Paradigm MILLENIA LP 2 Flat-Panel Speaker Small Owner’s Manual

Paradigm MILLENIA LP 2 Flat-Panel Speaker Small

IMPORTANT: ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPEAKER STANDS (INCLUDED WITH SPEAKERS) ARE FOUND IN THE BOX WITH THE STAND.
IMPORTANT: READ BEFORE WALL-MOUNTING YOUR SPEAKERS.

• Wall mount your speakers securely enough that they cannot fall and cause personal injury or damage to property. Use safety straps where supplied. Detailed information on attaching the safety straps is included in the section on Installation later in the manual.
• Paradigm DOES NOT supply hardware for mounting speakers to the wall. Hardware shown in this manual is for example only and will vary depending on the wall type. Always use screws appropriate for wall type and weight of speakers.
• If installing into drywall, install into 1/2˝ (13 mm) or 5/8˝ (16 mm) drywall only. Screws must be long enough to go through anchor bolts (not supplied) and firmly into drywall (see inset circle, page 8).

NON LIABILITY: We are aware that the mounting assemblies provided for speakers in this manual could be used for purposes and in ways other than those for which they were intended. The manufacturer, distributor, retailer and their respective agents cannot be held responsible or liable for injuries or property damage—direct, indirect or consequential arising from the use of or inability to use these products safely and properly. Every effort has been made to provide accurate, error-free installation instructions. Paradigm Electronics Inc. disclaims liability for difficulties that may arise from the misinterpretation of information contained in these instructions.

RECYCLING AND REUSE GUIDELINES (Europe)
In accordance with the European Union WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive effective August 13, 2005, we would like to notify you that our speakers may contain regulated materials which, upon disposal, require special reuse and recycling processing. For this reason Paradigm Electronics Inc. (the manufacturer of Paradigm speakers and Anthem electronics products) has arranged with its distributors in European Union member nations to collect and recycle this product at no cost to you. To find your local distributor please contact the dealer from whom you purchased this product or go to our website at www.paradigm.com.

Please note that only the product falls under the WEEE directive. When disposing of packaging and other shipping material we encourage you to recycle through the normal channels.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing speakers from Paradigm’s Reference Collection and congratulations! You are about to hear the difference these state-of-the-art high-end speakers will make in your music and home theater system. Your speakers were designed and engineered in our Toronto, Canada facility. They are internationally recognized for their exceptional state-of-the-art sound. In fact, Paradigm is the only speaker brand in the world to be rated #1* year after year. Extensive listener preference tests conducted by the National Research Council (NRC) give our design engineers a firm understanding of how we hear speakers and clearly establish which design parameters are most critical to good sound. Using the NRC findings along with measurement-based analysis done in the anechoic chamber at our Toronto facility and listening tests carried out in our controlled double-blind listening rooms, Paradigm engineers work to constantly improve our speakers in three critical areas:

• Midrange: Smooth and even with coloration reduced to the lowest level possible. Smooth Total Energy Response: On and off axis, sound must be fundamentally similar. Dispersion must be wide and uniform ensuring superior imaging and a wide listening area.
• Low Distortion: Lowest levels possible. In addition, Paradigm concentrates on two other significant performance areas:
• Better Bass Response: Tight, extended and well defined.
• Higher Power Handling : to improve dynamic contrasts and sonic realism, power compression must be minimized.

Unyielding attention to all of these areas results in state-of-the-art speakers that are measurably and audibly superior. Comprehensive R&D, leading- edge design, use of the finest materials and sophisticated manufacturing and quality control provide vastly superior performance for each component part at every stage of design. Quite simply, we build better sound and we have the product awards to prove it.

Your new speakers will provide you with stunning reference quality sound and unparalleled listening pleasure for many years. Their ultra-thin profile was designed to complement the thinnest flat-panel television on the market today as well as the ‘even thinner’ flat panels yet to come.

To achieve all of the exceptional sound they are capable of providing requires care in installation and operation. Please take the time to read this manual and follow all instructions. If you have further questions, contact your Authorized Paradigm Reference Dealer or visit the Q&A page in the Tech Support section of our website at paradigm.com.

