Klipsch Ka-1000-thx User manual

KA-1000 THX

Owner's Manual

KA-1000 THX

SUBWOOFER AMPLIFIER

OWNER’S MANUAL

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS!

1. READ these instructions.

2. KEEP these instructions.

3. HEED all warnings.

4. FOLLOW all instructions.

5. DO NOT use this apparatus near water.

6. CLEAN ONLY with dry cloth.

7. DO NOT block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the

manufacturer’s instructions.

8. DO NOT install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or

other apparatus (including ampliﬁers) that produce heat.

9. DO NOT defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding type plug. A

polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug

has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wider blade or the third prong are

provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not ﬁt into your outlet, consult an

electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10. PROTECT the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs,

convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11. ONLY USE attachments/accessories speciﬁed by the manufacturer.

12. USE ONLY with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table speciﬁed by the

manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use

caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from

tip-over.

13. UNPLUG this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

14. REFER all servicing to qualiﬁed service personnel. Servicing is required when the

apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is

damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the

apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has

been dropped.

15. DO NOT expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing and ensure that no objects

ﬁlled with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the apparatus.

16. To completely disconnect this apparatus from the AC Mains, disconnect the power

supply cord plug from the AC receptacle.

17. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall remain readily operable.

18. DO NOT overload wall outlets or extension cords beyond their rated capacity as this

can cause electric shock or ﬁre.

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 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 electrical shock to persons.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of ﬁre or electrical shock, do not expose this apparatus to

rain or moisture.

WARNING: No naked ﬂame sources – such as candles – should be placed on the product.

WARNING: Do Not Open! Risk of Electrical Shock. Voltages in this equipment are hazardous

to life. No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer all servicing to qualiﬁed service personnel.

Place the equipment near a main power supply outlet and make sure that you can easily

access the power breaker switch.

WARNING: This product is intended to be operated ONLY from the AC Voltages listed on

the back panel or included power supply of the product. Operation from other voltages

other than those indicated may cause irreversible damage to the product and void the

products warranty. The use of AC Plug Adapters is cautioned because it can allow the

product to be plugged into voltages in which the product was not designed to operate. If

the product is equipped with a detachable power cord, use only the type provided with

your product or by your local distributor and/or retailer. If you are unsure of the correct

operational voltage, please contact your local distributor and/or retailer.

EU COMPLIANCE INFORMATION

Eligible to bear the CE mark; Conforms to European Union Low Voltage Directive

2006/95/EC; European Union EMC Directive 2004/108/EC; European Union Restriction

of Hazardous Substances Recast (RoHS2) Directive 2011/65/EC; European Union WEEE

Directive 2002/96/EC; European Union Eco-Design Directive 2009/125/EC; European

Union Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)

Directive 2006/121/EC

You may obtain a free copy of the Declaration of Conformity by contacting your dealer,

distributor, or Klipsch Group, Inc.’s worldwide headquarters. Contact information can be

found here: http://www.klipsch.com/contact-us

WEEE NOTICE

Note: This mark applies only to countries within the European Union (EU)

and Norway.

This appliance is labeled in accordance with European Directive 2002/96/EC concerning

waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This label indicates that this

product should not be disposed of with household waste. It should be deposited at an

appropriate facility to enable recovery and recycling.

FCC AND CANADA EMC COMPLIANCE INFORMATION

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following

two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any

interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B

digital 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 generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed

and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio

communications. 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:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• 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.

Approved under the veriﬁcation provision of FCC Part 15 as a Class B Digital Device.

Caution: Changes or modiﬁcations not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void

the user’s authority to operate this device.

Caution: To comply with the limits of the Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15

of the FCC Rules, this device is to comply with Class B limits. All peripherals must be

shielded and grounded. Operation with non-certiﬁed peripherals or non-shielded cables

my result in interference to radio or reception.

