Velodyne OPTIMUM-8 - DATASHEET 2 User manual

OPTIMUM SERIES
OPTIMUM-8
OPTIMUM-10
OPTIMUM-12
USER’S
MANUAL
High Output Digital EQ Subwoofer
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IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
Caution
To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer
servicing to qualified service personnel
The lightning flash 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 sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk
of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the subwoofer.
1. Read Instructions — All safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is operated.
2. Retain Instru s — The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3. Heed Wamnings — 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 flow of air through the ventilation openings.
9. Heat — The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers,
stoves, or other products that produce heat.
10. 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.
11. 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 fit 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 fit, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat
the safety purpose of the polarized plug.
12. Power-Cord Protection — Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked
on or pinched 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.
13. Cleaning — The product should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer.
14. Nonuse Periods — The power cord of the product should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused
for a long period of time.
15. Object and Liquid Entry — Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are ot spilled
onto the enclosure.
16. Damage Requiring Service — The product should be serviced by qualified 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.
17. 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 qualified service personnel.
18. 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.
19. Overloading — Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords or integral convenience receptacles as this
can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.
20. Attachments — Only use attachments and accessories specified by the manufacturer.
21. Voltage — Insure that the subwoofer is only connected to the rated source voltage. Do not connect the
120-volt version to 230-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.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Congratulations . . . . .. .. .. 1
Installation . .. ... ... 3
Front Panel Features . .. ..... .. ... .. ... . . ... ... ... 5
Rear Panel Connections . .. .. ....... ... ... ... . . 7
Rear Panel Connections - Detailed Explanation . ... .......... ... ... ... ........ 9
Interconnect Cables . ... ... ... ... ... .. ... .. 10
USage . . oo 11
Care of Your Subwoofer . ..... ... ... . ... ... 15
Troubleshooting and Service . . ... ... ... ... ... 15
Specifications . . .. ... 16
Velodyne Products . . .. ... ... ... . 18
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CONGRAT ATIONS
Congratulations on your purchase of a Velodyne Optimum subwoofer. This system represents
the state-of-the-art in low frequency reproduction. Please, read and follow the instructions below
to insure safe and proper system operation.
Warning!
To prevent fire 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.
Prior to Installation
Please unpack the system carefully. Please save the carton and all packaging materials
for future use. Record the serial number in the space provided on page 17 of this manual for
future reference.
PRODUCT FEATURES
¢ DSP-Controlled
® 4 selectable preset modes for customized listening
® Automatic 7-band room equalizer with microphone included
¢ Night-mode setting
* Mute control
* Woofer
- 8" (B.5” piston diameter) subwoofer with 2.5" high-temp voice coil and
107 ounce magnet/204 ounce motor structure (Optimum-8)
- 10" (8" piston diameter) subwoofer with 3" voice coil and 162 ounce magnet/
346 ounce motor structure (Optimum-10)
- 12" (9.7" piston diameter) subwoofer with 3" voice coil and 162 ounce magnet/
346 ounce motor structure (Optimum-12)
® Builtin 2400 watts Dynamic /1200 watts RMS high efficiency Class D amplifier
o Adjustable (40 to 135 Hz) low-pass crossover (defeatable)
e Line-level (RCA) inputs and outputs
® Speaker-level inputs with five way binding post connections
® Signal sensing auto turn on/off (defeatable)
Variable volume control
® Selectable phase control (O, 90, 180 or 270 degrees)
¢ Overall frequency response of 16-240 Hz (Optimum-8), 13-240 Hz (Optimum-10),
13-240 Hz (Optimum-12),
* Magnetically shielded for video use (Optimum-10 and Optimum-12)
* Multiple staggered low-pass crossovers; 12 dB/octave initial, 48 dB/octave ultimate
* Driver Displacement Control circuit to prevent over excursion and amp clipping
* Blue level indicator LED
¢ High-excursion EPDM rubber surround
® Oversized spider for linearity at high excursion
¢ Hand-rubbed black lacquer or cherry veneer cabinet
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Prepare for Installation
Your new Velodyne subwoofer provides for a number of installation options. Read all of the
installation 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 first step in installing your new Optimum sub is to determine where it will be placed in the
room. Unpack the system carefully and use the following guidelines in order to find the best
room placement option.
True subwoofers operate at extremely low frequencies which are primarily omni-directional.
Keep in mind that frequency response and output level can be drastically influenced by
placement, depending on the acoustic properties of the listening room. To obtain the best
output from your subwoofer, try placing it within a foot of a corner. This location will offer the
greatest output levels and maximize low frequency extension. If at all possible, your subwoofer
should be placed along a wall. The worst location for a subwoofer is typically far away from any
walls and close to the center of your room. Avoid these locations when possible. \When using
a pair of Velodyne subwoofers in stereo, it is preferable to feed each subwoofer with one
channel and place each subwoofer near the satellite of the same channel.
