Bose COMPANION 2 Owner Manual

COMPANION® 2

MULTIMEDIA SPEAKER SYSTEM

Owner’s Guide

Guia del usuario

Notice d’utilisation

Safety Information

V I S

C A U TION

Safety Information

WARNING:

product to rain or moisture.

WARNING:

objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall not be placed on the apparatus.

EnglishFrançais Español

As with any electronic product, use care not to spill liquids into any part of the
system. Liquids can cause a failure and/or a fire hazard.

The caution marks shown here are located on the bottom of the product:

To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not expose the

The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing, and

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).

NO USER-SERVICABLE PARTS INSIDE.

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

ATTENTION : POUR RÉDUIRE LE RISQUE DE DÉCHARGE

ÉLECTRIQUE, NE RETIREZ PAS LE COUVERCLE (OU

L’ARRIÈRE). IL NE SE TROUVE ÀL’INTÉRIEURAUCUNE

PIÈCE POUVANT ÊTRE RÉPARÉE PARL’USAGER.

S’ADRESSER À UN RÉPARATEUR COMPÉTENT.

AVIS

RISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE

NE PAS OUVRIR

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle
alerts the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage
within the system enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to
constitute a risk of electrical shock.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle, as marked on
the system, is intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance instructions in this owner’s guide.

WARNING:

No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed

on the apparatus.

WARNING:

To prevent electric shock, match the wide blade of the line cord

plug into the wide slot of the AC (mains) receptacle. Insert fully.

Please read this owner’s guide

Please take the time to follow the instructions in this owner’s guide carefully. It
will help you set up and operate your system properly and enjoy all of its
advanced features. Please save this owner’s guide for future reference.

Additional safety information

See the additional instructions on the Important Safety Instructions section of
this guide.

This product conforms to the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and to the
Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC. The complete Declaration of Con­formity can be found on www.bose.com.

Note:

The product label is located on the bottom of the product.

©2004 Bose Corporation. No part of this work may be reproduced, modified,
distributed or otherwise used without prior written permission.

2

Important Safety Information

Important Safety Information

1. Read these instructions – for all compo­nents before using this product.

2. Keep these instructions – for future
reference.

3. Heed all warnings – on the product and
in the owner’s guide.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water
or moisture – Do not use this product near a

bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry
tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming
pool, or anywhere else that water or moisture
are present.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth – and as
directed by Bose Corporation. Unplug this
product from the wall outlet before cleaning.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings.
Install in accordance with the manufac­turer’s instructions – To ensure reliable

operation of the product and to protect it
from overheating, put the product in a posi­tion and location that will not interfere with its
proper ventilation. For example, do not place
the product on a bed, sofa, or similar surface
that may block the ventilation openings. Do
not put it in a built-in system, such as a
bookcase or a cabinet that may keep air
from flowing through its ventilation openings.

8. Do not install near any heat sources,
such as radiators, heat registers, stoves
or other apparatus (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.

9. 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 wider blade or third prong
are provided for your safety. If the pro­vided plug does not fit in your outlet, con­sult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.

10. Protect the power cord from being
walked on or pinched, particularly at
plugs, convenience receptacles, and the
point where they exit from the apparatus.

11. Only use attachments/accessories
specified by the manufacturer.

12. Use only with the cart,
stand, tripod, bracket or table
specified by the manufac­turer or sold with the appara­tus. When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning
storms or when unused for long periods
of time – to prevent damage to this product.

14. Refer all servicing to qualified service
personnel. Servicing is required when the
apparatus has been damaged in any way:
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, or
has been dropped – Do not attempt to ser-

vice this product yourself. Opening or
removing covers may expose you to danger­ous voltages or other hazards. Please call
Bose to be referred to an authorized service
center near you.

15. To prevent risk of fire or electric
shock, avoid overloading wall outlets,
extension cords, or integral convenience
receptacles.

Information about products that
generate electrical noise

If applicable, this equipment has been tested
and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC rules. These limits are designed to pro­vide reasonable protection against harmful in­terference in a residential installation. This

English FrançaisEspañol

3

Important Safety Information

equipment generates, uses, and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may
cause harmful interference to radio communi­cations. However, this is no guarantee that

EnglishFrançais Español

interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, you are encouraged
to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the
equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a
different circuit than the one to which the
receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/
TV technician for help.

