Thiel Audio Products SW1, SS4, SS3 manual Product Features, Watt Amplifier, Placement Correction

Product Features

THIEL SmartSubs are very high performance, innovative subwoofer systems that provides exceptionally deep, uniform, dynamic and low distortion bass reproduction. In addition, they provide near-ideal performance with any room placement and when used with any type of main loudspeaker. These performance abilities are the result of new (patents pending) technology developed to overcome the

major problems that subwoofers typically exhibit: poor integration with the main speakers and altered response due to nearby walls.

These subwoofers can be used as stand-alone units, with a THIEL passive crossover or with the SmartSub Integrator, depending on your requirements. Here is a brief description of some of the unusual performance features these subwoofer systems provide.

1000 Watt Amplifier

The SS2, SS3 and SS4 are powered by a Class D, switching- mode 1000 watt RMS amplifier. The amplifier’s very high power ensures that the woofers can provide all the output they are capable of without power compression or limiting.

Very High Output, Very Low Distortion Woofers

All SmartSub models use very high output, very low distortion drivers that utilize aluminum diaphragms, heavy cast chassis and THIEL’s short coil/long gap, copper stabilized motor systems powered by 10 lb magnets in structures with a total weight of 20 lbs.

The short coil/long gap design results in very low distortion levels that are only one-tenth that of typical drivers with the same excursion rating. This magnet system’s very long magnetic gap, along with the very high excursion suspension, allows each driver to move a very large amount of air – much more than most drivers their size – in order to effortlessly reproduce even demanding sources at high volume levels.

The SS2 uses two 10", the SS3 two 12" and the SS4 two 15" drivers.

10" version of the SmartSub drivers

1000 watt amplifier used in the SS2, SS3 and SS4

Since switching amplifiers are very high efficiency, about 92% in this case, very high power and currents can be delivered without large heat sinks, fans or additional power supply capacity for large amounts of waste heat. This type of amplifier is ideal for subwoofer applications since the amplifier does not have to deliver significant power at high frequencies.

Placement Correction

Placement controls (patent pending) match the unit’s performance to its environment, whether away from walls, in a corner or anything in-between. These controls correct for both the general increase in level and for the partial cancellation of certain frequencies caused by a nearby wall. By providing correction of these effects for both the side and rear walls, SmartSubs provide accurately balanced, uniform response with virtually any room placement.

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