JBL Studio 5 Series User manual

Owner’s Manual
JBl® studiO 5 series
loudspeakers

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thank YOu FOr ChOOsing this JBl® PrOduCt
For more than 60 years, JBL® engineers have been involved in every aspect of music and film recording and
reproduction, from live performances to the recordings you play on the go and in your home, car or office.
We’re confident that the JBL system you have chosen will provide every note of enjoyment you expect – and that when
you think about purchasing additional audio equipment for your home, car or office, you will once again choose JBL
products.
Please take a moment to register your new product on our Web site, www.jbl.com. Registering enables us to keep
you posted on our latest advancements and helps us to understand our customers and build products that meet their
needs.
inCluded iteMs
Studio 590
One Studio 590 speaker; one
horn cover; two port tube
inserts; four metal spikes Studio 580
One Studio 580 speaker; one
horn cover; one port tube
insert; four metal spikes
Studio 570
One Studio 570 speaker; one
horn cover; one port tube
insert; four metal spikes
Studio 530
Two Studio 530 speakers;
two horn covers; two port
tube inserts; two cards with
adhesive rubber feet
Studio 520C
One Studio 520C speaker;
two horn covers; one grille
removal tool; one card with
adhesive rubber feet

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English
PlaCeMent
STUDIO 590/STUDIO 580/STUDIO 570/STUDIO 530 – LEFT AND RIGHT CHANNELS
For the best results, place the speakers 6 – 10 feet (1.8m – 3m) apart. Angling the speakers toward the listening
position can improve the stereo imaging. The speakers will produce the most accurate stereo soundstage when the
angle between the listener and the speakers is between 40 and 60 degrees.
6 – 10 ft
(1.8m – 3m)
40° – 60°
>20 in
(>51cm)
Generally, bass output will increase as the speaker is moved closer to a wall or corner.
For the best performance, we recommend that you place the speakers at least 20 inches (51cm) away from the side walls.
• Position Studio 530 bookshelf speakers so that the centers of their horns are approximately at ear level. Peel the
adhesive rubber feet from the card and apply them to the bottoms of the speakers.
Rubber
Feet

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USING THE SUPPLIED SPIKES (STUDIO 590/STUDIO 580/STUDIO 570)
Four metal spikes are supplied for use when you place the speaker on a carpeted surface. Using the spikes decouples
the speaker from the floor and prevents unwanted acoustic damping.
To insert the spikes:
1. Gently lay the speaker on its side (not its front or back) on a soft, nonabrasive surface.
2. Unscrew and remove the rubber bumpers from the speaker’s feet.
3. Screw each spike into the threaded insert in each foot. Make sure all four spikes are screwed in completely for stability.
Note: NEVER drag the speaker to move it, as this will damage the spikes, the feet and/or the speaker cabinet itself.
Always lift the speaker and carry it to its new location.
STUDIO 520C
You should place the 520C center speaker directly above or below the center of your TV screen. The center of the
speaker’s horn should be no more than 2 feet (61cm) above or below the centers of the front left and front right
speakers’ horns. If your TV set is deep enough, you can set the center speaker on top of the TV, with the speaker’s
front edge even with the TV’s front edge.
Studio 520C
Center Speaker
Studio
590/580/570/530
Front Left Speaker
Studio
590/580/570/530
Front Right Speaker
< 2ft (61cm)
TV
• Peel the adhesive rubber feet from the card and apply them to the bottom of the speaker.
Rubber
Feet

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STUDIO 530 – SURROUND CHANNELS (5.1-CHANNEL SYSTEM)
When you use Studio 530 speakers as surround-channel speakers in a 5.1-channel system, place them slightly behind
the listening position, facing each other. Ideally, they should be 3 – 4 feet (0.9m – 1.2m) above the floor. An alternate
location would be on a wall behind the listening position, facing forward. The surround speakers should not call
attention to themselves while they’re playing. Experiment with their placement until you hear a diffuse, ambient sound
accompanying the sounds that you hear from the front left, front right and center speakers.
Studio
590/580/
570/530
Front Left
Speaker
TV Studio 520C
Center Speaker
Studio
590/580/
570/530
Front Right
Speaker
Studio 530
Surround Left
Speaker
Studio 530
Surround Right
Speaker
Surround Right
Speaker
Surround Left
Speaker
3 – 4 ft
(0.9m – 1.2m)

