingorremoving
themagneticallyattachedgrillestoavoidmarking
theproduct.Thegrilleswillmarkthespeaker/stand
plinthifdropped;youcanmitigateagainstthisby
coveringtheplinthwhenttingorremovingthe
grilles.
Tweeter diaphragms are very delicate and easily
damaged. In the 800 Series Diamond we include
a steel grille mesh that can protect the tweeter
from many forms of damage. However, you should
still exercise care when handling and cleaning your
loudspeakers.
Environmental Information
This product complies with international directives,
including but not limited to:
i. the Restriction of Hazardous Substances
(RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment,
ii. the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and
restriction of CHemicals (REACH)
iii. the disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (WEEE).
Consult your local waste disposal authority for
guidance on how properly to recycle or dispose
of this product.
805 D4 804 D4
The tweeter assembly on this 800 Series Diamond
loudspeaker is a decoupled component that is
mechanically isolated from the main part of the cabinet.
As such, it may appear to be loose when the product is
rst removed from its packaging. This is not a fault: it is
an inherent feature of the design and ensures optimum
performance from your speaker.
If the tweeter assembly has moved slightly during
transit and requires adjustment, the assembly can be
moved very slightly forwards and backwards to ensure
that the rear of the tweeter body is aligned with the
rear of the speaker cabinet. The tweeter assembly
can also be rotated very slightly to ensure that the
Bowers & Wilkins logo is vertically orientated. Do not
force the tweeter into any position beyond the soft
end-stops when making these adjustments.
 Note:Caremustbetakentonotdamagethe
 decouplingassemblywhenmakingthese 
 adjustments-pleaseseekassistancefromyour
 dealerifyouareinanydoubtaboutadjustingthe
 tweeterassembly.
ENGLISH
Contents
ENGLISH 4
1. Unpacking 4
2. Positioning 5
3. Connections 6
4. Fine Tuning and Running In 6
5. Aftercare 7

5
ENGLISH
2. Positioning
FS-805 D4 or 804 D4
FS-805 D4 and 804 D4 are intended to be oor
mounted only. It is important to ensure that they
stand rmly on the oor using the spike feet supplied
whenever possible.
FS-805 D4 and 804 D4 are supplied with both spikes,
(intended for mounting the speaker on a carpeted oor)
and rubber feet (intended for mounting the speaker on
a hard oor).
 Note:Ifthespikesareusedonahardoor,itis
 advisabletoplaceahardprotectivesurfacebetween
 thespikesandtheoortoensurethattheoorisnot
 markedbythespike.
In order to stabilise the speaker, initially fully screw
the lock nuts onto the spikes/rubber feet. Then screw
the spikes/rubber feet fully into the threaded inserts
in the base of the speaker/stand. If the speaker/stand
rocks when placed on the oor, unscrew the spikes/
rubber feet that do not touch the oor until the speaker/
stand rests rmly without rocking. Finally lock the nuts
against the base by using the supplied tool to gently
tighten the nut whilst using the supplied bar to stop the
spike/rubber foot rotating.
 Note:Takecarenottomarkthenishofthe
 speakerplinthorstandbasewhenusingthe 
 adjustmenttools.
It may be more convenient to t and adjust the
spikes/rubber feet after speaker positioning has been
optimised in the room. If tting or exchanging the
spikes/rubber feet, after removing the speaker from its
packaging, the speaker can be carefully lowered onto
its side to ease access to the underside of the base.
It is advisable to place the speaker on a soft, non-
marking surface when lowering it to ensure that the
surface nish is not damaged. Once the spikes/rubber
feet are tted, the speaker can be lifted into position.
 Note:Itisadvisablethattwopeopleworktogetherto
 lifttheproductduetoitsweight.Thespeakershould
 notbedraggedacrosstheooroncethespikes/
 rubberfeethavebeeninstalledasthisislikelyto
 resultindamagetoboththespeakerandtheoor.
Speaker Installation
Using Wall Shelves (805 D4 only)
The speaker is primarily designed to be mounted on a
dedicated oor stand (FS-805 D4), but may be placed
on a shelf, although this offers less exibility to optimise
the speaker’s performance. If shelf placement must be
used, we recommend using the foam bung inserts
(supplied) to optimise port performance (see Fine-
Tuning). In both installation cases, the speakers’
tweeters should be approximately at ear height at your
usual listening position.
 Note:Ifusingashelf,ensurethatitisstrongenough
 toproperlysupporttheweightandtthe4self-
 adhesiveplasticfeettotheundersideofthespeaker.
Speaker Positioning
In either stereo or home theatre installations, try
to ensure that the immediate surroundings of each
speaker are similar in acoustic character. For example,
if one speaker is adjacent to bare walls while the
other is adjacent to soft furnishings and curtains,
both the overall sound quality and the stereo image
are likely to be compromised.
Conventional Stereo Systems
To begin with, the speakers should be positioned
between 1.5m and 3m apart at two corners of an
equilateral triangle completed by the listening area at
the third corner. The speakers should be placed at least
0.5m away from the back and any side walls (as per
the illustration above).
Home Theatre Systems
If the speakers are to be used for the front channels
in a home theatre system, they should be placed
closer together than for 2-channel audio, because
the surround channels tend to widen the image.
Positioning the speakers within approximately 0.5m
of the sides of the screen will also help keep the
sound image in scale with the visual image. As with
conventional stereo positioning, the speakers should
ideally be at least 0.5m away from any side walls.
>0.5m >0.5m
>0.5m
110° - 130°
~40°
5 Channels 7 Channels
1.5m - 3m

