Quested S8 User manual

S8
S8
User Manual
Quested Monitoring Systems Ltd.,
Units 6-8 Kingsgate,
Heathpark Industrial Estate,
HONITON,
Devon EX14 1YG
England
Tel: ++(0)1404.41500 Fax: ++(0)1404.44660

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www.quested.com
CONTENTS
1 Introduction 3
1.1 Class A-B Amplifiers 3
2 Safety Considerations 3
2.1 General 3
2.2 Hearing damage 4
3 Unpacking 4
4 Installation 4
4.1 Positioning 4
4.2 Grill 5
4.3 Aligning the speakers 5
4.4 Wall mounting 6
4.5 Electrical Connection 7
4.5.1 Safety Earthing 7
4.5.2 Voltage Setting 7
4.5.3 Fuse Setting 8
4.6 Audio connections 8
5 Operational Considerations 10
5.1 Mains On-Off Switching 10
5.2 Thermal 10
5.3 Front panel indicators 10
5.4 Signal level 10
5.5 Contour selectors 10
6 Technical Specification 11
7 Line Drawing 12
8 Guarantee 12
9 Appendix 13
9.1 Accessories 13
9.2 Spares 13
9.3 Driver replacement 13

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1 INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing this Quested monitor and you can be certain that you have purchased one
of the finest monitors in the world. If you take time and care in positioning and aligning the system,
you will appreciate why Quested monitors have a reputation for faithful reproduction covering the
entire audible spectrum. They are professional monitors, and therefore are not designed to flatter but
faithfully reproduce. Please take care to maintain the system and it will give you many years of
service.
You will also be assured the best possible performance and long-term reliability of your system.
Please read this manual, which we have kept as concise as possible, it really will help you and covers
Important safety considerations.
The S8 is a self-powered, 2-way active monitor. Its 370 watts of linear class A-B amplification make
it a powerful choice. Typical applications include near to mid-field monitoring for recording/mixing,
post production suites, broadcast and surround sound. The high power output enables the monitors to
be
used where high monitoring levels are required.
Although the bandwidth of the S8 is adequate for most situations, the low end performance can be
further extended by combining it with an SB s eries sub bass. The two products make an ideal
combination and extend the frequency response down to 20 Hz.
1.1 Class A-B amplifiers
The S8 use’s class A-B amplification, as with a lot of class A-B amplifiers they will only reach there
peak sonic performance after a given warm up period. We have taken this into consideration when
designing the S8.During this warm up period the front mounted LED will flash green. When the
amplifier has warmed up the LED will stop flashing and stay green. The monitor will still function as
normal during this period but should not be used for critical listening or referencing. Running any signal
through the monitor will speed this process up.
2 Safety Considerations
2.1 General
Before proceeding to connect your Quested monitor to the AC power supply, please read the following
safety information:-
CAUTION: RISK OF ELECTRICAL SH O CK. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
PERSONNEL.
THE POWER CORD MUST ALWAYS BE REMOVED BEFORE THE AMPLIFIER
IS
DISMANTLED.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHO CK, DO NOT EXPOSE
THIS
APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
WARNING: THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED.
The cores in the supplied mains lead are colour coded in accordance with the following code:
Green and Yellow: Earth
Blue: Neutral
Brown: Live
As the colours of these wires may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals
in your plug, proceed as follows:

