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WILSON AUDIO POLARIS User manual

Polaris Owner’s Manual
Polaris Owner’s Manual
Wilson Audio® is a registered trademark of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
Sophia®, Sasha, Wilson Audio Duette, WATT/Puppy®, MAXX, X-1 Grand SLAMM®,
Polaris® and Alexandria® are registered trademarks of Wilson Audio Specialties,
Inc.
WilsonGloss™, WATCH® Center, WATCH® Surround, and WATCH® Dog are trade-
marks of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc. The Wilson Audio Duette is also a product of
Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
This manual was produced by the Wilson Audio Engineering and the Sales and Mar-
keting Departments. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. Current Revision 3.0. If you are in need of a more recent manual, please
contact your dealer.
The information in this manual is the sole property of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
Any reproduction, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of
Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc., is prohibited. No material contained herein may be
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose,
without the express written permission of Wilson Audio Specialties, Inc.
Polaris o wner’sM anual
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Contents
Polaris o wner’sM anual ��������������������������������������������� 1
section 1 � 1 – i ntroduction������������������������������������������ 9
More o n A sphericAl p ropAgAtion delAy����������������������� 13
section 2 � 1 – u ncrating the P olaris ���������������������������� 17
initiAl c heck ������������������������������������������������������ 17
UncrAting the p olAris ������������������������������������������� 17
section 2 � 2 – c r a t e c ontent c hecklist ������������������������� 17
polAris c r A t e ����������������������������������������������������� 18
section 3 � 1 – t h e w ilson a udio s etuP P rocedure ������������ 23
FinAl l istening r ooM s etUp ( V oicing)������������������������� 23
Zone o F n eUtrAlity: M Ain l eFt And r ight c hAnnel ��������� 23
section 3 � 2 – r ooM a coustics ������������������������������������� 25
slAp e cho���������������������������������������������������������� 25
stAnding W A V e s ��������������������������������������������������� 28
coMb F ilter e FFect ����������������������������������������������� 29
section 3 � 3 – r esonances ������������������������������������������ 29
strUctUrAl r esonAnce������������������������������������������� 30
VolUMe r esonAnce ������������������������������������������������ 30
section 3 � 4 – Y our r ooM ������������������������������������������� 31
rooM s hApes ������������������������������������������������������ 31
polAris i n Ad edicAted h oMe t heAter ������������������������� 32
speAker p lAceMent V ersUs l istening p osition �������������� 33
speAker o rientAtion ��������������������������������������������� 33
polAris ������������������������������������������������������������� 34
section 4 � 1 – i nitial a sseMblY ������������������������������������ 37
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Ta b l e o fC onTenTsPo l a r i s o w n e r ’sM anualPo l a r i s o w n e r ’sM anual
reMoVing the p rotectiVe F ilM ���������������������������������� 37
section 4 � 2 – g eoMetric t iMe d oMain a lignMent�������������� 38
MAteriAls r eqUired����������������������������������������������� 38
propAgAtion delAy A lignMent ����������������������������������� 38
rooM s etUp �������������������������������������������������������� 38
AlignMent p rocedUre �������������������������������������������� 39
section 4 � 3 – M ounting the M idrange M odule ���������������� 42
MAteriAls r eqUired����������������������������������������������� 42
instAll the M idrAnge M odUle����������������������������������� 43
section 4 � 4 – M ounting the t weeter M odule ������������������ 44
section 4 � 5 – c onnecting u PPer M odules’ s ignal c able���� 44
section 4 � 6 – s Pike i nstallation ���������������������������������� 45
spike A sseMbly ���������������������������������������������������� 45
section 4 � 7 – u sing the l ift t o i nstall s Pikes ���������������� 46
MAteriAls r eqUired����������������������������������������������� 46
instAllAtion p rocedUre ������������������������������������������ 47
leVeling the p olAris ��������������������������������������������� 48
s ection 4 � 8 – r esistors�������������������������������������������� 49
