® ES SERIES ES150PW, ES250PW (230V) OWNER'S GUIDE English IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions. 3. Heed all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions. 5. Do not use this apparatus near water. 6. Clean only with a dry cloth. 7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. 8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. 9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or groundingtype plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong is provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet. 10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the apparatus. 11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer. 12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over. 13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time. 14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, or the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally or has been dropped. 15. Do not expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing and ensure that no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the apparatus. 16. To completely disconnect this apparatus from the AC Mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug from the AC receptacle. 17. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall remain readily operable. 18. Do not expose batteries to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire or the like. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, 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 within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture. 2 INTRODUCTION JBL® ES150PW/ES250PW Wireless Powered Subwoofers For more than 60 years, JBL audio equipment has been used in concert halls, recording studios and movie theaters around the world, and has become the hands-down choice of leading recording artists and sound engineers. With the JBL ES Series, innovative technologies such as titaniumlaminate-dome tweeters, Elliptical Oblate SpheroidalTM (EOS) waveguides and PolyPlasTM transducer reinforcement are available to you. Enjoy! In addition, the ES150PW/ES250PW's compact enclosure and wireless capability allow for easy integration into any residential environment. Enjoy! Unpacking the Subwoofer If you suspect damage from transit, report it immediately to your dealer. Keep the shipping carton and packing materials for future use. Included 1 x Owner's manual 1 x Subwoofer 1 x 230V AC cord for subwoofer ­ SCHUKO plug 1 x 230V AC cord for subwoofer ­ UK plug 1 x 5m Audio cable, RCA-RCA 1 x Transmitter module 1 x Power supply for transmitter 1 x 230V AC power cord for transmitter power supply ­ SCHUKO plug 1 x 230V AC power cord for transmitter power supply ­ UK plug 1 x 2m Audio cable, RCA-RCA 1 x Wall-mount bracket for transmitter (with two pan-head M3 x 4 machine screws for attaching wall-mount bracket to transmitter) 4 x Small, round, self-adhesive feet ­ to be attached on transmitter's left side panel if transmitter is to be used vertically PLACEMENT Since the installation of a subwoofer can be somewhat more complicated than installation of full-range speakers, it is essential that you read this section very carefully prior to connecting the subwoofer to your system. Should you have questions relating to your installation, it is advisable to contact either your dealer or the JBL Customer Service Department for advice. The ES150PW/ES250PW's wireless capability makes it even easier to properly locate the subwoofer in your room. The performance of the subwoofer is directly related to its placement in the listening room and how you align the subwoofer with its satellite speakers. Setting the volume of the subwoofer in relationship to the left and right speakers is also of critical importance because it is essential that the subwoofer integrate smoothly with the entire system. Setting the subwoofer's volume level too high will result in overpowering, boomy bass. Setting the volume level too low will negate the benefits of the subwoofer. Here are several additional facts on installation that may prove useful. It is generally believed by most audio authorities that low frequencies (below 125Hz) are nondirectional and, therefore, placement of a subwoofer within any listening room is not critical. While in theory it is true that the larger wavelengths of extremely low frequencies are basically nondirectional, the fact is that, when installing a subwoofer within the limited confines of a room, reflections, standing waves and absorptions generated within the room will strongly influence the performance of any subwoofer system. As a result, specific location of the subwoofer becomes important, and we strongly recommend that you experiment with placement before choosing a final location. Placement will depend upon your room and the amount and quality of bass required (for example, whether or not your room permits placement of the subwoofer near either satellite). SUB RIGHT CHANNEL SPEAKER PRIMARY LISTENING AREA Figure 1. This example shows the subwoofer positioned behind the right-channel satellite speaker to re-create the actual location of bass instruments in an orchestra and/or add impact to movie soundtracks. 3 English CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS Rear Panel 0 Power Switch 1 Line-Level Inputs 2 LFE Input 3 Low-Pass Selector (Wireless Input Only) 4 ID-Code Selector ¶ Antenna Phase ª Level · 5 Crossover Adjustment Control § Wireless ID Code Off Crossover [Hz] 6 Subwoofer-Level (Volume) Control 7 Phase Switch 8 Wireless Antenna On Low-Pass ¢ Transmitter TM L R £ LFE 9 Transmitter Antenna A Transmitter Power-Supply Input B Transmitter ID-Code Selector Sub In Power On ¡ Off C Transmitter Sub Input ID CODE DC18V 1234 Sub In , / < 4 SYSTEM CONNECTIONS Choose either Wireless or Wired connection, then follow the appropriate instructions. WIRELESS Connecting the Subwoofer for Wireless Applications SUBWOOFER OR LFE OUTPUT WIRED Connecting the Subwoofer for Wired Applications If you have a Dolby® Digital or DTS® receiver/processor with a low-frequency-effects (LFE) or subwoofer output: SUBWOOFER OR LFE OUTPUT Level ID CODE DC18V Crossover [Hz] 1234 Sub In Wireless ID Code Off Off Onn O Low-Pass Low-Pass 1. Connect a subwoofer cable from the subwoofer or LFE output of your receiver to the Sub C on the transmitter. 