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LS320 Loudspeaker System
Owners
Manual
McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: 607-723-3512 FAX: 607-724-0549
LS320
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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.
General:
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Warning: To reduce risk of fire or electrical shock,
do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture.
This unit 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.
6. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.
Installation:
7. Install in accordance with the manufacturers instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other equipment (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Do not use this equipment near water.
10. 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.
11. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod,
bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the equipment. When a
cart is used, use caution when moving the
cart/equipment combination to avoid injury
from tip-over.
Care of Equipment:
12. Clean only with a dry cloth.
13. Do not permit objects or liquids of any kind to be
pushed, spilled and/or fall into the equipment through
enclosure openings.
Repair of Equipment:
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the equipment has been damaged in any way, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the equipment, the equipment has been
exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally,
or has been dropped.
15. Do not attempt to service beyond that described in the
operating instructions. All other service should be referred to qualified service personnel.
16. When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by
McIntosh or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire,
electric shock, or other hazards.
17. 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.
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Thank You
Table of Contents
Your decision to own this McIntosh LS320 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:
Technical Assistance
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: 607-723-1545
Fax: 607-723-3636
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: 607-723-3515
Fax: 607-723-1917
Safety Instructions ............................................................. 2
Thank You and Please Take a Moment .............................. 3
Technical Assistance and Customer Service ..................... 3
Table of Contents and General Notes ................................ 3
Introduction ....................................................................... 4
Performance Features ........................................................ 4
Dimensions ...................................................................5 - 6
Installation ......................................................................... 7
How to Connect ................................................................. 8
Front and Rear Views ........................................................ 9
Specifications .................................................................. 10
Packing Instruction .......................................................... 11
General Notes
1. It is very important that loudspeaker cables of adequate size
be used in your music system, to ensure that there will be no
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 your loudspeaker cables are 25 feet (7.62m) or less,
use at least 18 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.
If your loudspeaker cables are 50 feet (38.1m) or less,
use at least 16 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.
If your loudspeaker cables are 100 feet (76.2m) or less,
use at least 14 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 owners
manual(s) for any component(s) connected to the LS320
Loudspeaker.
3. The LS320 has built-in speaker protection in the form of two
automatic resetting solid-state devices as part of the
crossover network. One protects the tweeter and the other the
woofer. The characteristics of this protection are that a
certain amount of overdrive is allowed but extended periods
of overdrive will trigger protection. If an obvious lack of high
or low frequencies is noticed, the Loudspeaker Protection
Device may have activated. Sound output from the
Loudspeaker Element affected will be reduced when the
protection is triggered. The protection device will
automatically reset when the volume control is reduced
significantly and kept low until the output of the affected
Loudspeaker Element returns to normal.
Copyright 2000 ã by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
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Introduction
The McIntosh LS320 Loudspeaker System is designed for
Home Theater and Music Reproduction. It is a two-way
system with one 8 inch LD/HP
dome tweeter. The LS320 is designed to work as a Left or
Right (Main) Loudspeaker in a Music System or as a Main
or Surround Loudspeaker, in a Home Theater System.
The LS320 Loudspeaker performance is equivalent to
the quality of McIntoshs 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.
Many of todays loudspeakers are designed only for
Home Theater applications. Not so with the LS320. It is
also designed for the accurate reproduction of music. Motion picture sound effects, explosions, screams, and vehicle
crashes require a wide dynamic range and high sound levels. These sounds are such that a speaker system having
moderate distortion would reproduce them with little audible difference. This is not true with the reproduction of
music. Music is by nature and definition harmonious. To
reproduce it 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
LS320 Loudspeaker System. Each loudspeaker element
and crossover component has been carefully designed for
durability, efficiency, and above all, low distortion. The
McIntosh LS320 Loudspeaker System will reproduce music accurately and function as an excellent Home Theater
Loudspeaker.
1
woofer and one 1 inch
Performance Features
Introduction and Performance Features
Patented LD/HP Technology
The McIntosh Low Frequency Loudspeaker Element
features the patented LD/HP motor structure. This design,
when compared to conventional Loudspeaker Elements,
reduces distortion significantly. It also increases power
handling and efficiency.
Shielded Magnetic Field
The LS320 may be used in Home Theater Installations
near a television receiver or monitor without causing the
television image to degrade. McIntosh has designed special
shielding around the magnetic structure of the LS320
Loudspeaker Elements to prevent interference.
High Power Handling
The Loudspeaker Elements and crossover components of
the LS320 are all chosen for use with powerful amplifiers
up to 200 watts.
High Efficiency
The Loudspeaker Elements used in the LS320 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.
Automatic Overload Protection
The LS320 has built-in Loudspeaker Element Protection in
the form of two automatic resetting solid-state devices as a
part of the crossover network.
Gold Plated Input Connectors
The LS320 input connectors are gold plated for superior
corrosion resistance and high electrical conductivity.
