Infinity Kappa Subwoofer Owners manual
Kappa Subwoofer
Powered Subwoofer
(230V)
®
Owner’s Manual
2◆Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual
About this product...
Introduction
The Infinity Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer has been designed to enhance the bass
frequencies of any audio system. This subwoofer may be used with speakers of any
size. Obviously, the greatest bass enhancement will be achieved when the subwoofer
is connected with speakers that do not have the capability to create deep bass. This
subwoofer may be used individually, or combined with another Kappa Series
subwoofer for even more impressive reproduction of bass frequencies (i.e., one
subwoofer near the satellite speakers and a second subwoofer behind the primary
listening area, or both subwoofers up front).
The Kappa Series subwoofer is a self-powered system utilizing a solid-state, lowfrequency amplifier driving a specially designed woofer mounted within a structurally
rigid, tuned-port enclosure.
Unpacking the Subwoofer
Check your subwoofer carefully. If it has been damaged in transit, report the damage
immediately by calling your dealer and/or the trucking firm that delivered it.
To prevent fire or shock hazard, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS SUBWOOFER SYSTEM
TO RAIN OR EXCESSIVE MOISTURE. To avoid electric shock, DO NOT OPEN
THE SUBWOOFER! There are no user serviceable parts inside. Observe all
warnings and cautions.
Important!
Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual ◆3
Important Safety
Precautions
Read First!
1. Read Instructions. All the safety and operating instructions should be read before
the product is operated.
2. Retain Instructions. The safety and operating instructions should be retained for
future reference.
3. Heed Warnings. All warnings on the product and in the operating instructions should
be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions. All operating and use instructions should be followed.
5. Cleaning. Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid
cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.
6. Water and Moisture. To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not use this
product outdoors or near water – for example, near a bathtub, wash bowl, kitchen sink
or laundry tub; in a wet basement; near a swimming pool; or the like. Do not expose
the amplifier to dripping or splashing. Do not place objects filled with liquids, such as
vases, on or near the amplifier.
7. Accessories. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket
or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious
damage to the product. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table
recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the product. Any mounting of the
product should follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and should use a mounting
accessory recommended by the manufacturer.
8. Power Sources. This product should be operated only from the 230 AC power
source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply
to your home, consult your product dealer or local power company.
9. 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.
10. Nonuse Periods. The power cord of the product should be unplugged from the
outlet when left unused for long periods of time.
11. Overloading. Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords, this can result in a
risk of fire or electric shock.
12. 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 could
result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.
13. Servicing. Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing
covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards.
Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service
personnel.
14. Wall or Ceiling Mounting. The product should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only
as recommended by the manufacturer.
15. Heat. The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves or other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Volume control...
A Few Suggestions
We recommend that you do not operate your speakers or subwoofer with the bass,
treble and loudness controls set to full boost. This will place undue strain on your
electronics and speakers and could damage them.
The volume control setting on your preamplifier or stereo receiver is not a specific
indication of the overall loudness level of the speakers. The only important consideration is the loudness level at which the system can be played regardless of where
the volume control is set.
Always turn down the volume control setting on your preamplifier or stereo when
changing a cassette or CD, or switching inputs to AM or FM operation. Excessively
loud transients (clicks or popping sounds) can damage the satellite speakers and
possibly the subwoofer.
Whenever changing cables, pulling plugs, etc., ALWAYS TURN OFF ALL EQUIPMENT,
including the subwoofer. This prevents transients from entering the speakers and
prevents electrical energy from reaching you. Keep all connections out of the reach of
children.
4◆Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual
Important!
Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual ◆5
Position within
a room will
strongly influence
performance...
Positioning
Since the installation of a subwoofer is somewhat more complicated than installing fullrange speakers, it is essential you read this section very carefully prior to connecting
the subwoofer to your system. Should you have questions relating to your installation,
it is advisable to call your Infinity dealer for advice.
The performance of the subwoofer is directly related to its placement in the listening
room and how you align the subwoofer with its satellite speakers. Setting the volume
of the subwoofer in relationship to the left and right speakers is also of critical importance because it is essential that the subwoofer integrates smoothly with the entire
system. Setting the subwoofer’s volume level too high will result in overpowering,
boomy bass. Setting the volume level too low will negate the effect of the subwoofer.
