Power Sound Audio S3012 User manual

USER GUIDE
SUBWOOFERS

AVIS:
CAUTION:
FOR CONTINUED PROTECTION AGAINST RISK OF FIRE,
REPLACE ONLY WITH SAME TYPE FUSE AND RATING.
The lightning fl ash with arrowhead symbol is intended
to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “danger-
ous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may
be of suffi cient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric
shock to persons.
The exclamation point symbol is intended to alert the
user to the presence of important operating and mainte-
nance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompa-
nying the subwoofer

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read Instructions - All safety and operating instructions should be read before the
subwoofer is operated.
2. Retain Instructions - The safety and operating instructions should be retained for
future reference.
3. Heed Warnings - Adhere to all warnings on the subwoofer and in the operating instruc-
tions.
4. Follow Instructions - All operating and use instructions should be followed.
5. Water and Moisture - The subwoofer should not be used near water. Examples: near a
bathtub, kitchen sink, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool or similar areas.
6. Carts and Stands - The subwoofer should only be used with a cart or
stand recommended by the manufacturer. When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/subwoofer combination to avoid injury
from tip-over.
7. Ventilation - The subwoofer should be situated so that its location or position does not
interfere with its proper ventilation. Do not place the subwoofer in a cabinet or book-
case that may impede the fl ow or air through ventilation openings.
8. Heat - The subwoofer should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators,
heaters, heat registers, stoves, or any other device that produces heat.
9. Power Sources - The subwoofer should be connected to a power supply only of the
type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the subwoofer.
10. Power Cord Protection - Power supply cords should be routed so 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 at which they exit
from the subwoofer.
11. Cleaning - The subwoofer should only be cleaned with a dry cloth.
12. Non-Use Periods & Lightning Storms - The power cord of the subwoofer should be
unplugged when left unused for a long period of time or during a lightning storm.
13. Caution - 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 wide blade or the third prong are
provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fi t into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
14. Object and Liquid Entry - Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids
are not spilled onto the subwoofer.
15. Only use attachments/accessories specifi ed by the manufacturer.
16. Damage Requiring Service - The subwofer should be serviced by qualifi ed service
personnell when: the power supply cord or plug has been damaged, objects have
fallen or liquid has been spilled into the subwoofer, the subwoofer has been exposed
to rain, the subwoofer does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a change in
performance.
17. Servicing - The user should not attempt to service the subwoofer beyond what is
described in this manual or manufacturer supplied instructions.

5
Welcome to the Power Sound Audio family.
We are very excited to welcome you to the Power
Sound Audio family. We would like to take this time to
congratulate you on your purchase of a Power Sound
Audio subwoofer. We are confi dent that your new sub-
woofer will meet and possibly exceed your expectations.
WARNING!
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this equipment
to rain or moisture. To avoid electrical shock, do not remove the
driver or amplifier from the enclosure. Please read all warnings
on the subwoofer’s amplifier. There are no user serviceable parts
inside the subwoofer. Please refer all service questions to
[email protected].
Table of Contents
Unpacking................................................................6
Placement................................................................8
Installation..............................................................10
Warranty.................................................................15
Please read before unpacking your subwoofer.
We suggest unpacking your Power Sound Audio subwoofer on a car-
peted fl oor. This will avoid accidental scratches to a hard surface or
to the subwoofer as you remove it from the shipping box. Your Power
Sound Audio subwoofer may be very heavy. Please fi nd assistance
when needed, and be sure to use all proper lifting methods during
the unpacking process (and whenever you move the subwoofer).

