Jbl SCS150, SCS150SI User Manual

JBL Consumer Products
250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY 11797
8500 Balboa Boulevard, Northridge, CA 91329
800-336-4JBL (4525) (USA only)
www.jbl.com

©2001 JBL, Incorporated.
JBL is a registered trademark of JBL, Incorporated.
Part No.

ai5139

DESIGN GOAL: Bring the thrill of live performance and movie sound to
the homeenvironment bycalling on JBL’s professional engineering leadership.

SATELLITE TYPE: Titanium-laminate-dome tweeter, sealed enclosure
SUBWOOFER TYPE:

Bass-reflex enclosure

PORT DESIGN: FreeFlow™ flared
PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE: Cinema Loudspeaker Series

OWNER’S GUIDE

PRO SOUND
COMES HOME

™

PRODUCT LINE:

Surround Cinema Speakers

MODEL

SCS150

NUMBER:

SPECIFICATIONS

All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

* Dolby and Pro Logic are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

DTS is a registered trademark of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.

SCS150 System

Frequency Response

30Hz – 20kHz (–6dB)

Satellites

Recommended Power

10 – 100 watts

Impedance

8 ohms nominal

Sensitivity

88dB @ 1 watt/1 meter

Tweeter

One 1/2"titanium-laminate
dome, video-shielded

Midrange

Dual 3" drivers, video-shielded

Dimensions (H x W x D)

8-1/8" x 3-1/2" x 3-7/8"
206mm x 89mm x 99mm

Weight

2.65 lb/1.2kg

Center

Recommended Power

10 – 100 watts

Impedance

8 ohms nominal

Sensitivity

88dB @ 1 watt/1 meter

Tweeter

One 1/2"titanium-laminate
dome, video-shielded

Midrange

Dual 3" drivers, video-shielded

Dimensions (H x W x D)

3-1/2" x 8-1/8" x 3-7/8"
89mm x 206mm x 99mm

Weight

2.65 lb/1.2kg

Subwoofer

Amplifier

150 watts RMS

Woofer

10"

Enclosure

Bass reflex

Dimensions (H x W x D)

17-3/4" x 15-3/4" x 16-3/4"
451mm x 400mm x 426mm

Weight

35 lb/15.9kg

X + 0 + Y2 0M

HZ

DESIGN GOAL: Bring the thrill of live performance and movie sound to

the homeenvironment bycalling on JBL’s professional engineering leadership.

SATELLITE TYPE:Titanium-laminate-dome tweeter, sealed enclosure
SUBWOOFER TYPE:

Bass-reflex enclosure

PORT DESIGN: FreeFlow™ flared
PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE:Cinema Loudspeaker Series

OWNER’S GUIDE

PRODUCT LINE:

Surround Cinema Speakers

MODEL

SCS150

NUMBER:

X +
0 +
Y

2

0
M

HZ

4”
8”
X +
0 +
Y

2

0
M

HZ

READ THIS! Important Safety Precautions!

2

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. Attachments. Do not use attachments
not recommended by the product
manufacturer, as they may cause hazards.

7. Water and Moisture. Donot use this
product 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.

8. 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 .

9. A Product and Cart
Combination Should Be
Moved with Care.

Quick
stops, excessive force
and uneven surfaces may
cause the product and
cart combination to overturn.

10. Ventilation. Slots and openings in the
cabinet are provided for ventilation and to
ensure reliable operation of the product and
to protect it from overheating, and these
openings must not be blocked or covered.
The openings should never be blocked by
placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug 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.

11. 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 to your home, consult your product
dealer or local power company. For products
intended to operate from battery power, or
other sources, refer to the operating
instructions.

12. Grounding or Polarization. This
product may be equipped with a polarized
alternating-current-line plug (a plug having
one blade wider than the other). This plug
will fit into the power outlet only one way.
This is a safety feature. If you are unable
to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try
reversing the plug. If the plug should still
fail to fit, contact your electrician to
replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat
the safety purpose of the polarized plug.