6
ENGLISH
Important Safety Notice
All connections should be made with
the audio equipment switched off. When
using audio equipment in normal operation, touching
uninsulated speaker terminals or wiring may result in
anunpleasant sensation.
The 805 D4 and 804 D4 speaker terminals accept
a variety of cable terminations: 4mm banana plugs,
6mm and 8mm (1/4 in and 5/16 in) spades, or bare
wires up to 4mm (5/32 in) diameter.
Important Safety Notice
In certain countries, notably those in Europe,
the use of 4mm banana plugs is considered
a potential safety hazard, because they may be
inserted into the holes of unshuttered mains supply
sockets. In order to comply with European CENELEC
safety regulations, the 4mm holes in the ends of the
terminals are blocked by plastic pins. If you are using
the products in any country where these conditions
apply, you should ensure that any banana plugs cannot
be used in an unsafe manner by children or other
uninformed persons. The plastic pins can be removed
if you wish to use banana plugs.
Ask your dealer for advice when selecting speaker
cable. Keep its total impedance below the maximum
recommended in the speaker specication and use
a low inductance cable to avoid attenuation of
high frequencies.
There are two pairs of terminals at the back of each
speaker that enable bi-wiring (top). For single wire
connection, t the supplied link wires to join the like
polarity terminals together. Bi-wiring can improve the
resolution of low-level detail.
Ensure that the positive terminals on the speaker (with
red ring) are connected to the positive output terminal
on the amplier and the negative terminals on the
speaker (with black ring) are always connected to the
negative output terminal on the amplier. Incorrect
connection will not result in damage but will cause poor
stereo imaging and loss of bass. Always screw the
terminal caps down fully to prevent rattles.
Before ne tuning, make sure that all the connections in
the installation are correct and secure.
Moving the speakers further from the walls will
generally reduce the volume of bass. Space behind the
speakers will also help to create an aural impression of
depth. Conversely, moving the speakers closer to the
walls will increase the volume of bass. (805 D4 only) If
you want to reduce the volume of bass without moving
the speakers further from the wall, t the foam plugs
or, for less severe bass reduction, the foam rings in the
port tubes (above).
If the bass seems uneven with frequency this will most
probably be due to resonance modes in the listening
room. Even small changes in the position of the
speakers or the listening position can have a profound
effect on how these resonances affect the sound.
Try moving the listening position or locating the
speakers along a different wall. The presence and
position of large pieces of furniture can also inuence
resonance modes.
If the central image lacks focus, try moving the speakers
closer together or angle them inward so that they point
at a location just in front of the listening position.
3. Connections 4. Fine Tuning and Running In

7
ENGLISH
If the sound is too bright, increasing the amount of
soft furnishing in the room (heavier curtains for
example) may help balance the sound. Conversely,
reducing the amount of soft furnishing may help
brighten a dull sound.
For the most discerning listening, remove the bass/
midrange grilles by gripping around their edges and
gently pulling them away from the cabinet.
The performance of the speaker will change subtly
during the initial listening period. If the speaker has
been stored in a cold environment, the damping
compounds and suspension materials of the drive
units will take some time to recover their correct
mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions
will also loosen up during the rst hours of use. The
time taken for the speaker to achieve its intended
performance will vary depending on previous storage
conditions and how it is used. As a guide, allow up to
a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15
hours of average use for the mechanical parts to attain
their intended design characteristics.
The cabinet surfaces will usually only require dusting.
We recommend you use the cloth supplied with the
product. If you wish to use an aerosol or other cleaner,
apply the cleaner onto the cloth, not directly onto the
product and test a small area rst, as some cleaning
products may damage some of the surfaces. Avoid
products that are abrasive, or contain acid, alkali or
anti-bacterial agents. Do not use cleaning agents
on the drive units. Avoid touching the drive units as
damage may result.
Whenever Bowers & Wilkins speakers are nished
in real wood, the nest veneers are selected and
treated with an ultra-violet resistant lacquer to
minimise changes in colour over time. Nevertheless,
like all natural materials, the veneer will respond to
its environment and a degree of colour change is to
be expected. Colour differences may be rectied by
exposing all the veneer surfaces equally and evenly
to sunlight until the colour is uniform. This process
can take several days or even weeks, but may be
accelerated by careful use of an ultra-violet lamp.
Wood veneered surfaces should also be kept away
from direct sources of heat such as radiators and
warm air vents in order to minimise the possibility
of the wood veneer cracking.
5. Aftercare
The tweeter housing has a textured surface nish that
may collect supercial marks when handled and should
be cleaned by wiping the supplied cleaning cloth
around the housing, in-line with the surface texture.
The leather covered surfaces of your 800 Series
Diamond loudspeaker can be dusted using a soft,
dry cloth. Stains can be removed from the leather by
moistening a microbre cloth with warm water and
using it to dab the leather until clean. Do not rub the
cloth on the leather or use cleaning detergents or
leather polish as doing so may cause damage to the
product.