Bose^ 401^ Direct/Reflectin^ Speakers
Owner’s Guide
Introduction
Thank you
Congratulations on your purchase of Bose‘ 401* Direct/Reflecting"' speakers. Their inte
grated system of advanced Bose technologies delivers superior sound reproduction from a
floorstanding design.
For your records
Serial numbers are located on the back of each 401 speaker.
Serial numbers:____________________________ and
Dealer name:
Dealer phone:
We suggest you keep your sales slip and warranty card together with this owner’s guide.
________________________________________
________
Purchase date:
Where to find,,.
ntroduction
Thank you........................................................................................2
For your records................................................................................. 2
Contents
Where to find....................................................................................3
Setting Up
Before you begin.................................................................................4
Unpack the carton...............................................................................4
Contents
Select the locations for your 401* speakers
Choose the cord................................................................................. 6
Prepare the cord
Make the connections........................................................................... 6
Check the connections.......................................................................... 7
Test the speakers................................................................................7
^^sing and Maintaining Your 401® Speakers
Enjoying sound in a variety of ways.............................................................8
Cleaning the speakers........................................................................... 8
Warranty period................................................................................. 8
Troubleshooting
................................................................................
.................................................................................
....................................................
5
6
9
Setting Up
Before you begin
Your 401* Direct/Reilecting* speakers re-create a natural balance of reflected and direct
sound energy for an open, spacious performance. They are designed at Bose’* to bring you
high-quality listening pleasure.
The Stereo Space* array inside each speaker creates a pattern of direct/reflected sound
similar to what you experience at a live concert. These distinct left and right speakers also
feature tuned port enclosures that contribute to their deep, room-filling bass. An advanced
crossover design adds to the realism and clear definition of both musical instruments and
voices.
Your 401 speakers are significantly different from conventional speakers, so be sure to read
this owner’s guide. It will help you set up and use your speakers properly, for the greatest
enjoyment.
Unpack the carton
Carefully unpack the carton and save all packing materials for possible future use. Check
the carton contents (Figure 1). The carton contains two 401 speakers labeled Part 1 (left)
and Part 2 (right).
If either speaker appears damaged, do not use them. Instead, repack both speakers in the
original carton and notify your authorized Bose dealer immediately.
Note: Now is a good time to record the speaker serial numbers on page 2 of this guide
and on your warranty card.
Warning: Each speaker weighs approximately 30 pounds (13 kg). Use good lifting
practice to avoid injury.
WARNING:
To avoid danger of suffocatioi^^
keep the plastic bags that
wrap these speakers out
of the reach of children.
LEFT speaker RIGHT speaker
Figure 1
What comes in the carton:
• Left speaker (Part 1)
• Right speaker (Part 2)
Setting Up
Select the locations for your 40V speakers
^ach Bose' 401* speaker incorporates a weight in the base of the speaker for maximum
stability. Placing any object on top of the speaker will make it less stable and is not recom
mended. Be sure to place your speakers on a flat surface.
Place the left (Part 1) and right (Part 2) speakers on the left and right sides of your room, as
you face them. Exactly where you put them depends on the size and style of your room and
where you think they sound best. Feel free to experiment to find a location that is both
convenient and provides the sound you prefer.
Here are some basic guidelines. Place the speakers:
• approximately 5 feet (1.6 m) apart. You can achieve excellent results with a separation of
as much as 15 feet (5 m).
• from 2 to 5 feet (.6 -1.5 m) from each side wall.
• at least 24 inches (.6 m) from any TV screens or monitors.
• at least 2 inches (5 cm) from the wall behind them.
Note: Because the grilles on the front of each speaker protect the drivers inside, we
recommend that you do not remove the grilles.
NOTE:
For the most realistic sound
image, make sure the left
speaker is placed on the left
and the right speaker is on
the right side of your room, as
you face them.
CAUTION:
Do not use these speakers in
a moving vehicle.
Figure 2
Placement guidelines
Setting Up
Choose the cord
It Is important to use the proper gauge (thickness) of speaker cord. Standard zip cord
(2-conductor, 18-gauge wire) works for most applications. You can find this wire at most
electrical and hardware stores.
You will need thicker wire if your speakers will be more than 30 feet (9 m) from a receiver or
amplifier. Refer to the wire recommendations under “Technical information” on page 10. or
contact your authorized Bose‘ dealer for more information.
