Electro-Voice Sx300a User manual

Description
The Electro-Voice Sx300a is an amplified,
300-watt continuous, 600-watt dynamic,
12-inch, two-way, high-efficiency, constant-
directivity compact speaker system. The
Sx300a’s internal power amplifier includes a
clip-free limiter that monitors the woofer and
compression driver separately, maintaining
spectral balance at any listening level. Exten-
sive headroom brings a good match to the
speakercapabilities,producingagreat-sound-
ing system in a very light weight package.
Theactive analog processingfound on board
the Sx300a acts to provide individual com-
ponent protection for both the woofer and
compression driver in the system. The attack
time and compression ratio of the processor
are continuously variable and are a function
of the amplitude and time duration of the
musical signals being applied to the input of
the Sx300a. For short duration signals, the
Sx300a has an output capacity exceeding
600 watts. As the amplitude or duration of
the signal increases, the analog processing
acts to reduce the input drive to the power
amplifier section. The nominal 4-ohm im-
pedance of the low-frequency section of the
Sx300a will continue to allow the amplifier
to produce a power level of over 300 watts
with a signal of 500 millisecond duration.
When amplitude or duration levels exceed
presetlevels, the analog processingfunctions
will further reduce power levels. The high-
frequency section of the Sx300a utilizes a
molded-in, 65° x 65° constant-directivity
horn. This unique pattern contributes to high
intelligibility. Vocals sound natural yet “cut
through” in reverberant, noisy rooms. In ad-
dition, the coverage pattern is unusually uni-
formover its rangeof operation. Sound qual-
ity off axis is very well maintained, even at
45°off axis (a90° total coverage angle),well
beyond the rated coverage angle. The horn’s
unique, VaripathTM throat geometry helps
direct driver output to the corners of the
room, points of coverage not described in
the usual specifications of horizontal and
vertical coverage angles, and parts of the
audience that typically do not receive the
strongest coverage.
One of the many other unique features of
the Sx300a is the cabinet. Constructed of
high-impact polypropylene structural foam,
it provides a stiff and extremely durable en-
closure. Molded into the cabinet are an inte-
gral carrying handle and a stand socket for
mounting on 13/8-inch stands such as the
Electro-Voice 100BK. Rubber feet that are
attached to the bottom of the cabinet and
mating sockets that are molded into the top
provide a means of stacking systems. The
trapezoidal-shaped cabinet, in combination
with the uniform, 65° x 65° directivity char-
acteristics, make the Sx300a ideal for use
alone or in arrays.
In situations requiring additional bass out-
put, the Sx300a can be used in combination
with the Electro-Voice Xp200A system con-
troller. The Xp200A includes a low-fre-
quency enhancement circuit that is tailored
to match the low-frequency characteristics
of the Sx300a. Up to 12 dB of additional
bass output can be obtained from the system
when used with the Xp200A system control-
ler. The amount of low-frequency enhance-
ment can be adjusted to suit the user’s per-
sonal preference.
For the most demanding situations, two
bass-module models are available to
complement the Sx300a: the Electro-Voice
Sb121 nonpowered bass module and the
Electro-Voice Sb121a powered bass mod-
ule. Both bass modules were designed to be
used with the Sx300a and are constructed in
similar structural foam enclosures. The
Sb121a includes a 300-watt power amplifier
300-Watt Powered
Two-Way Compact
Speaker System
• Internal,300-wattcontinuous, 600-watt
dynamicpoweramplifier—includes
activeanalogprocessing
• Fully balanced input with switchable
crossover at 125 Hz
• Ring-ModeDecoupling(RMD
TM
)for
increased intelligibility
• Durablestructural-foamenclosurewith
integralhandlesandstand mount
• DL12Sx12-inch woofer andDH2010A
compressiondriverforgreatsoundand
reliableperformance
• Molded-in constant-directivity 65° x 65°
high-frequencyhorn
• Standmountable andarrayable

Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
that is built into the speaker cabinet. The
Xp200A system controller provides a sub-
woofer output that is a crossed-over sum of
the left and right channels.
