JBL P81, P941 User Manual

JBL PERFORMANCE™SERIES

P81
P941

HIGH-PERFORMANCE
IN-WALL LOUDSPEAKERS

OWNER’S GUIDE

81/P941 IN-WALL

P

OUDSPEAKERS

L

OCUMENTATION

D

ONVENTIONS

C

3 Documentation Conventions

Introduction

4
4 Highlights
4 Product Registration

Unpacking

5
6 Loudspeaker Overview

6 Driver Complement
7 Filter Network

Input Panel

7
8 Installation Considerations

8 Loudspeaker Placement

Installation Instructions

9
11 Making Connections
12 Optimizing Performance

13 Loudspeaker Volume
14 Specifications

14 Dimensions
14 Obtaining Service
15 Index

This document contains general safety,

nstallation, and operation instructions

i

or the JBL

f

®

erformance

P

™

eries P81

S
and P941 In-Wall Loudspeakers. It is
important to read this document before
attempting to use your loudspeakers.

ay particular attention to safety

P
instructions.

WARNING

Calls attention to a procedure, practice,

ondition, or the like that, if not correctly

c
performed or adhered to, could result
in injury or death.

CAUTION

Calls attention to a procedure, practice,
condition, or the like that, if not correctly
performed or adhered to, could result
in damage to or destruction of part or
all of the product.

NOTE

Calls attention to information that is
essential to highlight.

®

3

NTRODUCTION

I

Thank you for purchasing the JBL

erformance Series P81/P941 In-Wall

P

oudspeakers. Designed for discerning

L
audiophiles, the P81 and P941 offer ver­satile, easily integrated in-wall loud­speakers that provide the superior,

ncolored sound that is the hallmark of

u
JBL loudspeakers. The P81 and P941
reproduce realistic, accurate signals
with minimal coloration and distortion,
making them perfect complements to

BL Performance front speakers in

J
multichannel setups. Proprietary trans­ducers, sophisticated filter networks,
and user-adjustable compensation con­trols allow the P81/P941 to achieve
remarkable sound quality and perform­ance befitting the most demanding
home entertainment systems.

The P81 and P941 are also perfectly
suited as front and surround speakers
in complete in-wall setups, or as stereo
pairs in secondary listening spaces, or
for integration with flat-screen televi­sion home theater installations. Unlike
freestanding loudspeakers, the P81 and
P941 speakers occupy no space in liv­ing areas and will not detract from the
décor of the listening room. They are
easily mounted in either pre-existing or
new construction projects.

A critical aspect of loudspeaker design,
transducers convert electrical signals
into audible sounds, profoundly affecting
speaker performance. Combining supe­rior form and function, the P81 and P941
transducers feature a distinctive design
that allows for smoother frequency
response. The cones are constructed
with Organic Ceramic Composite cone
material to reduce dis
spiders are constructed

®

Nomex

blend with optimized geometry

tortion, while the

of a high-strength

for increased linearity.
A two-way design, the P81 transducers

effectively cover a broad range of fre­quencies. A 7-1/2-inch (191mm) woofer
delivers highly refined and dynamically
authoritative low frequencies down to
the very lowest octaves. Also, a 1-inch
(25mm) titanium-dome tweeter repro

­duces high frequencies well above
audible levels, with wide dispersion for
open, airy treble.

A three-way design, the P941, in addi

­tion to its 9-inch (229mm) woofer and
1-inch (25mm) tweeter

, also features

a 3-1/2-inch (89mm) midrange, which

handles critical mid-band frequencies

ith natural tonal balance over a wide

w

perating range.

o
An advanced midrange (P941 only)

motor structure includes two high-

rade neodymium magnets placed

g

t the center of the motor structure,

a
inside the voice coil, for improved
magnetic shielding. Inside the motor, a
black-plated steel-shield cup facilitates

eat dissipation for higher power han-

h
dling. An integrated aluminum flux­stabilization ring minimizes modulation
inside the motor’s static gap flux field,

reatly reducing distortion. A copper ring

g
inside the motor’s gap reduces distortion
even further. Both rings are optimally
sized and placed to maintain constant
linear voice coil inductance with
forward and backward motions.