Depending on the size and type of furnishings in the room, perfect placement may not be
possible. Finding the best location within your enviconment will likely require some
experimentation. We suggest you experiment with the location during setup to find what sounds
best to you when seated in your typical listening position.
Regardless of where you install your Velodyne subwoofer; it must remain in an upright position
(woofer facing forward). Using, shipping or storing the subwoofer in any other position for an
extended period of time may result in damage to the unit not covered by warranty.
Caution!
This subwoofer has electronics built into the cabinet. Do not place the cabinet 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, humidifiers, 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 damage to the insulation or wire.
Although the Velodyne Optimum-10 and the Optimum-12 are magnetically shielded, the
Optimum-8 subwoofer is NOT magnetically shielded. Should you find 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.
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INSTALLATION
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.
To alleviate this condition, we recommend the following steps:
1) If using line level jacks, BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT INPUT SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED -
never use just the left or just the right 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. The subwoofer’s default volume setting is 30 on a 1-80 scale (roughly 1/3
volume). Adjust the LFE channel on your receiver or processor to achieve the desired bass
output. See your receiver or processor’s owner's manual for more information.
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. The default volume setting is 30 on a 1-80 scale.
Warning:
Some manufacturers preset their receivers with the Sub-Out channel 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 receiver manual for the individual channel
level adjustment procedure. If your receiver Sub-Out channel is set too low, the subwoofer may
appear to have a weak output, it may sound noisy or distorted, and the Auto On/Off feature
may not operate properly.
Low-pass Crossover - 40 to 135 Hz
All inputs sum the left and right channels together, with the resulting signal passing through an
adjustable low-pass crossover before being amplified. The crossover control allows you to adjust
the upper limit of the subwoofer’s frequency response from 40 to 135 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 with limited low frequency
output, you may wish to choose a higher frequency (such as 100 - 120 Hz) than you would with
larger speakers which have greater low frequency output. The default crossover setting is
80 Hz. With larger speakers, you may want to set this even lower, for example 70 Hz.
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Phase Adjustment - 0°/90°/180°/270°
This control allows you to change the phase of the subwoofer’s output signal to correct for any
possible mismatch and resulting cancellation between the subwoofer and your main
speakers/amplifier. To adjust, simply listen to the system with music playing, then depress the
various phase switches on the remote control and listen for a change in mid-bass frequency
output. The correct position will have a greater amount of apparent mid-bass frequency output.
If the settings sound similar, we recommend the “0” position. See the remote control section
for more information.
Auto Turn on Function
The subwoofer will turn itself on automatically when an audio signal is present. If no signal is
present for approximately eight minutes, the unit will switch to standby mode (blank LED). \While
in standby mode, your subwoofer will draw very minimal power. Your sub is shipped in
the “INACTIVE" (always on) position. In order to activate the circuit, change the switch
to “ACTIVE”".
Warning:
If the Sub-Out channel signal level from your receiver is too weak, this feature will not operate
properly and shut the subwoofer off while you are listening to it. To correct this, see the
VOLUME CONTROL section on previous page.
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FRONT PANEL FEATURES
POWER
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Figure 1. QOptimum Front Panel Features
Figure 1 shows the features on the front panel of the Optimum.
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(1) Power Switch
This button forces your Optimum subwoofer into standby mode. The numeric LED shuts off
and the sub puts out no power. The sub will remain in this mode until the POVER button is
pressed again. To fully deactivate (i.e. power button) the sub, use the main power switch on
the back panel.
(2) LED Numeric Display
This LED supplies information on volume, crossover, presets, and other information. The
“Light” button on the remote deactivates this display.
(3) Volume Control
These buttons allow you to balance the output from the subwoofer to the main speakers in
your system. The volume should be set to achieve similar volume level of both the main
speakers and subwoofer. The default volume is 30. The upper button increases the
subwoofer level and the lower button decreases it.
Note: Volume can also be controllable by using the supplied remote.
WARNING: Some manufacturers preset their receivers with the Sub-Out [A.K.A. LFE)
channel 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
receiver manual for the individual channel level adjustment procedure. If your receiver
Sub-Out channel is set too low, the subwoofer may appear to have a weak output, it may
sound noisy or distorted, and the Auto On/Off feature may not operate properly.
(4) Mic Input
Connect the supplied microphone for the Auto-EQ feature to this mini-jack input.
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Figure 2. Qptimum Rear Panel Connections
Figure 2 shows the connections on the rear panel of the Optimum.
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