Instructions for:
Ensemble® IV &
Ensemble IV
Home Theater
Speaker Systems
by Henry Kloss
Contents
Important—Please Read First ................................................................... 1
Unpacking The System ............................................................................. 2
Installing And Connecting The Speakers .................................................. 3
Speaker Placement ................................................................................... 3
Wiring Diagram ........................................................................................ 6
Preparing Speaker Wires .......................................................................... 7
Making Connections ................................................................................. 7
Configuring Your Surround Sound Electronics......................................... 8
Optimizing The Sound Of Your System .................................................... 8
About Amplifier Power ........................................................................... 10
Finalizing Your Installation ................................................................... 11
10-Year Limited Warranty ...................................................................... 12
Difficulty? ............................................................................................... 12
7
Important – Please Read First
hank you for choosing an
Ensemble IV speaker system.
The basic model comes with
T
two satellites for regular
stereo reproduction, while the
Ensemble IV Home Theater (HT)
comes with five satellites for
reproducing the left, right, center,
and surround channels of a home
theater surround system. The two
models are otherwise identical.
Like all speaker systems, the
sound of either Ensemble IV is very
much influenced by its placement
in the listening room. Unlike
conventional models, however,
Ensemble IV systems consist of
several compact units that can be
placed where they sound best
without intruding on your living
space. There is no need to sacrifice
sound quality to decor, or viceversa.
If you place your Ensemble IV
system in the listening room
casually, it will sound at least as
good as conventional speakers.
However, to achieve even better
sound, we urge you to experiment
with placement at some length, a
process aided by the instructions
that follow.
If you have any questions or
problems, please consult the store
where you purchased the system,
or call a Cambridge SoundWorks
Audio/Video Consultant toll-free.
Cambridge SoundWorks
1-877-YES-HIFI
(1-877-937-4434)
24 hours a day,
every day
In Canada: 1-800-987-9104
Outside US or Canada:
Tel: 617-332-5936
Fax: 617-527-3194
www.cambridgesoundworks.com
E-mail:
info@cambridgesoundworks.com
1
Unpacking The System
As you unpack Ensemble IV, please
examine each speaker unit carefully
for signs of shipping damage. If
there is any damage, do not discard
the shipping carton, and do not
install or use the system. Consult
the store where you purchased the
system or call Cambridge SoundWorks at 1-877-YES-HIFI for
assistance. It’s a good idea to save
the carton and its packing inserts in
case you have to ship your system.
All the items shown should be
included; inform your store or
Cambridge SoundWorks if anything
is missing.
Ensemble IV (white model similar)
Satellites (2)
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Satellite feet
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NSEMBLE
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DESIGNED
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1-800-367-4434 USA
1-800-525-4434 CANADA
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Ensemble IV Home Theater also includes…
Center & Surround Satellites (3)
Subwoofer
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Additional feet
(3 strips of 4)
5 screws and
wall anchors
The white version of this system includes one black satellite for use as the center channel.
2
Installing And Connecting The Speakers
All satellites are functionally
similar. The single black satellite in
the white Ensemble IV Home Theater
is intended for use on or above the TV
monitor as the center channel speaker.
First decide where to place
Ensemble IV’s speaker units in your
listening room. The section “Speaker
Placement” which follows gives you
practical guidelines.
A
Cambridge
SoundWorks
Once you have determined the
likely placement for the satellites
and subwoofer, consult page 6.
The “Wiring Diagram” shows how
to interconnect the speaker units
and your amplifier.
Prepare each length of speaker
wire according to the section on
page 7. Leave an extra three or four
feet of length on each individual
length of wire. This extra length lets
B
Cambridge
SoundWorks
45°
you experiment with placement.
Then make the connections as
instructed on page 7.
If possible, listen to the complete system before you make the
installation permanent. You may
find small changes in the satellite
positions improve the sound. The
satellite and subwoofer may be
safely moved while playing if
sufficient slack is left in the
speaker wires.
Cambridge
SoundWorks
Cambridge
SoundWorks
Speaker
Placement
The left and right satellites
(both models)
• For stereo music listening, try
to place the satellites to form an
equal-sided triangle with your
favorite listening position (A).
Because the room’s surfaces tend
to integrate the sound before it
reaches you, perfectly symmetrical placement is not necessary.
• In a home theater installation, try
to place the satellites so that they
form a 45° angle with your
preferred seat (B), which takes
best advantage of how movie
soundtracks are mixed. The
satellites are magnetically
shielded, so they can be placed
close to the TV. The subwoofer is
not magnetically shielded,
however, and must be at least 18
inches from the set to prevent
picture distortion.
