Fender 115SA, 118SA owner manual Connections Setup Suggestions, Using the 115sA/118sA in a System

CONNECTIONS SETUP SUGGESTIONS

The two 1/4" phone jacks on the 115sA/118sA are wired in full parallel so that any one of the connectors may be used as an input and the other connector as an output to another enclosure. This allows multiple cabinets to be "daisy chained", eliminating the need for several long runs of speaker cable.

Note: A single 115sA/118sA subwoofer represents an 8Ω load to the amplifier. Daisy chaining two of them in parallel will represent a 4Ω load to the amplifier. Only amplifiers rated for 4Ω output should be used in this configuration.

The following polarity convention should be used when making connections to the 115sA/118sA:

Polarity	Phone Jack
Positive (+)	Tip
Negative (-)	Sleeve

USING THE 115sA/118sA IN A SYSTEM

The 115sA/118sA is designed to augment the low frequency performance of the main P.A. speakers. The single reflex bandpass design of these systems automatically rolls off the high frequencies eliminating the need for an active or electronic crossover network. Thus, the subwoofers can be wired directly in parallel with almost any full-range speaker system.

Nonetheless, a line-level electronic crossover, such as a Fender® PCN-2™or PCN-4™, can be used in order to split frequencies and send mid/high frequencies to a full-range speaker system and low frequencies to a subwoofer. By reproducing high levels of low bass frequencies, the 115sA/118sA relieves the smaller main speakers from having to supply this energy. If a crossover is used in your set-up, make sure that the crossover point is between 100/120 Hz to ensure maximum efficiency from your 115sA/118sA.

Two different configurations are shown on pages 5 and 6, demonstrating how easy it is to add a subwoofer to your system. Figure 3, on page 7, shows a more extensive configuration for those set- ups requiring additional power.

The placement of any speaker can dramatically affect its sound. Thus, there are three primary considerations to review when placing subwoofers.

The first is time alignment. The full-range speaker system should be as close as possible to the subwoofer so the sound from the subwoofer reaches the audience at the same time as the sound from the full-range speaker systems. If the subwoofer is placed too far from the full-range speaker systems, a slight smearing of the lower bass frequencies may occur. While ideal placement for this consideration would involve stacking the full- range speaker on top of the subwoofer, this effect is quite subtle and an obvious effect may not be heard until the separation between the two cabinets is large enough to cause an audible time delay.

The second consideration is to try to obtain as much bass as possible from the subwoofer. A speaker in the middle of the floor or up in the air with its back against a wall is referred to as operating in "half space". Placing a speaker near a large, flat wall and on the floor (quarter space) will boost the bass performance by about 3 dB as compared to half space. The more surfaces the subwoofer is placed against, the fewer the number of subwoofer enclosures are needed to achieve a desired SPL.

The third consideration is convenience and the visual aspect of the speaker array. For temporary installations, the subwoofer can be used as a support for a full-range speaker system mounted directly on top of the subwoofer. Use only the 27” Fender Mounting Pole (P/N 711327) which has been specifically designed for use with both the 115sA/118sA subwoofer enclosures. In permanent installations, the 115sA/118sA can be placed under a stage, table, or podium.

For each particular situation, a compromise among these three factors should yield the best solution possible.

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