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The wire, which is coloured green and yellow, must be connected to the terminal in the
plug, which is marked with the letter ‘E’ or by the earth symbol, or coloured green and
yellow.
The wire, which is coloured blue, must be connected to the terminal in the plug which is
marked with the letter ‘N’ or coloured black.
The wire, which is coloured brown, must be connected to the terminal in
the plug which is
marked with the letter ‘L’ or coloured red.
NOTE: For certain countries the power cord will be supplied with an integral moulded plug to satisfy
national safety standards.
CAUTION: THE REAR PANEL OF THE S8 IS PART OF THE HEAT SINKING
ARRANGEMENT
AND WILL BECOME WARM.
CAUTION: THIS UNIT CONTAIN’S MAGNETIC COMP ONENTS, WHICH CAN AFFECT
ADJACENT SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT.
2.2 Hearing damag e
This equipment can deliver sound pressure levels in excess of 100 dB. At this level permanent hearing
damage can occur and exposure to this level of sound, even for relatively short periods (see table
below), can be harmful. Of equal importance to the maximum level of sound is the exposure to high
levels of sound for extended periods. There are no internationally agreed limits and different countries
have different limits, which are measured in differing ways. IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT THAT
THE
USER ESTABLISHES THE RECOMMENDED, AND IN SOME TERRITORIES, LEGAL LIMITS
WHICH ARE IN
PLACE.
As a guide the table below shows the levels that are acceptable in the majority of Western Europe, the
US and Canada.
dB(A) Listening time per day
90 8 hours
95 2.4 hours
100 40 minutes
105 15 minutes
110 5 minutes
115 and over Not at all
It is also important to note that the effect of exposure to sound is cumulative. Having listened to
sound, for example for 15 minutes at 105 dB, then further exposure to noise levels above 80 dB
should be avoided until the next day.
3 Unpacking
This Quested product has been carefully manufactured, tested and packed to ensure that it arrives in
a flawless condition. The component parts of the packing have been thoughtfully designed to offer
sufficient protection during transportation, yet remain fully recyclable and should be retained for
future use. Also included in a separate bag will be the appropriate power cord for your country.
4 Installation
4.1 Positioning
The S8 is designed to be mounted vertically and will also function if turned on its side. However it

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should be noted that there will be a reduction in its thermal performance of up to 25% if positioned
horizontally. (See section 5.2 Thermal, for implications.)
The S8 is tolerant of a variety of mounting positions including stand, shelf, table or wall
mounting. Which ever way is chosen, the support should be rigid and must not vibrate when the
monitor is driven. Vibrations will result in lack of low frequency definition. The optimum location for
the
monitors within a room is best determined by experimenting and placing the speaker in a variety of
positions. The shape of the room, normal listening position and room treatment will all
have an effect
on determining the speakers’ final positioning. It is possible to soffit mount the S8, however it is
essential that adequate airflow be provided behind the soffit to ensure the amplifier is adequately
cooled.
4.2 Gril l
The S8 has the option of a cloth grill, which will offer some protection to the tweeter and bass driver.
It is not designed to protect the speakers during transit and it is recommended that the original packing
should be retained for this purpose. Like all types of speaker protection or covering, the grill makes a
small difference to the HF acoustic performance, which, for the majority of users, will not be
noticeable.
4.3 Aligni ng Speakers
The speakers should be positioned so that the axis (an imaginary line drawn from the acoustic centre
of the left and right monitor — see line drawing on page 13 of this manual) should cross between 0.5
and 1 metre behind the engineer’s ear position, for the following reasons:-
a) To obtain the most accurate imaging, both front to rear and side to side and also to
achieve as large a listening area as possible so that the engineer can move and
operate the console without perceiving a change in character of the monitors.
b) To enable listening for long periods of time without suffering strain or fatigue.
For details of positioning and aligni ng the speakers for multi-channel systems such as 5.1,
7.1 etc.
see the detai led instructions contained in the SB.1 series sub-woofer user manual.
Below is a sketch showing positioning of speakers. The S8 is suitable for a wide variety of applications,
therefore the distance apart may range from less than 1 m to 4 m. However, the principle of the
triangle and the axis of the 2 speakers crossing behind the listening position remains.