• Have a clear line of sight to each
satellite. This insures that higher
frequencies are not blocked.
• For music listening, if the
satellites are across the room
from the listening area, their
height is usually not critical; they
3
can be placed at eye level on the
wall, up near the ceiling, or most
anywhere in between. If they are
close to the listening area—and in
any home theater system—it is
best to have them at or near
ear level.
• If you put the satellites in
bookshelves or in a wall system,
place them with their front
surfaces flush with the front of the
shelves; you can then surround
them with books, CDs, tapes, etc.
(See diagram below).
M
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Sym
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phonies
N
o. 39 &
41
• Take advantage of the satellites’
small size and consider locations
where regular speakers wouldn’t
fit, such as window sills or a
mantelpiece.
• The satellites can also be wall
mounted as described on page 11.
Use No.10 screws and anchors.
However, don’t mount them
permanently until you’ve had a
chance to experiment with
placement and are sure of their
final location.
SHAKESPEARE
SHAKESPEARE
SHAKESPEARE
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The Sun Also Rises
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Flush with edge of shelf
C
The Center/Surround IV
satellites (Ensemble IV
HT only)
Arrange the three remaining
Center/Surround IV satellites for
center and surround channel
reproduction using the guidelines
that follow.
• See Diagram C. Place the center
channel’s satellite directly on
top of the TV or directly below
it. This satellite’s primary func-
tion is to blend the sound of
spoken dialog or special effects
with what you see on-screen.
• Place the left, center and right
satellites close to the “ear level”
of the listeners.
• If possible, mount the surround
or rear satellites on either side
of your listening position, not
directly behind it. Each satellite
has a convenient “keyhole” to
allow for easy wall mounting.
Ideally, the satellites should be
placed two to three feet above
the listeners.
Placing the surround speakers
directly behind the listeners (like
the inner pair in Diagram D) will
D
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4
F
decrease the left to right “surround
effect”. Try placing the satellites
further apart, like the outer pair in
Diagram D. Or you can try the
following techniques:
• See Diagram E. Place the rear
speakers as high as possible
and aim them away from the
listening area.
• See Diagram F. Place the speak-
ers so each faces upwards–either
directly on the floor, on small
tables or stands or using right
angle wall mounts (available from
Cambridge SoundWorks at
1-877-YES-HIFI).
The subwoofer
The ear can not “localize” lowbass sound, so Ensemble IV’s
subwoofer’s exact placement can
not be heard. It can be placed
inconspicuously for the most bass
output, independent of the satellites’ location.
To start, simply place the
subwoofer on the floor against the
wall nearest the satellites. After
some listening, you can experiment
further using these guidelines:
• Be sure the bass port (the hole in
the subwoofer next to the input
terminal) has at least two inches
of clearance.
Left Satellite Right Satellite
Subwoofer
Subwoofer placement
for less bass output
• The maximum potential low
bass output results with the
subwoofer placed in a corner
(on the floor or mounted high
against the ceiling). It is possible this placement will require you to decrease the bass
control of your amplifier for
balanced sound. Use a corner
near the front satellites if
possible. Corner placement is
also the best way to fill a very
large room with bass output.
• If space is tight or if you wish
to conceal the subwoofer, try
placing the subwoofer behind
the listening area.
Left Satellite Right Satellite
Subwoofer
Subwoofer placement
for good bass output
• Less bass output results from
subwoofer placement on the
floor away from any walls or
placement off the floor. Avoid
this placement if possible. It
may be necessary to increase
the Bass Control of your amplifier to compensate for the poor
bass reinforcement of this
placement.
• Don’t place the subwoofer in the
same cabinet or on the same
shelf with a turntable. A condition called “acoustic feedback”
could result that will muddy the
bass or set up a loud, lowfrequency rumbling.
Left Satellite Right Satellite
Subwoofer
Subwoofer placement
for most bass output
5
Wiring Diagram
Ensemble IV
Ensemble IV owners–connect the
Left and Right speaker outputs of
your amplifier to the Subwoofer’s
“From amplifier left and right
speaker output” inputs. Connect
the satellites only to the Left and
Right satellite speaker outputs on
the Subwoofer. See “Subwoofer
Output Note” in the next column.
Receiver or Amplifier
Right Main
Left Main
Speaker
Left Front
Satellite
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AMBRIDGE
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NSEMBLE
Speaker
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NSEMBLE
IV
BY HENRY KLOSS
DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BY
CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS, INC.
