S218s PASSIVE SUBWOOFER USER'S MANUAL 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 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. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer. 10. Use only with a 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. PORTABLE CART WARNING Carts and stands - The Component should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer. A Component and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the Component and cart combination to overturn. 11. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as powersupply 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. 12. Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing loss. Individuals vary considerably in susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss, but nearly everyone will lose some hearing if exposed to sufficiently intense noise for a period of time. The U.S. Government's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specified the permissible noise level exposures shown in the following chart. According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of these permissible limits could result in some hearing loss. To ensure against potentially dangerous exposure to high sound pressure levels, it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high sound pressure levels use hearing protectors while the equipment is in operation. Ear plugs or protectors in the ear canals or over the ears must be worn when operating the equipment in order to prevent permanent hearing loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here. Duration Per Day In Hours 8 6 4 3 2 1.5 1 0.5 0.25 or less Sound Level dBA, Slow Response 90 92 95 97 100 102 105 110 115 Typical Example Duo in small club Subway Train Very loud classical music Tami screaming at Adrian about deadlines Loudest parts at a rock concert WARNING -- To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture. 2 INTRODUCTION Thank you for choosing the Mackie S218s sound reinforcement subwoofer. The S218s is a professional passive subwoofer, designed to complement our professional line of passive and active loudspeakers, powered mixers, and power amplifiers. It is capable of extremely high sound-pressure levels, and designed to give you the best performance of any subwoofer in its class and price range. The S218s features an 18-inch high-power low-frequency woofer in a bass-reflex designed cabinet. The woofer incoporates technology used in large-format touring systems and is virtually indestructible. Connecting and setting up the S218s is a breeze. It accepts a speaker-level signal via either a Neutrik Speakon® connector or female 1/4-inch TS (Tip/Sleeve) connector. The built-in low-pass filter allows you to connect a full-range signal directly to the input of the subwoofer. The cabinet is constructed using 15 mm multi-layer birch plywood. A carrying handle is integrated into each side for easy loading and transport. CONTENTS IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................................2 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................3 HOOKUP DIAGRAMS ...............................................................................................................................4 Quick-Start........................................................................................................................................................................... 4 CONNECTIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 6 PLACEMENT ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Room Acoustics .................................................................................................................................................................. 6 SERVICE INFORMATION ......................................................................................................................... 8 Warranty Service ............................................................................................................................................................... 8 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Repair .................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 CARE AND MAINTENANCE .................................................................................................................... 9 S218s SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 9 S218s LIMITED WARRANTY ...................................................................................................................11 Don't forget to visit our website at www.mackie.com for more information about this and other Mackie products. Part No. 0014529 Rev. B 3/05 ©2005 LOUD Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3 HOOKUP DIAGRAMS Quick-Start Make all initial connections with the power switches OFF on all equipment. Make sure all master volume, level, or gain controls are all the way down. 1. Connect the line-level outputs from your mixing console (or other signal source) to the inputs of your power amplifier. Connect the "Speaker Output" from your power amplifier (or powered mixer) to one of the input connectors on the S218s. S215 S218s S218s S215 3. 4. 5. Turn on your mixing console (or other signal source). Turn on the amplifier. Turn up its volume or gain control(s) as recommended by the manufacturer. Start the signal source, whether it be speaking into a microphone or starting a CD player. Adjust the volume controls on the mixer (or other signal source) for normal operation. 