Atlantic Technology High Performance Loudspeaker Components FS-3200 - Manual (Page 9)

Instruction Manual
9 System Setup
System Setup
Bass Management
Some older surround sound decoders and receivers offer a choice of “Nor-
mal” or “Wide-band” modes for the center channel speaker. The 3200 LR
and C speakers are designed to be used in the Normal mode.
Modern digital processing multi-channel systems provide a Bass Manage-
ment menu, which typically requires you to select between “Small” or “Large”
speakers during system set-up. Since these speakers have been designed to
work with a dedicated subwoofer, please set all the speakers to Small.
Many of the newer surround receivers and processors give you a choice
of subwoofer-to-satellite crossover frequency. If yours does, we recom-
mend that you start with a setting of around 80Hz for the smoothest blend
between the subwoofer and the 3200 speakers.
Operation of Rear Panel Controls on the FS-3200s
High Frequency Energy This control changes the
tilt or rolloff slope of the tweeter in order to com-
pensate for varying room acoustics. Use the Aver-
age position for rooms with a reasonably balanced
combination of hard reflective surfaces (sliding
glass doors and bare walls) and soft absorptive
surfaces (thick carpeted floors and overstuffed
furniture). The Reverberant position is meant for rooms with an abundance
of hard surfaces, while the Damped Room setting raises the tweeter’s output
to counteract the effect of an overly absorptive, acoustically “dead” room.
Boundary Compensation Putting this switch to the
“On” position adjusts the lower frequency output to
compensate for the typical sound colorations caused
by placing the speaker very close to a large surface,
such as a TV screen, a wall, or on a shelf in an enter-
tainment unit. If your FS-3200 speakers are mounted
as described above, you may prefer their sound when
the Boundary Compensation control is engaged. Conversely, if they are free-
standing, away from large surfaces (such as when the 3200 LR speakers are
used with their optional floorstands), you may prefer the sound with the
position in the “Normal” position.
Figure 8
NOTE: In all cases, we recommend you try both switches in their vari-
ous positions and use the settings that sound best in your particular
room. Note that the settings of the Left, Center, and Right speakers
may differ from each other.
Dipole/Bipole Operation of the 2200 SR Speakers
In Dipole mode the 2200 SR’s produce
ambience with minimal localization (best
for most movies and video soundtracks),
and more localizable sound in the Bipole
mode (preferred for some music recordings). Switching between Dipole
and Bipole mode is easily accomplished using a toggle switch conveniently
located in the speakers rear terminal cup. Please note that the vast majority
of the time in movies and TV broadcasts the surround speakers are called
upon to reproduce the environmental sounds that are used as cues to help
get you immersed in the scene on the screen. Once the surround speakers
are properly positioned in the listening area, we recommend that you begin
with the dipole mode, as this usually delivers the most involving and believ-
able surround performance in most situations. However, as noted above, feel
free to experiment with both switch positions.
Setting Levels
When setting up a complete home theater we strongly recommend that you
use a Sound Pressure Level (SPL) meter. As of this writing Radio Shack®
has one that’s affordably priced (approximately $40-$60) that can be used
effectively. To use this meter, turn on your system, put the processor/receiver
in Test Mode and set its main volume control somewhere between -20
dB and 0dB (or a reasonably loud level in your listening room). Sit in the
prime listening position, set the SPL meter to the 70dB scale, slow response,
and C weighting. Hold the meter with the microphone pointed up towards
the ceiling and in front of you. Cycle the test tone from speaker to speaker,
setting each to the same level (usually75dB) using the individual level set-
tings available in the processor/receiver (please see the instructions for
your processor/receiver if you are unsure of how to access the test signal
or level controls).
IMPORTANT NOTE: The power recommendation for these speaker
systems assumes that you will not operate your amplifier/receiver in
a way that produces distortion. Even rugged speakers like these can
be damaged by an amplifier driven into audible distortion. The harsh
amplifier distortion (“clipping”) that occurs in this situation will even-
tually cause damage to the speaker system. This type of damage may
be cumulative and can build up over time, as the amplifier is driven
into overload again and again. Such damage is easily identifiable
through examination of the damaged speaker’s voice coil and is not
covered by the warranty.
These systems will play very loudly when provided with enough undistorted
power to do so. If necessary, consult your dealer or Atlantic Technology for
additional information.
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