Amplifier Power (RMS) 200 Watts
Driver 10" (254mm) woofer, Bass Reflex Enclosure
Inputs Stereo Line Level, dedicated Subwoofer (LFE)
and Speaker Level with gold-plated binding posts
Outputs Speaker Level with gold-plated binding posts
Frequency Response 35Hz – 120Hz (Filter switch ON)
35Hz – 450Hz (Filter switch OFF)
External Trigger Input Voltage: 3-30 Volts AC/DC
Dimensions (H x W x D) 18-7/8" x 13-3/8" x 13-3/8" (479mm x 340mm x 340mm)
Weight 35.1 lb/15.8kg
Occasional refinements may be made to ex isting products without notice but will always meet or exceed original specifications
unless otherwi se stated.
relative to rated power
relative to rated power
relative to 1W Output
Volume @max, using RMS
reading DMM/VOM (or A/P)
Volume @max, w/ A/P Swept
Bandpass Measurement (Line
freq.+ harmonics)
Normal Operatio
Note
Notes
Bridge type amplifier, None of the
speaker terminals must be
connected to system GND at any
time.
Measured at the speaker at speak
output terminals on the amp board.
Single input drive
SUB (LFE) input driven onl
(20 dB below Line In), Single input
driven
-Weighting filte
22k filte
22k filte
Input Impedanc
Line Input (L, R,LFE)10Kohms
Speaker/Hi Level Input4.7Kohms
Auto - On -Off Selection SwitchYES
Phase Switch0-180deg
Filter On/Off SwitchYES
Volume Pot Taper (Lin/Log)LOG
Speaker OutYES
2-Color LED power indicatorYES
Power SwitchYES
Fuse HolderYES
Input Configuratio
Line In (L,R)YES
SUB (LFE)YES
Speaker/Hi Level InYES
Signal Sensing (ATO
Auto-Turn-On (yes/no)YES
ATO Input test frequency50Hz
ATO Level Line & SUB Input4.0mV
ATO Level Speaker in35mV
ATO Turn-on time0.9sec.
2.0%
n/a
Nominal
n/a
Nominal
140 - 180
240 - 300
22 - 28
functional Refer to ATO sectio
functional
functional
functional
functional Binding post connector L&
functional Blue: On, Amber: Stand-b
functional
functional
C Line cycled from OFF to O
C Line cycled from ON to OF
Maximum allowable input power
under nominal input voltage and
frequency, in stand-by mode (HOT
or COLD operation).
200 Watts @ 3.5 ohms and
nominal line voltage
mplifier should resume operation
after short circuit condition is
removed.
Any user accessible metal parts
should always remain at 65 degree
C or less for domestic version or 5
degree C or less for EU version.
Relay or crowbar (for driver/fir
protection),
User-replacable fuse with
UL/SEMCO rated holder.
Page 5
SUB-TS18 harman/kardon
4
Page 6
5
SUB-TS18 harman/kardon
SUB-TS18 SUBWOOFER AMPLIFIER PANEL CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
may be adjusted using the SubwooferLevel Control. Turn the control clockwise
to increase the SUB-TS18’s volume, or
counterclockwise to decrease it.
™ High-Cut (Low-Pass) Filter Switch:
Placing this switch in the ON position activates circuitry that cuts out all audio input
signals above 120Hz, allowing the SUB-TS18
to focus its power on reproducing the lowfrequency portion of the signal, avoiding
inefficiency and distortion. Engage this filter
when using the Speaker-Level Inputs ª,
or when using the Line-Level Full-RangeInputs ¶, unless your receiver or processor
processes its line-level output using a lowpass filter. The filter has no effect when the
SUB Input § is used.
£ External Trigger Input: Use the sup-
plied mini-plug cable to connect the trigger
output of another product to this jack. When
a trigger signal between 3 and 30 volts (AC
ª Speaker-Level Inputs
‚ Master Power Switch
⁄ AC Power Cord
or DC) is detected, the SUB-TS18 amplifier
will turn on, even when the audio-sense
feature has been activated by placing the
Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢ in theAUTO position. The amplifier will remain
on for about 10–15 minutes without a
trigger signal.
¢ Audio-Sense On/Off Switch: When
placed in the AUTO position, and when the
Master Power Switch ‚ is turned on, the
SUB-TS18 will automatically turn itself on or
Page 7
6
SUB-TS18 harman/kardon
SUB-TS18 SUBWOOFER AMPLIFIER PANEL CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
place itself in the Standby mode, depending on
whether it is receiving an audio signal. When
this switch is placed in the ON position, the
SUB-TS18 will remain on, whether or not it is
receiving an audio signal.
