Thiel SW-1 Owners manual

THIE L

SmartSub

™

SW1 Subwoofer

SC1 Controller

Owner Information

Thank you for purchasing the THIEL subwoofer system. It has been engineered to provide a very high
level of performance and also incorporates innovative (patent pending) concepts in its design to solve
the several special problems subwoofer systems usually exhibit. Consequently, it performs at a very
high level with a wide variety of speakers and locations.

You are welcome to contact our Customer Service department with any questions or for help in setting
up this system. Our contact information is:
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

Contents

OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Product Features ............................................................................................................................................. 4

Basic System Configurations........................................................................................................................... 5

CROSSOVER USE ............................................................................................................................ 6

Do you require a crossover? ........................................................................................................................... 6

Processor Bass Management ......................................................................................................................... 6

THIEL Passive Crossovers .............................................................................................................................. 6

THIEL SmartSub Controller ............................................................................................................................. 6

SUBWOOFER PLACEMENT.............................................................................................................7

SETTING UP THE SUBWOOFER ..................................................................................................... 8

Should ‘point 1’ channel be separate? ............................................................................................................ 8

Hookup ............................................................................................................................................................ 8

Setting the Surround Processor ...................................................................................................................... 8

Control Settings ............................................................................................................................................... 8

Feet ................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Auto shutdown ................................................................................................................................................. 9

CONNECTING THE CONTROLLER OR CROSSOVER ................................................................. 10

Crossover mode connections ........................................................................................................................ 10

Augment mode connections .......................................................................................................................... 10

ADJUSTING THE CONTROLLER ................................................................................................... 12

Presets .......................................................................................................................................................... 12

Configuration Parameters.............................................................................................................................. 12

System Parameters ....................................................................................................................................... 13

Main Speaker Parameters ............................................................................................................................. 13

SETUP AND ADJUSTMENT FLOW CHART ................................................................................... 14

CONTROLLER PARAMETERS FOR THIEL SPEAKERS ............................................................... 16

SPECIFICATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 16

OVERVIEW

Product Features

The SW1 is a very high performance, innovative
subwoofer system that provides exceptionally deep,
uniform, dynamic and low distortion bass reproduction. In
addition, it will provide near-ideal performance with any
room placement and when used with any type of main
loudspeaker. These performance abilities are the result of
new technology developed to overcome the major problems
that subwoofers typically exhibit: poor integration with the
main speakers and altered response due to nearby walls.

The SW1 can be used as a stand-alone unit, with a
THIEL passive crossover or with the SmartSub Controller,
depending on your requirements. Here is a brief
description of some of the unusual performance features
this subwoofer system provides.

• The separate SmartSub Controller provides
unprecedented ability to perfectly match any speaker and
provide total system performance that is as well integrated
and balanced as a full range speaker. This superior
performance is achieved by innovative circuitry (patents
pending) that automatically calculates the ideal subwoofer
response to perfectly match the characteristics of the main
speakers. Therefore, instead of the usual controls that tell
the subwoofer how to perform, the SmartSub Controller
has settings for the characteristics of the main speakers
you are matching, the configuration of your system and
the performance you desire. This information is then used
to automatically calculate and implement the ideal
subwoofer response. In addition, the unit can control up to
16 subwoofer units in either mono or stereo configuration.

• Placement controls (patent pending) on the SW1
match the unit’s performance to its environment, whether
away from walls, in a corner or anything in-between.
These controls correct for both the general increase in level
and for the partial cancellation of certain frequencies
caused by a nearby wall. By providing correction of these
effects for both the side and rear walls, the SW1 can
provide accurately balanced, uniform response with
virtually any placement.

• The SW1 electronics contains unique circuitry
(patent pending) that corrects for compression distortion
due to heating of the drivers’ voice coils. Without this
correction subwoofer output levels could decrease by as
much as 5 dB and the response altered at times of very
high demand. The correction allows the subwoofer to
provide more uncompressed, dynamic reproduction.

• The SW1 uses two very high output, very low
distortion 10" drivers that utilize aluminum diaphragms,
heavy cast chassis and THIEL’s short coil/long gap, copper
stabilized motor systems. Powering these very long
magnetic gaps are 10 lb magnets in structures with a total
weight of 20 lbs. This magnet system, along with the very
high excursion suspension, allows each driver to move a
very large amount of air (65 in
level (<2%) so that the system can effortlessly reproduce
demanding sources at high volume levels.

• The SW1 is powered by a Class D, switching-mode,
high efficiency 1000 watt RMS amplifier.

• An automatic shutdown feature is included that
protects the drivers from excessive heat produced by input
levels that are excessively high.

3

) at a very low distortion

One of two SW1 drivers SW1 1000 watt amplifier

4

Speaker-level Augment Configuration

Basic System Configurations

The SW1 can be used in several ways, depending on
your requirements. Determining which system
configuration is best for you consists of making a few
decisions which will determine your required equipment,
hookup interconnections and processor settings. These
decisions are:

• “Should I use a crossover (THIEL passive or

SmartSub Controller), and, if so, which type?”

If either type of crossover is used, another decision is

• “Should I have the processor keep the “point 1” (LFE)

channel separate or blend it into the main channels?”

If the SmartSub Controller is used a third question is

• “Should I use the Controller in Augment or Crossover

mode?”

