Powerbass PS-WB12, PS-WB10 User Manual

PS-WB10
PS-WB12

Dual Subwoofer Bass Reflex System

Application Guide

®

®

Thank you and Congratulations

Congratulations on your purchase of a PowerBass Bass Reflex speaker system. You now
own a speaker of uncompromising design and engineering from a factory that truly
believes in the relentless pursuit of perfection. Incorporating the highest quality parts
and state-of-the-art materials, these speakers display the ultimate balance between high
fidelity, extreme performance and long-lasting reliability.

At PowerBass USA, Inc. we are confident you will have many years of outstanding
enjoyment from your superior SPEAKER investment. For maximum performance we
recommend that you have your new PowerBass Autosound speakers installed by an
Authorized PowerBass Dealer.

To learn more about PowerBass, please visit us on the World Wide Web at

http://www.powerbassusa.com

Continuous exposure to sound pressure levels in excess of 100 dB can cause permanent hearing loss.
PowerBass Autosound Speakers are capable of producing sound pressure levels well over 170 dB. Please
observe all local sound ordinances while listening to your PowerBass Autosound system. PowerBass USA, Inc.
accepts no liability for hearing loss, bodily injury, or property damage due to the result of use or misuse of this
product.

∆ Warn in g ∆

1

POWERBASS AUTOSOUND LOADED ENCLOSURE FEATURES

m

Heavy-duty Box Design: The enclosure is constructed from non-resonant 5/8” panels
that have been glued, stapled and sealed. Each box is finished in a stylish two tone RFG
aviation grade vinyl covering.

Bass Reflex Dual Port System: Utilizing a Bass Reflex design offers increased
efficiency at low frequencies. To accomplish this, a pair of flared Venturi port tubes are
used for exact tuning and virtually zero port noise (breathing) resulting in clean tight
bass.

2-layer Black Ribbed Paper, DDC Finish Cone: The choice of cone materials has
everything to do with the difference between good and great sound. Paper delivers one
of the warmest sounds available along with the DDC (Dynamic Damping Coating)
finish to give your music uncompromised fidelity.

BASV High Temperature Voice Coil: These specially designed resin coated high
temperature voice coils measure a full 2-inches in diameter to ensure high power
handling and precise linear excursion while maximizing thermal heat dissipation.

Double Pressed And Treated Foam Surround: The high damping, double rolled foam
surround on these speakers ensure linear travel throughout the entire frequency range
resulting in more bass output and higher efficiency while reducing distortion.

Double Bass Circuitry: Both woofers are internally wired in-phase resulting in the need
for just a single 4-ohm spring loaded speaker input.

Computer Optimized Acoustic Chamber: Perfectly tuned for the car environment.
This box is optimized for a tight and accurate bass response.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR “PS” SERIES SPEAKER SYSTEM

(Due to Constant Improvements, Specifications and Parameters are subject to change without notice.)

System

Model # Size
PS-WB10 Dual 10” 4-oh
PS-WB12 Dual 12" 4-ohm 30Hz - 120Hz 98 dB 40 oz. x 2 2.0" 550W/1,100W

Impedance

Frequency

Response

33Hz - 150Hz 96 dB 40 oz. x 2 2.0" 500W/1,000W

Sensitivity

1W/1M

Magnet

Size

Voice

Coil Dia.

Power

RMS/Peak

2

UNPACKING THE ENCLOSURE

g

p

k

t

p

p

p

y

r

p

y

p

p

Every attempt has been made to transport your new PowerBass Bass Reflex subwoofer
system safely. Carefully unpack the enclosure and inspect it thoroughly for any
damage that may have occurred during shipping. Notify your local PowerBass dealer
immediately should you notice any damage prior to installing the unit. Be sure to keep
the carton and packing material until your system is operational. The original boxes
will do the best job of protecting your speaker system if they need to be transported.