NETON, MASSACHUSETTS USA
1-800-367-4434 USA
1-800-525-4434 CANADA
RIGHT INLEFT IN
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RIGHT OUTLEFT OUT
®
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Sub Out
DO NOT USE
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Right Front
Satellite
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Ensemble IV Home Theater
Ensemble IV Home Theater owners–
connect the Left Front and Right Front
speaker outputs of your amplifier’s
main speaker outputs to the
Subwoofer’s “From amplifier left and
right speaker output” inputs. Connect
the satellites to be used as the Left
Front and Right Front speakers only to
the Left and Right satellite speaker
outputs on the Subwoofer.
Connect a satellite directly to each
of your receiver or amplifier’s left rear
speaker, right rear speaker, and
center speaker outputs.
Subwoofer Output Note:
(For both Ensemble IV or Ensemble IV HT)
The Ensemble IV or Ensemble IV HT
does not connect to the “subwoofer
output” found on most Dolby Surround and all Dolby Digital receivers.
If you have a Dolby Digital receiver, be
sure the subwoofer output is turned
“OFF”. Consult your receiver or amplifiers’ instructions to accomplish this.
This subwoofer output would be
used if you decide to connect a large,
internally-amplified subwoofer to your
receiver in addition to the Ensemble IV
or Ensemble IV HT.
Left Rear
Satellite
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ENTER/SURROUND
Left Front
Satellite
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Right Rear
Satellite
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Left Rear
Right Rear
Speaker
Right Main
Speaker
Center
Speaker
Sub Out
Speaker
Left Main
Speaker
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ENTER/SURROUND
DO NOT USE
IV
Receiver or Amplifier
®
E
NSEMBL E
IV
BY HENRY KLOSS
DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BY
CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS, INC.
NETON, MASSACHUSETTS USA
1-800-367-4434 USA
1-800-525-4434 CANADA
RIGHT INLEFT IN
++
--
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RIGHT OUTLEFT OUT
Right Front
Satellite
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Ensemble IV Subwoofer
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ENTER/SURROUND
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Ensemble IV Subwoofer
Center Channel
Satellite
6
Preparing Speaker Wires
1. After choosing the connection
configuration, cut speaker wire
into the appropriate lengths.
We recommend you use a wire
cutter/stripper.
2. Separate the two individual
conductors at the end of each
speaker wire for a distance of
one inch (see G, below).
3. Strip
4. Twist the bared wire strands
1
/2 inch of insulation from
each individual conductor,
being careful to apply only
enough pressure to cut through
the insulation and not the
wire strands.
tightly together (H). Be sure
there are no loose strands that
could short across the connecting terminals on the speakers
or receiver (I).
G
1"
1/2"
Ridge or bead on insulation
• The two conductors of each
speaker wire are usually differentiated by a ridge or color
stripe down one conductor’s
insulation, or by using different
color conductors (copper and
silver). This is important to note
when making connections
described in the next section.
• Use at least 18-gauge wire for
runs of up to 50 feet and at least
16-gauge for longer runs.
H
I
Making Connections
• With either Ensemble IV or
Ensemble IV Home Theater, the
left and right satellites must be
connected to the subwoofer’s
Left Out and Right Out connectors; the subwoofer’s Left In and
Right In connect to the left and
right speaker outputs on your
receiver or amplifier. Only the
center and surround satellites of
an Ensemble IV HT system
connect directly to the appropriate outputs of a surround sound
receiver or amplifier.
• Each connector on the satellites
and subwoofer works the same
way: Press the spring-loaded red
or black tab back to reveal the
Satellite Connector
connection hole. Insert the
stripped end of the speaker wire.
Release the tab.
• Connect all the speaker units
identically. Connect the red (+)
and black (–) terminals on the
speaker units to their red and
black counterparts on your
receiver or amplifier. Use the
marked/copper leads for interconnecting the red terminals,
and the unmarked leads for the
black terminals.
Left
Right
Subwoofer Connector (detail)
7
Configuring Your Surround
Optimizing The
Sound Electronics
Surround sound receivers and decoders may require the user to configure
amplifier channels for different size
speakers. The selector may be:
• Switches in the back of the
amplifier.
• Front panel read-outs selected by
a remote control.
• On-screen video monitor options
selected by a remote control.
Be sure to set your surround sound
processor or receiver as follows:
Dolby Surround
• Center Speaker: Normal
Dolby Digital
• Left and Right
Main speakers: LARGE
• Center and Rear
(or Surround) speakers: SMALL
(The OFF or PHANTOM center
channel mode cancels output to
the center channel of Dolby Digital
or Dolby Surround with Pro Logic.
