Episode ES-350-SNDBAR-30-BLK User manual

*All images show ES-350-SNDBAR-60 inch model unless otherwise noted
INSTALLATION MANUAL
ES-350-SNDBAR-30-BLK
ES-350-SNDBAR-40-BLK
ES-350-SNDBAR-50-BLK
ES-350-SNDBAR-60-BLK
ES-550-SNDBAR-40-BLK
ES-550-SNDBAR-50-BLK
ES-550-SNDBAR-60-BLK
ES-550T-SNDBR-40-BLK
ES-550T-SNDBR-50-BLK
ES-550T-SNDBR-60-BLK

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© 2019 Episode®
OVERVIEW
Welcome to Episode® Speakers. We appreciate your purchase and are committed to providing the highest-quality
products possible.
The Episode® Soundbar models are a superb choice for almost every type of home theater or home audio installation.
They have been designed with advanced technological components that allow for high performance and a lifetime
of enjoyment.
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS
Read and understand all instructions.
Before beginning installation, carefully plan location accounting for potential electrical, plumbing or other obstacles.
RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER
To get the best performance from the Soundbar, an amplifier or receiver with the following power rating is
recommended:
ES-350-SNDBAR-30-BLK – between 20 and 100 Watts RMS per channel
ES-350-SNDBAR-40-BLK – between 20 and 100 Watts RMS per channel
ES-350-SNDBAR-50-BLK – between 20 and 100 Watts RMS per channel
ES-350-SNDBAR-60-BLK – between 20 and 100 Watts RMS per channel
ES-550-SNDBAR-40-BLK – between 20 and 110 Watts RMS per channel
ES-550-SNDBAR-50-BLK – between 20 and 110 Watts RMS per channel
ES-550-SNDBAR-60-BLK – between 20 and 110 Watts RMS per channel
ES-550T-SNDBR-40-BLK – between 20 and 100 Watts RMS per channel
ES-550T-SNDBR-50-BLK – between 20 and 100 Watts RMS per channel
ES-550T-SNDBR-60-BLK – between 20 and 100 Watts RMS per channel
SPEAKER WIRE
To connect the Soundbar to an AV Receiver or Amplifier, high-quality 14 to 16 gauge stranded speaker wire is
recommended. The wire may be connected directly to the speaker’s removable screw-down terminals. Remember
that you will need 3 runs of speaker wire to the Soundbar location as it contains the left, center, and right speaker.
A special wire management channel has been included in the rear of the speaker so that a wall mounted speaker
can sit flush on the wall.
FEATURES
• Replaces Left, Center, and Right channels in one convenient speaker
• Extremely Low-Profile, Extruded Aluminum Cabinet
• Knockout for Hidden IR Receiver
• Flexible Mounting Options
• Cabinet Top or Shelf Placement with included kickstands
• On-Wall with included mounting plate
• Flat-Screen with optional accessory that attaches to TV mount
WHAT’S INCLUDED
• (1) ES-350-SNDBAR-XX, ES-550-SNDBAR-XX, or ES-550T-SNDBR-50
• (2) Kickstands for Cabinet placement
• (2) Shoulder bolts for Kickstand and Wall Plates
• (2) Large Flat Washers for Kickstands
• (2) Rubber Feet
• (1) Wall Plate Bracket with adjustable knobs
• (4) Wood Screws for Wall Plate
• (4) Small Flat Washers for Wall Plate
• (1) IR Receiver Spacer

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INSTALLATION
SPEAKER PLACEMENT
The ES passive series of soundbars are designed to be the Left, Center, and Right speakers of a home theater
surround system. For most applications, placement should be below a flat screen TV on a cabinet top or shelf.
Other options for placement include On-Wall using the included bracket, or attached to a Flat Panel mount using
the optional Strong mount bracket.
INSTALLING ON OR IN A CABINET
Considerations for Placement
When placing the Soundbar on a cabinet shelf, the front edge of the speaker should be flush with the front of the
shelf. Placing the speaker further back on the shelf will degrade the sound quality of the speaker.
Attaching the Kickstand
The kickstand for the Soundbar allows for the angle of
the Soundbar to be adjusted to maintain proper audio
performance. When placing the Soundbar, adjust the
kickstand height to angle the Soundbar towards the
listener’s ears. See Adjusting the Kickstand for more
information.
1. Place the included Kickstands on the rear of Soundbar
as shown.
