ACOUSTICS Concept 30 Standmount Speaker Owner’s Manual

ACOUSTICS Concept 30 Stand mount Speaker

Product Information

The Concept 30, 50 & 90 are loudspeakers that require connections to a sound system. They come with an owner’s manual with safety information, warnings, and instructions for unpacking, servicing, and usage. The loudspeakers are heavy and need assistance while lifting. When using high volume settings, it may damage your hearing. The loudspeakers should not be used near water or connected to the mains supply. Servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.

Product Usage Instructions

1. Before making any connections to your loudspeakers, ensure that all units in your sound system are switched off at the mains.
2. When switching on your sound system or changing input sources, set the main volume control at a low level, and turn up the level gradually.
3. NEVER play your sound system at full volume. The position of the volume control is deceptive and does not indicate the power level of the system. Using very high volume settings may damage your hearing.
4. Unpack the loudspeakers fully by lifting them from the cartons by holding the cabinets. Do not use the protective bags to lift them.
5. When manoeuvring loudspeakers, do not drag them across the floor as this may cause damage – lift each loudspeaker before moving it.
6. If any items are damaged or missing, report this to your retailer as soon as possible.
7. Retain the packaging for future transport. If you dispose of the packaging, please do so following all recycling regulations in your area.
8. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

Important Safety Information and Warnings

Safety Information and Warnings

• Before making any connections to your loudspeakers make sure that all units in your sound system are switched off at the mains.
• When switching on your sound system or changing input sources, set the main volume control at a low level. Turn up the level gradually.
• NEVER play your sound system at full volume. The position of the volume control is deceptive and does not indicate the power level of the system. Using very high volume settings may damage your hearing.

Instructions

• Read and understand these instructions before you use your loudspeakers. If damage is caused by failure to follow these instructions, the warranty will not apply. Please keep these instructions in a safe place.
• Read these instructions.
• Keep these instructions.
• Heed all warnings.
• Follow all instructions.
• Do not use this apparatus near water.
• DO NOT connect your loudspeaker terminals to the mains supply.
• Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers that produce heat.
• Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
• Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

Unpacking your loudspeakers
Unpack the loudspeakers fully. Lift the loudspeakers from the cartons by holding the cabinets. Do not use the protective bags to lift them. The Concept 50s are heavy – get assistance to lift them.

When manoeuvring loudspeakers, do not drag them across the floor as this may cause damage – lift each loudspeaker before moving it.
Check the loudspeaker carefully. If any items are damaged or missing, report this to your retailer as soon as possible.
Retain the packaging for future transport. If you dispose of the packaging, please do so following all recycling regulations in your area.

Installation

• Only use the accessories supplied with the Concept 50.
• To prevent injury, this apparatus must be securely mounted onto the floor in accordance with the installation instructions.
• If you play your loudspeakers without their grilles fitted, be careful to protect the drive units from damage.
• DO NOT dismantle the loudspeaker. You will invalidate the warranty.
• The use of this apparatus is indicated for tropical and/or moderate climates.

Moisture

• To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, this apparatus should not be exposed to rain, moisture, dripping or splashing.
• Do not use this apparatus near water.

Servicing
Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

Symbols used on this product
Hazard Warning Symbol
The ‘exclamation mark’ calls attention to features for which you should read this manual closely to prevent operation and maintenance problems.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Symbol This symbol indicates that when the unit is to be discarded, it must be separated from other household- type waste and sent to separate collection facilities for recovery and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment.

Please make sure you are familiar with your local rules on the separate collection of electrical and electronic products.

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing Q Acoustics Concept loudspeakers.
This manual is intended to take you through the setup and installation of the Concept Series. It will help provide a trouble free setup and ensure optimum performance from the product. The Concept Series is a range of loudspeakers designed to meet the highest expectations of dedicated 2-channel audiophiles and discerning movie enthusiasts.

The manual covers:
Concept 30: Bookshelf loudspeaker with a 125mm bass driver.
Concept 50: Floorstander with two 125mm bass drivers.
Concept 90: Centre loudspeaker with two 125mm bass drivers.

Please read the instructions, important safety information and warnings carefully before installation and use, to ensure the safe and satisfactory operation of this product.

We hope you enjoy the Q Acoustics experience.

Package Contents

Preparation

Loudspeaker Installation
The Concept 50 loudspeakers are intended to be floor mounted only. We recommend you attach the support base during the unpacking process as in the diagram above, to avoid damage to the loudspeaker. However, you may attach it after the loudspeaker is unpacked, but you should protect the loudspeaker from damage by placing it on a soft cloth or similar. You must also take care to avoid damaging the drive units.

It is important to ensure that the loudspeakers stand firmly on the floor using one of the feet options supplied. The spike feet are designed to pierce carpet and rest on the underlying floor surface. The Ball-end feet should be used where there is no carpet and the floor surface might be damaged by the spike feet.

Whichever type of feet you use, the same procedure should be followed to ensure stable mounting. Install the feet as shown in the diagram above, ensuring they are screwed in fully. Adjust the feet until the loudspeaker is level and stable. Finally, lock all five spike nuts.

To avoid damage when spikes are fitted, do not drag the loudspeaker and take care to place it where it cannot cause damage or pierce mains cables etc. Used properly, spike feet will not damage carpets. For very soft wooden floors it may be advisable to use spike shoes or coins (not supplied) between the ball- end feet and the floor.

