Paradigm Millenia LP User Manual

THE ULTIMATE IN HIGH-END SOUND FOR MUSIC AND HOME THEATER™

OWNERS MANUAL

MILLENIA™ LP SPEAKER SYSTEM

Paradigm Electronics Inc.: 205 Annagem Blvd., Mississauga, ON L5T 2V1	www.paradigm.com

IMPORTANT: Read before mounting Millenia™ LP speakers

Wall mount speakers securely enough that they cannot fall and cause personal injury or damage to property. Use safety straps. Detailed information on attaching the safety straps is included in the section on Installation later in the manual.

Paradigm DOES NOT supply hardware for mounting speakers to the wall. Hardware shown in this manual is for example only and will vary depending on the wall type. Always use screws appropriate for wall type and weight of speakers.

If installing into drywall, install into 1/2˝ (13 mm) or 5/8˝ (16 mm) drywall only. Screws must be long enough to go through anchor bolts (not supplied) and firmly into drywall (see inset circle, page 8).

NON LIABILITY: We are aware that the mounting assemblies provided for Millenia™ LP speakers could be used for purposes and in ways other than those for which they were intended. The manufacturer, distributor, retailer and their respective agents cannot be held responsible or liable for injuries or property damage—direct, indirect or consequential—arising from the use of or inability to use these products safely and properly. Every effort has been made to provide accurate, error-free installation instructions. Paradigm Electronics Inc. disclaims liability for difficulties that may arise from the misinterpretation of information contained in these instructions.

RECYCLING AND REUSE GUIDELINES (Europe)

In accordance with the European Union WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive effective August 13, 2005, we would like to notify you that our speakers may contain regulated materials which, upon disposal, require special reuse and recycling processing. For this reason Paradigm Electronics Inc. (the manufacturer of Paradigm speakers and Anthem electronics products) has arranged with its distributors in European Union member nations to collect and recycle this product at no cost to you. To find your local distributor please contact the dealer from whom you purchased this product or go to our website at www.paradigm.com.

Please note that only the product falls under the WEEE directive. When disposing of packaging and other shipping material we encourage you to recycle through the normal channels.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1	Placement Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . .	. 5
The Technology		Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7
Behind Your New Speakers . . . . . . . .	2	Connection	9
Your New Speakers	3
		Troubleshooting	9
How To Avoid Speaker Damage	3
		Technical Specifications	10
Your Listening Room	4
		Limited Warranty	11

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INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing Paradigm® Reference Millenia™ LP speakers and congratulations! You are about to hear the difference these state-of-the-art high-end speakers will make in your music and home theater system.

Paradigm speakers are internationally recognized for their exceptional sound. In fact, Paradigm is the only speaker company in the world to be rated #1* year after year. Quite simply, our speakers are the best sounding speakers in the world. Why?

Extensive listener preference tests conducted by the National Research Council (NRC) give our design engineers a firm understanding of how we hear speakers and clearly establish which design parameters are most critical to good sound. Using the NRC findings along with measurement-based analysis done in our anechoic chamber as well as listening tests carried out in our controlled double-blind listening rooms, our engineers work to constantly improve Paradigm speakers in three critical areas:

Flat Midrange: Smooth and even with coloration reduced to the lowest level possible.

Smooth Total Energy Response: On and off axis, sound must be fundamentally similar. Dispersion must be wide and uniform ensuring superior imaging and a wide listening area.

Low Distortion: Lowest levels possible.

In addition, we concentrate on two other significant performance areas: Better Bass Response: Tight, extended and well defined.

Higher Power Handling: To improve dynamic contrasts and by extension, sonic realism, power compression must be minimized.

Unyielding attention to these areas results in speakers that are measurably and audibly superior. When it comes to state-of-the-art sound, Paradigm gets it right. And your Paradigm® Reference Millenia™ LP speakers are a perfect example.

