Features ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Thank you for choosing a TURBOSOUND TQ-440 loudspeaker product for your application. Please
spare a little time to digest the contents of this manual , so that you can obtain the best possible
performance from this unit.
All TURBOSOUND products are carefully engineered for world class performance and reliability.
If you would like further information about this or any other TURBOSOUND product, please
contact us. Detailed product information is available on our web site at www.turbosound.com.
We look forward to helping you in the near future.
Unpacking the TQ-440 loudspeaker
After unpacking the unit please check carefully for damage. If damage i s found, please notify the
carrier concerned at once. You, the consignee, must instigate any clai m . Please retain all
packaging in case of future re-shipment.
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TQ-440 manual
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Introduction
Congratulations, you have just purchased a professional loudspeaker system from the renowned
Turbosound range, designed to give you the best in audio quality and many years of reliabl e,
trouble free operation. It offers superior audio quality, unsurpassed vocal projection, full technical
documentation including EASE data, and comprehensive rigging and flying hardware options.
Please read through this manual carefully before you attempt to operate the loudspeaker system.
It contains valuable information enabling you to quickly and easily set up and connect the
loudspeakers, important system and set-up checks together with positioning and mounting
instructions.
Features
♦ Superb audio quality
Superb audio qualit y: carefully designed and matched loudspeaker drive units are used
Superb audio qualitySuperb audio quality
throughout to give you exceptional performance and many years of reliable, trouble free
operation.
♦ Controlled dispersion
Controlled dispersion: the TQ-440 enclosure exhibi ts a tight, controlled dispersi on pattern
Controlled dispersionControlled dispersion
which minimises room r eflections and focuses the sound pressure directed at audience areas.
♦ Three way design
Three way design: the exclusive use of cone tr ansducers in the low and mid frequency bands
Three way designThree way design
guarantees a seamless low/mid cr ossover, greater power handling, lower di stortion and
minimal mechnical st ress.
♦ Time aligned componen
Time aligned components
Time aligned componenTime aligned componen
time-aligned within the enclosure to ensure perfect time arrival.
♦ Solid construction
Solid construction: all Turbosound QLight series cabinets are built from high grade birch
Solid constructionSolid construction
plywood, rebated, screwed and glued together for maximum rigidity and durability.
♦ Integral rigging point s
Integral rigging p oints: fitted as standard, enabling use with many diff erent types of optional
Integral rigging point sIntegral rigging point s
flying hardware.
♦ Compact enclosure
Compact enclosure: custom designed 12”/1”dual concentric driver allows this t h ree-way
Compact enclosureCompact enclosure
enclosure to be the equivalent size of many traditional two- way designs.
ts: the mid frequency and high frequency drive units are physical ly
tsts
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Product Summary
The TQ-440 is a compact three-way bi -amped full range enclosure that off ers uprecendented levels
of audio clarity and definition.
It incorporates a custom-designed co-axial 12"/1" combination LF/HF dr iver in an optimally tuned
vented trapezoidal enclosure handling the low and high frequency bands. The critical mid-range
frequencies are handled by a proprietary 6.5" cone transducer on a 60° horizontal by 40° vertical
nominal dispersion waveguide, loaded with a TurboMid device.
The exclusive use of cone transducers in both the low and mid frequency bands produces a
seamless transition at the crossover frequency, with the resul t that all of the critical vocal range
right up to 8kHz is lower in distortion than compression driver-based designs. In addition the 6.5"
mid-range driver i s a highly efficient device, and is able to handle large amounts of amplifier
power. The remaining high frequencies above 8kHz are effortlessly handled by a 1" com pression
driver, operating in a relatively narrow pass band, and theref ore subjected to minimal mechanical
stress. The mid and high components are physically time aligned within th e enclosure, ensuring
perfect time arrival at the listener's ear. When compared to conventional two-way designs the TQ440 is able to offer higher SPL, significantly lower distortion, and unsurpassed vocal projection
capabilities in an equivalently sized physical package.
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The TQ-440 is designed for use with the LMS-D6 digital loudspeaket management system, which
provides model-specifi c crossover and limiting functions.
The TQ-440 is a full range loudspeaker, and used by itself will provide high quality audio for all
speech and many music reproduction applications. In order to extend the effective bass frequency
range of the loudspeaker by a fur ther octave the use of the complementary TQ-425 subwoofer is
recommended.
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System Requirements
The TQ-440 is a bi-amped loudspeaker syst em . It requires two independent ampli fier channels:
one channel to power the low frequency driver (LF) plus another channel to power t he midrange
(MF) and high frequency (HF) together. A frequency dividing network is also required to split the
signal and feed it to the appropriate driver section; the LMS-D6 digital loudspeaker management
system or the LMS-A6 loudspeaker m anagement system is recommended for this purpose.