Note:

Unauthorized modification of the
receiver or radio remote control could
void the user’s authority to operate this
equipment. This product complies with
the Canadian ICES-003 Class B
specifications.

16. Do not let objects or liquids enter the
product – as they may touch dangerous

voltage points or short-out parts that could
result in a fire or electric shock.

17. See product enclosure for safety
related markings.

18. Use proper power sources – Plug the

product into a proper power source, as
described in the operating instructions or as
marked on the product.

19. Avoid power lines – Use extreme care
when installing an outside antenna system to
keep from touching power lines or circuits,
as contact with them may be fatal. Do not
install external antennas near overhead
power lines or other electric light or power
circuits, or where an antenna can fall into
such circuits or power lines.

20. Ground all outdoor antennas – If an
external antenna or cable system is con­nected to this product, be sure the antenna
or cable system is grounded. This will pro­vide some protection against voltage surges
and built-up static charges. Section 810 of
the National Electrical Code ANSI/ NFPA No.
70 provides information with respect to
proper grounding of the mast and supporting
structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an
antenna discharge unit, size of grounding
conductors, location of antenna-discharge
unit, connection to grounding electrodes,
and requirements for the ground electrode.
Refer to the antenna grounding illustration on
this page.

Antenna grounding

Example of antenna grounding as per Nation­al Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70.

Antenna lead in wire

Antenna discharge unit
(NEC Section 810-20)

Grounding conductors

Electric service equipment

(NEC Section 810-21)
Ground clamps
Power service grounding

electrode system

Note to CATV system installer

This reminder is provided to call the CATV sys­tem installer’s attention to Article 820-40 of the
NEC (of USA) that provides guidelines for
proper grounding. In particular, it specifies that
the cable ground shall be connected to the
grounding system of the building, as close to
the point of cable entry as is practical.

4

Where to find...

Contents

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Before you begin... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Unpack the speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Where to put your Companion

®

2 speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

How to connect the speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

How to connect to the sound source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

®

Using Your Companion

2 Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

How to connect the power pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

How to use the volume control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

When to use the headphone jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Maintaining Your Companion

®

2 Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

How to clean the speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Limited Warranty period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Technical information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

For your records

Serial numbers are located on the back of the Companion 2 speakers.

English Español

Français

Serial number: ___________________________________________________________
Dealer name:_____________________________________________________________
Dealer phone: _____________ Purchase date: _______________________________

We suggest you keep your sales receipt with this owner’s guide.

5

Getting Started

EnglishFrançais Español

Getting Started

Before you begin...

Thank you for choosing Bose® Companion® 2 multimedia
speakers. They are designed to provide high-fidelity sound for
your computer or other sound source. Unique features and
Bose technologies make these speakers a superior choice for
home or office workspaces.

Magnetic shielding protects your monitor from interference,
even with the speakers placed directly against your computer.
Bose patented signal processing technology enables full, rich
sound at low volumes. A spaciousness enhancer improves the
sound from mono sources.

Please take the time to read this owner’s guide. It will help you
set up and use your new computer speakers properly, for the
greatest enjoyment.

6

Figure 1

What comes in the
carton:

•Powered
speaker

• Accessory
speaker

• Speaker cable

• Audio input
cable with RCA
plugs

• Audio input
cable with ste­reo mini plug

• Detachable AC
power pack

• Rubber feet

• Owner’s guide

Getting Started

Unpack the speakers

Carefully unpack the carton. Save all packing materials for possi­ble

future use.

Inspect the speakers. If any part appears damaged, do not use
them. Repack all parts in the original carton and call your authorized

®

Bose

dealer immediately.

Now is a good time to record the speaker serial number at

Note:

the beginning of this guide and on your warranty card. 1

Accessory
speaker

Speaker
cable

AC
power pack

Rubber feet

Powered
speaker

English FrançaisEspañol

Owner’s guide

Audio input cables

7

Setting Up

Figure 2

Bottom of speaker
with recesses for
rubber feet

EnglishFrançais Español

Setting U p

Where to put your Companion® 2 speakers

Bose designed these speakers to sit on your desk, where their
angled shape directs sound toward the listener. Before placing
them there, attach four of the supplied rubber feet to the
recesses on the bottom of each speaker, for protection and
added stability (see Figure 2).