13. 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.

14. Nonuse Periods. The power cord of the
product should be unplugged from the
outlet when left unused for long periods of
time.

15. Outdoor Antenna Grounding. If an
outside antenna or cable system is
connected to the product, be sure the
antenna or cable system is grounded so as
to provide some protection against voltage
surges and built-up static charges. Article
810 of the National Electrical Code,
ANSI/NFPA 70, provides information with
regard to proper grounding of the mast and
supporting structure, grounding of the lead­in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size
of grounding co nduct o rs, lo cation of
antenna-discharge unit, connection to
grounding electrodes, and requirements for
the grounding electrode. See Figure A.

16. Lightning. For added protection for
this product during a lightning storm, or
when it is left unattended and unused for
long periods of time, unplug it from the
wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or
cable system. This will prevent damage to
the product due to lightning and power-line
surges.

17. Power Lines. An outside antenna
system should not be located in the vicinity
of overhead power lines or other electric
light or power circuits, or where it can fall
into such power lines or circuits. When
installing an outside antenna system,

extreme care should be taken to keep from
touching such power lines or circuits, as
contact with them might be fatal.

18. Overloading. Do not overload wall
outlets, extension cords, or integral
convenience receptacles, as this can result
in a risk of fire or electric shock.

19. 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.

20. Servicing. Do not attempt to service
this product yourself, as opening or
removing covers may expose you to
dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer
all servicing to qualified service personnel.

21. Damage Requiring Service. Unplug
this product from the wall outlet and refer
servicing to qualified service personnel
under the following conditions:
a. The power-supply cord or the plug has
been damaged; or
b. Objects have fallen onto, or liquid has
been spilled into, the product; or
c. The product has been exposed to rain or
water; or
d. The product does not operate normally
when following the operating instructions.
Adjust only those controls that are covered
by the operating instructions, as an
improper adjustment of other controls may
result in damage and will often require
extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the product to its normal operation;
or
e. The product has been dropped or
damagedin any way; or
f. The product exhibits a distinct change in
performance; this indicates a need for
service.

22. Replacement Parts. When replacement
parts are required, be sure the service
technician has used replacement parts
specified by the manufacturer or that have
the same characteristics as the original
part. Unauthorized substitutions may result
in fire, electric shock or other hazards.

23. Safety Check. Upon completion of any
service or repairs to this product, ask the
service technician to perform safety checks
to determine that the product is in proper
operating condition.

24. Wall or Ceiling Mounting. The product
should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only
as recommended by the manufacturer.

25. Heat. The product should be situated
away from heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves or other products
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.

Antenna Lead-In Wire

Ground Clamp

Antenna Discharge Unit (NEC Section 810-20)

Grounding Conductors (NEC Section 810-21)

Electric Service Equipment

Ground Clamps

Power Service Grounding Electrode System
(NEC Art 250, Part H)

Figure A.
Example of Antenna
Grounding as per National
Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: To prevent electric shock,

do not remove the grounding plug
on the power cord, or use any plug

or extension cord that does not have

a grounding plug provided.

Make certain that the

AC outlet is properly grounded.

Do not use an adapter plug

with this product.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol,
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to
alert the user to the presence of uninsulated

“dangerous voltage” within the product’s
enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the

literature accompanying the appliance.

3

INCLUDED

Four satellites for left, right and
surrounds. Wall-mount brackets.

One center-channel speaker
with adjustable support leg.

Powered subwoofer.

For more than 50 years, JBL
has been involved in every
aspect of music and film
recording and reproduction,
from live performances to
the recordings you play in
your home, car or office.

We’re confident that the
JBL system you have
chosen will provide

every note of enjoyment that
you expected – 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
complete the enclosed
profile card. It 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 Consumer Products

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING JBL

Two 20' speaker cables for
connection from receiver to
subwoofer.

