Velodyne MicroVee X Series User manual

USER‘S MANUAL
MicroVee X Series

2MicroVee X Series www.velodyneacoustics.com

3MicroVee X SeriesUser’s Manual
Thank you for choosing a Velodyne Acoustics subwoofer.
Our passion for high performance, low distortion bass is the driving force behind our
worldwide reputation in audio and technical innovation.
We are pleased to bring the Velodyne Acoustics sound experience to your home.
Congratulations 06
Installation 08
Rearpanel 10
Remote Control 11
Rearpanel Connections /Crossovers 12
Interconnect Cables 14
Care of Your Subwoofer 14
Protection Circuitry 14
Troubleshooting and Service 14
Specications 15
Foryourrecords 15
TABLE OF CONTENTS

4MicroVee X Series www.velodyneacoustics.com
1. Read Instructions — All safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is operated.
2. Retain Instructions — The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings — All warnings on the product and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions — All operating and use instructions should be followed.
5. Water and Moisture — The product should not be used near water — for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen
sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool or the like.
6. Carts and Stands — The product should be used only with a cart or stand recommended by the manufacturer.
7. Wall or Ceiling Mounting — The product should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the
manufacturer.
8. Ventilation — The product should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper
ventilation. For example, the product should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block
the ventilation openings; or placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the
 owofairthroughtheventilationopenings.
9. Power — The mains plug is used as disconnect device, the disconnect device shall remain readily operable.
10. Temperature — Theequipmentshallbeusedatmaximum35degreeCambienttemperature.
11. Earth — This equipment must be supplied from a power system providing a PROTECTIVE EARTH Connection and
havinganeutralconnection,whichcanbereliableidentied.
12. Heat — The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
products that produce heat.
13. Power Sources — The product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating
instructions or as marked on the product.
14. Grounding or Polarization — This product may be equipped with a polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug
  havingonebladewiderthantheother).Thisplugwilltintothepoweroutletonlyoneway.Thisisasafetyfeature. 
  Ifyouareunabletoinserttheplugfullyintotheoutlet,tryreversingtheplug.Iftheplugshouldstillfailtot,
contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.
Caution
To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qua-
liedservicepersonnel.
Thelightningashwitharrowheadsymbolisintendedtoalerttheusertothepresenceofuninsulated“dangerousvoltage”
withintheproduct’senclosurethatmaybeofsufcientmagnitudetoconstituteariskofelectricshocktopersons.Theex-
clamation point symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing)
instructions in the literature accompanying the subwoofer.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK DO NOT OPEN

5MicroVee X SeriesUser’s Manual
15. Power-Cord Protection — Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on orpinched
by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and
the point at which they exit from the product.
16. Cleaning — The product should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer.
17. Nonuse Periods — The power cord of the product should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long
period of time.
18. Object and Liquid Entry — Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled onto the
enclosure.
19. Damage Requiring Service — Theproductshouldbeservicedbyqualiedservicepersonnelwhen:
a. The power-supply cord or plug has been damaged.
b. Objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the product.
c. The product has been exposed to rain.
d. The product does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance.
e. The product has been dropped or damaged.
20. Servicing — The user should not attempt to service the product beyond what is described in the operating
  instructions.Allotherservicingshouldbereferredtoqualiedservicepersonnel.Referallservicingtoqualiedservice
personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as a power-supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to
rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
21. Lightning — For added protection for the product during a lightning storm or when it is left unattended and unused
for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet.
22. Overloading — Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in
 ariskofreorelectricshock.
23. Attachments — Onlyuseattachmentsandaccessoriesspeciedbythemanufacturer.
24. Voltage — Insure that the subwoofer is only connected to the rated source voltage. Do not connect the 120-volt
version to 220.Volts or vice-versa. This will result in damage to the subwoofer and possible injury to the user.
CAUTION: To prevent electrical shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, fully inserted.

