REL Acoustics AirShip Wireless User manual

Operang Instrucons for the
AirShip™
Wireless

1
FCC STATEMENT
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operaon is subject to the following two condions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operaon.
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 protecon against harmful interference in a residenal installaon.
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instrucons, may cause harmful interference to radio communicaons. However, there is no guarantee that the interference will
not occur in a parcular installaon. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television recepon, which can
be determined by turning the equipment o and on, the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separaon between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

2
AirShip™ Wireless
Airship™ is our newest state of the art zero compression wireless connecon for use with the latest Serie S
and many more RELs to come. Our goal with this design is to deliver a true hardwired quality of connecon
wirelessly. We have prided ourselves on our ability to deliver extremely high levels of sound quality and rock
solid wireless connecon protocols since our rst wireless design over a decade ago. Airship™ surpasses any
earlier design using a 5.8 gigahertz signal, a frequency previously reserved for military use by the US military
and NATO. It results in the fastest, most transparent wireless the design team has ever experienced and
verges on hardwired transparency levels.
Ultra-high quality wireless confers a number of benets to the REL owner, notably, freedom of placement.
This permits extreme performance without the cumbersome tether of a cable, perming ideal placement
without being limited by the length of a wire and can lead to a beer sounding, less cluered experience.
This gives you the ability to place subs in distant corners, along glass walls, or on hardwood oors allows for
a superior experience, sonically and aesthecally.

REL AirShip™ Transmier
1 Power Switch: Used to turn on and o REL AirShip™ transmier.
2 .1/LFE RCA INPUT: Used to connect to the .1/LFE output from a home theater processor. Should be used
in conjuncon with REL HIGH-LEVEL connecon for the ulmate theater experience.
3 LOW LEVEL RCA INPUTS: Used to connect to a stereo output from a stereo pre-amp or home
theater processor.
4 BALANCED .1/LFE INPUT: Used to connect to the balanced .1/LFE output from a home theater processor
with XLR cables.
5 HIGH-LEVEL INPUT (Neutrik® Speakon® Socket): Use to connect HIGH-LEVEL to the main front amplier
speaker terminals.
6 Power Adapter Socket: DC input socket that accepts a detachable power adapter.
7 PAIR LED: Indicates whether the REL AirShip™ transmier is paired with the receiver or not.
8 Pair Buon: Used to pair REL AirShip™ transmier with REL cabinet.
3
REL AirShip™ Panel Connecon Legend
1
2 3 4 5 6
7 8

54
REL AirShip™ Receiver
1 LED: Indicates whether the REL AirShip™ receiver is paired with the transmier or not.
2 Pair Buon: Used to pair REL AirShip™ receiver with REL cabinet.
3 Power Adapter Socket: DC input socket that accepts a detachable power adapter.
4 HI/LO OUTPUT: RCA output to be connected to LOW-LEVEL input of Serie S.
5 .1/LFE OUTPUT: RCA output to be connected to .1/LFE input of Serie S.
1
2
54
3

The receiver and bracket shall be mounted to the back panel of the Serie S using the same fasteners that
hold the amplier panel in place. Make sure the electrical interface is fully engaged to ensure proper
performance and the mounng screws need to be ght. See photo below.
Loosen and remove the two lowest fasteners on along the lower le edge of the amplier panel. You will
need a 3mm hex (Allan) wrench. Then align the holes in the mounng bracket with the holes in the panel.
Replace the fasteners and ghten.
Do not remove the transmier from the bracket
Using the supplied RCA to RCA cable, connect Hi/low Output of the receiver to the Hi/Low RCA input on the
REL and the LFE Output on the receiver to the LFE RCA input on the REL.
5
Mounng Up