• Rated #1 Best Price/Value. Inside Track Annual Dealer Survey. An annual independent nationwide survey of consumer electronics specialist retailers and custom installers.

THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND YOUR NEW SPEAKERS

High-Frequency Drive Units

• • S-PAL™ Satin-Anodized
  Pure-Aluminum Dome
  • Rigid Mineral-Filled ABS Chassis
  • Protective, Perforated Aluminum Mesh Screen Guard with Wide Dispersion Architecture and Integrated Phase Ring
  • High-Power Apical™ Former
  • Advanced Motor Structure with Extruded Aluminum Heatsink

Bass/Midrange Drive Units

• High-Performance Anodized Unibody Bass/Midrange Cone
• Performance-Optimized Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber Surround
• Nomex™ Spider
• High-Power Apical™ Former
• High-Performance Motor Assembly includes 1-1/2˝ High-Temperature Aluminum Voice Coil and Powerful Neodymium Magnet
• Steel Heading Basket

Passive Radiators

• High-Performance Anodized Unibody Bass/Midrange Cone
• Performance-Optimized Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber Surround
• Precision-Tuned Resonance System
  

YOUR NEW SPEAKERS

Break-In
Although your speakers will sound great ‘out of the carton’, they will sound even better once they are ‘broken in.’ Allow them to play for several hours before you begin to listen critically.
Drivers use ferro-fluid that can thicken at temperatures below 10° C (50° F). Surround material used in the bass/midrange units is made of a compound that may stiffen in colder temperatures. If your speakers have been transported or stored in the cold, let them warm to room temperature before use.

Cleaning
Your speakers have a premium finish that must be treated with care. Use only a damp, soft cloth to clean. Never use strong, abrasive or corrosive cleaning products. Common household cleaning products should be avoided.

Speaker Grilles
Your speakers are meant to be played with their grilles on.

HOW TO AVOID SPEAKER DAMAGE

Your speakers are efficient and can be driven to loud listening levels with moderate amplifier power. They are also able to handle the output of very powerful amplifiers. To prevent damage to your speakers, please read the following guidelines before hooking them up.
Amplifier Distortion — The #1 Culprit!
Amplifier distortion is the principal cause of speaker damage. When listening at loud levels your amplifier may run out of clean power. It will then begin to produce distorted power several times greater than its rated output power. This will damage any brand of speaker very quickly! (See Dealer for amplifier recommendations.)
More Powerful Amplifiers are Safer
A 40 watt/channel amplifier will have substantial distortion above 40 watts. If driven to 50 watts, this amplifier will deliver distorted power which will damage the speaker! A 100 watt/channel amplifier will have substantial distortion above 100 watts, but very low distortion below 100 watts. Therefore, when the speaker requires 50 watts, this more powerful amplifier will deliver clean power and speaker damage is less likely to occur.

Volume Control
Do not be fooled by the Volume Control of your receiver/preamplifier. It only adjusts listening level—it is not a “power-output” dial. The amount of amplifier power actually used at a given Volume Control setting depends solely on the nature of the music you are listening to.
At a given Volume Control setting a quiet section of music will use less amplifier power than a loud section. With typical pop-rock, jazz or large scale classical music, the rated output power of many receivers/amplifiers is often reached when the Volume Control is between the ‘11 and 1 o’clock’ settings (with bass/treble and loudness controls not used—otherwise rated power may be reached at even lower Volume Control settings).
Remember, all amplifiers produce distortion when operated beyond their rated output power. The resulting distortion will damage all speakers! Exercise caution! If you listen at loud levels, be careful to listen for the point of audible distortion—if the speakers begin to sound distressed turn the Volume Control down or your speakers and/or amplifier(s) will be damaged! This type of damage constitutes abuse and is not covered by the warranty. If louder volumes are desired, obtain a more powerful amplifier.