MidrAnge And t Weeter r esistors ������������������������������ 50
WooFer d AMping r esistor ��������������������������������������� 50
section 4 � 9 – b reak-i n P eriod ������������������������������������ 51
section 5 � 1 – t iPs for f inal t uning and V oicing, t heater� � � 5 5
section 5 � 2 - l eft and r ight c hannels ������������������������� 56
deterMining F ront t o b Ack d istAnce ������������������������� 56
deterMining s ide t o s ide d istAnce ���������������������������� 57
section 5 � 3 - i ntegrating the P olaris into at heater ������� 58
Polaris o wner’sM anual
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integrAting the p olAris A s Acenter chAnnel���������������� 58
iMAge h eight������������������������������������������������������� 59
correct p olArity ������������������������������������������������� 59
integrAting the W A t c h s UrroUnd c hAnnels ���������������� 59
integrAting the p AssiVe W A t c h d o g o r t hor’sh AMMer � � 6 0
section 6 � 1 – c are o f the f inish ��������������������������������� 63
dUsting the p olAris���������������������������������������������� 63
cAre o F the g rills ����������������������������������������������� 63
section 6 � 2 – e nclosure t echnologY ���������������������������� 64
MAteriAls ���������������������������������������������������������� 64
AdhesiVe ������������������������������������������������������������ 65
section 6 � 3 – d ePth o f d esign ������������������������������������ 65
section 7 � 1 – t roubleshooting: ����������������������������������� 69
section 8 � 1 - r ePair P rocedures ��������������������������������� 73
replAcing Ab loWn r esistor������������������������������������ 73
replAcing Ad AMAged d riVer������������������������������������ 74
section 9 � 1 - P olaris s Pecifications ���������������������������� 79
enclosUre t ype: �������������������������������������������������� 79
driVers: ������������������������������������������������������������ 79
MeAsUreMents: ���������������������������������������������������� 79
diMensions: �������������������������������������������������������� 79
Polaris d iMensions ��������������������������������������������������� 80
Polaris i MPedance c u r V e �������������������������������������������� 81
section 1 0 � 1 – P olaris P roPagation d e l a Y t able ������������ 85
footnotes t o a lignMent t ables ����������������������������������� 89
section 1 1 � 1 – w arrantY i nforMation ��������������������������� 93
Ta b l e o fC onTenTsPo l a r i s o w n e r ’sM anualPo l a r i s o w n e r ’sM anual
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liMited W ArrAnty ������������������������������������������������� 93
conditions ��������������������������������������������������������� 93
reMedy�������������������������������������������������������������� 94
WArrAnty l iMited t o o riginAl p UrchAser �������������������� 94
deMonstrAtion e qUipMent ��������������������������������������� 95
MiscellAneoUs����������������������������������������������������� 95
Polaris o wner’sM anual
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Polaris o wner’sM anual
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Wilson Audio SpecialtiesWilson Audio Specialties
Section 1 – Introduction
Section 1.1 – Introduction
From all of us at Wilson Audio Specialties—thank you for purchasing the Polaris loud-
speaker. The information contained within the pages of this manual will inform and instruct
on the proper assembly, set up, and long term care of your Polaris.
The Polaris was formulated and engineered with a specific function in mind: a loud-
speaker endowed with similar authority and dynamic range as Wilson’s large floorstand-
ing loudspeakers, Alexandria® X-2 and MAXX®, but in a low-profile package. When used
as a center channel, Polaris seamlessly matches the acoustic signature of Wilson’s larger
loudspeakers – whether the main left/right speakers are Alexandrias, MAXXs or two more
Polarises. The Polaris also provides an unprecedented level of musical accuracy in music
systems and home theaters where its low-profile form solves architectural challenges, such
as in those installations where a tall loudspeaker would block the view afforded by large
windows, or would obstruct wall-hanging artwork. Whether it is used as a center channel
or as a main loudspeaker, Polaris matches the tonal beauty, dynamic speed, tonal sophis-
tication, resolution, and sense of “thereness” of its taller Wilson brethren.