6
Unpacking
Unpacking Process (S1512, S1812, V1512, V1812, TV1812, S3012 & S3612)
1. Inspect the shipping box for any damage. If you notice any damage
please contact us at [email protected].
2. With assistance, place the subwoofer box upside down, so the UP
arrows are pointing at the ground.
3. Carefully cut the tape on the bottom (now facing up) of the box with
a knife or other sharp object. Be very careful not to cut too deep
because you will damage the bottom of the subwoofer.
4. Fold back the cardboard fl aps so the bottom of the enclosure is
completely exposed. You can leave the foam corners in place if you
prefer.
5. With assistance, rotate the shipping box so the open side of the box
is now facing the fl oor. Make sure to keep the cardboard fl aps folded
back so they do not end up under the subwoofer.
6. With assistance, lift straight up on the shipping box to reveal your
subwoofer.
7. Remove the plastic bag.
8. Remove and retain the foam packaging, the plastic covering, and the
shipping box.
9. Visually inspect the subwoofer for any damage. If you notice any
damage please contact us at [email protected].
Unpacking Process (V3612 & TV3612)
1. Inspect the shipping box for any damage. If you notice any damage
please contact us at [email protected].
2. Carefully cut the straps that secure the subwoofer to the pallet.
3. With assistance, lift straight up on the shipping box to reveal your
subwoofer, then remove the grill box and manual bag.
4. With assistance, lift your subwoofer out of the shipping box and
place it on a carpeted fl oor or blanket to prevent damage.
5. Remove the plastic bag.
6. Remove and retain the foam packaging, the plastic covering, and the
shipping box.
7. Visually inspect the subwoofer for any damage. If you notice any
damage to the subwoofer please contact us at
[email protected].

7
Notes
Unpacking
Unpacking Process (S1512DF & V1512DF)
1. Inspect the shipping box for any damage. If you notice any damage
please contact us at [email protected].
2. With assistance, place the subwoofer box with the UP arrows point-
ing at the ceiling.
3. Carefully cut the tape on the of the box with a knife or other sharp
object. Be very careful not to cut too deep because you will damage
the bottom of the subwoofer.
4. Fold back the cardboard fl aps so the bottom of the enclosure is
completely exposed. You can leave the foam corners in place if you
prefer.
5. With assistance, rotate the shipping box so the open side of the box
is now facing the fl oor. Make sure to keep the cardboard fl aps folded
back so they do not end up under the subwoofer.
6. With assistance, lift straight up on the shipping box to reveal your
subwoofer.
7. Remove the plastic bag.
8. Remove and retain the foam packaging, the plastic covering, and the
shipping box.
9. Visually inspect the subwoofer for any damage. If you notice any
damage please contact us at [email protected].

8
Placement
Proper placement of your new Power Sound Audio subwoofer
is very important. Bass frequencies are non-directional, mean-
ing the human ear cannot locate a properly functioning subwoof-
er in a typical home theater environment. While there are “rules
of thumb” regarding placement options, every room is a little dif-
ferent. Please remember that each time you move the subwoof-
er to a diff erent location you should recalibrate the bass levels
and experiment a little to ensure the phase setting is optimized.
Corner placement tends to work well, particularly if there are no large
openings into the room near the corner. Another popular placement
option is “nearfi eld”. Place the subwoofer as close as possible to the
key seating positions. For example, place the subwoofer directly be-
hind the sofa. Every room has its own set of acoustical challenges, so
experiment with diff erent placement options as much as time allows.
One method that often works well (particularly if the key seating po-
sitions are in close proximity to one another) is to place the subwoof-
er in your key seating position and then walk around the room while
a variety of bassy music and fi lm play through the system. Mark the
top 2 or 3 spots where the bass seems to sound best, then try the
subwoofer in those spots. If you purchased a vented subwoofer,
please maintain at least three inches of clearance between the port
opening on your subwoofer and the nearest wall or obstruction.
If you are using more than one subwoofer, placing them as close as
possible (collocate) to one another will give you the maximum clean
output capabilities, but separating them may give you smoother
overall bass response at your seating positions. Again, experiment
as much as time allows and decide which option sounds best to you.

9
Corner placement away from large opening
Nearfi eld placement
Multiple subwoofer placement
Option 1 (collocated)
Option 2

10
Installation
Your subwoofer was designed for easy installation in a
typical home theater environment. Please read all the
installation instructions to properly optimize your sub-
woofer.
WARNING - Always be sure the power is OFF to any
audio component before connecting or disconnecting
any wires or cables. This includes your receiver, proces-
sor, and subwoofer.
2
4
5
6
7
1
3
9
8
10

