Wisdom Sage ICS7a User manual

Owner’s Manual
Sage Series ICS7a
Planar Magnetic Hybrid Loudspeaker

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Table of Contents
Introduction | 3
Overview | 3
Unpacking and Installing the ICS7a| 5
Your ICS7a and Subwoofers | 8
Care and Maintenance | 9
North American Warranty | 10
Obtaining Service | 11
Specifications | 12
Dimensions | 13
DOCUMENT CONVENTIONS
This document contains general safety, installation, and operation instructions for the Wisdom
Audio Sage Series ICS7a Loudspeaker. It is important to read this document before attempting
to use this product. Pay particular attention to:
WARNING: Calls attention to a procedure, practice, condition or the like that, if not
correctly performed or adhered to, could result in injury or death.
CAUTION: Calls attention to a procedure, practice, condition or the like that, if not
correctly performed or adhered to, could result in damage to or destruction of part of or the
entire product.
Note: Calls attention to information that aids in the installation or operation of the product.

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Introduction
Congratulations on purchasing your Wisdom Audio loudspeakers. They in-
corporate many design features designed to give you decades of pleasure and
performance. Many of these design choices are uncommon among loudspeaker
manufacturers and bear some explanation. See the following section entitled
“Description” for more information.
While we expect your local Wisdom Audio dealer to take care of the setup and
calibration of the system, we still recommend that you at least briefly review this
and your other manuals to better understand your system’s full capabilities.
You do not have to do anything to register your warranty for your Wisdom Audio
products. (Isn’t that a pleasant surprise?)
In the unlikely event that your loudspeakers ever require service, please contact the
dealer from whom you purchased them. Between their records and ours, you
should be all set.
However, please keep your sales receipt in a safe and easily found place. Should
you move or lose touch with your original dealer, it will serve as your proof of
purchase for warranty purposes.
Overview
Your Sage Series ICS7a loudspeakers take advantage of several critical technologies
to deliver a level of performance that has never been available in a loudspeaker
that intruded so modestly on your living space. In fact, this level of performance
has rarely been attained, regardless of the space and budget at one’s disposal.
Since several of these technologies cannot readily be found elsewhere, we will take
the time to describe them in more detail than would be necessary for more
conventional designs.
Our planar magnetic drivers use an advanced, thin film membrane to move the air.
This film can respond instantly to the smallest detail in the signal. It has vastly less
inertia than traditional “cone & dome” drivers, so the signal is never blurred in any
way.

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One of the most remarkable things about the sound of well-designed planar
magnetic speakers is their lack of thermal or dynamic compression. There are
several reasons for this:
• The lightweight diaphragm responds quickly to even the smallest signals yet
is robust enough to handle a great deal of power. !
• The voice coil is laid out at and is exposed to the air on both sides; the large
resulting surface area dissipates heat extremely quickly and efficiently. !
• Since heat does not build up in the voice coil (as it does in conventional
dynamic drivers), the load seen by the amplifier does not change at high
power levels. !
When you become accustomed to the sound of your new Sage Series ICS7a
loudspeakers, conventional speakers sound a bit bland and lifeless. You may also
discover yourself hearing details at even modest levels on the ICS7athat were
previously inaudible even at loud volumes on more conventional speakers. !
The “voice coil” in the planar magnetic driver is spread out over a large, at area
that is exposed to the open air. As such, when a huge transient comes along, any
heat that is generated is immediately dissipated. This compares quite favor- ably to
other designs in which the voice coil is buried inside a massive piece of metal,
where the heat has effectively no place to go.
The excellent heat dissipation of these drivers makes them remarkably reliable.
Planar magnetic speakers can handle a great deal of power without undue stress or
audible strain. In fact, for a given size, they can handle many times the power of a
traditional dynamic driver.
Because the conductor of a planar magnetic driver is essentially a long, thin wire, it
presents a purely resistive load to the amplifier. This is comparable to the simple
test loads that amplifier companies use when measuring their amplifiers to show
how terrific they are. As such, you can be assured that your amplifiers will sound
and work their best.
Authoritative, deep bass requires that you move a lot of air. We have chosen to use
dynamic woofers for the bass because they can provide excellent performance at
lower frequencies.
To get comparable bass performance from a planar magnetic design, you would
need to have a huge speaker that would be impractical in most domestic living
spaces. It simply makes more sense to use the best transducer technology in each