The Polaris is the latest effort from the Wilson Special Applications Engineering™
team. Arguably Wilson’s first Special Applications product was the WATT. Dave needed
an accurate and portable location monitor for the series of audiophile recordings he was
making at the time. In a way, Dave began the project out of frustration; nothing available
on the market suited his exacting need. Dave set out to design and build a monitor for this
specific purpose. The result was the Wilson Audio Tiny Tot (WATT). Everything about the
WATT’s form was incorporated by Dave to serve its purpose as a portable monitor. This
was perhaps best signified by the thick cylindrical aluminum handle that traversed the
two blades in the rear of the WATT, which was placed so as to provide Dave a safe and
convenient handle by which to carry the speaker into and out of the recording locations.
Prior to Polaris, Duette was the Wilson Special Applications Engineering team’s most am-
11
Wilson Audio Specialties
seCTion 1 . 1 – i nTroduCTion
bitious project. Here, the goal was to design a loudspeaker that would perform to Wilson
Standards in environments hostile to good sound, such as against a wall or in a custom
cabinet. Duette changed what was previously thought possible for these types of installa-
tions, bringing Wilson’s trademark transparency, tonal accuracy, and dynamic agility to the
12
figure 1 – using technologY froM alexandria and Maxx, Polaris’sModules MoVe asPheri-
callY to correct ProPagation delaY�
Figure 1a- Typical loudspeakers exhibiT less Than opTimum
propagaTion delay and dispersion characTerisTics. The sound
qualiTy is compromised For all lisTeners in all rooms.
Figure 1b- aspherical propagaTion delay opTimizes driver/room
inTeracTion For avarieTy oF siTuaTions. This provides consisTenTly
opTimized resulTs in awide range oF rooms and lisTening posiTions.
Polaris o wner’sM anual
12
Wilson Audio Specialties
“architectural” arena.
Among the technical innovations of the Polaris:
• ThePolarisfeaturestheground-breakingWilsonmidrangedriversdevel-
oped originally for the Alexandria Series 2. When listening to live music,
there is an audible interaction between the hall and the instruments in the
ensemble. With every previous loudspeaker design—including those from
Wilson, this nuance of live music was obscured. Dave Wilson and Wilson’s
engineers teamed up with a new driver to implement a new design strat-
egy inspired by Dave’s ongoing research into the sound of live, unampli-
fied music. They set out to redefine what was possible in cone midrange
technology—and to capture certain qualities of live music heretofore not
achieved in any other design. Their efforts were rewarded and the result
was the new Wilson midrange driver. One has to hear the clarity, tonal
density and truthfulness, and dynamic clarity to appreciate the resulting
vast improvement in the midrange over other designs.
• ThetweeterisalsoderivedfromtheAlexandriaX-2Series2.Alltweeter
diaphragms are partially acoustically transparent. Any out phase or time-
delayed reflections that make their way out of the front of the diaphragm
is heard and measured as noise and distortion. The Polaris tweeter employs
proprietary materials in combination with proven mechanical configura-
tions that are extremely effective at reducing these time-delayed reflections
behind the inverted dome, preventing them from corrupting the primary
wave. This tweeter excels in all areas of high-frequency performance: clari-
ty, dynamic expression, sweetness of tone, and resolution. It is an excellent
companion for the Wilson midrange driver. The resulting fabric of tonal
beauty woven by these two drivers is both seamless and complete—richly
portraying instruments as they are heard in life.
• All-newmodulardesignandmidrange/tweeterarraygeometrydesigned
to address the challenges of a low-profile design, with the two woofers
mounted horizontally and flanking the mids. Two modules, one for the
midrange drivers and the other for the tweeter, are each acoustically opti-
mized in terms of volume, structural rigidity, and low cabinet resonance.
seCTion 1 . 1 – i nTroduCTion
13
Wilson Audio Specialties
•AsphericalPropagationDelay.Achievingnearperfecttime-alignmentat
the listening position requires adjusting both the rotational angle of each
module (for proper dispersion) and the time-alignment of the drivers (each
module’s relative distance to the listener). Polaris joins the Alexandria and
Maxx Series 3 as the only speakers with this feature. As in other Wilson
loudspeakers, Wilson provides a nomograph with the necessary modular
adjustment data for any type of installation.
