Bowers & Wilkins DS3 Speaker System User Manual


 
t
he speaker, which points towards the positive lobe.
(figure 5)
T
o optimise the smoothness of sounds panning from
t
he front of the room to the back and vice versa when
speakers are used in dipole mode, we recommend
t
hat the side speakers have their positive lobes
(
arrows) pointing towards the front of the room and
the rear speakers have their positive lobes (arrows)
p
ointing towards the centre of the rear wall. (figure 6)
Stray magnetic fields
The speaker drive units create stray magnetic fields
t
hat extend beyond the boundaries of the cabinet. We
r
ecommend you keep magnetically sensitive articles
(television and computer screens, computer discs,
a
udio and video tapes, swipe cards and the like) at
least 0.5m (20 in) from the speaker. LCD and plasma
screens are not affected by magnetic fields.
Connections (figure 7)
All connections should be made with the equipment
switched off.
Ensure the positive terminal on the speaker (marked +
and coloured red) is connected to the positive output
terminal of the amplifier and negative (marked – and
coloured black) to negative. Incorrect connection can
result in poor imaging and loss of bass.
The terminals accept 8mm (5/16 in) spades, bared
wire ends or round pins up to 5mm (3/16 in) diameter
and 4mm banana plugs.
Important safety notice:
In certain countries, notably those in Europe, the use
of 4mm banana plugs is considered a potential safety
hazard, because they may be inserted into the holes
of unshuttered mains supply sockets. In order to
comply with European CENELEC safety regulations,
the 4mm holes in the ends of the terminals are
blocked by plastic pins. Do not remove the pins if you
are using the product where these conditions apply.
Always screw the terminal caps down tightly to
optimise the connection and prevent rattles.
Ask your dealer for advice when choosing cable. Keep
the total impedance below the maximum
recommended in the specification and use a low
inductance cable to avoid attenuation of the highest
frequencies.
Fixing the speaker in place
The speakers may be fixed to a wall using screws in
the range 5mm to 6mm diameter (No.10 to No.12). On
the back of the cabinet are three wall plates. The screw
head should be inserted into the r
ound part of the
aperture and slid fully along one of the slots. (figure 8)
Ensure, especially when fixing to drywall panels,
that the screw length and wall plug security are
suf
ficient to hold the weight of the speaker
. B&W
can accept no liability for any failure of wall or
ceiling fixings.
Use the template provided to mark the screw
positions. The outside dimensions of the template
correspond to the rear of the cabinet.
S
tick 4 of the clear self-adhesive rubber pads to the
rear panel of each speaker, one close to each of the
s
mall bumps in the corners. These stop the speaker
vibrating against the surface and help keep it in
p
osition. (figure 9)
A
djust the protrusion of the screws such that the
r
ubber pads are a friction slide on the surface when
the wall plates are hooked over the screw heads.
(
figure 10)
A
lways check and ensure that:
All the screws slide right to the ends of the
slots in the wall plates.
Screw protrusion is adjusted so that the
r
ubber pads provide enough friction to
prevent the speakers sliding out of position.
T
he cable may be routed in the grooves in the rear
panel.
Shelf mounting is not recommended as the moulded
cabinet has a draft taper and will lean forward.
Mode selection (figure 11)
Use the switch on the front baffle to select between
monopole and dipole modes. In the
position, the
speaker is monopole and in the ●● position it is
dipole.
Experiment to find the settings best suited to your
requirements. Typical combinations are:
All surround speakers monopole
Side speakers dipole, rear speakers monopole
All surround speakers dipole
It would be unusual, but not impossible, to set side
speakers to monopole and rear speakers to dipole.
Aftercare
The cabinet surfaces usually only require dusting. If
you wish to use an aerosol or other cleaner, remove
the grille first by gently pulling it away from the
cabinet. Spray aerosols onto the cleaning cloth, not
directly onto the product. Test a small area first, as
some cleaning products may damage some of the
surfaces. Avoid products that are abrasive, or contain
acid, alkali or anti-bacterial agents. Do not use
cleaning agents on the drive units. The grille fabric
may be cleaned with a normal clothes brush whilst the
grille is detached from the cabinet. Avoid touching the
drive units, especially the tweeter, as damage may
result.
Limited Warranty
This product has been designed and manufactured to
the highest quality standards. However, if something
does go wrong with this product, B&W Group Ltd. and
its national distributors warrant free of charge labour
(exclusion may apply) and replacement parts in any
country served by an official B&W distributor.
This limited warranty is valid for a period of five years
from the date of purchase or two years for electronics
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