®
JBL VENUE™
SUB12 (120V)
OWNER’S GUIDE
INTRODUCTION
JBL® SUB12 Powered Subwoofer
For more than 60 years, JBL has been providing audio equipment to concert
halls, recording studios and movie theaters around the world, and has become
the hands-down choice of leading recording artists and sound engineers.
SUB
RIGHT-
CHANNEL
SPEAKER
™
With the JBL Venue Series, innovative technologies such as titanium-
™
™
laminate-dome tweeters, EOS waveguides and PolyPlas transducer
reinforcement are available to you. Enjoy!
Unpacking the Subwoofer
If you suspect damage from transit, report it immediately to your dealer. Keep
the shipping carton and packing materials for future use.
PLACEMENT
Since the installation of a subwoofer can be somewhat more complicated than
installation of full-range speakers, it is essential that you read this section very
carefully prior to connecting the subwoofer to your system. Should you have
questions relating to your installation, it is advisable to call either your dealer
or JBL’s Customer Service Department for advice.
PRIMARY
LISTENING
AREA
The performance of the subwoofer is directly related to its placement in the
listening room and how you align the subwoofer with its satellite speakers.
Setting the volume of the subwoofer in relationship to the left and right speakers
is also of critical importance because it is essential that the subwoofer inte-
grate smoothly with the entire system. Setting the subwoofer’s volume level
too high will result in overpowering, boomy bass. Setting the volume level too
low will negate the benefits of the subwoofer.
Figure 1. This example shows the subwoofer positioned behind the
right-channel satellite speaker to re-create the actual location of
bass instruments in an orchestra and/or add impact to
movie soundtracks.
Here are several additional facts on installation that may prove useful.
It is generally believed by most audio authorities that low frequencies (below
125Hz) are nondirectional and, therefore, placement of a subwoofer within any
listening room is not critical. While in theory it is true that the larger wave-
lengths of extremely low frequencies are basically nondirectional, the fact is
that, when installing a subwoofer within the limited confines of a room, reflec-
tions, standing waves and absorptions generated within the room will strongly
influence the performance of any subwoofer system. As a result, specific
location of the subwoofer becomes important, and we strongly recommend
that you experiment with placement before choosing a final location.
Placement will depend upon your room and the amount and quality of bass
required (for example, whether or not your room permits placement of the
subwoofer near either satellite).
3
CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
Rear Panel
¡
Subwoofer-Level Control
™
£
¢
∞
§
¶
•
LFE/Normal Selector
Phase Switch
•
¡
LEVEL
Crossover Adjustment
Line-Level/LFE Input
High (Speaker)-Level Inputs
Power Switch
Green: On
Red: Standby
Max
Min
LFE
NORMAL
™
PHASE 0º
180º
£
80Hz
Status LED
CROSSOVER
FREQUENCY
¢
150Hz
50Hz
L
R
∞
LINE LEVEL IN
For LFE use L or R
L
HIGH
LEVEL
IN
§
R
+ –
ON
OFF
¶
120V
60Hz
POWER
JBL Venue
SUB12
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
NRTL/C
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL
CSA 22.2
UL1492
SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
AVERTISSEMENT: POUR PRÉVENIR LES RISQUES D'INCENDIE OU DE CHOC
ÉLECTRIQUE, ÉVITER D'EXPOSER CET APPAREIL A LA PLUIE OU A L'HUMIDITÉ.
4
SYSTEM CONNECTIONS
®
®
If you have a Dolby Digital or DTS receiver/processor with a
low-frequency-effects (LFE) or subwoofer output:
If your receiver/processor does not have subwoofer outputs
for the left and right channels or an LFE output, connect
speaker wire from your receiver/amplifier to your speakers
and subwoofer using two sets of speaker wire:
SUBWOOFER OR
LFE OUTPUT
LEVEL
Green: On
Red: Standby
Max
Min
LFE
NORMAL
LEVEL
Green: On
Red: Standby
Max
NORMAL
Min
0º
180º
PHASE
80Hz
LFE
RECEIVER/AMPLIFIER
Front Speaker Output
CROSSOVER
FREQUENCY
0º
180º
PHASE
80Hz
150Hz
50Hz
CROSSOVER
FREQUENCY
150Hz
50Hz
L
R
LINE LEVEL IN
L
R
Set LFE/Normal switch to “LFE.”
For LFE use L or R
LINE LEVEL IN
For LFE use L or R
L
HIGH
LEVEL
IN
R
If your receiver/processor does not contain a Dolby Digital
or DTS processor, but has subwoofer outputs:
LEVEL
Green: On
RECEIVER/PROCESSOR
Max
Red: Standby
Min
LFE
NORMAL
0º
180º
PHASE
80Hz
L
R
CROSSOVER
FREQUENCY
150Hz
50Hz
L
R
LINE LEVEL IN
For LFE use L or R
This figure shows how to connect bare wires to the terminals.
L
HIGH
LEVEL
IN
R
Set line-level/LFE switch to
“Normal.”
+ –
NOTE: If your receiver/processor
has only one sub out, you may
use either the L or R input.
