CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS BASSCUBE8S Powered Subwoofers User Manual
- June 17, 2024
- Cambridge Soundworks
Table of Contents
BASSCUBE™ 8S
BASSCUBE™ 10S
POWERED SUBWOOFERS
USER MANUAL
BASSCUBE8S Powered Subwoofers
The lightning flash with arrowhead, within an equilateral triangle, is
intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage”
within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to
constitute risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the
user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing)
instructions in the literature accompanying this product
WARNING
DO NOT OPEN
TO PREVENT THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE SUBWOOFER’S COVER. NO
USERSERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
READ AND HEED IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING ON BACK OF SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE
CAUTION:
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, INSERT
FULLY.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
THE SERIAL NUMBER IS LOCATED ON THE SUBWOOFER’S BACK PANEL. PLEASE WRITE THIS
NUMBER DOWN AND KEEP IT IN A SECURE AREA.
THIS IS FOR YOUR SECURITY.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
READ INSTRUCTIONS – All safety and operating instructions should be read
before the subwoofer is operated.
RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS – The safety and operating instructions should be retained
for future reference.
HEED WARNINGS – All warnings on the subwoofer and in the operating
instructions should be adhered to.
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS – All operating and use instructions should be followed.
CLEANING – Unplug the subwoofer from the wall outlet or other power source
before cleaning. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.
ATTACHMENTS – Do not use any adapters or attachments not recommended by
Cambridge Sound Works as they may cause hazards.
WATER AND MOISTURE – Do not use the subwoofer near water-for example, near a
bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near
a swimming pool or other similar areas.
ACCESSORIES – Do not place the subwoofer on an unstable cart, stand, tripod,
bracket, or table. The subwoofer may fall, causing serious injury to a child
or adult and serious damage to the product.
VENTILATION – Slots, openings and metal fins in the cabinet are provided for
ventilation, to ensure reliable operation of the subwoofer and to prevent it
from overheating. These areas must not be blocked or covered such as by
placing the product on a bed, sofa, very deep pile rug, or other similar
surface. The subwoofer should not be placed in a built-in installation such as
a bookcase or rack.
HEAT – The subwoofer should be situated away from heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, and other products (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.
POWER SOURCES – The subwoofer should be operated only from the type of power
source indicated on the label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply
to your home, consult your dealer or local power company.
POLARIZATION – The subwoofer is equipped with a polarized alternating-current
line plug (a plug having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit
into the power outlet only one way. This is a safety feature.
If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing the
plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to
replace your obsolete outlet.
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.
POWER-CORD PROTECTION – The AC power cords should be routed so that they are
not likely to be walked on. No object should bring weight to bear on the AC
power cords.
LIGHTNING – For added protection for the subwoofer during a lightning storm,
or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it
from the wall outlet. This will prevent damage to the subwoofer due to
lightning and power-line surges.
OVERLOADING – Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or integral
convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk of fire or electric
shock.
OBJECT AND LIQUID ENTRY – Never use probes of any kind to reach into the
subwoofer as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short parts that could
result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the
subwoofer.
SERVICING – Do not attempt to service the subwoofer yourself as opening or
removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer
all servicing to qualified service personnel.
DAMAGE REQUIRING SERVICE – Unplug the subwoofer from the wall outlet or other
power source and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the
following conditions:
a) When the power-cord or plug is damaged.
b) If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the subwoofer.
c) If the subwoofer has been exposed to rain or water.
d) If the subwoofer does not operate normally by following the operating
instructions; or exhibits a distinct change in performance.
e) If the subwoofer has been dropped or damaged in any way.
REPLACEMENT PARTS – When replacement parts are required, be sure the service
technician uses replacement parts specified by Cambridge SoundWorks or have
the same characteristics as the original part. Substandard substitutions may
result in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.
SAFETY CHECK – Upon completion of any service or repairs to the subwoofer, ask
the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the
subwoofer is in proper operating condition.
