Tapco SW-10 - Manual (Page 7)

7
reinforces the direct sound, putting less of
a demand on the power amplifi er to reach
higher sound pressure levels.
It is important that the corner has good
structural strength, or the low-frequency
energy can cause rattling and other
distracting vibrations.
Experiment with the orientation of the
subwoofer. The driver in the SW•10 faces out
the front. It may be helpful to play steady-
state tones or pink noise while a partner
moves the subwoofer (perhaps on a small
wheeled cart), to make it easier to hear the
differences in the sound as the changes in
placement and orientation are made.
Principle of Reciprocity
One trick that has been used successfully
to fi nd the best location for a subwoofer
is placing the subwoofer in your listening
position. The principle of reciprocity says
that you can fi nd the best location for the
subwoofer by switching places between
the listening position and the subwoofer
position. It is important that the cabinet be
raised off the ground and at the same level
as your ears. If that’s not possible, at least
put the subwoofer in the same location as
your listening position to achieve a close
approximation.
Play music with a good strong bass
line and crawl on the fl oor on your hands
and knees until you fi nd a spot where the
bass sounds the best, with a smooth, tight
response. Your ears need to be at the same
height that the subwoofer’s driver will be
when it is sitting on the fl oor. If you have
access to a real-time analyzer (RTA), play
pink noise over the system and use the RTA
to fi nd a location that exhibits the fl atest
bass response. Once you’ve found the
place where the bass sounds the best, put
the subwoofer there and it should sound just
as good from your listening position.
Polarity
The setting of the polarity switch can
affect how the low frequencies sound in
relation to the main speakers. Listen to bass-
heavy music with the polarity switch in and
out. In one position the low frequencies
should sound full, while in the other position
they may sound hollow and thin. Choose
the position that yields the fullest low-
frequency sound.
Feel free to experiment
In many respects, every room is unique
in terms of its acoustics. Even after you’ve
placed your subwoofer where you think it
will sound best, try moving it around. You
might be pleasantly surprised.
Additional Tidbits of Wisdom:
• Avoid using EQ to compensate for dips in the
frequency response caused by room modes. It is
better to place the subwoofer in a position where
dips are minimized and use the EQ to smooth out
any peaks.
• Provide at least six inches clearance around the
heatsink to allow air to get at it.
• Never listen to loud music for prolonged periods.
Please see the Safety Instructions on page 2 for
information on hearing protection.
• When you shut down your equipment, turn off
the SW•10 active studio subwoofer fi rst (and
any other powered speakers in the system) to
prevent thumps and other noises generated by
any upstream equipment from coming out the
speakers. When powering up, turn on the powered
speakers and subwoofer last.
• Save the shipping boxes and packing materials!
You may need them someday. Besides, your cat
will love playing in them and jumping out at you
unexpectedly. Remember to pretend like you are
surprised!
• Save your sales receipt in a safe place.
• Also record the SW•10 serial number in the space
provided on the inside front cover, along with
where and when you bought it.