Kenwood CenterStage STS-1000 Guide

Settin
KENWOOD
up an
using your
CenterStage
Instant
Home
Theater

Safety
first
WARNING
To
prevent
fire
or
electric
shock,
do
not
expose
this
unit
to
rain or moisture.
CAUTION
To
prevent
electric
shock,
match
the
wide
blade
of
the
plug
to
the wide slot in a wall socket, and insert fully.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION
To
reduce
the
risk
of
electric
shock,
do
not
remove
the
unit's
cover.
there
are
no
user-servicable
parts
inside.
Have
the
unit
serviced
by
qualified
service
personnel.
Safety Symbols
We've
placed
these
safety
symbols
on
the
back
of
the
unit.
The lightning bolt symbol is to alert you to the danger of
electric shock from the operating of electric parts inside
the unit.
The exclamation point symbol is to let you know that there
are important operating and servicing instructions in this
manual that you should read before you operate this unit.
About the power supply
This unit is designed for operation in the
USA and Canada using a power supply of
AC 120 volts only.
SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS
Read this page carefully to ensure safe
operation
Please read all of the safety and operating
instructions before operating this unit.
Adhere to all warnings on the unit and in this
manual. Follow ail the safety and operating
instructions. These safety and operating
instructions should be retained for future
reference.
| Power sources. The unit shouid be
connected to a power supply only of the
type described in this manual or as
marked on the unit. If you are not sure of
the type of power supply to your home,
consult your unit dealer or local power
company. For units intended to operate
from battery power, or other sources,
refer to the instruction manual.
2. 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, paying particular attention to cords
at plugs, convenience receptacles, and
the point where they exit from the unit.
3 CAUTI (o) N_-Polarization.
This unit may be equipped with a
polanzedalternating-current line plug
(a plug having one blade wider that 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
outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose
of the polanzed plug.
4 Ventilation. Slots and openings in the
cabinet are provided for ventilation and -
to ensure reliable operation of the unit
and to protect it from overheating, and
these openings must not be blocked or
covered, The unit should be situated so
that its location or position does not
interfere with itS proper ventilation.

To maintain good ventilation, do not
put records or a table-cioth on the unit.
Place the unit at least 4 inches away
from'the walls.
Do not use the unt on a bed, sofa, rug or
similar surface that may biock the ventila-
tion openings. This unit should not be
placed in a built-in installation such as a
bookcase or rack unless proper ventila-
tion is provided or the manufacturer's
instructions have been adhered ta.
5 Water and moisture. The unit should
not be used near water. for example,
near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink,
iaundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a
swimming pool, etc.
6 Temperature. The unt may not func-
tion properly if used at extremely low, or
freezing temperatures. The ideal ambient
temperature is above +41 °F.
7 Heat. The unit shoutd be situated away
from heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers. stoves, or other unrts (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
8 Electric Shock. Care should be taken
so that objects do not fall and liquid is
not spilled into the enclosure through
openings. If a metal object. such as a hair
pin or a needle, comes into contact with
the inside of this unit, a dangerous electric
shock may result. For families with chil- -
dren, never permit children to put
anything, especially metal, inside this unit.
9 Enclosure removal. Never remove
the enclosure. If the internal parts are
touched accidentally, a senous electnc
shock might occur.
10 Cleaning. Unplug this unit from the wall
outlet before cieaning. Do not use
volatile solvents such as alcohol, paint
thinner, gasoline. or benzine, etc. to clean
the cabinet. Use a clean dry cloth
Lightning. For added protection for this
unit during a lightning storm. or when it is
left unattended and unused for long per-
ods of time. unplug it from the wall outlet
and disconnect the antenna or cable
system. This will prevent damage to the
unit due to lightning and power-line
surges.
42 Abnormal smell. If an abnormal smell
. or smoke is detected, immediately tum
the power OFF and unplug the unit from
the wall outlet. Contact your dealer or
nearest service center.
13 Damage requiring service. The unit
should be serviced by qualified service
personnel when '
The power-supply cord or the plug has
been damaged.
Objects have fallen, or hquid has been
spilled into the unit.
The unit has been exposed to rain or
water,
5
The unit has been dropped. or the enclo-
sure damaged.
The unit exhibits a marked change in
performance.
The unit does not appear to operate
normaily by following the instruction
manual. Adjust only those controls that
are covered by the instruction manual as
an improper adjustment of other controis
may result in damage and wilt often
require extensive work by a qualified
technician to restore the unit to its
normal operation.
14 Servicing. The user should not attempt
to service the unit beyond that descnbed
an the instruction manual. All other servic-
ing should be referred to qualfied service
personnel
15 Power lines. An outside antenna
system should not be located in the vicin-
ity of overhead power lines or other elec-
inc light or power circuits, or where it
can fall into such power lines or circuits.
When installing an outside antenna
system, extreme care should be taken to
keep from touching such power lines or
circurts as contact with them might be
fatal.
16 AC outlets. Do not connect other
audio equipment with a power consump-
tion larger than that specified to the AC
outlet on the rear panel, Never connect
other electrical units, such as an iron or
toaster, to it to prevent fire or electric
shock,
17 Overloading. Do not overload wall
outlets, extension cords, or integral
convenience receptacles as this can result
in a risk of fire or electric shock.
'8 Attachment. Do not use attachments
not recommended by the unit manufac-
turer as they may cause hazards.
19 Replacement parts. When replace-
ment parts are required, be sure the
service technician has used replacement
parts specified by the manufacturer or
have the same characteristics as the ongi-
nal parts, Unauthonzed substitutions may
result in fire, electnc shock, or other
hazards.
20 Safety check. Upon completion of any
service or repairs to this unit, ask the
service technician to perform safety
checks to determine that the unit is in
proper operating condition.
2
. Carts and stands. Don't put this unit
on a cart or stand that ts unsteady or that
can not support the unit's weight. if you
move this unit on a cart or stand, be
careful-—quick stops, excessive force and
pushing over or uneven surfaces, may
cause the cart to overtum and damage
your equipment.
FCC Warning
This equipment may generate or use radio
frequency energy. Changes or modifications
to this equipment may-cause harmful
interference untess the modifications are
expressly approved tn the instruction manual
The user could lose the authority to cperate
this equipment if an unauthonzed change or
modification is made.
Important
This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digitai
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This
equipment may cause harmful interference to
radio communications if tt is not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions.
However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment OFF and ON. the user
is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following
measures:
¢ Reorent or relocate the receiving
antenna
e Increase the separation between the
equipment and receiver
© Connect the equipment into an outlet on
a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected
¢ Consult the dealer or an experienced
radio/TV technician for help
Cable System Installer Notice
Article 820-40 of the NEC provides
guidelines for proper grounding and, in
particular, specifies that the cable ground shall
be connected to the grounding system of the
building, as close to the point of cable entry
as practical

