Wharfedale 155 Preparing the Diamond 100 Loudspeakers, Cables and Connectors, Crossover Networks

Preparing the Diamond 100 Loudspeakers

Stands and Brackets

The bookshelf loudspeakers are intended primarily for stand mounting, though they can be mounted on wall brackets or even on sturdy shelves. The quality of loudspeaker stands greatly influences the performance of your loudspeakers, please do not use flimsy products.

Centre Channel Loudspeakers

Each centre channel loudspeaker is supplied with two sets of mounting feet. By using combination of large and small feet the loudspeaker may be angled to point directly at the listening position. This will be found useful when the centre speaker is positioned under the TV screen.

Cables and Connectors

Choosing Loudspeaker Cable

Specialist audio cable usually offers better performance than general purpose 'bell' or 'zip' wire.

Choose a cable of suitable diameter – cable that is too thin will limit the dynamics of the sound and may impair the bass response. Audio cable is polarised, with two cores of different colours, or often a raised rib or coloured tracer in the case of twin cable. Before you purchase your cable, give careful thought to the positioning of your loudspeakers.

This is especially the case if you are bi-wiring your loudspeakers.

Cable lengths to loudspeaker pairs should be the same for left and right channels in order to equalise the signal transmission. Allow some slack in your speaker cables so you can alter their position to best advantage.

Preparing Loudspeaker Cable

Split the twin cores to a depth of about 40mm. Carefully strip the insulation from each end, leaving about 10mm of bare wire. If the cable is stranded, lightly twist to gather any loose strands.

Connecting Screw Terminals

All loudspeakers use screw terminals.

Unscrew the terminal. Insert the bare end of the cable into the hole in the base of the terminal. Tighten securely.

When connecting terminals make sure you leave no strands of bare wire that can short across to adjacent terminals.

As an alternative to bare wire you can use specialist spade connectors. Your Wharfedale dealer will be pleased to advise you on this issue.

Crossover Networks

Bi-Wireable Networks

Most speakers in the Diamond 100 series use a special bi-wireable crossover panel with four terminal binding posts. Please follow the drawing carefully to see the correct orientation of the loudspeaker terminals. The upper terminals connect to the treble unit, the lower pair to the bass unit. As supplied, the treble terminal pair is connected to the bass terminal pair via removable metal straps. These should be left in place for standard installations.

Why Bi-Wire?

Using separate cables for treble and bass units in a bi-wiring configuration reduces intermodulation effects and improves headroom and clarity. To bi-wire, you will need to install two lengths of twin core cable between the amplifier and each loudspeaker.