Pinnacle Speakers BD 600, Black Diamond Series, Quantum Series Comprehensive Owners Manual

COMPREHENSIVE OWNERS MANUAL

We congratulate you on your choice of PINNACLE® loudspeakers. They have
been designed and built to provide you with many years of outstanding sound
reproduction. To complement the high standards of performance achieved by
PINNACLE

®

loudspeakers, we have prepared what we believe to be the best and most
comprehensive (as well as comprehensible) speaker owners' manual ever offered to
consumers. All important concepts pertinent to a gratifying listening experience are
explained fully, but in non-technical language. Certain necessary terminologies are
introduced simply and several illustrations further clarify important points.

Please take the time to familiarize yourself with the contents of your Pinnacle owners'
manual. We are confident that your reward will be increased enjoyment from your
speakers in particular and from your sound system overall.
We can be contacted at:
1 Fairchild Court, Suite 140, Plainview, NY 11803
Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
For up-to-date information on all of our designs, please checkout our website at:
Http://www.pinnaclespeakers.com
© 2007 Pinnacle

®

Loudspeakers

The first section of this manual provides useful and important information about your
speakers and how their performance relates to the amplifier used and the chosen room
placement.

The second section explains how to best connect (wire) your new speakers to your
system and provides some troubleshooting hints.

The last page explains our Warranty.

POWER RATINGS

Your new speakers come with specifications which detail their normal operative power
range. As an example, an operative power range of 10-60 Watts approximates the
amplifier power output region within which the speaker will perform optimally. This
does not mean, however, that the speakers cannot be played safely by an amplifier or
receiver whose power output capability is greater than 60 Watts. As long as the system
is used properly much greater power sources can be considered. Speakers can tolerate
brief high power surges called peaks.

NOTE: The above example does not suggest that the SPEAKER ITSELF will produce
60 Watts of power. Speakers don't produce power in the same sense that amplifiers do.
A speaker's power rating only refers to the amount of amplifier power that can be
safely accommodated.

All amplifiers and receivers, like all speakers, are provided with power ratings. An
amplifier that is rated at 60 Watts RMS per channel, continuous output, at a low THD
(total harmonic distortion) level (such as less than 0.1%) will produce, upon request, at
least 60 Watts of continuous, undistorted power. However, all amplifiers and receivers
are capable of generating much more power than they are rated for, but at increasingly
unacceptable distortion levels. Problems occur as you exceed the maximum safe
power rating of an amplifier, which usually happens when you move the volume
control past 1/3 to 1/2 of the way up. (Lower level source signals will require
somewhat higher volume control settings to achieve adequate output level.) The
distortion levels increase dramatically, resulting in the condition known as "clipping"
and this will produce harmful electronic signals that can damage your speakers.

A WIDE RANGE OF COMBINATIONS IS ACCEPTABLE BUT A MORE
POWERFUL AMPLIFIER MAY BE BETTER AND SAFER FOR YOUR
SPEAKERS BECAUSE THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO DISTORT AT HIGH
VOLUME LEVELS. DISTORTION FROM UNDER-POWERED AMPLIFIERS IS
THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF SPEAKER DAMAGE.

Analogy to Figure:
The same automobile body can be used to successfully house several different kinds of
engines. Capabilities will vary, but reasonable performance can be achieved by getting
to know how to best use the controls available with a particular engine. SPEAKERS
CAN LIKEWISE WORK WELL WITH A VARIETY OF AMPLIFIERS IF THE
AVAILABLE CONTROLS ARE USED APPROPRIATELY.

THE VOLUME CONTROL
There are times when program material has been recorded too softly, or a radio
station's signal is weak, etc., and it is necessary to increase the volume control towards
the end of its range in order to achieve adequate sound levels. Otherwise, under
normal operating conditions, most amplifiers will attain their maximum safe output
levels at a much

lower setting of the volume control. This setting will vary with the

particulars of the amplifier, speakers and program material.

MUSICAL CONTENT vs. POWER DEMAND
An amplifier's output does not remain constant. A 60 Watt per channel (maximum
rated) amplifier, running at approximately 60 Watts, will "clip" frequently since there
is no power reserve (headroom) left for complex, bass heavy, or otherwise demanding
musical passages. If, for example, amplifier volume setting during a light string
symphony is 1/3 up the volume dial, the presence of amplifier distortion should be
unlikely. However, if the program material is suddenly switched to thundering rock
and roll, rap or reggae (all of which feature demanding bass content), and the volume
control setting is left at the same point, there is a good chance that the amplifier may
now begin to "clip". There is a very strong correlation between how hard an amplifier
must work and the kind of program material it is being called upon to reproduce.

AMPLIFIER SPECIFICATIONS
Some modern solid state (transistor) amplifiers specifications may offer a continuous
output power rating at both 4 and 8 Ohms. This is preferable to an amplifier having just
an 8 Ohm rating because ratings at 4 and 8 Ohms are a strong indication of a more robust
power supply. Also, make sure that the frequency response bandwidth covers the entire
human hearing range, 20-20 kHz at less than 0.1% THD. Such an amplifier will ensure
that your Pinnacle loudspeakers perform to their utmost potential.