2. Using a shoulder bolt and washer for each Kickstand,
tighten to secure the Kickstand to the Soundbar.
Attaching the Feet
To ensure that the Soundbar will not slip when using the
kickstands, (2) rubber feet have been included. The feet
must be installed when using the kickstand. Place the feet
3” from the left and right outer edge, and ¼” from the front
edge of the Soundbar.
Note: When using the kickstand in the inverted position, the
feet should be placed at the front edge of the speaker
.25" Front Edge
Non-Inverted
Kickstand
Inverted
Kickstand
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© 2019 Episode®
Adjusting the Kickstand
8°
0°
11°
15°
After installing the kickstand and placing the Soundbar, adjust the angle of the speakers towards the listener’s ears.
If the speakers point away from the listener’s ears, slide the kickstand up or down to achieve the proper angle. Note
that the kickstand can be inverted when the Soundbar is pointing down.
Mounting on a Wall

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CONSIDERATIONS FOR WALL MOUNTING
To maintain a high level listening experience, the Soundbar should be as close to the TV as possible. Placing To
maintain a proper listening experience, the Soundbar should be as close to the TV as possible. Placing the Soundbar
more than 3” from the screen will separate the audio from the video and provide a poor viewing and listening
experience, keep this in mind when locating the Soundbar.
Before Installing the Mount
• Locate and install the TV mount.
• With the TV on the mount
• Mark the position of the bottom of the TV.
• Mark the position of the TV’s Center Point.
• Remove the TV from the mount
Attaching the Wall Bracket
Note: For ease of installation of the bracket and the Soundbar, we recommend that the TV be removed from the
mount. This allows for the Soundbar to be placed properly.
INSTALLING THE MOUNT (ES-550, AND ES-350)
1. Locate wall studs using a stud finder (not included).
2. Place the Bracket on the wall with the flat side towards the wall. Ensure the center of the bracket is lined up
with the center point of the installed television.
3. Position the center of the bracket 2 ¼ ” from the bottom of the TV. This will place the Soundbar flush with the
bottom of the TV when installed.
Tip: To allow for extra clearance, position the center of the bracket, 2 5/16” from the bottom of the TV.
This will provide an extra 1/16” clearance (recommended for Tilt Mounts) allowing for any tolerance
differences that may occur.
4. Level the bracket and attach it to the wall studs using the horizontal screw hole slots. All 4 screws should be
used, making sure to keep the bracket flat to the wall and securely attached.
Stud Center
Bracket Vertical Center
Adjustment Knobs in
Bottom Corners
AA B
Up
5. Attach the Soundbar to the bracket by placing the bracket’s
mounting bolts into the keyhole slots on the rear of the
soundbar and dropping the Soundbar into place.
Note: Once installed, if the soundbar needs upward
adjustment, the soundbar will need to be
unattached from the bracket.
To Adjust:
Remove the soundbar from the bracket, then adjust the
thumbscrews on the bracket by hand or using a flathead
screwdriver if necessary.
Replace the soundbar when adjustment is complete.
Repeat the process if further adjustment is necessary.
Adjustment Knobs In
Bottom Corners
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© 2019 Episode®
INSTALLING THE MOUNT (ES-500T)
1. Locate wall studs using a stud nder (not included).
2. Place the Bracket on the wall with the at side towards the wall and the notched center mark facing up. The
Soundbar Center mark should be located at the center point of the installed television.
3. Position the Bracket Vertical Center (C) v groove 2 ¼ ” from the bottom of the TV. This will place the
Soundbar ush with the bottom of the TV when installed.
Tip: To allow for some extra clearance, position the Bracket Vertical Center (C), 2 5/16” from the
bottom of the TV. This will provide an extra 1/16” clearance (recommended for Tilt Mounts)
allowing for the any tolerance di󰀨erences that may occur.
4. Level the bracket and attach it to the wall studs using the horizontal screwhole slots. All 4 screws should be
used, making sure to keep the bracket at to the wall and securely attached.
Up
BC
16" Stud Center
Bracket Vertical Center
Soundbar
Center
A A
5. Attach the Soundbar to the bracket by placing the bracket’s mounting bolts
into the keyhole slots on the rear of the soundbar and dropping the Soundbar
into place.
