audioengine Premium Passive Bookshelf Speakers P4 Installation Guide

: June 7, 2024
: audioengine

Table of Contents

Introduction
- Audioengine P4 Features
- Package Contents
Unpacking
Speaker Placement
- Wall or Ceiling Mounting
Connections
- Preparing the Speaker Wire
- If you are Using Bare Wire
Operation
Troubleshooting
Speaker Cleaning
Audioengine P4 General Specifications
Information for Users on Disposal of Old Equipment
Warranty
Contact Us
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

audioengine Premium Passive Bookshelf Speakers P4 Installation Guide

Introduction

Welcome to the Audioengine family and congratulations on your purchase of the Audioengine P4 Premium Passive Bookshelf Speakers! The Audioengine team is dedicated to bringing you the highest quality listening experience possible and the Audioengine P4 (AP4) speakers were designed with the same attention to detail and operational simplicity as other Audioengine products. As with our other past efforts we thank our customers, distributors and resellers for inspiring us to create another great Audioengine product.

All Audioengine active and passive speaker models share a similar “voicing” or tuning so that you are assured a matched system no matter which of our speakers or Audioengine wireless adapters you decide to add to your system.

Audioengine P4 Features

4” 2-way passive, front-ported design
Hand-built and custom finished cabinets
5-way gold-plated binding posts
Silk dome tweeters and Kevlar woofers
Magnetically-shielded
Excellent performance for music and movies

Package Contents

2 – AP4 Passive Speakers
2 – Drawstring Speaker Bags
1 – Setup Guide

Unpacking

Your Audioengine speakers were carefully tested and inspected before packaging and shipping. After unpacking please check for any damage. It is rare that any damage occurs during shipping, but if this does happen contact the shipping company immediately. We recommend that you keep the original carton and packing material.

FRONT:
REAR:
LEFT SPEAKER:

RIGHT SPEAKER:

Speaker Placement

Although the AP4’s are very forgiving, it’s true that proper speaker placement can have a big impact on sound quality. There seem to be quite a few theories on correct speaker placement but all rooms and tastes are different so it’s impossible to recommend a perfect placement. We do suggest you feel free to experiment to see what works for you.

As a general rule of thumb for the best soundstage balance the speakers should be equi-distant from side walls and a different distance from rear walls. The tweeters should be at about eye-level in your most frequent listening location and for the best bass response on Audioengine P4, we recommend that you keep the front panel area around the bass port slots clear.

Both speakers should be equidistant from your primary listening position.
Placing the speakers at least 6 feet (1.8m) apart usually provides the best imaging.
Try pointing them inward slightly toward the listening position.
If you need to turn the speakers on their sides, position the tweeters toward the outside.
Try to keep the speakers near the front edge of shelves or cabinets.
Keep the speaker wire away from power cords and signal cables to reduce potential interference.

Listening Position

Wall or Ceiling Mounting

If you plan to mount your speakers on a wall or ceiling, there are bracket systems available to accomplish this. Your AP4 speakers include two standard 3⁄8” threaded inserts on the rear panel and another identical insert on the bottom of each AP4 cabinet for attaching a speaker mount or bracket. We recommend using products by companies such as Omni Mount or Sanus. Before installing the mounts or brackets make sure you consult all documentation and carefully follow the installation instructions.

Connections

To connect your AP4 speakers to a receiver or amp you will need 2-conductor stranded speaker wire. All Audioengine speakers use high quality, five-way gold plated binding posts that will accept heavy gauge bare wire, banana plugs, spade lugs, or pin terminators. We recommend your speaker wire be at least 16 gauge and you use the same length of wire from your amplifier to each speaker. It’s also a good idea to turn off your receiver/amplifier before connecting your speakers.

Preparing the Speaker Wire

Separate the last 3” of each speaker wire conductor.
Strip ½” of insulation from the end of each wire.
Twist the exposed copper strands with your fingers 3 or 4 times so the strands stay together.

Note: As you make your connections, be sure to connect the positive (+) terminals on your receiver to the positive (+) terminals on your speakers. Even if your wire does not have (+) or (-) markings, most 2-conductor speaker wire has printing on one side to help you differentiate between the wire pairs

If you are Using Bare Wire

Use your thumb and finger to unscrew the binding post connectors on the back of each speaker.
Insert each speaker wire into the holes on the side of the binding post connectors, observing proper polarity.
Retighten the binding posts with your fingers.
The stripped portion of the wire should be secured firmly in each connector.
Make sure that none of the speaker wire strands have come in contact with an adjoining terminal.

Speaker Connections

Operation

Your AP4 speakers are perfect for digital hybrid amplifiers (Class-D, Class-T, etc.) as well as most stereo receivers, integrated amps, and tube amplifiers. The AP4 has a 4 ohm impedance rating but will generally sound great when connected to receivers or power amps with 8 ohm speaker outputs. The AP4 is designed to work with a wide range of listening levels, but every component has its limits and speaker damage most often occurs from sustained high volume levels in some or all frequencies. Try to avoid excessive bass or treble settings or equalizer boosts and if you hear unusual distortion or breakup then reduce the volume.