Do not use these settings with
Ensemble IV HT.)
• Subwoofer or
Subwoofer Output: OFF
See “Subwoofer Output
Note” on page 6.
®
with Pro Logic
®
Surround Versus Stereo
Listening
Dolby
receiver or decoder to Pro Logic or
Dolby Digital (AC-3).
music recordings are not Dolby
Surround-encoded. When listening
to this program material, be sure to
turn off Pro Logic processing. Switch
to either normal stereo operation or
®
some non-Dolby surround mode.
This will ensure correct stereo effect.
encoded for Dolby Surround, the Pro
Logic circuits cause the center
speaker to play instead of the left
and right speakers. Most stereo
effect will be lost and the center
channel speaker will play too loudly.
produce any sound in the Dolby
Digital mode if the source is not
Dolby Digital-encoded.
When viewing movies or other
®
-encoded programs, set your
Most TV broadcasts and almost all
On program material that isn’t
A Dolby Digital system will not
Sound Of Your System
It is almost impossible to find an
acoustically ideal placement for a
conventional, single-cabinet
speaker in a listening room. This is
because room acoustics affect the
low-bass frequencies differently
from the rest of the range. If you
place the speaker so that the room
helps the bass, it is likely to hinder
the upper ranges (and vice-versa).
Thus placing conventional speakers almost inevitably entails a
compromise, even before proper
stereo effect, decor, and convenience are taken into account.
The usual restrictions don’t
apply to Ensemble IV because its
subwoofer separates the low-bass
out from the rest of the range. You
can place the subwoofer and the
J
8
satellites differently to take advantage of the room in both the lower
and upper ranges. Yet the units are
so compact that even when placed
optimally, they have little or no
visual impact on your living space.
We urge you to take full advantage of Ensemble IV by trying the
speaker units in different locations
within your listening room. Of
course, if the system sounds
K
satisfactory from the moment you
connect it and first turn it on, you
may wish to go no further. But if
you have any doubts or simply
wish to see if an improvement can
be made, we suggest you experiment with placement using the
following guidelines:
• Let your ears be your guide, and
trust them. When Ensemble IV
sounds right to you, you’ve
found the best placement.
• Low-bass increases as you move
the subwoofer closer to the
intersecting room surfaces.
The sound is apparently
brighter with the satellites close
to the listening area than with
them across the room. The
apparent fullness of the sound, a
function of mid-bass rather than
low-bass, is greater with the
satellites against a wall than
with them out in the room.
This is not to imply that “more
is better,” be it bass, brightness,
or fullness. The point is that a
change can be easily affected
simply by moving one or more of
the speaker units—and with
Ensemble IV, that is easy to do.
• The recorded quality of program
material varies greatly, so be
sure to listen to a variety of
recordings to prevent being
misled by unusual characteristics
of a particular recording.
• If it is necessary to place the
satellites close to the listening
area and you find the sound too
bright, try placing the units at an
angle so that listeners aren’t
directly on their axis
(J, previous page). In a small
room, you might even try aiming
the satellites away from the
listeners altogether into the
corners of the room, to scatter
the highs for a more spacious
sound (K, below).
• The subjective “fullness” of the
sound is not so much a function
of the low-bass as it is of the
mid-bass. Similarly, the subjective “openness” of the sound is
not so much a function of the
high treble as it is of the lower
mid-range. Both of these critical
ranges are reproduced by the
satellite units, and so are affected
by their placement.
Mid-bass and mid-range balance are usually best with the
satellites against a wall. If they
are out from the wall and sound
too thin, particularly on vocal
recordings, try moving them back
against the wall. Conversely, if
they are against the wall and
sound too heavy or boomy,
particularly on male voices, move
them out from the wall.
• Remember that the strength of
low-bass sounds is markedly
affected by the position of the
subwoofer. Refer to the illustration on page 5 for guidance if the
low-bass is either too strong or
not strong enough.
9
• If you’re not happy with what
you hear and are having trouble
improving it, check with your
store, or call a Cambridge
SoundWorks Audio/Video
Consultant at 1-877-YES-HIFI
(1-877-937-4434) toll-free.
About Amplifier Power
Ensemble IV can be used safely to
play music with most amplifiers
and receivers designed for home
listening. However, use common
sense to prevent strong nonmusical transients; keep the
volume down when connecting
or disconnecting components,
raising or lowering your
turntable’s tonearm, and so on.