11
AMPLIFIER CONNECTIONS AND CONTROLS
POWER SELECTOR SWITCH
ON = Turns on the subwoofer and leaves it on.
AUTO = Automatically powers up the subwoofer amplifer when a signal
is sent from your receiver or processor. If a signal is not present for 20
minutes, the subwoofer amplifi er is put into stand-by mode.
OFF/12V = The subwoofer amplifi er is powered down, but can be acti-
vated with a 12V trigger.
2
GAIN CONTROL
The GAIN control is used to adjust the output level of the subwoofer.
This control should be set to achieve a similar acoustic level as your
loudspeakers. Proper calibration procedures should be used to adjust
the level of your subwoofer.
3
LED INDICATOR
POWER = The subwoofer is on when the LED is green.
STANDBY = The subwoofer is in standby mode when the LED is red.
The amplifi er will enter standby mode after 20 minutes without a signal.
OFF = The subwoofer is off .
1
CROSSOVER CONTROL
The CROSSOVER control is used to minimze the output of the sub-
woofer above the crossover’s setting. The crossover frequency is
variable from 40Hz to 150Hz, with a BYPASS mode when turned fully
clockwise.
5
DELAY CONTROL
The DELAY control is used to acoustically align the subwoofer with the
main speakers. The delay setting is variable from 0ms to 16ms.
4
12V
The 12V IN connector allows for a device to control the ON/STANDBY
mode of your subwoofer. The 12V OUT allows for the connection of a
second device with a 12V IN connector.
7
ROOM SIZE CONTROL
The ROOM SIZE control is used to shape the lower end of the subwoof-
ers response to compensate for excessive room gain.
6
IEC AC CONNECTOR
The IEC AC CONNECTOR is where you connect the provided power
cord.
10
INPUTS
The subwoofer INPUTS consist of LEFT/LFE and RIGHT XLR jacks.
You only need to use the LEFT/LFE connection if you are using a
receiver or processor with an LFE or subwoofer output. You can use a
Y-connector on the subwoofer if it doesn’t power up in AUTO mode at
low levels. (Please make sure to recalibrate if you use a Y-connector.)
9
INPUTS
The subwoofer INPUTS consist of LEFT/LFE and RIGHT RCA jacks.
You only need to use the LEFT/LFE connection if you are using a
receiver or processor with an LFE or subwoofer output. You can use a
Y-connector on the subwoofer if it doesn’t power up in AUTO mode at
low levels. (Please make sure to recalibrate if you use a Y-connector.)
8

12
WARNING - Always be sure the power is OFF to any audio com-
ponent before connecting or disconnecting any wires or cables.
This includes your receiver, processor, and subwoofer.
CONNECTING YOUR SUBWOOFER
RECEIVER/PROCESSOR
Connecting your new subwoofer is relatively easy as long as you are
using a modern DD/DTS 5.1 or 7.1 receiver or processor. Simply connect
the subwoofer preout (RCA) on the rear panel of your receiver/processor
to the LEFT/LFE input jack on the subwoofer amplifi er. If you have a two
channel stereo system please contact Power Sound Audio to discuss the
best option to connect your new subwoofer.
PREOUTS
FRONT
SUBWOOFER
CENTERREARSIDE

13
SETUP PROCEDURES
RECEIVER/PROCESSOR BASS MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
Once the subwoofer is connected to your receiver or processor you
should enter the “set up” menu and set all of your speakers to “small”. If
they give you options for the crossover frequency e.g., 40hz, 60hz, 80hz,
100hz, start with 80hz. This will reroute all of the bass from your main
speakers to the subwoofer.
TURNING THE SUBWOOFER ON FOR THE FIRST TIME
Please set the GAIN to minimum, the CROSSOVER control to 150Hz,
and the DELAY to 0ms. Move the power selector switch to ON. The
power LED should now glow green. While listening to a bass heavy ma-
terial, slowly increase the GAIN control until the overall bass levels sound
natural to you. This will give you a starting point for the GAIN control.
GAIN SETTING
Setting bass levels in your home system is usually accomplished in one
of three ways: automatically by your receiver or processor, manually with
your receiver or processors built-in test tones (or a test disc) and an SPL
meter, or by ear.
Auto-level adjustment
Your receiver or processor will automatically adjust the output level of
your subwoofer. You may need to adjust the GAIN on the subwoofer if
it is too low or too high for the receiver or processor to correct. Please
see your receiver or processor’s manual for instructions on automati-
cally setting the GAIN on your subwoofer.
Setting bass levels using a SPL meter
This method tends to result in the most accurate bass volume. Simply
hold the SPL meter about ear high while sitting in your key seating
position. Activate the receiver or processor’s calibration test tones and
watch the meter as the tones move from speaker to speaker. Unless
your receiver or processor’s manual specifi es otherwise, set all speak-
ers, including the subwoofer, to the same output level.
Setting bass levels by “ear”
The best way to adjust the GAIN on your subwoofer is to use familiar
bass heavy material. Use the receiver or processor’s remote control to
manually adjust the bass levels to your preference. While it is human
nature to want to really “HEAR” the bass from your brand new sub-
woofer, setting the levels to a more natural level will sound best in the
long run.

