richter S6 Plus Merlin 2 Way Bookshelf Speaker User Manual

richter S6 Plus Merlin 2 Way Bookshelf Speaker

Product Specifications

• Model: SERIES 6plus LOUDSPEAKERS
• Speaker Type : Passive Loudspeakers
• Drivers: New Improved Drivers and Tweeter
• Crossover: New Wizard Cross Over
• Cabinet Material: Sturdy MDF
• Bass Reflex Ports: Yes, with foam port plugs for tuning

Product Usage Instructions

Unboxing and Setup

1. Carefully unbox the speakers on a clean soft surface to avoid damage to the cabinet finish or drivers.
2. Keep the carton box for future repackaging and relocations.
3. Contact your retailer if there is any damage on the loudspeaker.

Fitting Merlin or Unicorn S6plus Rubber Feet:

1. Lay the speaker on its side or turn it over to position the 4 rubber feet on its base using the foam packing.

Fitting the S6 Floor Stabilisers:

1. When using the S6 Stabilisers, ensure only 4 x M6 screws are required to attach the stabilizer bars.
2. Be cautious not to over-tighten to prevent damage to the speaker.

Important Safety Instructions

1. READ INSTRUCTIONS – All safety and operating instructions should be read before this product is operated.
2. RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS – The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3. HEED WARNINGS – All warnings on this product and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
4. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS – All operating and use instructions should be followed.
5. WATER & MOISTURE – Do not use this product near water – for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry, tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool, or the like
6. ATTACHMENTS – Do not use any attachments not recommended by the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards.
7. ACCESSORIES – Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Use only with accessories recommended by the manufacturer.
8. WALL or CEILING MOUNTING – This product should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.
9. HEAT – This product should be situated away from direct sunlight and heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other equipment that produces heat.
10. CLEANING – This product should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer.
11. OBJECT & LIQUID ENTRY – Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled onto the enclosure.
12. SERVICING – Do not attempt to service the product yourself, beyond what is described in these operating instructions.
13. REPLACEMENT PARTS – When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part.
14. SAFETY CHECK – Upon completion of any service or service of repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.

Thank you for purchasing this Richter Series 6plus Speaker. Please read the instructions and warnings carefully before use to ensure safe and satisfactory operation of this product.

A word from our senior engineer

• Being passionate about what we do we’re never content with what we’ve done, we never stop listening which is what drives us to continue to explore ways to improve our products, and Series 6plus is a significant advance and refinement of the Series 6 range, which was already our most awarded speaker range to date.
• We wanted to focus on taking the customer experience even further with improved clarity, detail and bass control. This meant raising the performance bar again and to achieve this we borrowed some of the tech we developed for our premium Special Edition range. Dr Martin Gosnell B.E.(Hons.) Always staying true to the statement of the brand’s founder PhD (Physics) ‘I’m not in the audiophile industry, I’m in the entertainment industry,’ Series 6plus delivers a redefined Entertainment Experience. Like us, we want to keep you digging through your record and CD collection or streaming your favourite tunes from a streaming service.

New Improved Drivers and Tweeter
Our new 6 1/2” lightweight Midrange – Bass drivers have been improved for the Series 6plus Range, they exhibit notable advancements, particularly around the 1KHz range, surpassing its predecessor there’s also a commendable reduction of approximately 10% in nonlinear distortion. The new tweeter deliveries considerably better sensitivity with a lower resonance frequency and double the power handling resulting in a new level of clarity and engagement. These improvements all work to deliver a next-plus level performance.

New Wizard Cross-Over
Using these new Drivers allowed us to borrow the design approach developed for the Wizard Special Edition, combined with the additional Bass port puck for even better bass management the Wizard S6plus is going to ensure the Wizard continues to be an iconic product for years to come.

Cabinet and vents
All Series 6plus cabinets have not only been designed to look great but are constructed from sturdy MDF and have been designed for performance with bass Reflex ports that can also be tuned with the supplied foam port plugs for even greater control of room and equipment variables.