The REL AirShip™ wireless is intended to be used with the Serie S Sub-Bass System. The transmier and
receiver will require power from an AC wall plug using the power adapter cables supplied.
It is not possible to use the AirShip™ wireless connecon and a direct connecon simultaneously. Using
both wired and wireless connecons simultaneously could result in damage and voids all warranes.
Always switch your system o before disconnecng any wires.
The transmier can be placed near an amplier, pre-amp or processor source. Make sure the electrical
interface is fully engaged to ensure proper performance.
There must be at least 12 inches between AirShip™ and other wireless sources.
Airship™ permits simultaneous use of our new 5.8 gigahertz connecon for both HIGH-LEVEL connecon
AND the .1/LFE needed for high quality theater. In this way, both 2-channel music and mul-channel theater
are supported simultaneously meaning the REL owner can use their REL without adjusng anything further
to any form of music or theater.
Our HIGH-LEVEL input is designed to accept the stereo (two-channel) signals from the speaker terminals
of your receiver, integrated amplier or power amplier(s). This has the advantage of ensuring that your
subwoofer receives exactly the same signal as the main speakers, which means that the character of the
bass from the main system is carried forward into our Sub-Bass System. Along with our extremely fast,
natural sounding Filter Circuits, Airship™ ensures you receive the benets of REL’s superior system integraon
since RELs are known the world over for their perfect, rich integraon without the ability to sonically locate
the subwoofer’s origin.
For top theater performance, the .1/LFE circuit is granted its own dedicated wireless channel which allows
for the largest, most dynamic special eects in theater to be properly replicated in all their glory. Airship™
delivers 2 channels in parallel, one for music and theatre in HIGH-LEVEL (or LOW-LEVEL, increasingly needed
for acve wireless speakers for example) and a second channel for .1/LFE in theater use.
6
Connecng Up

When both are used correctly, normal theater transforms because the cold, edgy sound most theaters
deliver becomes rich and full-bodied. Dialogue and atmospheric eects take on new drama and realism
because the full range of sounds are provided every moment of the movie by our HIGH-LEVEL, whilst the
.1/LFE channel delivers extra emphasis during the 15-20 minutes of a movie that this channel is acve.
Truly the best of both worlds.
HIGH-LEVEL connecon, using the enclosed cable with the Neutrik Speakon connector, is always the rst
choice. This connecon can be made without aecng the performance of the amplier because the REL’s
amplier input impedance is 150,000 ohms, in eect not producing any addional demand whatsoever on
the rest of your system.
Connecng to the Power Amplier Using the Speakon HIGH-LEVEL INPUT
To engage the Neutrik Speakon plug, insert fully into socket and rotate clockwise unl locked.
To remove the Neutrik Speakon plug, grip body of plug, place thumb on chrome lever, move lever backwards,
rotate plug anclockwise quarter turn and withdraw.
The following are ways to connect to common amplier types. There is more detailed connecon informaon
at User Guides on REL.net.
Please note: Since REL AirShip™ uses an external AC to DC converter, it does not have an connecon to
earth ground, so a connecon with the BLACK wire of the high level cable OR the collar of an RCA connecon
must be made to the stereo, or home theater system.
7

8
• The standard HIGH-LEVEL hook up procedure is: aach the red wire to the amplier’s right posive
speaker output terminal; aach the yellow wire to the amplier’s le posive speaker output terminal;
aach the black wire to whichever of the amplier’s ground output terminals is convenient; plug the
Speakon connector into the AirShip™ wireless transmier’s HIGH-LEVEL input.
Standard HIGH-LEVEL

9
• For dierenal (i.e. fully balanced) ampliers using one REL, simply use the standard connecng scheme
with the excepon of connecng the black wire to chassis ground (i.e. a metal bolt or screw, preferably
not painted or anodized, on the chassis of the power amp or receiver), not to a negave speaker terminal,
and then connecng into the HIGH-LEVEL input on the AirShip™ wireless transmier. Please contact your
dealer should there be any quesons concerning this or any other hookup procedure.
NOTE: The REL AirShip™ transmier is equipped with internal circuitry to allow seamless connecon to
Class-D (digital) main ampliers. If connecng to a Class-D amplier, follow the above connecon procedure
for dierenal ampliers.
Dierenal (i.e. Fully Balanced)

10
• If connecng RELs to Mono Bloc ampliers, we strongly advocate using two (2) RELs, one for each
amplier. Connect the black wire of each REL to the negave speaker terminal of the corresponding
amplier channel; twist together the red and yellow wires of each REL separately and connect each pair to
the posive speaker terminal of the corresponding amplier channel. In some instances, this will
result in exceponally high gain (output) from the RELs. If it seems simply too high in gain, please remove
either the red or yellow wire from the twisted pair. This will reduce output by half and restore a natural
dynamic. If the amplier is of balanced dierenal design, please follow the instrucons in the secon
above labeled Dierenal Connecon.
Mono Bloc
Mono Bloc Dierenal