This will help protect your ears
as well as the speaker units.
If at a given volume level the
sound is consistently “grainy” or
“gritty”, and/or there is clearly
noticeable distortion on deep bass,
you may be overdriving your amplifier or receiver. Back off on the
volume control until the symptoms
disappear. If that is not loud
enough for you, and you suspect
that your amplifier or receiver is
inadequate, contact your store or
call a Cambridge SoundWorks
Audio/Video Consultant who will
advise you on how much power
would be appropriate for your
particular circumstances.
10
Finalizing Your Installation
• Apply the self-adhesive rubber
feet to the bottom of a satellite
if you place them on a flat
surface. It will protect the
surface and keep the satellite
from sliding. If you ever need to
remove a foot, gently slide the
edge of a knife under one edge
and slowly peel it off. If you try
to “pop” it off, you may damage
the cabinet’s finish.
• The satellites may be hung
directly on a wall. Simply screw
No. 10 screws into the wall so
that their heads protrude about
3
/8 inch to fit into the keyhole
slots on the back of each satellite
(see diagram at right).
Plastic anchors may be
needed to secure the screws in
particularly hard or soft material. If so, drill
1
/4 inch holes in
the wall, and tap the anchors
into the holes until they are
flush with the wall. Then screw
the screws into the anchors
until they protrude
the wall.
• The threaded fitting in the back
of each satellite allows attaching swivel wall-mounts and
speaker stands available from
Cambridge SoundWorks.
• The satellites can be cleaned
with a window cleaning product. Use a soft, lint-free cloth
only. Avoid spraying the
cleaner directly on the speaker
grilles to prevent damage to the
speaker drivers.
• Clean the subwoofer with a
damp cloth. Do not use polish.
3
/8 inch from
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AMBRIDGE
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11
10-Year Limited Warranty
To the original purchaser,
Cambridge SoundWorks, Inc. will
warrant the Ensemble IV or
Ensemble IV Home Theater speaker
system to be free from defects in
material and workmanship for a
period of ten (10) years from date
of purchase. With respect to defects, Cambridge SoundWorks will,
at its option, replace the product
or repair the defect in the product
with no charge to the original
purchaser for parts or labor.
This warranty does not extend
to any defect, malfunction or
failure caused by misuse, abuse,
accident, faulty hookup, defective
associated equipment or use of the
speaker with equipment for which
it is not intended.
This warranty is valid only
when the speaker is returned to an
authorized store where it was
purchased. Or, if you bought
directly from Cambridge
SoundWorks, call for a Return
Authorization Number for the unit
and return it to the address below,
freight prepaid, together with a
copy of the original sales slip to
establish warranty status. Please
do not return the speaker system,
or any of its parts, to the factory
without prior authorization.
This is the sole and express
warranty. This warranty is in lieu
of all other warranties, expressed
or implied, of merchantability,
fitness for purpose or otherwise. In
no event shall Cambridge SoundWorks be liable for incidental or
consequential damages or have
any liability with respect to
defects other than the obligations
set forth herein.
To ensure warranty coverage it
is incumbent upon the original
purchaser to inform Cambridge
SoundWorks or any of its Authorized Service Agencies of the defect
within the warranty period. The
only acceptable method of establishing warranty status is a copy
of the original proof of purchase
indicating customers name and
purchase date.
For warranty information
contact:
Cambridge SoundWorks, Inc.
311 Needham St.
Newton, MA 02464
1-877-YES-HIFI
(1-877-937-4434)
www.cambridgesoundworks.com
email:
info@cambridgesoundworks.com
Difficulty?
If you suspect there’s a
problem with your Ensemble IV or
Ensemble IV Home Theater system,
contact the store where you
purchased it, or call a Cambridge
SoundWorks Audio/Video Consultant who will help you track the
problem, which could be in some
other component in your system. If
together you agree that there is
something wrong with your
speaker system, you should return
it to the store where you bought it.
Or, if you bought directly from
Cambridge SoundWorks, we will
supply you with a Return Authorization Number for the unit. Please
do not return the speaker system,
or any of its parts, to the factory
without prior authorization.
® Dolby, Pro Logic, Dolby Surround and Dolby Digital are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
® Ensemble and Cambridge SoundWorks are registered trademarks of Cambridge SoundWorks, Incorporated.
12
311 Needham Street, Newton MA 02464
1-877-937-4434 Fax: 617-527-3194
www.cambridgesoundworks.com
Email: info@cambridgesoundworks.com
P81-0700 0400 A Company
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