Two 15' speaker cables for
connection from subwoofer to
front speakers.

Three 40' speaker cables for
connection from receiver to
left and right rear satellites
and center speaker.

4

Subwoofer

Surround Speakers

5

– 6 ft.

Front Speakers

0-2 ft.

The front speakers should be
placed the same distance
from each other as they are
from the listening position.
They should be placed at
about the same height from
the floor as the listeners’
ears will be, or they may be
angled toward the listeners.

The center-channel speaker
should be placed slightly
behind the front left and right
speakers, and no more than
two feet above or below the
tweeters of the left and right
speakers. It is often con­venient to set the center
speaker on top of the
television set, as shown
in the drawing. Use the
supplied support leg to
aim it toward the listener

by screwing the leg in to
angle the speaker up, or
unscrewing the leg slightly to
angle the speaker down.

The two surround speakers
should be placed slightly
behind the listening position
and, ideally, should face
each other and be at a level
higher than the listeners’
ears. If that is not possible,
they may be placed on a wall
behind the listening position,
facing forward. The surround
speakers should not call
attention to themselves.
Experiment with their
placement until you hear a
diffuse, ambient sound
accompanying the main­program material heard in
the front speakers.

The low-frequency material
reproduced by the
subwoofer is mostly omni­directional, and this speaker
may be placed in a con­venient location in the room.
However, bass reproduction
will be maximized when the
subwoofer is placed in a
corner along the same wall
as the front speakers.
Experiment with subwoofer
placement by temporarily
placing the subwoofer in the
listening position and moving
around the room until the
bass reproduction is best.
Place the subwoofer in that
location.

Center-Channel
Speaker

SPEAKER PLACEMENT

5

MOUNTING OPTIONS

Satellites and Surrounds

On shelves.

Wall-Mounting

Attach plate to wall. The
brackets should be placed,
if possible, so that the
screws will fasten into a
wooden wall stud. If that is
not possible, use properly
selected wall anchors.

The customer is
responsible for proper
selection and use of
mounting hardware,
available through
hardware stores, to
properly and safely
wall-mount the
speakers.

On the wall. Wall brackets
are included.

Slide speaker onto support.

On optional stands (FS400).

Place speaker and
support on wall plate.

6

Separate and strip the
ends of the speaker wire
as shown. Speakers and
electronics terminals have
corresponding (+) and (–)
terminals. Most manu­facturers of speakers and
electronics, including JBL,
use red to denote the (+)
terminal and black for the
(–) terminal.

The (+) lead of the speaker
wire is noted with a stripe. 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 surround­sound 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.

To connect the supplied
speaker wires to the satellite
and center speaker
terminals, press the red or
black plastic tab for the
desired terminal, insert the
bare end of the wire into the
hole and release the tab.
Gently tug on the wire to
make sure that it is fully
inserted.

To use the binding-post
speaker terminals on the
subwoofer, unscrew the
colored collar until the pass­through hole in the center
post is visible under the
collar. Insert the bare end of
the wire through this hole;
then screw the collar down
until the connection is tight.
The hole in the center of
each collar is intended for
use with banana-type
connectors.

SPEAKER CONNECTIONS

Connection Tips

7

Dolby*Pro Logic*(Non-Digital) – Speaker Level

Use this installation method
for Dolby Pro Logic appli­cations (not Dolby Digital,
DTS

®

or other digital
processing), where the
receiver/processor does not
have a subwoofer output, or
a volume-controlled preamp
(line-) level output:

Connect your receiver or
amplifier’s front left and right
speaker terminals to the left
and right terminals on the
subwoofer that are marked
“High Level In.” Connect the
left and right terminals on the
subwoofer that are marked
“High Level Out” to the cor­responding terminals on the
back of your front left and
right speakers.

Connect your receiver or
amplifier’s center, left and
right surround-speaker
terminals to the corre­sponding terminals on the
back of your center, left and
right surround speakers.