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The height and angle of mounting the speaker is equally as important. The correct height and angle
should result in the axis being at ear level when the engineer is sitting in his normal position at
the
console.
4.4 Wall Mounti ng/Stand Mounti ng
The S8 has built in mounting points that are located on the base of the cabinet and are suitable for
Omnimount™ brackets (the S8 uses the 100 series:- 100 WB or 100 CB or ST) and also Quested
stands. The position of the mounting points are indicated on the line drawing on page 13 of this

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manual. BRACKET MOUNTING OF ANY HEAVY SPEAKER INVOLVES SERIOUS SAFETY
ISSUES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY AND TO READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS THAT
ACC OMPANY THE MOUNTING HARDWARE.
When fixing the mounting plate to the loudspeaker:
• The bolt length must always penetrate at least 20 mm into the cabinet base. For the
recommended Omnimount™ plate, the minimum bolt length is 25 mm.
• Always use locking washers and thread lock compound.
• Always use all of the M6 bolts.
• Because the cabinet is a source of vibration, the bolts must be properly tightened, but
caution must be exercised as over-tightening could damage the case. Always tighten the
bolts a little at a time in order to spread the stress over the area of the mounting plate. If a
torque wrench is available the recommended final torque is 6 Nm (4 lbf-feet). A 200 mm (8”)
spanner will achieve the appropriate torque without needing hard work.
• If the Omnimount™ bracket is being used and the cabinet angled downwards, orient the
mounting plate so that the ball and socket are closer to the FRONT of the cabinet. BE
CAREFUL
WHEN POINTING THE S8 AT SHARP ANGLES DOWN (MORE THAN 30°) AS THE
CENTRE OF GRAVITY IS MOVED FORWARD CAUSING HIGH BENDING TORQUE
AT THE CLAMP, PLACING EXCESSIVE LOAD ON THE BALL AND CLAMP OF THE
OMNIMOUNT™ AND THE CABINET FIXING
POINTS. (IF IN DOUBT ASK.)
• The cabinet may safely be suspended upside down from a ceiling or top mounted bracket,
but the mounting plate should be oriented so that the ball and socket are closer to the REAR of
the cabinet.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER TO ENSURE THAT THE BUILDING
STRUCTURE AND
WALL/CEILING FIXTURES ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO SAFELY BEAR THE
IMPOSED LOAD.
The mounting plate holes are sealed by M6 x 16 mm nylon countersunk machine screws. These will
need to be removed before the cabinet can be screwed onto the mounting bracket.
THESE NYLON SCREWS SH OULD NOT BE USED TO MOUNT THE CABINET, THEY ARE
NOT OF
SUFFICIENT STRENGTH. A STEEL MACHINE SCREW OF AT LEAST 25 mm IN LENGTH
SH OULD BE USED
FOR THIS PURPOSE. If the S8 is subsequently removed from the bracket, the mounting holes
will need to be re-sealed using the nylon screws or some other suitable sealant.
4.5 Electrical Connection
4.5.1 Safety Earthing
This product has been designed to comply with international safety standards. It is essential
that the green/yellow core of the mains cable, or the ground pin of a 3-pin moulded plug, is
connected to the electrical installations safety earth or ground. It is internally connected to all
exposed metal surfaces and it is essential for personal safety as well as proper operation of
the product. The audio signal in-put is electronically balanced and does not need the
disconnection of any safety earth for the avoidance of hum loops.
4.5.2 Voltage Setting
The set voltage is indicated on the rear panel of the unit, adjacent to the IEC inlet connector.
At this setting there is an acceptable tolerance over which the performance of the unit will

