Jbl S4S User Manual

JBL SYNTHESIS®FOUR

S4S

LUSH-MOUNT

F
LOUDSPEAKER

Two units minimum

OWNER

’

S GUIDE

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING JBL

®

For more than 60 years, JBL has been involved in every aspect of music and film recording and reproduction, from
live performances to monitoring the recordings you play in your home, car or office.

We’re confident that the JBL Synthesis loudspeaker you have chosen will provide every note of enjoyment that you
expect – and that when you think about purchasing additional audio equipment for your home, car or office, you will
once again choose JBL.

Please take a moment to register your product on our Web site at www.jblsynthesis.com. This enables us to keep
you posted on our latest advancements, and helps us to better understand our customers and build products that
meet their needs and expectations.

JBL Synthesis

INCLUDED
S4S

(1) Loudspeaker with grille
(6) Small grille spacers (for applications requiring one layer of wallboard)
(6) Large grille spacers (for applications requiring two layers of wallboard)
(6) Grille cups

IMPORTANT NOTE: A complete S4S loudspeaker system includes the S4S
in-wall subwoofer and the S4SBB back box, which must be purchased sepa
rately. A high-quality, external two-channel power amplifier, such as the JBL
Synthesis S800, is also required, and must be purchased separately. The
amplifier should be capable of outputting up to 500 watts per channel with
flat frequency response from 20Hz – 500Hz. Although this manual describes
installation with reference to all three components, they must be purchased
separately

.

2

Template and paint shield

-

SPEAKER PLACEMENT

Low-frequency sounds are normally omnidirectional, meaning the listener can’t tell where they are generated from.
However, frequencies between 75Hz and 150Hz can be localized, especially at higher volume levels. Positioning your
subwoofer as recommended will provide the most natural soundstage and imaging from your loudspeaker system.

It is generally recommended that you install your S4S in-wall subwoofer along the same wall as the front loud­speakers. The S4S subwoofer is not video-shielded and should not be placed near a video display. Installing the
S4S near a corner will tend to maximize low-frequency output. Be cautious when installing in a corner, to avoid a
“boomy” sound. Also take into consideration any unusual features of the room, such as an alcove, which may tend
to create a localized node that may affect bass response in that area of the room.

It is also recommended that the speaker be installed so that the bottom of the speaker is approximately 12" from the
floor. Using the S4SBB back box enclosure will ensure that the loudspeaker is installed at the ideal height. This is to
help with the low-frequency loading (bass reinforcement). This also helps hide the speaker in a less visible place. In
special circumstances it is acceptable to install the speaker at any height on a wall.

Remember that these are just guidelines. Since every listening room is different, JBL strongly recommends experi­menting with the positioning of your subwoofer prior to cutting the wall to obtain the most pleasing results in your
room. One technique that can help you find the ideal subwoofer location is to temporarily borrow a stand-alone sub­woofer and place it near the main listening location. Then move around the room and determine where you hear the
most pleasing bass performance. This would then be the ideal location for the subwoofer.

A single S4S subwoofer system meets THX
THX Ultra2

™

requirements for a 3000-cubic-foot room, two or more S4S subwoofer systems are required, using
a total of four woofers. For every additional 3000 cubic feet of room volume, it is recommended that one
additional S4S system be added.

When using two S4S in-wall subwoofer systems, you may need to be concerned about phase, as the sound waves
may cancel each other out. If bass response seems low
the (+) terminal on the amplifier to the (–) terminal on the speaker, and the (–) terminal on the amplifier to the (+)
terminal on the speaker.

®

Select requirements for a 3000-cubic-foot room. However, to meet

, try inverting the polarity on one subwoofer – i.e., connect

3

SPEAKER CONNECTIONS

Connection Tips

Speakers and electronics have corresponding (+) and (–) terminals. Most
manufacturers of speakers and electronics, including JBL, use red to denote the (+)
terminal and black for the (–) terminal. It is important to connect both speakers iden­tically: (+) on the speaker to (+) on the amplifier, and (–) on the speaker to (–) on the
amplifier. Wiring “out of phase” results in thin sound, weak bass and a poor stereo
image. With the advent of multichannel surround sound systems, connecting all of
the speakers in your system with the correct polarity remains equally important in
order to preserve the proper ambience and directionality of the program material.