INSTALLATION EXPERIENCE

Installation of PowerBass Autosound Speakers requires experience with a variety of
mechanical and electrical procedures. This manual only provides general installation and
operating instructions. If you have any reservations about your installation skills or lack
the proper tools, please contact your local PowerBass Autosound dealer for assistance.

ENCLOSURE PLACEMENT TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Your PowerBass Bass Reflex Subwoofer system accurately reproduces the lowest
portion of the audible frequency range, which is generally considered to be
non-directional. As such, the placement within the vehicle is not as critical to achieve
good sound reproduction as with full range systems. Typical locations include sedan and
hatchback trunks and rear cargo areas of vans, mini-vans and utility vehicles.

The following placement recommendations and installation tips are the result of many
hours of development and experimentation. These examples are provided to you as a
guide line. Please feel free to experiment yourself as you may find that other
placements can provide you with superior results.

• Make sure all movin

arts and factoryelectrical wires are out ofyourwayand

will not interfere after installation.

• Leave a little slac

in the wire topreven

ullingor stretching,thisisevenmore

important if the wires will be run under or through the factory interior.

•

Use cable ties and wire clam

stopreventthe wires fromgettingcaught or

shorted.

•

We do not recommend

lacingor installingloaded enclosures where the

might be subjected to moisture.

•

Correct subwoofe

olaritymustbe observed. Thepolarit

ositive side is

marked by a (+) sign. Subwoofers wired out of phase will produce little bass.

•

S

eaker wires shouldbe electricallyandphysicallyisolated from the vehicle
and routed away from any factory wiring that carries high currents or noises (ie,
ABS brake systems and engine computer signals).

3

•

p

eakerwire largeenoughtocarrythe fullpower ofyour amplifier.

Use s
12-gauge or larger should be adequate. (Speaker wire not included)

Your PowerBass Bass Reflex subwoofer system needs to be installed some place where
it can operate efficiently and not endanger the occupants of the vehicle.

The location and orientation of your enclosure will affect the quality and quantity of the
bass. The port tube (vent) openings cannot be obstructed. At some frequencies most
of the bass will come out of the port tube. Therefore we recommend you leave at least
3-inches (7.62cm) between the port tube openings and interior surfaces such as side
panels, seats and doors.

If the enclosure is to be mounted all the way in the back of the vehicle, it works best to
point the woofer toward the front of the vehicle. Conversely, if the enclosure is going
to be mounted closer to the back seat, pointing the woofer toward the rear of the vehicle
will give you the best results. Even when the enclosure is placed inside a car trunk
with no opening to the passenger compartment, the Bass Reflex design will produce
strong and full bass.

WARN I N G: Permanent mounting is not only the safest installation, but usually produces the
best sound quality. This custom enclosure is heavy and has a smooth surface finish, which
may slide around during aggressive driving, sudden stops or road vibration. To avoid vehicle
damage or personal injury please ensure that the enclosure is securely mounted to a surface
with adequate strength and rigidity to support it.

WIRING AND CONNECTIONS

The PowerBass Bass Reflex subwoofer system consists of two single 8-ohm voice coil
woofers which are wired in parallel and produce a 4-ohm system impedance. Check to
see that your a mplifier is optimized to drive this load.

A single spring loaded push terminal cup provides a quick and easy connection from
your bass amplifier to your Bass Reflex system

Fig. 1

The push terminal input cup is located on the side of the enclosure (Fig 1). For a bare
wire connection, strip 1/2 inch (12.7mm) of insulation from each of the two conductors

4

of your speaker wire (not included) to expose bare metal (Fig 2). Carefully twist each of
the conductors to eliminate any frayed ends. Push open both terminals, line up the holes,
and insert the wires from your amplifier as follows: Positive wire (+) to the Red terminal,
Negative wire (-) to the Black terminal. Be careful not to insert the insulated part of
the wire into the hole as this will not give you a good connection.

Fig. 2

SOUND CHECK

Your PowerBass Bass Reflex Subwoofer system will operate at optimum performance
after a break-in period. Allow the system to play 20 to 30 hours at moderate levels.
To sufficiently drive either the Double Bass 10 or 12-inch system, we recommend using
an amplifier with at least 200 watts RMS mono output.

