Acoustic Image Flex User Manual

Flex System

Version Flex R1

Flex Pre

Flex Cab

PAYATTENTIONTO THESE SYMBOLS:

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1) Read these instructions.

2) Keep theseinstructions.

3) Heed allwarnings.

4) Follow allinstructions.

5) Do not use this apparatus near water, donot expose to dripping or splashing
water,do not placeobjects filled withliquid on apparatus.

6) WARNING: to reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this
apparatus to rainor moisture.

7) Clean onlywith a drycloth.

8) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with
manufacturer’s instructions.

9) Do not install nearany heat sources such asradiators, heat registers, stoves
or other apparatus(including amplifiers) thatproduce heat.

10) This apparatus shall be connected to a mains outlet socket with a positive
grounding connection. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the
other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The
wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug
does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.

11) Protect the power cord from being walked on pinched particularly at plugs,
convenience receptacles, andthe point wherethey exit fromthe apparatus.

12) Use onlyattachments/accessories specified bythe manufacturer.

13) Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the
manufacturer,or sold withthe apparatus.

14) Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long
periods of time.

15) Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required
when the apparatus has been damaged in anyway,such as power-supply cord
or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the
apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally orhas been dropped.

The exclamation point triangle is used to alert the user to important operating or
maintenance instructions. The lightning bolt triangle is used to alert the user to the
risk of electricshock.

To prevent electric shock, do not remove the top cover.
No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to
qualified service personnel.

To completely disconnect this equipment from the AC
mains, disconnect the power supply cord from the AC
receptacle.

Welcome

The Basics

Flex Cab 3

Power 3
Input and Control Panel 4

Inputs 4
Controls 5

6

Flex Pre 8

Introduction 8
Inputs 8
Controls 8
Control Panel Drawings 9
Signal Flow Diagram 9
Low Cut Filter/Phase Reverse 11
Effects Loop 12
Direct Out 12
Mute Switch 13
Preamp Output 13
Stereo Operation 13
Effects 13
Pseudo Stereo Operation 14
Headphone Output 14
Limiter Switch 14
External Power Option 15
Internal Jumper Options 15
Mounting Options 16

Speaker Placement
Tilt Mechanism 6
Slip Cover and Shoulder Strap 6
Specifications 7

Specifications 17
Care 18
Warranty And Repair 18

Contents

The information in this manual is subject to change without notice. No part of this manual may be
reproduced by mechanical, electronic or other means in any form without prior written permission from
Acoustic Image.

The Acoustic Image logo is a registered trademark of Acoustic Image LLC. Flex, Flex Cab and Flex Pre
are trademarksof AcousticImage LLC.

1

Welcome to Acoustic Image!

You have purchased a state-of-the-art musical instrument amplifier
system, combining purity,power and portability in a package that sets
a new standard in high fidelity amplification.

Each of our designs is engineered to accurately reproduce the sound
of acoustic and electric instruments, delivering flat frequency
response across the entire musical spectrum; extended, tight, well­controlled bass; and complete clarity of sound reproduction.

This manual provides operating information for your Acoustic Image
Flex System consisting of a powered 2x10 speaker cabinet (Flex Cab)
and a remote preamp (Flex Pre).

The Basics

The Flex System is a breakthough in musical instrumentamplification
technology. This revolutionary system separates the control function
from the speaker cabinet and puts it at the player’s fingertips providing
ultimate convenience and control over the sound. The system
consists of a tri-amped 2x10 plus tweeter speaker cabinet and a
remotely connected preamp that can be mounted on a music stand or
mic stand within reach of the performer. The Flex System is the
smallest and lightest 2x10 combo system on the market today.

The features of the Flex Cab powered speaker are:

-Two 10 inch woofers each driven by a 300W class D power
amp

-2.5 inch tweeter with 50W class D power amp

-Standard detachable ac power cord

-Operation over 100V to 240V range with automatic voltage
switching

-Tweeterlevel control

-Downfiring woofer controls (low cut and level)

-Through connection for daisy chaining other cabs

-Power/signal interface for preamp (RJ45/Cat5)

-Lightweight structural foam cabinet with spring-loaded tilt
mechanism

The features of the Flex Pre two-channel preamp are:

-Separate XLR and 1/4 inch inputs per channel

-48V phantom power and 10 dB gain select for mic input

-Input level control per channel

-Four band EQ per channel

-Selectable phase reverse and sweepable low cut filter per
channel (phase reverse can be converted to low pass
speaker emulation filter with internal jumper option

-Effects loop perchannel

-Selectable reverb and delay effects with level and rate
controls and pseudo stereo output

-Direct out with selectable 10 dB pad, pre/post switch and
ground lift

-Powered through cable from Flex Cab or dc power supply

-Headphone output

-Switchable limiter

-Mute switch

-Mono or stereo output

-Selectable internal jumper options for gain and stereo
operation

-High fidelity, low noise operation: 110dB SNR at direct out

The features of the Flex System are:

-Remote preamp feature offers ultimate in control flexibility

-Preamp mounts magnetically to cabinet when remote
feature is not used

-Flex Pre and Flex Cab can be used as standalone units

While our combos and speakers are designed to play loudly--and
clearly--enough so that you can be heard in most gigging situations,
they are not suited to playing at extreme volumes. Generating high
SPLs may require an additional Flex Cab or augmentation by a larger
house system.

The instructions that follow apply to both the Flex Cab and Flex Pre as
well as the Flex System. Each is discussed in turn.

Note that there are powerful magnets in the vicinity of the
recessed screws in the top of the Flex Cab. Do not place anything
on the top that will be damaged by the high magnetic field. Smart
phones, tablets, laptops, digital recorders, etc. should not be
placed on the top of the cabinet.