Right Front

Right Surround

Left Front

Left Surround

Center

+ – + –

+ –

+ –

+ –

+ –

+ –

Left Front Center

+ –

Left Surround

Right Front

+ –

Right Surround

+ –

Subwoofer

Receiver

HIGH LEVEL

+ – – +

L R

OUT

IN

Dolby Pro Logic (Non-Digital) – Line Level

8

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 volume-controlled
preamp (line-) level output:

Use RCA-type patch cords
to connect the line-level
subwoofer outputs on your
receiver or amplifier to the
line-level inputs on the
subwoofer. IMPORTANT: Do
not use the LFE input on the
subwoofer with Dolby

Pro Logic processors. Note: If
your receiver or amplifier only
has one subwoofer output
jack, then you will need to use
a Y-connector (not included).
Plug the male end of the Y­connector into your receiver
or amplifier’s subwoofer
output jack, and connect each
of the two female ends to
separate RCA-type patch
cords. Finally, plug the RCA­type patch cords into the line­level inputs on the subwoofer.

Connect each speaker to
the corresponding speaker
terminals on your receiver
or amplifier.

Make sure your receiver or
processor is correctly
configured to indicate that the
subwoofer is “On.”

Note for advanced users: If
your receiver/processor has a
built-in low-pass crossover
filter for the subwoofer output,
you may use the LFE input to
bypass the subwoofer’s
internal crossover.

Use this installation method
for Dolby Digital, DTS or other
digital surround processors:

Use the line-level input jack
marked “LFE” for the Low­Frequency Effects channel.
Connect this jack to the LFE
output or subwoofer output
on your receiver or amplifier.
Connect each speaker to the
corresponding speaker

terminals on your receiver
or amplifier.

Make sure that you have
configured your surround­sound processor for
“Subwoofer On.” The front
left, front right, center and
rear speakers should all be
set to “Small.”

Dolby Digital or DTS (or Other Digital Surround Mode) Connection

LINE LEVEL IN

LFE INPUT

LFE OUT

L

R

SUBWOOFERRECEIVER

+ –

+ –

+ –

+ –

+ –

+ –

+ –

+ –+ –

+ –

Receiver

Subwoofer

Out

Left

Front

Left

Rear

Right
Front

Right

Rear

Subwoofer

R L

R

L

Center

Line-

Level

In

Right Surround

Right Front

Left Surround

Left Front

Center

9

OPERATION

MIN MAX

Subwoofer

Level

MIN MAX

Subwoofer

Level

Move the Master Power
switch (marked “Power” ¡)
to the “•” (On) position to use
the subwoofer. The SCS150
subwoofer will automatically
turn itself on or go into
standby (sleep) mode when
left in the standby mode
(“Auto/On” switch ™ 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. When the sub­woofer senses an audio signal,
it will automatically turn itself
on. If the subwoofer does
not sense a signal after
approximately twenty minutes,
it will automatically go into
standby mode.

When the “Auto/On” switch
™ is switched to the “On”
position, the subwoofer will
remain on, whether or not
program material is playing.
If you will 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

POWER

HIGH LEVEL

+ – – +

SUBWOOFER

LEVEL

OUT

IN

L R

LINE LEVEL IN

LFE

L

R

AUTO ON

MIN MAX

SUB 150

AC 120V~60Hz

250 Watts

3.15A/250V
TYPE T

£

¡

™

IMPORTANT: CONNECT STRIPED WIRE TO RED ( ) SPEAKER TERMINAL.

GREEN: ON
RED: STANDBY

+

AVIS : RISQUE DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE-NE PAS OUVRIR

WARNING: FOR CONTINUED
PROTECTION AGAINST RISK

OF FIRE, REPLACE ONLY WITH

SAME TYPE 3.15A, 250 VOLT FUSE

AVERTISSEMENT: UTILISEZ UN

FUSIBLE DE RECHANGE DE MEME

TYPE 3.15A, 250V

A Harman International Company

JBL, Incorporated

This area is designed to become quite warm

during normal operation

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
AVERTISSEMENT: POUR PRÉVENIR LES RISQUES D'INCENDIE
OU DE CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE, ÉVITER D'EXPOSER CET APPAREIL
A LA PLUIE OU A L'HUMIDITÉ.