6MicroVee X Series www.velodyneacoustics.com
Congratulations on your purchase of Velodyne Acoustics MicroVee X series subwoofer. This subwoofer represents state-
of-the-art in-home audio and will provide you with years of listening pleasure if properly used. Please read and follow this
instruction manual to ensure safe and proper connections and operation. Please note the following key points during ins-
tallation to ensure your own physical safety, as well as the longevity of your subwoofer.
Caution! Please observe the following instructions to insure safe and proper system operation.
Note: Do not leave unit in direct sunlight or use in high humidity environments!
Warning!
Topreventreorshockhazard,donotexposethisequipmenttorainormoisture.Toavoidelectricalshock,donotopen
speaker enclosure or amp chassis cover. Please observe all warnings on the equipment itself. There are no user serviceable
parts inside. Please refer all service questions to your authorized Velodyne dealer or distributor.
Prior to Installation:
Be sure to unpack the system carefully to avoid damage. This unit is heavy so use caution when lifting or moving to avoid
injury. Save the carton and all packaging materials for future use. Packing this unit in any other carton may result in severe
damage when shipping. Be sure to record the serial number in the space provided on page 13 for future reference.
Product Features
 • 6,5”activesubwooferand89.6ounce(5.6lb)motorstructure
• Class A/B AMP
 • Adjustable(50to200Hz)low-passcrossoverwitha12dB/octaveslope
• Line-level (RCA) inputs Stereo and LFE in and output
• Speaker-level inputs
• Signal sensing auto turn on/off
• Variable volume control
• Phase control (0° / 180°)
• Blue (power on) / Red (power standby) mode indicator LED
• Remote control with external remote eye 3m cable
CONGRATULATIONS

7MicroVee X SeriesUser’s Manual
Prepare for Installation:
Velodyne Acoustics MicroVee X subwoofer provides for a number of installation options. We suggest reviewing all the ins-
tallation information below in order to determine which installation option is best for your system. Remember to perform
all installation procedures with system power turned off to prevent possible damage.
Placement
TherststepininstallingyournewMicroVeeXsubwooferistodeterminewhereitwillbeplacedintheroom.Youcanuse
thefollowingguidelinesinordertondthebestroomplacementtomaximizeyourlisteningenjoyment.
True subwoofers operate at extremely low frequencies, which are primarily omni-directional. Keep in mind that frequency
responseandoutputlevelcanbedrasticallyinuencedbyplacementandtheacousticpropertiesofthelisteningroom.When
using a pair of Velodyne Acoustics subwoofers in 2- channel stereo, it is preferable to feed each subwoofer with one channel
and place each subwoofer near the satellite of the same channel.
The perfect placement for your subwoofer will depend on room size, furnishings, and other unique variables in your listen-
ing space. Finding the best location for your subwoofer will likely require some experimentation. We suggest you use your
favorite spot for listening to music or watching movies while experimenting with the location of the subwoofer during setup.
Thiswillallowyoutondwhatsoundsbesttoyouwhenseatedinyourtypicallisteningposition.Regardlessofwhereyou
install your Velodyne Acoustics subwoofer, it must remain in an upright position. Placing, shipping, or storing your subwoo-
fer in any other position for an extended period of time may result in damage to the unit. This type of damage is not covered
under warranty.
This subwoofer has electronics built into the cabinet. Because of this, your subwoofer should not be placed next to sources
of heat such as furnace registers, radiators, etc. Do not place the unit near sources of excessive moisture, such as evaporative
coolers,humidiers,etc.Thepowercordshouldberoutedinsuchawaythatitwillnotbewalkedon,pinchedorcompressed
in any way that could result in damaging the insulation or wire.
VelodyneAcousticsMicroVeeXsubwoofersareNOTmagneticallyshielded.Shouldyounditnecessarytouseitwithan
older CRT monitor or TV, keep it at least two feet from the monitor. Experiment for correct distance by minimizing distortion
of the picture and colors.

