TAKING CARE OF YOUR NEW IN-WALL SPEAKERS
RUSSOUND In-Wall Speakers are designed to last the life of your home if you follow a few simple rules.
The main “killers” of any loudspeaker system are:
•too little power at high volumes
•too much power at high volumes
•transients (immediate loud passages, thumps, etc.)
Too little power:
It’s a surprising fact but far more speakers are damaged by too little power than by too much! When an amplifier runs out of power while trying to re-create musical peaks, it causes a form of high fre- quency distortion called clipping. Clipping simply makes the music sound distorted. In greater quantities over a period of time, it can damage or destroy the tweeters (high frequency speakers) in any speaker system. If you like your music LOUD, consider getting an amplifier with at least 50 watts per channel.
Too much power:
There’s nothing wrong with driving your Russound speakers with as much as 150 watts per channel—the extra power helps them achieve quick musical transients found in digital recordings. However, you must remember to restrain yourself and not get too heavy-handed with the volume control (or remote buttons). If the music begins to sound distorted or you hear a “clacking” sound during bass notes, back off on the volume! The clacking is caused by the woofer’s voice coil trying to come out of its socket.
Transients:
Loud, deep THUMPS, caused when your system is turned on/off, or when the tonearm is dropped too hard on a record (if you still use those great classics), can seriously damage any loudspeaker including your Russound In-Wall models. Also remember to turn your system off before disconnecting any hook-up cables. When they’re pulled out, a huge burst of low frequency hum often occurs if the system is still on.
MORE ON SPEAKER WIRES AND AMPLIFIER IMPEDANCE
Not all amplifiers or receivers can safely operate two sets of speakers at once. If you intend to use your Russound In-Wall Speakers at the same time as your main speakers or if you intend to hook up two pairs of speakers and use both at the same time, it’s important to consider both the impedance of the speakers and the capabilities of the amplifier you’re using. Russound makes a complete line of prod- ucts from Impedance-Matching Volume Controls to Impedance- Matching Speaker Selectors. Ask you Russound dealer for details or simply write your request for a line catalog to Russound or FAX us at 603.659.5388
First, consult the owner’s manual that came with the amp or receiver. It should tell you the minimum speaker impedance during simultane- ous operation. On some models the manual will recommend that only two pairs of 8-ohm speakers be used at the same time. Others might allow one set of 8-ohm speakers and one set of 4-ohm imped- ance speakers. A few extremely powerful receivers and power ampli- fiers may even allow two sets of 4-ohm speakers.
If you can’t readily determine this information, consult the dealer where you purchased the amplifier, or call the manufacturer of the product in question. Next, determine the impedance of your other speakers. It’s often printed on the back of the enclosure near the connection terminals, or you can consult the speaker’s owners manu- al.
If your other speakers are rated at 4-ohms, some amplifiers may experience difficulty driving both 4-ohm sets at once and shut off intermittently when the volume control is turned up. In this case, you should operate only one set of speakers at a time or keep the volume extremely low.
Another option is to purchase a speaker selector such as the Russound SS4 & SS6 series or a PRO series speaker selector. These are designed to maintain impedance control allowing your amplifier to work efficiently.
