RSL CG3M User manual

www.rslspeakers.com
CG3M - CG23M
OWNER’S MANUAL
SPEAKERS 800-905-5485
Written by people with limited attention spans

Another Owner’s Manual (Yawn)
We’ve tried to make this manual as easy to read and answer a lot of questions (except proba-
bly the ones that you’ll have) and you can always contact us. We’ll be happy to help. If you
already know about speakers, be our guest and start enjoying your RSL Speakers.
Since we don’t know about your particular audio setup, whether it’s home theater or stereo,
we’ve tried to cover all the bases. So feel free to skip around reading only what’s of interest.
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A Few Words of Introduction
We’ve been building speakers since 1970. A few years ago, we introduced a home theater sys-
tem that garnered rave reviews for being the best sound value in at its price. We then em-
barked upon a mission to provide that same level of sound quality at a more affordable price.
The CG3M and CG23M are the result. It took a lot of testing and comparing with other brands
of speakers to make sure that we could offer a product that delivered the highest level of
sound in its class. Along with our recently introduced Speedwoofer 10S subwoofer, we’re now
able to provide speakers that will astonish, especially when considering price. When coupled
with a subwoofer, such as our Speedwoofer 10S, you can expect high-end performance.
Compression Guide Technology - Action-Packed History
A 2-way speaker utilizing a dynamic woofer and soft dome tweeter is not unique. However,
what make these speakers a game-changer is our exclusive Compression Guide Technology.
It’s why the CG3M and CG23M sound different from the vast majority of speaker systems.
Many speakers try to appeal to the less sophisticated listener by exaggerating certain sounds
that result in sound that we call, “in your face.” This approach may initially seem impressive,
but along with it is a lack of depth or dimensionality in the sound image or soundstage. It can
also be fatiguing during extended listening. With RSL’s Compression Guide Technology, the
sound is less like speakers and more lifelike as if the performance is actually happening in your
room. They reproduce whatever sounds are fed to them and don’t add ‘their take’ on them as
many speakers do.
A number of years ago, we noticed that almost all speakers (including early RSLs) suffered
from a problem. It was that bass notes, when reproduced by speakers was quite different
from bass at a live performance. When you’d hear bass live, you would hear various details in
the bass as well as feel the impact.

Compression Guide Technology - History - Continued
For example, with a bass guitar, you can feel the pick of the string along with the bass note.
With a kick drum, you could hear the wrap of the mallet against the skin of the drum and your
body felt the impact. However, with conventional speakers all you’d hear was an ill-defined
boom. Back then, the only speakers that seemed to get it right were the big, bulky and expen-
sive transmission-line systems., mostly from England.
We needed to know why there was a disparity between live bass and that reproduced by
speakers. After some research, it became apparent that the problem was due to the way the
woofer was tuned in the enclosure. As was the case then, just as it is now, 2 tuning methods
were used by most speaker companies. In one method the cabinet was completely sealed and
is called acoustic suspension or air suspension. In the other method, the cabinet had a calcu-
lated opening called a vent or port. The length, width and height of the port was designed to
reinforce bass at the lowest frequencies.
The problem with both of these methods is that they rely on system resonance to properly
load the woofer. System resonance acts like a spring in that once the note stops, the woofer
cone wants to continue vibrating. This results in what we call overhang and results in muddy
bass. We spent years trying to lessen the effects of system resonance. Eventually, we found
the solution and the results were dramatic. We call it Compression Guide and it was a method
of dividing the inside of the speaker enclosure into areas of compression and expansion. As
the sound wave passed through these areas, the effects of resonance were greatly reduced.
We discovered that Compression Guide also paid huge dividends in the midrange and treble
as well. Bookshelf speakers tuned by Compression Guide exhibited much cleaner and trans-
parent sound with both vocals and music. In comparison, other bookshelf speakers sounded
“boxy”. Compression Guide also helped the speakers to image more accurately.
Standard Enclosure Compression Guide Enclosure
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CG3M - CG23M Features
Exclusive Compression Guide Technology Tuning
Stiff, Kevlar cones with rubber surrounds for high cone excursions without distortion-
producing cone breakup.
Soft dome tweeters for extended, yet smooth treble response.
High quality crossover components. The crossover, being inside the cabinet is not normally
visible and is an area where many companies skimp. The result being higher distortion and
deterioration over time. The CG3M and CG23M use only air core coils and polypropylene
capacitors. We do not use distortion producing iron core coils or electrolytic capacitors.
Rear gold-plated binding posts accept heavy duty wire or banana plugs.
Luxurious hand-finished black hi gloss enclosures.
Built in mounting plates attach to the wall with just a screw (CG3M). Also has threaded in-
serts for wall and ceiling mounts (optional) that allow you to aim the speakers.
First Steps
Be careful when using sharp objects to open boxes. The
insertion of a long and/or sharp object such as a blade
can damage the components inside. Use of chainsaws,
machetes, power tools, explosives, light sabers, and
most kitchenware is not recommended. If in doubt, ask
mommy to help you.
Please take a moment to inspect your speakers for dam-
age. If you find any damage that you did not specifically
request, please contact us or the shipping company im-
mediately. All components have been inspected when
leaving our factory, however damage can occur during
shipping.
Use caution when using a speaker wall or ceiling mount. Use of improper bolts can strip
out the threaded inserts in the back of the speaker. Do not try to force any bolt into the
insert, especially a longer one. Besides being difficult to repair, such damage is not covered
under warranty. The bolt for the CG3M is a 1/4 x 20 thread with a maximum length of
3/8 inch. The bolt for the CG23M is a 3/8 x16 thread with a maximum length of 3/8 inch.
If your bolt is longer you must reduce its effective length by the use of spacers or washers.
We offer speaker mounts that come with the proper bolts.
If possible, we recommend saving all packaging, including boxes, as a convenient means of
re-packaging for moving or for sending your speakers in for service.
The beautiful black finish can be easily scratched when placed on a shelf and moved.
Therefore, we recommend installing the small adhesive feet included with the speakers or
place them on something soft and non-abrasive.
Avoid touching the woofer cone or the dome tweeter as this can cause damage.
Be careful when placing the speakers on stands where they can be knocked over by pets,
children , or jealous neighbors. 4

