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POWERED SUBWOOFERS
B
ASS
C
UBE
8S
B
ASS
C
UBE
10 S
™
™
USER MANUAL
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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
SUBWOOFER’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 BACK OF SUBWOOFER 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 IS LOCATED ON THE
SUBWOOFER’S BACK PANEL. PLEASE WRITE THIS
NUMBER DOWN AND KEEP IT IN A SECURE AREA.
THIS IS FOR YOUR SECURITY.
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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
the AC power cords.
LIGHTNING – For added protection for the subwoofer
during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended
and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the
wall outlet. This will prevent damage to the subwoofer
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 subwoofer 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 subwoofer.
SERVICING – Do not attempt to service the subwoofer
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 subwoofer 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 subwoofer.
c) If the subwoofer has been exposed to rain or water.
d) If the subwoofer does not operate normally by fol-
lowing the operating instructions; or exhibits a distinct change in performance.
e) If the subwoofer 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 subwoofer, ask the service technician to
perform safety checks to determine that the subwoofer
is in proper operating condition.
READ INSTRUCTIONS – All safety and operating
instructions should be read before the subwoofer is
operated.
RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS – The safety and operating
instructions should be retained for future reference.
HEED WARNINGS – All warnings on the subwoofer
and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS – All operating and use
instructions should be followed.
CLEANING – Unplug the subwoofer from the wall outlet
or other power source before cleaning. Use a damp
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 subwoofer
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 subwoofer on an
unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The subwoofer 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 subwoofer 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 subwoofer
should not be placed in a built-in installation such as a
bookcase or rack.
HEAT – The subwoofer should be situated away from
heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves,
and other products (including amplifiers) that produce
heat.
POWER SOURCES – The subwoofer 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 subwoofer 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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INSPECTING FOR DAMAGE
Examine each part carefully for shipping damage. If
there is any, do not install or use the system. Return
the subwoofer to the store or merchant where you
made the purchase or call Cambridge SoundWorks at
1-800-FOR-HIFI (1-800-367-4434) for assistance.
SPECIFICATIONS
(including feet and controls on rear panel)
BassCube 10S:
Dimensions: 15"H x 13 1/2"W x 14 3/4"D
Weight: 35 lbs.
BassCube 8S:
Dimensions: 13"H x 111/2"W x 12 1/8"D
Weight: 25 lbs.
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1. OFF AUTO ON
Set this switch to AUTO for normal use. The sub-
woofer will “power up” rapidly when an audio signal
is sensed. The subwoofer will revert to a standby
mode after about 15 minutes of no signal. The standby mode uses less power. Set this switch to ON
should you wish to prevent the subwoofer from enter-
ing its standby mode.
2. SUBWOOFER LEVEL
This control sets the overall output level of
the subwoofer.
OPERATING CONTROLS, INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
1
3. LINE LEVEL INPUTS
The Subwoofer Out (or preamplifier outputs) from
your audio system connect to these inputs.
4. SPEAKER LEVEL INPUTS
If you do not have, or do not wish to use a line level
output from your audio system, you can connect
speaker wire from your audio system’s left and right
speaker outputs to these inputs.
7
2
3
6
5
4
BassCube 8S Back Panel Diagram
SET LOW PASS FREQ HERE
*
WHEN USING 5.1 CHANNEL
HOME THEATER SUB OUT
LOW PASS
ON
FREQUENCY (Hz)
120
100
80
+
AUTO
OFF
POWER
RED – STANDBY
GREEN – ON
OUT TO SPEAKERS
+
RL
200
160
*
SUBWOOFER
LEVEL
4
3
2
1
0
5
6
7
8
9
10
SPEAKER LEVEL INPUTS
+
RL
LINE
LEVEL
INPUTS
+
R
MONO
L
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5. OUT TO SPEAKERS
Connect your left and right speakers to these outputs
if you use the SPEAKER LEVEL INPUTS.
6. POWER indicator
Glows green during normal operation. Glows red in
standby mode.
7. LOW PASS FREQUENCY
When you connect a BassCube to the Subwoofer Out
of a 5.1 channel Dolby Digital
®
or DTS®audio system,
set this control at its full clockwise rotation. If you con-
nect a BassCube with speaker wires, or to the
Subwoofer Out of a stereo receiver, adjust this control
higher for small main speakers and lower for large
main speakers (see page 13).
