Paradigm OM-105 Owner's Manual

OWNERS MANUAL OM-105

Paradigm Electronics Inc. In Canada: 205 Annagem Blvd., Mississauga, ON L5T 2V1 • In the U.S.: MPO Box 2410, Niagara Falls, NY 14302

102610

PARADIGM SUBWOOFERS

Thank you for choosing Paradigm®Subwoofers and congratulations! You are
about to hear the difference these high-performance subwoofers will make in your
music and home theater system.

These subwoofers are the product of countless hours of comprehensive research
and development and will reward you with superior high-end sound for many years.

To achieve all of the exceptional sound they 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

®

Dealer or visit the Q&A page on our website at www.paradigm.com.

®

THE ULTIMATE IN SOUND FOR MUSIC AND HOME THEATER

TM

Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Important Safety Instructions . . . 3
Subwoofer Placement and

Connection (Pictorial) . . . . . . . . . . 4

Your New Subwoofer . . . . . . . . . . 5

Power Requirements . . . . . . . . . . 5

Room Acoustics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Subwoofer Placement . . . . . . . . . 5

Subwoofer Connection . . . . . . . . 6

Fine Tuning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RECYCLING AND REUSE GUIDELINES FOR 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 this product may contain regulated materials which, upon disposal,
according to the WEEE directive, require special reuse and recycling processing. For this reason Paradigm
Electronics Inc. (manufacturers of Paradigm

®

speakers and Anthem™Electronics) has arranged with our 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 the product only falls under the WEEE directive. When disposing of packaging and other shipping
material we encourage you to recycle through the normal channels.

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER

(OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED

SERVICE PERSONNEL.

WARNING

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

The lightning flash with arrowpoint within an equilateral triangle warns of the
presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that
may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle warns users of the presence
of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS
TO RAIN OR MOISTURE, AND OBJECTS FILLED WITH LIQUIDS, SUCH AS VASES, SHOULD NOT BE
PLACED ON THIS APPARATUS.

CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT.

CAUTION: FOR CONTINUED PROTECTION AGAINST RISK OF FIRE, REPLACE THE FUSE ONLY WITH THE

SAME AMPERAGE AND VOLTAGE TYPE. REFER REPLACEMENT TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

WARNING: UNIT MAY BECOME HOT. ALWAYS PROVIDE ADEQUATE VENTILATION TO ALLOW FOR
COOLING. DO NOT PLACE NEAR A HEAT SOURCE, OR IN SPACES THAT CAN RESTRICT VENTILATION.

2

1. Read Instructions – All the safety and operating instructions should

be read before the product is operated.

2. Retain Instructions – The safety and operating instructions should

be retained for future reference.

3. Heed Warnings – All warnings on the product and in the operating

instructions should be adhered to.

4. Follow Instructions – All operating and use instructions should be

followed.

5. Cleaning – Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning.

Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp, soft cloth
for cleaning.

6. Water and Moisture – Do not use this product near water—for

example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub; in a
wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like.

7. Accessories – Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand,

tripod, bracket or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to
a child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Use only with a
cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table recommended by the manufacturer,
or sold with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow
manufacturer’s instructions and should use a mounting accessory
recommended by the manufacturer.

8. Ventilation – Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for

ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the product and to
protect it from overheating, and these openings must not be blocked or
covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product
on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should not be
placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless
proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer’s instructions have
been adhered to.

9. Power Sources – This product should be operated only from the type

of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of
the type of power supply to your home, consult your product dealer or
local power company. For products intended to operate from battery
power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions.

10. Grounding and Polarization – This product may be equipped with a

polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug having one blade wider
than the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way.
This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into
the outlet, try reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit,
contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat
the safety purpose of the polarized plug.

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 from the product.

12. Lightning – For added protection for this product during a lightning

storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time,
unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable
systems. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and
power-line surges.

13. Overloading – Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or

integral convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk of fire or
electric shock.

14. Object and Liquid Entry – Never push objects of any kind into this

product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points
or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Do not
expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing, and ensure that no
objects filled with water, such as vases, are placed on the apparatus.