An LED located on top of the SUB-TS18
indicates whether the SUB-TS18 is in the On
or Standby state when used with the
Sense On/Off Switch ¢ in the AUTO
position. The LED is lit blue to indicate that
the SUB-TS18 is receiving an audio signal
and is turned on, and the LED is lit amber to
indicate that no signal is being received and
the SUB-TS18 is in the Standby mode.
When the
is in the ON position, the LED will be lit
blue, whether or not an audio signal is
present.
When the
turned off, the LED goes dark, no matter
which position the Audio-Sense On/Off
Switch ¢ is in.
∞ Phase Switch: This switch determines
whether the SUB-TS18 subwoofer’s pistonlike action moves in and out in phase with
the main speakers. If the speakers were to
play out of phase, the sound waves produced by the subwoofer would be canceled
out, reducing bass response. This phenomenon depends in part on the relative placement of the speakers in the room. In most
cases, the
in the NORMAL position. However, it
does no harm to experiment with the PhaseSwitch ∞, and you may leave it in the
position that maximizes bass response.
Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢
Master Power Switch ‚ is
Phase Switch ∞ should be left
Audio-
§ Line-Level Subwoofer (SUB) Input:
Connect the subwoofer output of a receiver
with digital surround sound decoding, such
as Dolby
input bypasses the SUB-TS18’s internal
crossover circuitry, and should only be used
with a filtered signal. If your receiver does not
have digital decoding, you should use the
the line-level subwoofer output or preamp output(s) of your receiver or amplifier to these
inputs. If your receiver does not have a separate subwoofer output, use a Y-adapter (not
supplied) to bridge the receiver’s preamp output to the main amp input for that channel,
and connect the long end of the adapter
to the corresponding line-level input on the
SUB-TS18. If your receiver has only a single
subwoofer output, you may connect it to
either the left or right line-level input on the
SUB-TS 18, and no Y-adapter is needed.
• Speaker-Level Outputs: If you are
using the Speaker-Level Inputs ª on the
SUB-TS18, you should connect these bindingpost terminals to your front left and right
speakers, remembering to maintain polarity
by connecting the (+) terminal on the
SUB-TS18 subwoofer to the (+) terminal
on the speaker, and the (–) terminal on the
SUB-TS18 subwoofer to the (–) terminal
on the speaker. If you are not using the
Speaker-Level Inputs ª, then connect
your front left and right speakers directly
to your receiver or amplifier. See pages 9
through 12 for further information on speaker
connections.
®
Digital or DTS®, to this input. This
ª Speaker-Level Inputs: If your receiver
or amplifier does not have a line-level subwoofer output, connect these binding-post
terminals to the main left and right speaker
terminals of your receiver or amplifier.
Remember to maintain polarity by connecting
the (+) terminal on the receiver/amplifier to the
(+) terminal on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer, and
the (–) terminal on the receiver/amplifier to the
(–) terminal on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer.
‚ Master Power Switch: Place this
switch in the “•” position to power-on the
SUB-TS18 subwoofer. The SUB-TS18 will
then be either in the Standby mode or completely on, depending on the position of the
Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢.
⁄ AC Power Cord: Make sure to plug this
cord into an active, unswitched electrical outlet for proper operation of the SUB-TS18.
The cord should not be plugged into the
accessory outlets found on some audio
components.
Page 8
LINE LEVEL IN
L
R
SUB
SUB/LFE
Out
SUB-TS18 Subwoofer
Receiver
Front
Left
Surround
Left
Front
Right
Surround
Right
Center
Surround
Right
Front
Right
Surround
Left
Front
Left
Center
– +
– +
– +
– +
– +
7
SUB-TS18 harman/kardon
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
Dolby®Digital or DTS®(or Other
Digital Surround Mode) Connection
USE THIS INSTALLATION METHOD FOR
DOLBY DIGITAL, DTS OR OTHER DIGITAL
SURROUND PROCESSORS:
Use the line-level input jack marked
§ for the low-frequency effects channel.
Connect this jack to the subwoofer output
or LFE output on your receiver or amplifier.
Connect each speaker to the corresponding
speaker terminals on your receiver or
amplifier.
Make sure you’ve configured your surround
sound processor for “Subwoofer On.” The
front left, front right, center and surround
speakers should all be set to “Small.”