Installing on a Flat Panel Mount
The ES passive series of soundbars can be mounted directly to a Flat Panel Mount with the Strong™
SM-SBAR2-BKT-UNIV (available separately). Using the Flat Panel mount bracket allows for the speaker to move
with the TV when mounted to articulating arm mounts. This provides an optimum listening experience for these
installations.
Installing an IR Receiver
The ES passive series of soundbars have the option of installing an optional IR Receiver directly into the speaker
behind the grille cloth, eliminating the need to surface mount a stick-on receiver. Simply punch out the center of the
pass-through and slide the IR Receiver through the exposed hole.
Note: Due to the extremely low profile of the ES-500T soundbars, most IR tube receivers will protrude through the
rear of the Soundbar. An opening in the wall may be needed for clearance.
Front R ear
IR R eceiver
Pass-through

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To maintain accurate IR reception, a spacer has been
included to allow for the front edge of the IR receiver to be
flush with the back of the grille cloth. This will ensure that IR
reception is at its maximum level.
TIP: With some IR receivers, a layer of electrical tape
around the threads can create a more snug fit within
the Soundbar
Connecting and Calibrating
Proper Connections are important to the performance of any loudspeaker within an audio system.
Performing the following steps will ensure proper connections for optimum speaker performance:
1. At each loudspeaker connection, ensure that the outer jacket is separated by at least 2 inches.
2. Strip the insulation on each conductor approximately ¼” and insert into the speaker terminals.
A. Ensure that there are no stray strands of wire protruding from the connectors.
B. Observe proper polarity (+ to + and – to – ) for each speaker and at the amplifier).
3. Turn on the home theater receiver and calibrate all loudspeakers in the system according to the receiver
(or surround processor) manufacturer’s instructions.
Verifying Phase
When proper polarity is not maintained, the speakers play at the opposite ‘time’ from each other, or out of phase.
The result is audio with lack of bass and vocals that sound thin or distant. If during or after calibrating your receiver
you suspect the sound is not right and you cannot see any markings on the wire to verify polarity is correct, try this
simple test:
1. Sit in the normal listening position for the system.
2. Play some music with your receiver set to Mono.
3. Listen to the music and observe the audio.
A. Does the bass sound full and even with the other audio?
B. Do the vocals sound centered and even in volume?
C. If either of the answers are YES, follow steps 3 and 4 with the other loudspeakers in the system.
4. Turn off your receiver and reverse the connections for one of the speakers.
5. Repeat your test at the same volume level. When the sound has the loudest and best sounding bass, and
vocals are centered and clear, your connections are correct and in-phase.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
INSTALLING AND REMOVING THE GRILLE
• The grill is held by pins. To remove the grill, pull gently around the edge away from the speaker, slowly
working your way from one end of the speaker to the other .
• To re-install, align the grill pins with the cups in the speaker and push into place.
CLEANING
• Use a dampened soft cloth or paper towel to clean the cabinet. The grill is best cleaned by brushing it off with a
lint-free cloth.
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© 2019 Episode®
SPECIFICATIONS
Model ES-350-SNDBAR-30 ES-350-SNDBAR-40 ES-350-SNDBAR-50 ES-350-SNDBAR-60
Woofer Construction 3" Polypropylene
Injection Cone w/
High Temp Voice Coil
3" Polypropylene
Injection Cone w/
High Temp Voice Coil
