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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.
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