The Sx300a’s high-frequency horn is driven
by the DH2010A one-inch-throat, wide-
bandwidth, titanium-diaphragm driver. The
DH2010A uses a unique, convex-drive
Time PathTM phasing plug structure (U.S.
Patent #4,525,604) for smooth and ex-
tended high-frequency performance. The
voice coil is coupled to the diaphragm with
EV’s exclusive Resonant DriveTM technol-
ogy. This increases and smooths the high-
frequency response and reduces the amount
of internal equalization required for flat fre-
quency response. Driver output extends to
25,000 Hz.
The bass section of the Sx300a is designed
using Thiele-Small parameters for efficient
performance to below 80 Hz. The woofer is
a 12-inch unit featuring beryllium copper
lead wires, a low-mass, edge-wound voice
coil and high-temperature materials. The
part of the magnetic structure adjacent to
the coil is insulated using the exclusive
EV PROTEFTM process (U.S. Patent
#4,547,632). The coil is driven by a 16-lb
magnetic structure. The system combines
professional-qualitycomponents,arranged in
a time-coherent vertical array, with an un-
usuallydurable Thiele-Small-aligned vented
enclosure. The result is clear and articulate,
high-quality sound.
Ring-Mode Decoupling (RMDTM)
TheSx300a controls bothacoustical and me-
chanical ring modes to provide dramatically
increased intelligibility, using techniques
learned from the development of the Elec-
tro-Voice X-Array™ concert speakers.
There is much less coloration of the sound
from resonating sources, leaving only the in-
tended sound to be heard by the audience.
Frequency Response
The combination of a 12-inch woofer, wide-
bandwidth high-frequency driver and an
equalized crossover results in the wide and
smooth overall response shown in Figure 1.
This response was measured at 10 feet, us-
ing a 4-volt input in an anechoic chamber,
and was measured using a swept sine-wave
input. No external equalization was used.
Figure 1 has been averaged and corrected
for 1 watt at 1 meter.
Constant-Directivity Speaker System
The crossover frequency and speaker com-
ponentgeometries have beenselected so that
the directional characteristics of the woofer
and constant-directivity horn match at the
crossover frequency to create a special sys-
tem type—the constant-directivity system.
Responsewithinthe 65°rated coverage angle
is uniform, which means dependable audi-
ence coverage without “hot spots” or dead
zones at certain frequencies. The 65°disper-
sion characteristic also helps avoid early re-
flections from nearby floor or side-wall sur-
faceswhich could degradeperformance. The
controlled directivity of the high- and low-
frequency transducers also eliminates re-
sponseirregularities caused by diffractionoff
nearby enclosure edges and, in combination
with an essentially flat on-axis frequency re-
sponse, produces a total acoustic power out-
put that is uniform with frequency.
Directivity
A unique feature of the Sx300a is the con-
stant-directivity dispersion provided by the
65°x 65°horn. The polar response of the
system at selected one-third-octave band-
widths is shown in Figure 4. These polar re-
sponses were measured in an anechoic envi-
ronment at 10 feet using one-third-octave
pink-noise inputs. The frequencies selected
are fully representative of the polar response
of the system. Beamwidth of the system uti-
lizing the complete one-third-octave polar
data is shown in Figure 5. Rqand directivity
index (Di) are plotted in Figure 6.
Xp200A Electronic System Controller
Theoptional Xp200A electronicsystem con-
trollercomplements the characteristicsof the
Sx300a. Its mono-summed subwoofer out-
puts provide additional crossover and infra-
sonicprotection.24-dB-per-octave filters roll
off response below 37 Hz and above 100 Hz.
TheXp200A also includes a speciallow-fre-
quency profile circuit that enhances the per-
formance of the SX300a. The amount of
enhancement can be adjusted to suit the
user’s personal preference.
