Cambridge Soundworks BassCube 851 User Manual

5.1 SUBWOOFER/AMPLIFIER SYSTEM

USER MANUAL

B

ASS

C

UBE

851

™

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2

The lightning flash with arrowhead,
within an equilateral triangle, is intended
to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within
the product’s enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute risk
of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilat­eral triangle is intended to alert the user
to the presence of important operating
and maintenance (servicing) instructions
in the literature accompanying this
product

WARNING

DO NOT OPEN

TO PREVENT THE RISK OF ELECTRIC

SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE

SPEAKER’S COVER. NO USER-

SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED

SERVICE PERSONNEL.

AVISIQUE

POUR EVITER TOUT RISQUE DE

CHOC ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS

DEMONTER LE COUVERCLE DU
HAUT PARLEUR. AUCUN ENTRE­TIEN DES PIECES INTERIEURES

N’EST REQUIS.TOUT SERVICE

D’ENTRETIEN NE DOIT ETRE

EFFECTUE QUE PAR DU PERSON-

NEL D’ENTRETIEN QUALIFIE.

READ AND HEED IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING

ON REAR OF SPEAKER ENCLOSURE

CAUTION:

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE
BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, INSERT FULLY.

ATTENTION:

POUR EVITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES, INTRO­DUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE
DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE
ET POUSSER JUSQU’AU FOND.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

THE SERIAL NUMBER FOR THE SPEAKER IS
LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SPEAKER.
PLEASE WRITE THIS NUMBER DOWN AND KEEP IT
IN A SECURE AREA. THIS IS FOR YOUR SECURITY.

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33

POWER-CORD PROTECTION – The AC power cords
should be routed so that they are not likely to be
walked on. No object should bring weight to bear on
to the AC power cords.

LIGHTNING – For added protection for the speaker
during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended
and unused for long periods of time, unplug them from
the wall outlet. This will prevent damage to the speaker
due to lightning and power-line surges.

OVERLOADING – Do not overload wall outlets, exten­sion cords, or integral convenience receptacles as this
can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.

OBJECT AND LIQUID ENTRY – Never use probes of
any kind to reach into the speaker as they may touch
dangerous voltage points or short parts that could
result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of
any kind on the speaker.

SERVICING – Do not attempt to service the speaker
yourself as opening or removing covers may expose
you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all
servicing to qualified service personnel.

DAMAGE REQUIRING SERVICE – Unplug the speak­er from the wall outlet or other power source and refer
servicing to qualified service personnel under the fol­lowing conditions:

a) When the power-cord or plug is damaged.
b) If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into

the speaker.

c) If the speaker has been exposed to rain or water.
d) If the speaker does not operate normally by follow-

ing the operating instructions; or exhibits a distinct
change in performance.

e) If the speaker has been dropped or damaged in

any way.

REPLACEMENT PARTS – When replacement parts
are required, be sure the service technician uses
replacement parts specified by Cambridge
SoundWorks or have the same characteristics as the
original part. Substandard substitutions may result in
fire, electric shock, or other hazards.

SAFETY CHECK - Upon completion of any service or
repairs to the speaker, ask the service technician to
perform safety checks to determine that the speaker is
in proper operating condition.

READ INSTRUCTIONS – All safety and operating
instructions should be read before the speaker is
operated.

RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS – The safety and operating
instructions should be retained for future reference.

HEED WARNINGS – All warnings on the speaker and
in the operating instructions should be adhered to.

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS – All operating and use
instructions should be followed.

CLEANING – Unplug the speaker from the wall outlet
or other power source before cleaning. Use a cloth
for cleaning.

ATTACHMENTS – Do not use any adapters or attach­ments not recommended by Cambridge SoundWorks
as they may cause hazards.

WATER AND MOISTURE – Do not use the speaker
near water-for example, near a bath tub, wash bowl,
kitchen sink, or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near
a swimming pool or other similar areas.

ACCESSORIES – Do not place the speaker on an
unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The
speaker may fall, causing serious injury to a child or
adult and serious damage to the product.

VENTILATION – Slots, openings and metal fins in the
cabinet are provided for ventilation, to ensure reliable
operation of the speaker and to prevent it from over­heating. These areas must not be blocked or covered
such as by placing the product on a bed, sofa, very
deep pile rug, or other similar surface. The speaker
should not be placed in a built-in installation such as a
bookcase or rack.

HEAT – The speaker should be situated away from heat
sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, and
other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

POWER SOURCES – The speaker should be operated
only from the type of power source indicated on the
label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply to
your home, consult your dealer or local power company.

POLARIZATION – The speaker is equipped with a
polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug having
one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into
the power outlet only one way. This is a safety feature.
If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet,
try reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit,
contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet.
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

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4

Introduction ................................................................4

Carton Contents..........................................................5

Connection Diagram ..............................................6-7

Positioning Your Speakers..........................................8

Connections ..........................................................9-10

Operation and Final Adjustment ..............................11

Cleaning ..................................................................11

Specifications ..........................................................12

Fuse Replacement....................................................12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Thanks for choosing the BassCube 851
subwoofer/amplifier. It features a high-performance
woofer, precision internal crossover and amplifier
circuitry and an elegant enclosure design.