INSPECTING FOR DAMAGE
Examine each part carefully for shipping damage. If there is any, do not install or use the system. Return the subwoofer to the store or merchant where you made the purchase or call Cambridge SoundWorks at 1-800-FOR-HIFI (1-800-367-4434) for assistance.
SPECIFICATIONS
(including feet and controls on rear panel)
BassCube 10S:
Dimensions: 15″H x 13 1/2″W x 14 3/4″D
Weight: 35 lbs.
BassCube 8S:
Dimensions: 13″H x 111/2″W x 12 1/8″D
Weight: 25 lbs.
OPERATING CONTROLS, INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
-
OFF AUTO ON Set this switch to AUTO for normal use. The subwoofer will “power up” rapidly when an audio signal is sensed. The subwoofer will revert to a standby mode after about 15 minutes of no signal. The standby mode uses less power. Set this switch to ON should you wish to prevent the subwoofer from entering its standby mode.
-
SUBWOOFER LEVEL This control sets the overall output level of the subwoofer.
-
LINE LEVEL INPUTS The Subwoofer Out (or preamplifier outputs) from your audio system connect to these inputs.
-
SPEAKER LEVEL INPUTS If you do not have, or do not wish to use a line level output from your audio system, you can connect speaker wire from your audio system’s left and right speaker outputs to these inputs.
-
OUT TO SPEAKERS
-
Connect your left and right speakers to these outputs if you use the SPEAKER LEVEL INPUTS.
-
POWER indicator
Glows green during normal operation. Glows red in standby mode. -
LOW PASS FREQUENCY When you connect a BassCube to the Subwoofer Out of a 5.1 channel Dolby Digital ® or DTS ® audio system, set this control at its full clockwise rotation. If you connect a BassCube with speaker wires, or to the Subwoofer Out of a stereo receiver, adjust this control higher for small main speakers and lower for large main speakers (see page 13).
-
PHASE (BassCube 10S only)
The main speakers and the subwoofer may cancel each other out across the small range of frequencies where they overlap. This control will counteract this effect.
CONNECTIONS
About your audio components:
You can connect a BassCube to a receiver, an integrated amplifier, a
preamplifier/power amplifier combination, or other audio component. For
brevity, this manual will refer only to a
“receiver,” but the instructions will also apply to any audio component.
You can use a line level signal output from one of these components (like a
subwoofer output) or speaker level outputs, but not both types of outputs
simultaneously. Always set the
BassCube’s power switch to OFF before making any connections.
Line Level Connection
You need a signal cable for this type of connection, usually with an RCA plug
at both ends. Connect the BassCube as described below:
Dolby Digital (or DTS) receiver: Connect a mono signal cable from the RCA jack
labeled Subwoofer Out (or possibly LFE or just SUB) on the receiver to the
Bass Cube’s R (mono) LINE LEVEL INPUT. Set the LOW PASS FREQUENCY control to
it’s full clockwise setting.
Dolby Surround® or Stereo receiver with subwoofer output: Connect a mono
signal cable from the RCA jack labeled Subwoofer Out (or possibly just SUB) on
the receiver to the Bass Cube’s R (mono) LINE LEVEL INPUT. Set the LOW PASS
FREQUENCY control according to the guide on page 13. Preamplifier/power
amplifier: If your preamplifier has a pair of unused volume-controlled signal
outputs, use a stereo signal cable with RCA jacks at both ends to connect it
to the Bass Cube’s LINE LEVEL INPUTS.
Otherwise, use two “Y” adapters (Cambridge Sound Works A1Y1M2FY, one RCA plug
to two RCA jacks or equivalent) as shown in the diagram to create an
additional pair of signal outputs to connect your Bass Cube.