15. Servicing – Do not attempt to service this product yourself as

opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or
other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

16. Damage Requiring Service – Unplug this product from wall outlet and

refer servicing to qualified personnel under the following conditions:

• When power supply cord or plug is damaged;

• If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into product;

• If the product has been exposed to rain or water;

• If the product does not operate normally by following the operating
instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the
operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls
may result in damage and will require extensive work by a qualified
technician to restore the product to its normal operation;

• If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way;

• If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance—this
indicates a need for service.

17. Replacement Parts – When replacement parts are required, be sure

the technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer
or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized
substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.

18. Safety Check – 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.

19. Wall or Ceiling Mounting – The product should be mounted to a wall

or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.

20. Heat – The product should be situated away from heat sources such as

radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

3

SUBWOOFER PLACEMENT AND CONNECTION

(Pictorial)

4

SUB-IN
LFE-IN

Fig. 1a

Fig. 1b Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

YOUR NEW SUBWOOFER

The “Watts” (W) rating indicated on the rear panel of your subwoofer is
the maximum AC power the unit will draw when producing its maximum
power output. However, the actual wattage draw will vary with the bass
content of the program material.

Although generally not required for typical music and movie program
material, if the bass content of your program material is very loud and
more continuous in nature, we recommend connecting subwoofers with
higher wattage ratings (i.e. 1500 W) to dedicated AC circuits.

POWER REQUIREMENTS

Break-In

Although your Paradigm

®

subwoofer will sound great “out of the carton” it
will sound even better when broken in. Allow it to operate for several hours
before you listen critically.

Cleaning

Do not use a strong or abrasive cleaner on your subwoofer. Clean it with
a damp soft cloth, but do not get it wet. Do not place wet objects, such as
drinking glasses or potted plants, on top of it. If allowed to soak in, even
a small amount of water may permanently damage the enclosure.

You are about to experience the powerful and extremely accurate deep
bass performance of Paradigm

®

subwoofers. These subwoofers offer
incredible output with low distortion, exceptional extension and superb
definition. It is important to note, however, that just as the amount of soft
furnishings has a decided impact on mid and high frequencies, those
frequencies below 150 Hz are dramatically affected by the room itself—
its size, shape, as well as the physical boundaries of the room. The extra
care you take in correctly positioning your subwoofer(s) will result in
greater listening enjoyment. Keep the following guidelines in mind when
deciding on best subwoofer placement:

• 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 low-frequency standing wave problems. This
may result in reduced clarity. If no other room is possible, experiment
with subwoofer placement to minimize acoustic problems.

ROOM ACOUSTICS

SUBWOOFER PLACEMENT

To avoid personal injury, install subwoofer in a location
where any rear amplifier parts such as panels and/or
heatsinks, etc. cannot be accidentally touched.

Bass is less and less directional as it goes down in frequency. For best
sonic integration, locating your subwoofer between your front speakers or
beside one of them and close to the back wall will usually provide the best
bass performance. If this location is not possible your subwoofer may be
placed anywhere in the room without affecting the stereo image of your
front speakers or the soundstage of your multichannel speaker system.

Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b, on page 4, highlight how bass output is generally
affected by room placement. When seated in a typical listening area of
your room, placing the subwoofer inside the “shaded” areas will typically
result in bass performance as follows:

Fig. 1a

:

Corner placement provides the most bass, but sometimes at the

expense of accuracy.

Fig. 1b

:

A subwoofer placed near a wall usually provides a good balance of

quantity and accuracy.
Controls are provided to align your subwoofer’s output to the other speakers

in your system, see “Fine Tuning,” page 8.

Although a single Paradigm

®

subwoofer provides exceptional performance
and substantial output, the quality (and quantity) of bass can be further
improved with the use of two subwoofers (Fig. 2)

.

This allows you to

randomize the standing waves within your listening room so that bass will

be distributed in a more uniform manner. Two subwoofers also provide even
lower distortion, especially at high output levels.

See Dealer for connection instructions using multiple subwoofers.

THE ADVANTAGES OF USING TWO SUBWOOFERS

5