Genelec 5041A User manual

Operating Manual
5041A Genelec 5041A
Active In-Wall Subwoofer

General
The Genelec 5041A Active In-Wall subwoofer
system consists of a subwoofer enclosure
and a matched RAM3 remote amplifier
module. It has been designed to the same
rigorous standards as Genelec’s high-per-
formance HT series active Home Theater
loudspeakers.
Unpacking
When unpacking, check that nothing is miss-
ing or damaged in transit. If there is a problem
with the product, contact your local Genelec
dealer. A Genelec 5041A system includes
the following items:
• 5041Aenclosureunit
• Grilleframeandgrilleinsert
• Fourmountingbrackets
• RAM3amplierunit
• M4x16 and M4x30 thumb screws
for the grille frame
• Plasticwashersforthethumbscrews
• Mainspowercable
• One 4-pole and one 2-pole cable
connector
• 12 4,2x32 screws for the mounting
brackets
Installation
We recommend that you use the services of
an authorized installation specialist for the
installation of the 5041A subwoofer.
Choosing the Location
for the Subwoofer
Usually the best place for the subwoofer is
slightly offset from the centerline of the wall.
Positioningthesubwoofernearacornerwill
boost the bass level at lower frequencies and
may cause asymmetrical spatial imaging.
When using multiple subwoofers connected
togetherusingtheLINKOUTconnectorson
theRAM3ampliers,thesubwooferenclo-
sures should be placed close to one another
toachieveefcientsummingofthesignal.
Subwoofer Cabling
A2-conductorcableneedstoberunbetween
theRAM3amplierandthesubwooferenclo-
sure. Two cable connectors are supplied with
the loudspeaker system, a four-pole connec-
tortottheconnectorontheamplieranda
two-poleconnectortottherespectiveinput
at the bottom of the subwoofer enclosure.
Useagoodquality2-conductorcableand
make the cable runs as short as possible.
See Table 1 for recommended cable gauges.
Theconnectorsacceptacableupto6mm2
(9 gauge) thick.
Attach the cables to the connectors pro-
vided with the kit. Be sure to maintain cor-
rect polarity when connecting the cables.The
correct pin sequences are marked on the
amplierandsubwooferconnectors.Start-
ingfromthetop,thersttwopolesonthe
4-poleamplierconnectorare+and-forthe
subwoofer and 3 and 4 provide connection
toa12Vtriggerremotecontrol.Securethe
cabletothestrainrelieftienexttotheloud-
speaker connector.
Rout the cables away from electric, video
or phone cables, which might induce hum
into the system.
Installing the Subwoofer
Enclosure
The Genelec 5041A subwoofer enclosure
is designed for floating installation using
the provided mounting brackets that pre-
vent unwanted vibration transfer from the
subwoofer to the wall structure. The enclo-
sure is held in place by rubber springs, clear
ofanyxedpartofthewall.
The woofer protection cover should be
left in place until the drywall is installed. It
provides a cut-out template for the drywall
installers and protects the bass drivers during
all stages of work.
Before the installation, make sure that
thereissufcientspaceforthesubwoofer
in the chosen location. The minimum dimen-
sions are:
1.Freedepthbetweenthesheetrock(=width
of the wall studs) 89 mm (31/2")
2.Freeverticalspace1308mm(511/2")
3. Freehorizontalspace betweenthe wall
studs360to440mm(143/16" to 173/8")
Firstattachthetwolowerbrackets.Note
that the lower edge of the cut-out will be
140 mm (51/2") above the lowest edge of the
bracket.
The flanges on the bracket correspond to
the minimum permissible mounting depth.
Attach the brackets to the studs so that the
edge of the flange is level with the inside
edge of the stud. This will automatically pro-
videsufcientclearanceforthesubwoofer.
Nextconnectthesubwoofercabletothe
connector at the bottom of the subwoofer
enclosure and position the enclosure on the
lower brackets. The rubber springs on the
brackettthegroovesonthebottomofthe
enclosure.
Secure the subwoofer in place by attach-
ing the top brackets to the studs. Align them
in the same way as the lower brackets and
ensure that the rubber springs press against
the bottom of the grooves, holding the
subwooferrmlyinposition.
Check the positioning of the enclosure
by placing a level on the studs at different
heights. Check also that the enclosure is not
touching any other part of the wall structure.
As the enclosure may vibrate when played
at high output levels, a clearance of at
least 3 mm (1/8") is required between the
subwoofer enclosure and drywall or any
other solid part of the wall. Slight adjust-
ments can be made by carefully bending
the brackets.