Electronics Operation and Installation
To facilitate operation and installation,
Sx300a back-panel detail is shown in Fig-
ure 3.
Precautions
Please read the entire data sheet before con-
necting the Sx300a to your system. For op-
timum performance, observe the following
precautions:
1. Keep the AC power switch off while
making connections.
2. Be certain that plugs andjacks are tightly
mated. Loose connections cause hum,
noise or intermittences that could dam-
age your speakers.
3. Use the proper, high-quality shielded
cablesinyour entire system. Low-capaci-
tance cable is preferred.
4. Turn on the mixer, EQ and effects first.
Wait eight to ten seconds, then turn on
the Sx300a. This prevents any transient
“pop” which could damage a loud
speaker.
5. Always begin with the mixer master fad-
ers at minimum. Wait a few seconds to
turn up the volume.
6. Use restraint in operating controls.Move
them slowly. Rapid movements could
damage speakers through accidental am-
plifier clipping.
7. To prevent fire or electrical shock, do not
exposethe Sx300a to rainorexcessmois-
ture.
8. Do not be concerned when the speaker
“pops” when turned on. This is inten-
tional to indicate status and does not sig-
nify a problem.
Signal Input
The Sx300a may be driven by any line-level
signalsource, balanced orunbalanced. Cau-
tion:do notconnect theoutput ofa power
amplifiertotheinput. Although thisshould
not damage the Sx300a, it is very likely to
result in distorted sound quality because the
output voltage of a power amplifier is typi-
cally high enough to severely clip the input

Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
of the Sx300a.
Theconnectoraccepts a balanced signalfrom
a 3-pin male XLR-type connector.
Driving Multiple Sx300a’s
The high, 10,000-ohm input impedance al-
lowsseveral Sx300a systems tobeconnected
in parallel (daisy chained) to the usual single
signal source, without undesirable loading
effects on the source.
The 3-pin male XLR-type full-range output
connector is in parallel with the input con-
nector and should be used for this purpose.
Pins 1 and 3 will be common and pin 2 will
be hot.
Amplifier Controls and Indicators
The amplifier has minimal controls, for ease
of use in the field.
The system gain control adjusts the output
of the system in order to help balance the
output of the Sx300a with the rest of your
system. The fully clockwise setting has
0-dB attenuation and fully counterclock-
wise offers full attenuation.
Ventilation
The metal amplifier plate and heat sink on
the rear of the enclosure serves as a thermal
radiator to maintain the amplifier operating
temperature within design limits. It is nor-
mal for this panel to become warm in use,
particularly when the system is operated at
high levels for a prolonged period of time.
During operation, use care to ensure that
there is at least one inch of space behind the
panel to allow free circulation of air. Worst-
casetemperature rise is approximately 20°C
(36 °F) from ambient.
Electronic Crossover
TheSx300a is equippedwitha built-in cross-
over, a fourth-order, 24-dB-per-octave low-
pass filter at 125 Hz. The Sx300a may be
driven by the high-frequency output of an
external active crossover network. A cross-
over frequency in the range of 100-200 Hz
is recommended.
Suspending Sx300a Enclosures
WARNING: Suspendingany objectis po-
tentiallydangerousand should onlybe at-
tempted by individuals who have a thor-
ough knowledge of the techniques and
regulations of rigging objects overhead.
Electro-Voice strongly recommends that
the Sx300a be suspended taking into ac-
count all current national, federal, state
and local regulations. It is the responsi-
bility of the installer to ensure the Sx300a
is safely installed in accordance with all
such regulations. If the Sx300a is sus-
pended, Electro-Voice strongly recom-
mendsthatthesystem beinspectedatleast
once a year. If any sign of weakness or
damage is detected, remedial action
should be taken immediately.
