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Owner’s manual
Dear customer,
Thank you for choosing Bowers & Wilkins.
We are confident that you will enjoy many years of
l
istening pleasure from your speakers, but please read
this manual fully before installing them. It will help you
optimise their performance.
B&W maintains a network of dedicated distributors in
over 60 countries who will be able to help you should
you have any problems your dealer cannot resolve.
Environmental Information
All B&W products are designed to
comply with international directives on
the Restriction of Hazardous
Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic
equipment and the disposal of Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment (WEEE). These symbols indicate
compliance and that the products must be
appropriately recycled or processed in accordance
with these directives. Consult your local waste
disposal authority for guidance.
Unpacking (figure 1)
• Fold the carton flaps right back and invert the
carton and contents.
• Lift the carton clear of the contents and remove
the inner packaging from the speakers.
We suggest you retain the packing for future use.
Operation
The DS3 is specifically designed as an on-wall
surround speaker for multi-channel audio and home
theatre installations.
Surround speakers generally fall into two main types –
those that one might describe as 'normal' speakers –
so-called monopoles, where the sound comes from a
set of drive units mounted on the front of the
enclosure – and those that give a more diffuse sound
field, such as dipoles. Each type has its advantages.
Most multi-channel music is recorded with home
entertainment in mind and is monitored using monopole
surround speakers, whatever the multi-channel recording
format. This enables better location of side and rear
images, although the formation of such images is never
quite as pr
ecise as it is between the fr
ont speakers.
Most films are originally balanced for cinemas, where a
large number of speakers spread around the
auditorium ar
e used to cr
eate the surr
ound sound
field. In that case there are more surround speakers
than there are discrete channels of information and a
less precise image is created that gives an all-
enveloping effect. Dipoles and similar diffuse speakers
ar
e better at recreating this type of sound field in the
home, but using fewer speakers to do it. Image
positioning with these types of speaker is never as
pr
ecise as it can be with monopoles.
H
owever, they do have the advantage of making it
easier to balance the system for a larger listening area.
Y
ou may well receive conflicting advice from different
s
ources on the best type of surround speaker to use.
The truth is that there is no one perfect solution for all
s
ituations and the final choice for any given application
w
ill be influenced by several criteria, some of which
may have a degree of conflict. The DS3 has the
a
dvantage of offering a choice of both monopole and
dipole operation via a switch located on the front
baffle, behind the removable grille. You may therefore
c
hoose whichever type of operation best suits the
conditions of the listening room, the size of audience
and the type of programme being played. Indeed, you
may even change the characteristic for diff
erent types
o
f programme and, as the total energy into the room is
the same in both modes, no recalibration of the
installation is necessary when switching between them.
In monopole mode, only the two drive units on the
front face operate. In dipole mode, the front tweeter is
disconnected; the two side firing drivers are brought
into operation and the crossover frequency to the bass
unit is lowered. The side units are connected out of
phase with one another, which creates a wedge-
shaped null zone at right angles to the wall. If the
listeners sit within this zone, they become less aware of
the location of the speakers and hear more reflected
sound; hence the diffuse nature of the sound field.
Positioning
Ascertain the optimum position for the speakers
before permanently fixing them in place.
In order to successfully enable both modes of
operation, the speakers should be placed so that the
listeners sit within the null zone of dipole operation.
5.1 format (figure 2)
Place each of the speakers to the side and slightly
behind the centre of the listening area.
6.1 and 7.1 formats (figure 3)
We recommend the use of 4 surround speakers, even
when using a 6.1 format.
Place the side speakers in line with the centre of the
listening area.
Place the rear speakers behind the listening area
within the angle limits shown in the diagram.
All formats
The surround speakers will normally be placed
approximately 60cm (2 ft) above ear height. (figure 4)
Higher positions may be used if necessary.
Although the speaker can theoretically be fitted to the
ceiling, it is not r
ecommended unless pr
ecautions ar
e
taken to prevent the speaker sliding off its mounting.
B&W cannot accept any responsibility should the
speaker fall fr
om a ceiling mount. If the ceiling has a
cavity construction, the in-wall version CDS3 is a
better solution.
The speakers are handed in terms of which side the
positive and negative dipole lobes ar
e pr
ojected.
Indication is via an arrow on the label at the back of
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