JBL G Series owner manual Connections, Preparing the hookup wire

Thanks to their high efficiency, JBL loudspeakers will produce reasonable volume levels in a room of moderate size with very little amplifier power. However, using a small amplifier to obtain the desired volume listening levels may lead to overdriving the unit. This will generate high distortion levels and may cause damage to your loudspeaker. For the best perfor- mance, an amplifier should be selected with an output rating that is greater than the maximum power that will be used. This margin of reserve power will ensure that the amplifier will not attempt to deliver more power than its design allows. However, the power amplifier’s power rating per channel must not exceed the maximum recommended amplifier power for that specific loudspeaker model. Please see the specifications section for details. Following these two guidelines will provide virtually distortion-free sound reproduction and long loudspeaker life.

CONNECTIONS

To connect your JBL loudspeaker sys- tems to a receiver or an amplifier, use two-conductor insulated wire. Your JBL dealer can recommend suitable cables, or you can buy wire at most hardware stores. We recommend #16 AWG wire as a minimum size. If your speakers are more than 30 feet (10 m) from your receiver or amplifier, use larger diameter wire. Connections are made at the terminals located on the back of the loudspeaker system. The terminals accept bare wire or dual banana plugs, either of which will provide easy, secure connections.

Preparing the hookup wire

1. First determine the distance between the most distant speaker.

2. Now make the hookup wires for both speakers this length, even if one loudspeaker is much closer to your amplifier than the other. This will help maintain proper signal balance.

3. Strip off 3/8" of insulation from both ends of each conductor.

4. Twist each set of thin wires into a tightly-bunched spiral.

5. At this point you need to identify a visual difference between the two conductors of each molded pair of speaker wire. Differentiating marks can be a different color wire (copper or “silver”); a strand of yarn in one conductor; thin, raised ribs on one part of the outer insulation; or a printed “+” marking on one of the insulators. It does not make a difference which of the two conductors of wire go to (+) and (–) on the speakers and amplifier, as long as both speakers are connected identically. Push down on the button below the terminal and insert the wire, or the banana plug, through the hole (see Fig. 2).

Left	Right
Speaker	Speaker
Red Blk.	Red Blk.
(+) (–)	(+) (–)

Amplifier/

Receiver

+ L + R Fig. 2

For each channel, the red terminal on the loudspeaker should be connected to the red or (+) loudspeaker connection terminal on the receiver or amplifier, and the black to the black or

(–). Connecting the loudspeakers in this manner ensures that they will be in phase; that is, work together rather than in opposition. Connecting the loudspeakers out of phase will not damage them, but will result in less bass and poor imaging.

2