Electro-Voice SxA Series User manual

SatA Series
Powered Loudspeakers
Owner's Manual

The iightfiing flash with arrowhead symbol, withif. an equiistftrat triangle
V is intended to alert tha user to the presence of '.ininsnlated '‘dangaroiis
\ voltage" within the product’s e-ncicsurs that may be of sufficient
niagrHiL’de to constitute a r isi'i of electric shoes to persor-.s.
Ttis axcianiafion point witiiin an eguiistera! triangle is intendad to aiert.
the user to ttre pfeseooe of important operating arrrj rr-.aintenance
(sert/icinc) instructions in the [itc-rature accompanying the appliance.
1. Read tfitrse iitstruittkintt.
2. Keep iiliese instruetioiie.
3. Heed all wttrnings,
4. Foilovv all instructiorsg.
6, D o not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with a damp cloth.
7. Do not block any of the ventikition open.ings.
Install lit atfcordance with the nTantifactnres instructions.
8. Do not install trear atiy heat souretts such n.s na.diators, heat rttgistem, stovffs, or ifthttr a[)p'.a.i'atr.i.s that productf htfat.
9. Only use attachments/accessorievS specified by the manufacturer.
10. Refer ail servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in
any way, such as pow’'er-suppiy cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or obiects have iallen into the
appfiratUvS, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normfilly, or has been dropped.
For US and CANADA only:
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third
grounding- prong. The wid-f Idade or the third prong are provided for your safety. Wh,en tl-e provided plug does
loot fit into your outlet, consult an eleci rican for repkace.tnent of the absolete outdei;.
IMPORTANT SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: These servicing instructions are for use by qualified personnel oniy. To reduce the risk of electric
shock, do not perform any servicirsq other than that contained in the Operating Instructions unless you are
qualified to do so. Refer all servicing to qualified service persennei,
1. Sfjcurlty reguL'itions .as stated, in tb.t; .EN 60065 (VDE 0860 / T.EC 65) jufd the CS.A E65 • 94 havfi to be ob'Cyed
vRic-n st:-rvicing tin? app'llance.
2. Use of a mains separator transformer is mandatory during maintenance w'hile the appliance is opened, needs
to be operated and is connected to the mains
3. Switch off the power before retrofitting any extensions, changing the mains voltage or the output voltage.
4. The .minimum distance between, parts carrying mains voltage and any accessible metal piece (metal
enedosure), respectively beiwcjen t;h,e itmins {)o]es ba.s to be 3 mni and. need.s to be; minded at all i;im€!S.
The minmmm distance between parts canying maijis voltage and airv switches or breakers that are not
connected to the mains (secondary parts) has to be 6 mm and needs to be minded at all times,
5. Replacing special components that are marked in (lie circuit diagram using this Si?curity symbol (Not:e) is only
permissible when using original p-arts.
6. .Aliiering t;he circuitry wit.hout prior coiLseni; or advice is not legiE;i;m.ate.
7. .Any w-:).rk securify regulations that; are applicable at tfie locaiiioti whe.rc! tiie a.pplian‘ce is being serviced liave
to be strictly obeyed, Tlris applies also to any regulations about the work place itself.
8. All instructions concerning the handling of MOS - circuits have to be observed.
Note: /!\ SAFETY COMPONENT (HAS TO BE REPLACED WiTH ORlGiNAL PART ONLY)
1
ELECTRO-VOICE® OwnerP Maiiua!

Sx4 Owner’s Manual
2
Description.4
System Features - SxA Two-Way Systems, . . . . . . . 4
System Features - SxA 180 Powered Woofer.4
System Setup ................. 6
Setup DiagTarns for SxA Tw'o-Way Systems.6
iSrAlSO Woofer System Setup .8
F22 Monitor Foot Acces.sor 3 ~..............11
System Specifications.12
Electro-Voice® Uniform Limited Warranty......... 13
Owner’s Manual
Thank yon for choo>sing Electro-Voice® SxA active powered loudspeaker systems.
These terns are the culmination of EV’s 75 years of experience in transducer
design and over 50 years of experience in designing and building electronics.
Please take time to consult this manual so that you can understand all the
features built into your EV systems and fully utilize all their performance
capabilities.