Note: Before runnir^g speaker cord through a wall or under a floor, check your local
building code requirements and safety regulations. You may want to contact an electrical
installer for this information.
Prepare the cord
speaker cord consists of two insulated wires. The insulation around one wire is marked
(striped, collared, or ribbed). This marked wire is always positive (+). The plain wire is always
negative (-). These wires correspond to the red (+) and black (-) terminals on the speakers
and the receiver.
At the ends of each cord, strip approximately inch (12 mm) of insulation from both wires.
Twist the bare end of each wire so loose strands will not touch across terminals. Be sure to
connect each wire to the proper terminal (positive to positive and negative to negative).
Note: It is sometimes difficult to distinguish wire markings. Inspect both wires carefully
CAUTION:
Never use broken or frayed
wiring, which can result in
electrical shock or damage.
Make the connections
Just press the terminal tab on the back of each speaker to insert the appropriate wire
(Figure 3).
1. Connect one speaker cord to your right speaker.
a. Attach the marked wire at one end to the red (+) terminal.
b. Attach the plain wire at that end to the black (-) terminal.
2. Connect the other end of the same cord to the RIGHT SPEAKER OUTPUT of your
receiver.
a. Attach the marked wire to the red (+) terminal.
b. Attach the plain wire to the black (-) terminal.
3. Connect the second cord to the left speaker and LEFT SPEAKER OUTPUT of your
receiver. Follow the steps in 1 and 2 above.
Red temiinal tab
CAUTION:
Before making any connec
tions, turn off your receiver
and unplug it from the AC
power (mains) outlet. Not
doing so may result in dam
age to your system.
Figure 3
How to make terminal connec
tions
Marked wire
^Check the connections
/heck to be sure all connections are made positive to positive {+ to +) and negative to
negative (- to -) (Figure 4). Make sure that no loose strands of wire touch across terminals.
Bridged wires can short circuit and damage the amplifier. Tighten any loose connections
before you plug In the receiver and turn it on.
Back of recerver
Setting Up
Figure 4
Completed connections
Back of RIGHT
speaker
Back of LER
speaker
Test the speakers
To make sure your speakers operate correctly:
1. Place the speakers less than 6 inches (15 cm) apart, facing each other.
2. Turn on your receiver. Set the receiver to MONO (monophonic), if that is an option on
your receiver.
3. Make sure that all special effects (such as surround sound) are turned off.
4. Set the balance control to normal (center position).
5. Play some deep bass passages of music through the speaker.
The sound should seem to come from a point between the two speakers. The bass should
be full and natural. If it is not, one of the connections may be reversed, causing the speakers
to play out of phase (refer to “Make the connections" on page 6).
To correct the problem, make sure all the wires are connected positive to positive (+ to +)
and negative to negative (- to -). Then repeat steps 1 through 5 above to re-test
the speakers.
Using and Maintaining Your 401^ Speakers
Enjoying sound in a variety of ways
Bose* 401* Direct/Reflecting' speakers are designed to work with a variety of stereo
receivers and amplifiers. The open, spacious performance of these speakers
also makes them an ideal choice for home theater, or for listening to CD’s, tapes, or radio
broadcasts (Figure 5).
Figure 5
401' Direct/Reflecting*’ speaker
sound path
Cleaning the speakers
Clean the surface of your speakers with a soft damp cloth. Do not use any sprays near the
system or allow liquids to spill into any openings. Also, do not use any solvents, chemicals,
or cleaning solutions containing alcohol, ammonia, or abrasives.
The speaker grille panels require no special care. You may vacuum them carefully to remove
dust.
Warranty period
Bose 401 Direct/Reflecting* speakers are covered by a limited 5-year transferable warranty.
Details of the coverage are provided on the warranty card that came with your speakers.
Please fill out the information section on your card, detach, and mail to Bose.
T^ubleshooting
Problem Whet to do
Using and Maintaining Your 401* Speakers
No sound
No sound from
one speaker
One speaker
pounds distorted
Not enough
bass or treble
• Make sure the receiver is plugged in and turned on.
• Check to be sure the AC power (mains) outlet is working.
• Disconnect any headphones plugged into the headphone jack.
• Make sure the receiver is not set to MUTE.
• Refer to the owner’s guide that came with your receiver.
• Check connections to both the speakers and the receiver.