2. Plug the transmitter module's power supply into the wall outlet, and connect the included power cord to the transmitter A. Make sure the Transmitter Antenna 9 is extended upward. 3. Set the ID code on the transmitter and subwoofer (B and 4) to the same position, as described on page 6. When connected properly, the LED on the top of the subwoofer will be orange. 4. Set the Low-Pass Selector 3 to the "Off" position. NOTE: Some receivers have two subwoofer outputs. In that case, use either connector. L R LFE Sub In Line In If your receiver/processor does not contain a Dolby Digital or DTS processor, but has subwoofer outputs: RECEIVER/PROCESSOR Level Crossover [Hz] Wireless ID Code Off On Low-Pass L R LFE Sub In Line In NOTE: If your receiver/processor has only one sub out, you may use either the L or R input. 5 English OPERATION Power On Connect your signal source (such as an A/V receiver or preamplifier) to the transmitter (if using a wireless connection) or to the subwoofer (if using a wired connection). Two single-RCA cords are provided. While you would ordinarily use the short cable to connect to the transmitter or the long one to connect to the subwoofer, either cable can be used, depending on proximity to the signal source. There is no need or benefit gained from connecting the same source to both the transmitter and the subwoofer. However, you could connect two separate sources to the subwoofer by utilizing both its wired and wireless connections. Both signals will essentially be mixed and outputted by the subwoofer. Plug your transmitter's (if using a wireless connection) and subwoofer's AC cord into a wall outlet. Do not use the outlets on the back of the receiver for the subwoofer. Initially set the Subwoofer-Level Control 6 to the "min" position. Turn on your sub by pressing the Power Switch 0 on the rear panel. Turn on your entire audio system and start a CD or movie soundtrack at a moderate level. Auto On/Standby Transmitter (Wireless Connection Only): The Status LED (not shown) will be lit in red when the unit is in Standby. When the transmitter receives an audio signal from the source, it will immediately turn on and the LED will turn to blinking green or solid green: RED = STANDBY (No signal detected, transmitter off) GREEN (BLINKING) = Transmitter is on but has not established a link with the wireless sub GREEN (SOLID) = Transmitter is on and has already established a link with the wireless sub The transmitter will automatically enter Standby mode after approximately 10 minutes when no signal is detected from your system. Subwoofer: With the Power Switch 0 in the ON position, the Status LED on the top will remain lit to indicate the On/Standby mode of the subwoofer. RED = STANDBY (No signal detected, Amp Off) GREEN = SUB ON (Wired signal detected, Amp On) ORANGE = SUB ON (Wireless link with transmitter active) The subwoofer will automatically enter the Standby mode after approximately 10 minutes when no signal is detected from your system. The subwoofer will then power ON instantly when a signal is detected. During periods of normal use, the Power Switch 0 can be left on. You may turn off the Power Switch 0 for extended periods of nonoperation, e.g., when you are away on vacation. Getting Started Confirm that the Status LED on the transmitter is on (red or green), the Status LED on the subwoofer is on (red, orange or green) and an RCA cable is connected from a source unit to either the LFE Input of the subwoofer 2 or transmitter C or L and R inputs 1 on the subwoofer. Play a CD or video. Use a selection that has ample bass information. If using a wireless connection, the Status LED on the transmitter should be lit in solid green, and the Status LED on the subwoofer should turn orange if connected wirelessly. If the LED on the transmitter is blinking in green and the LED on the subwoofer is in red or green, a wireless link has not been established between the transmitter and the subwoofer. If connecting directly to the subwoofer without using the wireless link, the Status LED on the subwoofer should be lit green. If the LED on the subwoofer remains red, check that the RCA cable from the source to subwoofer (wired connection) or transmitter (wireless connection) is functioning properly and that it is fully inserted at both ends, or that the Transmitter IDCode Selector B and the Subwoofer ID-Code Selector 4 are set to the same channel. Once you have a green or orange LED on the subwoofer, turn your Subwoofer-Level Control 6 up halfway so that the knob indicator points up. You should now be hearing bass information coming from the subwoofer. Adjust Level Set the overall volume control of the preamplifier or stereo to a comfortable level. Adjust the Subwoofer-Level Control 6 until you obtain a pleasing blend of bass. Bass response should not overpower the room but rather be adjusted so there is a harmonious blend across the entire musical range. Many users have a tendency to set the subwoofer volume too loud, adhering to the belief that a subwoofer is there to produce lots of bass. This is not entirely true. A subwoofer is there to enhance bass, extending the response of the entire system so the bass can be felt as well as heard. However, overall balance must be maintained or the music will not sound natural. An experienced listener will set the volume of the subwoofer so its ...