Rockford Fosgate S1-408 User manual

OWNER'SMANUAL

Series 1
WOOFERS
S1-408 S1-808
S1-410 S1-810
S1-412 S1-812
S1-415 S1-815

Dear Customer,
Congratulations on your purchase of America’s finest brand of car audio compo-
nents. At Rockford Fosgate we are committed to musical reproduction at its best,
andwearepleasedyouchoseourproduct. Throughyearsofengineeringexpertise,
hand craftsmanship and critical testing procedures we have created a wide range
of products that reproduce music with all the clarity and richness you deserve.
For maximum performance we recommend you have your new Rockford Fosgate
product installed by an Authorized Rockford Fosgate Dealer, as we provide
specializedtrainingthroughRockfordTechnicalTrainingInstitute(RTTI). Please
read your warranty and retain your receipt and original carton for possible future
use.
ToaddthefinishingtouchtoyournewRockfordFosgateimageorderyourRockford
accessories, which include everything from T-shirts and jackets to hats and
sunglasses.
To get a free brochure on Rockford Fosgate products and Rockford accessories,
pleasecall1-800-669-9899orFAX1-800-398-3985intheU.S.ForCanada,call
KorbonTradingat905-567-1920.ForinternationalordersFAX001-1-602-967-
8132 or call 001-1-602-967-3565.
PRACTICE SAFE SOUND™
CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE TO SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS OVER 100dB
MAY CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING LOSS. HIGH POWERED AUTO
SOUNDSYSTEMSMAYPRODUCESOUNDPRESSURELEVELSWELLOVER
130dB. USE COMMON SENSE AND PRACTICE SAFE SOUND.
If, after reading your manual, you still have questions regarding this prod-
uct, we recommend that you see your Rockford Fosgate dealer. If you need
further assistance, you can call us direct at 1-800-795-2385. Be sure to have
your serial number, model number and date of purchase available when
you call.
The serial number can be found on the outside of the box. Please be sure
torecorditinthespaceprovidedbelowasyourpermanentrecord. Thiswill
become useful in recovering your product if ever stolen and serve as
verification of your factory warranty.
Serial Number: _________________________________________
Model Number:___________________________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Series 1 Woofer Contents ..................................................................1
Introduction ......................................................................................1
Design Features.................................................................................1
Voice Coil ...................................................................................1
Vented Pole Piece .......................................................................1
PVA Treated Cone.......................................................................1
Suspension ..................................................................................2
Dual Input Terminals...................................................................2
Low Frequency Speaker Systems .......................................................2
Using the Series 1 Woofer.................................................................2
Calculating Load Impedance.............................................................3
Calculating Volume ..........................................................................3
Building An Enclosure.......................................................................4
Specifications....................................................................................5
Warranty Information........................................................................6

SERIES 1 WOOFER CONTENTS
1
Series 1 Woofer
Owner's Manual
This manual contains information on the construction, installation
andoperationoftheSeries1lowfrequencyspeakers.Werecommend
you keep this manual for future reference.
The Series 1 Woofers are a full line of low frequency drivers ranging
insizefrom8"to 15" indiameter. System compatibilityis ensured by
offeringeachsizeatfourandeightohmimpedance.Designedtooffer
Rockford Fosgate quality in an affordable speaker, the Series 1
Woofers offer the beginning car stereo enthusiast an opportunity to
enjoy solid low frequency music reproduction. Our engineers have
selected materials and techniques used in building our speakers
whichofferperformanceandreliabilitycomparabletootherspeakers
selling for much more.
INTRODUCTION
DESIGN FEATURES
Thefollowingsectiondescribesthemethodsusedinconstructingthe
Series 1 Woofers and how each was optimized.
Black Anodized Aluminum Voice Coil Former – To improve the
reliability of the voice coil, it is wound on a black, anodized
aluminumformer.Becausealuminumisanefficientthermalconduc-
tor, it keeps heat from concentrating in the voice coil during normal
use.
Vented Pole Piece – To allow operation at reasonably high power
levels,ventilation isneeded. Thisis donethrough theuse ofa vented
pole piece. The venting allows fresh air to circulate and remove the
built up heat form the voice coil assembly.
PVA Treated Paper Cone – The cone is constructed from a light-
weight, rigid paper material. The cone is treated with Polyvinyl
Acetatewhichlowerstheresonanceandreducesdistortion.ThePVA
also reduces damage from the harsh environmental conditions typi-
cal of a car interior.