5
OPERATION
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE
Power On
The enclosure may be cleaned using a soft cloth to remove fingerprints or to
wipe off dust.
Plug your subwoofer’s AC cord into a wall outlet. Do not use the outlets on the
back of the receiver.
Initially set the Subwoofer-Level Control ¡ to the “min” position.
The grille may be gently vacuumed. Stains may be removed with an aerosol
cleaner, following its instructions. Do not use any solvents on the grille.
Turn on your sub by pressing the Power Switch ¶ on the rear panel.
All wiring connections should be inspected and cleaned or remade periodically.
The frequency of maintenance depends on the metals involved in the connections,
atmospheric conditions and other factors, but once per year is the minimum.
Turn on your entire audio system and start a CD or movie soundtrack at a
moderate level.
If a problem occurs, make sure that all connections are properly made and
clean. If a problem exists in one loudspeaker, reverse the connection wires to
the left and right system. If the problem remains in the same speaker, then the
fault is with the loudspeaker. If the problem appears in the opposite speaker,
the cause is in another component or cable. In the event that your subwoofer
a service center near you.
Auto On/Standby
¶
•
With the Power Switch
in the ON position, the Status LED
on the
back panel will remain lit in red or green to indicate the On/Standby mode
of the subwoofer.
RED = STANDBY (No signal detected, Amp Off)
GREEN = ON (Signal detected, Amp On)
The subwoofer will automatically enter the Standby mode after approximately
10 minutes when no signal is detected from your system. The subwoofer will
then power ON instantly when a signal is detected. During periods of normal
¶
use, the Power Switch
can be left on. You may turn off the Power Switch
¶
for extended periods of nonoperation, e.g., when you are away on vacation.
Adjust Gain
Turn your Subwoofer-Level Control ¡ up to the halfway position. If no sound
emanates from the subwoofer, check the AC-line cord and input cables. Are the
connectors on the cables making proper contact? Is the AC plug connected to
a “live” receptacle? Has the Power Switch ¶ been pressed to the “On” posi-
tion? Once you have confirmed that the subwoofer is active, proceed by play-
ing a CD, record or cassette. Use a selection that has ample bass information.
Set the overall volume control of the preamplifier or stereo to a comfortable
level. Adjust the Subwoofer-Level Control ¡ until you obtain a pleasing blend
of bass. Bass response should not overpower the room but rather be adjusted
so there is a harmonious blend across the entire musical range. Many users
have a tendency to set the subwoofer volume too loud, adhering to the belief
that a subwoofer is there to produce lots of bass. This is not entirely true. A
subwoofer is there to enhance bass, extending the response of the entire sys-
tem so the bass can be felt as well as heard. However, overall balance must
be maintained or the music will not sound natural. An experienced listener will
set the volume of the subwoofer so its impact on bass response is always
there but never obtrusive.
Phase Control
The Phase Switch £ determines whether the subwoofer speaker’s pistonlike
action moves in and out with the main speakers, 0˚, or opposite the main
speakers, 180˚. Proper phase adjustment depends on several variables such
as room size, subwoofer placement and listener position. Adjust the phase
switch to maximize bass output at the listening position.
Crossover Adjustment
The Crossover Adjustment Control ¢ determines the highest frequency at
which the subwoofer reproduces sounds. If your main speakers can comfortably
reproduce some low-frequency sounds, set this control to a lower frequency
setting, between 50Hz and 100Hz. This will concentrate the subwoofer’s
efforts on the ultradeep bass sounds required by today’s films and music.
If you are using smaller bookshelf speakers that do not extend to the lower
bass frequencies, set the Crossover Adjustment control to a higher setting,
between 120Hz and 150Hz.
NOTE: This control will have no effect if the LFE/Normal Selector ™ is set
to LFE. If you have a Dolby Digital or DTS processor/receiver, the Low-Pass
Frequency is set by the processor/receiver. Consult your owner’s manual
to learn how to view or change this setting.
6
SPECIFICATIONS
SUB12
Frequency Response
Amplifier RMS Power
25Hz – 150Hz
250 Watts
500 Watts
†
Amplifier Peak Dynamic Power
Crossover Frequency
50Hz – 150Hz
24dB/octave, continuously variable
™
Driver
12" (300mm) PolyPlas
Dimensions (H x W x D)
(with grille)
19-3/4" x 14-3/8" x 18"
(502mm x 365mm x 457mm)
Weight
39.5 lb (18kg)
† The Peak Dynamic Power is measured by recording the highest center-to-peak voltage
measured across the output of a resistive load equal to minimum impedance of the trans-
ducer, using a 50Hz sine wave burst, 3 cycles on, 17 cycles off.
7
All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.
JBL and Harman International are registered trademarks, and Venue Series, EOS,
PolyPlas and Pro Sound Comes Home are trademarks, of Harman International
Industries, Incorporated.
Dolby and Pro Logic are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.
DTS is a registered trademark of DTS, Inc.
™
PRO SOUND COMES HOME
JBL Consumer Products, 250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY 11797 USA
8500 Balboa Boulevard, Northridge, CA 91329 USA
2, route de Tours, 72500 Château du Loir, France
© 2006 Harman International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Part No. 406-000-05452-E
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