Set the powered speaker on the right and the accessory
speaker on the left as you face the monitor (see Figure 3). Or set
them in the reverse position, if you prefer having the powered
speaker control closer to your left hand.

For best performance, be sure that both speakers are the same
distance from where you sit when listening to them.

Figure 3

Where to place
Companion 2
speakers

CAUTION:

These speakers must be used indoors. They are nei­ther designed nor tested for use outdoors, in receational vehi­cles, or on boats.

Accessory
speaker

Powered
speaker

8

Setting Up

How to connect the speakers

The speaker cable is already attached to the accessory speaker
at one end . Plug the other end into the TO ACCESSORY
SPEAKER jack on the powered speaker (see Figure 4).

How to connect to the sound source

®

You can connect up to two sound sources to Companion
speakers
example. While some

– your computer and an external portable audio player, for

portable audio players

operate through the
computer’s sound card, others have a direct audio output jack.
Before making any connections,
the equipment you will be using to

consult the owner’s manuals for

familiarize yourself with how it

connects.

2

English FrançaisEspañol

Use AUDIO INPUTS A for your computer or computer and
audio player
portable audio player

combination. Use AUDIO INPUTS B for an external

with an audio output jack, or for other com-

portable

ponents.
The sound source connected to B will play through your speak-

ers

simultaneously with the sound from your computer.

Two audio input cables are supplied with the speakers. If your
computer has a stereo mini jack, use the cable with a stereo
mini plug. Otherwise, use the cable with RCA plugs on both
ends.

Match the colors on the connectors to the colors on the jacks,
red to red and white to white. The red goes to the powered
speaker, and the white goes to the accessory speaker.

1. Connect one end of the audio input cable to AUDIO INPUTS A.

2. Connect the other end to your computer’s AUDIO OUTPUT

jack. We recommend using LINE OUT if your computer
sound card offers more than one option.

3. To connect a separate

portable audio player

, or another

source, repeat steps 1 and 2 using AUDIO INPUTS B.

9

Using Your Companion® 2 Speakers

Using Your Companion® 2 Speakers

How to connect the power pack

You must connect the AC power pack to operate the speakers.

1. Plug its cable end into the power jack on the powered

EnglishFrançais Español

Figure 4

Complete
connections

speaker.

2. Plug the power pack into the wall outlet.

3. Turn on your computer sound source or external sound
source.

CAUTION:

This product is only to be used with the power supply

provided.

Source A
computer

To wall
outlet

Powered
speaker

®

MediaMate

computer speaker

D.O.M.

BOSE CORPORATION

FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701-9168

MADE IN U.S.A.

U.S. PAT. 4490843, 4739514, RE31679

TO

ACCESSORY

SPEAKER

SEE USER’S

12VAC

GUIDE

1.2A

L
AUDIO
INPUT

A

B

Accessory
speaker

®

MediaMate

computer speaker

D.O.M.

BOSE CORPORATION

FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701-9168

Source B

MADE IN U.S.A.

TO POWERED

SPEAKER

To powered

To audio inputs B

speaker

To audio inputs A

How to use the volume control

Your computer may have an external volume control. In addition,
the computer’s operating software and some other software you
use may provide on-screen controls for the volume.

Decide which controls you prefer to use to adjust the volume
while you listen. Then follow the instructions on page 11 for set­ting the controls you will not use.

10

Figure 5

Volume control

Using Your Companion® 2 Speakers

To use the speaker control for volume adjustments

Set the volume control on your sound source or your on-screen
controls at two-thirds maximum. Then use the control on the
powered speaker to adjust the volume. Turn the knob right to
raise and left to lower the volume (see Figure 5).

Volume control

Powered
speaker

The output of sound sources and sound cards varies, so you
should experiment to find the best setting for your source.

English FrançaisEspañol

To use your sound source control for volume adjustments

Set the volume control on the powered speaker to maximum.
Then use the volume control on your sound source or your on­screen controls to make adjustments.

When to use the headphone jack

To listen in private, plug headphones into the headphone jack.
This mutes the sound coming from the speakers. Use the vol­ume control to adjust the headphone volume.

CAUTION:

ing damage. It is best to avoid extreme volume levels when using
headphones, expecially for extended periods.

Long-term exposure to loud music may cause hear-

11