What’s in the box

MERLIN S6plus:

• 2 x MERLIN S6PLUS BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS PER CARTON
• 2 x Magnetic Speaker Grills
• 2 x Ф 54 x 70mm Foam Port Plugs
• 8 x Ф 15 x 6mm Rubber Feet
• 1 x SERIES 6plus Instruction Manual and Warranty Card

UNICORN S6plus:

• 1 x UNICORN S6PLUS LCR SPEAKER PER CARTON
• 1 x Magnetic Speaker Grills
• 2 x Ф 54 x 70mm Foam Port Plugs
• 4 x Ф 15 x 6mm Rubber Feet
• 1 x SERIES 6plus Instruction Manual and Warranty Card

HARLEQUIN S6plus or WIZARD S6plus

• 1 x HARLEQUIN S6PLUS or WIZARD S6PLUS FLOORSTANDING SPEAKER PER CARTON.
• 1 x Magnetic Speaker Grill
• 1 x Ф 75 x 70mm Foam Port Plug
• 1 x Ф 75 x 40mm Foam Port Puck
• 1 x SERIES 6plus Instruction Manual and Warranty Card
• 2 x S6 SPEAKER STABILISER bars
• 4 x Metal Floor Spikes and Floor placement disks
• 4 x Rubber Spikes
• 4 x Floor spike locking nuts
• 6 x M6 Ф Mounting screws and Spring washers

Before you begin
Carefully unbox the speakers on a clean soft surface being careful not to damage the cabinet finish or drivers, If possible its always good to keep the carton box for future repackaging and relocations. If there should be damage on the loudspeaker, please contact your retailer.

Fitting Merlin or Unicorn S6plus Rubber Feet
The MERLIN and UNICORN speakers are supplied with 4 adhesive rubber feet per speaker. Using the foam packing lay the speaker on its side or turn it over to position the 4 rubber feet on its base.

Fitting the S6 Floor Stabilisers

• To attach the aluminium stabiliser bars, place the speaker on its back or upside down on a clean soft surface or use the foam packaging from the carton to protect the speaker from any accidental damage.
• Place the stabiliser bar with the EVA seal side to the base of the speaker.
• Align the fixing holes and ensure there’s an even amount of bar protruding from either side of the speaker then use the supplied 6 x M6 screws with spring washers to secure the Stabiliser bar to the base of the speaker. (Do not over-tighten)

NOTE: When using the S6 Stabilisers on the Richter MKV range, or another brand, only 4 x M6 Screws will be required to attach the Stabiliser bars, but be careful not to over-tighten as this might pull the treaded lug from the bottom of the speaker.

• There are both metal spikes with floor positioning discs and rubber spikes for you to select from depending on your floor surface type. These options are provided to cater for the many floor surfaces and to avoid any damage to hard floor surfaces.
• Screw the locking nut onto each spike and Screw each spike into the stabiliser bars.
• Turn the speaker onto its feet and place it in the final listening position. If the speaker wobbles then adjust the needed spike little by little until the speaker becomes stable and use the locking nut to secure the position.

IMPORTANT: The HARLEQUIN S6plus and WIZARD S6plus have been designed and are intended to be used with the supplied S6 Speaker Stabilisers. We strongly recommend fitting the supplied S6 Floor Stabilisers which are required to improve the stability and safety of the speaker in the Home as well as the acoustic performance.

Installation

CAUTION: M ake sure that all of the system’s electrical components are turned OFF (and preferably unplugged from their AC outlets) before making any connections.

SPEAKER CONNECTION OPTIONS
Speakers and amplifiers have corresponding positive and negative (“+” and “–”) connectors. All Richter Series 6plus speakers have connectors that are marked “+” and “–” on the product label below the terminal connectors.
Additionally, the “+” connectors have red markings, while the “–” connectors have black markings.

AMPLIFIER CONNECTION
To ensure correct polarity, connect each “+” (red) connector on the back of the amplifier or receiver to the respective “+” (red) connector on each speaker. Connect the “–” (black) connectors in a similar way. Do not reverse polarities (i.e., “+” to “–” or “–” to “+”) when making connections. Doing so will cause poor stereo imaging and diminished bass performance.

IMPORTANT: M ake sure the “+” and “–” wires or connectors do not touch each other or the other terminal. Touching wires can cause a short circuit that can damage your receiver or amplifier.
Richter Series 6plus speakers use gold-plated speaker connectors which can accept a variety of wire connector types: bare wire, pin connectors, spade connectors and banana plugs.