11
• If connecng a single REL as a dedicated center channel sub, connect the black wire of the REL to the
negave center channel speaker terminal; twist together the red and yellow wires and connect this pair
to the posive center channel speaker terminal.
• If connecng a REL as a dedicated rear channel sub, connect the black wire of the REL to either the le
rear or right rear negave speaker terminal; connect the yellow wire to the le rear posive speaker
terminal; connect the red wire to the right rear posive speaker terminal. If the amplier is of balanced
dierenal design, please follow the instrucon in the secon above labeled Dierenal Connecon.
When connecng to a home cinema system where a .1/LFE channel output is present, connect a single
phono or XLR cable between the sub output of the processor/receiver and the .1/LFE input jack on the
AirShip™ wireless transmier.
Dedicated Centre Channel
Dedicated Rear Channel

12
REL Theater Reference™ Home Cinema Applicaons
For home theater systems, once the standard set-up for two-channel outlined above is complete, the LFE
output from the processor or receiver should be connected to the .1/LFE input and appropriate volume
adjustments made using the .1/LFE LEVEL control. For this conguraon, you must set the processor to the
“large” or “full range” seng for the le and right speakers in order for the REL to receive the bass signal
via the HIGH-LEVEL cable. In this conguraon, the REL provides support for both the le and right speakers
for two-channel listening, and support for the LFE when lms are playing. Most processors will allow you
to defeat the subwoofer output when listening in the two-channel mode. The eect of this set-up is one of
greatly increased dynamics in the mid-bass range, no bass bloat, and a greater degree of space and ming
from the special audio eects.
The .1/LFE input is via an XLR, or RCA jack that connects to the .1/LFE output of a home cinema
amplier/processor.

The AirShip™ wireless transmier and receiver should be paired with each other from the factory. When the
power is applied to both units, you should nd that the LED on each unit is on. If this is not the case, then it
will be necessary to pair them together. Follow the instrucons below to pair the transmier to the receiver.
1 Make sure that the transmier AC to DC wall plug supply is connected to an AC outlet, and that the barrel
connector is connected to the transmier.
2 Make sure that the receiver AC to DC wall plug supply is connected to an AC outlet, and that the barrel
connector is connected to the receiver.
3 Turn the transmier power switch on and a blue LED on the input face of the transmier will indicate the
unit is on by blinking in the standby paern which is one ash per second.
4 Turn the receiver power switch on.
5 At this point the transmier and receiver should nd each other and pair together. This will be indicated
by the “Pair” LEDs on both the transmier and control panel staying lit (no ashing).
6 In the event that the transmier and receiver do not automacally pair, simply exercise the momentary
“Pair” buons on the transmier and the receiver.
Status LED Indicator
Paired Connuously on
Standby Blinks once per second
Care and Polishing
The enclosures are best maintained by using a light automove spray-on wax and a micro ber cloth. Take
care not to spray the aluminum badge. Do not place objects, such as drinks on top of your REL AirShip™
transmier. Never use a dry cloth on this nish.
Technical
The AirShip™ transmier provides true REL Theater Reference™ connecvity, perming both HIGH-LEVEL
and LFE channels to be wirelessly fed to Serie S. This occurs with virtually zero delay and a complete
absence of compression.
13
Pairing

14
Input Connectors: High-Level Neutrik Speakon, L/R Low-Level RCA, LFE single phono RCA,
LFE balanced XLR
Input Impedance
HIGH-LEVEL: 150k ohms
LOW-LEVEL: 10k ohms
RCA .1/LFE: 10k ohms
XLR .1/LFE: 10k ohms
Wireless output power: Less than -3dBm
Wireless eecve distance: 50  (10 meters) with clear line of site
Mains Input Voltage: 5V DC, 5.5mm circular connector, posive center
Power consumpon: 600 mWas
Dimensions (WHD): Transmier 6 x 6 x 2 5/8 in., (152.4 x 152.4 x 66.7 mm)
Receiver 5 1/2 x 4 5/16 x 1 3/16 in., (139.7 x 109.5 x 30 mm)
Finish: Black
Supplied Accessories
Power Adapter: X2
High Level cable: 3 meter in length
Dual RCA Cable: 2 meter in length
In the interest of product improvement, REL Acouscs Limited reserves the right to alter these specicaons
without noce.
AirShip™ Transmier Specicaons

REL Acouscs Limited
North Road, Bridgend Industrial Estate . Bridgend, CF31 3TP . United Kingdom
Telephone: [phone] . Fax: [phone]
Web: www.rel.net