JBL DPS-12 User manual

DPS-12
simple setup guide
thank youfor choosing JBL. For more
than 50 years, JBL has been involved in every
aspect of music and film recording and reproduc-
tion, from live performances to monitoring the
recordings you play in your home, car or office.
We’re confident that the JBL loudspeakers you have
chosen will provide every note of enjoyment that
you expected – and that when you think about pur-
chasing additional audio equipment for your home,
car or office, you will once again choose JBL.
Please take a moment to complete the enclosed
profile card. It enables us to keep you posted on
our latest advancements, and helps us to better
understand our customers and build products that
meet their needs and expectations.
JBL Consumer Products

– 2 –– 2 –
1. Read Instructions. All
the safety and operating
instructions should be
read before the product is
operated.
2. Retain Instructions. The
safety and operating instruc-
tions should be retained for
future reference.
3. Heed Warnings. All warn-
ings on the product and in
the operating instructions
should be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions. All
operating and use instruc-
tions should be followed.
5. Water and Moisture. The
product should not be used
near water – for example,
near a bathtub, washbowl,
kitchen sink, laundry tub, in
a wet basement or near a
swimming pool, and the like.
6. Accessories. Do not place
this product on an unstable
cart, stand, tripod, bracket
or table. The product may
fall, causing serious injury to
a child or adult, and serious
damage to the product. Use
only with a cart, stand, tri-
pod, bracket or table recom-
mended by the manufacturer,
or sold with the product.
Any mounting of the product
should follow the manufac-
turer’s instructions, and
should use a mounting
accessory recommended by
the manufacturer.
7. Wall or Ceiling
Mounting. The product
should be mounted on a
wall or ceiling only when,
and as, recommended by the
manufacturer.
8. Ventilation. Slots and
openings in the cabinet are
provided for ventilation and
to ensure reliable operation
of the product and to protect
it from overheating, and
these openings must not be
blocked or covered. The
openings should never be
blocked by placing the prod-
uct on a bed, sofa, rug or
other similar surface. This
product should not be placed
in a built-in installation
such as a bookcase or rack
unless proper ventilation
is provided or the manufac-
turer’s instructions have
been adhered to.
9. Heat. The product should
be situated away from heat
sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves or
other products that produce
heat. If placed near an
amplifier, check with
the manufacturer for
applicability.
10. Power Sources. This
product should be operated
only from the type of power
source indicated on the
marking label. If you are not
sure of the type of power
supply to your home, consult
your product dealer or local
power company. For products
intended to operate from
battery power, or other
sources, refer to the
operating instructions.
11. Grounding or
Polarization. This product
may be equipped with a
polarized alternating-current
line plug (a plug having one
blade wider than the other).
This plug will fit into the
power outlet only one way.
This is a safety feature. If
you are unable to insert the
plug fully into the outlet, try
reversing the plug. If the
plug should still fail to fit,
contact your electrician to
replace your obsolete outlet.
Do not defeat the safety pur-
pose of the polarized plug.
12. Power-Cord Protection.
Power-supply cords should
be routed so that they are
not likely to be walked on or
pinched by items placed
upon or against them, pay-
ing particular attention to
cords at plugs, convenience
receptacles and the point
where they exit from the
product.
13. Cleaning. Unplug this
product from the wall outlet
before cleaning. Do not use
liquid cleaners or aerosol
cleaners. Use a damp cloth
for cleaning.
14. Nonuse Periods. The
power cord of the product
should be unplugged from
the outlet when left unused
for long periods of time.
15. Lightning. For added
protection for this product
during a lightning storm, or
when it is left unattended
and unused for long periods
of time, unplug it from the
wall outlet and disconnect
the antenna or cable system.
This will prevent damage to
the product due to lightning
and power-line surges.
16. Overloading. Do not
overload wall outlets, exten-
sion cords or integral conve-
nience receptacles, as this
can result in a risk of fire or
electric shock.
17. Object and Liquid
Entry. Never push objects of
any kind into this product
through openings, as they
may touch dangerous voltage
points or short-out parts
that could result in a fire or
electric shock. Never spill
liquid of any kind on the
product.
18. Damage Requiring
Service. Unplug this product
from the wall outlet and
refer servicing to qualified
service personnel under the
following conditions:
a. The power-supply cord or
the plug has been damaged;
or
b. Objects have fallen onto,
or liquid has been spilled
into, the product; or
c. The product has been
exposed to rain or water; or
d. The product does not
operate normally when fol-
lowing the operating instruc-
tions. Adjust only those con-
trols that are covered by the
operating instructions, as an
improper adjustment of other
controls may result in dam-
age and will often require
extensive work by a qualified
technician to restore the
product to its normal opera-
tion; or
e. The product has been
dropped, or the enclosure
damaged; or
f. The product does not
appear to operate normally
or exhibits a marked change
in performance.
19. Attachments. Do not
use attachments not recom-
mended by the product man-
ufacturer, as they may cause
hazards.
20. Replacement Parts.
When replacement parts are
required, be sure the service
technician has used replace-
ment parts specified by
the manufacturer or that
have the same characteris-
tics as the original part.
Unauthorized substitutions
may result in fire, electric
shock or other hazards.
21. Safety Check. Upon
completion of any service or
repairs to this product, ask
the service technician to
perform safety checks to
determine that the product
is in proper operating
condition.
22. Servicing. Do not
attempt to service this prod-
uct yourself, as opening or
removing covers may expose
you to dangerous voltage or
other hazards. Refer all ser-
vicing to qualified service
personnel.
Part No. JBLULA 6/96
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: To prevent electric shock,
do not remove the grounding plug
on the power cord, or use any plug
or extension cord that does not have
a grounding plug provided.
Make certain that the
AC outlet is properly grounded.
Do not use an adapter plug
with this product.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol,
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to
alert the user to the presence of uninsulated
“dangerous voltage” within the product’s
enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.
read first! Important Safety Precautions!

