Bowers & Wilkins 802, 800 manual Fine Tuning, Running In, English

ENGLISH

5. Fine Tuning

6. Running In 7. Aftercare

Before fine tuning, double check that all the connections in the installation are correct and secure.

Moving the speakers further from the walls will reduce the general level of bass. Space behind the speakers also helps to create an impression of depth. Conversely, moving the speakers closer to the walls will increase the level of bass and potentially reduce the impression of depth.

If the bass is uneven with frequency, it is usually due to the excitation of resonance modes in the room. Even small changes in the position of the speakers or the listeners can have a profound effect on how these resonances affect the sound. Try positioning the speakers along a different wall. Even moving large items of furniture can have an effect.

If the sound is too harsh, increase the amount of soft furnishing in the room (for example, use heavier curtains), or reduce it if the sound is dull and lifeless. Test for flutter echoes by clapping your hands and listening for rapid repetitions. Reduce flutter echoes by the use of irregular shaped surfaces such as bookshelves and large pieces of furniture.

For the most discerning listening, remove the bass and midrange grilles by gripping around their edges and gently pulling them away from the cabinet.

The performance of your speakers may change subtly during the initial listening period. If they have been stored in a cold environment, the damping compounds and suspension materials of the drive units will

take some time to recover their correct mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions will also loosen up during the first hours of use. The time taken for the speakers to achieve their intended performance will vary depending on previous storage conditions and how it is used. As a guide, allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the mechanical parts to attain their intended design characteristics.

Longer run-in periods (as long as a month) are also sometimes reported and there is evidence to suggest that these have little to do with speakers changing and more to do with listeners becoming familiar with the new sound. This is especially so with highly revealing speakers such as the 800 Series Diamond, where there may be a significant increase in the amount

of musical detail compared with what listeners have previously been used to.

800 Series Diamond cabinet surfaces will usually only require dusting. We recommend you use the cloth supplied with the product. If you wish to use an aerosol or other cleaner, apply the cleaner onto the cloth, not directly onto the product and test a small area first,

as some cleaning products may damage some of the surfaces. Avoid products that are abrasive, or contain acid, alkali or anti-bacterial agents. Do not use cleaning agents on the drive units. Avoid touching the drive units as damage may result.

Whenever Bowers & Wilkins speakers are finished in real wood, the finest veneers are selected and treated with an ultra-violet resistant lacquer to minimise changes in colour over time. Nevertheless, like all natural materials, the veneer will respond to its environment and a degree of colour change is to be expected. Colour differences may be rectified by exposing all the veneer surfaces equally and evenly to sunlight until the colour is uniform. This process can take several days or even weeks, but may be accelerated by careful use of an ultra-violet lamp. Wood veneered surfaces should also be kept away from direct sources of heat such as radiators and warm air vents in order to minimise the possibility of the wood veneer cracking.

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