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

ABOUT YOUR KLIPSCH PURCHASE

Thank you for your purchase of a Klipsch subwoofer ampliﬁer. After reading this manual

and connecting your system, you will hear the results of over 55 years of stringent

engineering and class-leading research and development. Please be sure to ﬁll out the

warranty card at the back of this manual or online at www.klipsch.com so we are better

able to serve you. Again, thank you for choosing Klipsch and we hope that your subwoofer

ampliﬁer brings life to your music and movies for many years.

UNPACKING

The easiest way to remove the ampliﬁer from its carton is to turn the open end of the box

down so that it is resting on a table or the ﬂoor, with the ﬂaps spread out and away. Then

pull the box straight up and off. Remove any packing material from the ampliﬁer, place it

back in the carton, and store in case you ever need to ship the ampliﬁer.

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

1. Master Power On/Off

The Master Power switch turns the ampliﬁer on and off. In addition to the Master

Power switch, the KA-1000 THX has an Auto Power function that will allow the

ampliﬁer to turn itself on and off automatically when an audio signal is detected.

An LED indicates the current status of the ampliﬁer – RED when the ampliﬁer is in

Standby and GREEN when the ampliﬁer is active. The LED is off when the Master

Power switch is set to the “Off” position.

2. Auto Power On/Off

The Auto Power switch has two settings – “On” and “Off”. In the “Off” position, the

Master Power switch turns the ampliﬁer on or off. If you leave the Master Power switch in

the “On” position and set the Auto Power switch to the “On” position, then the ampliﬁer

will automatically turn itself on and off when an audio signal is detected. There is a 2

second On delay and a 15 minute Off delay when using the Auto Power function.

3. Phase Control

The Phase control on the KA-1000 THX is continuously variable from 0˚ to 180˚. This

control allows you to ﬁne tune the performance of your subwoofer system by optimizing

the blend with the main speakers. Basically, one of the positions will result in an

audible increase in bass output depending upon room placement.

4. Boundary Gain Compensation On/Off

The Boundary Gain Compensation switch allows you to ﬁne-tune the low-end extension

of your subwoofer system based upon room placement. In some room locations, your

subwoofers low-end response may become exaggerated or boomy due to the increase

in output from your room’s acoustics. In this case, selecting the “On” position will

restore the system to a ﬂatter, less boomy response. If you are using a THX® Ultra2™

receiver or processor and you have selected “Ultra2” for the sub setting, the boundary

gain compensation switch should be set to “Off.”

5. THX On/Off

The THX switch provides a means to bypass the crossover and level controls when

using a THX preampliﬁer or receiver. In the “On” position, the crossover and level

controls do not function. (In this conﬁguration, your preampliﬁer or receiver will

perform those functions.) In the “Off” position, the crossover and level controls

operate normally. Be sure the volume level on your preampliﬁer or receiver is turned

down before changing the setting of this switch.

6. Lowpass Crossover

The Lowpass Crossover control allows you to select the proper frequency at which your

subwoofer system blends with your main speakers. It is selectable from 40-120Hz. You

should set this control to the approximate low-frequency limit of your main left and right

speakers. In a THX system, this setting would be 80Hz. If the THX control is set to the

“On” position, this control will not operate. An LED status indicator is provided to tell you

whether or not this control is operational – GREEN for active and RED for bypassed.

7. Level Control

The Level control is the volume setting for the ampliﬁer. It is used in conjunction with

the subwoofer output level control on your preampliﬁer or receiver. It is used to adjust

the overall output level of your subwoofer system. If the THX control is set to the “On”

position, this control will not operate. An LED status indicator is provided to tell you

whether or not this control is operational – GREEN for active and RED for bypassed.

REAR PANEL INPUTS AND OUTPUTS / CONNECTIONS AND SETUP

Make all connections with the power turned “OFF” on both the subwoofer ampliﬁer and

your receiver or preampliﬁer!

