NHT owner manual Design, Placement, XuBracket, XuBase, Connections, NHT-9993

Thank you for your purchase of the NHT SuperZero Xu minimonitor. Please take a few minutes to read through this Owner's Manual prior to installing your new speakers. The information provided will help you to obtain maximum performance from your audio system. If you have questions or need assistance at any time during the installation or operation of your new speakers, please call your NHT Dealer or our Toll-Free Customer Hotline at:

1-800-NHT-9993

Please retain the SuperZero Xu’s packaging to protect the speaker in the

event that you move or transport it.

!Design

NHT loudspeakers are designed to deliver refined, musical sound from attractive and affordable packages. Our efforts are guided by the study of human hearing and are optimized for real-world use. Every NHT speaker undergoes rigorous testing and quality control at the factory to ensure you years of listening pleasure.

For over five years, the award-winning SuperZero has set the industry standard for affordable minimonitor performance. Exemplifying the concept of “less is more,” the SuperZero is designed with no revolutionary technologies or fancy parts, just sensible electronic topology and custom-designed drive units. It is this focused simplicity and elegance of design that gives the SuperZero its astonishing clarity and remarkable spaciousness.

The SuperZero Xu (“Xtended use”) offers the identical acoustics as the original SuperZero, in a specially designed thermoplastic molded enclosure. To address the growing trend toward wall-mounting, the SuperZero Xu is packaged with a customized XuBracket and features softer lines that allow it to blend unobtrusively with its surroundings. Additionally, its rubber XuBase firmly anchors the speaker to horizontal surfaces, to accommodate shelf, cabinet, or stand mounting.

!Placement

The SuperZero Xu may be mounted on a wall, shelf, cabinet or on speaker stands. It is designed for indoor use only.

The SuperZero Xu’s should be set up as symmetrically as possible, slightly toed-in and equidistant from the listening position. This configuration puts the listener in the center of the stereo image. The drivers should face the listening area without obstruction from furniture.

The SuperZero Xu is designed for wall-mounting with its supplied XuBracket (see “XuBracket”). When installed high on a wall, the speaker should be angled down so that the sound radiates toward the listening area.

The SuperZero Xu may be placed on a shelf or in a cabinet, using the supplied XuBase to rest it firmly on the horizontal surface. For best results, place the speaker flush with the edge of the shelf, and not pushed back. Tilt the speaker on its base so that it fires toward the listening area. If required, rotate the XuBase 180 degrees to tilt the speaker upward. If you wish to place the SuperZero Xu on speaker stands, first place the XuBase on the top plate of the stand, and then place the speaker on the XuBase. Tilt the speaker so that it fires toward the listening area.

When using the SuperZero Xu in a five-channel home theater configuration, it is

important to use matching speakers to achieve consistent sound. You may mix and match SuperZero’s and SuperOne’s, in either their wood laminate or molded versions, as they all share identical tonal properties. For more full-range response, you may add a powered subwoofer, such as the NHT SW1P or SW2Pi.

For home theater, it is ideal for all five speakers to be placed equidistant from the listening position. When using a SuperZero Xu as a center channel speaker, it should be placed directly above or below the television, as close to the screen as possible. It may be placed either in the vertical or horizontal orientation. The SuperZero Xu is magnetically shielded and will not distort the picture’s color. If possible, all three front speakers in a home theater system should be placed at equal height and at ear level from the listening position.

Experimentation is the key to finding the best arrangement in your particular listening environment. Be patient, have fun and remember that small changes in speaker position can sometimes have a significant effect on the sound.

In addition, room furnishings play an important role in absorbing and reflecting soundwaves. Midrange and high frequencies in particular will be absorbed by soft furnishings such as sofas, carpets and curtains. A large number of these soft furnishings will dull the sound, while a “live” room with few furnishings will brighten the sound. If you are willing to spend some time fine-tuning the performance of your system, you will enjoy the benefits for years to come.

!XuBracket

Before attempting this installation, carefully evaluate the mounting surface, making sure that its composition and construction are strong enough to support the load safely. If you are unsure about the type or use of mounting hardware for your installation, consult a professional contractor or a knowledgeable hardware store. The XuBracket is suitable only for attaching the speaker to walls or ceilings constructed of solid wood, brickwork, concrete, hollow building block, or wood studs. Do not mount the XuBracket to unreinforced plaster or sheetrock (gypsum board).

See fig. 1 for a complete parts list and diagram. Centered on the back panel of the SuperZero Xu, just above the terminal cup, is a threaded insert designed to accommodate the speaker bolt which fastens the XuBracket to the speaker.

1.Disassemble the wall bracket from the speaker bracket by removing the swivel bolt and washers that hold them together.

2.Attach the foam gasket to the speaker bracket, fitting it around the plastic guide tabs.

3.Attach the speaker bracket (with gasket) to the SuperZero Xu with the speaker bolt. Tighten the speaker bolt with sufficient force to hold it firmly in position. If you use a power screwdriver, use a low torque setting only. Use of a high torque setting could damage the speaker.

4.Attach the wall bracket to the wall with the appropriate fasteners and tighten with sufficient force to hold it firmly in place.

5.Re-attach the speaker bracket to the wall bracket using the swivel bolt and washers. The metal washer goes underneath the plastic washer, and both go directly underneath the head of the swivel bolt. Tighten the bolt to a point where it can still be adjusted.

6.Adjust the speaker’s angle (see “Placement”). Once optimized, tighten the swiv- el bolt with sufficient force to hold the XuBracket firmly in position.

! XuBase

The molded rubber XuBase allows the SuperZero Xu to rest firmly on horizontal

Fig. 1

Parts list	" Speaker bolt
" Wall bracket	" Plastic washer
" Speaker bracket	" Metal washer
" Swivel bolt	" Foam gasket

surfaces such as shelves, cabinets, or speaker stands. Because the SuperZero Xu’s enclosure is designed with identical curvatures on all sides, the speaker may be placed on the XuBase in any orientation (resting on either side, top or bottom panels). See fig. 2 for setup options.

The SuperZero Xu should be tilted on the XuBase so that it radiates sound directly toward the listening position.

!Connections

Before connecting speakers to your system, it is important that you turn off the power to your amplifier / receiver to avoid damage to the equipment.

The SuperZero Xu is compatible with virtually all quality amplifiers. Proper wiring of the speakers is essential to good sound. At a minimum, 16AWG speaker cable is recommended for runs of 10 feet or less, with heavier special purpose cable used for longer runs. For specialty cable considerations, consult your local authorized NHT retailer.

Fig. 2