2
Suspension – The suspension of a speaker is the part of the speaker
which controls the motion of the cone. This is what changes the
electrical energy to sound energy. The surround is constructed from
aduallaminatedfoamwhichensureslinearmotionoftheconewhile
resisting mechanical and environmental damage.
Dual Input Terminals – To facilitate hook-up in multiple driver
configurations,eachpositiveandnegativeterminalhastwoconnect-
ing lugs. The positive terminal is identified by a dot which also
indicatesthespeaker'simpedance.Areddotisusedona8Ωspeaker,
a violet dot on a 4Ωspeaker.
LOW FREQUENCY SPEAKER SYSTEMS
The Series 1 Woofers require an enclosure to achieve optimum
results.Theenclosureallowsthespeakertooperateatlowerfrequen-
cies with improved power handling. The two most commonly used
types of low frequency speaker systems are acoustic suspension and
bassreflex.Theacousticsuspensionenclosure,commonlyreferredto
as a sealed box, relies upon the changing air pressure in a tightly
sealed chamber of its operation. The bass reflex, commonly referred
toasaportedenclosure,usesaventinsertedintotheboxwhichtakes
overforthespeakeratadesiredfrequencywhichisdeterminedbythe
internal volume of the enclosure and the size of the vent used. The
Series 1 Woofer will yield optimum performance in a ported enclo-
sure.
USING THE SERIES 1 WOOFERS
Speakers are built in different sizes to optimize their performance in
different frequency bands. Crossovers are used to route the different
frequency bands for each appropriate speaker. There are two opera-
tionaltypesofcrossover:activeandpassive.Anactivecrossoverisan
electronicfilterwhichisplacedbeforetheamplifierandseparatesthe
signal fed to different amplifiers in the system. A passive crossover is
positioned after the amplifier and separates the signal fed to each
speaker in the system. Active crossovers offer the accuracy and
flexibilityneededforasophisticated systemandare usedincomplex
multiple amp designs. Passive crossovers (capacitors and inductors)
allowtheuseofmultiplespeakersinasimplesystemwhichcaneasily
be expanded over time. We recommend using a 6dB per octave,
100Hz low-pass crossover for the Series 1 Woofers when used with
a passive system.
To customize the installation, try adjusting the crossover point one
octave up or down to optimize the system staging.

CALCULATING LOAD IMPEDANCE
TheSeries1 Woofersareusedfor thesub-bassregion,those frequen-
cies below 100Hz. This is the foundation for the music and the
frequency range you feel. Before selecting the passive crossover, it is
necessary to calculate the load impedance of the speaker system. In
a series circuit the impedance is determined by the formula:
RT= R1+ R2+ R3…
In a parallel circuit the impedance is determined by the formula:
RTR1+R2+ R3…
Where RTis the total speaker load and R1, R2, etc. represent each
speaker in the system.
The crossover is connected in line to the positive terminal of the
speaker system. The crossovers are available from Authorized Rock-
ford Fosgate Dealers.
3
1 1 1 1
CALCULATING VOLUME
Calculating volume is merely a matter of measuring the dimensions
in inches and using the formula: Volume = Height x Width x Depth.
Theresult isin cubicinches. Convertthis to cubicfeet bydividing by
1,728(thenumberof cubicinchesinacubicfoot).Iftwofacing sides
are of uneven length, add them together and divide by two to get the
average. Using this number will give you the volume without the
necessity of calculating the box in sections and adding the sections
together. The thickness of the baffle material determines the internal
volume. The speaker itself also reduces the internal volume. The
amount of air displaced by each model is listed on the specification
sheet and should also be subtracted from the gross volume calcula-
tion.
=

BUILDING ANENCLOSURE
Toworkproperly,thewallsoftheenclosuremustberigidandnotflex
when subjected to the high pressures generated by the speaker's
operation. We recommend using 3/4" thick high density particle
board or medium density fiberboard (MDF), which are available at
most building supply stores. For a large box, internal bracing is
needed for reinforcement. The joints should be glued, using non-
flammable carpenter's glue, and secured with either nails or screws.
Internally the joints should be sealed with silicon to prevent air from
leaking.BecausethehighdensityparticleboardandMDFareporous
materials, it is suggested to seal the outside enclosure walls with
polyurethane.Ideally, theportshould belocated onthe samefaceas
the speaker and positioned at least one port diameter away from the
side and back walls.
In Conclusion
Special carehas been takento ensureyour satisfaction withthe Series 1
Woofers. The materials and workmanship have been carefully se-
lected to guarantee performance equal to the needs of the most
demandingconditions.Ifyouhaveanyfurtherquestionsoradvanced
system needs, your Authorized Rockford Fosgate Dealer will be
happy to assist you.
4