A manual entitled Suspending System 200TM
Loudspeakersisincluded with everySx300a
system. It gives a summary of the suspen-
sion kits available and an idea of how each
kit is used. A brief overview, which illus-
trates some approaches for single and mul-
tiple suspension, is given here for the ben-
efit of the system designer. Please refer to
individual suspension kit engineering data
sheets for full details and safety information.
The first approach is to suspend an indi-
vidualSx300a enclosure. Electro-Voice rec-
ommends the use of the Mb200 bracket (see
Figure 4), which encompasses the top and
bottom of the enclosure and has additional
features to make suspending the Sx300a
easier and more flexible. The Mb200 has
supplementary holes to allow the Sx300a to
be attached to a wall or ceiling and aimed at
an audience.
The Mb200 Installation Kit also allows the
use of OmniMount®Series 100 mounting
hardware by providing three-hole-pattern
groups compatible with these support sys-
tems.When OmniMount®Series100mount-
ing hardware is specified, the Mb200 Instal-
lationKitmust first be attachedtothespeaker
enclosure.
The second approach is to suspend multiple
Sx300a enclosures. If an “array” is required,
then multiple Mb200’s must be used. Arrays
may be constructed vertically by “daisy
chaining”two Mb200’sfromeachother. The
Mb300 Horizontal Array Kit allows the easy
and secure construction of horizontal arrays
using Mb200’s to support the enclosure.
System Response Due to the Acoustical
Environment
Several factors must be considered when de-
termining the overall response of a speaker
system in any listening environment. Physi-
cal characteristics of the room itself and
placement of the speakers and listener can
have considerable affect on SPL capability,
perceived and/or measured frequency re-
sponse and stereo imaging.
The low-frequency response of the Sx300a
canbe adversely affectedbypoorplacement.
The Sx300a was designed for quarter or
half-space use. This requires that the
speaker system be positioned as close as
possibleto floor or wall surfaces(half space)
or a floor/wall junction (quarter space). Cor-
ner placement, in most cases, will reinforce
low frequencies the most. Also, placement
in loose cavities or resonant mountings can
seriously degrade the overall response.
Architects’ and Engineers’
Specifications
The loudspeaker shall consist of a 305-mm
(12-inch) low-frequency transducer in a
vented,trapezoidal-shapedenclosure; a high-
frequency compression driver with a pure
titanium diaphragm coupled to a 65° x 65°
constant-directivity horn molded into the
front baffle of the enclosure; and a passive
crossover-equalizer network with protection
for the high-frequency driver. Up to 12 dB
additional bass output can be obtained with
the Electro-Voice Xp200A speaker-system
controller.
The system will have a self-contained high-
power amplifier, with a switchable fourth-
order, 24-dB-per-octave high-pass network
at a frequency of 125 Hz.
The loudspeaker system shall have an oper-
atingbandwidth of 65-20,000Hz. The sound
pressure level shall be 126 dB at maximum
gain, with an input signal of 0 dBu into the
poweramplifier’s balancedinputand the am-
plifier at clipping threshold, measured at 1
meter on the system axis.

Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Thepower amplifier section shall becapable
of providing 300 watts into a 4-ohm reac-
tive load with 0.5% total harmonic distor-
tion at 100 Hz (typical). The power band-
width shall extend from 65-18,000 Hz. The
amplifier shall accept balanced inputs and
an input impedance of 10 kilohms.
There will be three metric M8 x 1.25-mm
attachment points capable of supporting the
system in a permanent installation applica-
tion. The loudspeaker shall have a black,
perforated metal grille covering the woofer.
Overalldimensionsshallbe587mm(23.1in.)
high, 429 mm (16.9 in.) wide, 312 mm
(12.3 in.) deep. The weight shall be 21.3 kg
(47.0 lb).
The loudspeaker system shall be the
Electro-Voice Sx300a.
Uniform Limited Warranty
Electro-Voice products are guaranteed
against malfunction due to defects in mate-
rials or workmanship for a specified period,
as noted in the individual product-line
statement(s)below, or in theindividual prod-
uct data sheet or owner’s manual, beginning
with the date of original purchase. If such
malfunction occurs during the specified pe-
riod, the product will be repaired or replaced
(at our option) without charge. The product
will be returned to the customer prepaid.