Comprehensive R&D, leading-edge design, use of the finest materials and sophisticated manufacturing and quality control techniques provide vastly superior performance for each component part at every stage of design. Your Millenia™ LP speakers boast S-PAL™ satin-anodized pure-aluminum domes; MLP™ mica-loaded-polymer cones and polypropylene passive radiators; a proprietary HTD™ heat transfer and dissipation system and “reference” quality crossover networks with ideal response characteristics.

Millenia™ LP speakers will provide you with stunning high-end sound and unparalleled listening pleasure for many years. In fact, their ultra-thin on-wall profile was designed to complement the thinnest flat-panel television on the market today as well as the “even thinner” panels yet to come. Installation is as easy as deciding where on the wall you want to mount them. However, to achieve all of the exceptional sound these speakers are capable of providing requires care in installation and operation. Please take the time to read this manual and follow all instructions. If you have further questions, contact your Authorized Paradigm® Reference Dealer or visit the Q&A page in the Tech Support section of our website at www.paradigm.com.

* Rated #1 Best Price/Value. Inside Track Annual Dealer Survey. An annual independent nationwide survey of consumer electronics specialist retailers and custom installers.

THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND YOUR NEW SPEAKERS

High-Frequency Drive Units

•S-PAL™ Satin-Anodized Pure-Aluminum Domes

•Critical Coupling of Phase-Alignment Bridge and Elevated Dome

•Advanced Magnet/Motor Structures

•High-Power Apical™ Formers

•Rigid High-Pressure Die-Cast Aluminum Chassis

Bass/Midrange Drive Units

•MLP™ Mica-Loaded-Polymer Bass/Mid Cones

•Precision-Engineered Mineral-Filled Polypropylene Bass Cones

•Overdesigned Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Surrounds

•Nomex™ Spiders

•Avanced Oversized Motor/Magnet Assemblies

•HTD™ Heat Transfer and Dissipation Systems — Paradigm's Proprietary Design

YOUR NEW SPEAKERS

Break-In

Although Millenia™ LP speakers sound great “out of the carton” they will sound even better once they are “broken in.” Allow them to play for several hours before you begin to listen critically.

Drivers use ferro-fluid that can thicken at temperatures below 10° C (50° F). Surround material used in the bass/midrange units is made of a compound that may stiffen in colder temperatures. If your speakers have been transported or stored in the cold, let them warm to room temperature before use.

Cleaning

Millenia™ LP speakers have a premium finish that must be treated with care. Use only a damp, soft cloth to clean. Never use strong, abrasive or corrosive cleaning products. Common household cleaning products should also be avoided.

Speaker Grilles

Millenia™ LP speakers are meant to be played with their grilles on.

HOW TO AVOID SPEAKER DAMAGE

Millenia™ LP speakers are efficient and can be driven to loud listening levels with moderate amplifier power. They are also able to handle the output of very powerful amplifiers. To prevent damage to your speakers, please read the following guidelines before hooking them up.

Amplifier Distortion — The #1 Culprit!

Amplifier distortion is the principal cause of speaker damage. When listening at loud levels your amplifier may run out of clean power. It will then begin to produce distorted power several times greater than its rated output power. This will damage any brand of speaker very quickly! (See Dealer for amplifier recommendations.)

More Powerful Amplifiers are Safer

A 40 watt/channel amplifier will have substantial distortion above 40 watts. If driven to 50 watts, this amplifier will deliver distorted power which will damage the speaker! A 100 watt/channel amplifier will have substantial distortion above 100 watts, but very low distortion below 100 watts.Therefore, when the speaker requires 50 watts, this more powerful amplifier will deliver clean power and speaker damage is less likely to occur.

Volume Control

Do not be fooled by the Volume Control of your receiver/preamplifier. It only adjusts listening level—it is not a “power-output” dial. The amount of amplifier power actually used at a given Volume Control setting depends solely on the nature of the music you are listening to.

At a given Volume Control setting a quiet section of music will use less amplifier power than a loud section. With typical pop-rock, jazz or large scale classical music, the rated output power of many receivers/amplifiers is often reached when the Volume Control is between the “11 and 1 o’clock” settings (with bass/treble and loudness controls not used—otherwise rated power may be reached at even lower Volume Control settings).