Installing the drywall
The protective cover on the bass drivers pro-
vides a template for the cut-out. Measure its
location and cut an opening in the sheetrock
accordingly.
Installing the Grille
Once the drywall is installed, remove the
bass driver protective cover by unscrewing
thethreePhillipsscrewsholdingitinplace.
Attach the grille frame with three thumb
screws.NEVERusethePhillipsscrews!Do
not tighten the thumb screws more than is
needed to hold the frame in place. Be care-
Cable gauge Max.length
2,0mm2(14 AWG) 30 m (100 ft)
3,3 mm2(12AWG) 40 m (130 ft)
5,3 mm2(10 AWG) 60m(200ft)
Table 1. Recommended cable thicknesses for
different lengths of cable
Genelec 5041A Active In-Wall Subwoofer

Figure1.5041Asubwooferenclosuredimensions
Figure2.Enclosuremountingbracketdimensions
Figure3.Aligningandattachingthemountingbrackets
Figure4.Attachingthesubwoofercable
ful not to flatten the vibration isolating rubber
grommets on the grille frame by overtighten-
ing the screws.
Insert the grille insert to the grille frame.
PaintingtheGrille
The grille frame and the grille insert can be
spraypaintedtomatchthewallcolour.Paint
the grille frame and insert separately with a
thinspray.Donotusebrushesorrollers.Be
careful not to clog the holes on the insert with
paint.
Connecting the
RAM3 Amplifier
TheRAM3amplierisdesignedtobecon-
nectedtoalineleveloutputofapreamplier,
Surround Sound processor or other low level
source. NOTE! Never connect the RAM3 to
a speaker level output of a power amplifier!
Before making the connections, check that
the power on all components is turned off.
Start by connecting the subwoofer cable to
theamplierasdescribedinthe"Subwoofer
Cabling" section above. If using multiple
subwoofers,checkthattheamplier’sserial
number matches that of the subwoofer enclo-
sure which it will power.
TheRAM3hastwo10kOhmsignalinput
connectors: a balanced XLR and an unbal-
ancedRCA.Forlongcableconnectionlengths
(>10m or >30ft) a balanced line connection
is recommended as it offers better immunity
toexternalinterference.However,theRCA
connection method usually works as well for
shorter connection lengths in less electrically
noisyenvironments.Donotusebothinputsat
the same time. Your Genelec dealer can pro-
vide you with options for signal cables.
The RAM3 has a provision for remote
controlled switching between “ON” and
“STANDBY”modes. Poles 3and 4on the
green connector block provide connection to
a12Vremotecontroltrigger.
Space Requirement for the
RAM3 Amplifier
TheRAM3amplier generatesheatwhen
used at full power. To avoid overheating,
ensure that there is good airflow around the
amplierandnoexternalheatsourcesclose
to it. We recommend installing the RAM3 into
a well ventilated equipment rack using its
dedicatedRM2rackmountkitwhichallows
airflow through the ventilation holes of the
amplierbox.Theampliermustalwaysbe
installed in an upright position, never flat on
its side.
Figure5.Installingthegrilleframeandinsert

Figure6:ConnectorlayoutonthebackpaneloftheRAM3amplifier Figure7:RAM3frontpanellayout
Figure8:DimensionsoftheRAM3amplifier
Sufcientcoolingfortheampliermustbe
arranged at all times. As a general rule, the
ambient temperature around the amplifier
mustnotexceed35degreesCelsius(95°F).
The ventilation openings on the amplifier
boxmustnotbeblockedandafreespaceof
1U(=1.75"or45mm)mustbeleftabove
theamplierwheninstalled.Thisspacemust
besufcientlyventilatedtomaintainthetem-
peraturebelowthemaximumlevel.
IftheRAM3amplierisplacedonashelf
or other solid surface, the metal support
providedwiththeampliermustbeattached
tothelowerpartoftheamplierfrontpanel
with an M4 screw. This improves the stability
oftheamplierandprovidessufcientclear-
anceforaircirculationbelowtheamplier.
Rack Mounting the RAM3
Amplifier
WerecommendusingtheGenelecRM2rack
mount adapter when installing the RAM3
amplierinanequipmentrack.Makesure
that the space above and below the RAM3 is
uncluttered and there is a space of 100 mm
(4”)ormorebehindtheamplier.Thespace
behindtheampliermustbewellventilated.
