Mcintosh HT-3 owners Manual

Loudspeaker System

Flush Mount

Surface Mount

HT-3

Owner’s Manual

Manufactured under license from Lucasfilm Ltd.. Additionally licensed under the following
patent U. S. number 5,043,970. Foreign patents pending. Lucasfilm THX Audio and Home
THX Cinema are trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd.. Lucasfilm is a trademark of lucasfilm Ltd..

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone]

WARNING - TO REDUCE RISK OF

FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO

NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO

RAIN OR MOISTURE.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONS!

PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE

OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS

INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

To prevent the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover or

back. No user serviceable parts inside.

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.

8. This apparatus is capable of producing high
sound pressure levels. Continued exposure to
high sound pressure levels can cause permanent
hearing impairment or loss. User caution is
advised and ear protection is recommended when
playing at high volumes.

9. Do not install near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce
heat.

10. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.

11. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table specified by the manufacturer,
or sold with the apparatus. When a
cart is used, use caution when
moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid injury from
tip-over.

12. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has
been damaged in any way, liquid has been spilled
or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the
apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture,
does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

13. Do not expose this equipment to dripping or
splashing and ensure that no objects filled with
liquids, such as vases, are placed on the
equipment.

2

Thank You

Table of Contents

Your decision to own this McIntosh HT-3 Loudspeaker
System ranks you at the very top among discriminating
music listeners. You now have “The Best.” The McIntosh
dedication to “Quality,” is assurance that you will receive
many years of musical enjoyment from this unit.

Please take a short time to read the information in this
manual. We want you to be as familiar as possible with all
the features and functions of your new McIntosh.

Please Take A Moment

The serial number, purchase date and McIntosh Dealer
name are important to you for possible insurance claim or
future service. The spaces below have been provided for
you to record that information:

Serial Number:
Purchase Date:
Dealer Name:

T echnical Assist ance

If at any time you have questions about your McIntosh
product, contact your McIntosh Dealer who is familiar
with your McIntosh equipment and any other brands that
may be part of your system. If you or your Dealer wish ad­ditional help concerning a suspected problem, you can re­ceive technical assistance for all McIntosh products at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Safety Instructions............................................................. 2

Thank You and Please Take a Moment ............................. 3

T echnical Assistance and Customer Service..................... 3

Table of Contents and Important Information................... 3

Introduction ....................................................................... 4

Performance Features ........................................................ 5

Dimensions........................................................................ 6

Installation using the Flush Mount HT-3 ........................ 10

Installation using the Surface Mount HT-3 ..................... 12

How to Connect............................................................... 14

Specifications .................................................................. 22

Packing Instruction.......................................................... 23

Important Information

1. Loudspeaker Cables of adequate size are important to ensure
that there will be no significant power loss or heating. Cable
size is specified in Gauge numbers or AWG (American Wire
Gauge). The smaller the Gauge number, the larger the wire
size:

If the Loudspeaker Cables are 25 feet (7.62m) or less, use at
least 16 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.
If the Loudspeaker Cables are 50 feet (38.1m) or less, use at
least 14 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.
If the Loudspeaker Cables are 100 feet (76.2m) or less, use at
least 12 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.
The Loudspeaker Connection Terminals can accept up to 12
Gauge (AWG) wire.

2. For additional connection information, refer to the owner’s
manual(s) for any component(s) connected to the HT-3
Loudspeaker.

Customer Service

If it is determined that your McIntosh product is in need of
repair, you can return it to your Dealer. You can also return
it to the McIntosh Laboratory Service Department. For as­sistance on factory repair return procedure, contact the
McIntosh Service Department at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Copyright 2004 © by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

3

Introduction

The McIntosh HT-3 Loudspeaker System is designed for
Home Theater and Music Reproduction. It is a two-way
system with two 5-inch low frequency and two 1-inch
dome tweeters. The HT-3 is designed to work as Surround
Loudspeaker in a Home Theater System.

The HT-3 Loudspeaker performance is equivalent to
the quality of McIntosh’s legendary line of Amplifiers,
Preamplifiers, Signal Processors and Signal Sources, with­out imparting distortion or coloration of its own. It also
complements the capabilities and the remarkably low dis­tortion of McIntosh Power Amplifiers.

To reproduce sound accurately, all forms of distortion,
both harmonic and intermodulation, must be kept to a
minimum. This has been the result of the design of the new
McIntosh HT-3 Loudspeaker System. Each loudspeaker
element and crossover component has been carefully de­signed for durability, efficiency, and above all, low distor­tion. The McIntosh HT-3 Loudspeaker System will func­tion as an excellent Home Theater Loudspeaker Surround
Loudspeaker.

Performance Features

High Performance Drivers

•

Each HT-3 enclosure contains two 5-inch Polypropylene
Low Frequency Drivers and two 1-inch Aluminum Dome
High Frequency Drivers arranged in an Antiphase Dipole,
Mirror Image configuration.

Introduction and Performance FeaturesIntroduction and Performance Features

Minimum Visual Impact

•

The HT-3s offer a unique solution to the problem of inte­grating superb surround sound into a room without draw­ing attention to the Loudspeakers. The removable metal
grilles can be custom painted or wall papered to perfectly
match your decor.

Sealed Enclosures

•

A sealed solidly braced enclosure is used in both the Sur­face Mount and Flush Mount version for superior sound
and freedom from bleeding into adjacent rooms.

Gold Plated Input Connectors

•

The HT-3 input connectors are gold plated for superior
corrosion resistance and high electrical conductivity.

• •

• THX

• •

The HT-3 Surround Loudspeaker System meets and ex­ceeds the performance requirements of the THX Standard
for the best possible reproduction of a film sound track
that was originally created for use in a movie theater.

®

Approved

Special Crossover

•

At frequencies below 350Hz both Low Frequency Drivers
operate in-phase; above 350Hz both the Low Frequency
Drivers and Tweeters operate out-of-phase thus providing
the desired diffused surround effect. Both the Low and
High Frequency Drivers are crossed over at a 12dB per
octave rate.

High Efficiency

•

The Loudspeaker Elements used in the HT-3 Loudspeaker
System have also been designed for high efficiency. As a
result any McIntosh Power Amplifier, even our smallest,
will provide satisfying room filling sound, yet they can be
used with amplifiers up to 200 watts.

4

THX® is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm, Ltd.