N e r s m a n u a l, E a k e r s | Mirage Loudspeakers FRx-Rear

o w n e r s m a n u a l

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.

Read Instructions:

All safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is operated.

Retain instructions:

Safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.

Heed Warnings:

All warnings on the product & operation instructions should be adhered to.

Follow Instructions:

All operating and use instructions should be followed.

Cleaning:

Unplug the product from the wall before cleaning. Do not use aerosol or liquid cleaners, just a damp cloth.

Attachments:

Do not use attachments not recommended by the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

Water and moisture:

Do not use this product near water.

Ventilation:

Openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation and protect it from overheating so they must not be blocked or covered by placing the product on a bed, sofa or other similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer's instructions have been adhered to.

Power Sources:

This product should be operated only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply in your home, call your local power company.

Grounding or Polarization:

This product may be equipped with a polarized alternating current line plug. This plug will fit the power outlet in only one way as a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug, try reversing it. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace your outlet.

Do not defeat the safety purpose of the plug.

Power Cord Protection:

Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the product.

Overloading:

Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords, as this can result in a risk of electrical shock.

Object and Liquid Entry:

Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that can result in a fire or electrical shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

Servicing:

Do not attempt to service this product yourself as openings or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.

Heat:

This product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appliances (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

Non-Use Periods:

The power cord of the product should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time.

Damage Requiring Service:

The product should be serviced by qualified personnel when: A.The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or

B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the appliance; or C.The product has been exposed to rain; or

D.The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or

E. Product has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.

s p e a k e r s

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of Mirage® loudspeakers! Proprietary Mirage® technology and high quality manufacturing will allow you to enjoy the most natural and accurate music reproduction, a trademark of all Mirage® speakers, for many years.The advice offered in this manual is aimed at helping you maximize and maintain peak performance, and therefore, your listening satisfaction.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Mirage speakers are designed and manufactured by Audio Products International Corp., known throughout the industry as "API". A Canadian company founded in 1973, API is the third largest speaker manufacturer in North America and one of the top ten in the world, supplying products to over fifty-five countries world wide.

ALITTLE ABOUT THE FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF MIRAGE® SPEAKERS

At Mirage® Loudspeakers, we believe that fundamental design characteristics must be main- tained to produce a superior product, regardless of the cost. That is why the modestly priced "FRx-Series" shares several fundamental design criteria found in the original M series. Maintaining flat on-axis response and wide bandwidth, wide and constant dispersion, and very low distortion and resonance are therefore minimum requirements of every Mirage® speaker we build.

Flat on and off axis response is obtained by using our proprietary, uniquely contoured injection molded cones set in a beveled baffle that reduces edge diffraction. This makes sure that the critical midrange spectrum is accurate and produces lifelike vocals and midrange frequencies.

In a live environment, 30% of what we hear is direct and up to 70% is reflected, so a speaker must have wide dispersion characteristics to faithfully and accurately recreate the original recorded music or event. Mirage Dome tweeters with cloth suspension have excellent waveform properties and are crossed over at 2KHz to maintain a wide and constant dispersion.

Distortion and resonances that can irritate the listener and damage components are kept in check by using very close tolerance electrical components, well damped linear suspension designs, and cabinet dampening construction techniques. The cabinets are made of inert Medium Density Fiberboard and are rigidly braced to prevent unwanted resonances or vibrations.

AMPLIFIER REQUIREMENTS

The "FRx-Series" was designed to be extremely efficient and therefore very undemanding of the connected amplifier. The entire series is rated at an 8-ohm impedance with an average room efficiency of 90db. They can be played at high listening levels with average power and are capable of handling the high power output of large amplifiers. Most amplifiers with a power rating of 20-100 watts per channel will efficiently drive "FRx-Series" speakers. If more than one pair of "FRx-Series" speakers are being used, check with the amplifier manufacturer to confirm that the amplifier can handle loads down to 4-ohms.

Warning: If an amplifier is over-driven, the resulting distortion is actually many times greater than its rated power. Over-driven amplifier distortion is called "Clipping", easily iden- tified by its fuzzy, distorted sound, and can damage any speaker. The volume control of most amplifiers and receivers is a logarithmic type, which means that full power may be reached with the volume control set at as little as the halfway point. Operating the loudness, treble, or bass controls increases power output well beyond rated levels. The warranty on your speakers is therefore void if the voice coils are burned or damaged as a result of overpow- ering or clipping.

SPEAKER PLACEMENT AND ROOM ACOUSTICS

The Mirage® "FRx-Series" has been designed for high performance in a wide variety of settings, but here are a few helpful hints that will help to maximize it's performance and your enjoyment.

A general guideline for speaker placement is to set up the space between speaker and listener at approximately 1-to-2 times the distance between the speakers. For example, if the speakers are ideally placed a minimum of 6-feet (1.8m) apart, the best seating position would be 9-feet (2.4m) away.(see figure 6)

The speaker should be placed approximately 2-feet (60cm) from the back wall for ideal performance. Make sure that the side wall is not equidistant, which would disrupt the wall reflections. Follow the same guidelines as speaker placement and distance above. For example, if the speaker is 2-feet (60cm) from the wall, place it 3-feet (90cm) from the side wall. (see figure 6)