1. Line Level Input

The Line Level input consists of a pair of gold-plated RCA phono jacks. Either one

or both may be used. (Use a shielded, high quality subwoofer interconnect cable of

appropriate length with RCA plugs on each end. Your dealer can help you select a

suitable cable.) This input can function as either a Line Level input or an LFE Input,

depending on the position of the THX On/Off switch. When THX is On, the Lowpass

Crossover is bypassed and the Line Level input effectively functions as an unﬁltered

LFE input.

2. Line Level Output

The Line Level output consists of a pair of gold-plated RCA phono jacks. Either one or

both may be used. This output is an unﬁltered passthru of the Line Level input signal.

It can be used to connect to a second KA-1000 THX ampliﬁer or to connect back to your

electronics if needed.

3. Speaker Level Outputs

The Speaker Level outputs are two professional style Speakon®NL2 connections. This

is a simple connection that is easy to use, secure and foolproof. You simply align

the tab on the connector with the slot on the output jack, fully insert the connector,

turn it clockwise and the collar locks into place (Figure 1). To remove it, pull back

on the collar and while holding it back, turn it counterclockwise and pull it out. This

connection is repeated on the back of the subwoofer enclosure. If you are using two

KW-120-THX subwoofers, connect the second one in the same fashion to the KA-1000

THX’s second output jack. (A single, 20-foot length, THX Ultra certiﬁed subwoofer

speaker cable is provided with each KW-120-THX subwoofer enclosure. Contact your

dealer if you need a longer cable.)

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4. AC Line Cord

The AC Line connection uses a detachable three-prong power cord. Insert the line cord

into this jack, set the Master Power switch to “Off”, then insert the power cord into an

appropriate AC receptacle. Leave the Master Power switch off until all connections are

completed. (We recommend leaving the Master Power and Auto Power switches in the

“On” position for normal operation in most systems.)

CONNECTION AND ADJUSTMENT

The KA-1000 THX is a high-performance, THX Ultra2-certiﬁed Class D digital power

ampliﬁer with a built-in subwoofer crossover. It is designed speciﬁcally to drive one or

two KW-120-THX subwoofers to maximum output without audible distortion or risk of

damage. Although the ampliﬁer’s connections and controls are simple, their use varies

somewhat according to the subwoofer system’s application. Typical setup procedures are

described in the following sections – one for digital systems and one for analog systems.

THX / Digital Surround Receiver or Processor Connection—Today’s Dolby Digital®

and DTS®digital surround receivers and processors, as well as all THX-certiﬁed

models, have line-level subwoofer outputs and built-in subwoofer crossovers. If your

system is built around one of these, it will almost always be best to use the KA-1000

THX with the THX switch in the “On” position. This will bypass the crossover and level

controls. Connect the subwoofer output on the receiver or processor to one or both of

the KA-1000 THX’s two input jacks (Figure 2). Use a shielded, high quality subwoofer

interconnect cable of appropriate length with RCA plugs on each end. Your dealer can

help you select a suitable cable. Be sure to go into your receiver or processor’s speaker

setup menu and set Subwoofer to “On” or “Yes”, or if it is a THX Ultra2 certiﬁed model,

select “Ultra2” in the subwoofer menu. Your receiver or processor may have additional

bass management abilities beyond simply activating the subwoofer output. Consult

your receiver or processor’s owner’s manual or your dealer for more information on the

proper bass management settings for your system.

Crossover Adjustment – With the THX switch in the “On” position as suggested for

this type of setup, the crossover control will not function. Its status LED will be red

signifying that this control is bypassed. Your receiver or processor will perform the

crossover functions for the subwoofer in this situation. When using either the KL-650-

THX or KL-525-THX as your front speakers, select the 80Hz (THX) crossover frequency.

Level Control – With the THX switch in the “On” position as suggested for this type of

setup, the level control will not function. Its status LED will be red signifying that this

control is bypassed. Your receiver or processor will perform the volume level functions

for the subwoofer in this situation.