Contents
Welcome..............0:00
5:
cee
ec
eeeeees
5
Positioning
the
speakers...........
Levees
6
Placing
the
left
and
right
speakers.........
6
Placing
the
center
speaker.................
6
Placing
the
surround
speaker..............
6
Connecting
the
system
components
.....
7
Connecting
the
speakers................---
7
Using
speaker
wire
.................-.0055-
7
Connecting your audio
and
video
components
....................
8
Operating
your
system
...................-
9
Using
the
front
panel
controls
.............
9
Turning
the
system
on............0606055..9
Using
the
remote
control................-
10
Loading
batteries
into
your
remote.......
VW
Manufactured
under
license
from
Dolby
Laboratories
Licensing
Corporation.
“Dolby”,
“Pro
Logic’”’
and
the
O0
symbol
are
trademarks
of
Dolby
Laboratories
Licensing
Corporation.
Balancing
the
speaker
levels..............
tt
Before
you
start...
0.0.
e
cece
eee
ee
teens
tl
Balancing
your
system
with
test
noise..........-
I
Balancing the system
with
movies
OF
MUSIC
6...
eee
eee
12
Playing
a
movie
ormusic
..............065
12
To
play
aMOWE.
2.
eee
ee
{2
To
play
music...
6
eee
eee
eee
eee
12
Adjusting
the
bass
volume................
12
Troubleshooting.
.....................-.555
3

Welcome
Your CenterStage Instant Home
Theater is a complete system for
playing both movies and music.
All of the amplifiers and electronic
circuitry are contained within the
front speakers.
Although the CenterStage system
is easy to set up, please follow the
instructions in this manual carefully
to get the best performance from
your system.
Use these instructions along with
those in the manuals for any other
equipment you're connecting (like
a VCR, CD player, cassette deck,
or television).
Unpacking
Unpack all of the components care-
fully and_examine them for shipping
damage. If any are damaged or fail
to operate, notify your dealer imme-
diately. If your system was shipped
to you directly, notify the shipping
company without delay. Only the
person or company who onginally
received the system can file a claim
against the camer for shipping
damage. Keep the original carton
and packing materials in case you
need to transport or ship your
system.
In this box you
should have
Check the list below to make sure
you have everything.
Left speaker
Remote
“(io eo iGo
i | eee 188
hak go
Se
Batteries for remote
(AA or R6)
Multi-pin wire
Long speaker wire .
Short speaker wire
10 foot audio cables (2)
You may
need to purchase
« Video cables
* Speaker wire