...
Safety First
When setting up, installing and using IDlectro-Voice"-' SxA speaker systems, there are a.
number of precautions that you should fol low:
* When Electro-Voice'® SxA speakers are used for portable applic£itions in which they will be
stacked directly on the floor or mounted on a tripod stand, make sure that the floor or
stage is solid and secure,
* Electro-Voice® SxA speaker systems include 1 3/8-iiich stand mounts to allow mounting on
tripod stands.
Make sure to:
* Check the specifications of the speaker stand to be certain it is capable of supporting the
weight of the speaker.
« Check that the speaker stand, is placed on a .Oat, stable surface and be sure to fully extend
the legs of the stand. Do .not try to make the stand “taller” and comp.romise its structural
integrity.
« Knute cables and position, the stand so that performers, production crew and. audience
members will .not trip over the stand or cables and pull the speaker system over. Secure
cables whth ware ties or tape whenever possible.
* ]')o not attempt to suspend more than one speaker on a stand designed for a single
speaker,
* Unless you are confident that you can safely handle lifting the weight of the speaker onto
the Stand, ask another person to help you place it.
* After the system is in operatio.r). for a few minutes, the beat sink wall become warm, to the
touch and can become quite hot after extended high-level operation. Avoid touching the
heat sink fins to prevent burns. When installing the system, use care to ensure that there
is at least two inches of space behind the heatsink to allow free circulatio.n of air.
* If you intended to hang or fly the SxA two-way systems, please do so safelj' with the correct
hardware and accessories.
4 'WA.R.NIiNG: Suspending any object is potentialiy dangerous and should only he
/I \ attempted by individiials who have a thorough knowledge of the teehniques and
rU-t—A. regulations of rigging' objects overhead. Electro- Voted strongly recommends that SxA
speakers be suspendedEakin^^^ account all current national, federal, state and local
regulations. It is the responsihility of the ins taller to ensure that SxA speakers are sa/eiy
installed in accordance with all such regulations. If SxA speakers are susrreruied. Electro- Voted
strongly recommends that the system be inspected at least once a year. If any sign of weakness
or damage is detected, remedial action should be taken immediately. Please consult our
.manual enti.tled Suspending Systern StE?Loudspeakers, and. the SKI data sheet, whi.ch. details
the various hardware kits that are available to safely suspend SxA speakers and how each kit
should be used. There are also data sheets for each EV ha.nging hardware part that should
also be consulted prior to suspending speakers.
/|\ * Electro-Voice® does not recommend use of SxA speakers outdoors or in high
moisture environments. Avoid exposing SxA speakers to direct moisture and or
high humidity that can cause corrosion of electrical contacts and problems with
loudspeaker cones a.nd surrounds.
/|\ « Electro-Voice® SxA loudspeakers are easily capable of generating sound pressure
levels sufficient to cause permanent hearing da.mage to anyone within normal,
coverage distance. Caution should be taken to avoid prolonged exposure to sound
pressure levels exceeding 90 dB.
3
ELECTRO-VOiCE'^ Owners Vlcinua

