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page 6
4. S-90 SPEAKER HOOK-UP & USAGE
The sound quality that you get from your Satellites can be affected by the type of speaker wire that you use to
connect them. While it is possible to use speaker wire as thin as 22 gauge to hook your Satellites up, we recommend
using the largest diameter wire that you can. This means a minimum of 18 gauge wire. Over 10 feet, you should use
16 gauge, and for more than 30 feet, we recommend using 14 gauge or heavier. The smaller the number, the thicker
the wire.
There are a very wide variety of premium speaker cables available from a number of specialist manufacturers.
We do not endorse any specific brand of premium cable, but we do recommend using as high quality a cable as fits
your budget. Using better quality cables will improve the sound of your Satellites.
If you wish to bi-amplify your Satellites in combination with an M&K Powered Subwoofer, see Section 11 (page
18) for more details.
S-90 HOOKUP
There is one set of terminals on the backplate, one Red terminal and one Black terminal. Connect the Positive
(+) lead from your amplifier or receiver to the RED (+) INPUT terminal, and the Negative (-) lead from your amplifier
or receiver to the BLACK (-) INPUT terminal. See Figure 2 (page 7).
S-90 VARIATIONS OF SOUND
Your M&K Satellites reproduce sound with exceptional transient accuracy and a very wide dynamic range.
Because of these qualities, they give outstanding results with any high quality amplifier or receiver in virtually any
listening environment.
However, getting the best tonal balance in any given room involves many variables. Therefore, your S-90
Satellites allow you to alter their tonal balance in order to get the ideal sound quality at your favorite listening location
(where it counts!), through the use of two three-position switches.
The best way to find the ideal setting for these switches is to listen to some familiar music with the switches in the
NORMAL position, and then listen to how the sound changes as you set the switches to the other positions.
If you find the sound to be too bright or harsh-sounding, try the TREBLE CONTOUR switch in the MID TWEETER
or LOW TWEETER position. You can also try setting the MIDRANGE CONTOUR switch to NORMAL or LOW
EFFICIENCY. If the sound lacks brilliance or sounds bass-heavy, set the TREBLE CONTOUR switch to HIGH
TWEETER or set the MIDRANGE CONTOUR switch to NORMAL or SPECIAL.
It is not possible to tell in advance which settings will produce the ideal response (which is a flat frequency
response at your ears), because this is dependent on your room, its size, its furnishings, your listening location, and
more. The switch choices, however, can help you create the ideal response in your room. Therefore, set the switches
for the best sound balance for your ears and your room, so that you get maximum enjoyment from your speakers.
S-90 MIDRANGE CONTOUR SWITCH
The MIDRANGE CONTOUR switch is the primary control for altering the tonal balance of your Satellites. Its major
effect is in the midrange, but it does shift the balance over the entire audible spectrum.
The NORMAL position gives the flattest frequency response in most rooms and installation conditions. This
should be the starting position for you in determining the optimum setting for your system. Relative to this position, you
will find the SPECIAL position to be brighter and more forward-sounding, and the LOW EFFICIENCY position to be
mellower and more recessed-sounding.
When you are locating the speaker directly against a wall or directly against the floor or ceiling, you may find that
the SPECIAL position gives the best response. This is because this position is designed to account for the increase
in midbass response that occurs when a speaker is directly against a room surface. (This is referred to as 2π space,
as opposed to a speaker located out in a room, which is known as 4π space. The SPECIAL position should be used
for 2π conditions, and the NORMAL position should be used for 4π conditions).
Use the SPECIAL position if you are optimizing your system's response with a third-octave equalizer and
calibrating the equalizer by using a third-octave analyzer. The SPECIAL position will always maximize output and
dynamic range, while placing the least demand on your power amplifier.
The LOW EFFICIENCY position trades efficiency and output for a warmer, mellower midbass sound. If you have
a room with a lot of reflective surfaces or an otherwise bright-sounding system, try this position. Some listeners will
prefer this position to the NORMAL position in any room, so we suggest that you at least make that comparison.
All positions have the same power handling capacity, but because of their greater efficiency, the NORMAL will
be louder than the LOW EFFICIENCY, and the SPECIAL position will play the loudest. Bear in mind that as you switch