Remember, all amplifiers produce distortion when operated beyond their rated output power. The resulting distortion will damage all speakers! Exercise caution! If you listen at loud levels, be careful to listen for the point of audible distortion—if the speakers begin to sound distressed turn the Volume Control down or your speakers and/or amplifier(s) will be damaged! This type of damage constitutes abuse and is not covered by the warranty. If louder volumes are desired, obtain a more powerful amplifier.

There is a Limit!

Although more powerful amplifiers are safer, there is a point at which you could have more power than the speaker can handle. At that point you will overpower the speaker and damage it. Exercise caution! At loud levels do not increase bass/treble controls from zero and ensure that all loudness/contour/bass EQ buttons are off (otherwise rated output power will be reached at lower Volume Control settings). If you listen at loud levels, watch for excessive visible cone excursion (grille movement) from the woofer—then turn the Volume Control down.

The Right Amount of Power

A power-range rating is given as a guide to indicate the approximate minimum and maximum power input of your Millenia™ LP speakers. Amplifiers that exceed your speaker’s power-range rating are recommended. Their greater power reserves provide better sound. However, exercise caution! Use the speakers within their power-range rating to prevent damage (keep listening levels below the point of excessive woofer cone excursion).

YOUR LISTENING ROOM

Your speakers are designed to provide superior high-end sound in a wide variety of domestic settings. Note however, that room construction, dimensions and furnishings all play a part in the quality of sound you ultimately achieve. Your listening room will impose its own character on the performance capabilities of any speaker system. The extra care taken in installation will result in greater listening enjoyment. Try to follow these guidelines:

•Mid and high frequencies are affected by the amount of soft furnishings in your room—curtains, carpets, sofas, wall coverings, etc. An excess of such items can result in a somewhat dull sound. The same room without any soft furnishings can produce an overall bright sound. The typical quantity of soft furnishings found in most living environments provides the right acoustic characteristics to allow the speakers to sound balanced;

•Concrete floors and walls tend to aggravate low-frequency standing wave problems and are less preferred;

•Rooms where height, width and length are similar should be avoided as they can exhibit significant lowfrequency standing wave problems. This may result in reduced clarity. If no other room is possible, experiment with speaker placement to minimize problems.

PLACEMENT GUIDELINES

The following placement guidelines will help you get the best performance from your speakers. Illustrations showing you how to attach your speakers to the wall are provided in the section following this one.

FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT SPEAKERS

Accurate Timbre (Fig. 1)

For the most accurate and natural timbre, position speakers so that sound from the high-frequency drivers reaches the listener at approximately ear level. Keep in mind, your LP speakers will allow for higher than usual placement of the high-frequency drivers, a particularly important feature when wall mounting. Mounting them farther apart on the wall than the width of your flat panel will promote a wide, deep listening window.

Balanced Bass Performance (not shown)

Placing front speakers in corners will over-emphasize bass and reduce overall clarity. For more balanced sound, we recommend avoiding corners when considering speaker placement.

Optimal Imaging (Fig. 2)

Keeping the above in mind, measure the distance from your main listening area to the front speakers (“X”). For best imaging, mount speakers on the wall from three-quarters of that distance up to the same distance from each other (3/4 of “X” to “X”).

CENTER SPEAKER (Fig. 3)

Mount your center speaker orizontally,h directly above or below your TV, whichever position brings sound closer to ear level.This ensures the most uniform timbral response with the rest of your system. Some receivers electronically adjust for differences in distance between speakers … check to see if yours does.

SURROUND/REAR SPEAKERS (Fig. 4)

To experience the full multichannel music and home theater experience, Paradigm always recommends the use of surround/rear speakers. When used as surround/rear speakers Millenia LP speakers should be kept well away from the listening area for optimal surround sound performance (see the illustration on the next page).

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR SURROUND/REAR SPEAKERS

There are additional in-wall and on-wall surround/rear speaker options in the Paradigm® Reference lineup. Please see your dealer for more information.

3/4 “x” up to / à “x”

Fig. 1	Fig. 2
Fig. 1	Fig. 2

OR / OU

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

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