Discussions of these questions are covered in the
sections Crossover Use, Setting Up the Subwoofer, and
Connecting the Controller or Crossover, respectively. In
addition, there is a flow chart for your reference on pages
14 and 15 that guides you through all the aspects of
system configuration, hookup, and adjustment.

Here are diagrams of three types of systems with some
notes on their applications.

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for main speakers

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In this configuration the SmartSub
Controller is used to achieve near-perfect
blending of the main speakers with the
main channel bass through the sub­woofer. The identical hookup can be
used with a THIEL passive crossover.

The shown connection from the processor to the sub is optional; if
used, it keeps the LFE signal from the main speakers but requires a
separate LFE level adjustment. If this connection is

not

used, tell the
processor that you do not have a subwoofer. And in any case, tell the
processor that the main speakers are large, even if they are not.

This configuration is ideal if the main speakers can play loudly
enough. It’s also perfect for audio systems where the subwoofer is
used to extend the bass range.

Line-level Crossover Configuration

LFE Configuration

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This is the simplest system where the
only addition to the normal system (of
processor-power amp-main speakers)
is a subwoofer driven by the
processor’s subwoofer output con­nected to the subwoofer’s LFE input.

If you tell the processor that the main speakers are small, then the
subwoofer will also reproduce the bass range of the main channels
in addition to the ‘point 1’ LFE channel. However, the integration of
these two signals will not be optimum.

This configuration can often be used when the main speakers
provide sufficient output level and their bass is satisfactory for
applications other than movie effects.

Power Amplifier

for main speakers

Main Left/Right speakers

Power Amplifier

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With the SmartSub Controller connected
between the processor and the main
speaker power amp, using either
balanced or unbalanced connections, this
configuration allows the Controller to be

Main Left/Right speakers

used in crossover mode so that bass can
be kept from the main speakers and
reproduced by the subwoofer instead.

The shown connection from the processor to the sub is optional; if
used, it keeps the LFE signal from the main speakers but requires a
separate LFE level adjustment. If this connection is

not

used, tell the
processor that you do not have a subwoofer. And in any case, tell the
processor that the main speakers are large, even if they are not.

By inserting a high-pass filter in the main speakers’ signal path this
configuration usually allows the main speakers to play more loudly
than normal so that the bass

and

the output of the system are

enhanced.

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CROSSOVER USE

Do you require a crossover?

Without a crossover the powered subwoofer will
provide very high quality reproduction of the Low
Frequency Effects (LFE), or “point 1”, channel of a multi
channel sound system. With this configuration, bass
delivered to the main speaker channels is not reproduced
by the subwoofer.

When used with a crossover, the subwoofer can, in
addition, also reproduce the low frequency part of the left
and right channels in a 2 channel or multi channel music
or video sound system. It is desirable to use the subwoofer
in this capacity if the main speakers do not reproduce the
entire bass range or if the main speakers cannot play at
the volume level desired without distortion. Depending on
your requirements, the crossover can be either the bass
management capabilities of a sound processor, one of our
dedicated passive crossovers, or the companion SmartSub
Controller. Here is a description of each of these with their
advantages.

Processor Bass Management

Most surround sound processors have the ability to
redirect the bass energy away from your main speakers
and into the subwoofer channel where it is reproduced by
the subwoofer, with the benefits of allowing the main
speakers to play louder than they otherwise would, and
the bass to be reproduced better. This is implemented by
telling the processor that your main speakers are “small”.

The advantage of this bass management approach is
low cost. The limitation is the poor balance and integration
between the subwoofer and the main speakers that the
processor’s generic filters provide. It may be suitable for
low standard video systems and will seldom be suitable for
music.

Crossover type Integration Flexibility XO mode?
Processor Poor Low Yes
Passive XO Very good Low No
Controller Excellent High Yes

THIEL Passive Crossovers

We make several passive crossovers that match the
subwoofer to various THIEL speaker models. Since they
are dedicated units, they achieve very good integration
and balance between the subwoofer and the main
speakers. Also, being passive, they are of quite reasonable
cost. They allow the subwoofer to augment the main
speakers in the precise way that will enable the
combination of main speaker and subwoofer to produce
perfectly balanced and blended sound. Two passive
crossovers can be used with two subwoofers to provide
stereo bass reproduction.

A limitation is that these crossovers do not redirect
bass energy away from the main speakers and so the main
speakers will not play any louder than otherwise. Another
limitation is that the bass extension and level of the
subwoofer are not adjustable. While the passive crossovers
provide correct balance and greatest extension and depth,
they do not permit the bass level to be “goosed up”. An
additional point to keep in mind is that, since the
subwoofer signal is derived from the main amplifier, if the
main amp is overdriven, a distorted signal will be supplied
to the subwoofer.

This is often a good approach for music and video
systems when the main speakers play sufficiently loud but
do not have extended, deep bass response.

THIEL SmartSub Controller

The companion SmartSub Controller provides a high
level of flexibility, universality, and functionality. It
provides near-perfect integration with any main speakers,
regardless of brand. It can be used both in augment mode,
where the subwoofer extends the bass response of the
main speakers, and in crossover mode. In crossover mode
the built-in high pass filter transfers bass energy away
from the main speakers and redirects it to the subwoofer,
so that the main speakers are able to play louder. The
Controller also allows adjustment of bass extension, low
frequency level and crossover frequency. In addition, it can
control stereo subwoofers, and be used to control systems
with up to 16 subwoofers.

This is a complete, no-compromise approach with no
limitations.

SmartSub Controller

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