Bose® Home Theater Speakers
Owner’s Guide
Declaration of Conformi ty
We, the offerer,
Bose Corporation, The Mountain
Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA
acknowledge our sole responsibility, that the product,
Kind of equipment: Loudspeakers
®
Type designation: VCS-10
in accordance with EMC directive 89/336/EC and article 10(1) of the
Directive, is in compliance with the following norm(s) or document(s):
Technical regulations: EN 50081-1, EN 50082-1
Accredited by Bose Corporation
1 May 2001
Bose Products B.V. Nic Merks,
Nijverheidstraat 8, Vice President, Bose Europe
1135 GE Edam, Manufacturer’s authorized
The Netherlands EU representative
, VCS-30® II
2
Where to find …
Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Adjusting Your Surround Sound Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Before you begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Unpack the carton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Place the center speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Position your surround speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Connect the speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Choosing speaker cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Be sure to use the cord properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Make the connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Check the connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Mounting your speakers on a wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
For realistic home theater sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
How to set your Pro-Logic receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
To use the test tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
To balance the bass and treble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
How to set your Dolby Digital receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
If the sound is interrupted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Customer service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Cleaning speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Warranty period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Technical information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
For your records
Serial numbers ar e located on the back of each speaker.
Center speaker serial number: _____________________________________
Surround speaker serial numbers: _______________and _______________
Dealer name: ____________________________________________________
Dealer phone: _________________ Purchase date: ____________________
We suggest you keep your sales receipt and warranty card together with
this owne r’s guide.
©2003 Bose Corporation. No part of this work may be reproduced, modified,
distributed or otherwise used without prior written permission.
Dolby is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
3
Setting Up
Before you begin
Thank you for choosing Bose® home theater speakers. Both the
VCS-10
round speaker system are engineered specifically for use with
video soundtracks. They are designed to make the mos t of audio
for video (A/V) surround sound receivers or amplifiers with five
amplified speaker outputs.
In either package yo u purchased, there is a center speaker. Its
magnetic shielding allows you to put this speaker directly on,
above, or below your video s creen without causing screen discol
oration. There it will deliver clear, crisp soundtrack reproduction
from the center channel. Other speakers at the front of your room
provide the left and right video sound.
In additon to one center speaker, the VCS-30 Series II system
includes two surround spe akers . They are designed for use at the
rear of your room. Advanced design brackets included in this
package make the surround speakers simple to mount on a wall.
Please read and follow the ins tructions i n this guid e. They will help
you set up and use your new home theater spea kers for the fulle st
listening and viewing enjoyment.
®
Unpack the carton
Carefully unpack the carton and save all packing materials for
possible future use. Inspect the contents (
If any speaker appe ars damage d, do not use it. Instea d, re pack all
parts in the original carton and notify Bose or your authorized
Bose dealer immediately.
center speaker and the VCS-3 0® Series II center/sur-
-
Figure 1, A or B).
Note: Now is a good time to record the serial numbers found on
the back of each speaker. Write them on your warranty card and
on page 3 of this owner’s guide.
4
Setting Up
Figure 1
A. The VCS-10®
speaker carton
contents
B. The VCS-30®
Series II system
carton contents
Center speaker
Left surround
speaker
Center spea k e r
Rubber feet
Right surround speaker
Rubber
feet
Owner’s guide
Mounting
brackets
Mountin g hardware
Owner’s guide
5
Setting Up
Place the center speaker
The center speaker provides center channel surround sound performance while taking up very little space. The slim, low-p rofile
design allows it to fit directly on, above, o r below your television
(Figure 2). Rubber feet ensure stable positioning and magnetic
shielding prevents video screen discoloration.
CAUTION: The VCS-10® speaker is not designed to be set on end
in a vertical position, mounted on a wall, or to support the additional weight of items placed on top of the speaker, which could
also hamper its performance. Do not allow debris or water from
plants, or other items on a shelf above, to fall on the speaker.
CAUTION: Do not install near any heat sources, such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that
produce heat.
For full enjoyment, follow these placement guidelines:
• Place the speaker on, or very close to, your television set and
center it with the screen.
• Be sure to set it on a level surface.