If two S4S subwoofers are used, the wires for both speakers should be the same length. If one speaker is placed
closer to the amplifier than the other, hide the excess wire behind the wall. If bass response seems low, there may
be a phase problem, with the sound waves from the two subwoofers canceling each other out. If bass response
seems low, try inverting the polarity on one subwoofer – i.e., connect the (+) terminal on the amplifier to the (–)
terminal on the speaker, and the (–) terminal on the amplifier to the (+) terminal on the speaker.

To use the push-type terminals on the S4S baffle, depress the colored cap until the pass-through hole in the binding
post is revealed. While holding the cap down, insert the bare end of the wire, or a banana plug, into the pass­through hole. Release the cap and tug gently on the wire to ensure that it is secure.

To use the binding-post speaker terminals on the terminal cup located on the top panel of the S4SBB back box enclo­sure (sold separately), unscrew the colored knob until the pass-through hole in the center post is visible under the
knob. Insert the bare end of the wire through this hole, then screw the knob down until the connection is tight. The
hole in the center of each knob is intended for use with banana-type connectors.

Since the S4S is a passive loudspeaker, only speaker-level connections are available. Use the S4S with a high-quality
dedicated subwoofer amplifier as recommended by your JBL Synthesis custom installer
S800. The amplifier should be capable of outputting up to 500 watts per channel with flat frequency response from
20Hz to 500Hz.

Connect your main receiver or processor’
amplifier.

After you have installed the S4SBB back box enclosure as described in the next section, connect the speaker termi­nals on your subwoofer amplifier to the speaker input terminals in the terminal cup located on the top panel of the
back box, making sure to observe the correct polarity.

You will observe two wires hanging down into the opening of the S4SBB enclosure. These are to be connected to the
terminals on the back of the S4S loudspeaker baffle just before installing the S4S in the enclosure. Again, remember
to connect the wires to the correct terminals to maintain polarity. The solid black wire is to be connected to the nega­tive (–) terminal on the baffle, and the solid red wire is to be connected to the positive (+) terminal on the baffle.

You may prefer to use two S4S subwoofer systems in Stereo mode for improved performance and superior imaging,
and to meet THX Ultra2 requirements. Use two mono subwoofer amplifiers, each connected to either the left or right
subwoofer output on your receiver/processor
and right line-level subwoofer outputs on your receiver/processor to the corresponding inputs on your amplifier
connect the positive and negative terminals for each channel to one S4S subwoofer system.

s line-level subwoofer output to the line-level input on your subwoofer

, or use a single two-channel subwoofer amplifier and connect the left

, such as the JBL Synthesis

. Then

Wire Length Recommended Size

Up to 20 ft.
Up to 30 ft.
Greater than 30 ft. 10-gauge

16-gauge
12-gauge

4

SPEAKER CONNECTIONS

– +

Amplifier

T

op of S4SBB

Receiver/Processor

Speaker-Level

Outputs

Subwoofer

Out

Line-Level

Input

Using One S4S Loudspeaker in Mono Mode

– +

Amplifier

Left S4S Back Box

Right S4S Back Box

Receiver/Processor

Speaker-Level

Outputs

Subwoofer or

Main Amp

Out

Line-Level

Inputs

– +

Left Left

Right Right

Left

Right

Using Two S4S Loudspeakers

in Stereo Mode

5

1

1

3

4

0

1

2

2

1

2

5

3

1

3

1

2

5

INSTALLATION

A complete S4S loudspeaker system includes the S4S in-wall subwoofer and the S4SBB back box. These compo­nents are packaged separately.