When all connections have been made, plug
the AC power cord on the subwoofer into
an AC outlet.
SUB
Page 9
Receiver
SUB/LFE
Out
Front
Left
Surround
Left
Front
Right
Surround
Right
SUB-TS18
Subwoofer
Center
Line-Level
R
L
– +
– +
– +
– +
– +
Surround
Right
Front
Right
Surround
Left
Front
Left
Center
8
SUB-TS18 harman/kardon
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
Dolby Pro Logic
®
(Non-Digital) – Line Level
USE THIS INSTALLATION METHOD FOR
DOLBY PRO LOGIC APPLICATIONS (NOT
DOLBY DIGITAL, DTS OR OTHER DIGITAL
PROCESSING), WHERE THE RECEIVER/
PROCESSOR IS EQUIPPED WITH A
SUBWOOFER OUTPUT, OR A VOLUMECONTROLLED PREAMP (LINE-) LEVEL
OUTPUT:
Use the supplied RCA-type interconnect
cable to connect the
output on your receiver
the left or right Line-Level Full-RangeInput ¶ on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer.
Use both the left and right inputs on the
subwoofer if your receiver or processor has
both left and right line-level outputs. In that
case, you will need to supply a second
interconnect cable.
If your receiver is equipped with line-level outputs but does not have a separate subwoofer
output, use a Y-adapter (not supplied) to
bridge the receiver’s preamp output to the
main amp input for that channel, and connect
the long end of the adapter to the corresponding line-level input on the SUB-TS18.
line-level subwoofer
or amplifier to either
IMPORTANT: Do not use the SUB Input
§ on the subwoofer with Dolby Pro Logic
processors.
If your receiver/processor has a built-in lowpass-crossover filter for the subwoofer output, you may use the
bypass the subwoofer’s internal crossover.
Connect each speaker to the corresponding
speaker terminals on your receiver or amplifier.
Make sure that you have configured your
surround sound processor for “Subwoofer
On.” The front left, front right, center and
surround speakers should all be set to
“Small.”
When all connections have been made, plug
the AC power cord on the subwoofer into
an AC outlet.
SUB Input § to
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS 11
Page 10
Front Left
Surround Left
Center
Front Right
Surround Right
Receiver
– +– +
– +
– +– +
SUB-TS18
Subwoofer
Surround
Right
Front
Right
Surround
Left
Front
Left
Center
L
R
H
I
G
H
L
E
V
E
L
9
SUB-TS18 harman/kardon
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
Dolby Pro Logic
(Non-Digital) – Speaker Level
USE THIS INSTALLATION METHOD FOR
DOLBY PRO LOGIC APPLICATIONS (NOT
DOLBY DIGITAL, DTS OR
PROCESSING), WHERE THE RECEIVER/
PROCESSOR DOES NOT HAVE A SUBWOOFER OUTPUT, OR A VOLUMECONTROLLED PREAMP (LINE-) LEVEL
OUTPUT:
Connect your receiver or amplifier’s front
left and right speaker terminals to the left
and right
Speaker-Level Input ª termi-
nals on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer that are
marked “High Level In.” Connect the left and
right
Speaker-Level Output • terminals
on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer that are
marked “High Level Out” to the corresponding terminals on
the back of your front left
and right speakers.
OTHER DIGITAL
Connect your receiver or amplifier’s center
and surround left and right speaker terminals to the corresponding terminals on the
back of your center and surround left and
right speakers.
When all connections have been made,
plug the AC power cord on the subwoofer
into an AC outlet.
Page 11
Subwoofer
Level
Subwoofer
Level
10
SUB-TS18 harman/kardon
OPERATION
Move the Master Power Switch ‚
(marked Power) to the “•” (On) position.
The SUB-TS18 subwoofer will automatically
turn itself on or go into Standby mode,
depending on whether or not a signal is
being sent to it by your receiver or surround
processor, and provided that the
Audio-
Sense On/Off Switch ¢ is moved down
so that it is in the AUTO position.
When your receiver or amplifier is off, or is
not sending program material to the subwoofer, the subwoofer will be in Standby
mode and the LED indicator on the top
of the subwoofer will turn amber. When the
sub
woofer senses an audio signal,
it will automatically turn itself on and the LED indicator
will turn blue. If the subwoofer does not
sense a signal after
approximately 20 minutes,
it will automatically go into Standby mode.
When the Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢
is switched to the ON position, the subwoofer will remain on, whether or not program material is playing, and the LED indicator will remain lit blue.
