Proficient Protege ICS11 User manual

ICS11
10" Passive Ceiling Sub
OWNER’S MANUAL

INSTALLATION PREPARATION - FINISHED CEILING
When the sub will be installed into a finished ceiling, please follow these instructions carefully:
1. Determine Placement
Determine where in the ceiling the speaker will be placed using the recommendations under SUBWOOFER PLACEMENT. Pay careful attention
to the section on avoiding obstructions.
2. Locate Obstructions
Find the joists nearest the desired speaker mounting location. The use of a good stud-finder tool is highly recommended for this procedure.
Make sure that there are no joists or obstructions where you plan to install the speaker. Read “Checking for Obstructions” under the section
SUBWOOFER PLACEMENT.
3. Mark the Hole
Place the cut-out template at the location you have decided to place the speaker. Use a few pieces of
tape or small tacks to hold the template in place. Trace an outline on the ceiling with a pencil.
4. Cutting the Hole
CAUTION: This is the most important part of the entire installation. If you are not certain whether
or not an obstruction exists behind the desired mounting area, you should start by cutting a small
hole in the center of your penciled mounting hole with a drywall saw. Cut at a 45˚ angle towards the
inside of the hole (Diagram 1). Cutting the small hole at this angle will make drywall repair much
easier as the piece cut out can be installed neatly back into the hole. Once you have determined
there are no obstructions in your desired mounting location, start cutting the finished hole at a 90˚
angle to the ceiling surface.
2
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the Proficient ICS11 Ceiling Subwoofer. The ICS11 is designed to maximize the listening experience in
a home theater or distributed audio system. Reading this manual will help you understand the importance of placement and crossover
calibration, that the optimal balance of volume, frequency response and dispersion can be achieved.
Placing the ICS11 within 3 feet of a corner in the room will result in increased bass output at frequencies that may be desirable for
home theater use. Placement beyond that point will result in smoother, more even bass performance, which is more suitable for music.
Ultimately, the best placement of the ICS11 subwoofer is one that allows it to produce a neutral, uncolored sound.
The ICS11 has 175 watts power handling, with a frequency response of 30Hz to 120Hz. We recommend using the ICS11 with the
Proficient M3 180 watt high-current mono amp with built-in crossover network. It’s important that a quality amplifier-crossover
combination be used for precise detail and a smooth transition from the low frequencies of the other speakers down into the sub-bass
range. As a Proficient installer, you’ll be able to preset the crossover for just the right pass point.
When using the ICS11 with an A/V receiver with an LFE output that connects to the M3 or equivalent amplifier, follow the receiver
manufacturer’s instructions for crossover adjustment. The size of the woofers in the system’s front left and right speakers will dictate the
choice of the best crossover point in the receiver. The larger the woofers, the lower the adjustment. When making the adjustment, it’s
best to listen either to music you’re familiar with or the test tones from the receiver. However, in some receivers the selection of certain
surround modes automatically switches the crossover to a default point.
SUBWOOFER PLACEMENT
Before installing your sub you should consider the placement carefully, taking into account the location electrical, plumbing, and other fixtures.
Placement in ceiling: Before mounting your ICS11 you should consider what affects the room (and the location of the speaker in that room) will
have upon the amount of bass augmentation you would like to achieve. You many want to consider the location of the satellites as well since
the same principles will apply to the bass from those speakers.
The music we hear as bass is made up of frequencies that have long to very long wavelengths (6ft. to 50ft.). Therefore when a speaker is placed
into a room, its position in the room will affect the amount of bass perceived by the listener. In other words placing the speaker in some area
of a room will result in more bass than in other areas of the same room. The more surfaces (wall, ceiling, floors) a speaker is placed next too,
the more bass you will hear. An in-wall/in-ceiling speaker mounted in the center of a wall (or ceiling) will gain 3dB of bass if it is moved up the
wall (across the ceiling) to where it is adjacent to the ceiling (wall). You can then gain 3dB additional bass by moving the speaker to the corner,
where the intersection of three surfaces occurs.
The result is that a speaker placed in a corner will have up to 6dB more apparent bass than the same speaker mounted in the center of a wall or ceiling.
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS - SPEAKER WIRE
Prior to the actual installation of the subwoofer, it will be necessary to run cables to the speaker location. Use 16AWG (min) two-conductor
stranded speaker wire for runs up to 150 feet, 14AWG up to 400 feet and 12AWG up to 1,000 feet.
Diagram 1