Amplifier considerations
The TQ-440 should be driven by high qualit y power amplifiers designed for true professional use.
Such amplifiers will have balanced inputs, DC and RF fault prot ection, and well designed cooling
systems for reliability.
The program power listed i n the loudspeaker’s technical specification is the best guide to the size
of amplifier r equired for general purpose applications. The am plifier should therefore be capable
of delivering long ter m broadband power equal to the loudspeaker’s program power rating at the
loudspeaker’s stated nominal impedance. This approach allows sufficient headroom to generate
good dynamic range.
RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER RATINGS:
RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER RATINGS:
RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER RATINGS:RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER RATINGS:
The amplifier's r ated r.m.s. continuous power output (20Hz – 20kHz, per
channel) should be equal to the recom mended program power handling of
the loudspeaker at its nominal impedance.
In general, the more powerful the amplifier the better it will sound, provided that it is not driven
into sustained clipping. It should be understood that overdriving an in sufficiently powered
amplifier is more likely to cause loudspeaker damage – the total energy in a heavily clipped signal
is far higher than in an uncl ipped signal – than operating a more powerful amplifier within its
ratings.
One controller can be used to f eed several amplifiers as long as all the am plifiers are the same (or
have the same gain ratings). More than one controller may be required if the amplifiers are of
different gain or type. Please contact your dealer if you requi re help in this area.
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Equalisation
Because the TQ-440 features a smooth and even frequency response, it does not need equalisation
or correction to over com e the deficiencies often found in lesser designs.
Should extended frequency response be required at more than medium sound pressure levels, the
use of the complementary TQ-425 subwoofer is strongly recommended.
In order to to compensate for the room acoustics, the TQ-440 requires only minimal equalisation.
As in any system, over-equali sation introduces phase shifts, distor tion and a reduction in
headroom, usually causing more problems than it cures.
Under most circumstances a 1/3 or 1/2 octave graphic equaliser will generally be adequate, with
the fader settings applied smoothly and as little as possible for the required room compensation.
cut
Most rooms will have resonances that will be excited at particular frequencies needing some
help tame the sound, these probl ems are most pronounced at the lower frequencies where
speakers generally exhibit very little directional control.
boost
If you find that th e system needs a lot of
bass units. It is good practice to use as little equalisation as possible, aiming to cut frequencies
rather than adding large am ounts of boost.
at lower frequencies you may need addi tional sub-
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Dispersion
One of the design features of the TQ-440 is its tightly control led 60º horizontal by 40º vertical
nominal dispersion patt ern at mid and high frequencies. This gives many user advantages and
eases placement decisions, being essentially a point and shoot system. A 60º horizontal polar
pattern equals an angle of 30º ei ther side of the centre line at which t h e sound pressure level is 6
dB down with respect to centre, (averaged over the whole frequency range of the l oudspeaker).
Thus a 40º vertical dispersion gi ves an angle of 20º above and below the horizon.
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Mounting and Fixing
A versatile range of mount ing hardware is available for the TQ-440 that allows it to be used in a
variety of ways, in either mobile applications or permanent installations.
A top hat stand type fitt ing
A top hat stand type fitting is mounted in the base of the cabinet
A top hat stand type fitt ingA top hat stand type fitt ing
for use with 35mm diamet er loudspeaker stands with a load rating
of at least 37kgs (82lbs).
This top hat fitting may also be used to mount the TQ-440 cabinet
at the correct height above the complementary TQ-425 subwoofer
using a straight 35mm pole.
Internal metric th readed r iggi ng point s
Internal metric t hr eaded ri gging poi nt s are provided
Internal metric t hreaded r iggi ng point sInternal metric th readed r iggi ng point s
in several locations on the cabinet – on the top, bottom
and sides - enabling it to be flown using standard M10
shoulder eyebolts (availabl e from Turbosound).
Downward inclination of the enclosure can be adjusted
using an additional riggi ng point on the rear of the
cabinet.
Side
Side----mounted flyi ng st ri ps
mounted flying strips can be fitted to the sides of
SideSide
mounted flying stripsmounted flyi ng str ips
the enclosure by removing the countersunk bolts on
the top and sides of the cabinet and replacing them
with the M10 bolts provided wi th the hardware. Two
FF-440 flying strips are required for each enclosure.
This method offers a simple and cost effective method
of flying single or multiple TQ-440 enclosures, with the
load being taken through the steel strips rather than
through the woodwork of the enclosure. Enclosures
may be arranged in a vertical column by coupling the
flying strips together using QL-75 quicklinks or
shackles.