8MicroVee X Series www.velodyneacoustics.com
Inputs
Your new subwoofer is equipped with speaker-level and line-level inputs. Use the LINE LEVEL jacks when connecting your
subwoofer to a pre-amp, signal processor (such as LFE out), line level crossover, or receiver with pre-amp level outputs. When
using the line level jacks, some receivers may not provide enough signal to have the unit’s auto-on feature operate properly.
Additionally, this lack of signal may also cause the subwoofer to produce less output than it is capable of producing.
To alleviate this condition, we recommend the following steps:
1) If using line level jacks, BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT INPUT CAN BE USED. If the subwoofer’s signal comes from the LFE
channel of your receiver, use the R/ LFE marked input. If using line level connections from a preamp or signal
processor, use both Left and Right inputs from your preprocessor or preamp and connect them to the Left and Right
inputs on your subwoofer.
2) If using a receiver with LFE out, be sure the LFE channel is sending adequate signal to the subwoofer. We recommend
setting the receiver’s LFE output to the neutral 0dB output then adjust sub volume to taste.
TheSPEAKERLEVELjacksconnectdirectlytothespeakeroutputsofanyamplier,integratedamplier,orreceiver.Your
ampliersectionwillnoticenoadditionalloadingeffectswhenyouusetheseinputsduetotheirveryhighimpedance.If
using the SPEAKER LEVEL inputs, you DO want to connect both channels, since different bass information might be present
in each channel going to your main speakers. If using with audio equipment with LFE OUT, set speaker to large and indicate
no subwoofer is present.
Important
Do not use both LINE LEVEL and SPEAKER LEVEL connections simultaneously!
Caution
Toavoiddamagetoyourmainamplier,besuretomaintaincorrectpolaritywhenmakingallconnections-red(positive)to
red, and black (negative) to black. Be sure all connections are tight, and there are no loose strands or frayed wires.
Volume Control
This control allows you to balance the output from the subwoofer to the main speakers in your system. This control should
be set to achieve similar output levels from both the main speakers and subwoofer when listening to music. A good starting
point for the volume control is one blue LED lightning, by pressing the Volume+ button level will go up and more LED will
show blue light, by using the Volume- button you will reduce level and less blue LED will light up.
Warning:
Some manufacturers preset their receivers with the Sub-Out chancel signal at a minimum level. It is very important to verify
that your receiver Sub-Out channel is set to the same output level as your front right and left channels. Refer to your recei-
ver manual for the individual channel level adjustment procedure. If your receiver Sub-Out channel is set too low, the sub-
woofer may appear to have a weak output. It may sound noisy or distorted and the Auto On/Off feature may not operate
properly.
INSTALLATION