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area of the reproduced spectrum. One of Wisdom Audio’s strengths is in seamlessly
blending these technologies – particularly important given the high standards set by
our planar magnetic drivers.
Of course, the dynamic woofers themselves must be rather extraordinary to “keep
up” with the planar magnetic drivers right up to the crossover frequency.
Many speakers include a mid-bass “bump” in their response to give the illusion of
going deeper in the bass than they actually do. Unfortunately, this “bump” makes
blending them seamlessly with a high-quality subwoofer almost impossible.
All Sage Series speakers have been designed for optimally at response to 80 Hz,
which is the most-common crossover frequency used with subwoofers.
Unpacking and Installing the ICS7a
Please exercise caution when unpacking your ICS7a to ensure that you do not
strain yourself from its (perhaps unexpected) weight.
1. Using the installation template included in the box, tack or tape the
template to the ceiling where the speaker module is to be installed.
2. Using a pencil or pen trace the outline of the cutout for the speaker.
3. Cut out the outline traced on the ceiling.
4. Carefully remove the magnetic grille, gripping the edge of the grille and
lifting it off the speaker from one side to the other to avoid damaging the
grille. Lay the grille on a flat surface.
5. Reach into the opening you cut into the ceiling and push any insulation out
of the space where the speaker module will be mounted. Make sure
insulation is not blocking the area in the ceiling where the dog toggles will
rest. If there is not any insulation in the ceiling, loosely fill the space with
insulation to reduce cavity resonances and improve the overall
performance.
6. Hold the speaker module near the cutout in the ceiling and connect the
cable to the + and - connectors on the rear of the speaker module, paying
attention to the polarity.
7. If the IC-LAT Laser accessory was purchased to make the installation more
precise, attach it to the speaker module now as shown in Fig.1. The guide
tabs on the IC-LAT must be aligned with the guide holes on the top of the

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Planar Magnetic Transducer housing. A. If the IC-LAT is used, proceed with
step 8. If the IC-LAT is NOT used, skip to step 9.
8. If the IC-LAT Laser is used: Turn the laser on the IC-LAT on by rotating the
thumbscrew slowly in a counter-clockwise direction until the laser is
activated. Rotate the speaker module until the IC-LAT laser is pointing to the
desired listening position. Tighten the four screws that control the dog-ears
until the speaker module is fixed tightly to the ceiling.
9. If the IC-LAT Laser is NOT used: Locate the directivity indicators on the rim
of the speaker module, Fig. 2 Rotate the speaker module until the directivity
indicators are centered on the desired listening position. Tighten the four
screws that control the dog-ears until the speaker module is fixed tightly to
the ceiling.
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10. Place the grille onto the speaker module so the scrim is facing the speaker
module and the edge of the grille slightly wraps the edge of the speaker
module. The grille is secured to the speaker module with magnets and will
gently snap into place.
11. IMPORTANT: Maximum ceiling thickness of the dog-ears on the ICS7a have
Fig. 2 Directivity indicators
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Fig. 1 IC-LAT attached to the ICS7a
Planar Magnetic Hybrid Loudspeaker
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a maximum opening of 2" (5.8 cm)
Extended Coverage Waveguide (ECW)
The purpose of the ECW is to allow the ICS7a to be used for more than one
purpose. Depending on your intended purpose the included ECW may or may not
be used.
Surround Sound
• Main Left, Center, and Right channels = No
• Side and or Rear channels = Yes
• Immersion audio overhead channels = Yes
Distributed Audio
• Hi-fidelity critical listening 2-CH = No
• Background music listening non-discriminating = Yes
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Ceiling Placement Guidelines - General
The ICS7a was designed to provide high quality audio for theaters, in-ceiling 2-CH,
and distributed audio. Special attention must be taken to ensure the loudspeaker’s
performance is not diminished by boundary effects. Installing the loudspeaker too
close to the adjacent walls may cause bass and lower midrange frequencies to be
amplified beyond factory recommendations.
With!ECW!Installed!
Without!ECW!Installed!

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A good rule to follow when installing the ICS7a is to keep the speaker no closer
than 12" from an adjacent wall, this will help to eliminate unwanted boundary
issues.
Ceiling Placement Angle
It is important to remember that the ICS7a is a high-performance in-ceiling speaker
like a high-quality floor or bookshelf speaker. This is important to remember when
placing the ICS7a in a room for either surround sound, distributed audio, or for a
hi-fidelity 2-CH listening experience.
For the optimal placement we recommend contacting us for custom assistance:
[email protected]
Your ICS7a and Subwoofers
All Sage Series loudspeakers are optimized for use with subwoofers, with a
crossover of 80 Hz. (This is the most common frequency below which subwoofers
are used.)
When properly installed in the wall, your ICS7a has inherently at response to 80
Hz, without the common “bass bump” that characterizes most in-wall speakers and
is placed there to yield the impression of “more bass” than there really is. This
makes it easy to blend seamlessly with a high-quality subwoofer such as one of
Wisdom Audio’s Regenerative Transmission Line™ (RTL™) subwoofers.
In some installations, the ICS7a may be used full range rather than with a
subwoofer. If so, we recommend using a high-performance Wisdom Audio SA
amplifier or something comparable with between 200-500 watts per channel.
For the best listening experience possible for either surround sound, distributed
audio, or 2-CH we recommend using a Wisdom Approved DSP/Calibration
System for the ultimate in equalization, delay, and room calibration.