Placement

SPEAKER PLACEMENT 2.1 STEREO
For best results, place your speakers 6–10 feet (1.8m–3m) apart. Angling the speakers toward the listening position can improve the stereo imaging. The speakers will produce the most accurate stereo soundstage when the angle between the listener and the speakers is between 40 and 60 degrees. Richter’s wide dispersion tweeters maximise flexibility in speaker placement. (Tweeters are generally the most directional driver type.) Generally, bass output will increase as the speaker is moved closer to a wall or corner but it may become ‘boomy’ if placed too close. (Refer following page for Room Tuning)
For best performance, place your speakers at least 51cm (20 inches) away from walls – but each room is different so try different positions and listen for yourself.

• If possible, position your speakers so the tweeters are approximately at ear level. Bookshelf models should be placed on a raised surface or an optional speaker stand.
  NB. For specific subwoofer placement options, see Richter’s Thor subwoofer User Manual.

SPEAKER PLACEMENT 5.1 HOME THEATRE
When you use rear speakers in a surround system, place them slightly behind your listening position, facing each other. Ideally, they should be 90cm–120cm (3–4 feet) above the floor. (Place them on a raised platform or use speaker stands).

An alternate location is on a wall behind the listening position, facing forward using optional wall brackets. (Consult your dealer for suitable wall brackets.)
The surround speakers should not call attention to themselves while they’re playing. Experiment with their placement until you hear a diffuse, ambient sound accompanying the sounds that you hear from the front and centre speakers.
NB. For specific subwoofer placement options, see Richter’s Thor subwoofer User Manual.

Room Tuning

MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE BOUNDARY FREQUENCY
By using the supplied bass damping plugs in the bass reflex ports, you can alter the inroom frequency response of your speakers, particularly allowing you to tune the speaker’s performance in small rooms or near walls and corners.
This gives you the flexibility to alter the sonic signature of your speakers and make them work best within a variety of environments.

• PLUGS REMOVED Removing the reflex port plugs will increase the efficiency of the speakers so that they produce higher sound pressure levels, than with both ports plugged. This is great if you have a larger listening room or a layout that just seems to soak up the bass. With correct placement and no plugs in the ports, the speakers will provide a “faster”, “rich” and “punchy” bass character.

• PLUGS INSERTED With both ports plugged, the airflow through the vents is resisted thus changing the dynamics of the speaker’s operation. It will tend to reduce the level of bass but can restore the response to one having an ideal transient character or speed. This is particularly relevant if the placement is in a small room or against a wall (or near a corner) as these conditions can tend to artificially boost the response (boomy) and deteriorate the transient details or speed.
  If one Speaker is placed near a room corner and creates a boomy response. Inserting a port plug into one speaker only may restore the desired bass character.

• BASS PORT PUCK INSERTED The Harlequin and Wizard now also come with our Bass Port foam Puck which provides an ideal middle-ground bass response catering to different room conditions or a user’s preferred taste. When the BASS PLUGS INSERTED reduces the bass response too much and BASS PLUGS REMOVED energises the bass response too much, the additional BASS PORT PUCK is designed to be inserted sideways providing the perfect middle ground.

• NB. For more information and charts visit www.richter.com.au

Care of your speaker

Your new speakers do not require any regular maintenance or calibration. Normal dusting or cleaning of the surface for appearance purposes is all that is required.

• CABINET AND BAFFLE – Avoid using harsh detergents or chemicals when cleaning the cabinet. Abrasives, detergents, or cleaning solutions may damage the finish on the cabinet. We recommend using only a damp cloth or automotive grade “quick detailer” designed for painted surfaces, plastics & vinyl trim, to clean the cabinet.
• GRILL – The cloth grill may be carefully cleaned using a vacuum. Animal hair can be removed using masking tape or similar. Avoid using brushes with stiff bristles that may damage the grill cloth.
• TWEETERS & WOOFERS – DO NOT use liquids, brushes or a vacuum to clean the drive units.

Unicorn S6plus

• The Unicorn S6plus LCR / Centre speaker is truly unique and versatile. It can not only be used as a Centre speaker, but 2 can be used in a Stereo pair, either Vertical or Horizontal positioning, or ideally 3 can be used in a true LCR configuration.
• And to get the best out of the Unicorn in either of those setups it has 2 switches on the rear.

Understanding the Unicorn switching.

• The RC / LC switch determines which drivers are the Bass and Mid-bass drivers.
• The C / LR switch provides an extra 1-1.5db cross the 3khz to 10khz range for optimum centre speaker mode.