9MicroVee X SeriesUser’s Manual
Low-pass Crossover - 40 to 200 Hz
As noted above, all inputs sum the left and right channels together, with the resulting signal passing through an adjustable
low-passcrossoverbeforebeingamplied.Thecrossovercontrolallowsyoutoadjusttheupperlimitofthesubwoofer’s
frequency response from 40 to 200 Hz. The subwoofer’s response will begin rolling off above the frequency you set this
control to. You should set the crossover frequency to obtain a smooth and seamless transition from the subwoofer to the
main speakers in your system. If your main speakers are smaller units with limited low frequency output, you may wish to
choose a higher frequency (such as 100 - 120 Hz) than you would with larger speakers that have greater low frequency out-
put. If you’re using larger speakers, you might start with this control set lower (such as 80 Hz). If using the crossover control
in A/V receiver or processor and connecting to LFE input, please use the SUBWOOFER DIRECT (LFE) button.
Receiver/Processor Subwoofer Outputs
Velodyne Acoustics MicroVee X Series subwoofer comes equipped with both speaker-level and line-level inputs. Use the
RCA/Phonotype“INPUT”Receiver/ProcessorSubwooferOutputs.VelodyneAcousticssubwoofersaredesignedtooperate
using the full range audio signal for input when using the built-in cross- over. Many home theater processors/ receivers
(DolbyDigital™,DTS™,THX™)havea“subwooferout”jack(sometimeslabeled“LFE”)thatisinternallyltered,settableat
thereceiver/processor,anddesignedtobeusedwithapoweredsubwoofer.Insomeinstallations,itmaybebenecialtouse
BOTH the Velodyne Acoustics crossover and the receiver/processor crossover, resulting in a steeper ultimate crossover
slope. In some rare cases, combining both an external crossover and the one internal to the subwoofer may result in low
output and increased noise. In these installations you may need to bypass the crossover in either the processor or your
MicroVee X Series subwoofer by pressing the subwoofer direct, or simply setting one crossover to a higher frequency (such
as 120 Hz) will restore maximum performance.
Phase Adjustment 0° to 180°
This control allows you to switch the phase of the subwoofer’s output signal from 0° to 180° to correct for any possible
mismatchandresultingcancellationbetweenthesubwooferandyourmainspeakers/amplier.Inordertoadjustthis,
simply listen to the system with music playing, then switch between 0° to 180° button from one position to the other and
listen for a change in mid-bass frequency output. The correct position will have a greater amount of apparent mid bass
frequency output.
Auto Turn on Function
The subwoofer will turn itself on automatically when an audio signal is present. If no signal is present for approximately ten
minutes, the unit will switch to standby mode (Red LED). While in standby mode, your subwoofer will draw very minimal
power.
Warning:
If the Sub-Out channel signal level from your receiver is too weak, this feature will not operate properly and shut the sub-
woofer off while you are listening to it. To correct this, see the Volume Control section on the previous page.

10 MicroVee X Series www.velodyneacoustics.com
Figure 1 shows the connections on the rear panel of the MicroVee X. Following are brief descriptions of the connections
describedinFigure1.Moredetailoftheseconnectionscanbefoundbelow:
1. IR eye minijack connection  - Connectyourexternal3,5mmremoteeyejack.
2. LOW-PASS CROSSOVER - Use this knob to select the high-frequency range at which you wish to
cutoff the signal to the subwoofer.
3. Auto POWER switch - Auto:Unitisinoperationmode.Ifthereisnosignalforeightminutes, 
   subwooferautomaticallygoesintostandbymode.ON:Unitison.
4. POWER INDICATOR  - Red:Unitisinstandbymode.Blue:Unitisinoperationmode.Ifthereisno
signal for eight minutes, subwoofer automatically goes into standby mode.
5. LED bar - Displays Volume.
6. Volume + / Volume - - Press these buttons to adjust Volume accordingly.
7. PHASE 0 - 180 degree - Press button to switch polarity where you hear a louder mid-bass sound.
8. Internal X Over/Subwoofer Direct - Press button to switch to direct mode (LFE) or use the internal low pass
   lterfrequencycrossoveradjustment.
9. Left LINE INPUT RCA jack - ConnectthisjacktotheLeftLINEOUTjackoftheamplier.
10. Left LINE OUTPUT RCA jack - Connect this jack to the LFE IN jacks of an additional subwoofer to daisy
chain.
11. Right LINE/LFE INPUT RAC jack - ConnectthisjacktotherightLINEOUTorLFEjackofthamplier
12. Right LINE/LFE Output RCA jack - Connect this jack to the LFE jack of an additional subwoofer to daisy
chain.
13. SPEAKER LEVEL INPUT terminals - Connect these input terminals to the speaker out- put terminals of your
   amplierorreceiver.
14. POWER ON/OFF switch - Powers subwoofer on or off.
15. POWER SOCKET, Fuse Type - T6,3AL250VforAC120V~60HzT3,15AL250VforAC230V~50Hz
REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS
Figure 1: MicroVee X Rear Panel Connections