There is a Limit!
Although more powerful amplifiers are safer, there is a point at which you could have more power than the speaker can handle. At that point you will overpower the speaker and damage it. Exercise caution! At loud levels do not increase bass/treble controls from zero and ensure that all loudness/contour/bass EQ buttons are off (otherwise rated output power will be reached at lower Volume Control settings). If you listen at loud levels, watch for excessive visible cone excursion (grille movement) from the woofer—then turn the Volume Control down.

The Right Amount of Power
A power-range rating is given as a guide to indicate the approximate minimum and maximum power input of your speakers speakers. Amplifiers that exceed your speaker’s power-range rating are recommended. Their greater power reserves provide better sound. However, exercise caution! Use the speakers within their power-range rating to prevent damage (keep listening levels below the point of excessive woofer cone excursion).

YOUR LISTENING ROOM

Your speakers are designed to provide state-of-the-art sound in a wide variety of domestic settings. Note however, that room construction, dimensions, even furnishings all play a part in the quality of sound you ultimately achieve. Your listening room will impose its own character on the performance capabilities of any speaker system. The extra care taken in installation will result in greater listening enjoyment. Try to follow these guidelines:

• Mid and high frequencies are affected by the amount of soft furnishings in your room—curtains, carpets, sofas, wall coverings, etc. An excess of such items can result in a somewhat dull sound. The same room without any soft furnishings can produce an overall bright sound. The typical quantity of soft furnishings found in most living environments provides the right acoustic characteristics to allow the speakers to sound balanced;
• Concrete floors and walls tend to aggravate low-frequency standing wave problems and are less preferred;
• Rooms where height, width and length are similar should be avoided as they can exhibit significant low-frequency standing wave problems. This may result in reduced clarity. If no other room is possible, experiment with speaker placement to minimize problems.

PLACEMENT

The following placement guidelines will help you get the best performance from your speakers. Illustrations showing you how to attach the speakers to the wall are provided in the section following.

FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT SPEAKERS
Accurate Timbre (Fig. 1)
For the most accurate and natural timbre, position speakers so that sound from the high-frequency drivers reaches the listener at approximately ear level. Keep in mind, your speakers will allow for higher than usual placement of the high-frequency drivers, a particularly important feature when wall mounting. Mounting them farther apart on the wall than the width of your flat panel will promote a wide, deep listening window.

Balanced Bass Performance (not shown)
Placing front speakers in corners will over-emphasize bass and reduce overall clarity. For more balanced sound, we recommend avoiding corners when considering speaker placement.

Optimal Imaging (Fig. 2)
Keeping the above in mind, measure the distance from your main listening area to the front speakers (“X”). For best imaging, mount speakers on the wall from three-quarters of that distance up to the same distance from each other (3/4 of “X” to “X”).

CENTER SPEAKER (Fig. 3)
Mount your center speaker horizontally, directly above or below your TV, whichever position brings sound closer to ear level. This ensures the most uniform timbral response with the rest of your system. Some receivers electronically adjust for differences in distance between speakers … check to see if yours does.

SURROUND/REAR SPEAKERS (Fig. 4)
To experience the full multichannel music and home theater experience, Paradigm always recommends the use of surround/rear speakers. When used a surround/rear configuration, for optimal performance keep speakers well away from the listening area (see illustration on the next page).

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR SURROUND/REAR SPEAKERS
There are additional custom surround/rear speaker options in Paradigm’s Reference Collection of custom speakers. Please see your dealer or visit our website paradigm.com for more information.

WALL-MOUNTING

3.258”
If you are not comfortable performing the following installation procedure, have a professional perform the installation (see your dealer about hiring a professional). 3.258”

IMPORTANT! Installation instructions are for ALL MODELS. If you own the Millenia LP XL there will be an additional screw and hole (see diagram at right).

MOUNTING LEFT/RIGHT SPEAKERS
Position bracket vertically on wall as shown, then follow the steps for horizontal installation that follow as a guide to installing your L/R speakers.

Wall screws not supplied
Step 1

MOUNTING CENTER SPEAKER
NOTE: This step is for positioning only. Screws will be removed in next step to allow installation of additional anchor bolts (not supplied).