• Apply additional rubber feet farther in from the edges, as
needed, for greater stability (Figure 3).
Figure 2
Alternate choices
for placing the
center speaker
Figure 3
Adding optional
self-adhesive feet
to the bottom of
the center speaker
CAUTION: Be sure the center speaker is in a stable position and
does not extend beyond the edges of its support. Use additional
rubber feet as needed to prevent it from tipping or falling from a
television surface that is not completely level.
Pre-attached
feet (2 of 6)
Optional self-adhesive feet
(4 supplied)
6
Position your surround speakers
Surround speakers in the VCS-30® Series II speaker system provide surround sound effects from the rear of your viewing area
(Figure 4).
Figure 4
Alternate choices
for placing the surround speakers
Surround speakers
Setting Up
Figure 5
Applying selfadhesive feet to
the bottom of a
surround speaker
Brackets that come with these spe akers all ow you to mou nt th em
on the wall. If you use the supplied brackets, refer to the bracket
instruction diagrams in the Appendix. Do not connect the speak
ers before reviewing those instructions.
If you prefer, set the speakers on a table or shel f in a horizontal
position.
CAUTION: Do not install near any heat sources, such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that
produce heat.
For accurate surround sound:
• Place these speakers behind the general viewing area, along the
rear wall or to the rear of side walls.
• Place both speakers at the same height.
• Place the speakers as far apart as your room allows.
• To mount the speakers on brackets, be sure to leave room
between the end of the bracket and the wall for tightening the
bracket screw.
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7
Setting Up
Connect the speakers
CAUTION: Before making any connections, turn off your receiver
or amplifier and unplug it from the AC power (mains) outlet. Not
doing so may result in damage to your system.
CAUTION: Never use broken or frayed wiring, which can result in
damage to your components.
Note: Before running 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.
If your receiv er’s center channel is not amplified, you must connect an amplifier to the r ecei ver. Use a n RCA cable to connect the
center channel RCA-type out put on the receiver to the RCA-type
input on the amplifie r. Th e speaker wil l then con nect dir ectly to the
amplifier instead of to the receiver.
Choosing speaker cord
Be sure to use the proper gauge (thickness) of speaker cord.
Standard zip cord (2-conductor, 18-gauge wire found at electrical
and hardware stores) works for most applications. If your speak
ers will be more than 30 feet (9 m) from the receiver or amplifier,
see the following t abl e, or ch ec k wit h y ou r a uthori zed Bos e dea ler.
-
Gauge* Length*
18 (0.75 mm2) 30 ft (9 m) maximum
16 (1.5 mm2) 45 ft (14 m) maximum
14 (2.0 mm2) 70 ft (21 m) maximum
* Based on a maximum frequency response deviation of ±0.5dB.
At the ends of each cor d, strip approximately 1⁄2 inch (12 mm) of
insulation from both wires. Twist the bare end of each wi re, so
loose strands will not touch across terminals.
Be sure to use the cord properly
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 nega
tive (–). These wires correspond to the red (+) and black (–) terminals on the speaker and the receiver or amplifier.
Note: It is sometimes difficult to distinguish wire markings. Inspect
both wires carefully.
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8
Setting Up
Make the connections
At the connection end of the speaker, push one terminal lever and
insert the appropriate wire (Figure 6).
Figure 6
How to make terminal connections
to the center
speaker and surround speakers
Red terminal lever
Marked wire
Marked wire
Red terminal
lever
1. Connect one end of the speaker cord to your speaker.
A. Attach the marked wire to the red (+) terminal.
B. Attach the plain wire to the black (–) terminal.
2. Connect the other end of the same cord to your receiver or
amplifier (Figure 7).
A. Attach the marked wire to the red (+) terminal.
B. Attach the plain wire to the black (–) terminal.
• The center speaker connects to the CENTER SPEAKER
outputs on the receiver. Some surround sound receivers
have two sets of center channel speaker outputs. Use
either set.
• The left surroun d speaker connects to the LEFT SURROUND SPEAKER outputs.
• The right surround speak er connects to the RIGHT SURROUND SPEAKER outputs.