– 3 –
Placement
• As a general rule, bass
response increases as a
subwoofer is placed closer
to a wall. Therefore, bass
output is maximized when
the subwoofer is placed in
a corner.
• It is also recommended
that the subwoofer be
positioned along the
same wall as the front
loudspeakers.
Low-frequency sounds are
normally omnidirectional,
meaning the listener can’t
tell where they are generated
from. However, frequencies
between 75Hz – 150Hz can
be localized, especially at
higher volume levels.
Positioning your subwoofer
as recommended will provide
the most natural soundstage
and imaging from your loud-
speaker system.
Remember that these are just
guidelines. Since every listen-
ing room is different, JBL
strongly recommends experi-
menting with the positioning
of your subwoofer to obtain
the most pleasing results in
your room. One technique that
can help you find the ideal
subwoofer location is to tem-
porarily place the subwoofer
near the main listening loca-
tion. Then move around the
room and determine where you
hear the most pleasing bass
performance. This would then
be the ideal location for the
subwoofer.
When we designed the DPS-12
powered subwoofers, our goal
was to offer the user the best
possible performance com-
bined with the most flexible
and complete installation
options. Please look over the
following four examples to
determine which description
best matches your system and
follow the corresponding
hookup instructions.
1) If your receiver/amplifier
has no subwoofer
outputs or preamp
outputs for the left,
center and right
channels.
Hookup
+ +
+ +
+
+
High
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Low
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Off On
Power
Direct
L
I
N
E
I
N
L
I
N
E
O
U
T
L
C
R
L
C
R
SPKR In
L
C
R
SPKR Out
RECEIVER/AMPLIFIER
– + – +
– +
– +
Left Center Right
LEFT
SPEAKER
– +
CENTER
SPEAKER
– +
RIGHT
SPEAKER
Phase
0
180
Level
Min Max
Video Contour
Off On
~120V
60Hz, 350W