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Care and Maintenance
To remove dust from the front of your ICS7a, use a feather duster or a lint-free soft
cloth.
To remove stubborn dirt and fingerprints from the grille, we recommend isopropyl
alcohol and a soft cloth. Lightly dampen the cloth with alcohol first and then clean
the grille of the ICS7a with the cloth. Do not use excessive amounts of alcohol –
there is no need for the cloth to be wet; merely damp is better.
Never attempt to clean the drivers themselves.
North American Warranty
Standard Warranty
When purchased from and installed by an authorized Wisdom Audio dealer,
Wisdom Audio loudspeakers are warranted to be free from defects in material and
workmanship under normal use for a period of 10 years from the original date of
purchase.
Furthermore, the transducers (“drivers”) in your Wisdom Audio speakers are
warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use
for a period of 10 years from the original date of purchase.
Harsh Conditions Use
Wisdom Audio loudspeakers are designed for installation and operation in
environmentally controlled conditions, such as are found in normal residential
environments. When used in harsh conditions such as outdoors or in marine
applications, the warranty is three years from the original date of purchase.
CAUTION!
Do not touch the surface of the planar magnetic drivers, under any
circumstances. The thin film has been carefully pre-tensioned at the factory; any
subsequent contact can only damage it.
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During the warranty period, any Wisdom Audio products exhibiting defects in
materials and/or workmanship will be repaired or replaced, at our option, without
charge for either parts or labor, at our factory. The warranty will not apply to any
Wisdom Audio products that has been misused, abused, altered, or installed and
calibrated by anyone other than an authorized Wisdom Audio dealer.
Any Wisdom Audio product not performing satisfactorily may be returned to the
factory for evaluation. Return authorization must first be obtained by either calling
or writing the factory prior to shipping the component. The factory will pay for
return shipping charges only if the component is found to be defective as
mentioned above. There are other stipulations that may apply to shipping charges.
There is no other express warranty on Wisdom Audio products. Neither this
warranty nor any other warranty, express or implied, including any implied
warranties of merchantability or fitness, shall extend beyond the warranty period.
No responsibility is assumed for any incidental or consequential damages. Some
states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts and other
states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential
damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights,
which vary from state to state. This warranty is applicable in the United States and
Canada only. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, please contact your local,
authorized Wisdom Audio distributor for warranty and service information.
Obtaining Service
We take great pride in our dealers. Experience, dedication, and integrity make
these professionals ideally suited to assist with our customers’ service needs.
If your Wisdom Audio loudspeaker must be serviced, please contact your dealer.
Your dealer will then decide whether the problem can be remedied locally, or
whether to contact Wisdom Audio for further service information or parts, or to
obtain a Return Authorization. The Wisdom Audio Service Department works
closely with your dealer to solve your service needs expediently.
IMPORTANT: Return authorization must be obtained from Wisdom Audio’s
Service Department BEFORE a unit is shipped for service.

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It is extremely important that information about a problem be explicit and
complete. A specific, comprehensive description of the problem helps your dealer
and the Wisdom Audio Service Department locate and repair the difficulty as
quickly as possible.
A copy of the original bill of sale will serve to verify warranty status. Please include
it with the unit when it is brought in for warranty service.
WARNING: All returned units must be packaged in their original packaging, and
the proper return authorization numbers must be marked on the outer carton for
identification. Shipping the unit in improper packaging may void the warranty, as
Wisdom Audio cannot be responsible for the resulting shipping damage.
Your dealer can order a new set of shipping materials for you if you need to ship
your loudspeaker and no longer have the original materials. There will be a charge
for this service. We strongly recommend saving all packing materials in case you
need to ship your unit someday.
If the packaging to protect the unit is, in our opinion or that of our dealer,
inadequate to protect the unit, we reserve the right to repackage it for return
shipment at the owner’s expense. Neither Wisdom Audio nor your dealer can be
responsible for shipping damage due to improper (that is, non-original) packaging.

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Specifications
All specifications are subject to change at any time to improve the product.
• Frequency response: 57Hz – 20 kHz +/- 3dB
• Crossover frequency: 650 Hz
• Nominal Impedance: 4.5Ω
• Minimum Impedance: 3.0Ω
• Sensitivity: 87 dB/2.83V/1m
• Minimum recommended power: 50w
• Power handling, continuous: 300w
• Peak handling, peak: 600w
• Maximum SPL: 105 dB @ 2.5m
• Round and optional square grille dimensions: 11.57" (29.4 cm)
• Cutout dimensions: 10-1/8" (25.9 cm)
• Dimensions: 11.57" x 11.57" x 6.57" (29cm x 29cm x 16.4cm)
• Shipping weight, each: 16 lbs. (7.3 kg)
For more information, see your Wisdom Audio dealer or contact: !
Wisdom Audio
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1572 College Parkway, Suite 164
Carson City, NV 89706
wisdomaudio.com
[email protected]
[phone]!

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ICS7a Dimensions

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Sage Series ICS7a OM © 11/2021 Wisdom Audio, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
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WISDOM and the stylized W are registered trademarks of Wisdom Audio.
Wisdom Audio!1572 College Parkway, Suite 164
Carson City, Nevada 89706 USA
TEL [phone]
FAX [phone]
wisdomaudio.com