Understanding RC – LC Switching in a Horizontal LCR setup.

Left Speaker switch to LC and LR
This places the Bass driver on the Left of the Tweeter (outside) which means the Mid-Bass will be on the right of the Tweeter. (inside)

For the Centre speaker position it’s not critical which LC/RC position is selected.
When in Centre mode select C which adds an additional 1-1.5 dB across the 3-10khz ideal for optimum centre performance

Right Speaker switch to RC and LR
This places the Bass driver on the Right of the Tweeter (outside) which means the Mid-Bass will be on the left of the Tweeter. (inside)

Understanding RC – LC Switching in a Vertical & Horizontal LCR setup.

Left Speaker switch to LC and LR
This places the Bass driver at the bottom of the Tweeter which means the Mid- Bass will be at the top.

For the Centre speaker position it’s not critical which LC/RC position is selected.
When in Centre mode select C which adds 1-1.5 dB across the 3-10khz ideal for optimum centre performance

Right Speaker switch to RC and LR
This places the Bass driver at the bottom of the Tweeter and the Mid-Bass will be at the top.

Understanding RC – LC Switching in a Stereo Vertical Setup

Left Speaker switched to LC
The Bass driver will be at the Bottom and the Mid-Bass will be will be at the top.

When used in a Vertical placement the Tweeters should be on the outside as pictured and the correct LC & RC switching will deliver optimum stereo imaging.

Right Speaker switched to RC
The Bass driver will be at the Bottom and the Mid-Bass will be will be at the top.

Troubleshooting

If you should experience a problem with the operation of your speakers, please check all of the following before seeking service. Following is a simple troubleshooting guide to assist you.

1. Is the Amplifier volume control properly set and the correct source signal selected?
2. Are the speakers correctly connected to the amplifier by one of the means described on page 7.
3. If the speakers exhibit a drastic change in sound, after you check the items above you may wish to perform the additional steps below to assist in troubleshooting by verifying the proper operation of both amplifier and speakers.
   • Turn on your audio equipment,
   • Prepare to play a 20Hz to 20KHz frequency sweep (test tone) from a CD/DVD test disc, YouTube, smartphone, computer, or another signal source
   • Adjust the volume of your equipment to a medium volume level and start playing the test signal
   • Prepare to carefully listen to the Speakers frequency output (make sure the room is quiet)
   • Turn down the volume or stop the test signal after a few seconds.
   • The above process helps determine if the speaker’s drivers are functional.
   • If there is no change and you are still unable to hear output from the speakers or a driver then inspection by an authorised retailer or qualified technician may be required.

The following conditions require service by an authorised Retailer:

• The unit has been exposed to liquid.
• The unit does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance.
• Part of the cabinet or drivers have been physically damaged

Service

WHERE TO SEND THE PRODUCT FOR A WARRANTY REPAIR

• For service contact your retailer first or you can locate your nearest service centre at www.richter.com.au/service-centres/
• For service questions, contact us at customer support on our website: www.richter.com.au
• Before transporting your product ALWAYS pack the product/part very carefully.
• Unfortunately, damages during transportation can be common. If the package is weak, the transporting company does not compensate for damages. Remember to always enclose a copy of your receipt and a description of the defect.

Specifications

grill)
Net Weight:| 15.5Kg Per Speaker
MODEL| WIZARD S6plus
---|---
Type:| Vented Quasi 3 Way Floor Standing
Enclosure:| Bass Reflex
Tweeter:| 25mm soft dome neo
Midrange:| 165mm (6 1/2″) Composite Paper cone
Bass:| 165mm (6 1/2″) Composite Paper cone
Response:| (-6dB) 25Hz-30KHz
Sensitivity:| 90 dB (2.83Vrms, 1m on Axis)
Nominal Impedance:| 4 Ohms (minimum 3.5 Ohms)
Rec Amplifier Power:| H/T 100-200 2ch 40-200 Wrms
Dimensions Cabinet Only:| H965 x W221 x D359 (Including grill)
Dimensions including Speaker Stabilisers:| H1003 x W300 xD359 (Including grill)
Net Weight:| 20.3Kg Per Speaker
MODEL| UNICORN S6plus
---|---
Type:| Front Vented Quasi 3 Way LCR
Enclosure:| Bass Reflex
Tweeter:| 25mm soft dome neo
Midrange:| 165mm (6 1/2″) Composite Paper cone
Bass:| 165mm (6 1/2″) Composite Paper cone
Response:| (-6dB) 25Hz-30KHz
Sensitivity:| 90 dB (2.83Vrms, 1m on Axis)
Nominal Impedance:| 4 Ohms (minimum 3.5 Ohms)
Rec Amplifier Power:| H/T 100-200 2ch 40-200 Wrms
Dimensions Cabinet Only:| H200mm X W580mm X D360mm (Including grill)
Net Weight:| 13.5Kg Per Speaker