The amplifier provides ample power to drive any
4 or 8 ohm satellite, center and surround speakers to
room-filling levels.

The Product Development Team at Cambridge
SoundWorks believes there is no better combination of
audiophile-level attention to detail and reasonable cost.

Inspecting For Damage

Examine the speaker system carefully for shipping
damage. If there is any, do not install or use the sys­tem. Return the speaker to the store where you made
the purchase or call Cambridge SoundWorks at
1-800 FOR-HIFI (1-800-367-4434) for assistance.

After Unpacking

Store the shipping carton and packing material for
future transport needs.

QUICK SETUP

If you have connected amplified subwoofer/satellite
systems before, the Connection Diagram on pages 6-7
may be all you need to get set up and operating.

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CARTON CONTENTS

A) One Subwoofer/Amplifier Loudspeaker
B) AC Cord
C) Volume Control
D) Hook and Loop fastener (for volume control, if desired)

E) 6-channel signal cable, Green, Black, Orange

Miniplugs to 6 color-coded RCA plugs

Connect to any 6-channel source with
RCA jack line-level inputs

RCA Plug color code:

White – Left Front
Red – Right Front
Green – Center Channel
Blue – Left Surround
Gray – Right Surround
Brown – Subwoofer

F) 6-channel signal cable, Green, Black, Orange

Miniplugs on both ends

Connect to any 6-channel sound card output or any
source with minijack outputs

G) Color-coded speaker cables with RCA plugs on one

end and stripped, tinned wires on the other end

To connect output of BassCube 851 to satellite speakers

A

B

E

C

F

G

To Signal Source

Signal Cables

To BassCube

D

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666

CONNECTION DIAGRAM

+

BASS

TREBLE

POWER/STANDBY

FLAT

REDUCE

F

ANA

RF

LF

SUB

C

RR

(RS)

LR

(LS)

5.1 Channel Source such as a DVD/Tuner or DVD Player

OR

PC Sound Card

Mic in

Line inCenter/Subwoofer

Output

Front L/R

Output

Rear L/R

Output

Volume Control

(optional)

Auxilliary Source

such as a CD or MP3

WHITE

RED

GREEN

BROWN

BLUE

GRAY

ORANGE

GREEN BLACK

GREEN

BLACK

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7

SPEAKERS

VOLUME CONTROL

R

C/S

AUX

RF

C

LF

RR

LR

e

Right Front speaker Center Channel

Left Front speaker

Left Rear

Surround speaker

Right Rear

Surround speaker

ORANGE

RED GREEN WHITE

GRAY BLUE

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888

POSITIONING YOUR SPEAKERS

SUBWOOFER/AMPLIFIER

Place the Subwoofer cabinet on the floor, preferably
near a wall. Do not place it on a desktop or shelf.

For maximum bass output, place the subwoofer
near a corner. If the subwoofer is placed away from
the intersection of two room surfaces, the maximum
bass output will be reduced.

Use the Bass Level control to adjust the bass output to
your desired balance. Recommended Bass control
settings for each type of location are shown.

Because all satellite speakers will have different sensi­tivity, final adjustment should be done by ear even if
the settings do not agree with those shown here.

SATELLITES

Refer to the instructions that came with your
satellite speakers.

+

BASS

+

BASS

+

BASS

Maximum Bass Output Moderate Bass Output Least Bass Output

Suggested

Bass Control

Compensation

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CONNECTIONS

Volume Control

It is not necessary to connect the Volume Control if your
audio signal source provides an output level adjustment.
The volume control allows use with a source that do not
have volume control, or where the source’s volume con­trol is inconvenient.

A) If you are using the ST50 Desktop Stand with

Newton Series MC50 or MC100 speakers, slide the
Volume Control onto the support strut on one
of the stands.

If you are not using the ST50 Desktop Stands, we
have included a piece of hook and loop fastner
material so that you may attach the control to any
convenient surface.

B) Insert the Volume Control’s plug into the jack

marked VOLUME CONTROL on the Subwoofer
input panel until it snaps in place.

Signal Connections

C) 5.1 Input Group (F,R, and C/S minijacks):

Connect the Front, Rear, and Center/Subwoofer
signals to these jacks. The color code of the sup­plied cables should match the jacks.

D) Auxilliary Input (one minijack): Connect a

second stereo source to this jack. Using a cable
appropriate for your source unit. Signal at the
Auxilliary input will be mixed with the front and
subwoofer channels.
Note: There will be no center or rear channel
output when using this input.

