JL Audio IWS-SYS-2, IWS-SYS-1 User Manual
Owner’s Manual
IWS-SYS-1
IWS-SYS-2
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS PRODUCT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
AMP PANEL OR SPEAKER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
1) Read the Instructions — All safety and operating instructions should be
read before the subwoofer is operated.
2) Retain the Instructions — e safety and operating instructions should be
retained for future reference.
3) Heed Warnings — All warnings on the subwoofer and in the operating
instructions should be followed.
e lightning ash 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
sucient magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock to persons.
e exclamation point within an
equilateral triangle is intended to alert the
user to the presence of important operating
and maintenance instructions in the
literature accompanying the product.
4) Follow Instructions — All operating and use instructions should
be followed.
5) Water and Moisture — e subwoofer should NOT be used near water – for
example, near a bathtub, washbowl, sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement,
near a swimming pool, etc.
6) Ventilation — e subwoofer amplier should be situated so that its location
or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example,
the subwoofer amplier should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or
similar surface that may block airow over the heatsink ns. If placing the
subwoofer amplier in a “built-in” installation, ensure that airow to the heat
sinks are not impeded. Do not cover the amplier heatsink with tablecloths,
curtains, etc.
9) Heat and Flames — e subwoofer and amplier should be situated away
from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, replaces, or other
devices which produce heat. Do not place candles on top of or near the
subwoofer or amplier.
10) Power sources — e subwoofer should only be connected to a power supply of
the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the product.
11) 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 the subwoofer.
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12) Cleaning — e subwoofer and amplier should be cleaned only as
recommended in the operating instructions.
13) Nonuse Periods — e power cord of the subwoofer amp should be
unplugged from the outlet when the subwoofer is le unused for long periods
of time.
14) Lightning and Power Surges — We recommend that you disconnect the
subwoofer amp from the electrical outlet during electrical storms and/or
recurring power interruptions to prevent damage due to power surges.
15) Object or Liquid Entry — Care should be taken so that objects do not fall
into and liquids are not spilled onto the subwoofer enclosure. Do not expose
the subwoofer to dripping or splashing from liquids. Do not place objects
lled with liquids on top of, or near the subwoofer or amplier. For example:
ower vases, beverages, liquid-fueled lamps, etc.
16) Damage Requiring Service — e subwoofer should be serviced by qualied
service personnel when:
a. the power-supply cord or plug has been damaged
b. objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the subwoofer
c. the subwoofer has been exposed to rain
d. the subwoofer does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked
change in performance
e. the subwoofer has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged
f. the subwoofer driver’s cone and/or suspension has been
physically damaged
WARNING
17) Servicing — e user should not attempt to service the subwoofer beyond
what is described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be
referred to qualied service personnel.
18) Overloading — Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or outlet strips
as this can result in a risk of re or electric shock.
19) Grounding — is subwoofer is supplied with a three-prong, grounded
power cord. Precautions should be taken so that the grounding means of the
subwoofer are not defeated. Defeating the grounding prong on the subwoofer
power cord could increase the risk of electric shock and could result in
permanent damage to the subwoofer’s electronics.
THIS SUBWOOFER IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HIGH SOUND
PRESSURE LEVELS. PLEASE EXERCISE RESTRAINT IN ITS OPERATION TO
PROTECT YOUR HEARING FROM PERMANENT DAMAGE.
Page 3 | Fathom IWS
FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT
NOTE: is equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. ese limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in
a residential installation. is equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment o and on, the user is encouraged to try to
correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent from that to which the
receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Important Safety Instructions: ......................................... 2-3
Introduction:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Product Overview: ...................................................... 5
Placing your Fathom IWS in Your Listening Room: ...................... 6-10
Front Control Panel Layout: ..............................................11
Rear Control and Connector Panel Layout: ................................11
Front Panel Controls in Detail: ........................................12-15
Connecting your Fathom IWS(s): ......................................16-23
Recommended Setup Procedure: ......................................24-28
Frequently Asked Questions: ............................................ 29
Troubleshooting: ...................................................... 30
Limited Warranty / Service Information: ..................................31
Specications: ......................................................... 32
JL AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDED
IN Fathom IWS SUBWOOFERS
DMA-Optimized Motor System
DMA is JL Audio’s proprietary Dynamic
Motor Analysis system aimed at
improving dynamic motor behavior. As a
result of DMA optimization, loudspeaker
motors remain linear in force over an
extreme range of excursion and also
maintain a highly stable xed magnetic
eld over a wide power range. is leads
to vastly reduced distortion and faithfully
reproduced transients... or put simply:
tight, clean, articulate bass.