If the temperature inside the rack is likely to
riseclosetothemaximumambienttempera-
tureof35°C(95°F),werecommendinstall-
ing ventilation fans to ensure that the thermal
protection is not activated prematurely.
AttachtheRAM3totheRM2rackmount
with two M4 screws provided with the rack
mount kit.
Setting the Input Sensitivity
The input sensitivity control is located on the
frontpaneloftheRAM3amplier.Usethis
control to adjust the playback level of the
subwoofer.
SettingtheBassRoll-Off
switches
The acoustic response of the subwoofer may
have to be matched to the characteristics
of the room and its position in the room. To
adjust the subwoofer to match these charac-
teristicsusethe"BASSROLL-OFF"control
switcheslocatedontheamplierfrontpanel.
WhenallRoll-Offswitchesare"OFF",aat
anechoic response is obtained.
Setting the phase control
The effect of incorrect phase align-
ment between the main loudspeakers
and subwoofer is a drop in the frequency
response of the whole system at the main
loudspeaker / subwoofer crossover fre-
quency. The phase difference between the
main loudspeakers and subwoofer at the lis-

tening position is dependent upon the posi-
tion of the subwoofer.
Two phase matching switches in the
crossover allow compensation for incorrect
phasealignment.Foursettingsareprovided
between0°and-270°.
Coarse phase correction
method
• Conguretheprocessorsothatthemain
 speakers(L,C,R)aresetto“small”and
check the main speaker/subwoofer
crossover frequency setting on your
processor. This frequency may be
 variableorxed:consulttheoperating
manual of your processor.
• Connectanaudiosignal
generator to one of the input channels
used in the system.
• Setthesignalgeneratortothesame
frequency as the subwoofer crossover
frequency on your decoder. If a signal
generator is not available, you can use an
audio test recording with a suitable range
of test frequencies.
• Togglethe-180°phase
 switch(#4)"ON"and"OFF"
and set it to the position
which gives the lowest sound
level at the listening position.
• Nexttogglethe-90°phase
 switch(#3)"ON"and"OFF",
and again set it to the
position which gives the
lowest sound level.
• Finally,setthe-180°phase
switch to the opposite setting.
After the phase setting has been completed,
returnthespeakercongurationontheproc-
essor to its’ original settings.
Using multiple subwoofers
The5041Aisequippedwitha“LINKOUT”
connector to provide an easy way of cou-
pling two or more subwoofers together in
high SPL applications. Connect an XLR
cablefromthe“LINKOUT”connectorofthe
master subwoofer to which the decoder is
connected,tothe"XLRIN”inputconnec-
tor of the other, slave subwoofer. When
two subwoofers connected in this way
are positioned close to one another, bass
levelincreasesby6dB.Threesubwoofers
givea bass SPL increase of9,5dBand
foursubwoofersprovidea12dBincrease
compared to a single subwoofer. Adjust the
sensitivity control of all subwoofers in the
grouptomatchtheSPLlevelofthemain
loudspeaker system. Note that the sensitiv-
ity setting must be the same on all subwoof-
ers.
Autostart and Remote
ControlFunction
The 5041A is equipped with an “AUTO-
START” function, which automatically
turnstheamplierto“STANDBY”modeif
an input signal has not been detected for
approximately30minutes,andbackto“ON”
mode when the signal returns. The function
canbedeactivatedbyturningthe“AUTO-
START”dipswitchto“OFF”.Atwo-colour
LEDon the amplierpanelindicates the
amplierstatus:greenfor“ON”andyellow
for“STANDBY”.
Theampliermodecanalsobeswitched
bya12Vtriggertyperemotecontrol unit
connected to the respective inputs on the
amplier(see"SubwooferCabling").Switch
the“REMOTECONTROL”dipswitchto“ON”
to activate this function. Remote control over-
ridesthe“AUTOSTART”function.
AutomaticProtectionCircuits
The 5041A is equipped with protection cir-
cuits against bass driver thermal overload
and amplifier overheating. The protection
system resets automatically so that the user
only has to turn the input level down to ensure
that it does not reactivate.
Safety considerations
The Genelec 5041A complies with interna-
tional safety standards. However, to ensure
safe operation and maintain the equipment in
safe operating condition the following warn-
ings and cautions must be observed.
• Servicingandadjustmentmustonlybe
 performedbyqualiedservicepersonnel.
• Openingtheamplierisstrictly
 prohibitedexceptbyqualiedservice
personnel.