Refer to "Make the connections” on page 6. Correct any connec
tion errors.
• Disconnect the working speaker from the receiver.
• Switch the cord of the “faulty” speaker from its original receiver
jacks to the other set of jacks (the working speaker was originally
attached to those jacks).
- If the speaker now works, the problem is in your receiver.
- If the speaker does not work, continue below.
• Remove the cord from the working speaker and connect it to the
“faulty” speaker and either set of receiver jacks.
- If the speaker now works, the problem was in the original
speaker cord.
- If the speaker does not work, the problem is in the speaker.
• Follow the same procedure for the problem of no sound from
one speaker, as outlined above.
• Adjust the bass and treble controls on the receiver.
• Check the connections to make sure they are correctly in phase
(+ to + and - to -). Refer to “Make the connections” on page 6.
• Move the speakers closer to or farther from the side walls or other
sound-reflecting hard surfaces.
Customer service
If the troubleshooting guidelines above do not solve your problem, contact your authorized
Bose"" dealer to arrange for service. To obtain information or service directly from Bose, refer
to the listing at the end of this guide. Bose Corporation will make every effort to correct any
problem within the terms of your warranty.
Product Information
Technical information
Features
Direct/Reflecting"' speaker design
Stereo Space*' array
Dual Frequency crossover network
Automatic tweeter protection circuitry
Syncom ’ computer quality control
Driver complement
Two (2) 6.5 inch (16.6 cm) long excursion Digital Dynamic Range' woofers
One (1) 2‘inch (5.1 cm) high-sensitivity tweeter
Compatibility/lmpetiance
Compatible with amplifiers and receivers rated from 10 to 200 watts per channel.
Rated 4 to 8 ohms
IVfVe recommendations
Gauge
18(0.75 mm=)
16 (1.5 mm‘)
14(2.0 mmO
Length
30 ft (9 m) maximum
45 ft (14 m) maximum
70 ft (21 m) maximum
Fusing
Series-connected 2A fast-blow fuse recommended
Enclosure
Vinyl veneer finish
Size/Weight
Speaker: 29.6"H x 11.1" W x 11.1" D (75 x 28 x 28 cm)
Speaker pair: 57 lb (26 kg)
10
Bose* Corporation
USA
Bose Corporation, The Mountain
Framingham. MA 01701-9168
1-800-367-4008
Phone hours - ET (eastern time):
Weekdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Canada
Bose Ltd.. 1-35 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1B3
1-800-444-BOSE (1-800-444-2673)
Phone hours - ET (eastern time):
Weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
European Office
Bose B.V., Nijverheidstraat 8
1135 GE Edam, Nederland
TEL 0299-390190 FAX 0299-390109
Australia
Bose Australia, Inc., 1 Sorrell Street
Parramatta, N.S.W. 2150
TEL 02 204-6111 FAX 02 204-6122
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TEL 012-390800 FAX 012-390840
Danmark
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TEL 4343-7777 FAX 4343-7818
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D-61381 Friedrichsdorf
TEL 06172-71040 FAX 06172-710419
France
Bose S.A.. 6, rue Saint Vincent
78100 Saint Germain en Laye
TEL 01 -30616363 FAX 01 -30614105
Italia
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00147 Roma
TEL 06-5127641 FAX 06-5115438
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28-3 Maruyama-cho
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150
TEL 3-5489-1054 FAX 3-5489-0591
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1135 GE Edam
TEL 0299-390111 FAX 0299-390109
Norge
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N-2001, Lillestrom
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Österreich
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Wienerbergstrasse 7 (10.OG)
A-1100 Vienna
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Schweiz
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S-43146 Mölndal
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Bose Limited, Unit G2
Trinity Trading Estate
Sittingboume, Kent ME10 2PD
TEL 01795-475341 FAX 01795-427227
India
Bose Corporation India Private Umited
W-16, Greater Kailash-ll
New Delhi 110 048
TEL (011) 648 4462 FAX (011) 648 4463
Ireland
Bose Corporation
Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan
TEL 042-61988 FAX 042-61998
From other locations
Bose Customer Service, 1 New York Ave.
Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA
TEL (508) 766-1900 FAX (508) 766-1919
World Wide Web
www.bose.com
©1998 Bose Corporation The Mountain. Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA
JN99221 PN197885 Rev.01 AM197885 Rev.01
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