Exclusions and Limitations: The Limited
Warranty does not apply to: (a) exterior fin-
ish or appearance; (b) certain specific items
described in the individual product-line
statement(s)below, or in theindividual prod-
uct data sheet or owner’s manual; (c) mal-
function resulting from use or operation of
the product other than as specified in the
product data sheet or owner’s manual; (d)
malfunction resulting from misuse or abuse
of the product; or (e) malfunction occur-
ring at any time after repairs have been
made to the product by anyone other than
Electro-Voice or any of its authorized ser-
vice representatives. Obtaining Warranty
Service: To obtain warranty service, a cus-
tomer must deliver the product, prepaid, to
Electro-Voice or any of its authorized ser-
vice representatives together with proof of
purchase of the product in the form of a bill
of sale or receipted invoice. A list of autho-
rizedservicerepresentativesis available from
Electro-Voice at 600 Cecil Street,Buchanan,
MI 49107 (616/695-6831 or 800/234-6831).
Incidental and Consequential Damages
Excluded:Productrepair or replacement and
return to the customer are the only remedies
Figure 1 — Sx300a Frequency Response
(1 watt/1 meter, anechoic environment)
providedto the customer. Electro-Voice shall
notbe liable forany incidental orconsequen-
tial damages including, without limitation,
injury to persons or property or loss of use.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or
limitation of incidental or consequential
damages so the above limitation or exclu-
sion may not apply to you. Other Rights:
Thiswarranty gives youspecific legal rights,
and you may also have other rights which
vary from state to state.
Electro-Voice Speakers and Speaker Sys-
temsare guaranteed against malfunctiondue
to defects in materials or workmanship for a
periodof five (5)yearsfrom the dateoforigi-
nal purchase. The Limited Warranty does
not apply to burned voice coils or mal-
functions such as cone and/or coil dam-
age resulting from improperly designed
enclosures. Electro-Voice active electron-
ics associated with the speaker systems are
guaranteed for three (3) years from the
date of original purchase. Additional de-
tails are included in the Uniform Limited
Warranty statement.
Service and repair address for this product:
Electro-Voice, Inc., 600 Cecil Street, Bucha-
nan, Michigan 49107 (616/695-6831 or 800/
234-6831).
Specifications subject to change without
notice.

Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Figure 2 — Sx300a Dimensions
Figure 3 — Sx300a Back Panel

Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Figure 4 — Sx300a Polar Response
(anechoic environment)
250 Hz 400 Hz
1.25 k Hz 2 kHz
8 kHz 12.5 kHz 16 kHz
4 kHz
800 Hz

Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Figure 7 — Suspending the Sx300a
Using the Mb200 Installation Kit
Figure 5 — Sx300a Beamwidth
Response (anechoic environment)
Figure 6 — Sx300a Directivity Response
(anechoic environment)
θ

Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
Sx300a 300-Watt Powered Two-Way Compact Speaker System
SPEAKERS - Portables Part Number 534723 — 9742
600 Cecil Street, Buchanan, MI 49107
800/234-6831, 616/695-6831, 616/695-1304 Fax
©EVI Audio 1997 • Litho in U.S.A.