• Donotexposethesubwooferoramplier
 towaterormoisture.Donotplaceany
 objectslledwithliquid,suchasvaseson
or near them.
• Alwaysuseamainspowercableand
 connectionwithprotectiveearth.Failing
to do this may lead to personal injury.
• Notethattheamplierisnotcompletely
disconnected from the AC mains service
unless the mains cable is removed from
 theamplierorthemainsoutlet.
Warning!
This equipment is capable of delivering sound
pressurelevelsinexcessof85dB,which
may cause permanent hearing damage.
Maintenance
There are no user serviceable parts inside
the amplifier or subwoofer enclosure. Any
maintenance of the unit must only be per-
formedbyqualiedservicepersonnel.
Guarantee
This product is supplied with two year guaran-
tee against manufacturing faults or defects that
might alter the performance of the unit. Refer
to supplier for full sales and guarantee terms.

ECDeclarationofConformity
This is to certify that the Genelec 5041A Active In-Wall
Subwoofer conform to the following standards:
Safety:
EN60065:2002+A1:2006/IEC60065:20017thEdition
+A1:2005
EMC:
EN55013(2001)+A1(2003)
EN55020(2002)+A1(2003)
EN61000-3-2(2000)+A2(2005)
EN61000-3-3(1995)+A1(2001)
The product herewith complies with the requirements of
TheLowVoltageDirective2006/95/ECandEMCDirective
2004/108/EC
Signed:
Ilpo Martikainen
Position: Chairman of the Board
Date: 25-September-2008
GenelecDocumentD0079R001CopyrightGenelecOy9.2008.Alldatasubjecttochangewithoutpriornotice www.genelec.com
International enquiries:
Genelec,Olvitie5
FIN-74100,Iisalmi,Finland
Phone+3581783881
Fax+35817812267
Email [email protected]
In the U.S. please contact:
Genelec, Inc., 7 Tech Circle
Natick,MA01760,USA
Phone+15086520900
Fax+15086520909
Email [email protected]
In Sweden please contact
Genelec Sverige
Ellipsvägen 10B
P.O.Box5521,S-14105Huddinge
Phone+4684495220
Fax+4687087071
Email [email protected]
In China please contact:
Beijing Genelec Audio Co. Ltd.
JianwaiSOHO,Tower12,Room2306
39 East 3rd Ring Road
ChaoyangDistrict
Beijing100022,China
Phone+86058697915,Fax+861058697914
5041AOperatingManual
AMPLIFIER SECTION
CONNECTORS
SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS
5041A
Freeeldfrequencyresponse(±3dB) 35 Hz...95 Hz
MaximumshorttermsinewaveSPLoutput
averaged from 40 to 85 Hz, measured in half
space at 1 meter
105 dB
MaximumpeakSPLoutputwithrandompink
noise, measured in half space at 1 meter
110 dB
Self generated noise level in half space at 1 m
onaxis(A-weighted)
≤ 15 dB
Drivers 2x165mm(6.5")
Weight
Subwoofer enclosure
Amplier
15 kg (33 lb)
1.4 kg (3.1 lb)
Dimensions(seeFigure1)
Subwoofer enclosure
Height
Width
Depth
Amplier
Height
Width
Depth*
*Notethatthecableconnectorsrequireat
least100mm(4”)ofspacebehindthe
amplier
1170mm(461/16”)
346mm(135/8”)
82mm(31/4”)
177mm(631/32”)(4U)
54mm(21/8”)
260mm(101/4”)
5041A
Ampliershorttermoutputpower
(Long term output power is limited by driver
unit protection circuitry)
125W
AmpliersystemTHDatnominaloutput ≤ 0.05 %
Mains voltage 85-132Vor170-265V
according to region
Powerconsumption(average)
Stand by
Idle
Fulloutput
8.5VA
11VA
150VA
5041A
Input connector XLR female
pin 1
pin2
pin 3
1, balanced
gnd
+
-
Input connector RCA female
pin 1
pin2
1, unbalanced
gnd
+
LINKOUTconnectorXLRmale
pin 1
pin2
pin 3
1, balanced
gnd
+
-
Input impedance 10kOhm
LINKOUTgain 0 dB
CONTROLS
5041A
Input sensitivity +12to–6dBu
Phasematchingcontrolin90°steps From0to-270°
BassRoll-Offcontroloperatingrange
in2dBsteps
From0to-6dB@35Hz
Remote control Remote controlled
Standby/Onswitchingby
12Vtrigger