Your Warranty

THE ENCLOSED TERMS AND CONDITIONS RELATE TO THE WARRANTY PROVIDED BY RICHTER AUDIO PTY LTD (“Richter Audio”)(ABN 22 613 067 815) products purchased within Australia.
The warranty period is 5 years for Passive Loudspeakers and 2 Years for Active Speakers and Subwoofers, commencing from the date of purchase (“Warranty Period”).

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STANDARD WARRANTY

1. Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.

2. The benefits to the consumer given by this Warranty are in addition to other rights and remedies of the consumer under a law concerning goods or services to which the warranty relates, being the Australian Consumer Law.

3. Subject to Clause 1 above and the terms below, as per your Standard Warranty, Richter Audio agrees to repair or replace at cost the Richter product, and any accessory supplied with the product, purchased by you in Australia when the product does not perform by the manufacturer’s specifications during the Warranty period.

4. To make a claim under the Standard Warranty you will need to:

   • (a) Contact Richter Audio through our website www.richter.com.au for customer support.
   • (b) Refund or replacement via your Richter Audio’s Authorised Retailer is available for 14 days after purchase for goods that have been inspected and determined to have a major failure. Refund and exchange is not applicable if you change your mind after purchase.
   • (c) Note that you will need to submit proof of purchase (e.g. delivery invoice or purchase receipt) with your claim.

5. Products presented for repair may be replaced by refurbished products of the same type rather than being repaired. Refurbished parts may be used to repair the products. Replacement of the product or a part does not extend or restart the Warranty Period.

6. If the product presented for repair is capable of retaining user-generated data, you are advised that repair of the product may result in loss of the data. Richter Audio shall not be held responsible for any loss of such data as a consequence of the fault-finding or repair process.

7. The product will be at the owner’s risk whilst in transit to and from the Richter Audio Service Centre unless transported by Richter Audio or 3rd party transport booked by Richter Audio.

8. Richter Audio will bear the expense of transport where transported by Richter Audio. Any other expense of claiming the warranty will be covered by the owner of the goods.

9. Richter Audio may seek reimbursement of any costs incurred by them when the product is found to be in good working order. The owner of the goods will cover any return transport cost.

10. Products returned to Richter Audio by a courier and damaged in transit by insufficient packing will be quoted and the cost of the repair will be covered by the owner of the goods.
    EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS

11. Subject always to Clause 1 the Standard Warranty will not apply:

    • (a) if the product has not been installed, operated, maintained or used according to the manufacturer’s instructions or specifications provided with the product.
    • (b) to damage, malfunction or failure resulting from alterations, accident, misuse, abuse, fire, liquid spillage, misadjustment of customer controls, use on an incorrect voltage, power surges and dips, thunderstorm activity, acts of God, voltage supply problems, tampering or unauthorised repairs by any persons, use of defective or incompatible accessories, the operation of a computer virus of any kind, exposure to abnormally corrosive conditions or entry by any insect, vermin or foreign object in the product.
    • (c) to damage arising during transportation, installation or while moving the product, or to any transportation costs of the product or any parts thereof to and from the owner, unless otherwise specified in this Warranty.
    • (d) to any third-party software or hardware not contained in the product as originally configured by the manufacturer.
    • (e) to any failure, to the extent that the failure is not a failure of the product to perform by its specifications.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use the Series 6plus Loudspeakers near water?

A: No, do not use this product near water to avoid any potential hazards.

Q: What is included in the box with the Series 6plus Loudspeakers?

A: The speakers come with new improved drivers, tweeter, and additional bass port puck for enhanced bass management.

For support and warranty registration visit
www.richter.com.au

Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and for compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.

References

• Award Winning Australian Speakers, Subs & Digital Radio by Richter Audio
• Service Centres - Richter Audio

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