Concept 50 Isolation Base

The Concept loudspeakers are equipped with our custom suspension system, isolating the base from the main loudspeaker body. This isolating technology allows for a calculated amount of movement within the loudspeaker base so please do not be alarmed by this. On Concept 50 this can be locked if you wish to use your own isolation base, as shown in the diagram above.

Positioning

Foam Bung
Concept series loudspeakers are rear ported and designed to work best with at least 0.2m of free space behind them. Generally, the closer the loudspeakers are to the rear wall the more the bass frequencies will be reinforced until they overwhelm the overall sound. In this instance closing the rear port with the foam bung will tend to reduce bass, which is useful when domestic circumstances demand that the loudspeaker is used closer to a rear wall, as when wall mounted.

Ensure that the bungs are fitted snugly into the port but avoid inserting them too far. You will find the overall level of bass is reduced but bass extension and definition will be increased. The optimal position of the loudspeakers will only be found through experimentation and by making small adjustments during the first few listening sessions.

Loudspeaker positioning in a room is not an exact science. Even experts will find it necessary to experiment.

Try to achieve the best balance between bass quantity versus quality and vocal quality versus intelligibility.

Concept 30
The Concept 30 loudspeakers are ideally mounted on FS75 stands and can also be wall mounted on the WB75 wall bracket. Stand mounted loudspeakers should be treated as floor standing loudspeakers except that the loudspeaker may be placed a little closer to the back wall.

Concept 50
The Concept 50 loudspeakers should be positioned at least 0.2m from a back wall, 0.5m from the side walls and placed 2.0 – 4.0 m apart and equidistant from the seated listener. Turning the loudspeakers slightly inwards will sharpen the stereo image at the expense of a narrower sound stage.

Concept 90
The Concept 90 loudspeaker should be positioned at least 0.2m from a back wall and central to a TV screen.

Connections

Terminals and Connectors
The Concept Series are bi-wireable. A bi-wireable crossover has four terminals. The upper pair of terminals connect to the treble (HF) speaker and the lower pair to the bass (LF) speaker. The crossovers are pre-fitted with removable links to connect the terminal pairs and configure the loudspeaker in single–wire mode. This allows you to connect the loudspeaker conventionally using one pair of cables.

Standard Connections

• Connect the RED (+) terminal of the RIGHT loudspeaker to the RED, Positive (+) terminal on the RIGHT channel of the amplifier.
• Connect the BLACK (-) terminal of the loudspeaker to the matching BLACK, Negative (-) terminal of the amplifier.

Repeat this procedure for the LEFT channel.

Bi-Wire Connections
To bi-wire: Prepare two twin cables for each loudspeaker. Unscrew all the loudspeaker terminals and remove both links. Now connect the treble terminals and the bass terminals to the amplifier following the procedure described in standard connections.

Running In
In common with many types of complex mechanical systems the Concept loudspeakers will not deliver their optimum performance until they have been in use for a certain initial running-in period. The correct performance of a loudspeaker depends in part on the compliance of the suspension materials used during manufacture and these will only attain their long term steady state once they are operating at the temperature and modulus of elasticity specified during the design phase. It can take several days for a loudspeaker which has been stored in a cold warehouse to finally reach room temperature and so we recommend at least 24 hours of normal use for the drive units to loosen up sufficiently for them to perform as the designer intended.

Aftercare
Cabinet Care
Clean cabinets only with a lightly dampened cloth. Do not use solvent based cleaning materials. Never use abrasives of any kind.
The cabinet surfaces will usually only require light dusting. Should an aerosol or other cleaner be used, apply the cleaner onto the cloth first and not directly onto the product. Test a small area first, as some cleaning products may damage the finish. Avoid products that are abrasive, or contain acid or alkaline agents. Do not use any cleaning materials on the drive units and avoid touching them as damage may result.

Grilles
Grilles should only be cleaned using a soft brush when necessary.
If using the the loudspeakers with the grilles removed, remember to replace them if pets or children are present.

Drive Units
Do not touch the drive units as they are easily damaged when exposed.

Warranty

Q Acoustics passive loudspeaker products are warranted free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 4 years from the date of purchase. During the warranty period Q Acoustics will, at its option, repair or replace any product found to be faulty after inspection by the company or its appointed distributor or agent.

Misuse and fair wear and tear are not covered by warranty.

Goods for repair should in the first instance be returned to the supplying dealer. If this is not possible contact Q Acoustics or their appointed distributor for your area to determine the correct warranty procedure. If possible the original packaging should be used to return the product as damage sustained during transit to the repair centre is not covered by the warranty. The warranty does not in any way affect your legal rights.

Warranty can be extended to 5 years by registering your product at qacoustics.co.uk/register.
For service information contact: support@qacoustics.co.uk

Q Acoustics
Woodside 2, Dunmow Road
Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshires, UK
CM23 5RG

For any additional information not contained within this manual, support questions and/or requests, please visit our on-line Knowledge Base Portal at: www.qacoustics.co.uk/FAQs

Accessories

FS75 Stands
(H x W x D) 638 x 286 x 338mm Suitable for Concept 30 ****

WB75 Wall Bracket gloss black or white
(H x W x D) 119 x 102 x 231mm Suitable for Concept 30 and Concept 90 ****

**Specifications

**

QACOUSTIC S.CO.UK

Our policy is one of continuous product improvement.
We reserve the right to change the designs and specifications without notice. This document contains information that is subject to change without notice

References

• Q Acoustics: Beautifully Engineered Speakers and Soundbars
• qacoustics.co.uk/FAQs
• Warranty
• qacoustics.co.uk/FAQs

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

Download This Manual (PDF format)

Download this manual  >>