JBL MS-8 Instruction Manual

Installing Tips & Tricks MS-8
Before installation examine the OEM system
oPark distance control
•Determine if the sound of park distance control is played through front/rear or front and
rear. (BMW often processes PDC signal front by front speakers and PDC rear by rear
speakers)
oCarkit
•Determine if the sound of carkit is played o er front and/or rear speakers
oOEM audio system
•Determine what kind of system you’re dealing with (acti e or passi e, in- or excluding
subwoofers, can you adjust the le el of the subwoofers)
•Determine Xo er frequencies of the original system (Tip: measure signal with pink noise and
analyzing software to analyze frequency response and Xo er points)
•If the OEM system has noise cancellation disconnect the echo cancellation microphone or
disable it by a switch
Tip: Print-out car specific installation manual on www.jbl.com/ms-8
Tip: Google the car’s OEM system and try to find out the OEM set-up before you start installing
Tip: Build your own PC based analyzer, software is for free http://www.trueaudio.com/rta_abt1.htm

Installing tips
oMake sure to connect a (summe ) full-range signal to the inputs of MS-8
•E ery Left inputs of MS-8 will be summed and Right inputs will be summed
•Subwoofers need to be connected to input 7 and/or input 8
•No need to connect center to the input (MS-8 will create e en a better center channel
channel)
oConnect REM IN to remote turn on lead or ACC/+15 ignition wire
•This is better than an auto/sensing switch-on because this pre ents switching on- and off
pops. Also MS-8 needs to be switched on always to process telephone calls, park distance
control signals e en when your radio is off.
Set-up tips
oMake sure bass/treble/balance/fader of OEM system is FLAT and OEM equalizers/dsp functions
are OFF
oWhen assigning Xo er frequencies note that OEM subwoofers (like under seat subs in BMW,
woofer in back shelf of Audi A4 or door woofers Audi A6 ha e an Xo er frequency around
200Hz) make sure to use the right (measured) Xo er frequencies
oWhen you ha e to select Sub (None, 1, 2) this doesn’t mean the number of subwoofers you’ e
installed but the number of (RCA)outputs you will need
oWhen you ha e to select Front/Rear (1 way, 2 way and 3 way) this refers to the number of
outputs you will need
Acoustic calibration
oMake sure all speakers an subwoofers are playing on the same volume
when you calibrate MS-8
(Adjust input sensiti ity and suble els amplifiers to match with each other and OEM)
oMake sure to calibrate at volume level -20 B at MS-8
(-25/-30 B when a itional amplifiers are use )
(Calibration is done by MLS measurement, when you would clip the calibration signal the result
would be disappointing)
After calibration
oRaise the olume of MS-8 back to -5dB/0dB
oIf in your opinion ha e not enough bass increase the subwoofer le el (this is a shelf filter which
means it increases al frequencies below 60Hz) or increase the input sensiti ity/bass le el of
subwoofer amplifier