Model S1-408 S1-808 S1-410 S1-810 S1-412 S1-812 S1-415 S1-815
Nom. Impedance 48 4 848 48
FS (Hz) 40 42 36 38 28 29 26 27
RE (Ohm) 3.5 6.9 3.4 6.8 3.4 6.7 3.4 6.7
LE (mH) 1.49 2.40 1.47 2.25 1.43 2.22 1.71 2.87
QMS 4.02 2.90 3.75 3.81 3.41 4.11 4.89 3.90
QES 0.35 0.37 0.40 0.42 0.36 0.45 0.49 0.59
QTS 0.32 0.33 0.36 0.38 0.33 0.41 0.44 0.51
VAS (cu.ft) 1.06 1.06 2.40 2.40 6.57 6.57 11.336 11.336
VAS (liter) 30 30 68 68 186 186 321 321
Power (Watts RMS) 100 100 100 100 100 100 150 150
Power (Watts Peak) 200 200 200 200 200 200 300 300
SPL (dB @ 1w/1m) 89 89 91 91 92 92 93 93
X-MAX (inches) 0.19 0.19 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.23 0.23
X-MAX (mm) 4.7 4.7 5.2 5.2 5.1 5.1 5.9 5.9
Rec. Tuning Frequency 40Hz 40Hz 35Hz 35Hz 35Hz 35Hz 35Hz 35Hz
Port Diameter (in.) 22 3 344 44
Port Length (in.) 3-3/4 3-3/4 8 8 10-3/4 10-3/4 4 4
Rec. Box Vol. (cu. ft.) 1 1 1.5 1.5 2 2 4 4
Spk. Dis. Outside (cu. ft.) 0.03 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.05 0.107 0.107
Spk. Dis. Inside (cu. ft.) 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.08 0.08 0.145 01.45
Mntg. Dia. (in.) 7-1/8 7-1/8 9-1/4 9-1/4 11 11 14 14
Mntg. Depth (in.) 3-2/3 3-2/3 3-29/32 3-29/32 4-4/5 4-4/5 6-3/32 6-3/32
5
SPECIFICATIONS

Rockford Fosgate warrants all loudspeakers to the original purchaser for a period
of two (2) years parts and labor, providing the product was purchased from an
Authorized Rockford Fosgate Dealer. Speakers found to be defective during the
warranty period will be repaired or replaced (with a product deemed to be
equivalent) at Rockford Fosgate’s discretion. Repaired or replaced speakers will
cover the balance of the original warranty period only. Warranty applies onlyto
original purchaser and is non-transferable. Warranty does not cover abuse or
installation error. If a determination is made that the product has been abused or
is out of the warranty period, it will be repaired, exchanged, and billed. Parts not
coveredunderwarrantywillberepairedorreplacedandbilled.Forspeakerboxes,
please return the speaker only. Serial number must be intact to obtain warranty.
Speakers must be returned prepaid to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
GENERAL
Electronicsandspeakerwarrantiesdonotcoveranyappearanceitem,anycostor
expenserelatedtotheremovalorreinstallationoftheproduct,anyaccessoryused
inconjunction with the product,damage to the productresulting from alteration,
accident,misuse or abuse, orimproper installation. This warrantydoesnot apply
ifthepartsorlabor,whichwouldotherwisebeprovidedwithoutchargeunderthis
warranty, are obtained from any source other than Rockford Fosgate or an
Authorized Rockford Fosgate Service Center.
The warranty is the only express warranty and does not create any implied
warranties. Rockford Fosgate limits its obligations under any implied warranties
understatelawstoaperiodnottoexceedthewrittenwarrantyperiod.Somestates
do not allow limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above
limitationmaynotapply.ThiswarrantyappliesonlytoproductssoldintheUnited
States of America or its possessions. For warranty outside the U.S.A., please
contact the nearest Authorized Rockford Fosgate Dealer. This warranty gives the
consumerspecificlegalrights,andtheconsumermayhaveotherrightswhichvary
from state to state.
Adefective product must beshipped prepaid to theAuthorized Rockford Fosgate
Dealer from which the consumer purchased the product or to the address below,
in the original factory carton or equivalent. Any shipping loss or damage will be
borne by the consumer or the consumer’s shipper. A consumer returning a
product to the factory should call [phone] for a Return Authorization
Number. All shipments shall be clearly marked with the Return Authorization
Number on the outside of the shipping carton.
Rockford Corporation
609 Myrtle N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504 (Receiving-speakers)
WARRANTY INFORMATION

NOTES