8. PHASE (BassCube 10S only)
The main speakers and the subwoofer may cancel
each other out across the small range of frequencies
where they overlap. This control will counteract this
effect.
BassCube 10S Back Panel Diagram
4
1
2 3
5
6
8
7
SPEAKER LEVEL INPUTS
+
RL
+
RL
OUT TO SPEAKERS
+
+
OFF
AUTO
SUBWOOFER
LEVEL
ON
5
4
3
2
1
0
6
9
10
7
8
POWER
RED – STANDBY
GREEN – ON
LINE
LEVEL
INPUTS
SET LOW PASS FREQ HERE
*
WHEN USING 5.1 CHANNEL
HOME THEATER SUB OUT
PHASE
0˚ 180˚
L
R
MONO
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
100
85
75
120
140
*
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CONNECTIONS
About your audio components:
You can connect a BassCube to a receiver, an inte-
grated amplifier, a preamplifier/power amplifier combi-
nation, or other audio component. For brevity, this
manual will refer only to a “receiver,” but the instruc-
tions will also apply to any audio component.
You can use a line level signal output from one of
these components (like a subwoofer output) or speak-
er level outputs, but not both types of outputs simulta-
neously. Always set the BassCube’s power switch to
OFF before making any connections.
Line Level Connection
You need a signal cable for this type of connection,
usually with an RCA plug at both ends. Connect the
BassCube as described below:
Dolby Digital (or DTS) receiver: Connect a mono sig-
nal cable from the RCA jack labeled Subwoofer Out
(or possibly LFE or just SUB) on the receiver to the
BassCube’s R (mono) LINE LEVEL INPUT. Set the
LOW PASS FREQUENCY control to it’s full clockwise
setting.
Dolby Surround
®
or Stereo receiver with subwoofer
output: Connect a mono signal cable from the RCA
jack labeled Subwoofer Out (or possibly just SUB) on
the receiver to the BassCube’s R (mono) LINE LEVEL
INPUT. Set the LOW PASS FREQUENCY control
according to the guide on page 13.
Preamplifier/power amplifier: If your preamplifier has
a pair of unused volume-controlled signal outputs, use
a stereo signal cable with RCA jacks at both ends to
connect it to the BassCube’s LINE LEVEL INPUTS.
Otherwise, use two “Y” adapters (Cambridge
SoundWorks A1Y1M2FY, one RCA plug to two RCA
jacks or equivalent) as shown in the diagram to create
an additional pair of signal outputs to connect your
BassCube.
RECEIVER OR DECODER
Subwoofer Out
LINE
LEVEL
INPUTS
PREAMP
OUTPUTS
TO POWER AMP
L
R
Y-adapters
Stereo signal cables
LINE
LEVEL
INPUTS
POWERED SUBWOOFER
R
Mono
L
To power amp
(Front amp in
surround system)
R
Mono
L
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Speaker Level Connection
Connect speaker wire from the receiver’s left and right
speaker outputs (the main or front connectors) as
shown in the diagram. Connect speaker wire from the
BassCube’s OUT TO SPEAKERS connectors to your
left and right speakers. Set the LOW PASS FRE-
QUENCY control according to the guide on page 13.
Note: When you activate the Subwoofer Out jack on a
Dolby Digital audio system, bass signals to the main
speakers are automatically filtered out. This is a fea-
ture of a Dolby Digital decoder’s bass management
system. How much bass is filtered out of the main
speakers depends on the Dolby Digital settings. If too
much bass is filtered out, your audio system will have
weak output in the frequency range where your sub-
woofer and main speakers overlap. This frequency
range is often referred to as “midbass.”
If you suspect your system has weak midbass
output, first make sure your subwoofer’s LOW PASS
FREQUENCY control is set at its full clockwise rota-
tion. Then check your audio system to see if its Dolby
Digital decoder has a “crossover” or “high-pass” fre-
quency adjustment for the main speakers. If it does,
set it at its lowest frequency setting. These two adjust-
ments should provide you with consistent bass output.