3" Polypropylene
Injection Cone w/
High Temp Voice Coil
3" Polypropylene
Injection Cone w/
High Temp Voice Coil
Woofer Magnet Diameter 35mm OD Neo
magnet
35mm OD Neo
magnet
35mm OD Neo
magnet
35mm OD Neo
magnet
Voice Coil Size 35mm (1.25") 35mm (1.25") 35mm (1.25") 35mm (1.25")
Tweeter Construction 3/4" Silk Dome
w/ Neo-Magnet,
Ferrofluid Cooled
3/4" Silk Dome
w/ Neo-Magnet,
Ferrofluid Cooled
3/4" Silk Dome
w/ Neo-Magnet,
Ferrofluid Cooled
3/4" Silk Dome
w/ Neo-Magnet,
Ferrofluid Cooled
Passive Radiators N/A 3" anodized
aluminum cone
3" anodized
aluminum cone
3" anodized
aluminum cone
# of Woofers 4 4 4 4
# of Tweeters 3 3 3 3
# of Passive Radiators 0 4 6 6
Power Handling RMS (w) 20-100W RMS 20-100W RMS 20-100W RMS 20-100W RMS
Power Handling Peak
(w)
200W 225W 225W 225W
Recommended
Amplifier Power
8 ohms 8 ohms 8 ohms 8 ohms
Nominal Impedance (Ω) 8 ohms 8 ohms 8 ohms 8 ohms
Frequency Response 115 - 22kHz 105 - 22kHz 88 - 22kHz 85 - 22kHz
Sensitivity (2.83v @ 1m) 88dB 88dB 88dB 88dB
Crossover Type 12dB / octave
woofer and tweeter
sections
12dB / octave
woofer and tweeter
sections
12dB / octave
woofer and tweeter
sections
12dB / octave
woofer and tweeter
sections
Crossover Frequency 2.5kHz 2.5kHz 2.5kHz 2.5kHz
Product Weight 10lbs 11lbs 13lbs 13.6lbs
Grill Type Acoustically
Transparent Cloth
Acoustically
Transparent Cloth
Acoustically
Transparent Cloth
Acoustically
Transparent Cloth
Finished Dimensions 32''L x 4.5''H x 2.8''D 40.2''L x 4.5''H x
2.83''D
48.8''L x 4.5''H x
2.83''D
56.6''L x 4.5''H x
2.8''D
1/2" IR Knockout Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mounting Options Wall-Mount, Table-
Top, TV Mount
(optional)
Wall-Mount, Table-
Top, TV Mount
(optional)
Wall-Mount, Table-
Top, TV Mount
(optional)
Wall-Mount, Table-
Top, TV Mount
(optional)
Connector Type Gold-Plated Push
Terminals
Gold-Plated Push
Terminals
Gold-Plated Push
Terminals
Gold-Plated Push
Terminals
Wire Size Accepted Up to 14AWG Up to 14AWG Up to 14AWG Up to 14AWG

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Model ES-550-SNDBAR-40 ES-550-SNDBAR-50 ES-550-SNDBAR-60
Woofer Construction 4" Polypropylene
Injection Cones w/ High
Temperature Voice Coil
4" Polypropylene
Injection Cones w/ High
Temperature Voice Coil
4" Polypropylene
Injection Cones w/ High
Temperature Voice Coil
Woofer Magnet Diameter 35mm OD Neo magnet 35mm OD Neo magnet 35mm OD Neo magnet
Voice Coil Size 35mm (1.25") 35mm (1.25") 35mm (1.25")
Tweeter Construction 1" Titanium Dome
Neodymium, ferrofluid
cooled
1" Titanium Dome
Neodymium, ferrofluid
cooled
1" Titanium Dome
Neodymium, ferrofluid
cooled
Passive Radiators N/A 4" anodized aluminum
cone
4" anodized aluminum
cone
# of Woofers 4 4 4
# of Tweeters 3 3 3
# of Passive Radiators 0 4 4
Power Handling RMS (w) 20-110W RMS 20-110W RMS 20-110W RMS
Power Handling Peak (w) 250W 250W 250W
Recommended
Amplifier Power
6 ohms 6 ohms 6 ohms
Nominal Impedance (Ω) 6 ohms 6 ohms 6 ohms
Frequency Response 90 - 22kHz 88 - 22kHz 85 - 22kHz
Sensitivity (2.83v @ 1m) 88dB 88dB 88dB
Crossover Type 12dB / octave woofer and
tweeter sections
12dB / octave woofer and
tweeter sections
12dB / octave woofer and
tweeter sections
Crossover Frequency 2.5kHz 2.5kHz 2.5kHz
Product Weight 11.3lbs 14.6lbs 17.1lbs
Grill Type Acoustically Transparent
Cloth
Acoustically Transparent
Cloth
Acoustically Transparent
Cloth
Finished Dimensions 40.56''L x 5.17''H x
2.83''D
48.92''L x 5.17''H x
2.83''D
56.6''L x 5.17''H x 2.83''D
1/2" IR Knockout Yes Yes Yes
Mounting Options Wall-Mount, Table-Top, TV
Mount (optional)
Wall-Mount, Table-Top, TV
Mount (optional)
Wall-Mount, Table-Top, TV
Mount (optional)
Connector Type Gold-Plated Push
Terminals
Gold-Plated Push
Terminals
Gold-Plated Push
Terminals
Wire Size Accepted Up to 14AWG Up to 14AWG Up to 14AWG
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