2. POWERED MIXER MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SPEAKERS IN PARALLEL IS 2 PER POWERED MIXER OR AMPLIFIED CHANNEL S218S AND S215: WITH A MACKIE POWERED MIXER, USING THE SPEAKONS AS THRU JACKS S218s S218s DESIGNED BY MACKOIDS IN WHITINSVILLE, MA & WOODINVILLE, WA,USA "MACKIE" AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC. · COPYRIGHT ©2004 S215 S215 DESIGNED BY MACKOIDS IN WHITINSVILLE, MA & WOODINVILLE, WA,USA "MACKIE" AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC. · COPYRIGHT ©2004 S215 S215 DESIGNED BY MACKOIDS IN WHITINSVILLE, MA & WOODINVILLE, WA,USA "MACKIE" AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC. · COPYRIGHT ©2004 S218s S218s DESIGNED BY MACKOIDS IN WHITINSVILLE, MA & WOODINVILLE, WA,USA "MACKIE" AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC. · COPYRIGHT ©2004 + - + - + - NOMINAL IMPEDANCE: 8 OHMS POWER HANDLING: CONT/ 500W · PEAK / 2000W NOMINAL IMPEDANCE: 8 OHMS POWER HANDLING: CONT/ 350W · PEAK / 1400W NOMINAL IMPEDANCE: 8 OHMS POWER HANDLING: CONT/ 350W · PEAK / 1400W + - PIN 1 + NL4 PIN 1 - PIN 1 + NL4 PIN 1 - PIN 1 + NL4 PIN 1 - SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE PIN 1 + NL4 PIN 1 - SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE Stereo Power Amplifier Left Line-level Output Mixer or Preamplifier Right Line-level Output 1202-VLZPRO S218S AND S215: WITH A MIXER AND POWER AMPLIFIER 4 NOMINAL IMPEDANCE: 8 OHMS POWER HANDLING: CONT/ 500W · PEAK / 2000W TIP 1/4" SLEEVE TIP 1/4" SLEEVE TIP 1/4" SLEEVE + - + - + - + - TIP 1/4" SLEEVE S215 S215 Pole Mount Stereo Power Amplifier Pole Mount Thru Stereo Power Amplifier S218s Left Line-level Output Mixer or Preamplifier Right Line-level Output 1202-VLZ PRO S218s S218S AND S215: WITH A MIXER AND TWO POWER AMPLIFIERS SA1521z SA1521z Pole Mount Power Cord Pole Mount Power Cord Thru Stereo Power Amplifier S218s Left Line-level Output Mixer or Preamplifier Right Line-level Output 1202-VLZ PRO S218s S218S AND SA1521Z: WITH A MIXER AND POWER AMPLIFIER 5 CONNECTIONS The S218s has two connectors. One is a Neutrik SpeakonTM connector and the other is a female 1/4" TS connector. These connectors are wired in parallel, and can be used either as an input from a power amplifier, or as a "thru" connection for connecting the full-range input signal to another speaker's input. NEVER connect more than one output from a power amplifier to the S218s inputs. PLACEMENT The S218s subwoofer is designed to sit on the floor or stage. A socket is provided on the top of the cabinet for mounting another speaker on top of the S218s, like the Mackie S215, SA1521z, SR1521z, SRM350, or SRM450 speakers. Use the optional Mackie speaker mounting pole (SPM100) to mount them on the S218s (see Hookup Diagrams on page 5). WARNING: The cabinet has no rigging points and is not suitable for rigging. NEVER attempt to suspend the S218s by its handles. As with any powered components, protect them from moisture. If you are setting them up outdoors, make sure they are under cover if you expect rain. Keep in mind, when connecting two or more speakers in parallel using the "thru" connections, that you want to be sure not to go below the minimum impedance requirements for your power amplifier. The S218s has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Two 8 ohm cabinets in parallel equals 4 ohms. Three 8 ohm cabinets in parallel equals 2.7 ohms. Four 8 ohm cabinets in parallel equals 2 ohms. Use high-quality speaker cable as recommended by the power amplifier manufacturer. DO NOT use coaxial shielded cable like a guitar cord to make speaker connections. They are not designed to handle the high currents required to drive a loudspeaker. The Speakon connector is wired as follows: Pin 1+ = Signal ("+" or hot) Pin 1­ = Ground ("­" or cold) 1­ 1+ Room Acoustics The S218s subwoofers are designed to sound as neutral as possible; that is, to reproduce the input signal as accurately as possible. Room acoustics play a crucial role in the overall performance of a sound system. Here are some additional placement tips to help overcome some typical room problems that might arise: · Avoid placing loudspeakers in the corners of a room. This increases the low frequency output and can cause the sound to be muddy and indistinct. Avoid placing loudspeakers against a wall. This, too, increases the low frequency output, though not as much as corner placement. However, if you do need to reinforce the low frequencies, this is a good way to do it. Avoid placing the speakers directly on a hollow stage floor. A hollow stage can resonate at certain frequencies, causing peaks and dips in the frequency response of the room. It's better to place the loudspeakers on a sturdy table or stand designed to handle the weight of the cabinet(s). · · 1­ 2+ 2­ 1+ COLD HOT Speakon Connectors The 1/4" TS jack is wired as follows: Tip = Signal ("+" or hot) Sleeve = Ground ("­" or cold) SLEEVE SLEEVE TIP TIP TIP SLEEVE 1/4" TS Connectors 6 · Position the loudspeakers so the high-frequency drivers are 2 to 4 feet above ear level for the audience (make allowances for a standing/dancing in the aisles audience). High frequencies are highly directional and tend to be absorbed much easier than lower frequencies. By providing direct line-ofsight from the loudspeakers to the audience, you increase the overall brightness and intelligibility of the sound system. Highly reverberant rooms, like many gymnasiums and auditoriums, are a nightmare for sound system intelligibility. Multiple reflections off the hard walls, ceiling, and floor play havoc with the sound. Depending on the situation, you may be able to take some steps to minimize the reflections, such as putting carpeting on the floors, closing draperies to cover large glass windows, or hanging tapestries or other materials on ...