Concentric Tube Suspension
(U.S. Patent #5,734,132 & #6,095,280)
e suspension technology of the Fathom
IWS driver permits high linear excursions
within a very shallow frame design.
Floating-Cone™ Attach Method
(U.S. Patent #6,501,844)
is assembly technique ensures proper
surround geometry in the assembled
speaker for better excursion control and
dynamic voice coil alignment.
Plateau-Reinforced Spider Attachment
(U.S. Patent #6,118,884)
is high-integrity suspension attachment
relieves stress from the spider material at
high-excursions for enhanced reliability.
High-Damping Feedback Circuit
(U.S. Patent #6,441,685)
is proprietary, discrete control circuit
design allows our Class D switching
ampliers to maintain an excellent
damping factor for improved transient
behavior and delity.
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of a JL Audio Fathom powered subwoofer
system. is product has been critically engineered to deliver exceptional
performance in your home theater or audio system for many years to come.
As a company, we are intensely committed to core research into
high-performance loudspeaker and amplier technologies. JL Audio’s long
excursion subwoofer driver designs are widely considered as reference standards for
linear behavior and high output. We have also focused our eorts to create powerful
amplier and signal-processing technologies specically aimed at delivering
exceptional low-frequency performance. Your Fathom combines these core
disciplines within a compact, beautifully craed package to deliver an unparalleled
listening experience.
We sincerely thank you for your purchase and invite you to read this
manual thoroughly in order to achieve the highest level of performance with
your Fathom IWS subwoofer system. Enjoy.
| Fathom IWSPage 4
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
JL Audio Fathom IWS subwoofers combine a state-of-the-art
JL Audio subwoofer driver and electronics/amplier package with a highly
optimized enclosure to deliver an exceptional listening experience in your home
theater or home audio system.
e subwoofer driver in your Fathom subwoofer system is capable of
outstanding linear excursion without distress or audible distortion. is
reference-quality driver enables your Fathom to reproduce powerful low
frequency events with stunning impact and unprecedented accuracy.
To get the most from this long excursion driver platform, prodigious amounts
of controlled power are needed. Our electronics engineering team conducted
an intense analysis of typical program material and its dynamic demands in
order to balance current draw and actual output power requirements relative to
the system’s impedance characteristics. Aer careful study, a pair of precisely
engineered switching ampliers employing patented feedback technology
were created. ese advanced designs are capable of unclipped output voltages
equivalent to 1000 watts (System 1) and 2000 watts (System 2) of RMS power
when referenced to the nominal loudspeaker impedance, allowing us to take full
advantage of each driver’s full excursion envelope.
e beautiful cabinet enclosing the workings of your Fathom is also the result
of careful engineering. To contain the pressures created by the Fathom driver,
we utilized CNC-cut, cabinet-grade baltic birch plywood with extensive internal
bracing features and advanced assembly techniques.
Your listening room is the other enclosure that aects the way your bass will
sound. All rooms create a specic sonic signature, which must be eectively
managed to achieve well-balanced low frequency performance. To aid in this
process, the Fathom includes an extensive set of signal processing tools aimed
at optimizing your Fathom’s performance within your listening space. ese
features include JL Audio’s exclusive Automatic Room Optimization system.
As you can see from this brief introduction, there is a lot of technology in
this in-wall subwoofer. e contents of this manual will explain the features,
guide you through the setup and tuning of your Fathom subwoofer and help you
achieve your ultimate low-frequency listening experience.
IMPORTAN T
If you require assistance, we urge you to contact your authorized
JL Audio retailer for expert setup advice and service.
IMPORTANT! IT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA TO READ THE NEXT SECTION BEFORE
UNPACKING YOUR FATHOM IWS. UNPACKING THE SUBWOOFER NEAR ITS
FINAL LOCATION IS RECOMMENDED.
Page 5 | Fathom IWS
PLACING YOUR FATHOM IWS CABINETS IN YOUR LISTENING ROOM:
Your listening room or theater is an integral part of your sound reproduction
system. e physical dimensions of the room and its furnishings, materials,
doors and windows play an important role in dening how your system sounds.
When you place a sound source in an enclosed rectangular space, “standing
waves” are created, resulting from the relationship between the sound’s
wavelength and your room’s dimensions. In other words, standing waves result
from sound energy that is trapped in the room as it bounces back and forth
between opposing walls. Standing waves in the room create acoustic peaks and
dips where the sound is either louder or soer, based solely on your physical
position in the room. Energy also “builds up” at the room’s boundaries, creating
exaggerated bass response at certain frequencies. ese fundamental room
resonances are called room “modes.”
e moral of this mode story is to try and avoid seating positions in standing
wave peak or dip regions. It is highly recommended that you place your listening
chairs in areas where modal peaks and dips are moderate and do not reinforce
one another. e two most obvious areas to avoid are those near the exact center
of the room and those close to any of the room’s walls.