3
5. Add Insulation
If the area in the ceiling is not already insulated, add an adequate amount of insulation material to loosely cover the back of the subwoofer. If
the insulation material used is faced with foil or paper, position the foil or paper away from the speaker.
CAUTION: Speaker components can get hot while playing music at moderate to high volume levels. There should be
nothing at all touching the speaker. Material in proximity to the back of the speaker must have at a minimum 1" or
26mm clearance for non-flammable materials and more for flammable materials like plastic vapor barriers.
SUBWOOFER INSTALLATION
Please refer to Diagram 2 for a quick installation overview, which will be described below. The unique integral six foot mounting system
incorporated into the ICS11 allows for quick installation following these easy steps:
1. Remove the grille from the speaker baffle.
2. Attach the speaker cable (observing the proper polarity with your amplifier: + to + and – to –).
3. Make sure the mounting feet are turned inward to clear the opening, and insert the sub into the ceiling. Position the subwoofer into the hole.
Note: The speaker is designed to flex and conform to any small imperfections in the ceiling surface. Tighten the six screws on the front of the
baffle only enough to make the subwoofer become snug against the ceiling. As you tighten the screws, the feet will automatically flip into
an outward position (Diagram 3), clamping the drywall between the feet and the sub. CAUTION: Over tightening may warp the baffle, crack
the ceiling or cause difficulty in aligning the grille.
STEP 1:
Cut opening in drywall
per template provided
STEP 2:
Connect speaker
wire to ICS11
STEP 3:
Position ICS11 into drywall
cut out and tighten screws
Diagram 2
Mounting Feet
Ceiling Sub
PAINTING THE GRILLE
We recommend painting your grille prior to installation. If you decide to paint it in the future, it's best to remove the grille by simply detaching it
from the speaker. Do not paint the grille while it's installed on the speaker.
Before painting, be sure to remove the cloth material from beneath the grille. Once painted, place the cloth back to its position beneath the
grille. When painting, be careful not to clog the holes of the grille. The sound of the speaker will be dramatically reduced if the perforations in the
grille are covered in paint.
Proficient recommends only light spray painting using five parts thinning agent to one part paint.
The ICS11 10" Ceiling Subwoofer is designed to function trouble-free. Most problems occur because of operating errors. If you have a
problem, please check the troubleshooting list first. If the problem persists, contact Tech Support at 877.888.9004 or e-mail us at
[e-mail].
TROUBLESHOOTING
A hum or buzzing sound is heard. The sound may be caused by a ground loop in the system.
Try to eliminate this by reversing the AC plugs of other
components in the system.
Try plugging the amplifier into another outlet.
Other causes may include faulty cables.
No sound is heard. Audio cable to the amplifier is not connected properly or the
cable is bad. Use another cable that you know is good.
Check all speaker wire connections and plugs.
Volume Limit on amp may be set too low.
The Problem Possible Causes and Solutions
Diagram 3

For technical inquires, please call 800.472.5555 or e-mail us at [e-mail]. We are available to assist you
every weekday, except holidays, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PST.
Proficient Audio Systems (“Proficient”) warrants to the original retail pur-
chaser only (“you”) that this product will be free from defects in materials and
workmanship for a period of ten years (the “Warranty Period”), subject to the
limitations and exclusions set out in this Limited Warranty. This warranty is not
transferable to subsequent owners of the product. If you discover a defect in
material or workmanship within the Warranty Period, you can obtain warranty
service by contacting Proficient during the Warranty Period at 800.472.5555 or
[email protected] or by sending the product to Core Brands
at 12471 E. Riverside Drive, Eastvale, CA 91752 or to the dealer from whom
you purchased the product. Defective products must be shipped, prepaid
and insured, together with proof of purchase. Warranty service requests made
without proof of date of purchase will be denied. Freight collect shipments
will be refused. It is preferable to ship this product in the original shipping
container to lessen the chance of transit damage. In any case, the risk of loss or
damage in transit is to be borne by the purchaser.
If, upon examination by Proficient or its authorized dealer, it is determined that
the unit is in fact defective, Proficient will, at its option:
• Repair or replace the product at no additional charge; or
• If the model is no longer available and can not be repaired effectively, replace
the unit with a current model of equal or greater value. In some cases where
a new model is substituted, a modification to the mounting surface may be
required. If mounting surface modification is required, Proficient assumes no
responsibility or liability for such modification.
Proficient will bear the cost of returning the repaired or replaced product to
you, freight prepaid. All replaced parts and product become the property of
Proficient Audio Systems. The foregoing is your sole and exclusive remedy for
breach of warranty. If the product is not found to be defective, Proficient will
contact you to arrange for return of the product to you, at your expense.
EXCLUSIONS:
• This Warranty does not include service or parts to repair damage caused by
accident, disaster, misuse, abuse, negligence, inadequate packing or shipping
procedures, commercial use, voltage inputs in excess of the rated maximum
of the unit, or service, repair or modification of the product by unauthorized
dealers. This Warranty also excludes normal cosmetic deterioration caused by
environmental conditions.
• This Warranty will be void if:
• the Serial Number on the product has been removed, tampered with or defaced.
• the product was not purchased from an authorized dealer.
THE FOREGOING WARRANTIES ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER
EXPRESSED AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES. PROFICIENT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS
ALL SUCH OTHER WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. In no event will Proficient be liable for any incidental
or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the product,
even if Proficient has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any
claim by any other party. Notwithstanding the above, if you qualify as a“con-
sumer” under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, then you may be entitled to any
implied warranties allowed by law for the Warranty Period. Further, some states
do not allow limitations on how long an implied Limited Warranty lasts or allow
the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so such limitations may not
apply to you.
ATTENTION TO OUR VALUED CONSUMERS:
To insure that consumers obtain quality pre-sale and after-sale support and
service, Proficient products are sold exclusively through authorized dealers.
Proficient products are not sold online by Proficient or its authorized dealers,
and this warranty is VOID if the products have been purchased from any internet
reseller. To determine if your Proficient reseller is authorized, please call Proficient
at 800.472.5555 or go to proficientaudio.com.
LIMITED TEN-YEAR WARRANTY
SUBWOOFER SPECIFICATIONS
ICS11
Speaker Type: Passive Ceiling Subwoofer
Woofer: 10" Long Excursion Graphite Woofer
Power Handling: 175 Watts
Frequency Response: 30Hz - 120Hz
Sensitivity: 92dB 1W/1m
Grille: Thin-Bezel held by Neo Magnets
Dimensions (Diameter x Depth): 13⁄" x 6½"
Ceiling Cut Out: 11⁄"
Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.
1800 South McDowell Blvd • Petaluma, CA 94954
800.472.5555 • Fax [phone] • proficientaudio.com
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Proficient® is a registered trademark of Core Brands, LLC, a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc. 9901325 (Rev A)