Description
JSlectro-Voiee® A series powered loudspeakers are ftilly integirated audio system.s with
carefully matched electrouics and transducers. These products make it easy to setup a high-
quality sound system quickly with a minirnum of cables and external electronics. 'Fhey retain
tjqiiical EV ruggednesSj rcdiability and impeccable sound quality.
System Features - &A Two-Way Systems
* Iiitep'ated mixer/crossover/amplifiers/speaker system with separate niic and line inputs,
EQ and line-level outputs.
* Two built-in power amplifiers, one for low frequencies and one for high frequencies. The
amplifiers also contain electronic crossover circuitry and CD born compensation optimized
for the siieaker co.mpone.nt.s a well as a limiter circuit that jirevents either amplifier from
clipping 'tvbile preserving the sonic quality.
* The low-trequency power amplifier delivers 150 watts continuous average power and 360
watts d^m.amic power (IH F A). Dynamic output power is important because it determines
the transient capability of the system,
* The high-frequency povver amplifier delivers 50 watts continuous average powmr and 80
watts dynamic power (IHl’ A). This provides more than 3 dB of headroom, over the
continuous current capabilities of the high-frequency driver.
* The line input utilizes Neutrik ‘hombo'"’ connectors, w'^hich rvill accept either V^-inch or 3-
pin XlJl-type connectors.
* The mic input is balanced, low-impedance 3-pin XLR-type
* The separate line output is 3-pin XLR-type balanced, low-impedance output that can be
used with long cable runs.
* Two-band EQ provides tonal shaping to compensate for program material, room acoustics
and personal taste.
* SxA two-way systems are perfect for use as powered floor monitors.
» IntegTated power amplifier, electronic crossover and low-.frequency siieaker de.signed to
add extended bass to SxJ^ systems
» Class D £implifier with 300 watts continuous average power, 650 w'atts dynamic power
(Ildf’-A.), .4 built-in limiter prevents serious amplifier clipping and minimizes the potential
tor speaker da.mage,
* 18-inch EV DL woofer whtli 2.5-mch voice coil for reliable low-frequency output to 38 Hz.
* Line input with balanced 3-pin XLR-type connector
* Crossover with continuousij^ variable low-pass frequency from 80 Hz to 120 Hz
* Filtered high-pass output and paralleled full-range output on balanced 3-pin XLR-
type connectors.
* Storage compartment with detcichable dolly board and casters for easy transportation. The
dolly board covers a storage compartment that holds a 34-inch pole and has ample space
for cables, etc.
* Comes wcith 34-irich pole for elevating any EV speaker system wdth 1 3/8-inch
stand mount.
ELECTRO-VOICE* Owner's M;5niJ3l
4

To get your SxA system, into operation as quickly as possible, please observe the following steps
and precautions (see foigures 3-7)
* Plug the 3-termiiiai lEC 16-gauge ac cable into a grounded line receptacle. Extension cords
can be used to lengthen the ac cable as necessary but make sure that they are 3-conductor
14 gauge or greater, and that are properly grounded to avoid electrical hazards and
extraneous noise.
Be sure that the SxA system is plugged into an ac power source that is capable of supplying
the correct voltage. If the line voltage drops too much, the built-in amplifiers vcont be able to
develop their rated power and sound quality will suffer. Under high signal conditions,
the Sxk amplifier section can pull 2 - 4 amps of current (120 volt models) (1-2 amps at
240 volts). That means that no more than 4-SxA systems should be plugged into a single 15
amp electrical service. Be cautious of what else is plugged into the same electrical service
line to avoid electrical problems and poor performance.
BEFORE TURNING THE POWER ON, MAKE SURE THAT THE LEVEL CONTROLS
ARE DOWN TO AVOID TRANSIENTS OR UNEXPECTED LOUD SOUND. Turn on the
power switch and ensure that the system is receiving power by monitoring the status LED
to the left of the switch above the EQ controls. If the system is receiving power, the LED
wil.] illuminate green.
S;.n4 loudspeakers have narrower coverage than other compact loudspeaker systems. Their
narrow'er coverage will help you a.void room acoustics problems by delivering the sound
where the speaker is aimed. You will find that precisely aiming the speakers at the
audience area away from avails wdll give you better sound quality.
Figure 1:
Rear Panel SxAiOO and Sx.A250
Figure 2:
Rear Panel SxA180
ELECTRO-VOICE® Owner's Vlaiiuai