9
Setting Up
Check the co nnections
Make sure each connection is made positive to positive (+ to +)
and negative to negative (– to –). Check to be sure that no loose
strands of wire touch across terminals. Bridged wires can shortcircuit and damage the electrical components. Tighten any loose
connections be fore you plug in t he r e cei ver o r a mpl if ier a nd turn i t
on.
Figure 7
Completed connections
Center speaker
Receiver or
amplifier
Right Surround speaker Left Surround speaker
A
B
FRONT
SPEAKERS
Right
–+
–+–+
Right
OUTPUT
Left
Left
To speakers
SURROUND
CENTER
SPEAKERS
SPEAKER
Left
Right
–+
+
A
–
B
+
–
10
Mounting your speakers on a wall
CAUTION: Do not mount the brackets on surfaces that are not
sturdy enough, or that have hazards concealed behind them, such
as electrical wire or plumbing. If you are unsure about installing the
bracket, contact a qualified professional installer.
CAUTION: Do not hang items from the brackets or speakers. The
brackets were designed to support the weight of the speakers only.
Note: See the back pages of this guide for the mounting template
and hardware information.
Note: For vertical mounting, mount part A with the hole for screw
C at the bottom. Be sure to tighten all screws.
Note: For Stereo Everywhere® speaker performance, horizontal
mounting is required.
1. Hold the mounting template in position and mark holes for the
mounting hardware. If you plan to feed wires through the wall,
mark the speaker wire pilot hole also.
2. Drill holes for the chosen mounting hardware.
3. Mount bracket part A to the wall and mount bracket part B to
the rear of the speaker (
4. Secure the speaker with bracket part B to bracket part A
using screw C. To adjust the angle, loosen screw C slightly,
move the speaker up or down, and retighten screw C.
Figure 8).
Setting Up
Figure 8
Speaker-bracket
installation
A
C
B
11
Adjusting Your Surround Sound Settings
For realistic home theater sound
Each speaker produces only the sound directed to it by your surround sound r eceiver. During a surroun d sound pr ogra m, the fr ont
and center speakers will emit sound almost constantly, while the
surround speakers may be silent at times.
How to set your Pro-Logic receiver
For use in video applications, be sure the SURROUND SOUND
center mode setting of your r eceiver is on NORMAL (
may press in the button labeled Loudness (Bass Boost or Super
Bass on some receivers) to see if you prefer that video sound.
Figure 9
141516
17
The receiver or
amplifier set to
NORMAL su rround sound
mode
Use the test tone on your receiver to further verify connections
and to adjust the volume level of the speakers.
To use the test tone
1. Press test tone ON at the receiver remote.
2. Listen and confirm that each speaker reproduces sound as
the tone moves from speaker to speaker. One tone should
come from both SURROUND speakers at the same time.
3. Adjust the volume levels of the CENTER and SURROUND
speakers so all of the speakers sound equally lou d in your
main listening area.
Instructions for this process vary , depending on the receiver brand
and model you are using. Follow your rece iver owner’s guide
instructions for more details on using the test tone.
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Figure 9). You
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
12
To balance the bass and treble
Upholstered furniture, wall-to-wall carpets, or heavy drapes can
muffle treble (high notes), making your speaker system sound
bass heavy. Bare floors and walls and hard surface furniture can
make your speaker system sound too shrill. After listening to your
speakers, you may want to adjust the balance of bass and treble.
You can use the bass and treble controls on your receiver.
Adjusting Your Surround Sound Settings
How to set your Dolby Digital receiver
Your VCS-10® or VCS-30® Series II speakers are compatible with
the output from Dolby Digital receivers. Take special care to set
the channel output on the Dolby Digit al screen menu to SMALL for
both the center speaker and surround speakers.
Receiver channel output Proper setting
Center SMALL
Left and right surround speakers
(VCS-30 Series II surround speakers)
Follow the receiver owner’s guide instructions for u sing the
receiver test tone to verify your connections and to adjust the vol
ume levels of the spea kers.
If the sound is interrupted
The VCS-10 Center Speaker and VCS-30 Seri es II Center/Surround Speaker System feature an advanced automatic electronic
protection ci rcuit to prevent speaker damage due to an overload.
When the center channel spe aker det ects an ove rload, th e pr otection circuit intermittently shuts down and resets the speaker a
fraction of a second later, until the overload is c leare d. Intermi ttent
play will continue for the duration of the overload.