If your receiver, processor or amplifier is
equipped with a compatible trigger output,
you may connect it to the SUB-TS18’s
External Trigger Input £. When you turn
on your component, if you have set it up correctly, it will send an electrical trigger signal
to the SUB-TS18, which will cause the
subwoofer to turn itself on, even when the
Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢ has been
placed in the AUTO position and no audio
signal is detected.
The trigger signal must be between 3 and 30
volts, although it may be an AC or DC signal,
and an AC signal may be 50Hz or 60Hz.
If you’ll be away from home for an extended
period of time, or if the subwoofer will not be
used, switch the
Master Power Switch ‚
to the OFF position.
Volume
Volume can be adjusted using the Sub-
woofer-Level Control ¡, as shown.
Turn the control knob clockwise to
increase the volume of the subwoofer,
and counterclockwise to decrease the
subwoofer’s volume.
Additional Bass Adjustments
In addition to the volume adjustments described
previously, the SUB-TS18 subwoofer includes
a Phase Switch ∞ and a Filter Switch™ that can be used to adjust the bass
response to suit your listening environment
or taste.
In most situations, the
Phase Switch ∞
should be left in the NORMAL position.
If you suspect that the subwoofer is playing
out of phase with the other speakers, which
would tend to diminish bass response, try
placing this switch in the
REVERSE
position. There is no harm in experimenting,
and you may return the switch to the
NORMAL position at any time. If you
rearrange your room and reposition the
speakers, it would be a good idea to check
whether they are in phase by flipping this
switch.
The
High-Cut (Low-Pass) Filter Switch
™ limits the frequencies of the audio signal
inputted to the subwoofer to the low frequencies that the subwoofer reproduces
best. This allows the subwoofer to perform
more efficiently, and with superior bass
reproduction, minimizing distortion that might
occur if the subwoofer attempted to reproduce higher frequencies.This switch should
be left in the
ON position, except:
1. When the SUB Input § is being used,
in which case it has no effect, or
2. When the Speaker-Level Inputs ª
or the Line-Level Full-Range Inputs ¶ are being used with a crossover or
filter aboard the receiver or processor.
In these two circumstances, place the switch
in the
OFF position.
Page 12
11
SUB-TS18 harman/kardon
Test Set Up and Procedure
Equipment needed:
• Function/signal generator/sweep generator
• Integrated Amplifier
• Multimeter
• Speaker cables
Initial Control Settings:
• Power Switch OFF; Filter OFF
• Level MIN (Full CCW)
• Phase, Auto/On switches do not matter
General Unit Function (UUT = Unit Under Test)
1) From the signal generator, connect one line level (RCA) cable to the Subwoofer Line Level Input jacks L/R
on the UUT. Use a Y-cable from a mono source if necessary to connect to both inputs. Do not connect to
the single, purple SUB input.
2) Turn on generator ; adjus t to 60m V, 50 H z.
3) Plug in UUT; turn the power switch ON. Turn LEVEL control full clockwise (MAX)
4) LED should turn from Amber to Blue (on top of UUT); immediate and vigorous bass response should be
heard and fel t fr om por t tube opening.
5) Turn off generator, turn LEVEL control full counterclockwise (MIN), and disconnect RCA cable.
6) Connect one pair
of speaker cables to Speaker Level input terminal (IN) on UUT. Cables should be
connected to an integrated amplifier fed by the signal generator.
7) Turn on generator and adjust so that speaker level input at the amplifier is 1.2V, 50 Hz. Turn LEV EL control
full clockwise.
8) LED should turn from Amber to Blue; immediate a nd vigorous bass respo ns e should be heard and felt from
the po r t tube opening.
Sweep Function
1) Follow steps 6-8 above, using a sweep generator as a signal source.
2) Sweep generator from 20Hz to 300Hz. Listen to the cabinet and drivers for any rattles, clicks, buzzes or
any other noi s es . If any unusual noises are hear d, remove wo o fers and test.
Driver Function
1) Remove woofer from cabinet; detach + and - wire clips.
2) Check DC res istance of woofer; it should be 2.8 ohms ±10%
3) Connect a pair of speaker cables to driver terminals. Cables should be connected to an integrated amplifier
fed by a signal generator. Turn on generator and adjust so that speaker level output is 5.0V.
4) Sweep genera tor fr om 20H z to 1k H z. Li sten to driver for any rubbin g, buzzing, or other unusual noises.