use the SxA two-way system for various applications:
* Plug a microphone into the microphone input connector (See Figure 3), ]t will only accept
low-impedance dynamic microphones terminated with a standard 3-pin XLR-type
connector. Turn the gain control clockwise until the signal present LED stays on w'ith the
input signal at normal operational level. Adjust the master gain control to the desired
overall output level.
* Plug a line input into either the Vi-inch or the 3-pin XLR-type input connector. Examples
of line input sources are mixer outputs, CD/D YD players, cassette decks, VCRs,
electronic keyboards, computer sound cards, etc. The Vi- inch input is in the center of the
XLR. connector and can accept unbalanced or balanced linevS (TRS L-inch), The line input
level required to drive the unit to full pcwer is from -- 12 dBu to 0 dBu. The system's
master gain control regulates the overall output level of the system.
Figure 3:
Microphone input Connections
& Connections To Additionai Systems
ELSC'TRO-VOICE® Owrier's; Manual
6

Setup Diagrams for 5xA Two-Way Systems (cont)
* If you are using the SxA two-way system with a rnicrophone and a line input
simultaneously , it is simple to balance the two signals. The microphone level control has
enough gain and range so that it is possible to mix the mic input and the line input. Once
the balance between the line and mic inputs is set, simjdy turn the Gain Master control to
the desired level.
® If there is no sound, keep the overall system gain at a reduced level until you determine
what the problem may he. I’Vpically, a mixer mute switch may be engaged or a,
microphone that is switched off is the source of the problem. Keeping the syste.m gain at a
low level will allow you to troubleshoot the problem and let you hear the results without
unexpected bursts of sound or howling feedback. Start with the low-frequency and high-
■ frequency lilQ controls set in the flat position (12 o’clock, middle positi.on) and listen to
your program material before making any changes. Be aware that boosting EQ requires
additional amplifier power and may reduce the acoustic output potential of the system
somewhat. Use EQ judiciously.
* To route the signal to additional SxA systems, simply hook an Xi-ih-type cable from the line
output connector on the source system to the line input connector on each additional SxA
system. The signal can be cascaded into a large number of SxA systems without
degradation.
* When turni.ng your system off, turn off the SxA systems first. This will prevent any turn¬
off transients from other pieces of equipment from being amplified.
7
ELECTRO-VOICE® Owner's Vlanua!

Woofer
To get your woofer system into operation as quiokiy as possible, please observe the following
steps and precautions:
ft
Plug the 3-terminai lEC 16-gauge ac cable into a grounded line receptacle. Extension
cords can be used as necessary but make sure that they are the Swonductor type that are
14 gauge or greater, and are properly grounded to avoid electrical hazards and
extraneous noise.
Turn on the power switch and ensure that the system is receiving pow'er by monitoring the
status LED power on. MAKE SURE THAT THE LEVEL CONTROLS APvE TURNED
DO WN TO AVOID I'RANSIENTS OR UNEXPECTED LOUD SOUND.
* Attach a 3-pin XLR cable to the line-level input from a line-level output on your mixer,
* If you are using the 5VA18() with an SxA two-way system, you will want to use the high-
pass output to run the signal from, the VxAlBO to the two-way (See Figure 5). Using the
filtered output will insure that the AvAlSO only i.s reproducing low bass information which
will let the twm-way system sound cleaner and play louder. The unfiltered output is the
best way to parallel the signal to other SxAlSOs or if you want more mid-bass output from
the speaker setup.
Figure 5:
Parsel Close-up
EL^iCTRO-VOICE* Ovvrier's Manual
6

* After you have coiiilrmed. that the signal is present, adjust the level, control and the
crossover frequency. The selection, of a crossover .frequency xvill depe.o.d on room, acoustics
and your particular sonic taste. In general, a lower crossover frequency will result in a
more linear, '1.iiTi” sound and a liigher crossover frequency will give your sound
.more ‘Thump.’'
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ELECTRO-VOiCE® Owner'.? Mcinuai