Unfortunately, there may not be an adjustment on your
audio system’s Dolby Digital decoder for main speaker
bass (other than small or large), or it may be hard to
hear any improvement. In this case, you can insure
accurate midbass output by inactivating the
Subwoofer Out jack of your Dolby Digital audio sys-
tem. (This doesn’t “remove” any of the bass signals
present in a Dolby Digital recording. The Dolby Digital
decoder just sends the Low Frequency Effects chan-
nel and all bass signals through the speakers desig-
nated as Large.) Set your Dolby Digital decoder’s
Front speaker size setting to Large and the Center and
Rear speaker size settings to Small. Then connect the
BassCube and front speakers as described above in
Speaker Level Connections. Afterwards, you can use
the BassCube’s LOW PASS FREQUENCY and
SUBWOOFER LEVEL controls to achieve proper
midbass output.
INTEGRATED AMP OR RECEIVER
(FRONT)
SPEAKER OUTPUTS
TO RIGHT
FRONT
SPEAKER
+
BASSCUBE
SPEAKER LEVEL INPUTS
+
RL
BASSCUBE
+
OUT TO SPEAKERS
+
Speaker Wires
+
+
TO LEFT
FRONT
SPEAKER
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The subwoofer should be placed on the floor. Its loca-
tion in the room affects its output. The output increases
the closer the subwoofer is placed to the intersection
of walls and floors (see diagrams).
Some Advantages Of Corner Placement: Corner
placement also provides the most consistent output
from deep bass to upper bass. Since corner place-
ment “forces” more of the bass energy toward the cen-
ter of the room, you can operate the subwoofer at a
lower overall gain setting than if it was in the middle of
a wall. This reduces the amount of bass someone in a
nearby room will hear.
Other locations: Any position in a room can be used,
but a position away from the intersection of two room
surfaces has two drawbacks. The subwoofer will not
achieve as strong an output as near a wall, and the
output across the subwoofer’s range will be less con-
sistent.
PLACEMENT
Maxium Bass Output
Moderate Bass Output
Least Bass Output
Ventilation: Because the subwoofer requires
ventilation, do not place it inside a wall
unit or any piece of furniture. Also, don’t
place it near heat sources or against furni-
ture, draperies or other material that will block the free
flow of air from around the subwoofer.
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Power Connections
Make sure the BassCube’s power switch is in the OFF
position. Insert the BassCube’s power cable into an
AC wall outlet (The switched accessory outlets on
receivers are not recommended for use with a
BassCube). Turn the BassCube’s power switch to the
AUTO position.
Test Your Setup
Once all connections have been made, test your
sound system to verify that the subwoofer produces
bass output. Advance the SUBWOOFER LEVEL
control to the 10 o’clock position. Turn on your receiver
and play a CD or movie you know to have significant
bass. Listen for the subwoofer ouput as you increase
your receiver’s volume control up to a moderate
volume level. If you don’t hear any output from the
subwoofer, slowly advance the SUBWOOFER LEVEL
until you hear output.
If you still don’t get any output, recheck
your connections.
FINAL SETUP
F
U
S
E
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Adjusting For Best Performance
We recommend you adjust the BassCube in the
following sequence:
1. Set the LOW PASS FREQUENCY according to the
guide on page 13.
BassCube 8S control is shown.
BassCube 10S control is similar.
BassCube 10S only.
2. Set the SUBWOOFER LEVEL control by ear, until
you are happy with the overall bass balance.
3. (BassCube 10S only) Set the PHASE switch by ear,
listening for slightly stronger output.
Phase switch adjustment: Play program material with a
constant beat or bass output (like a kick drum in a
rock recording). Have someone else operate the
switch while you LISTEN FOR any output difference
from your preferred listening position. Leave the PHASE
switch in the setting that provides the louder output.
It’s possible you will not hear a difference.
This is normal.
If you heard an increase in bass output, you
could reset the SUBWOOFER LEVEL control
to compensate.
1.
2.
3.
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
120
100
80
SUBWOOFER
160
200
LEVEL
5
4
3
2
1
0
6
7
8
9
10
PHASE
0˚ 180˚
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LOW PASS CONTROL SETTINGS
Dolby Digital®sound systems
A Dolby Digital decoder provides its own processing when you activate the decoder’s
Subwoofer Out jack. Set the BaseCube’s LOW
PASS FREQUENCY control at it’s fully-clockwise
position; this will effectively bypass it (see examples below).