– 4 –
2) If your receiver/amplifier
has subwoofer outputs
or preamp output jacks
for the left, center and
right channels, or left
and right only.
Note: Some receivers/ampli-
fiers have a single (mono)
subwoofer output. In this
case, it is recommended that
you use a “Y”-connector (not
included) to maximize the
subwoofer’s performance.
RECEIVER/AMPLIFIER
SUBWOOFER OUT
LEFT RIGHT
MAIN SPEAKER OUTPUT
RIGHT
+ –
RIGHT
LOUDSPEAKER
LEFT
+ – – +
– +
LEFT
LOUDSPEAKER
+ +
+ +
+
+
High
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Low
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Off On
Power
Direct
L
I
N
E
I
N
L
I
N
E
O
U
T
L
C
R
L
C
R
SPKR In
L
C
R
SPKR Out
Phase
0
180
Min Max
Video Contour
Off On
~120V
60Hz, 350W
Level
3) If your receiver/processor
contains a Dolby* Digital
and/or DTS** surround
processor.
When hooked up using this
method, all of the crossover
and level adjustments are
controlled through the
receiver/processor.
+ +
+ +
+
+
High
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Low
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Off On
Power
Direct
L
I
N
E
I
N
L
I
N
E
O
U
T
L
C
R
L
C
R
SPKR In
L
C
R
SPKR Out
Subwoofer
Output
RECEIVER/PREAMPLIFIER
Phase
0
180
Min Max
Video Contour
Off On
~120V
60Hz, 350W
Level

– 5 –
4) If your receiver/ampli-
fier has preamp output
jacks and main input
jacks for the left, center
and right channels, or
left and right channels
only, or you have a
separate preamp/
processor and
power amplifier.
This method of hookup can
offer the highest level of
performance for your
complete loudspeaker system.
The DPS-12 incorporates a
variable high-pass crossover
in addition to a variable
low-pass crossover. When
hooked up as shown above,
the subwoofer will limit the
low-frequency information
that is returned to your
receiver/amplifier. Your
receiver/amplifier does
not need to waste valuable
power reproducing the low
frequencies. In addition,
since no low-frequency
information is being sent
to your main loudspeakers,
they are able to reproduce
mid and high frequencies
with greater clarity.
RECEIVER/AMPLIFIER
MAIN SPEAKER OUTPUT
LEFT
CENTER
RIGHT
RIGHT
+ –
RIGHT
LOUDSPEAKER
LEFT
+ – – +
– +
LEFT
LOUDSPEAKER
PRE
OUT MAIN IN
+ +
+ +
+
+
High
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Low
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Off On
Power
Direct
L
I
N
E
I
N
L
I
N
E
O
U
T
L
C
R
L
C
R
SPKR In
L
C
R
SPKR Out
Phase
0
180
Min Max
Video Contour
Off On
~120V
60Hz, 350W
Level

– 6 –
Operation
Power
When the unit is plugged in
and power is on and no signal
is received for approximately
10 –15 minutes, the sub-
woofer will go into a standby
mode until a signal is present.
Due to JBL’s unique, high-
efficiency digital-amplifier
design, power consumption is
minimal when the subwoofer
is not receiving a signal. Of
course, the subwoofer can be
turned off, whenever desired.
Low-Pass Control
The Low-Pass control deter-
mines the highest frequency at
which the subwoofer reproduces
sounds. If your main speakers
can comfortably reproduce
some low-frequency sounds,
set this control to a lower
frequency setting, between
50Hz – 100Hz. This will
concentrate the subwoofer’s
efforts on the ultradeep bass
sounds required by today’s
films and music. If you are
using smaller bookshelf
speakers that do not extend to
the lower bass frequencies, set
the low-pass crossover control
to a higher setting, between
120Hz – 180Hz.
Note: If you hooked up your
subwoofer as shown in Hookup
3 on page 4, all crossover
adjustments are bypassed. All
crossover adjustments must
then be adjusted on the
receiver/processor.
High
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
Low
Pass
60 180
120
90 150
High-Pass Control
• If you hooked up your sub-
woofer as shown in Hookup 4
on page 5, you also have
the capability of adjusting
the high-pass frequency.
The High-Pass control
determines the frequency at
which the main speakers
will start reproducing
sounds. If your main speak-
ers can comfortably repro-
duce some low-frequency
sounds, also set this
control to a lower frequency
setting, between 50Hz –
100Hz. This will concentrate
the subwoofer’s efforts to
the ultradeep bass sounds,
while your main speakers
continue to reproduce the
mid-bass information. If you
are using smaller bookshelf
speakers that do not extend
Level Control
The subwoofer Level Control
adjusts the volume of the
subwoofer relative to the rest
of the system. Proper level
adjustment depends on several
variables such as room size,
subwoofer placement, type of
main speakers and listener
position. Adjust the sub-
woofer level so that the vol-
ume of the bass information
is pleasing to you.
Crossover Adjustments
to the lower bass frequencies,
set the high-pass crossover
control to a higher setting,
between 125Hz – 180Hz.
With this setting, your main
speakers will not have the
burden of reproducing any
low-frequency sounds.
• If you hooked up your sub-
woofer as shown in Hookup1
on page 3, the high-pass
frequency is fixed at 180Hz.
• If you hooked up your
subwoofer as shown in
Hookup 2 on page 4, there
is no high-pass control.
Unless your receiver/
amplifier incorporates a
high-pass crossover, your
main speakers will continue
to get a full-range signal.
• If you hooked up your sub-
woofer as shown in Hookup3
on page 4, all crossover
adjustments are bypassed.
All crossover adjustments
must then be adjusted on
the receiver/processor.
Final adjustment and blending
of the low-pass and high-pass
controls may evolve over sev-
eral listening sessions. A good
starting point would be to set
both the low- and high-pass
controls to the same frequency
and adjust from that point.
Video Contour
The video-contour switch
optimizes the subwoofer’s
performance for movie listen-
ing. When the video-contour
switch is “ on,” the sub-
woofer’s performance is tai-
lored to deliver the impact
and excitement of today’s
movies. The green LED will
illuminate when the video-
contour switch is on.