The metal plate acts as the heat sink for the subwoofer’s internal amplifier. Do not place
pillows or other objects against it.
We recommend placing the subwoofer at least 2 to 3 feet away from a television or a
computer’s disc-drive system to prevent smearing the colors of the TV picture or
erasing of the magnetic drive.
Here are several additional facts on installation that may prove useful. It is generally
believed by most audio authorities that low frequencies (below 125 Hz) are nondirectional and, therefore, placement of a subwoofer within any listening room is not
critical. While in theory it is true that the larger wavelengths of extremely low
frequencies are basically non-directional, the fact is that when installing a subwoofer
within the limited confines of a room, reflections, standing waves and absorption
generated within the room will strongly influence the performance of any subwoofer
system. As a result, specific location of the subwoofer becomes important, and we
strongly recommend that you experiment with placement before choosing a final
location.
Placement will depend upon your room and the amount and quality of bass required
(for example, whether or not your room permits placement of the subwoofer near either
satellite). Never place the port too close to a wall or piece of furniture as this will prevent
the port from operating properly. Since the port is an integral part of the subwoofer’s
design, it should always be permitted free access to the listening room without
obstruction to the sound emerging from it. Careful experimentation will enable you to
determine the best position for the subwoofer (see useful hints, next page).
Figure 1. This view shows the
subwoofer positioned behind the
right-channel satellite speaker to
re-create the actual location of
bass instruments in an orchestra.
Here are some useful hints:
1. Experimentation with the port direction may be useful. At times directing the port
away from the listening area (to the side) may be advantageous because this may
create a better blend of bass within the listening room.
2. If bass response seems inadequate, move the subwoofer closer to a wall or corner.
If bass becomes too heavy, try turning the subwoofer with the port facing away from
the wall. This will tend to diminish bass output.
It will take time and patience to find the most pleasing acoustic location for your
subwoofer. Listening for sonic balance and blending should always be done from your
normal listening position, using a wide range of source material. As a starting point,
initially place the subwoofer behind your right channel satellite speaker, about 3 or 4
inches (8-10 cm) from the wall. We suggest trying this location first because in an
orchestra, the bass instruments are usually located in the back and to the right (see
Figure 1).
6◆Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual
BU SUBWOOFER
RIGHT-
CHANNEL
SATELLITE
PRIMARY
LISTENING
AREA
KAPPA SUBWOOFER
RIGHT
CHANNEL
SATELLITE
PRIMARY
LISTENING
AREA
Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual ◆7
Connections
Method 1
Figure 2.
The Infinity Kappa Subwoofer offers unprecedented flexibility for connecting the
system to any type of audio or home-theater system.
Consult the table below to determine which system description most closely matches
your own, then follow the hook-up method corresponding to that system. Never
connect both speaker and line input Simultaneously. If none of these system
configurations seem to match yours, consult your dealer or Infinity customer service
for direction on how best to hook up your system.
It is essential, to enable the RABOS system to work optimally, to direct all bass in the
system to the Kappa subwoofer by setting all main speakers to SMALL, even if you are
using main speakers that reproduce frequencies below 100Hz.
Connection method 1 should ONLY be used when other options do not exist.
1. Loosen terminals
2. Insert bare end, tighten terminals
System Type Connection Methods
2-Channel receiver or integrated amplifier that has no
subwoofer output or Pre-out/Main-In connectors 1
2-Channel receiver or integrated amplifier with preamp
output and input connectors 2
2-Channel system with separate preamplifier and power amplifier 2
Dolby Pro Logic with THX, Dolby Digital, or DTS
®
receiver/
processor with a filtered subwoofer (or LFE) output connector 3
2 channel receiver or integrated amp with a sub output and
with no input connector 3
(ONE CHANNEL SHOWN)
AMPLIFIER/RECEIVER
SPEAKER
OUTPUTS
+
–
–
+
SATELLITE SPEAKER
8◆Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual
Method 2
Disconnect the jumper or cable that links your preamplifier ouput and power
amplifier input
• Connect the preamp output to the kappa subwoofer line input
• Connect the kappa suwoofer line output to the power amplifier input (MAIN IN)
PREAMP OUTPUTS
L
R
(ONE CHANNEL SHOWN)
L
R
POWER AMPLIFIER INPUTS
Figure 3.
Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual ◆9
Method 3
SURROUND RECEIVER
SUBWOOFER (LFE)
OUTPUT
FRONT SPEAKER
OUTPUTS
(ONE CHANNEL SHOWN)
– +
Y-Connector
TO SECOND
SUBWOOFER
• Connect the subwoofer output of your AV receiver to the Kappa subwoofer line input
using a Y-connector*.
• On our AV receiver, go to the SPEAKER CONFIGURATION section in the receiver's
set-up menu and set the front Left/right main speakers to SMALL and the subwoofer
to ON.
*Note: Some receivers/amplifiers have a single (mono) subwoofer output. In this case,
it is recommended that you use a "Y"-connector (not included) to link the mono output
from the amplifier/receiver to both subwoofer input channels.
10◆Kappa Series Powered Subwoofer – Owner’s Manual
Room placement...
Operation
1. Initially set the Bass Optimisation System switch to OFF.
2. Initially set the subwoofer’s Volume control to the minimum position.
3. Initially turn the subwoofer’s Crossover Frequency control fully clockwise.
4. Turn on your audio system and play any music source.
5. Turn the subwoofer’s Volume control to its mid-position. If no sound emanates from
the subwoofer, check the AC line cord and input cables. Are the connectors on the
cables making proper contact? Is the AC plug connected to a "live" receptacle?
6. Set the overall volume control of your amplifier/receiver to a comfortable level.
Adjust the subwoofer’s Volume control until you obtain a pleasing blend of bass.
Bass response should not overpower the room. There should be a harmonious
blend across the entire musical range. Many users have a tendency to set the
subwoofer volume too loud, following the belief that a subwoofer is there to
produce lots of bass. This is not entirely true. A subwoofer is there to enhance bass,
extending the response of the entire system so the bass can be felt as well as heard.
However, overall balance must be maintained; otherwise, the music will not sound
natural. An experienced listener will set the volume of the subwoofer so its impact
on bass response is always there but is never obtrusive.
7. The Crossover Frequency Control sets the upper frequency limit of the subwoofer.
It is adjustable through five click-set positions corresponding to 50Hz, 70Hz, 80Hz,
100Hz and 125Hz. The 50Hz setting is selected when the control is turned fully
counterclockwise and the 125Hz setting is selected when the control is turned fully
clockwise. Where you set the control depends on the low-frequency capabilities of
your satellite speakers, system placement, and other factors affecting the mid-bass
region.
Turn the volumecontrol UP (clockwise) until you feel there is too much mid-bass
information (around 100Hz) then back the control down a little until that area sounds
more natural.
To hear more low bass, turn the Crossover Frequency control DOWN a little
(counterclockwise) and the Volume control UP by about the same amount. This will
increase low bass while leaving the mid-bass sounding the same as it did before the
adjustment. To reduce low bass without changing mid-bass, turn the Crossover
Frequency control UP and the Volume control DOWN.
In case of the configuration depicted on figure 3 or if you are using the Kappa 200
as your satellite speaker, it is recommended that you set the Crossover Frequency
Control on the subwoofer to 80Hz. This corresponds to the third click-stop of the
control from fully counterclockwise.
8. Room placement of the subwoofer is one of the most critical aspect of its
installation. It will be necessary for you to try various locations in your listening room
before you choose the final location. Some possible starting points include: behind
the right channel satellite speaker, along the back wall between the satellites, along
a side wall (but not too close to a corner), or behind a couch or a chair.
In general, the closer the subwoofer is to walls and corners, the greater the effect
of low frequency enhancement. Experiment with the Crossover Frequency and
Volume controls in different locations until you are pleased with the result you obtain
from your particular application.
Initial setting of the
controls…
Power on...
Adjust volume...
Crossover frequency
control...
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