•Crossovers.ApplyingnewtechnologyadaptedfromtheSeries2Alexan-
dria, MAXX Series 3, and Sasha W/P. The goal was to continue to reduce
propagation delay jitter and to lower the noise floor. Polaris’s overall reso-
lution, intertransient silence, dynamic speed and nuance rival MAXX and
Alexandria.
•“S”Materialmidrangebaffle.S-materialisanewenclosurecompositede-
signed in conjunction with the Sasha W/P project. The S-material midrange
baffle reduces measurable and audible noise and coloration in the critical
midrange. Wilson’s proprietary X-material is used in the balance of the en-
closure walls, continuing Wilson’s practice of building ultra-low resonance
cabinets.
•Newproprietarywoofer.Workingwithanoutsidevendor,theWilsonen-
gineering team designed a new ten inch woofer. The design goal was to
marry the high-speed, dynamic range, and low-frequency reach typical of
Wilson loudspeakers to a compact, low-profile cabinet. Transient speed
and grand-scale weight and authority, typically mutually exclusive loud-
speaker traits, are revealed by Polaris with alacrity and effortlessness.
• Front-firingport.Polaris’sbassportislocatedonthefrontofthecabinet.
The Polaris can be placed near a wall, which is often needed when the
center channel is located just beneath the movie screen, without compro-
mising low-frequency linearity or transient speed.
14
Polaris o wner’sM anual
14
Wilson Audio Specialties
More on Aspherical Propagation delay
A musical waveform is a complex overlay of frequencies, amplitudes, and phase
relationships. With current technology, no single transducer can reproduce the full range
of music at realistic sound pressure levels while maintaining consistent dispersion. The
solution is the multiple driver array, with specific drivers dedicated to various portions
of the frequency range. Multiple drivers introduce their own set of problems. A challenge
typically ignored by speaker designers is preserving the precise time relationships of the
leading edge of the musical waveform.
The key to solving this problem lies in Wilson’s innovative and patented Adjustable
Propagation Delay technology, which employs movable modules that allow the individual
adjustment of the drivers in the time domain. Using this technology, each driver’s wave-
form propagation “matches up” with the other drivers in the system in such a way as to
create the sonic equivalent of a single point source. There are certain loudspeaker makers
other than Wilson that recognize the need to correctly align their drivers, but they do so
for only one theoretical listening position.
The fact is, misalignment of the drivers by fractions of an inch will audibly degrade
transient accuracy, soundstage height, depth, and width. Misalignment of the drivers will
also introduce tonal anomalies that destroy the otherwise convincing “presence” of an in-
strument or a singer’s voice. Wilson’s solution for propagation delay correction has long
set the standard for precise driver positioning in order to insure correct time-alignment for
a wide range of real room listening distances and ear heights.
The Polaris cabinet is a further evolution of Wilson’s philosophy that truly great
forms follow a corresponding function. It is a visual metaphor for the solution Wilson Au-
dio pioneered to address issues of phase coherence exacerbated by large speaker systems.
Typical of the creative process, the solution itself is an analogy to the field of optics and
the design of wide-angle lenses. The means of maintaining edge-to-edge sharpness at both
15
Wilson Audio Specialties
seCTion 1 . 1 – i nTroduCTion
close and far focusing distances for a high quality wide-angle lens suggested a solution to
the similar problem of time domain accuracy for large speaker systems at both near and far
listening positions.
With Polaris, Wilson Audio takes this concept a logical step further, addressing the
issue of optimal driver dispersion in the large cabinet system. Ideal driver dispersion for
both near and far listening positions requires the drivers be adjustable not only forward
and back, but also able to rotate on their vertical polar axes.
With Polaris, you and others you listen with, will hear your favorite recordings and
soundtracks with true time coherency, full frequency range, unfettered dynamics, and
vanishingly low distortion. The improvement in realism wrought by Polaris is delightfully
revolutionary.
Polaris o wner’sM anual
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Wilson Audio Specialties
Wilson Audio SpecialtiesWilson Audio Specialties
Section 2 – Uncrating your Polaris

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