14
SETUP PROCEDURES
DELAY SETTING
The DELAY control is used to properly blend the main speakers with the
subwoofer through the crossover region. The goal is to adjust the DELAY
control so the subwoofer driver moves in unison with the main speaker
drivers through the crossover region. Think of it as a “timing delay” for
the subwoofer driver.
When experimenting with the DELAY setting the idea is to get the output
from the subwoofer perfectly “in time” with the output from the rest of
your speakers, primarily the left and right front speakers. If you have an
SPL meter it is easy to optimize the DELAY setting. Set the SPL meter
in your key seating position and play several “bassy” music tracks. While
the music is playing SLOWLY turn the DELAY control and watch the SPL
meter (you may need a friend for this). The highest reading is usually
indicative of the best DELAY setting. If you don’t have an SPL meter,
you can repeat the above process but simply use your ears to determine
when the bass seems loudest. In this scenario, sit in your key seating po-
sition and have a friend SLOWLY turn the DELAY control. When the bass
sounds loudest to you....you have the correct DELAY setting!
CROSSOVER SETTING
The CROSSOVER control is an adjustable low pass fi lter. Output at
frequencies above the crossover setting are minimized. This control is
typically set to the fully clockwise position (150Hz) and your receiver or
processor performs all of the proper fi ltering. Please contact us if you
need help adjusting the CROSSOVER control.
ROOM SIZE SETTING
The ROOM SIZE control is an adjustable bass shelf attenuation fi lter.
The large setting will provide zero attenuation to the native frequency
response of the subwoofer. The small setting will provide the maximum
amount of available attenuation. This control is typically set to the user’s
preference for deep bass and their room environment. In many sce-
narios the more the control is oriented to SMALL the “tighter” the bass
may sound. Please experiment with this control as time allows as every
room is a little diff erent. Please contact us if you need help adjusting the
ROOM SIZE control.

15
Warranty
USA Warranty
Power Sound Audio warrants its products to be free from original
manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 5
years from the original date of purchase. The warranty applies to the
product and not the end user. If the product is transferred to another
party, we ask that the new owner contact us with their information so we
can up-date our records.
Power Sound Audio will repair or replace any defective part with a new
or refurbished part, free of charge, during the warranty period. If the
product under warranty has been dis-continued and cannot be repaired,
Power Sound Audio will replace the original product with a product of
equal or greater value, either new or refurbished.
This warranty does not cover cosmetic damage, damage from improper
use, accidents, abuse, misuse, acts of God, or unauthorized modifi
cations.
Outside the USA Warranty
Due to the associated costs involved with any potential warranty claim
outside of the USA, additional conditions apply. Any and all shipping
costs are the responsibility of the customer. Any and all duties, taxes, or
other fees associated with warranty service are the responsibility of the
customer.
In the unlikely event that your Power Sound Audio product needs
repaired or a component needs replaced, we will make every attempt to
minimize all of these associated costs. Typically, the only two areas of
potential failure are the amplifier and driver (woofer). In either case, our
warranty procedure would be to have the customer ship us the defective
item, and at our discretion, either repair or replace it. We also offer the
option where the customer would purchase the replacement component
directly from Power Sound Audio and return the defective unit after the
replacement unit arrived. Once we received the defective unit, we would
then refund only the purchase price of the unit. All additional costs will be
the responsibility of the customer.
This warranty does not cover cosmetic damage, damage from improper
use, accidents, abuse, misuse, acts of God, or unauthorized modifi
cations.
Please contact us if you need any warranty service.
Warranty Department
[email protected]