Positioning
the
speakers
Placing the left
and
right
speakers
Place
the
left
and
right
speakers
on
each
side
of
your
TV
screen.
The
right
speaker
has
the
controls
on
its
front
panel.
* If you place the left and right
speakers close to your TV, the
picture could be discolored. If
this
happens,
move
the
speakers
away from the TV until the
discoloration disappears
* For the best stereo effect, place
the
speakers
at
least
2
feet
from
the sides of the TV (but not too
far away).
*
For
the
best
stereo
effect
(espe-
cially
if
they
are
more
than
8
feet
apart),
rotate
each
speaker
slightly
toward
the
listening
area.
Leave
at
least
4
inches
of
space
on
either
side
of
the
speakers,
so
you
do
not
block
the
vents
on
each
side
of
the
speakers.
Do
not
lay the speakers on their sides.
Placing the
center speaker
Place
the
center
speaker
above
or
below
the
middle
of
the
TV
or video screen.
Left speaker
i
Center speaker
Right speaker
Surround
speaker
*
Since
the
center
speaker
Is
magnetically
shielded,
you
can
place
it
directly
on
top
of
your
TV
without
worrying
about
picture
discoloration.
*
Make
sure
that
the
speaker
is
aimed
directly
toward
the
listen-
ers
at
seated
ear
level.
if
you
place
it
above
or
below
ear
level,
tilt
it
down
or
up
slightly
to
aim
it
toward
the
listeners.
+
Make
sure
the
center
speaker
is
as
close
as
possible
to
the
same
height
as
the
left
and
night
speak-
ers.
Try
to
place
it
so
there
is
less
than
a
2
foot
height
difference
between
the
center
and
the
left
and
right
speakers.
Placing the
surround speaker
Place
the
surround
speaker
on
a
wall
directly
behind
the
listening
area
(this
is
where
it's
designed
to
work
best).
*
Mount
the
speaker
at
least
2
feet
above
the
listeners’
heads,
with
the
back
of
the
cabinet
(with
the
connector)
flush
against
the
wall.
You
can
hang
the
speaker
on
the
wall
using
an
ordinary
picture
hanger
(10
Ib
test),
or
you
can
place
it
on
a
shelf.

Connecting
the
system
components
Connecting
the speakers
+ Place the speakers in their
approximate locations first—
the cables we've supplied should
be long enough so that you can
move the speakers around a
bit to fine-tune their locations.
+ If you need longer lengths of
speaker wire than the ones
supplied, purchase 18-gauge or
\6-gauge speaker wire at the
dealer where you bought this ~
system. (The smaller the number,
the thicker the wire-so | 6-gauge
wire is thicker than |8-gauge). ;
* Never allow the positive and
"negative speaker wires to touch
each other (this can cause a
short-circuit which could damage
your system).
* Be sure to connect the positive
(red) jack on the center and
surround speakers to the positive
jack on the right speaker. If you
don't, you could diminish the
stereo and surround effects.
Use the markings on the wire
insulation to keep track of the
(+) and (-) connections.
* Check to make sure that no
strands from one terminal touch
any other wire or terminal.
multi-pin cable
Using speaker wire
We've removed the insulation from
the ends of the speaker wires we've
supplied.
Connecting the wires:
.
y Ny
short speaker wire
center
speaker
(minimum
8 ohms)
steers to wall outlet
(make all other
connections first)
to surround .
7] ne (orn to center
Speaker speaker
long speaker wire
surround
speaker
(minimum 4 ohms)
to wall outlet --
(make all other
connections first)
right
speaker

Connecting
audio
and
video
components
You can use your CenterStage
system with a video source and a
music source, Video sources can
include a stereo VCR, laserdisc
player, satellite receiver, or the
audio
from
your
television
(if
it
has
audio
outputs).
Music
sources
can
include a CD player, cassette deck,
DAT
deck,
or
mini-dise
recorder.
* To produce surround sound,
the Dolby Surround Pro Logic
circuitry in the CenterStage
system must be used with a
stereo input signal. If your VCR
or television only has a mono
audio output, you'll only hear
sound through the center
speaker.
* Do not connect a turntable
to.the CenterStage system.
The CenterStage system doesn't
have the electronic circuitry
needed to properly play records.
* For more instructions, read the
user
manual
that
came
with
each
of the source components.
to
wall
outlet
~~
i
right
(make
all
other
speaker
connections
first)