NOTE: The THX Ultra2 standard requires that the S4S baffle be mounted vertically.
Installation requires access to the space between the wall studs. Therefore, in new-construction applications, the

S4SBB back box is installed before the wallboard.
For existing construction, carefully remove a section of wallboard that reveals the studs on either side of the bay

where the back box will be installed, enabling the board to be screwed back onto the studs after installation is
complete. Store the wallboard in a safe place until the speaker installation is complete.

Included with the S4SBB:

(10) 5" deck screws
(10) polyurethane bushings
(10) 1/4–20 flat washers
(12) #8 x 3/4" wood screws
(2) wood centering bars
(4) #10 32 x 1-1/2" flat-head screws
(2) Styrofoam

0 Terminal Cup: Connect the speaker wires from your subwoofer
amplifier to these terminals.

1 Mounting Holes for Bushings: The S4S uses a system of bushings to
act as springs that isolate the speaker from room and wall vibrations. Mount
the bushings in each of these holes as described in Step 5 on page 7.

2 Damping Pads: These pads are part of the isolation system to prevent
unwanted resonances. They should be left in place as is.

3 Centering Bars: Screw these bars onto the S4SBB back box using the
included flat-head screws, and then attach them to the wall studs to hold
the S4SBB in place during installation.

4 Speaker Wires: Connect these wires to the terminals on the back of
the S4S subwoofer baffle as described on page 4.

5 Styrofoam Blocks: These blocks support the S4SBB back box and ensure
that it is mounted within the stud bay at the correct height for optimum perfor­mance. They also help to isolate the speaker system from room resonances.

™

blocks

Detail A

6

INSTALLATION

GRILLE SPACER

GRILLE CUP

Installation:

1. Place the Styrofoam™blocks on the bottom plate of
the stud bay. The S4SBB back box will rest on top of
the blocks.

2. Install the two centering bars as shown in Detail A on
page 6. The centering bars are for setting the depth of
the enclosure. They also help locate the horizontal
position of the enclosure as they are mounted into
the studs at the left and right to hold the enclosure in
the correct location.

3. Fit the enclosure into the wall. The bottom of the
S4SBB back box will rest on top of the Styrofoam
blocks 5 that you put on the baseboard two-by-four
in Step 1.

At this time, you may want to screw through each side

4.
of the wood centering bars to mount the enclosure to
the studs. This will hold the enclosure in position.

5. Install each of the ten bushings into their mounting

1. Insert one end of the rubber bushing into the

holes
hole, then place a flat washer on top of the bushing
and screw the supplied 5" deck screw through the
washer and into the bushing.

6. The enclosure is now installed and ready for the
wallboard to be installed over it. Remove the wood
centering bars and use the wood screws to close up
the holes in the S4SBB back box. The drywall cutout
dimensions are 24.55" (H) x 15" (W) (624mm x 381mm).

Insert the six plastic grille spacers into the large holes

7.
in the S4S baffle. Select either the small or large grille
spacers, depending on whether your application
requires one or two layers of wallboard. The grille
spacers are inserted from the back side of the S4S
baffle. Then insert the grille cups into the grille
spacers from the front of the S4S baffle.

8.

Make the connections from your receiver/amplifier
S4SBB back box connections panel, and to any other
speakers as appropriate for your system, following the
instructions on pages 4–5. Connect the wires hanging
in the opening of the S4SBB back box to the correct
terminals on the S4S loudspeaker (see pages 4–5).

9. Install the S4S baffle into the S4SBB back box using
the twelve screws, as shown in the illustration at right.

10.The grille pegs mount in the grille cups to complete the
installation.

to the

7

DIMENSION DRAWINGS

2.00

5.13

CABINET

63.90

CABINET

14.00

POLYURETHANE
(RUBBER) FINAL
MOUNTING

DECK SCREW

WASHER

STYROFOAM™BLOCKS

CENTERING
BARS

DAMPING
PADS

15.00

CUTOUT

DRYWALL

24.55

CUTOUT

DRYWALL

COVER/
TEMPLATE

16.25

BAFFLE

25.17

BAFFLE

8

PAINTING THE SPEAKER FRAME AND GRILLE

The S4S loudspeaker can be painted to match any décor. If you wish to change the color, the satin finish on the grille
and frame will function as a primer coat. Before painting, install the plastic paint shield securely into the baffle. This
will protect the speaker components and baffle from paint residue. Use a high-quality spray paint, and apply a thin
coat of color. Paint the grille separately from the baffle before installing it.

