I N T R O D U C T I O N
Thank you for purchasing the B&W CC3 Centre Channel speaker.
Since its foundation in 1966, the continuing philosophy of B&W has been the quest for perfect sound reproduction. Inspired by the company’s founder, the late John Bowers, this quest has entailed not only high investment in audio technology and innovation but also an abiding appreciation of music to ensure that the technology is put to maximum effect.
It is also our policy to make sure the advanced features pioneered on one product are incorporated into others we manufacture.
The CC3 has a Prism System (Patent pending) rear baffle designed to mimic the interior of an anechoic chamber. This greatly helps to break up the regular internal cabinet volume that would otherwise encourage coloration from internal standing waves. Homogeneous fibre cone bass/midrange drive units are used for minimum coloration and maximum definition. The CC3 also uses a soft dome tweeter with magnetic fluid cooling to ensure good definition to the limits of audibility and maintain dynamics to high sound levels.
However, no matter how good the speakers themselves, they must work well into the listening room and time spent on the installation process will reap the reward of many hours listening pleasure. Please read through this manual fully. It will help you optimise the performance of your audio system.
B&W distribute to over 50 countries world-wide and maintain a network of dedicated distributors who will be able to help should you have any problems your dealer cannot resolve.
U N P A C K I N G (figure 1)
Fold the top carton flaps right back and invert the carton and contents.
Lift the carton clear of the contents. Remove the inner packing from the product.
Check in the carton for 4 self-adhesive rubber feet.
We suggest you retain the packaging for future use.
C O N N E C T I O N S (figure 2)
All connections should be made with the equipment turned off.
Connect the positive terminal on the speaker (marked + and coloured red) to the positive terminal on the power amplifier and negative (-, black) to negative (figure 2). Failure to observe correct polarity will result in poor sound balance and image focusing.
Always make sure all the terminal caps are screwed down tight, as otherwise they may rattle.
When choosing cable, keep the total electrical impedance (out and back) below the maximum recommended in the specification. Ask your dealer for advice, as the optimum cable will depend on the length required.
P O S I T I O N I N G (figure 3)
The ideal position for a centre channel speaker from an image point of view is in line with the centre of the screen. Position the speaker either immediately above or below the screen, choosing whichever position places the speaker nearest ear level. Line the front of the speaker approximately in line with the plane of the screen.
Fix the 4 self-adhesive rubber feet to the base of the speaker to protect the both surface on which the speaker stands and the underside of the speaker. If placing the speaker directly on top of a television, be aware that there may be restricted depth to the flat surface, so place the feet accordingly.
F I N E T U N I N G
Before fine tuning the installation, double check the polarity and security of the connections.
For greatest realism in home theatre installations it is important both to match the acoustic image to the size of the screen and to balance the relative levels all the speakers.
For smaller screens, place the left and right front speakers closer together than you might in an audio only installation.
Adjust the levels of the left, centre and right speakers to give a balanced sound as images pan across the screen. Move your head from side to side and sit in all likely listening positions when deciding on the optimum levels.
Consult your decoder manual for further information on how to set the levels.
D I S T O R T I O N O F
T E L E V I S I O N P I C T U R E S
The drive units in the CC3 are magnetically shielded so that the system may be used in close proximity to television and computer monitor screens, but the stray magnetic field can never be completely eliminated. The typical maximum value of the field at any point on the veneered surfaces of the cabinet is 120A/m (flux density 1.5 gauss) which is low enough not to cause picture distortion with the vast majority of screens.
If you have a problem with picture distortion, first de-gauss the television set. Some televisions and computer monitors have a button specifically for this purpose. Those not equipped with such
afacility generally de-gauss at switch-on. Turn the television off completely by disconnecting the mains supply (putting the set into stand-by mode is not sufficient). Leave the set switched off for up to 15 minutes and then switch on again.
If you still have a problem, try either moving the CC3 forwards and backwards a little to get a more favourable juxtaposition or spacing it further away from the television until the problem disappears.
A F T E R C A R E
The vinyl veneers normally only require dusting. If you wish to use an aerosol cleaner, remove the grille first by gently pulling it away from the cabinet. Spray onto the cleaning cloth, not directly onto the cabinet. The grille fabric may be cleaned with a normal clothes brush after removing the grille from the cabinet.
Avoid touching the drive units, especially the tweeter, as damage may result.