Table Of Contents
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Introduction…..…………………………………………………………………………………………………..2
Compression Guide Technology - History………..………………………………………...……..3
CG3M-23M Features..……………………..……………………...………………………………………….4
First Steps…………..……………………………………………………………………………………………...4
Room Acoustics….…………………………..…………………………………………………………………6
Placing Speakers………………..………………………………...…………………………………………….7
Placing Subwoofers………………….…………………………..………………………………………….11
Using Two Subwoofers…….……………………………...……………………………………………….12
Installation…..……………………………………………………………………..……………………………14
Settings And Operation….………………………………………………….……………………………..17
Care And Maintenance…...……………………...…..…………………………………………..……….21
Specifications….……………………………………………………………………..…………………………22
Troubleshooting…….……………………………………………………...…………………………….....23
Warranty….………………………………………………………………………………………….…………..24
The Meaning Of Life…..………………………………………………………………..…………………..25
Do Aliens Really Exist?.....…………….……………………………………………………….………….26

Probably More Than You Want To Know About Room
Acoustics
Room acoustics have a major effect on sound quality. If your room has good acoustical quali-
ties, even mediocre speakers can sound pretty good. In turn, if your room has poor acoustics,
high-end speakers can sound lacking. Acoustical qualities are determined by the dimensions
of your room and the amount of sound-absorbing material present.
Room dimensions primarily affect bass response. A room with ideal dimensions will have
evenly distributed bass throughout the room. The quality of the bass will be natural and not
sloppy. Obviously, you can’t do a heck of a lot about the dimensions of your room. Don’t
worry; few rooms are close to perfect.
The amount of absorptive material in your room affects middle and treble frequencies. Hard
surfaces, such as wood or tile floors, walls, can degrade middle and treble frequencies; making
them sound harsh, tinny, or hollow. A harsh room; however, can be easily fixed. Materials
such as carpet, upholstered furniture, pillows, drapes, and wall treatments are all excellent at
absorbing unwanted sound reflections. Therefore, the solution to a harsh room is to add more
absorptive materials. If you can’t do that, why not invite a lot of friends over and tell them to
wear thick jackets or heavy sweaters.
Many acoustical problems can often be minimized by the careful placement of your speakers
and subwoofer. In addition, many of today’s Audio/Video Receivers provide room correction
circuitry, which can provide a dramatic improvement in sound quality. There are several ex-
cellent room correction systems found in today’s A/V receivers and processors. They include
Audyssey and Yamaha’s YPAO. Audyssey room correction can be found in several different
brands of A/V receivers and processors including Denon and Marantz.
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This Section Is Important
(Please read it, unless you’re already experienced in placing speakers or
you don’t have a choice of where your speakers can be located.)
Placement
Correct speaker placement is essential in achieving the best sound. It’s surprising how much impact
even a small adjustment to a speaker’s location can make. We have recommended the locations
that generally produce the best results. Remember that every room is acoustically different; af-
fected by its contents, size and shape. While our guidelines can be helpful, always trust your ears as
the final authority. Because every room is unique, there is no single rule that suits every one. If you
find yourself having difficulties, always feel free to contact us for advice.
Please Note: Even though our diagrams show the speakers on stands, there are other placement
options including wall or shelf mounting.
Home Theater Placement
RSL CG3Ms and CG23Ms can be placed on speaker stands, shelves, or furniture. They include
threaded inserts in the back of their cabinets for wall or ceiling brackets. The CG3Ms also
have a keyhole bracket. Using this allows you to mount them against a wall using only a
screw or toggle bolt. Please note: when using the threaded inserts, use only the proper
bolts with the proper lenths. Do not try to force or over-tighten any bolt into the threaded
insert! If you are going to place the speakers on shelves, or furniture; they should be placed
at the front edge of the surface. The sound should be able to travel freely in all directions
without being obstructed by large surfaces.
Putting speakers inside a cabinet can degrade their sound quality. Making sure to place them
at the front edge of the enclosure should help. If you still hear degraded sound, stuff the
7