– 7 –
The Phase Control determines
whether the subwoofer
speaker’s piston-like action
moves in and out with the
main speakers, 0°, or opposite
the main speakers, 180°. There
is no correct or incorrect set-
ting. Proper phase adjustment
depends on several variables
such as subwoofer placement
and listener position. Adjust
the phase switch to maximize
bass output at the listening
position.
Phase
0180
Phase Control
Remember, every system,
room and listener is different.
There are no right or wrong
settings; any setting you
choose will result in excellent
performance. Should you
decide to fine-tune your
system for optimum
performance, be patient and
trust your ears. It will be
worth the effort involved to
fully “tweak” your system.
Troubleshooting
If you used the high-level
(speaker) inputs and there is
no sound from any of the
speakers, check the
following:
• Receiver/amplifier is on
and a source is playing.
• Powered subwoofer is
plugged in.
• Check all wires and connec-
tions between receiver/ampli-
fier and speakers. Make sure
all wires are connected. Make
sure none of the speaker wires
are frayed, cut or punctured.
• Review proper operation
of your receiver/amplifier.
If there is low bass output,
check the following:
• Make sure the connections
to the left and right “Speaker
Inputs” have the correct
polarity (+ and –).
• Make sure that the sub-
woofer is plugged into an
active electrical outlet.
• Powered subwoofer is
plugged in.
• Adjust the crossover point.
• If you are using a Dolby
Digital/DTS receiver or
processor, make sure that the
subwoofer adjustments on
the receiver/processor are
set up correctly.
If you used the line-level
inputs and there is no sound
from the subwoofer, check
the following:
• Receiver/amplifier is on and
a source is playing.
• Powered subwoofer is
plugged in.
• Check all wires and con-
nections between receiver/
amplifier and subwoofer. Make
sure all wires are connected.
Make sure none of the wires
are frayed, cut or punctured.
• Review proper operation of
your receiver/amplifier.

JBL Consumer Products
250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY 11797
8500 Balboa Boulevard, Northridge, CA 91329
1-800-336-4JBL (4525) (USA only)
©1998 JBL, Incorporated
JBL is a registered trademark of JBL, Incorporated.
*Trademark of Dolby Laboratories.
**DTS is a trademark of Digital Theater Systems.
Printed 10/98 Part No. DPS-12OM
Specifications
DPS-12
Amplifier Power (RMS) 250 watts
Driver 12" High-Polymer Laminate
Inputs Line Level and Speaker Level
Outputs Line Level and Speaker Level
Low-Pass Frequency Continuously variable from 60Hz – 180Hz
High-Pass Frequency Continuously variable from 60Hz – 180Hz
when using line-level outputs
180Hz when using speaker-level outputs
Frequency Response 28Hz – low-pass crossover setting
Dimensions 22-1/8 x 17-1/2 x 17-1/2"
562 x 445 x 445mm
Weight 38 lbs/17.3 kg