Specifications- System
Axial Frequency Response (swept sine-wave
input, 4 volts at 10 feet on axis, anechoic
environment normalized for 1 watt/ 1
meter; see Figure 1):
80-20,000 Hz
Low-Frequency 3-dB-Down Point:
80 Hz
Usable Low-Frequency Limit with Xp200A
Controller (10-dB-down point):
55 Hz
Sound Pressure Level at 1 Meter,
Maximum Gain and Amplifier at Clipping
Threshold, 0 dBu (0.775 volts rms) into
Balanced Input, Anechoic Environment,
300- to 2,000-Hz Average:
125 dB
Maximum Acoustic Output:
11.1 watts
Electronic Crossover,
Frequency:
125 Hz
Slope:
24 dB per octave
Dispersion Angle Included by 6-dB-Down
Points on Polar Responses, Indicated One-
Third-Octave Bands of Pink Noise (see
Figure 4),
2,000-20,000 Hz, Horizontal:
65° ±15°
2,000-20,000 Hz,Vertical:
65° ±15°
Directivity Factor Rq(Q), 800- to 16,000-Hz
Median (see Figure 6):
14.3 (+7.9, –9.3)
Directivity Index Di, 800- to 16,000-Hz
Median (see Figure 6):
11.1 dB (+2.4 dB, –4.1 dB)
Distortion, 0.1 Full Power Output,
Second Harmonic,
100 Hz:
1.2%
1,000 Hz:
1.4%
10,000 Hz:
10%
Third Harmonic,
100 Hz:
0.4%
1,000 Hz:
0.3%
10,000 Hz:
2.2%
Transducer Complement,
High Frequency:
DH2010A driver
Low Frequency:
12-inch EV woofer
Box Tuning Frequency:
65 Hz
Passive Crossover,
Frequency:
1,500 Hz
Slope,
Low Pass:
12 dB per octave
High Pass:
12 dB per octave
Enclosure Materials and Colors:
Black polypropylene structural foam
Supplied Accessories:
Suspending System 200TM Loudspeakers
instruction manual
Optional Accessories:
100BK mounting stand
F200 monitor feet
Mb200 installation kit
Mb300 horizontal array kit
VPCSx protective cover
PDSx padded cover
Other Product Available for Enhancement
of Sx300a Performance:
Xp200A electronic system controller
Attachment Points:
Three metric metal inserts (M8 x 1.25) (see
Figure 2 and Suspending the Sx300a
Enclosure section)
Safety Approvals (in progress):
UL-813; CSA-C22.2; IEC-65 (ENG-0065);
EMC Directive for European RFI/EMI
emissions
Dimensions (see Figure 2),
Height:
586 mm (23.1 in.)
Width:
429 mm (16.9 in.)
Depth:
312 mm (12.3 in.)
Net Weight:
21.3 kg (47.0 lb)
Shipping Weight:
22.6 kg (49.9 lb)
Specifications -Amplifier
System Output Power, Continuous
(4-ohm load, 100- to 130-volt or 200- to-250-
volt, 50/60-Hz AC line voltage):
10-40,000 Hz
Frequency Response (±0.5 dB):
65-18,000 Hz
Total Harmonic Distortion (100 Hz),
<0.5%
Input,
Type:
True balanced, electronic
Sensitivity (for 300-Watt, unclipped
output),*
System Gain Control Full Clock wise:
0 dBu (0.775 volts)
System Gain Control Full Counter
clockwise (input closed):
–∞dBu
Impedance:
10 kilohms
Controls and Indicators:
System Gain control (0 to –∞dB) Power
on-off switch (illuminated when on)
Connectors:
XLR-type jack in parallel with 3-pin male
XLR-type jack (allows paralleling of
Sx300a’s)
Polarity (for positive sound pressure):
Pin 2 positive
Power,
Requirement (per UL-813, maximum
average, soft-start power supply):
500 watts
Minimum Service Amperage:
6 amps
Input Voltage,
Sx300a:
100-130 V, 50/60 Hz ac
Sx300a Export:
200-230 V, 50/60 Hz ac
Sx300a 240 volt:
240 V, 50 Hz ac
Input Connector:
IEC
AC Line Cord (detachable, supplied):
Sx300a:
3.0-m (10-ft) three-conductor
polarized cable
Sx300a Export / Sx300a 240 volt:
2.5-m (8.2-ft) two-conductor
nonpolarized cable with continental-Europe-
type wall plug.
*see analog processing section for specific details