EUROLIVE PROFESSIONAL SERIES

2. Optimal Operation

We have developed the EUROLIVE PROFESSIONAL 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 a considerably higher intelligibility.

2.1.1 Directional pattern of asymmetrical HF drivers

An outstanding feature of the B1220 PRO, B1520 PRO and the B2520 PRO are their asymmetrically formed horns (“Asymmetrical Dispersion Constant Directivity Horn”). By turning the horns 90°, you can optimize the directional pattern for both vertical and horizontal speaker positioning. The default horn setting is the “front of house” vertical configuration, whereby the wide dispersion side (100°) is pointed downward and the narrow dispersion side (50°) is pointed upward. If you want to position your speaker horizontally (as a “floor” monitor), you can modify the horn position to assure optimal dispersion (turning the horn by 90°). Please do the following:

1)Remove the speaker cover by carefully and uniformly pulling off the steel grill.

2)Unfasten the four screws with which the horn is mounted.

3)Turn the horn 90°, so that the wide dispersion side (100°) points upward when the loudspeaker is lying horizontally on its side.

4)Mount the horn back into its place with the four previously unfastened screws.

5)Set the grill back into its place and press gently until it snaps into position.

++ No warranty claim is valid for damage caused by incorrect handling or flawed and/or careless use.

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. B1220 PRO, B1520 PRO or B2520 PRO) or an in-ear monitoring system to hear the stage performers.

2.3How 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.

2.4Loudspeaker 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.Operating Modes

3.1BI-AMPING and PASSIVE operation (B1800X PRO)

The EUROLIVE PROFESSIONAL SERIES subwoofer can run in two ways: in PASSIVE and BI-AMPING mode. The B1800X PRO 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 B1800X PRO in passive mode makes it ideally suited for working together with the 2-way B1220 PRO, B1520 PRO and B2520 PRO 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, “Speci- fications.” 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.

3.2Looping through the subwoofer signal (B1800X PRO)

The B1800X PRO subwoofer from the EUROLIVE PROFESSIONAL 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

B1800X PRO 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!

3.3 PARALLEL Input

(B1220 PRO, B1520 PRO and B2520 PRO)

The EUROLIVE B1220 PRO, B1520 PRO and B2520 PRO loudspeakers feature two speaker inputs laid out in parallel. You can alternatively connect one of the connectors to the output on your power amp and tap into the signal from the amp once again on the second connector, in order to, for example, feed this signal into an additional loudspeaker. This way, you can create stacks consisting of speakers with different impedance values.

++ ATTENTION: Never connect the output signals of different power amps to both parallel inputs at the same time. This may permanently damage your setup.

Operating Modes

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