Energy ACT-6 Owners manual

Printed in Canada

7AI//EACT-N

IMPORTANT SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS –

owners manual

We are proud to welcome you as an owner of ENERGY
new ACT Series speaker system.

®

Speaker Systems’

READ CAREFULLY!

Caution: To prevent the risk of electrical shock, match wide blades of plug
to wide slot, fully insert.
Read Instructions: All safety and operating instructions should be read
before the product is operated.
Retain instructions: Safety and operating instructions should be retained for
future reference.
Heed Warnings: All warnings on the product & operation instructions
should be adhered to.

Follow Instructions: All operating and use instructions should be followed.
Cleaning: Unplug the product from the wall before cleaning. Do not use

aerosol or liquid cleaners, just a damp cloth.
Attachments: Do not use attachments not recommended by the product
manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

Water and moisture: Do not use this product near water.
Ventilation: Openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to

ensure reliable operation and protect it from overheating so they must not
be blocked or covered by placing the product on a bed, sofa or other similar
surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation such as a
bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer's
instructions have been adhered to.
Power Sources: This product should be operated only from the type of
power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the
type of power supply in your home, call your local power company.
Grounding or Polarization: This product may be equipped with a polarized
alternating current line plug. This plug will fit the power outlet in only one
way as a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug, try reversing it.
If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace your
outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the plug.
Power Cord Protection: Power supply cords should be routed so that they
are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against
them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles
and the point where they exit from the product.
Overloading: Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords, as this can
result in a risk of electrical shock.
Object and Liquid Entry: Never push objects of any kind into this product
through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out
parts that can result in a fire or electrical shock. Never spill liquid of any
kind on the product.
Servicing: Do not attempt to service this product yourself as openings or
removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards.
Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.
Heat: This product should be situated away from heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appliances (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.
Non-Use Periods: The power cord of the product should be unplugged from
the outlet when left unused for a long period of time.
Damage Requiring Service: The product should be serviced by qualified
personnel when:
A. The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or
B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the appliance; or
C. The product has been exposed to rain; or
D. The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a

marked change in performance; or
E. Product has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.
F. If the product does not operate normally by following the operating

instructions.

Please take the time to read all of the instructions contained in this
manual to make certain your system is properly installed and set up
for optimal sound reproduction. Be sure to unpack your system
carefully. Retain the carton and all packing material for future use.

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of ENERGY®speakers! Proprietary
technology and high quality manufacturing will allow you to enjoy the most
natural and accurate music reproduction for many years. The advice offered
in this manual is aimed at helping you maximize and maintain peak
performance, and therefore, your listening satisfaction. Please take the time
to read all of the instructions contained in this manual to make certain your
system is properly installed and functioning correctly.

BREAK-IN PERIOD

We strongly advise that you resist the temptation to play your ENERGY
speakers loudly until they have been properly broken in. It’s important to
ensure the drivers have had time to loosen up a bit. This process should
last approximately 50 hours. This can be easily be done by putting your
compact disc player on Repeat mode, while playing a CD with a wide
dynamic range at normal listening levels.

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SPEAKER AND SUBWOOFER
PLACEMENT

Front Speaker Placement (Diagram 1)

For best stereo imaging, the left and right speakers should be the same
distance from their respective side walls. If the distance from one speaker to
the listener is very different from the other it can affect the soundstage or
stereo imaging. Therefore, the ideal position is having the speakers
equidistant to the listener.

A general guideline for speaker placement is to set up the space between
speaker and listener at approximately 1-1/2 times the distance between the
speakers. For example, if the speakers are placed a minimum of 6-feet
(1.8m) apart (the absolute minimum), the best seating position would be
9-feet (2.4m) away.

Center Channel Placement (Diagram 1)

A center channel can be expected to reproduce as much as 60% of a
movie's soundtrack, most of which is dialogue. In order to maintain the
effect of voices emanating from the actor's mouth, the center speaker
should be centrally located between the left and right main channels and
placed above or below the television. Be sure that the center speaker’s
front baffle is flush with the front face of the television or cabinet to
maximize dispersion.

Surround Speaker Placement (Diagram 1)

The surround speakers can be positioned in a variety of locations. The
surround placement is usually dictated by the room, where the walls and
room boundaries happen to be, and where speaker cable can be easily run.
The most common surround speaker locations are the following:
Side walls: For best results in side wall mounting applications, position the
speakers adjacent to and slightly behind the primary listening area at a
height of approximately 6 feet.
Rear walls: For best results mounting on a rear wall, position the speakers
so they flank the main listening area and point towards the front of the
room. They should be raised to a height of approximately 6 feet and
should ideally have a space of 6 feet between them.
Ceiling Mount: The ACT speaker bracket is designed for ceiling mounting
as well, and this can solve many installation problems. Place the speakers
behind and angled down towards the seating areas. Ceiling mounting is
common when utilizing a rear center channel speaker.