CAUTION: Damage to the woofers can occur when an amplifier, regardless of its
wattage, is made to play at higher listening levels than its power can clearly produce
(usually beyond the “1 to 2 o’clock” position on the volume control). This results in very
high levels of audible distortion. Contrary to popular belief, a speaker is more likey to be
damaged by trying to get too much volume from a low-powered amp than from a
high-powered amp.

NOTE: Lack of bass output is usually caused by the subwoofer being out of phase with
reference to the rest of the system. In this case reversing the speaker connection from
positive to negative on the terminal cup will correct the problem.

CARE AND CLEANING

The enclosure is constructed of the same non-resonant material used for premium
quality home audio speakers, but covered in vinyl instead of veneer. A damp cloth is
best to wipe down any dirt on its surface. Avoid using strong cleaners that may
discolor the vinyl wrap. Never apply water or cleaner to the woofer cones.

5

ENCLOSURE DIMENSIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS

WARRANTY NOTES

Should a warranty issue arise with our complete subwoofer enclosures, such as our Bass
Reflex system, PowerBass will replace the defective woofers only. Do not send the
entire enclosure, unless the enclosure is defective itself. PowerBass does not warranty
the cosmetics of the enclosure once installed in the vehicle.

Product Disposal – Certain international, national and/or local
laws and/or regulations may apply regarding the disposal of this
product. For further detailed information, please contact the
retailer where you purchased this product or th e PowerBass
Importer/Distributor in your country.

This manual is the exclusive property of PowerBass USA, Inc. Any reproduction of this manual, or use other than its intentions is
strictly prohibited without the express consent of PowerBass USA, Inc. Copyright 2007 PowerBass USA, I nc.

6

POWERBASS LIMITE D WARRANTY POLICY

PowerBass USA, Inc. offers limited warranty on PowerBass products under normal use
on the following terms:

PowerBass Autosound Speakers are to be free of defects in material and
workmanship for a period of one (1) year.

This warranty applies only to PowerBass products sold to consumers by Authorized
PowerBass Dealers in the United States of America. Products purchased by consumers
from a PowerBass dealer in another country are covered only by that country’s
Distributor and not by PowerBass USA.

This warranty covers only the original purchaser of PowerBass product. In order to
receive service, the purchaser must provide PowerBass with the receipt stating the
consumer name, dealer, product and date of purchase.

Products found to be defective during the warranty period will be repaired or replaced
(with a product deemed to be equivalent) at PowerBass’s discretion and will not be
liable for incidental or consequential d amages. PowerBass will not warranty this product
under the following situations:

• Speakers received with bent frames or water damage

• Abuse such as holes in the cone, surround or ripped spider

• Voicecoil damage due to amplifier clipping or distortion

• Product that has not been installed according to this owners manual

Any implied warranties including warranties of fitness for use and merchantability are
limited in duration to the period of the express warranty set forth above. Some states
do not allow limitations on the length of an implied warranty, so this limitation may not
apply. No person is authorized to assume for PowerBass any other liability in connection
with the sale of this product.

Please call [phone] for PowerBass Customer Service. You must obtain an RA#
(Return Authorization Number) to return any product to PowerBass. The RA number

must be prominently marked on the outside of th e shipping carton or the delivery

will be refused. Please pack your return carefully; we are not responsible for items

damaged in shipping. Return the defective product along with a copy of the original
dated retail sales receipt, plus $12.00 for handling and diagnostic evaluation to:

PowerBass USA, Inc., Attn: Returns (RA#__________)
2133 S. Green Privado Ontario, CA 91761

Residents of HI, AK and US territories will be charged for return shipping. All
inquires regarding service and warranty should be sent to the above address.

7

Powerbass Autosound (PB) – A division of PowerBass USA, Inc.

2133 S. Green Privado Ontario, CA 91761

Tel [phone] Fax [phone]

www.powerbassusa.com

8