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STUDIO 530 – SURROUND CHANNELS (7.1-CHANNEL SYSTEM)
When you use Studio 530 speakers as surround-channel speakers in a 7.1-channel system, place the surround side
speakers directly to the sides of the listening position, at least 3 – 4 feet (0.9m – 1.2m) above the floor. Place the
surround back speakers on the wall behind the listening position, also at least 3 – 4 feet (0.9m – 1.2m) above the floor
and 3 – 6 feet (0.9m – 1.8m) apart.
Studio
590/580/
570/530
Front Left
Speaker
Studio 530 Left
Surround Back Speaker
Studio 530 Right
Surround Back Speaker
TV
Studio 520C
Center Speaker
3 – 6 ft apart
(0.9m – 1.8m)
Studio
590/580/
570/530
Front Right
Speaker
Studio 530
Surround Left
Speaker
Studio 530
Surround Right
Speaker
reMOVing the grilles
You can remove the Studio 5 speaker grilles by pulling them away from the enclosure, starting at the bottom.
Remove Grille
Starting at
the Bottom

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REMOVING STUDIO 520C GRILLES
To remove the Studio 520C grilles, use the provided grille removal tool to pull the grilles away from the enclosure as
shown, then remove them the rest of the way by hand.
Use Tool to Pull Grilles
Away from Cabinet
ATTACHING THE HORN COVERS
If you remove the speakers’ grilles, attach the provided horn covers as shown. Make sure that both rubber bumpers on
the horn cover fit into the holes in the speaker.
Fit Tab
into Slot
Fit
Bumpers
into Holes
COnneCtiOns
CAUTION: Make sure that all of the system’s electrical components are turned OFF (and preferably
unplugged from their AC outlets) before making any connections.
Speakers and amplifiers have corresponding positive and negative (“+” and “–”) connectors. All Studio 5 series
speakers have connectors that are marked “+” and “–” on the terminal-cup assembly. Additionally, the “+” connectors
have red markings, while the “–” connectors have black markings.
To ensure proper polarity, connect each “+” connector on the back of the amplifier or receiver to the respective “+”
(red) connector on each speaker. Connect the “–” connectors in a similar way. Do not reverse polarities (i.e., “+” to “–”
or “–” to “+”) when making connections. Doing so will cause poor stereo imaging and diminished bass performance.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the “+” and “–” wires or connectors do not touch each other or the other terminal.
Touching wires can cause a short circuit that can damage your receiver or amplifier.

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The Studio 5 series speakers’ gold-plated speaker connectors can accept a variety of wire connector types: bare wire,
pin connectors, spade connectors and banana connectors.
USING BARE WIRE OR PIN CONNECTORS:
1. 2. 3.
USING SPADE CONNECTORS:
1. 2. 3.
USING BANANA CONNECTORS:
1. 2. 3. 4.

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BASIC SINGLE-WIRE CONNECTION
To connect the speakers using a single wire, connect the amplifier to each speaker as shown in the illustration below.
You can use either set of connectors on the connector panel.
IMPORTANT: Do not remove the metal jumper bars from between the two sets of connectors when
connecting the speaker wires.
+ –
Use Either Set
of Connectors
Do Not Remove
Jumper Bars
Receiver or Amplifier
(One Channel Shown)
Speaker
Connector Panel

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BI-WIRE CONNECTION
All Studio 5 series speaker connector panels have two sets of input connectors that are joined by metal jumper
bars. The upper set of connectors is for the compression-driver/horn assembly, and the lower set of connectors is
for the woofer(s). This arrangement allows you to bi-wire the speakers using a single stereo amplifier or using two
stereo amplifiers. Bi-wiring can offer performance advantages and more flexibility in power-amplifier selection over a
conventional single-wire connection.
Before bi-wiring the speakers, remove the jumper bars.
Remove Jumper Bars
Compression Driver/
Horn Connectors
Woofer
Connectors
SINGLE-AMPLIFIER BI-WIRING
Amplifier
Left
Ch.
Right
Ch.
Left
Speaker
Right
Speaker
Compression Driver/
Horn Connector
Woofer
Connector
Compression Driver/
Horn Connector
Woofer
Connector
DUAL-AMPLIFIER BI-WIRING
Amplifier 1
Amplifier 2
Left
Ch.
Left
Ch.
Right
Ch.
Right
Ch.
Left
Speaker
Right
Speaker
Compression
Driver/Horn
Connector
Compression
Driver/Horn
Connector
Woofer
Connector Woofer
Connector
For more information about various speaker-wire and connection options, contact your local JBL dealer.