2

Flex Cab

Flex Cab Rear Panel

3

Introduction

Power

The Flex Cab is a powered speaker cabinet. The power amp function
is integrated into the speaker cabinet along with the speakers. There
is a power amp for each speaker in the cabinet: a 300W class D amp
for each of the 10 inch drivers and a 50W class D amp for the 2.5 inch
tweeter.A signal flow diagram for the Flex Cab is shown below.

Master

Level

Input

Thru

To Preamp

DF

Level

DF

Freq

Cutoff

Tweeter

Level

Power

Thermal

Model # 660 PS

S/N 6P 0001

AC Input

100-240 V

50/60 Hz

600 Watts

~

Power Switch

Fuse

Auto

Voltage

Switch

0dB -6dB

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECT RIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

Power Amp/Power Supply Power Amp/Power Supply

Auto Line

Voltage

Switching

Voltage Select

AC AC

AC

In

Power Supply for

Remote Preamp

Input

Thru

Connection

Master Level

FF Woofer

Tweeter

DF Woofer

Signal/Power

to/from Flex

Pre

Tweeter
Amp and

Xover

Tweeter Level

Control

0dB

-6 dB

DF Cutoff Freq

DF Level

RJ-45

4

To turn on the Flex Cab, plug the detachable AC power cord into the
receptacle on the back of the amp and into a wall outlet. A power
switch next to the AC input turns on power illuminating a “power on”
indicator on the panel.

Note that a spare fuse is

mounted inside the drawer.

The Flex Cab operates with AC voltages between 100V and 240V,
50/60 Hz. An internal switch automatically selects the correct mode of
operation for the voltage range. No user action is required to set the
unit to operate with different AC voltages. Note that the correct AC
power cord must be used for connection to the appropriate wall plug.If
you do not have the right cord, you can buy one from an electronics or
computer store.

Note that when the power switch is off and the power indicator is off,
power is not completely removedfrom the amp.To completelyremove
power, disconnect the power cord. Always leave the power cord
accessible so that you can easily disconnect power from the unit.

The RJ-45 jack located just below the AC inlet is the interface for the
Flex Pre. Both power for the preamp and signal connection from the
preamp to the Flex Cab are provided through this jack. When using
the Flex Pre, connect it to the jack using the supplied Cat5 cable
before turning on the Flex Cab.The maximum length of theCat5 cable
is 100 feet. Turn the power offbefore disconnecting the cable.

Refer to the rear panel diagram. The inputs and controls for the Flex
Cab are located on the rear panel. The function of each is described
below.Refer to the signal flow diagram on page 3 for more detail.

There are two input jacks for the Flex Cab: an RJ-45jack that provides
power to and receives signal from the Flex Pre and a 1/4 inch jack that
accepts an unbalanced input from most commercial preamps.

A 6.3-amp fast blow fuse is mounted in the
drawer marked with the fuse symbol that is part of the AC
receptacle. To replace the fuse, turn off the amp, remove the AC
cord and use a small screwdriver to pry the drawer out of the
receptacle. Remove and replace the fuse.

Note that there is a 5 to 10 second delay after the power has been
turned before the amp becomes operational. This is done so that
“start up” noises are not heard.

Inputs

Note
that when a signal is input to the 1/4 inch jack, the RJ-45 input is
disconnected.

The 1/4 inch input jack is only for instrument and line level
signals from a preamp or othersource. Do connect a speaker
output to this jack. The input circuit will be damaged.

Input and Control Panel

not

5

The thru jack on the panel is for connecting a second Flex Cab (or
other powered speaker cabinet). Use an instrument cable with 1/4
inch jacks to connect from the thru output to the input of the second
cabinet. Several units can be daisy chained in this way if desired.

There are four controls on the Flex Cab rear panel. The first is a master
level pot that controls the overall output level of the unit. Typically, this
control would be set at maximum (fully clockwise) when usingthe Flex
Pre as the input source. When using other preamps, the control may
have to be set at a different level to accommodate the signal level of a
particular preamp.

The downfiring (DF) woofer has two controls for affecting the low end
frequency response and the output level. The DF cutoff freq pot is a
sweepable, 12 dB per octave low cut filter that reduces the low
frequency output of the DF woofer in order to reduce the “boominess”
of the cabinet in those acoustic settings where there is too much bass.
Turn the control clockwise to reduce the output. When the control is
fully counterclockwise, the filter is set a 30 Hz, when it is fully
clockwise, it is set at 150 Hz.

The DF level control reduces the output of the DF woofer by 6 dB when
it is engaged. This control also will reduce boominess. The filter and
the level controls can be used independently or together. You should
experiment with these controls to hear how they affect the sound so
that you can best use them in playing situations. Note that these
controls are subtle in their effect in normal playing conditions, but their
effect is easily heard in difficult acoustic conditions and you will find
them to be useful when you need them.

The tweeter level control affects the output of the 2.5 inch tweeter.
When the control is set so the dot is straight up, the output is at the
same level as the otherspeakers giving the cabinet abalanced sound,
with a flat frequency response. If more treble is desired, turn the
control clockwise. Up to 6 dB of boost is available. If you want to
reduce the treble output, turn the control counterclockwise. Up to 10
dB of cut is available. You should experiment with this control so that
you can find the setting that sounds best to you.

There is a thermal overload indicator located above the power on
indicator. This indicator will be illuminated if the temperature of either
of the power amps inside the cabinet gets too hot. The amps will shut
off under this condition so if you loose output from the unit, check to
see if the thermal light is on. It’s very unlikely that you will ever
encounter this situation under normal playing conditions since the
amps have plenty of heat sinking to prevent thermal overload. Avoid
placing the cabinet in direct sunlight on a hot summer’s day since that
can add considerable heat inside the cabinet.

Controls