The P81 has a high-order filter at

2.8kHz. In the P941, high-order filters at
300Hz and 2kHz optimize loudspeaker
on- and off-axis response, helping
to ensure smooth octave-to-octave
balance and timbral accuracy. The P81
and P941 feature gold-plated binding
posts that accommodate two connec­tion methods, while separate High­Frequency Tilt, Low-Frequency Boundary
Compensation, High-Frequency Level
and Listener Axis controls compensate
for less-than-ideal listening room
acoustics and loudspeaker placement.

For more than 50 years, JBL has stood
at the forefront of loudspeaker design.
With extensive research and design
facilities, the JBL Performance Series
P81 and P941 loudspeakers benefit
from cutting-edge tools such as a multi­channel listening lab for double-blind
listening tests; a laser interferometer
for detailed driver analysis; real ane

­choic chambers for precise tests and
measurements; finite element analysis
for advanced loudspeaker modeling;
and a stereo lithography apparatus for
design verification.

Adding to the proud lineage of JBL’s
Performance Series loudspeakers, the
P81 and P941 further advance JBL

’s
reputation as the leading designer
and manufacturer of high-quality,
high-performance loudspeakers.

P81/P941 HIGHLIGHTS

n Exceptional accuracy
n Proprietary 7-1/2-inch (191mm)/9-inch

229mm) Organic Ceramic Composite

(
woofer

n Proprietary 3-1/2-inch (89mm)

rganic Ceramic Composite

O
midrange (P941 only)

roprietary 1-inch (25mm) titanium-

n P

dome tweeter

n High output with low distortion
n Gold-plated binding posts

igh-Frequency Level control

n H
n High-Frequency Tilt control
n Low-Frequency Boundary

Compensation control

n Listener Axis control
n Advanced woofer and midrange

(P941 only) motor structure

n Large voice coils for wide dynamic

range without compression

n Wall-mounting frame which features

spring-loaded clamps to securely
anchor loudspeaker into wall opening

n Optional rough-in bracket for stud-

mounting prior to drywall installation
(not included)

PRODUCT REGISTRA

Please register the P81/P941 as soon
as possible after purchase. To do so,
register online at www.jbl.com. The
product registration serves no warranty
purposes. Retain the original, dated
sales receipt as proof of warranty
coverage.

TION

4

NPACKING

Top Pad

Bottom Pad

Frame
Alignment Tool

Paint Mask

Protective
Cloth

Grille

Allen Keys/Spacer Shim

Fiberglass
Insulation

Wall Template

Replacement
Scrim Cloth

Figure 2: Packing Materials

F

igure 1: Unpacking the P81/P941

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™

£

U

The P81 and P941 require special care

nd handling during unpacking. Pay

a

articular attention to the precautions

p
that appear in this section and to other
precautions that appear throughout this
owner’s manual.

hen unpacking, save all packing

W
materials for possible future shipping
needs. Refer to the Obtaining Service
section on page 14 for additional

nformation.

i

Figure 1: Unpacking the P81/P941

Figure 2: Packing Materials

To Unpack the P81 and P941:

1. Place the packing carton in the
upright position and fully open the top
flaps, as shown in Step 1 of Figure 1.

2. Without allowing the top flaps to
close, move the outer packing carton
into an inverted position, as shown in
Step 2 of Figure 1.

3. Lift the packing carton off of the
loudspeaker, as shown in Step 3
of Figure 1. Use caution to avoid
damaging the loudspeaker or frame
clamps. At this point, the loudspeaker
will be upside-down.

4. Remove the bottom pad, and then
remove the frame alignment tool
and grille from the grille filler
items are identified in Figure 2.

5. Set aside the wall template, paint
mask, fiberglass insulation, spacer
shim, replacement scrim cloth and
Allen keys.

6. Invert speaker so it is in the upright
position.

When the P81/P941 is in the upright

7.
position, remove the top pad.

8. Leave the loudspeaker upright in the
bottom pad until ready to install.

. These

5

OUDSPEAKER OVERVIEW

¡

™

£
¢

∞

§

Figure 3: P81 Speaker (Front View)

on
off

Low Frequency
Boundary
Compensation

High Frequency Level (dB)

Listener Axis

High Frequency Tilt

on axis

0

+1
0
–1

Figure 4: P941 Speaker (Front View)

on
o

ff

Low Frequency
Boundary
Compensation

High Frequency Level (dB)

L

istener Axis

H

igh Frequency Tilt

o

n axis

0

+1
0
–1

L

P81/P941 DRIVER COMPLEMENT

he numbers in Figure 3 correspond to

T
the numbered items in this section.