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The universal FB
The universal FB----12 flybar assem bly
The universal FBThe universal FB
several different fixing methods, all shown in the diagram
here. The flybar is attached to to the cabinet using a pair of
captive M10 shoulder eyebolts ( supplied). There are 12
attachment points equally spaced along the length of the
spine. Depending on which point is chosen for the given
attachment system, a wide r ange of downward inclination can
be achieved over a range of approximately 70 degrees. The
design of the flybar even allows for upwards angles, for
example for coverage of balconi es that are higher than the
loudspeaker location.
12 flybar assembly enables the use of
12 flybar assembly12 flybar assembly
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The FB-12 flybar assembly comes supplied with a U
point. The point at which t h e Unilock is attached to the flybar deter m ines the vertical angle of the
loudspeaker as shown in the table fol lowing.
A pick
pick----up point adaptor
up point adaptor offers a further single attachment point. This option provides fast
pickpick
up point adaptorup point adaptor
adjustment of verti cal angle. The point at which the eyebolt adaptor is attached to the flybar
determines the verti cal angle of the loudspeaker as shown in the table fol lowing.
U----6 Unilock
6 Unilock which provides a single attachment
U U
6 Unilock 6 Unilock
The SC
The SC----440 aluminiu m scaf fol d cl amp
The SCThe SC
coupler. It is designed t o rotate horizontally through 360° in order to enable accurate positioning of
440 aluminium scaffold clamp is attached to the T-bar by means of a simple clevis
440 aluminium scaffol d clam p440 aluminium scaffol d clam p
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the loudspeaker. The point at which the scaffold clamp is attached to th e flybar determines the
vertical angle of the loudspeaker as shown in the table following.
The following table gives t he predicted downward angle of the enclosure using the var ious
attachment points on the FB-12 flybar assembly.
Attachment position Vertical angle (negati ve angle denotes upwards)
Hole number 1 (front of cabinet)
Hole number 2
Hole number 3
Hole number 4
Hole number 5
Hole number 6
Hole number 7
Hole number 8
Hole number 9
Hole number 10
Hole number 11
Hole number 12 (rear of cabinet)
-29°
-23°
-17°
-10°
-3°
4°
11°
18°
24°
30°
35°
40°
The FH
The FH----440
The FHThe FH
harness which enables the TQ-440 to be
installed with the maximum of security. It
provides unlimited variation of horizontal and
vertical inclination, and is very easy to reposition and angle once rigged.
440 is a complete flying frame and
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Modular flybar assembly
Modular flybar assembly The key element in flying
Modular flybar assemblyModular flybar assembly
multiple TQ-440 enclosur es is a versatile Flying Bar
Assembly (FB-58), manufactured by Turbosound, that will
support a vertical column of up to three enclosures deep.
Fly bars can be linked in the horizontal plane using the
index pins provided to form arched arrays with adjustable
(horizontal) angles from 0º to 45º at 5º increments per
cabinet. This allows arrays and clusters of almost any
angle to be configured with the ability to change array
angles without dismantling and whilst suspended. This
useful feature allows for fine tuning of speaker positions
for best coverage, thro w and SPL’s.
On each side of the TQ-440 cabinet you will find keyhole
type quick-release flying plates, plus top and bottom rear
brackets for pull-up straps and linking plates. When flying
more than one cabinet in the vertical plane speakers are
suspended on fixed length steel cables (FS-60) and pull up
straps (TS-440) to align the downward angles.
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Any installation, whet her temporary or permanent, must
be securely attached to the structure of the building using chain, steel wires or web straps which
are certified and load rated for the purpose. The combined weight of the sound system, its cables
and the rigging system must be safely carried by the points at which attachment is made to the
building or structure. Great care must be taken in selecting the attachment points and methods,
being absolutely sure of the load carrying capacity of points chosen.
NOTE: The rigging of loudspeaker systems is an extremely serious matter with potentially lethal
consequences should anything go wrong. It i s of vital importance that you, or ot her people rigging
the system, are suitabl y qualified to do so and have a full understanding of all the factors involved
with safety as a number one priority. Turbosound accept no responsibility for any accident,
damage or failure of any r igged system. This rigging informat ion is specifically related to the
requirements of the TQ- 440 series only. For more detailed information on the whole topic of
rigging various handbooks are available. If you are in any doubt contact your Turbosound dealer
who will be able to refer you to an experienced rigging company.
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Arraying
The TQ-440 has a side-wall angle of 16º . Use this position for smooth horizontal dispersion that is
ideal for many applications. With the high dynamic range capability and low power compression
of the TQ-440 you should find this wide angle arrangement adequate for all but the most
demanding long throw requirements. It also has the advantage of needing fewer cabi nets to cover
the required area.