Note: A Dolby Digital receiver has a large/small
speaker selector and a Subwoofer Out jack
On/Off selector. We recommend setting the first
option to SMALL for the Front, Center and Rear
speakers in your system, unless the speakers are
floor-standing, with a ten-inch woofer or larger.
Dolby Surround (Pro Logic) and
Stereo sound systems
Follow the guidelines in the next column when
both your main speakers and your subwoofer are
driven by a full range signal. This is the case in a
stereo component system or a Dolby Surround
with Pro Logic system.
The BassCube 10S LOW PASSFREQUENCY
control is shown in the next column. The guidelines apply equally to the BassCube 8S LOW
PASS FREQUENCY control.
Use a 140 Hz setting for small “satellite”-type main speakers (“minispeakers”) or any speaker with a single
four-inch low frequency driver or
smaller. Use this setting with these
Cambridge SoundWorks
main speakers:
Ensemble III satellites
Ensemble IV satellites
Use a 120 Hz setting for larger satellite main speakers and the smallest
bookshelf speakers. Use this setting
with these Cambridge SoundWorks
main speakers:
Ambiance 52
MovieWorks
®
satellites
Ensemble®satellites
Ensemble II satellites
Newton Series™MC200
Use a 100 Hz setting for medium size
bookshelf speakers. Use this setting
with these Cambridge SoundWorks
main speakers:
Model 17
Ambiance
®
62
Ambiance 82
Newton Series M50
Newton Series MC300
Use an 85 Hz setting (or 80 Hz on
BassCube 8S) for large size bookshelf speakers and small floor-standing speakers. Use this setting with
these Cambridge SoundWorks
main speakers:
Model 6
Tower III
Newton Series M60
Newton Series M80
Newton Series MC500
Use 75 Hz for large floor-standing
speakers. Use this setting with
these Cambridge SoundWorks
main speakers:
Tower II
Tower
The LOW PASS FREQUENCY control on a BassCube is continuously variable. The following
recommendations describe specific settings, but feel free to choose an intermediate setting if it
sounds best to you.
140 Hz
120 Hz
100 Hz
85 Hz
75 Hz
(BassCube 10S only)
BassCube 8S
BassCube 10S
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
120
100
160
80
200
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
100
85
120
75
140
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
100
85
120
75
140
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
100
85
120
75
140
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
100
85
120
75
140
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
100
85
120
75
140
LOW PASS
FREQUENCY (Hz)
100
75
120
140
85
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Final Adjustment Note:
Use a variety of your favorite program material (video
or audio) when adjusting the subwoofer output. Once
you arrive at the best setting, leave the SUBWOOFER
LEVEL control at that setting. Use your audio system
tone controls to make temporary bass output
adjustments.
We hope you enjoy the new sonic dimensions your
BassCube subwoofer reveals to you.
Fuse Replacement
1. IMPORTANT: Turn off and unplug the subwoofer before changing the fuse.
2.) Fuse located on the back panel.
3.) Push in and turn counter-clockwise.
4.) Fuse will pop out of its casing.
5.) Gently remove and replace.
TM
Newton Series and BassCube are trademarks of Cambridge SoundWorks, Incorporated.
® Cambridge SoundWorks, Ensemble, Ambiance and MovieWorks are registered trademarks of Cambridge SoundWorks, Incorporated.
® Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Surround are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
Cleaning the Cabinets
If more than dusting is needed, the finish on the sub-
woofer can be cleaned with a window or vinyl cleaning
product. Avoid spraying the cleaner underneath the
cabinet to prevent damage to the speaker. Avoid plac-
ing the BassCube on a wet or damp carpet.
T
1A 250V
RISK OF FIRE
REPLACE FUSE
AS MARKED
F
U
S
E
T
1A 250V
RISK OF FIRE
REPLACE FUSE
AS MARKED
F
U
S
E
1A 250V
RISK OF FIRE
REPLACE FUSE
AS MARKED
F
U
S
E
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P81-1730 Rev A
CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS, INC.
311 Needham Street, Newton MA, 02464
Telephone: 1-800-367-4434
Fax: 1-617-527-3194
A Company
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