Mirage Loudspeakers Official Manual for Multi-Channel Audio Systems Featuring Mirage OMD-15 and OMD-C1

owners manual

MULTI-CHANNEL AUDIO SET-UPS

The OM Design series offers the ultimate in flexibility; it excels at traditional

2-channel stereo set-ups or can provide illustrious multi channel audio/home theater performances. Depending on your particular room layout and your personal requirements the OM Design series can be used for any imaginable multi-channel set-up. Please consult your authorized Mirage dealer for specific recommendations based on your requirements and your room layout.

NOTE: In order to acheive perfect timber matching between your multi channel audio system, it is highly recommended to use only models from the OM Design Series.

HOW TO FINE-TUNE THE LOW

FREQUENCY PERFORMANCE

If you find your system lacks bass, first check your connections to make sure your system is in phase, then experiment with placement.The further from the wall, the less overall bass output your system will have, but the bass will generally be better defined. If bass is too prominent, try moving the OMD-15 speakers further from the wall, or spacing them a little further apart from one another.

NOTE: The bass performance will tighten up significantly, once the isolation feet are installed to the OMD-15 front speakers.

BREAK-IN PROCEDURES

It is VITAL that your new OM Design speakers be allowed to break-in properly before you perform any precise set up procedures, system adjustments, and before you play them at higher volume levels.The best method of performing the break-in is to play a full range musical passage at a moderate level as long as possible. Utilizing the repeat function on your CD or DVD player can assist greatly. Optimum sound will not be achieved until approximately 100 hours of playing time. After break-in, the volume level can be increased. Do not play the speakers at high levels until the break-in process has been completed.The transducers need to “loosen up”, and until this occurs, damage can result to the transducers.

5.0FINE TUNING YOUR AUDIO SYSTEM

Before beginning any fine-tuning, please ensure all connections are properly made and your speakers have had the chance to break-in for a minimum of 100 hours. Also, it is assumed that you have already performed the initial placement of each speaker in your system and are now trying to fine tune the performance of your new speakers in your room.This will ensure the proper results are achieved.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Your listening room is the final component of your audio system and will be the difference between mediocre sound and high quality sound. Reflections, which are a part of every recording and music playback, will have a major effect on your system's performance. If your room is too “live”, meaning there are many bare surfaces like glass windows, hard floors and thin furnishings, you might find the sound overly bright. If your room is “dead”, meaning there is thick pile carpeting, heavy furniture and a lot of wall coverings, you might find the sound lacks dynamic energy.To remedy these issues, small changes to your room should be considered as they generally lead to large improvements in sound quality. Most listening rooms must balance aesthetics and sound, but patience and small adjustments in positioning and settings can pay huge acoustic dividends.The lower bass frequencies are typically the most influenced by your listening room. If you find the bass in your room to be uneven or exaggerated in certain frequencies, experimenting with placement of the front speakers or their orientation towards the listening position can alleviate some of these issues.The proximity of the speakers to room boundaries, like walls, will also affect the bass frequencies.

HOW TO FINE-TUNE THE IMAGING

If you are experiencing issues with imaging, first ensure your speakers are in phase with each other. If this is the case and imaging is still an issue, moving the speakers closer together or toeing them in slightly (angling them towards the listening position) can aid in this respect.

HOW TO FINE-TUNE THE

SOUNDSTAGE DEPTH

The soundstage depth can be adjusted by changing the distance from the speakers to the back and/or the side walls. If your system is lacking soundstage depth, try to move the speakers further away from the back wall. If your soundstage is lacking width, moving the speakers further away from the side wall is a good measure to increase the soundstage width. In the opposite cases, when the soundstage is overly large in either width or depth, try to move the speakers closer to the respective wall.

HOW TO INCORPORATE ACOUSTIC ROOM TREATMENTS

If the sound has poor focus and seems to be too "splashy" or indistinct sounding, more damping may be required in the listening area. Experiment by adding an area rug between the listener and the front speakers if there is a bare wood floor. Some damping treatment to treat the ROOM, not the speaker reflection points, can work well to reduce this problem. A number of different options are available on the market, damping pads for the corners of the room at the ceiling, pads for the corners of the room, etc. A room can be tested simply by clapping while walking around the room.The sound of the clap should die off smoothly, but not instantaneously. If the clap results in a long standing echo, the room may require some acoustic treatment.

NOTE: Do not attempt to add dampening materials to the first reflection points of the speakers! Omnipolar Speakers are designed to embrace such reflections and they are a crucial part in the performance of the speakers.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SURROUND SOUND SET-UPS

When installing a surround sound system, all the above holds true. Calibration of your speaker distances, adjusting delays and balancing your levels with an SPL meter is recommended to extract the most out of your system.

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