Be certain the grille perforations remain free of paint. Filling them with paint will diminish the sound quality.

9

TROUBLESHOOTING

SY

MPTOM

SO

LUTION

If there is no sound from • Check that the receiver/amplifier is on and that a source is playing.
any of the speakers: • Check all wires and connections between the receiver/amplifier and the speakers.

Make sure all wires are connected. Make sure none of the speaker wires are
frayed, cut, punctured or touching each other.

• Review proper operation of your receiver/amplifier.

If there is no sound coming •

Check the Balance control and channel output level settings on your receiver/amplifier

from one speaker: • Check all wires and connections between the receiver/amplifier and the speakers.

Make sure all wires are connected. Make sure none of the speaker wires are
frayed, cut, punctured or touching each other. In multichannel applications, make
sure that your receiver/processor has been configured to enable all channels that
you are using.

If there is low (or no) • Make sure the connections to the speaker inputs have the correct polarity
bass output: (+ and –). If you are using two S4S subwoofers, try inverting the polarity on one

subwoofer as described on page 4.

• Consider adding a separate power amplifier to drive the S4S subwoofer.

• In Dolby

®

Digital or DTS®modes, make sure your receiver/processor

is correctly
configured. When using a power amplifier with your S4S subwoofer, make sure
the subwoofer output of the receiver/processor has been enabled. See your

receiver/processor’

s owner’s manual for further information on correct speaker

configuration in Dolby Digital, DTS and other surround sound modes.

.

If the system plays at low • Check all wires and connections between the receiver/amplifier and the speakers.
volumes but shuts off as Make sure all wires are connected. Make sure none of the speaker wires
volume is increased: are frayed, cut, punctured or touching each other.

• If more than one pair of main speakers is being used, check the minimum-impedance
requirements of your receiver/amplifier

.

If you are hearing midrange • When using the THX mode, make sure the subwoofer crossover is activated on your
frequencies (such as vocals) processor/receiver.
through the subwoofer: • When using the Normal mode, adjust the crossover frequency on your electronics to a

lower frequency.

10

SPECIFICATIONS

S4S

Frequency Response (–6dB) 20Hz – 150Hz (THX®/LFE mode)

†

Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power
Impedance 4 Ohms nominal
Sensitivity 88dB (2.83V/1m), both woofers driven
Woofer Dual 10" polymer-coated aluminum cones w/rubber surrounds
Dimensions (H x W x D, mounted in S4SBB 64" x 14" x 5.1" (1626mm x 356mm x 130mm)

enclosure, not including Styrofoam™blocks)
Mounting Cutout Size (W x H)
Weight per Speaker 24 lb (10.9kg)

All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

† The maximum recommended amplifier power rating will ensure proper system headroom to allow for occasional peaks. We do not recommend sustained

operation at these maximum power levels.
JBL, Harman International, JBL Synthesis and Synthesis are trademarks of Harman International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States

and/or other countries.
Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories.
DTS is a registered trademark of DTS, Inc.
Styrofoam is a trademark of the Dow Chemical Company.
THX is a registerd trademark, and THX Ultra2 is a trademark, of THX Ltd. All rights reserved.

500 Watts per channel

15" x 24.55" (381mm x 624mm)

11

Declaration of Conformity

We, Harman Consumer Group International

2, route de Tours
72500 Château du Loir
France

declare in own responsibility that the product described in
this owner’s manual is in compliance with technical stan
dards:

EN 61000-6-3:2001
EN 61000-6-1:2001

Harman Consumer Group International

Laurent Rault

Château du Loir, France 10/05

-

JBL Consumer Products
250 Crossways Park Drive
Woodbury, NY 11797

8500 Balboa Boulevard
Northridge, CA 91329

818.830.8757
www.jblsynthesis.com

Part No. 361173-001