Speaker Level Connection
Connect speaker wire from the receiver’s left and right speaker outputs (the
main or front connectors) as shown in the diagram. Connect speaker wire from
the BassCube’s OUT TO SPEAKERS connectors to your left and right speakers. Set
the LOW PASS FREQUENCY control according to the guide on page 13.
Note: When you activate the Subwoofer Out jack on a Dolby Digital audio
system, bass signals to the main speakers are automatically filtered out. This
is a feature of a Dolby Digital
decoder’s bass management system. How much bass is filtered out of the main
speakers depends on the Dolby Digital settings. If too much bass is filtered
out, your audio system will
have weak output in the frequency range where your subwoofer and main speakers
overlap. This frequency range is often referred to as “midbass.”
If you suspect your system has weak midbass output, first make sure your
subwoofer’s LOW PASS FREQUENCY control is set at its full clockwise rotation.
Then check your audio system to see if its Dolby Digital decoder has a
“crossover” or “high-pass” frequency adjustment for the main speakers. If it
does, set it at its lowest frequency setting. These two
adjustments should provide you with consistent bass output.
Unfortunately, there may not be an adjustment on your audio system’s Dolby
Digital decoder for main speaker bass (other than small or large), or it may
be hard to hear any improvement. In this case, you can insure accurate midbass
output by inactivating the Subwoofer Out jack of your Dolby Digital audio
system. (This doesn’t “remove” any of the bass signals present in a Dolby
Digital recording. The Dolby Digital decoder just sends the Low Frequency
Effects channel and all bass signals through the speakers designated as
Large.) Set your Dolby Digital decoder’s
Front speaker size setting to Large and the Center and Rear speaker size settings to Small. Then connect the BassCube and front speakers as described above in Speaker Level Connections. Afterwards, you can use the BassCube’s LOW PASS FREQUENCY and SUBWOOFER LEVEL controls to achieve proper midbass output.
PLACEMENT
The subwoofer should be placed on the floor. Its location in the room affects
its output. The output increases the closer the subwoofer is placed to the
intersection of walls and floors (see diagrams).
Some Advantages Of Corner Placement: Corner placement also provides the most
consistent output from deep bass to upper bass. Since corner placement
“forces” more of the bass energy toward the center of the room, you can
operate the subwoofer at a lower overall gain setting than if it was in the
middle of a wall. This reduces the amount of bass someone in a nearby room
will hear.
Other locations: Any position in a room can be used, but a position away from
the intersection of two room surfaces has two drawbacks. The subwoofer will
not achieve as strong an output as near a wall, and the output across the
subwoofer’s range will be less consistent.
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Ventilation: Because the subwoofer requires ventilation, do not place it inside a wall unit or any piece of furniture. Also, don’t place it near heat sources or against furniture, draperies or other material that will block the free flow of air from around the subwoofer.
FINAL SETUP
Power Connections
Make sure the BassCube’s power switch is in the OFF position. Insert the
BassCube’s power cable into an AC wall outlet (The switched accessory outlets
on receivers are not recommended for use with a BassCube). Turn the BassCube’s
power switch to the AUTO position.
Test Your Setup
Once all connections have been made, test your sound system to verify that the
subwoofer produces bass output. Advance the SUBWOOFER LEVEL control to the 10
o’clock position. Turn on your receiver and play a CD or movie you know to
have significant bass. Listen for the subwoofer ouput as you increase your
receiver’s volume control up to a moderate volume level. If you don’t hear any
output from the subwoofer, slowly advance the SUBWOOFER LEVEL until you hear
output.
If you still don’t get any output, recheck your connections.
Adjusting For Best Performance
We recommend you adjust the BassCube in the following sequence:
-
Set the LOW PASS FREQUENCY according to the guide on page 13.
BassCube 8S control is shown.
BassCube 10S control is similar. -
Set the SUBWOOFER LEVEL control by ear, until you are happy with the overall bass balance.
-
(BassCube 10S only) Set the PHASE switch by ear, listening for slightly stronger output.
