Bose 501 Series IV Loud Owner's guide - Page 3

• • • PART 2 3. Speaker Placement Unique design of the 5or Series IV system provides excellent sound in a wide variety of listening environments. Any speaker system, however, is dependent upon its placement. To help your 501 system deliver optimum performance. and to help you decide between potential locations in your listening room, the following guidelines are suggested (see FIGURE 4): A. Spacing 1. Place the left and right speakers on the left and right sides of the room respectively, spaced 4 to 12 feet (1.2-3.6 m) apart 2. To hear the most accurate bass response in most rooms, set the speakers from 0 to 12 inches (30 cm) away from the rear wall, 3. Place the speakers at least 18 inches (45 cm) from the side walls. Optimum distance is 2 to 5 feet (0.6 1.5 rn). Large objects (furniture, etc.) should not be placed in front or to the far sides of the speakers NOTE: A large portion of the sound energy radiated by your 501 system comes through the far sides (i.e.. the left side of the left speaker, the right side of the right speaker) of the speakers. For this reason, it is important not to block or cover the far side grille panels. Place your speakers so that the fronts and far sides are at least two feet from any absorbent furnishings (stuffed chairs, heavy drapes, etc.) which can soak up high-frequency sound. It is riot always possible to follow placement directions exactly. If you must make a compromise in speaker placement. your first priority is to maintain the proper distance between the speakers and side walls. This will maximize performance in your listening area B. Room Acoustics 1. Your Pose' 501system performs best when sound energy is given room to develop "around" the speakers, reflecting off nearby walls. The speakers REAR WALL I0-12 inches (0-30 cm) 2-5 feet O (0.6-1.5 m), 4-12 feet (1.2-3.6 m) Left Speaker FIGURE 4 fiecanmeeden nlapEment inayera9e.sized os:oning roans. Right Speaker will sound best when they are positioned to reflect off hard surfaces such as wood, brick, glass. plasterboard, and/or sturdy paneling. 2. Your 501 speakers are designed to provide optimum sound reproduction when placed in a room with an average amount of sound absorbent furnishings (carpeting, wall hangings, and drapes). If your room contains few furnishings and has bare walls and floor. the music may sound unnaturally shrill or bright. A slight decrease in treble (use the control on your amplifier or receiver) should improve the sound. 3. If your listening room contains more absorbent furnishings than normal (stuffed furniture, unusually heavy carpeting, or many drapes), the music may sound dull and lifeless. A slight increase in treble (again using the control on your amplifier or receiver) should improve the sound. 4. If your music seems to be lacking in bass, improvement can usually be heard by moving the speakers closer to the wall behind them. Heavy "booming" bass can be tamed by moving the speakers away from walls. If moving tho speakers is not feasible, a slight increase in bass (using the control on your amplifier or receiver) should improve the sound. Inadequate bass response can also be caused by improper speaker phasing. Section 5, Phasing Test. gives details on proper phasing. 4. Wire Selection If the wire used to connect your speakers to your amplifier or receiver is too small audible coloration of the sound. and pcx.vor loss can occur. The accompanying table specifies minimum thickness of 2-conductor wire recommended for various speaker-to-amp distances. Standard 2-conductor zipcord (common lamp cord) can be used for speaker connection. This wire is often color coded. or has a ribbed line or lines running along one conductor for easy identification of the positive and negative leads.