AudioEngine AP4 Setup Manual

Setup Guide

© 2009 Audioengine Corp. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright Notice

Audioengine and Audioengine AP4 are trademarks of Audioengine Ltd.

Audioengine, Ltd.

[e-mail]

www.audioengineusa.com

Contents

Introduction Page 1

Features Page 1

Package Contents Page 1

Unpacking Page 2

Speaker Placement Page 3

Connections Page 4

Operation Page 6

Cleaning Page 7

Specications Page 7

Contact Us Page 7

Warranty Information Page 8

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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 eorts 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 nished 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

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 dierent
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 dierent 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 equi-distant 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.

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.

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LEFT SPEAKER RIGHT SPEAKER

REAR

FRONT

L

R

40°–60°

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 ⁄” 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 OmniMount 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, ve-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 amplier to each speaker. It’s also a good idea to turn o your
receiver/amplier 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 ngers 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 dierentiate between the
wire pairs.

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



If you are Using Bare Wire

 Use your thumb and nger 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 ngers.
 The stripped portion of the wire should be

secured rmly in each connector.

 Make sure that none of the speaker wire strands

have come in contact with an adjoining terminal.

FRONT

CENTER SURROUND

SPEAKERS

L R

Receiver

Left SpeakerRight Speaker

Speaker Connections

DVD/LD

IN

TV/SAT

VIDEO /
GAME 1

IN

IN

FM UNBAL 75 Ω

AM LOOP

SWITCHED 100 W

IN
(TV/

SAT

)

1

IN
(DVD)

2

SUB PREAMP

OUT

RLR

L

Operation

Your AP4 speakers are perfect for digital hybrid ampliers (Class-D, Class-T,
etc.) as well as most stereo receivers, integrated amps, and tube ampliers.
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

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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 Specications

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:

[e-mail] or call toll-free in the United States:

[phone]

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.

•Verify that the polarity of the speaker wires is not reversed on

either end.

Lack of bass or
poor imaging

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

Recommended

Amplier Power: 10-125W per channel

Tweeter: 3/4" (20mm) silk dome

Woofer: 4" (101mm) Kevlar cone

Enclosure: 3/4" MDF

Inputs: Gold-plated, 5-way binding posts

Magnetically Shielded

Weight each: 2.75 kg (6 lbs)

Shipping weight each: 6.5 kg (14 lbs)

Dimensions each: 228x140x165mm (9x5.5x6.5") (HxWxD)

Shipping box dims: 330x460x228mm (13x18x9") (HxWxD)

Finish Options: Satin Black, Hi-Gloss White, Solid Carbonized Bamboo

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 modication 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 b e respon sible for sh ipping or t ransportati on charg es direc tly to Audioengi ne or to an
authorized dealer. We recommend that you keep the original shipping materials, as it is important that
you pack age 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: suppor [e-mail] or call toll-free in the United
States at: [phone]. 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 satised with any Audioengine
product, send us an email at: [e-mail] or call toll-free in the United States at:
[phone].

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Information for Users on Disposal of Old Equipment

[European Union]

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 eects 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 oce, 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

Attention:

This symbol is
only valid in the
European Union.

© 2009 Audioengine Corp. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright Notice

Audioengine AP4 is a trademark of Audioengine, Ltd.

Audioengine, Ltd.

[e-mail]

www.audioengineusa.com