Operati
your
CenterStage system
Using the right
speaker’s front
panel controls
STANDBY indicator ............J
Glows red when the system is
on, but not receiving an audio signal
AUDIO indicatar
Glows red for 3 seconds
when the system first
receives MUSIC imput
- MUTE indicator
Glows red for 3 seconds
when the sound is first
muted
VOLUME control -........-----
Press + to raise the volume,
"and — to lower the volume
i MOVIES indicator
Glows red for 3 seconds
: when the system first
BASS control
Press + to raise the bass.
and — to lower the bass
receives MOVIES imput
REMOTE sensor
Receives signals from
SURROUND volume ---
Press + to raise the surround
speaker volume, and - to lower
the surround speaker volume
‘Turning the system on
After you've connected the speakers
and the audio and video components:
I Plug the power cords onthe
left and right speakers into an
electrical outlet.
2 Push the on/off switch on
the front of the left and right
speakers to ON.
About Auto-Standby
After you tum it on for the first
time, the CenterStage system's
auto-standby feature will shut the
system off when you're not using it,
and tum it on again as needed.
the remote
VOLUME level display
Temporarily shows the
level of the feature you're
adjusting
POWER indicator
(on back of left speaker)
Glows red when
receiving power
Turning the system off
If you will not be using the system
for an extended period of time,
turn both of the power switches off.”

Using
the
remote
AUDIO selector
Selects your music source
(COD player, cassette deck,
and so on)
BALANCE
control
(L)
Raises
the
left
speaker
volume
VOLUME control
Raises or lowers the volume
MUTE button
Mutes the sound (press
either volume button
-. CENTER VOLUME
*
BALANCE
control
(R)
Raises
the
nght
speaker
i
SURROUND
VOLUME
to restore the sound)
BASS control
Raises or lowers the
bass volume”
MOVIES selector
Selects your movie source
(VCR.
cable
or
satellite
tuner,
and so on)
buttons
Raises
or
lowers
the
center
speaker volume
volume
buttons
Raises or lowers the
surround
speaker
volume
‘TEST button
Test activates the test
noise
for
speaker
balancing

Loading batteries
| Remove the cover by pressing
down on the ridged area, and
sliding it off in the direction of
the arrow.
2. Insert 2 AA-size batternes.
* Be sure to pay attention to
the '+' and ‘-' signs when
you're inserting the batteries.
3 Close the cover.
an
——_
Sy
Tip: .
The batteries that came with this
system are test batteries and may
not last as long as alkaline batteries
Balancing the
speaker levels
The speakers have been pre-
balanced at the factory for a typical
room, so your system should sound
good night out of the box. However,
if you're using your system in an
unusually-shaped room or just
want to fine-tune the sound
yourself, here's how to do it.
Before you start:
+ Make sure the room is as quiet
as possible.
Balancing your system
with test noise
I Sit in your usual listening location.
2 Point the remote at the nght
speaker and press the TEST
button.
* The system will turn on
automatically.
* You'll hear test noise circulate
between the channels in the
following order.
LEFT>CENTER>RIGHT>
SURROUND. The noise will
circulate once, then shut off.
3 Use the MASTER VOLUME
controls to adjust the volume so
it is reasonably (but not uncom-
fortably) loud.
4 Press the TEST button again, and
listen to the test noise level of
each speaker carefully. You may
have to press the TEST button
more than once while making
the adjustments.
5 Using the BALANCE keys, adjust
the balance between the left and
right speakers so the test noise
volume is the same in each
speaker.
* While you press the BALANCE
keys the test noise stops circulat-
ing and remains in the left or
right speaker, whichever one
you're adjusting.
6 Using the CENTER keys,
adjust the center speaker so
that the volume of the test
noise is the same as the left
and nght speakers.
* While you press the CENTER
keys the test noise stops circulat-
ing and remains in the center
speaker.
7 Using the SURROUND keys,
adjust the surround speaker
so that the volume of the test
noise is the same as the left
and right speakers.
* While you press the SURROUND
keys the test noise stops circulat-
ing and remains in the surround
speaker.
8 When all of the speakers sound
like they're the same volume,
you've balanced your system.
Balancing the system
with movies or music
You can also fine-tune the speaker
level balance with the remote
control while watching movies
or listening to music.

