BOSE Acoustimass 7 Home Theater Speaker System User Guide

Bose® Acoustimass®7 Home Theater Speakers
Owner’s Guide

Acoustimass 7 Home Theater Speaker System

For your records

The serial number is located near the connection panel on the Acoustimass bass module.
Serial number:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Dealer name:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Dealer phone:…………………………………………………………. Purchase date:……………………………..
We suggest you keep your sales slip and warranty card together with this owner’s guide.

Setting Up

Before you begin

Thank you for choosing Bose” Acoustimass”-7 home theater speakers. They are designed for use as front and center speakers with A/V (audio for video) surround sound systems that have five amplified speaker outputs. Quality construction and advanced technologies make these speakers a superior choice for greater listening enjoyment.
Direct/Reflecting’ speaker design and Acoustimass speaker technology work together to bring you lifelike sound. Yet these Virtually Invisible” speakers take up very little of your room.
Acoustimass-7 speakers are significantly different from conventional speakers, so be sure to read this guide. It will help you set up and use your speakers properly.

Unpack the carton

Carefully unpack the carton. Save all packing materials for possible future use.
Inspect the speakers. If any part appears damaged, do not use them. Repack all parts in the original carton and call your authorized Bose dealer immediately.
Note: Now is a good time to record the speakers’ serial number at the beginning of this guide and on your warranty card

Figure 1
What comes in the carton

• 3Acoustimass-7 cube speaker arrays
• Acoustimass bass module
• 6 20-foot speaker cables
• 4 rubber feet (for the bass module)

Where to put your Acoustimass’-7 speakers

Bose” designed your Acoustimass-7 home theater speakers to provide high performance and flexibility.
The identical cube speaker arrays are magnetically shielded, allowing you to place them near a video screen without causing interference. The bass module, which is unshielded, should be placed further from your screen, but at the same end of the room as the cubes. With those guidelines in mind, you can actually hide the module in your room, since pure bass tones are multi- directional. Without audible distortion to give away the location of the bass module, all the sound will seem to come from the cube speakers alone.
Note: Before mounting speakers to a wall or ceiling, be sure to read all the guidelines.

Cube speakers
The cube speaker arrays reproduce the left, right, and center channel sound, which is directed to them by an A/V receiver (or amplifier) with surround decoding circuitry. For instance, the center channel speaker reproduces much of the movie dialogue.

For accurate video sound:

• Place the left and right front speakers at least 6 feet (1.8 m) apart. You may prefer them up to 15 feet (4 m) apart.
• Place the center channel speaker directly on top of or below your television (Figure 2).

For other placement options, see the Bose “Optional accessories” on page 11. For more information, contact your authorized Bose dealer or call Bose directly (listed on the inside back page).
Note: Be sure to piace the cube speaker arrays only on surfaces that are stable and level. For some surfaces, such as marble or glass, you may want to use rubber feet for additional stability. Bose provides these rubber feet free of cost. To request them, contact Bose or your local Bose service agency and ask for Part Number 178321.

Figure 2
Where to place Acoustimass-7
home theater speakers

Bass module
For a good balance of sound, Bose recommends putting your bass module and cube speakers at the same end of the room. You can stand the module vertically or horizontally (see Figure 3), allowing you to hide it behind or under fumiture. Place the open end toward, along, or away from a wall, making sure not to block the opening.

For sound as you prefer it:

• Place the module along a wall near the comer.
• Face the open end away from the wall to decrease the bass, or toward the wall to increase the bass.
• To get the most bass output, place the open end 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) from a wail. (Be sure there are at least 2 inches between the bass module opening and any surface.)
• To reduce the bass, move the module away from the comer, more toward the center of the wail.
• To prevent interference, keep the module at least 2 feet (.6 m) from any video screen.

When you have decided how you will position the module, attach the supplied rubber feet to the bottom surface. They provide additional stability and protection.

Figures
How to position the bass module without blocking the open end

CAUTION: Be sure to attach the supplied rubber feet to the bottom Surface. If the terminal side of your bass module faces down, this will prevent floor scratches and pressure on the wires.
CAUTION: Before making any connections, turn off your receiver and unplug it from the AC power (mains) outlet. Not doing so may result in dam-age {fo your system.

Connect the speakers

Use the supplied 20-foot speaker cables to connect the cube speaker arrays to the Acoustimass” module and the module to your receiver.
Note: /f you need longer speaker cables, splice in similar or thicker cable. Refer to “Wire recommendations” on page 11. Make sure to attach wires positive to positive and negative to negative.
Speaker cable consists of two insulated wires. The insulation around one wire is marked with a red band or stripe. This wire is always positive (+). The plain wire is always negative (-). These correspond to the positive (red) and negative (black) terminals on the back of each speaker and e-receiver. Be sure to connect each wire to the proper terminal (positive to positive and negative to negative).
For each connection, push the terminal tab down and insert the appropriate wire into the exposed hole (Figure 4). Release the tab to secure the wire.