1. Tweeter

1-inch (25mm) titanium dome

•

Underhung with copper-clad alu-

•

minum wire for low distortion
Ferrofluid for high-power handling

•

with reduced compression

2. Woofer

7-1/2-inch (191mm)/9-inch (229mm)

•

cones constructed with Organic
Ceramic Composite cone material for
low distortion

rue pistonic operation for increased

T

•

freedom from coloration
Symmetrical Field Geometry (SFG™)

•

design for low overall distortion
Aluminum ring for flux stabilization

•

greatly reduces distortion at low fre­quencies

Butyl rubber surround for large, linear

•

excursion capabilities
Carbon composite aluminum (CCA)

•

flatwire voice coil wound on a 1-1/2­inch (38mm) fiberglass bobbin for low
mass and higher power handling

Vented center pole for improved heat

•

dissipation and low compression

The numbers in Figure 3 correspond to the
numbered items in the Driver Complement
section.

Figure 3: P81 Speaker (Front View)

6

3. High-Frequency Level (dB) Control

rovides a shift in the output level of

P
the tweeter or overall high-frequency
response (active above approximately

2.5kHz). The options are –1dB, 0dB
nd +1dB.

a

4. High-Frequency Tilt Control

Adds a ”tilt“ to the high-frequency

esponse. The tilt will become active

r
above approximately 8kHz (depart
from nominally flat response) and will
increase to 3dB – 4dB at 20kHz. This
will offer an improved high-frequency
response for installations where the
primary listening position is located
significantly off the tweeter axis (for an
effect almost like adding ”toe in“ towards
the listening position). The added

high­frequency contour helps to offset per­ceived reduction of high-frequency
response for off-axis listeners due to
the increase in directivity of the system
(tweeter beaming) above 8kHz.

5. Listener Axis Control

inverted speaker installations. Refer to

he Notes on page 9 and the Optimizing

t

erformance (page 12) section for addi-

P
tional information.

6. Low-Frequency Boundary
ompensation Control

C

Compensates for less-than-ideal
speaker placement near adjacent walls
or boundaries.

Select the “off” setting if the speaker

•

is mounted at least 4 feet away from
adjacent walls or boundaries.

elect the “on” position if the

S

•

speaker is less than 4 feet from one
(or possibly two) or more adjacent
walls or boundaries. In the ”on“
position, system output is reduced
below approximately 400Hz to offset
the increased low-frequency support,
due to the boundary.

NOTE: Refer to the Optimizing
Performance section on page 12 for
more information about the front-panel

controls.
All loudspeakers sound best when the
listener is positioned at optimal angles
relative to the speaker placement. This
is a fixed angle for most loudspeakers,
but the P81 and P941 provide compen­sation for much greater placement
flexibility. The listener axis control,
used in conjunction with the placement

of the speaker, can obtain excellent
results in a very wide range of circum­stances. This control optimizes system
response for installations in which the
listening positions are lower than,
higher than, or directly level with the
tweeter. This switch will be active
in the network transition regions
between the woofer and tweeter
(in the P81) and the midrange and
tweeter (in the P941).

Select the “high” (up arrow) setting

•

if the speaker is mounted so that the
listener is at tweeter level or above.

Select the “on axis” setting if the

•

listener position is located directly
on axis with the tweeter level.

Select the “low” (down arrow) set-

•

ting if the speaker is mounted so that
the listener is below tweeter level.

NOTE: In some circumstances, such
as when the speaker is to be mounted
high on the wall towards the ceiling, it
may be desired to invert the speaker in
order to place the tweeter axis closer
to the listener’s ear level. The Listener
Axis Control will also optimize these

The numbers in Figure 4 correspond to the

numbered items in the Driver Complement

section.

Figure 4: P941 Speaker (Front View)

7. Midrange (P941 Only)

3-1/2-inch (89mm) cone constructed

•

with Organic Ceramic Composite
material

Die-cast basket to eliminate col-

•

oration from resonances
True pistonic operation for increased

•

freedom from coloration