NOTE: The single ACT satellite speaker is available at your local
authorized Energy
speaker to your system

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retailer if you wish to add a rear center channel

owners manual

If you have followed these guidelines, then there should be speakers
surrounding your listening area, which will result in the encompassing
surround sound feeling. These are basic guidelines and can be tailored to
suit the décor of your room.

The ACT 6 satellite speakers are equipped with magnetic logos. In the
event that the speaker is mounted upside-down, simply remove and rotate
the logo.

Subwoofer Placement

The subwoofer should ideally be placed in the front of the room, near
the front speakers or the TV Monitor. Try to keep it out of corners, as the
sound may become a bit “boomy”. Make sure the subwoofer has ample
space around it so the bass can radiate properly. Do not place the
subwoofer into a cabinet that leaves less than 6 inches of space above
and beside.

SPEAKER CONNECTIONS

CAUTION: * Turn off all power in your audio/video system before
proceeding with your installation. Not doing so could result in
potential damage to the system.

Connecting the Speakers (Diagram 2)

On the bottom of your ENERGY®ACT speakers are red and black spring
connectors. Using standard speaker wire, connect the system one channel
at a time, and start your process at the Receiver. Press down on the
terminal, insert the wire and release. Connect the speaker wire from the
positive (RED+) terminal on the receiver to the positive (RED+) terminal
on the speaker. Connect the negative (BLACK-) terminal on the receiver
to the negative (BLACK-) terminal on the speaker. Do this one channel
at a time until all of your speakers are connected properly. Be careful to
correctly match positive and negative, as well as the correct speaker to the
correct channel.

NOTE: If you inadvertently reverse one of the connections (i.e, red to
black), you will notice a severe lack of bass from your system. This is
called wiring the system “Out of Phase”. If this occurs, check the
wiring and re-connect as necessary.

FOR SPEAKER INSTALLATION –

(Refer to diagrams 4 through 9)

RECOMMENDATIONS

Receiver Settings

The recommended setting for the front, rear and center speakers is the
“small” position. The Subwoofer must be activated by setting the “on”
or “use” settings. Set the crossover frequency (if possible) to 100Hz.

Amplifier Requirements

All ENERGY Speakers are designed to operate on a wide range of receivers
and/or amplifiers. The impedance for all models is rated at 8 ohms, allowing
almost any amplifier to function well. Of course, the better the amplifier
and the system components, the better the overall system will sound.

WARNING: If an amplifier or receiver is over-driven, the resulting
distortion is actually many times greater than its rated power. Over­driven amplifier distortion is called “Clipping”, easily identified by its
fuzzy, distorted sound, and can damage any speaker. The volume
control of most amplifiers and receivers is a logarithmic type, which
means that full power may be reached with the volume control set
at as little as the halfway point. Operating the loudness, treble, or
bass controls increases power output well beyond rated levels. The
warranty on your speakers is therefore void if the voice coils are
burned or damaged as a result of overpowering or clipping.

Care of Finishes

Your ENERGY®Speakers should be gently wiped clean with a warm, lint
free cloth. Do not use any type of cleaner, or abrasive as they can damage
the finish.

WARRANTY OUTSIDE OF
THE UNITED STATES

Outside of North America, the warranty may be changed to comply with
local regulations. Ask your local ENERGY
WARRANTY applicable in your country.

®

dealer for details of the LIMITED

CONNECTING THE ACT SUBWOOFER

Using the low level RCA subwoofer output on your
Receiver (Recommended)

Connect a single RCA to RCA interconnect cable to the “subwoofer
output” jack from your receiver to the RCA “subwoofer input” on the rear
panel of the subwoofer.

Using High Level Speaker connectors
(for receivers without Subwoofer Output Jacks)

Using traditional speaker wire, connect a pair (left and right) of speaker
cables from your Receiver's Front Speaker Output terminals to the Speaker
Input terminals of the ACT subwoofer. If you have two sets of Front Speaker
terminals on the receiver, (Speaker A and B) use Speaker B terminals.
Speaker A terminals should be used for the front speakers.

SUBWOOFER SET UP

Subwoofer Controls (Diagram 3)
“LEVEL” CONTROL

This rotary control adjusts the output level of your ACT subwoofer and
should be used to balance the level of the subwoofer with that of your
main speakers. Adjust the volume control according to taste, but try to
maintain a neutral balance, and not a “bass-heavy” or “boomy” sound.

NOTE: The Bass Level Control is designed to adjust the balance
between your subwoofer and main speakers and should not be
used as a substitute for the bass and loudness controls on your
amplifier or receiver.

WARRANTY FOR THE UNITED STATES
AND CANADA

Please see the warranty document on the back cover

“ENERGY”, the “ENERGY” logo, are trademarks of Audio Products International Corp.

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