Acoustic Edge-Hole Elimination
An edge-hole is a severe dip in the high frequency
response of a speaker system, caused by the relative
distance of the dome tweeter to the edge of the speaker
cabinet. If the distance to the edge of the cabinet is the
same on both sides of the dome tweeter, cancellation of the
sound occurs at a specific frequency. McIntosh guards
against this phenomenon with a special tweeter mounting
that eliminates the edge-hole effect. A specially designed
tweeter bezel and perforated grill mask the tweeter
mounting to maintain a symmetrical appearance.
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1
LD/HP Pat. No. 5,151,943
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LS320 Dimensions
The following dimensions can assist in determining the
best location for your LS320 Loudspeaker System. There is
additional information on the next page pertaining to installing the LS320 into cabinets.
Dimensions
Front View of LS320
with Grill Removed
Rear View of LS320
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Side View of LS320
with Grill
Dimensions
Side View of LS320
with Grill Removed
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Installation
Installation
Locating your Loudspeakers
Loudspeaker placement in a room can greatly affect
performance. The LS320 is designed to work as a Left or
Right (Main) Loudspeaker in a Music System or as a Main
or Surround Loudspeaker, in a Home Theater System.
The optimal method for selecting speaker locations includes the use of a real time spectrum analyzer operated by
an experienced system installer. An uncompromising installation would take into consideration the floor, wall and
ceiling coverings, the type and placement of furniture and
can even include the architectural design of the room and
its construction materials.
Locating Loudspeakers for use in Home Theater
In a Home Theater application, the placement of Left and
Right Front Loudspeakers can be limited by such
considerations as the size and location of the video
monitor, but the locating suggestions in the for use in a
Music System section below can still be helpful. Side
Surround Loudspeakers work best located to either side of
and above the listening position, the same distance from
the monitor. Back Surround Loudspeakers work best on the
back wall. Refer to figure 1.
right speakers arrive at the same time, the distance from
each loudspeaker to the listener should be as close to the
same as possible. Refer to figure 2. The LS320 Tweeter
should be level with the listeners ears and placement on a
stand is often a good way to achieve this.
Placement near a wall, corner, floor, ceiling or any intersecting surfaces will reinforce some bass frequencies.
Which bass frequencies are boosted by placement in a particular location is dependant on the dimensions of the
room. Smaller speakers like the LS320 can sometimes benefit from this boost, if it occurs at the desired frequencies.
Test the various loudspeaker locations by playing music
with continuous bass, setting up the speakers and listening
to them from the main listening spot. Move the loudspeakers to an alternate location and repeat the listening, paying
attention to how the bass qualities and response levels
change. Do not assume the loudest bass is best; rather listen for booming or a lack of articulation, as well as a balance over the whole spectrum, to assure the bass will not
drown out the other parts of the music spectrum.
Experiment with various loudspeaker positions until the
locations that sound best are found.
Locating Loudspeakers for use in a Music System
When used as Left and Right Speakers, the distance
between the two loudspeakers should not exceed the
distance between the listener and either loudspeaker. If the
speakers are too far apart relative to the listener, some
imaging can be lost. To assure the sound from the left and
Figure 1
Figure 2
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How to Connect
The McIntosh LS320 Loudspeaker System utilizes binding
posts for speaker wire connections. Refer to figure 3.
1. Connect a loudspeaker cable from the black (negative - )
loudspeaker binding post to the negative or common
output terminal of one channel of the amplifier.
2. Connect a loudspeaker cable from the red (positive +)
loudspeaker binding post to the positive or 4 ohm output
terminal of the same channel of the amplifier.
3. Tighten all of the loudspeaker and amplifier binding
posts.
Speaker Connections
Figure 3
-
+
To Amplifier Terminals
How to Connect
Right Front Loudspeaker Left Front Loudspeaker
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1 inch Dome Tweeter
Front and Rear Views
-
+
Connecting Terminals
8 inch LD/HP
Woofer
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Specifications
Driver Complement
8 inch Woofer
1 inch Dome Tweeter
Impedance
4 ohms Nominal
Frequency Response
60Hz - 20kHz
Sensitivity
86dB (2.8V/1m)
Crossover Frequency
1.5kHz
Power Handling
200 Watts Maximum
+ 2dB (Anechoic Response)
Specifications
Dimensions
17 inches (42.5cm) Height, 10.25 inches (25.62cm) Width,
10-5/8 inches (26.99cm) Depth (including Grill)
Standard Finish
Black Ash, Natural Cherry, Red Cherry
Premium Finish
Rosewood Gloss, Piano Black
Weight (each)
28 pounds (12.7kg) net, 33 pounds (15kg) in shipping
carton
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Packing Instructions
In the event it is necessary to repack the equipment for
shipment, the equipment must be packed exactly as received. Failure to do this will result in shipping damage.
Use the original shipping carton and interior parts only
if they are all in good serviceable condition. If a shipping
carton or any of the interior part(s) are needed, please call
or write Customer Service Department of McIntosh Laboratory.
Packing Instructions
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McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, NY 13903
McIntosh Part No. 040733
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