Just as your listening seat can be in a peak or dip region, so can your
subwoofer. When placed in a room corner, a subwoofer maximally excites the
room’s mode structure, creating the strongest output with the fewest dips. When
the subwoofer is pulled away from a corner or wall, the room modes are excited
less, which can alter the sound at your listening seat.
Be sure to experiment with both your listening seat position and subwoofer
position to nd the best solution. Careful experimentation usually leads to a
superior sounding system. Use our setup suggestions (illustrated on the opposing
page and the following pages) to get you started.
If you cannot avoid placing your sofa against the back wall or your
subwoofer in a less than optimal position, all is not lost. Your Fathom IWS’s
Automatic Room Optimization (A.R.O.) System can dramatically improve
these less-than-ideal situations.
We recommend that you begin by placing your Fathom IWS enclosure in
the front of the room, near the front le or right speaker, but not directly in
the corner of the room. Because the IWS enclosures are built into the walls,
you cannot move them later if the corner-loaded bass turns out to be too strong.
Please refer to the following illustrations for further placement ideas.
We recommend that you avoid placing the Fathom IWS enclosures near
windows to prevent rattling and sound transmission to the outside world.
If you are planning to install your Fathom
IWS amplier inside a cabinet, please refer
to the guidelines on page 8.
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Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for One Fathom IWS Enclosure
MORE INTENSE
AVOID
CORNER
PLACEMENT
SMOOTHER
RECOMMENDED
SUBWOOFER
PLACEMENT
ZONES
(For Single Subwoofer)
MORE INTENSE
SMOOTHER
AVOID
CORNER
PLACEMENT
COMPROMISED SEATING POSITIONS
(Results in weaker, uneven bass performance)
BEST SEATING POSITIONS
(Most accurate bass performance)
COMPROMISED SEATING POSITIONS
(More intense, but less accurate bass performance)
CENTERLINE OF ROOM
APPROX. 1/3 OF TOTAL ROOM
LENGTH AWAY FROM BACK WALL
CLOSE TO BACK WALL OF ROOM
WORST
SEAT
Page 7 | Fathom IWS
SPECIAL AMPLIFIER CONSIDERATIONS FOR RACK MOUNTING
OR CUSTOM CABINET INSTALLATIONS
Fathom IWS ampliers are designed to be “built-in” friendly. All typically
needed controls are located on the front panel. A Fathom IWS amp can be easily
integrated into an equipment rack or custom cabinetry by following a few simple
guidelines.
1) Allow adequate clear space around the Fathom IWS amp’s side-mounted
heatsinks for adequate cooling. Also allow space behind the amp for
connector clearance.
2) e Fathom IWS amp ships ready to be mounted in a standard
equipment rack.
3) e Fathom IWS amplier also includes table-top hardware. Special front-
panel end covers that replace the rack ears and rubber feet are included
with the IWS amp. To use the amp on a table top, simply remove the hex
screws that attach the rack ears and then install the covers. e rubber
feet screw into threaded holes in the bottom of the amplier case.
4) While the Fathom IWS amp generally runs only warm during spirited operation,
we do recommend that adequate heat vents are included in any custom cabinet
which encloses the Fathom IWS amp. A pair of 3 inch (7.5 cm) diameter
vents near the bottom of the cabinet and near the top of the cabinet, will allow
cool air to circulate over the heatsinks of your Fathom IWS amp keeping it cool
and happy.
Rack Ears
End Covers
| Fathom IWSPage 8
Using Two Fathom IWS Enclosures
When using two Fathom IWS
boxes, try placement along the front
wall near the front le and right
speakers, or at the center points of
opposing walls as shown at right.
Experimentation with listener
placement is recommended to
achieve the best results – the
benets can be substantial.
High-resolution measurements
and professional system calibration
are recommended for the best possible
results & system performance.
Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Two Fathom IWS boxes
Page 9 | Fathom IWS
Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Three Fathom IWSs
1 2
1 2
3
3
Using Three or Four Fathom IWS
boxes
Research indicates that the
smoothest bass response for a large
listening area can be achieved using
four subwoofers, placing one at
the midpoint of each of the four
walls (although using two or three
subwoofers can be almost as good).
Experimentation with
subwoofer and listener
placement is recommended to
achieve the best results – the
benets can be substantial.
High-resolution measurements
and professional system calibration
are recommended for the best possible
results & system performance.
Recommended Subwoofer Placement Options for Four Fathom IWSs
1 2
1
3 4
3
24
1 2
3 4
| Fathom IWSPage 10
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