Position bracket and ensure it is level. Mark the two center screw holes. Drill pilot holes, then press anchor bolts firmly into drywall and screw in. Follow with flathead screws: DO NOT SCREW ALL THE WAY IN AT THIS POINT—leave screw heads protruding slightly.

Bracket is slotted (see illustration), to allow further adjustment if necessary. Re-check to ensure bracket is level. Mark outer screw holes .

Remove the two flathead screws (not shown). Drill inner pilot holes then press anchor bolts firmly into drywall and screw in. Now insert all four flathead screws and tighten.
WARNING! All screws must be inserted straight and fully tightened to ensure correct operation of anchor bolts.

NOTE: When wall-mounting the Millenia LP 2, attach the 4 self-adhesive bumper pads to the back of the speaker.

Pull cables through or along wall and connect following the instructions on the next page.

Align keyhole slots (see inset) on rear of speaker with protruding screw heads on the bracket, then using an “in and down” motion mount speaker on bracket.

The grille logo is magnetic and can be applied in a horizontal or vertical configuration.

CONNECTION

Turn your amplifier OFF before connecting speakers. This will avoid damage which could result from accidental shorting of speaker cables.

The following chart identifies the minimum gauge requirements for various cable lengths:

MINIMUM GAUGE REQUIREMENTS

Your speakers are equipped with binding posts that can be used with pin connectors or bare wire. Refer to the diagram at right and using high-quality speaker cable (see your dealer), connect one speaker at a time to your receiver/amplifier. Connect the red (+) amplifier terminal to the red (+) speaker terminal and the black (–) to the black (–) (see below). Push binding posts to secure.

Turn your amplifier on and listen to your speakers. If you notice a complete lack of mid-bass and a dislocated image, one or more of your speakers may be connected out-of-phase (their polarity is reversed). Re-check to ensure that each speaker’s cable is connected with correct polarity: red (+) to red (+) and black (–) to black (–). Make sure wires are firmly fastened. Push binding posts to secure.

TROUBLESHOOTING

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

LIMITED WARRANTY

Your new speakers are warranted to be and remain free of manufacturing and/or material defects for a period of five (5) years from the date of original purchase. Within the time period specified, repair, replacement or adjustment of parts for manufacturing and/or material defects will be free of charge to the original owner. Thermal or mechanical abuse/misuse is not covered under warranty.

Limitations:

• Warranty begins on date of original retail purchase from an Authorized Paradigm® Reference Dealer only. It is not transferable;
• Warranty applies to product in normal home use only. If product is subjected to any of the conditions outlined in the next section, warranty is void;
• Warranty does not apply if the product is used in professional or commercial applications.

Warranty is Void if:

• The product has been abused (intentionally or accidentally);
• The product has been used in conjunction with unsuitable or faulty equipment;
• The product has been subjected to damaging signals, derangement in transport, mechanical damage or any abnormal conditions;
• The product (including cabinet) has been tampered with or damaged by an unauthorized service facility;
• The serial number has been removed or defaced.

Owner Responsibilities:

• Provide normal/reasonable operating care and maintenance;
• Provide or pay for transportation charges for product to service facility;
• Provide proof of purchase (your sales receipt given at time of purchase from your Authorized Paradigm® Reference Dealer must be retained for proof-of-purchase date).

Should servicing be required, contact your nearest Authorized Paradigm® Reference Dealer, Paradigm Electronics Inc. or Import Distributor (outside the U.S. and Canada) to arrange, bring in or ship prepaid, any defective unit. Visit our website, www.paradigm.com for more information. Paradigm Electronics Inc. reserves the right to improve the design of any product without assuming any obligation to modify any product previously manufactured. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties expressed or implied, of merchantability, fitness for any particular purpose and may not be extended or enlarged by anyone. In no event shall Paradigm Electronics Inc., their agents or representatives be responsible for any incidental or consequential damages. Some jurisdictions do not allow limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so this exclusion may not apply to you. Retain this manual and your sales receipt for proof of warranty term and proof of purchase.

References

• Paradigm® | High Performance Audio - Crafted in Canada
• Paradigm® | High Performance Audio - Crafted in Canada

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