Paradigm Stylus Outdoor Speakers, 270, OM-121 How To Avoid Speaker Damage, Listening Outdoors

HOW TO AVOID SPEAKER DAMAGE

Use an appropriate amplifier. At high volumes, a very powerful amplifier can overdrive your speakers and damage them. On the other hand, if your amplifier isn’t powerful enough, it can produce clipping distortion that can easily damage high-frequency drivers. (See dealer.)

Don’t be fooled by your amplifier’s volume control. It adjusts listening level—it does not indicate power output. If your speakers begin to sound harsh or grating, or if you hear the bass breaking up, turn the volume down immediately or you will damage your speakers! This type of damage constitutes abuse and is not covered by the warranty!

Tone controls and equalizers can demand even more power from an amplifier, lowering the point at which it produces clipping distortion. Use them sparingly, if at all, and do not use them when listening at loud levels.

LISTENING OUTDOORS

Outdoors there are no walls to contain sound. Background noise is louder and the distance listeners are from the speakers is usually greater. Achieving a reasonable listening level can be more difficult. The tendency is to turn up the volume, however this may disturb neighbors and when turned up too high can seriously damage the speakers or your amplifier. Stylus® speakers are designed to address these unique challenges, making them ideal for use in the majority of outdoor stereo applications.

In certain outdoor situations Stylus® ‘SM’ speakers, with their Dual-Directional Soundfield™, offer alternative options. In small areas not well suited to a stereo pair one ‘SM’ speaker is ideal. In larger, or unusually shaped areas we recommend using multiple ‘SM’ speakers. Using more speakers ensures that sound is evenly distributed, allowing for reasonable listening levels at lower volumes. Demand on the amplifier is reduced and neighbors are not disturbed. Think of it this way: When lighting a large out- door area, using multiple floodlights on a dimmer set to a low setting is far more effective than using a single floodlight with the dimmer set to high. For more information on where and how to use ‘SM’ speakers turn to page 3.

SPEAKER PLACEMENT GUIDELINES

The mounting brackets provided with Stylus® speakers allow for a wide variety of placement options. For example:

• Under a roof soffit, mounted to the exterior wall for strength

• Open area of an exterior wall

• Gazebo or other garden structure designed for sitting

• Deck or railing

Placement (all models except those with ‘SM’ in their name)
To achieve the best quality of sound, place Stylus® speakers far enough apart to achieve good stereo
separation, but not so far apart that you won’t be able to hear both speakers throughout most of the listening
area. For optimum results, measure the approximate distance from your listening area to your speakers
(Fig. 1, “X”). Then position the speakers about 1/2 to 3/4 of that distance from each other (1/2 to 3/4 of “X”).	2