Note: If your amplifier or receiver has a 4/8 Ohm speaker impedance selector switch, we
recommend the 4 Ohm position for the best system perform ance.

TO BE SURE NOT TO EXCEED THE AMPLIFIER'S NORMAL CAPABILITIES:
A) Do not move the volume control past the point of just noticeable distortion (fuzzy

or raspy sound quality), usually occurring 1/3 to 1/2 of the way up. (Lower level source
signals may require somewhat higher volume control settings.)

B) Use bass, treble, and equalizer boost with caution, since these are actually
specialized volume controls affecting particular frequency ranges. Their use
contributes to the overall demand for power that the amplifier is called upon to provide.
Bass boost, in particular, draws the most power from the amplifier and generally puts
the biggest demand on your speakers.

C) Engage the loudness compensation switch (present on many amplifiers and
receivers) only at low volume levels since it increases the output in the very low and, to
a lesser extent, very high frequency ranges.

D) Use equalization boost (↑) with caution to avoid overload; reduction (↓) can be
used freely as desired.

THE LISTENING ROOM ENVIRONMENT
The overall performance of any speaker system is significantly affected by the
acoustical properties of the listening environment. A well balanced soundroom is one
that is neither square nor extremely long and narrow. Non-parallel walls and high or
vaulted ceilings are usually beneficial, though by no means vital. In most cases you
will not have a choice of soundrooms, but you may have some control over other
aspects of the acoustical environment.
A mixture of some hard (reflective) with mostly soft (absorbent) surfaces is very
desirable. Combinations of carpeting, wall paneling, padded furniture, brick and other
contrasting surfaces provide excellent results. Acoustical ceiling tile is also usually
beneficial. The larger the listening area, the more power is required to maintain high
volume levels with low distortion. Therefore, a moderately powered amplifier or
receiver will function best in a small room. Higher power is required for areas
containing many soft or padded surfaces such as sofas, pillows, thick carpets, heavy
drapes, etc. These surfaces absorb much sound energy and promote a "dry" sound
character, crisp and highly detailed. In a room with mostly hard surfaces and high
ceilings, speakers will produce a more blended or "live" sound and will probably seem
less power hungry because of the great amount of room reflections. This type of
environment may require treble equalization (reduction) and for Home Theater
applications, minimal time delay mode settings to reduce the tendency towards
"muddying" up the sound.

ROOM PLACEMENT
Different room positions will significantly affect your speakers overall performance.
There are therefore, several factors to consider when determining the best speaker
location. Speakers of small physical size are typically referred to as "bookshelf"
speakers because they have been designed to perform optimally when placed on a
shelf or stand that is raised off the floor. Speakers of larger size typically handle
greater amounts of power and have been designed to perform optimally when placed
on the floor or raised slightly off the floor by speaker stands or decoupling devices
such as Pinnacle's Solid Brass Isolation Cones. One general rule of thumb: try to
position speakers so that the tweeter's

level is fairly close to your ear level in your normal listening position. High
frequencies are much more directional than lows so it is best that your ears are within a
fairly direct path to the tweeter's output.

SEPARATION
Always be sure to provide ample separation between the speakers. Usually 6 to 12 feet
is adequate as greater distances might result in a "hole in the middle" effect. The best
distance between the speakers is also dependent upon room conditions, size, and the
proximity of the listening area to the speakers. A bit of experimentation is in order, but
smaller rooms will better tolerate closer spacing between the speakers.

SOUND QUALITY (see Figure 2)
The following points are noteworthy when choosing the best room location for your
speakers:

A) Sound quality is generally improved when all or most of the floor space is carpeted
(whether or not floor placement is selected).

B) The more surfaces of the room that are adjacent to a speaker, the greater its bass
output will be. Drastic differences in sound quality are commonplace when various
speaker positions are experimented with.

C) Maximum bass is obtained in a corner location. That is often not desirable because
the sound may be too heavy. Full size speakers with naturally powerful bass response
should generally be kept away from corners. If they must be placed in the vicinity of
corners because of room constraints, tone controls or equalizers can be employed to
satisfactorily curtail excessive room output. Certain small surround speakers, though
may be designed to benefit most from corner placement.

D) Speakers may be hung from a ceiling or walls if sufficient structural support is
available for the weight of the speaker. If the ceiling is high, angle the speakers
downward to create a wide and powerful soundfield. The closer the woofer is to the
ceiling and walls, the stronger the bass will be. Certain models contain special
brackets to accommodate wall mounting.

E) The best overall imagery (characterized by lifelike, spacious sonic qualities) is
achieved by locating the speakers as far from the walls and corners as possible, while
still maintaining adequate separation between them. Bass will be less prominent, but
the sonic character will be more detailed.