Figure 4
How to insert wire into the terminal

Bass module
Pay careful attention to connecting all cable wires positive to positive and negative to negative (in phase). Out-of-phase wiring can cause total loss of bass module output.

1. Connect the end of a speaker cable to the INPUT FROM AMP OR RECEIVER terminals marked RIGHT on the Acoustimass” bass module (Figure 5).

2. Connect the other end to the RIGHT FRONT SPEAKER terminals on your receiver.
   Note: Your receiver may have terminals for more than one pair of front speakers, labeled Speakers A and Speakers B. Use either set of terminals unless one is designated for a particular rating. In that case, use the terminals intended for use with speakers rated 8 ohms (8) or fess.

3. Repeat to connect the INPUT FROM AMP OR RECEIVER terminals marked LEFT on the bass module to the LEFT FRONT SPEAKER terminals on your receiver.

4. Repeat to connect the INPUT FROM AMP OR RECEIVER terminals marked CENTER on the bass module to the CENTER SPEAKER terminals on your receiver.

Note: Some surround sound receivers provide two sets of center channel terminals. Use either set. If your receiver’s center channel is not amplified you must connect an amplifier to your receiver. Use RCA cabie to connect the center channel RCA-type output on the receiver to the RCA-type inout on the amplifier. Then connect the Acoustimass bass module directly to the amplifier, instead of to the receiver.

CAUTION:
Do not connect the bass module directly to your television unless it provides surround decoding circuitry and amplified outputs for aif channels. That is required to direct sound to the appropriate speakers and reproduce realistic surround sound.

Figure 5
How the Acoustimass bass module connects to a receiver
CAUTION: Do not connect the cube speaker arrays directly to the receiver.

Cube speakers

1. Connect one end of a cabie to a cube speaker array.
2. Connect the other end to the OUTPUT TO CUBE SPEAKERS terminals marked RIGHT on the Acoustimass bass module (Figure 6).
3. Repeat to connect a second cube speaker array to the OUTPUT TO CUBE SPEAKERS terminals marked LEFT on the Acoustimass bass module.
4. Repeat to connect the third cube speaker array to OUTPUT TO CUBE SPEAKERS terminals marked CENTER on the Acoustimass bass module.

Figure 6
Completed Acoustimass*-7 speaker connections

Check connections
Check all connections from the receiver to the bass module and the bass module to the cube speakers (Figure 6). Be sure you connected the wires positive to positive and negative to negative (in phase). Out of phase wiring can result in a total loss of bass module output.
Do not allow exposed wires to brush against each other, which could damage the speakers. Be sure to correct any wiring problems before you plug your receiver in and turn it on.

Using Your Acoustimass®-7 Speakers

To get full, rich home theater sound

Place the cube speaker connected to the RIGHT output on the nght side of your room as you face the speakers. The cube speaker connected to the LEFT output goes on the left, and the one connected to the CENTER output is the center speaker.

Figure 7
A receiver set for NORMAL surround sound

How to set your receiver
For use in video applications, be sure the Surround Sound setting of your receiver is on NORMAL (Figure 7).
Follow your receiver owner’s guide instructions for testing and adjusting the balance of the three cube speaker arrays. Many of these products provide a reference test signal for balancing the sound from each speaker. Instructions for this process vary, depending on the brand and mode! of equipment you are using.
Your speakers are designed to provide pure, natural sound reproduction in audio as well as video applications. The type of receiver you use also determines your options. Some receivers limit the use of the center speaker to video applications only. Refer to your receiver owner’s guide for details.

Bass and treble adjustments
Upholstered furniture, wall-to-wall carpets, or heavy drapes can muffle the treble (high notes), making your speaker system sound too deep. Bare floors and walls and unupholstered furniture can make your speaker system sound too shrill. After listening to your speakers, you may want to adjust the balance of bass and treble. You can use the bass and treble controls on your receiver. Or move the bass module closer to a wall or corner to increase bass, or farther from a wall or corner to decrease it.

Angling the cubes in each array
The top cube of each speaker array swivels. You can adjust it to provide the balance of reflected and direct sound that seems right for your room. Experiment with cube positions for the results you prefer (Figure 8).
For home theater applications, angling the top half of the left and right speakers slightly inward improves on-screen localization. On the center cube speaker, leave both cubes facing forward for the most natural film dialogue effect.

Figure 8
Position of the speaker array cubes can vary

Using/Maintaining Your Acoustimass’-7 Speakers

Expanding your home theater setup

To achieve a full surround sound effect in your home theater area, you may want to add rear speakers (Figure 9). Speakers connected to the rear channels of your receiver are called the surround speakers. They provide special sound effects that add to the impact of movies. Bose” offers a selection of speakers well-suited to reproducing rear channel! sound. These include the Bose Acoustimass-5, Acoustimass-3, Model 100 speakers, and 301° or 201° Direct/Reflecting’ speakers. See your Bose dealer or contact Bose directly for more information.