If you hear this interruption, turn down the volume to relieve the
overload. You will hear the speaker r esume normal play when the
volume is set at a safe level.
Note: The overload problem described here should occur only if
the receiver is overdriven and sending a distorted signal, or when
the center speaker is driven by an amplifier rated well above the
100 watts per channel maximum listed in
page 15.
SMALL
-
“Compatibility” on
13
Reference
Troubleshooting
Problem What to do
No sound • Check the volume control.
• Make sure the receiver (or amplifier) is plugged in and
turned on.
• Check all connections (see page 10).
• Make sure the receiver is not on Mute.
• Make sure headphones are not connected to the receiver.
Center or surround
speaker does not
work
Center speaker
intermitte ntly shuts
down
• Make sure your receiver has amplified center and surround
channels.
• Be sure your receiver is set properly (see page 12 and
page 13).
• Check the audio source material to be sure it is encoded
for surround so und.
• Check the speaker connect ions. (see page 10).
• If your surround sound receiver is Pro-Logic, be sure an
RCA stereo cable connects the receiver to a stereo sound
source (TV, VCR, laserdisc, or DSS player).
• If the receiver is connected directly to a stereo television,
make sure that all other program sources (VCR, laserdisc,
or DSS player) are connected to the TV using RCA stereo
cable as well.
• If your surround sound receiver is Dolby Digital, be sure
the sound source (DSS, laserdisc, or DVD pla yer) is con
nected directly to your receiver as described in your
receiver owner’s guide.
• Reduce the volume until that speaker returns to normal
play. Automatic electronic protection circuitry may have
engaged to prevent an overload.
• Check the power rating of your receiver (see “Compatibility” on page 15).
• Make sure your receiver is set for NORMAL surround
sound mode.
-
Sound is distorted • Check the speaker cord for damage.
• Reduce the output level from your TV or other componen ts
connected to the receiver.
Customer service
To arrange for service, contact your authorized Bose® dealer, or
contact Bose directly.
14
Cleaning speakers
CAUTION: If liquids get into the product, disconnect the speaker
from the receiver and allow it to air dry. Then reconnect the
speaker and play it. If you notice any problems with how the
speaker functions, disconnect it again and contact Bose
service.
Clean the outside of your VCS-10® or VCS-30® Series II speakers
by wiping each speaker with a damp cloth. If necessary, use a
mild deter gent, li ke dis h soa p, bein g car eful not to allow any liq uid
to spill through the cloth grille or the ventilation slots of the speak
ers. No other maintenance is required.
Warranty period
Bose® VCS-10 and VCS-30 Series II speakers are covered by a
limited 5-year trans ferable warranty. Details of the coverage are
provided on the warr anty card that came with your speakers.
Please fill out the information section on that card, detach, and
mail it to Bose.
Technical information
Reference
®
customer
-
Features
Ported speaker enclosures (all speakers)
Magnetic shielding in all speakers
Automatic electronic protection circuitry in all speakers
Syncom® computer quality control of center and surround
speakers
Driver complement per spea ker
Center speaker: Four (4) 2.5" (6.3 cm) Twiddler™ drivers
Surround speaker: Two (2) 2.5" (6.3 cm) Twiddler™ drivers
Compatibility
Center speaker: Compatible with amplifier s or receivers with
center channel outputs rated 10-100 watts per
channel; rated 4-8 ohms
Surround speakers: Compatible with amplifiers or receivers with
surround channel outputs rated 10-100
watts per channel; rated 4-8 ohms
Enclosure
Molded polymer with a tuned port
Size/Weight
Center speaker: 3.25"H x 21.5"W x 6"D; 5.9 lb
(8.2 cm x 54.6 cm x 15.2 cm; 2.7 kg)
Each surround speaker: 4.17"H x 10.93"W x 4.98"D; 3.3 lb
(14.6 cm x 28.0 cm x 16.5 cm; 1.49 kg)
VCS-10 speakers, packed in carton: 8 lb (3.6 kg)
VCS-30 Series II speaker system, packed in carton: 20 lb (9.1 kg)
15
Reference
16
©2004 Bose Corporation
The Mountain, Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA
257530-ENGvo AM Rev.00
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