Phase Control – In some installations the setting of the Phase control may not make

much difference, whereas in others it may be necessary to go back and forth between

the Phase and Level controls for a while in order to get the very best blend with the

main speakers. Since each control setting (including the one for crossover frequency in

the receiver or processor) affects the optimum settings for the others, it often takes a

while to get everything dialed in just right. Start with the Phase control at 0° and play

a recording with a prominent, repeating bass line in your listening position. Repeat

this process with the control in the 90° and 180° positions. Use the setting that yields

the greatest bass output.

Non-THX / Analog Surround Receiver / Processor or Two-Channel Stereo System

Connection – Some analog A/V receivers and processors (without Dolby Digital®or

DTS®capability) have a line-level subwoofer output. Others have left- and right-

channel line-level outputs, as do some stereo receivers and integrated ampliﬁers.

All separate stereo preamps and surround processors have line-level outputs. If your

system is built around one of these, it will almost always be best to use the KA-1000

THX with the THX switch in the “Off” position. This will activate the crossover and level

controls. These types of outputs should be connected to the KA-1000 THX’s line-level

inputs (Figure 3). You will need one or two shielded, high quality interconnect cables

of appropriate length with RCA plugs on each end. Your dealer can help you select

suitable cables.

• Subwoofer Output – Connect the subwoofer output jack to one of the line-level

input jacks on the KA-1000 THX.

• Preamp Outputs on Receiver or Integrated Ampliﬁer – If your receiver or

integrated ampliﬁer has spare preampliﬁer outputs for its front left and right

channels, connect these to the line-level inputs on the KA-1000 THX.

• Pre-out/Main-in Loops on Receiver or Integrated Ampliﬁer – Some receivers and

integrated ampliﬁers have their preampliﬁer and power ampliﬁer stages connected

externally via jumpers. If yours has its left and right front channels connected this

way, you can connect the KA-1000 THX to those preamp outputs. You will need a pair

of Y-adaptors, each with two male RCA plugs and one female RCA jack. Remove the

jumpers for the two channels. For each, plug one leg of a Y-adaptor into the preamp

output jack and another into the main amp input jack. Plug the cables leading to the

KA-1000 THX into the female ends of the Y-adaptors.

• Separate Preampliﬁer or Surround Processor – You will need a pair of

Y-adaptors, each with one male RCA plug and two female RCA jacks. Unplug the

cables leading from the front left- and right-channel outputs on the preamp or

processor and plug the Y-adaptors into them. For each channel, plug the cable

leading to the power ampliﬁer into one of the RCA jacks on the Y-adaptor and the

cable leading to the KA-1000 THX into the other.

Crossover Adjustment – With the THX switch in the “Off” position as suggested for

this type of setup, the crossover control will be activated. Its status LED will be green

signifying that this control is active. Set the control to the approximate low-frequency

limit of your main left and right front speakers. If you don’t have their speciﬁcations,

take an educated guess based on the size of the speakers. A large speaker will usually

work down to lower frequencies than a small speaker. So for a large ﬂoorstanding

loudspeaker, you might start with the Crossover frequency set all the way down to

40Hz, whereas for very small satellite speakers you might want to turn it all the way

up to 120Hz. Typical bookshelf speakers would tend to be in the 50Hz to 80Hz range. If

the crossover frequency is set higher than 100Hz, the subwoofer should be in the front

of the room near the front main speakers.

Level Control – With the THX switch in the “Off” position as suggested for this type of

setup, the level control will be activated. Its status LED will be green signifying that

this control is active. Play a variety of music recordings containing strong but not

overpowering bass. Adjust the KA-1000 THX’s level control until the music sounds

consistently warm and natural. If you have trouble getting enough low bass without

the sound becoming boomy, it probably means the Crossover control is set too high. Try

turning it down a bit at a time until the problem goes away. If the sound is thin until

you turn the subwoofer Level up so much that lower bass is too prominent, start by

varying the setting of the Phase or Boundary Gain Compensation controls. If that does

not entirely solve the problem, you probably need to raise the Crossover frequency.