A

B

Newton Series ST50 Desktop Stand –

recommended for MC50

and MC100 satellites

(optional)

9999

C

5.1 Input

D

Auxilliary Input

BassCube 851 Manual 6/11/02 3:39 PM Page 9

BASS

+

TREBLE

FLAT

REDUCE

POWER/STANDBY

F

AUX

C/S

R

ANALOG STEREO IN

VOLUME CONTROL

SPEAKERS

LF

C

LR

RF

RR

10

Speaker Connections

The BassCube 851 is supplied with speaker cable ter­minated with an RCA plug on one end and tinned bare
wires on the other end. Each cable is color-coded to
match jacks on the rear panel of the subwoofer.

White – Left Front speaker
Red – Right Front speaker
Green – Center Channel speaker
Blue – Left Surround speaker
Gray – Right Surround speaker

5-meter cables are supplied for the front and center
channels, and 15-meter cables are supplied for the
rear channels. These cables may be shortened if
desired. If you need to extend these cables, connect
another length of two-conductor speaker cable to the
two bare wires with wire nuts.

Begin by routing each speaker cable from the sub­woofer to the location of each speaker. Connect each
cable to its corresponding speaker according to the
instructions supplied with that speaker. Speaker con­nectors could be spring terminals, binding posts, or
screws depending on the make and model. Be sure to
maintain the proper polarity at each connection by
using the gray insulated conductor of the supplied
cable for “+” and the black insulated conductor for “–.”
Finally, insert each cable’s RCA plug into the matching
RCA jack on the rear panel of the subwoofer.

POWER

120VAC 60Hz

RISK OF FIRE

REPLACE FUSE

AS MARKED

AC Connection and Placement

Make sure the subwoofer Power switch is in the OFF
position (O).

Plug the supplied power cable first into the subwoofer
back panel AC socket. Then connect it to an AC
power socket.

Place the satellites and subwoofer in their preferred
positions, then switch the Power swith to the ON (I)
position.

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OPERATION AND FINAL ADJUSTMENT

1) Use the Volume Control or the signal source control
to vary output level.

2) The BassCube 851 has built-in bass management.
If you are using a Dolby Digital

®

or DTS®source, set

the surround processor settings to:

SUBWOOFER – “Off” or “None”
LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN SPEAKERS – “Large”

If the processor gives you the choice to select
“Large” for the center channel and surround speak­ers, do that also.

3) Defeat or cancel any “tone control” or other sound
adjustments within your audio program source.
Portable CD players may have “bass boost” switch­es and many computer sound programs have
audio adjustments concealed in drop-down menus.

3) If possible, play a variety of program material with
good deep bass content to judge the best setting
of the Bass control and Treble switch. In most
cases, setting the Treble switch to “flat” will give the
most accurate sound.

In situations where you are very close to the speak­ers, such as in a desktop/PC system, the “reduce”
position may be preferred.

Auto Standby Mode

When audio signal is absent for 30 seconds or more,
the BassCube 851 amplifier goes into Standby Mode.
It is normal for the BassCube 851 to remain slightly
warm when in Standby Mode. It may
be left in Standby Mode indefinitely.

Cleaning

The painted surfaces of the satellites and subwoofers
should be wiped with a cloth or brushed clean.

+

BASS

TREBLE

FLAT

REDUCE

11111111

® Dolby Digital and DTS are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation

BassCube 851 Manual 6/11/02 3:39 PM Page 11

IMPORTANT: Turn off and unplug the
speaker before changing the fuse.

Use only with a 250V fuse

Employer uniquement avec

un fusible de 250V

SPECIFICATIONS FUSE REPLACEMENT

Analog Input:

775 millivolts for full output
10 kohms input impedance

Amplifiers:

Satellite: 70 watts continuous at 1 kHz, all five channels
driven at less than .1% total harmonic distortion.
Subwoofer: 150 watts continuous at 100 Hz, one chan­nel driven at less than .3% total harmonic distortion.

System Frequency response:

Satellite: 150 Hz to 20 kHz, +/- 3 dB
Subwoofer: 32 Hz to 150 Hz +/- 3 dB

Drivers:

Nominal 8 inch subwoofer driver

AC Voltage:

120VAC, 60Hz

Dimensions (H x W x D) and Weights:

Subwoofer

12 3/4" x 11 1/4" x 11 1/4"
20 pounds

Fuse Replacement

The fuse holder is located in the power connector
at the base of each speaker. The fuse is a 5A
MDL type.

To replace the fuse:

1. Unplug the AC cord from the AC power source,

then remove the AC power cord from the speaker’s
power connector.

2. Remove the fuse cap with a small, flat blade screw-

driver (see diagram 2).

3. Remove the fuse from the fuse cap

(see diagram 3).

4. Replace the fuse inside fuse cap with another met-

ric 5X20mm size fuse (see diagram 4).

5. Replace the fuse and cap in the power connector

(see diagram 5).

6. Connect the AC power cord to the speaker.

7. Connect the power cord to an AC power outlet.

2.

3.

5.4.

12121212

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P81-1960

CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS, INC.

26 Dartmouth Street, Westwood, MA 02090

Telephone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

A Company

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