Outlaw Audio LFM-1, LFM-2 Subwoofer Placement

LFM Series Low Frequency Modules

Owner’s Manual

Subwoofer Placement

3. Connect one end of the subwoofer cable to the subwoofer or LFE output

on the receiver or processor.

4. Locate the connection labeled SUB IN on the rear panel of the subwoofer

and connect the other end of the subwoofer cable to that jack.

5. Plug the LFM’s power cord into the input on the LFM Series Subwoofer

and connect the plug to an un-switched AC outlet.

CAUTION: Due to the power requirements of the LFM, it must not

be connected to the accessory outlets on a receiver or processor. If a

power-strip or surge protector is used, make certain that it is rated to

accommodate your LFM’s power requirements.

6. Reconnect your processor or receiver to the AC power source.

7. Proceed to the “Setting The LFM’s Controls” section to learn about the

LFM’s controls and how they operate.

Connecting to a System with No Preamp Outputs

If no low-level subwoofer output is available, you will need to run speaker wires from your

main ampliﬁer or receiver to the subwoofer ampliﬁer. See Diagram 2 on page 6.

To connect an LFM Series Subwoofer using high level inputs:

1. Turn off all system components and unplug the receiver and/or ampliﬁer

and the LFM from their AC power source.

2. Locate the front left/right speaker output terminals on your receiver or

ampliﬁer.

In cases where there are both “A” and “B” terminals, the “A” terminals should

be used. Disconnect any wire that is presently connected to these terminals.

3. Using the same type of speaker wire used for your other speaker

connections, connect the left and right channel speaker outputs of

your receiver or ampliﬁer to the LFM’s High Level Inputs.

Be sure to connect the speaker wires to the appropriate input binding posts

located on the back of the LFM, making certain that the polarity (–/+) on the

receiver or ampliﬁer matches the polarity on the binding posts of the subwoofer

amp. In most cases this means connecting the red terminal on the receiver or

ampliﬁer to the red terminal on the LFM, but always check the markings on the

rear panel to insure “+ to +” and “– to –” connections. Also, make sure that

the negative outputs on your main amp are true ground; otherwise you would

short the output of your main amp. Call or email tech support if the negative

outputs on your main ampliﬁer do not have true ground.

4. Connect the speaker wires to the high-level output terminals on the

back of the LFM Series Subwoofer.

Make certain that the polarity (–/+) on the subwoofer’s high-level output ter-

minals matches the polarity on the binding posts of the speakers. Also, be sure

to prevent any positive and negative strands of speaker wire from crossing.

5. Plug the LFM’s power cord into the input on the LFM Series Subwoofer

and connect the plug to an un-switched AC outlet.

CAUTION: Due to the power requirements of the LFM Series Subwoof-

ers, they must not be connected to the accessory outlets on a receiver

or processor. If a power-strip or surge protector is used, make certain

that it is rated to accommodate the LFM’s power requirements.

6. Reconnect your receiver and/or ampliﬁer to the AC power source.

7. Proceed to the “Setting The LFM’s Controls“ section to learn about the

LFM’s controls and how they operate.

Subwoofer Placement

Placement of your LFM series subwoofer is a critical component in maximizing

its performance. The subwoofer’s speciﬁc location in a room inﬂuences the its

“perceived” frequency response, sound pressure level (SPL), and overall accuracy.

Since each listening room differs in virtually every aspect, the ideal location will

also vary.

An easy way to ﬁnd the right spot to place your new LFM Series Subwoofer is to

experiment with what we call the “Subwoofer Switch Trick.” This process puts the

subwoofer where you normally sit and then lets you play the role of the subwoofer.

First, place the subwoofer as close to your favorite listening position as possible.

This should be in front of your couch or easy chair, right in the room’s “sweet

spot.” Provided that there is no damage to your furniture, you may even place the

subwoofer on the chair or couch, but remember that LFM Series Subwoofers are

heavy, and the Outlaws are not responsible for any damage to your furniture or

for arguments this might cause with other members of the household!

Second, activate the test tone from your processor or receiver’s internal test

tone generator, or use your favorite test disc so that pink noise plays through

the subwoofer. While the test tone is playing, walk around your room and ﬁnd

the spots where you hear the best bass response. Sometimes this may be in the

center of the room, while in other cases you may ﬁnd the best spot in a corner

or along a sidewall.

Finally, turn off the test tone and move the subwoofer to the location where you

hear the best bass response. If that location is unacceptable or impractical, repeat

the procedure to the spot that is the best compromise between bass performance

and aesthetic considerations.

Notes On Subwoofer Placement

Try to avoid creating a listening position that falls directly between the front

and back walls. This may cause a strong interference effect due to the collision

between bass waves bouncing off the rear wall and new waves emanating from

the LFM. When this happens you might hear an unnatural “build up” in the low

frequencies where the bass sounds “bloated”, based on the speciﬁc dimensions of

the room and the particular frequency being reproduced.

In other situations you might encounter a “null”, which is caused by two low

frequency waves canceling each other out. When this happens you will ﬁnd that

your favorite listening position is bass shy. In this type of placement situation,

bass response will suffer greatly regardless of how powerful the subwoofer is. The

best way to solve this problem is to change the location of the seating position

so that the distance to the front of the room is different than that to the back of

the room.