Placement — Continued
The following are guidelines for placement of your speakers in various home theater configurations.
They also apply to Dolbytm Atmos and DTS:Xtm systems.
Front left and right speakers (5.1, 7.1, 7.2 systems)
Both the RSL CG3M and RSL CG23M can be used as the left and right speakers. One speaker should
be placed on each side of your television constituting a right and left channel. CG3M speakers
should be placed vertically and CG23M speakers can be placed vertically or horizontally. They
should be posi-tioned vertically. The ideal distance apart depends on how far back your listening
position is. The further back, the further apart they should be. Think of it as a triangle with the apex
at a listener’s head. The angle pointing to the 2 speakers should be in the neighborhood of 90
degrees. The speak-ers should be as close in height to your seated ear level as possible. If the
speakers cannot be placed at ear level, they should be angled up or down so they point toward the
listener’s ears.
To ensure the most accurate sound and best imaging, try to place the front speakers at least two
feet away from the front walls, side walls, and corners. This is less critical in home theater systems,
because the surround speakers tends to move the image out into the room and around you. If your
left and right speakers are far apart, you may try angling them in towards the listener. If you’re
mounting them to the wall, try not to place the right and left channel too close to the side walls or
corners of the room. Mounting the right and left channels close to the side walls or corners may add
excess emphasis to the bass and lower midrange and decrease the three-dimensional effect of the
sound.
Left
Front Right
Front
Center Channel
Subwoofer
Left
Rear Right
Rear
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Placement — Continued
Center channel speaker (5.1, 7.1, 7.2 systems)
Placement of your center channel is the most self-explanatory. Either the RSL CG3M or the RSL
CG23M can be used as a center channel. The CG3M should stand vertically when used as a center
channel while the CG23M can be placed either horizontally or vertically. The center speaker needs
to be cen-tered between the left and right speakers and above or below your television. Try to
position the center channel as close to your seated ear level as possible. Just as before, it is always a
good idea to tilt the center channel up or down to point towards the listening position. If mounting
to the wall, try to tilt it so that it points to your listening position. Be careful if placing the center
channel directly on top of your TV as many TV’s are not designed for this.
Side/rear channel speakers placement (5.1 systems)
In a 5.1 system the two surround channels should be placed along your side walls slightly behind the
listener’s seating position. The job of these speakers is to reproduce the sound that would occur
along side and behind you. Merely placing them directly along side of the listener will not allow
them to create a rear image. These speakers should face inward, toward your seating position. For
best results, try to position the speakers at your seated ear level or higher (roughly 5 – 7 ft from the
floor). If they are higher than ear level, make sure to angle them down towards the listener.

Placement — Continued
Side/rear channel speakers placement (7.1, 7.2 systems)
7.1 or 7.2 surround sound systems consist of left, right, and center speakers along with two side
and two rear speakers. Here, the side speakers should be well spread out and placed to the sides
of your seating position. They should face inward, toward your ears. We suggest positioning them
to the sides of your seating position as in our diagram. As for the rear speakers, these should be
positioned several feet behind your seating position if possible. These speakers should face for-
ward towards your television. They should be spaced roughly a few feet apart; not as far apart as
the side speakers (refer to diagram). The rear speakers should be at ear level or elevated a few
feet above your seated listening position; approximately 5 – 7 feet from the floor. It is not as criti-
cal to angle them down as it is with the other speakers.
T
Placing your subwoofer (5.1, 7.1 systems)
Your subwoofer is responsible for all of the bass in your movies and music. These low bass fre-
quencies are non-directional. This means that the subwoofer can be placed in a variety of posi-
tions and if the subwoofer has a fast transient response (hence the name Speedwoofer) the hu-
man ear will perceive the bass as coming from the satellite speakers. Ultimately, the subwoofer
can be placed virtually anywhere in the room. As usual though, we have some placement sugges-
tions that will enhance the performance of your subwoofer.
As mentioned in the section on acoustics, bass characteristics are largely determined by your room
dimensions. The goal is to have an even distribution of bass at all seating positions. The bass
should not be sloppy or muddy, but clearly defined (for example, you should hear the skin of a kick
drum, not just the boom). In a problematic room the, bass can be almost non-existent in certain
sitting positions, and overwhelming in others.
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Left
Front Center Channel Subwoofer
Right
Front
Left
Rear Right Rear
Left
Side Right
Side