Phase switch adjustment: Play program material with a constant beat or bass output (like a kick drum in a rock recording). Have someone else operate the switch while you LISTEN FOR any output difference from your preferred listening position. Leave the PHASE switch in the setting that provides the louder output.
It’s possible you will not hear a difference.
This is normal.
If you heard an increase in bass output, you could reset the SUBWOOFER LEVEL control to compensate.
LOW PASS CONTROL SETTINGS
The LOW PASS FREQUENCY control on a BassCube is continuously variable. The following recommendations describe specific settings, but feel free to choose an intermediate setting if it sounds best to you.
Dolby Digital® sound systems
A Dolby Digital decoder provides its own processing when you activate the
decoder’s Subwoofer Out jack. Set the BaseCube’s LOW PASS FREQUENCY control at
it’s fully-clockwise position; this will effectively bypass it (see examples
below).
Note: A Dolby Digital receiver has a large/small speaker selector and a
Subwoofer Out jack On/Off selector. We recommend setting the first option to
SMALL for the Front, Center and Rear speakers in your system, unless the
speakers are floor-standing, with a ten-inch woofer or larger.
Dolby Surround (Pro Logic) and Stereo sound systems
Follow the guidelines in the next column when both your main speakers and your
subwoofer are driven by a full range signal. This is the case in a stereo
component system or a Dolby Surround with Pro Logic system. The BassCube 10S
LOW PASS FREQUENCY control is shown in the next column. The guidelines apply
equally to the BassCube 8S LOW PASS FREQUENCY control.
Use a 140 Hz setting for small “satellite”-type main speakers (“minispeakers”)
or any speaker with a single four-inch low frequency driver or smaller. Use
this setting with these Cambridge SoundWorks main speakers:
Ensemble III satellites
Ensemble IV satellites
Use a 120 Hz setting for larger satellite main speakers and the smallest
bookshelf speakers. Use this setting with these Cambridge SoundWorks main
speakers:
Ambiance 52 MovieWorks ® satellites Ensemble ® satellites Ensemble II
satellites Newton Series™ MC200
Use a 100 Hz setting for medium size bookshelf speakers. Use this setting with
these Cambridge SoundWorks main speakers: Model 17 Ambiance® 62 Ambiance 82
Newton Series M50 Newton Series MC300
Use an 85 Hz setting (or 80 Hz on BassCube 8S) for large size bookshelf
speakers and small floor-standing speakers. Use this setting with these
Cambridge SoundWorks main speakers:
Model 6
Tower III
Newton Series M60
Newton Series M80
Newton Series MC500
Use 75 Hz for large floor-standing speakers. Use this setting with these
Cambridge SoundWorks main speakers:
Tower II
Tower
Cleaning the Cabinets
If more than dusting is needed, the finish on the subwoofer can be cleaned
with a window or vinyl cleaning product. Avoid spraying the cleaner underneath
the cabinet to prevent damage to the speaker. Avoid placing the BassCube on a
wet or damp carpet.
Final Adjustment Note:
Use a variety of your favorite program material (video or audio) when
adjusting the subwoofer output. Once you arrive at the best setting, leave the
SUBWOOFER LEVEL control at that setting. Use your audio system tone controls
to make temporary bass output adjustments.
We hope you enjoy the new sonic dimensions your BassCube subwoofer reveals to
you.
Fuse Replacement
- IMPORTANT: Turn off and unplug the subwoofer before changing the fuse.
™ Newton Series and BassCube are trademarks of Cambridge SoundWorks,
Incorporated.
® Cambridge SoundWorks, Ensemble, Ambiance and MovieWorks are registered
trademarks of Cambridge SoundWorks, Incorporated.
® Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Surround are registered
trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS, INC.
311 Needham Street, Newton MA, 02464
Telephone: 1-800-367-4434
Fax: 1-617-527-3194
A Company
P81-1730 Rev A