Behringer E1220 - Manual (Page 5)

5
EUROLIVE PERFORMER SERIES
3. SUBWOOFER OPERATING MODES
2. OPTIMAL OPERATION
We have developed the EUROLIVE PERFORMER SERIES for
use in a wide range of possible applications. Of course, the
sound of your loudspeakers depends on the acoustic
characteristics of the room/space in which they are being used.
The following chapters of this manual will give you information
about getting the most out of your EUROLIVE speakers.
2.1 HF drivers
High frequencies are the segment of the audio spectrum
responsible for clarity and speech intelligibility. These frequencies
are the easiest ones to locate, but at the same time they are also
the easiest ones to “obstruct.” Therefore, we recommend
positioning your speakers so that the HF drivers are located
slightly above the height of the audience. This guarantees the
best possible dispersion of high frequencies and considerably
higher intelligibility.
2.2 How to prevent feedback
Always place the “front of house” speakers ahead of the
microphones (from the audience’s perspective), and never
behind. Use professional floor monitors (e.g. E1220 or E1520) or
an in-ear monitoring system to hear the stage performers.
2.3 How to avoid feedback when working
with record players (DJ applications)
In applications with record players, bass feedback can occur.
Bass feedback occurs when low frequencies get back to the
pickup and are re-reproduced on the speakers. The most common
causes for this are: speakers located too closely to the record
player, a room with a wooden floor, or presence of a podium or
a platform. In such cases, it is best to move the speakers away
from the record player and “banish” them from the stage, so that
they are located on firm ground. Another option is to use raised
stands, which prevent the speakers from having a direct contact
with the ground.
2.4 Loudspeaker protection
by using a low-cut filter
Try to prevent damage to your speakers caused by extreme
oscillation of the bass membrane due to subsonic noise and
extremely deep frequencies. Use an equalizer to cut off those
frequencies that fall below your speakers’ frequency range, or
use a low-cut/high-pass filter. Most equalizers and sound-
improvement systems offer a low-cut function, like the
BEHRINGER ULTRAGRAPH DIGITAL DEQ1024, for example.
Using a low-cut filter in your signal path is particularly
recommended if you use record players or CD players as your
signal source. CD players often produce extremely deep
frequencies, which can lead to extreme excursions of the bass
membrane.
3. SUBWOOFER OPERATING MODES
3.1 BI-AMPING and PASSIVE operation (E1800X)
The EUROLIVE PERFORMER SERIES subwoofer can run in
two ways: in PASSIVE and BI-AMPING mode. The E1800X can
be switched from BI-AMPING to PASSIVE by using the switch
located in the back. For all applications, your EUROLIVE speakers
are connected using the speaker inputs.
+
Never switch the operating mode if your EUROLIVE
speakers are wired to an active signal source.
The subwoofer features an internal crossover. Running the
E1800X in passive mode makes it ideally suited for working
together with the 2-way E1220 and W1520 systems. This way,
you achieve an absolutely balanced sound characteristic.
However, if you select the BI-AMPING mode, your subwoofer
can be combined with other EUROLIVE 2-way systems. The
BI-AMPING operating mode offers several primary advantages:
lower distortion, greater flexibility of signal transmission as well
as an improved overall performance of your system. The PASSIVE
operating mode has the advantage of requiring no additional
crossovers in order to keep the subwoofer’s frequency range
within its limits.
If you are using an external crossover, e.g. the
BEHRINGER ULTRADRIVE PRO DCX2496, pay attention to chapter
8, “SPECIFICATIONS.” There, you will find information about the
recommended crossover frequency range. We recommend a
slope rate of at least 12 dB, whereby a higher value guarantees
the best possible performance. A slope rate of 24 dB is ideal.
Our recommendations are only examples of possible
interactions between different EUROLIVE speakers. Depending
on your own personal sound requirements and the genre of the
music being played, other combinations are of course possible.
3.2 Looping through the subwoofer signal
(E1800X)
The E1800X subwoofer from the EUROLIVE PERFORMER
SERIES features two speaker connectors. In BI-AMPING mode,
the PINS 2-/2+ of the input are connected directly with the speaker.
PINS 1-/1+ of the input are connected to the PINS 1-/1+ of the
output and the signal can be simply looped through. To this end,
please adhere to the specifications given in chapter 4.
+
Please keep in mind that when you switch the
E1800X subwoofer to BI-AMPING mode, the input
signal is routed to PINS 2-/2+. In this case, PINS 1-/1+
merely serve to loop the signal through!