Volume can be adjusted
using the Subwoofer Level
Control £ (above), as shown
below.

10

If there is no sound from any
of the speakers:

• Check that receiver/amplifier
is on and a source is playing.

• Check that the powered
subwoofer is plugged in, and
its

Power switch ¡ is
switched on to the “•”
position.

• Check all wires and con­nections between receiver/
amplifier and speakers. Make
sure all wires are connected.
Make sure none of the
speaker wires are frayed,
cut or punctured.

• Review proper operation of
your receiver/amplifier.

If there is no sound coming
from one speaker:

• Check the “Balance” control
on your receiver/amplifier.

• Check all wires and con­nections between receiver/
amplifier and speakers. Make
sure all wires are connected.
Make sure none of the
speaker wires are frayed,
cut or punctured.

• In Dolby Digital or DTS
modes, make sure that the
receiver/processor is
configured so that the speaker
in question is enabled.

• Turn off all electronics and
switch the speaker in question
with one of the other speakers

that is working correctly. Turn
everything back on, and
determine whether the
problem is in the same place,
i.e., the speaker that was
working previously now has
no sound and the speaker that
was not working now sounds
fine; or whether it has moved,
i.e., the speaker that was not
working still has no sound and
the speaker that was working
is still fine. If the problem is in
the same place, the source of
the problem is most likely with
your receiver or amplifier, and
you should consult the owner’s
manual for that product for
further information.

If the
problem has followed the
speaker, consult your dealer
for further assistance or, if
that is not possible, visit our
Web site at www.jbl.com for
further information.

If there is no sound from the
center speaker:

• Check all wires and
connections between
receiver/amplifier and
speaker. Make sure all wires
are connected. Make sure
none of the speaker wires are
frayed, cut or punctured.

• If your receiver/processor is
set in Dolby Pro Logic mode,
make sure the center speaker

is not in phantom mode.

• If your receiver/processor
is set in Dolby Digital or DTS
mode, make sure the
receiver/processor is con­figured so that the center
speaker is enabled.

If the system plays at low
volumes but shuts off as
volume is increased:

• Check all wires and con­nections between receiver/
amplifier and speakers. Make
sure all wires are connected.
Make sure none of the
speaker wires are frayed, cut
or punctured.

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

If there is low (or no) bass
output:

• Make sure the connections
to the left and right “Speaker
Inputs” have the correct
polarity (+ and –).

• Make sure the subwoofer
is plugged into an active
electrical outlet.

• Make sure the powered
subwoofer is plugged in

, and

its

Power switch ¡ is
switched on to the “•”
position.

TROUBLESHOOTING

11

• In Dolby Digital or DTS
modes, make sure your
receiver/processor is
configured so that the sub­woofer and LFE output
are enabled.

If there is no sound from
the surround speakers:

• Check all wires and con­nections between receiver/
amplifier and speakers. Make
sure all wires are connected.
Make sure none of the
speaker wires are frayed, cut
or punctured.

• Review proper operation of
your receiver/amplifier and its
surround-sound features.

• Make sure the movie or TV
show you are watching is
recorded in a surround-sound
mode. If it is not, check to see
if your receiver/ amplifier has
other surround modes you
may use.

•

In Dolby Digital or DTS modes,
make sure your receiver/
processor is configured so that
the surround speakers are
enabled.

• Review the operation of your
DVD player and the jacket of
your DVD to make sure that
the DVD features the desired
Dolby Digital or DTS mode,
and that you have properly
selected that mode using both
the DVD player’s menu and the
DVD disc’s menu.