McIntosh XCS1K User Manual

Loudspeaker System

XCS1K

Owner’s Manual

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 non-abrasive dry soft cloth.

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

8. Th is Loudspeaker is capable of producing
extremely high sound pressure levels, even
when connected to amplifiers of moderate
power output. User caution is advised. Ear
protection is recommended when playing at
high volumes as continued exposure to high
sound pressure levels can cause permanent
hearing impair ment or loss. The use of a
Sound Level Pressure Meter will greatly aid
in determining when high volume levels are
occurring.

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 so ld wi t h th e ap pa ra t u s .
When a cart is used, use caution
when moving the car t/apparat us
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 ensu re that no objects filled
with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the
equipment.

14. WARN ING : When this Loud speake r i s
connected to an amplifier that is Powered On,
the connection terminals may have hazardous
live voltages present with a risk of electric
shock.

15 . CAUT ION: Wh en thi s Loud spe ake r i s

assembled it weighs 133 pounds (60.3 kgs). It
requires two or more persons to safely move
the Loudspeaker.

2

Thank You

Table of Contents

Your decision to own this McIntosh XCS1K 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 listening 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: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

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]

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

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

Technical Assistance and Customer Service ....................3

Table of Contents and General Information .....................3

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

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

Dimensions ....................................................................6-7

Installation ........................................................................ 8

How to Connect using a single Amplifier ........................ 9

How to Connect using two Amplifiers .......................10-11

How to Connect using three Amplifiers .................... 12-13

Specifications .................................................................. 14

Packing Instruction .........................................................15

General Information

Caution: The XCS1K weight is 133 pounds (60.3kg). It re­quires two or more persons to safely handle the Loudspeaker
System.

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 50 feet (38.1m) or less,
use at least 12 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.
If the Loudspeaker Cables are 100 feet (76.2m) or less,
use at least 10 Gauge (AWG) wire size or larger.

2. For additional connection information, refer to the owner’s
manual(s) for any component(s) connected to the XCS1K
Loudspeaker.

3. The XCS1K’s built-in speaker protection incorporates five
automatic resetting solid-state devices in the crossover
networks. One protects the tweeters, one for the midranges
and three for the woofers. The protection allows a certain
amount of overdrive but extended periods will trigger pro­tection. If an obvious lack of high, mid or low frequencies
is noticed, the Protection Device may have activated. These
devices will automatically reset when the volume level is
reduced significantly and kept low until the output of the
affected Loudspeaker Element returns to normal.

4. When the XCS1K Loudspeaker System is driven by more
than one amplifier, the output levels of the different ampli­fiers connected to the Loudspeaker System must be adjusted
to achieve a proper balance between the low, midrange
and high frequencies reproduced. This adjustment is best
achieved through the use of audio test equipment operated
by a qualified installer.

3

Copyright 2008 © by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

3

Introduction

The new McIntosh XCS1K Loudspeaker System is a
Center Channel Loudspeaker capable of reproducing the
full dynamic range of a symphony orchestra with very low
audible distortion. It is the perfect match to the famous
XCS1K Column Loudspeakers, when used in a Home
Theater/Music System. It uses the same acoustic technol­ogy found in the XCS1K Column Loudspeakers developed
by the McIntosh Acoustic Engineers. The technology has
been refined over the years and is now the 6th generation
of the design and provides superior quality sound repro­duction in a full range system.
The XCS1K Loudspeaker utilizes
a Horizontal Arc Array Design
with three-quarter inch Titanium
Dome Tweeters and multiple
rows of two inch Midrange
Inverted Titanium Dome Driv­ers. Refer to figures 1, 2A and
2B. The Sound Waves from this
Horizontal Arc Array produce a

Figure 1

stable and focused sym­metrical horizontal sound
image. Since the audio
power fed to each row
is distributed among all
the drivers, each driver
does not have to work as
hard, resulting in greater
power handling capa­bility, greatly reduced
power compression and
a dramatic reduction in
distortion.

Figure 2B

Figure 2A

The Low Frequency Section of the System consists of
two 10 inch Woofers. They have a large magnet assembly
and long cone excursions with very low levels of harmonic
distortion and frequency response down to 16Hz. Refer to
figure 3. The Woofer also incorporates McIntosh’s Pat­ented LD/HP1 Magnetic Circuit Design. Finite Element

1LD/HP Pat. No 5,151,943

Analysis and testing
resulted in a design con

­cept which utilizes a pair
of aluminum shorting
sleeves in the magnetic
circuit. Refer to figure

4. The sleeves virtually
eliminate the negative
influence of the fluctuat­ing voice coil field on
the permanent magnet
field. This results in
lower distortion due to
more linear magnetic
flux in the voice coil
gap. Refer to figure 5.
Additional benefits are
less volume compression

Figure 3

due to improved heat
transfer through the sleeves and a
cooler operating voice coil. Both
measurements, as well as critical
listening, reveal ten times less
distortion than previous designs.
A good example of this low dis­tortion is incredible smoothness
and clarity in the reproduction of

Figure 4

the human voice.

The
Crossover
Networks
used in the
XCS1K
Loudspeak­er System
are phase
matched
between
the Low
Frequency,
Midrange

Figure 5

and High Frequency Sections to ensure a smooth frequen­cy response over the entire audible range. Refer to figures
6, 7 and 8. The crossover inductors are selected so they
will not add audible distortion. The network capacitors are
film type for extra reliability. All the Capacitors and In­ductors are chosen for high current capacity. Each section
of the network utilizes its own self resetting high current
PPTC type fuses to provide an extra measure of protection.

4

Figure 6

Introduction and Performance Features

Performance Features

• Patented LD/HP Technology

The McIntosh Low Frequency Loudspeaker Elements
feature the patented LD/HP Magnetic Circuit Design.
This design, when compared to conventional Loudspeaker
Elements, reduces distortion significantly. It also increases
power handling and efficiency.

• Neodymium-Iron-Boron Alloy Magnets

The 32 two inch Midranges and 20 three-quarter inch
Dome Tweeters all use this Alloy. The Neodymium­Iron-Boron Alloy has the highest flux density per unit
of volume. The smaller overall size of the Midrange and
Tweeter Loudspeakers allows for closer spacing and results
in improved sound reproduction.

• Low Harmonic and Intermodulation Distortion

The XCS1K Loudspeaker System is capable of reproducing
the full dynamic range of a symphony orchestra with very
low audible distortion of any kind.

Figure 7

Figure 8

• High Power Handling

The Loudspeaker Elements and Crossover Components of
the XCS1K are all chosen for use with powerful amplifiers
up to 1,200 watts.

• Superior Imaging

Locating the Tweeters between the two rows of Midranges
generates a symmetrical response for superior imaging.

• Versatile Operation and Placement

In addition to the regular connections, the XCS1K Loud

­speaker System provides separate connections for Bi-Am­plification and Tri-Amplification hookups.

• Extruded Column

The top, bottom and rear of the XCS1K Low Frequency
enclosure is extruded thick aluminum construction with
non-parallel internal sides and is given a High Gloss Black
Piano Type Finish.

• Gold Plated Input Connectors

The XCS1K input connectors are gold plated for superior
corrosion resistance and high electrical conductivity.

5