Home Theater Setup
Your AP4’s are also designed to sound great in a home theater. For multi- channel setup refer to your surround sound receiver or processor user manuals. The internet is also an excellent source of information on home theater and surround sound setup.

Break-in Period
Your speakers will sound great out of the box and will get better over time. No need to do anything else but listen to them, but give them at least 30 to 50 hours break-in time before doing any critical listening.

Troubleshooting

No Sound|

Recheck all speaker wire connections.
Verify that all components in your system are plugged in and turned on.
Check that the AC wall outlet is on and working.

---|---
Sound through one speaker only|

Recheck all speaker wire connections.
Verify that the system balance setting is centered.

Lack of bass or poor imaging|

Verify that the polarity of the speaker wires is not reversed on either end.

Speaker Cleaning

We don’t recommend using any solvents or cleaners on Audioengine cabinets or speakers. Just wipe down with a soft, dry cloth.

Audioengine P4 General Specifications

Type:	2-way passive, front-ported design
Sensitivity:	88dB (2.83v@1m)
Frequency Response:	58Hz-22kHz
Nominal Impedance:	4 Ohms
Crossover Frequency:	2.8 kHz

Information for Users on Disposal of Old Equipment

[European Union]

Dustbin Icon This symbol indicates that the electrical and electronic equipment should not be disposed as general household waste at its end-oflife. Instead, the product should be handed over to the applicable collection point for the recycling in accordance with your national legislation. By disposing of this product correctly, you will help to conserve natural resources and will help prevent potential negative effects on the environment and human health that could otherwise be caused by inappropriate waste handling of this product. For more information about collection point and recycling of this product, please contact your local municipal office, your household waste disposal service or the shop where you purchased the product. Penalties may be applicable for incorrect disposal of this waste, in accordance with national legislation.

[Other Countries outside the European Union]
If you wish to dispose of this product, please do so in accordance with applicable national legislation or other rules in your country for the treatment of old electrical and electronic equipment.

About Audioengine
Audioengine designs and builds innovative audio products with all your music in mind. Great sound, simple but elegant designs, high-quality materials, and truly useful features are what Audioengine is all about. We sincerely hope you get as much enjoyment from our products as we’ve had creating them! For information about our other products go to: www.audioengineusa.com

Warranty

Period
All Audioengine products have a 3-year Limited Warranty on parts and labor from date of purchase. Your warranty is automatic so there is no need to register. This Limited Warranty applies only to Audioengine products purchased in the Continental United States. For Limited Warranty coverage elsewhere please contact your Audioengine dealer, reseller, or distributor.

What is covered
All defective parts or faulty workmanship.

What is not covered
The Audioengine Limited Warranty does not cover damage caused by accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, excessive moisture, lightning, power surges, other acts of nature, unauthorized product modification or repairs, or failure to follow the instructions outlined in the Setup Guide.

What we will do
We will repair or replace any defective parts, at our option, within a reasonable amount of time and free of charge any time during the warranty period. After service, we will be responsible for shipping the product back to you at our expense.

What we ask from you
You will be responsible for shipping or transportation charges directly to Audioengine or to an authorized dealer. We recommend that you keep the original shipping materials, as it is important thatyou package the product so that it will not be damaged during shipping. Audioengine cannot be responsible for any damages incurred during shipping due to poor packing, so please pack well and make sure to insure your shipment.

How to obtain Audioengine Warranty service
If you have any questions about your warranty coverage or you think you may need service, email the Audioengine Authorized Service Center at: support@audioengineusa.com or call toll-free in the United States at: 877-853-4447. We will do everything we can to answer your questions and resolve any issues as quickly as possible.

Exclusive Remedy
This Limited Warranty is fully transferable provided that the current owner furnishes the original proof of purchase and that the serial number on the product is intact. THE MAXIMUM LIABILITY OF AUDIOENGINE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE ACTUAL PURCHASE PRICE PAID BY YOU FOR THE PRODUCT. IN NO EVENT SHALL AUDIOENGINE BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES.

Product Returns and Refunds
Your satisfaction is guaranteed! Should you have a problem or are not satisfied with any Audioengine product, send us an email at: support@audioengineusa.com or call toll-free in the United States at: 877-853-4447.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or feel you may need service contact the reseller. where you purchased your product or feel free to email us directly at: support@audioengineusa.com or call toll-free in the United States: 877-853-4447

Company Logo Audioengine, Ltd.
support@audioengineusa.com
www.audioengineusa.com
2009 Audioengine Corp. All Rights Reserved. Copyright Notice Audioengine AP4 is a trademark of Audioengine, Ltd