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continue to meet its specifications. (See power requirements on page 12 of his manual.) For
the 230V setting this is 160V to 255V and for the 115V setting it is 80V to 127V. If the unit is
connected to voltages in excess of its maximum, damage is likely to occur which may not be
recoverable from without qualified service attention.
To change the set voltage, the amp must be removed from the speaker. The power and
signal cables must be disconnected before continuing. Remove the 6 x M4 socket screws from
the left and right hand side edges of the amplifier. Carefully remove the back-panel and you
will see 4 wires and one 3-way cable form connecting to the amplifier with various connectors.
Note the orientation and position of them all and then disconnect. If you look at the
amplifier, you will see a PCB mounted on the rear of the IEC inlet connector. Marked on the
PCB you will see the 2 terminals marked with the set voltage (see diagram). Locate and move
the connectors to the other voltage tap, noting that the coloured wires correspond with the
printing on the PCB. Reconnect the wires from the cabinet to the amplifier and replace the
amplifier using the 6 bolts. You must now change the fuse located in the IEC inlet socket for
the correct one as indicated on the back panel. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOW
MARK THE REAR OF THE
UNIT WITH THE NEW SET VOLTAGE.
Exploded view of small PCB viewed from above showing the voltage selection connectors with
alternative pins for the 115V and 230V settings.
4.5.3 Fuse Setting
It is very unlikely the fuse will fail during normal use, but should this
occur the situation must
be approached with some caution. Check that the mains voltage setting is correct for
your
installation supply and that the original fuse was the correct rating. (See 9.2 Spares) The fuse
may blow if the unit is subjected to mains power surges or spikes, or if the mains wiring has
any poor or faulty connections, in which case a qualified electrician should be consulted. Very
occasionally a fuse can become degraded after many years of service and simply replacing it
with a new one will restore the system.
The fuse is housed in a unit integral with the IEC inlet connector (see rear panel drawing page
of this manual). To gain access to the fuse remove the power cord and unclip the fuse carrier
using a flat blade. A spare fuse of the correct rating is also provided within the same carrier. If
none of the above is the cause of the fault it is likely that the unit has suffered an internal
component failure and will need returning to a qualified agent for servicing IF THE
REPLACEMENT FUSE SHOULD FAIL DISCONNECT FROM THE MAINS
IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE
THE UNIT PROFESSIONALLY REPAIRED BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE IT.
4.6 Audio connectio ns
The audio signal input is RF filtered and electronically balanced to ensure a high level of rejection

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for common mode interference signals and to give a professional connection to external equipment. It
is essential for optimal use of these specifications that a professional grade, balanced two-core
screened cable is used.
Source Bala nced Pin 2 hot
In accordance with international standards, 3-pin XLR style input connectors are used, with pin
2 being designated the ‘in-phase’ or ‘hot’ terminal and pin 3, the ‘out of phase’ or ‘cold’ terminal.
Pin 1 is connected to the chassis ground and must be connected to the screen of the audio
interconnecting cable. This is necessary to ensure proper compliance with European Standards for
Electromagnetic Compatibility. Pin 1 carries no signal voltages or currents and is provided purely for
screening purposes. It should not be connected to either pin 2 or pin 3.
Source Unbalanced Pin 2 Hot
If the equipment providing the audio signal has an unbalanced output, then the interconnecting audio
cable should be wired so that the hot output of the source is connected to pin 2 of speaker input XLR
and the ground of the source connected to pin 3. The screen of the interconnecting audio cable should
be connected to pin 1 of the input connector only. Th er e m ust be no co nnection betwe e n th e
ground connection of the unbalanced output and the pin 1 ground connection of the i nput
connector.
Source Unbalanced Pho no
If the source output is a phono socket, then the centre pin of the phono plug should be wired to pin 2
of the speaker input XLR and the outer phono casing to pin 3. The wire from pin 1 of the XLR will
not be connected to the terminals of the phono plug. Strict adherence to this will help to eliminate
ground loop hums and RF break through.

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Source Unbalanced Pho no 2 Core cable
5 OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
5.1 Mains O n- Off Switching and level
On-Off switching is provided by a rocker switch on the rear panel. Intelligent circuitry ensures
noiseless power-on and power off.
5.2 Thermal
The output devices of the internal power amplifiers are mounted onto an internal heatsink,
which heats up and reaches temperatures well above that of ambient. The design is such that
no forced cooling is necessary, provided sufficient free space can be maintained around the
cabinet to allow the air to circulate freely. The internal circuitry monitors temperature to
maintain its safe operating area. Should this detect unsafe temperatures, output is muted to
protect the amplifier. You will need to turn the unit off and on to reset the protection. This
will
only work if the amplifiers temperature has fallen within its safe working threshold.
5.3 Front Panel Indicators
A multi function LED is mounted behind the LOGO badge on the front of the cabinet. On
initial turn on the LED will flash green this indicates that the amplifier is warming up (see