Playing
a
movie
or
music
To play a movie
|
Play
a
tape,
laser
disc,
TV,
cable,
or satellite tuner.
2
The
system
will
automatically
switch
ON,
and
begin
to
play
the
movie
soundtrack
To
play
music
.
|
Play
a
CD,
minidisc,
cassette,
or
DAT
tape.
2
Using
the
remote,
select
the
AUDIO
input.
(The
system
always
changes
to
the
MOVIES
input
after
it
shuts
off).
About
the
volume
indicator
There
are
2
special
volume
indicator
functions:
1
Once
one
of
the
speakers
has
reached
maximum
volume,
all
of
the
lights
on
the
volume
indicator
will
be
lit.
+
Ifyou
raise
the
volume
further,
the
right-most
light
will
flash,
and
any
speakers
not
already
at
maxi-
mum
volume
will
be
increased.
*
Once
all
speakers
have
reached
maximum,
you
can't
raise
the
volume
further
and
the
volume
indicator
will
stop
flashing.
+
When
you
lower
the
volume
from
maximum,
the
volume
indicator
will
flash
as
the
original
speaker
balance
is
restored.
Once
the
speaker
balance
is
restored,
the
indicator
will
stop
flashing.
,
2
Once
one
of
the
speakers
has
reached
minimum
volume,
only
the
light
on
the
far
left
remains
lit
+
Ifyou
lower
the
volume
further,
the
light
on
the
far
left
remains
lit,
and
any
speakers
not
already
at
minimum
volume
will
be
lowered
until
all
of
them
are
at minimum.
*
When
you
raise
the
volume
from
minimum,
the
light
at
the
far
left
remains
lit
as
the
onginal
speaker
balance
is
restored.
Once
the
speaker
balance
has
been
restored,
the
indicators
will
light
as
the
volume
is
restored,
About
changing
the
bass
volume
You
can
change
the
bass
volume
from
either
the
remote
or
the
front
panel
of
the
right
speaker.

Troubleshootin
Sometimes things just don't seem
to be working right. When this
happens, first look back over this
manual to find the instructions for
what you are trying to do. You may
find the solution to your problem
right there.
* If that doesn't work look for the
problem in this troubleshooting
guide
* Ifyou still can't solve the prob-
lem, call the store where your
purchased your system, or call
a Kenwood-authorized repair
service.
* If you have a problem with
another component, check
the manual for that unit.
Remote
will not operate
* Check the batteries, and replace
them if needed.
« Check that the remote is close
enough to the system; that the
controlling angle is small enough;
that there's no obstacle in
between the remote and the
right speaker.
No sound
from the system
* Check that the power cords
are properly plugged into wail
outlets
* Check that the power switches
are tumed on.
* Check that all the speaker cables
are properly connected.
* Check that the audio cable from
the source component is prop-
erly connected.
* Check that the volume control
is set at a proper level.
* Check that the mute is OFF.
« Ifyou want to listen to a MUSIC
source, check that you have
pressed the AUDIO input selec-
tor on the remote. (The system
changes to the MOVIES input
when it shuts down).
* Check that the source is playing.
The CenterStage system's
Auto-ON feature will not tum
the system on until it detects
an input signal.
Ne sound from the
left or right speaker
* Check that the power cords
are propery plugged into wall
outlets.
* Check that the power switches
are tumed on.
* Check that the audio cables
from the source components
are properly connected.
* Check that the cable is properly
connected between the left and
right speakers
* Check that the balance between
the left and right speakers isn't
set too far to one side.
No sound from the
center or surround
speaker, or the sound
is abnormally low
* Check that the audio and
speaker cables are properly
connected.
* Check that the center and
surround speaker levels are
not set too low.

Sound
only
comes
from
the
center
speaker
*
Check
that
the
movie
or
other
source
is
recorded
in
Dolby
Surround
or
in
stereo.
(Mono
recordings
will
play
only
through
the
center
speaker).
The
ON/STANDBY
indicator
blinks,
but
there
is
no
sound
»
Check
that
the
speaker
cables
aren't
short-circuited
(any
of
the
+
and
-
wires
touching
each
other).
If
they
are,
get
rid
of
points
where
the
wires
touch.
None
of
the
functions
operate,
or
the
volume
display
shows
wrong
information
*
Reset
the
system’s
micro-
computer
by
tuming
the
right
speaker's
power
switch
off
and
then
on
again.
|

For your records
Record the serial number (it's
on the back of each unit) on the
warranty card, and in the space
below (in case you need to call
your dealer for information or
service). And be sure to save
your onginal purchase receipt.
Model Number: STS-1000
Serial Number

KENWOOD USA CORPORATION
PO Box 22745
Long Beach, California 90801-5745
@% Printed on recycled paper using
ut 10% post-consumer waste.
KENWOOD ELECTRONICS CANADA INC.
6070 Kestrel Road Mississauga,
Ontario, Canada LST |S8
B61 -0790-00