Figure 9
A complete 5-channel surround sound speaker setup, with optional rear speaker placement

How to clean your speakers

Wipe the cabinets using a soft cloth dampened with a mild detergent, such as dish soap.
Do not use solvents or chemicals. Do not allow liquids to spill or objects to drop into the bass module or the speaker grilles. If necessary, you can vacuum the grilles carefully. Avoid using much pressure because the drivers are directly behind the gnille cloth.
No other regular maintenance is required.

Troubleshooting problems

If you have a problem with your Acoustimass-7 speakers, turn off your sound source and try the solutions on the next page. If one of these solutions doesn’t solve your problem, disconnect the speakers and contact your Bose dealer to arrange for service. Or, to contact Bose directly, refer to the inside back cover. Bose Corporation will make every effort to remedy any problem within the terms of your limited warranty.

plugged in. Turn it on. Make sure the RECORD mode is not selected.
Make sure the MUTE button is not engaged.
No sound from one of the cube speaker arrays| Improper connections
Receiver is set incorrectly
Receiver allows center channel to play only in SURROUND mode| Review information under “Connect the speakers” on page 5. Check connections of the cube speaker to the bass module, and bass module to the receiver.
Only the center speaker does not play and the CENTER OFF button is engaged.
Check listening options in the receiver owner’s guide.| Correct any connection problems.
Press the CENTER OFF button to disengage. Set the receiver to the SURROUND mode.
Sudden volume reduction| Protection circuitry has engaged automatically to prevent electrical stress or overload from damaging the speakers| Lower the volume. If it
returns to a normal level, the drop in volume was caused by automatic protection circuitry.| Return the volume to a reasonable level and avoid extremely high volume settings.
Little or no bass sound| Connections to the bass
module are not in phase
Acoustimass bass
module is not positioned properly| Review “Bass module” connections on page 6.
Review “Where to put your Acoustimass-7 speakers” on page 4. Notice how close the module is to a corner, upholstery, and drapes.| Reconnect the wires positive to positive and negative to negative.
Reposition the module. Move it closer to a wall or corner. Face the port toward the wall, but do not block the opening.
Sound from the left and right cube speaker arrays does not match the image on the screen| Improper connections| Review information under “Connect the speakers” on page 5. Also check connec- tion instructions in your receiver owner’s guide.| Make sure the bass module’s LEFT OUTPUT connects to the left speaker. The module’s LEFT INPUT should connect to the FRONT LEFT SPEAKER OUTPUT on the receiver.
Hum or noise| Receiver is too close to other electronic equipment in the room| Turn off any other electronics in the room to see if noise stops.| Review the receiver owner’s guide. Adjust location of equipment.

Product Information

Warranty

Bose® Acoustimass’-7 speakers are covered by a limited 5-year transferable warranty.
Details of the coverage are provided on the warranty card that came with your speakers.
Please fill out the information section on your card (refer to the serial number information you recorded on page 2 of this guide). Then address the card, detach, and mail to Bose.

Technical information

Features

• Direct/Reflecting* speaker design
• Acoustimass speaker technology
• Syncom* computer quality control
• Automatic protection circuitry
• Magnetically shielded cube speakers

Optional accessories
Contact Bose or an authorized Bose dealer for more information.

• Ceiling/Wall mounting brackets – UB-1 (black) or UB-2 (white) and WB-20 B or WB-20 W, each sold singly
• Floor stands – FS-5 (black) or FS-6 (white) and FS-20 B or FS-20 W, sold in pairs

Driver complement

• Two 5.25″ (13.3 cm) low-frequency drivers in bass module
• Six 2.5″ (6.4 cm) wide-range drivers in three cube speaker arrays

Compatibility/Impedance

• Compatible with receivers or amplifiers rated from 10 to 200 watts per channel and 4 to 8 ohms impedance

Wire recommendations
Based on a maximum frequency response deviation of + 0.5 dB.

• 18(0.75 mm)
• 16(1.5 mm
• 14 (2.0mm)| 30 ft (9 m) maximum
45 ft (14 m) maximum
70 ft (21 m) maximum
---|---

Finish

• Acoustimass module: Scratch-resistant black satin vinyl veneer
• Cube speakers: Black or white polymer finish

Size/Weight

• Acoustimass module: 14″H x 19″W x 7’4″D (35.5 x 48 x 19.1 cm)
• Cube speakers: 6%”H x 3%”W x 4%”D (16.1 x 7.9 x 12.1 cm)
• Unpacked: cube speaker, 2 Ib (.91 kg); module 21.1 Ib (9.57 kg)
• System, packed for shipping: 35.25 Ib (15.1 kg)

Bose’ Corporation

USA
Bose Corporation, The Mountain Framingham, MA 01701-9168 1-800-367-4008
Weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.
ET (eastern time)

© 1996 Bose Corporation
The Mountain, Framingham, MA
01701-9168 USA JN94895
PN187564-Rev 01 AM1 87564-Rev 01

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