When speakers are mounted together in close proximity either stacked on top of each other or
arrayed the output incr eases due to the coupling effect. For instance, stacking two cabinets on top
of each other with the top one inverted gives around 4.5 dB increase in the mid/high section, ideal
for long throw in large halls, sports stadiums, etc. M ounting the bass drivers close to each other
gives the same gain at the low end. When the system is arrayed for wider angle coverage with
cabinets side by side the gain is i n the order of 3db.
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Choosing the best location
It was stated earlier that the TQ-440’s tightly controlled directivity gives it essentially
qualities. Every room has its own unique set of characteristics that affect any sound
shoot
introduced into the r oom . These include reverberation reflect ions and decay time, sound
absorption of materi als used, temperature and humidity, etc. A degree of experimentation with
different locations (if possible) is best, especial ly if you are permanently installing the speaker and
have particular requirements where you want to concentrate the sound int o a specific area.
Any boundary like a wall or floor will lift certain frequencies. If you are fixing the unit to a wall, or
in a corner then a lift at the bass end is to be expected and it may sound rather boomy. Either
reduce the low end by means of a graphic equal iser or move the speaker.
Rooms with a lot of soft furnishings, curtains and drapes will absorb sound, especially at high
frequencies. These rooms can sound rat her dead and may appear to need more amplifier power to
generate high SPL’s but have the advantage that the sound needs less equalisation and is easier to
direct
control. In this case the listener receives mainly
from the loudspeaker, wi th little
reflected
sound.
sound, that is the sound emanati ng directly
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If the room has a lot of hard, exposed surfaces such as wooden floors, brick or plaster walls or
glass windows, these will reflect the sound, causing it to bounce around the room and sounding
over bright. These rooms al so tend to have various resonances that will be excited by high SPL’s.
Listening in the middle of the room you will hear a lot of
direct
sound. Care is needed with speaker posit ioning, SPL’s and equalisation. If the room is large
and very reverberant then bass ro ll-off below about 250 Hz may be required to ensure a
reasonable level of intelligibility.
For long, narrow rooms t he traditional left and right stacks (floor, wall mounted or fl own) can
suffice with good stereo imaging in the centre of the room. For multi-tier venues such as theatres,
speakers should be flown or wall mounted to project into each tier. I n highly reverberant rooms
often a central cluster is the best option. This acts as a virtual point source with all the sound
emanating from one point in the room, but path lengths should be carefully calculated.
The relationship between sound pressure level and distance is an “inverse square law” so
remember that every t ime the distance from the sound source is doubled the sound level
decreases by 6dB. For every 3dB increase of speaker output you need a doubling of input power
and you can work out the Wattage input needed to give the required SPL levels at various
distances from the loudspeaker(s).
reflected
sound in comparison with the
When speakers are flown in free space then boundary effects are minimised. The result is a
smooth frequency response without any boost at odd frequencies, but the bass end may appear
subjectively light. In this case you will need floor mounted sub-bass, to bring the low end up.
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Maintenance
If one of the drive units in the cabinet should cease functioning and needs a replacem ent recone or
diaphragm you are advised to remove the faulty unit from the cabinet and send it to a professional
recone service authorised to recone Turbosound loudspeakers. This will ensure the continued high
performance of your TQ-440.
Removal of the 12”/1” driver
1. Unscrew the eight countersunk screws from the two vertical battens which hold the protective
grille in place. Be careful when removing the grille as it is under tension and may spring
outwards when released. Set the battens, grille and fixing screws aside for later re-assembly.
2. Undo the eight M6 x 30mm Allen head bolts holding the driver in place and carefully pull it
out and away from the cabinet. WARNING - This unit is heavy! You will notice that the 1” high
frequency driver is attached to the back of the 12” low frequency driver by its screw adapter.
Disconnect the cables from bot h HF and LF units and completely remove the driver assembly
from the cabinet. Make a note of the driver polarity for later reconnection.
3. Separate the drive units by unscrewing the high frequency driver anti-clockwise and lift it
away from the low frequency dr iver. Depending on which section needs servicing, the
appropriate drive unit should be returned to an authorised Turbosound service cent re.
4. To reinstate the dri vers, simply reverse the above procedure making sure you observe the
correct polarity when reconnecting the cables back into the termi nals of the drive units.
Removal of the midrange drive unit
If the midrange drive unit requires maintenance, it will first be necessary to remove the rear panel.
The midrange driver is hel d in place by a M10 x 25mm bolt through the rear of the cabinet into the
back plate of the drive unit behind the rear panel. Once this is released the midrange horn and
drive unit assembly can be removed.
1. Remove the #10 x 1 ½” countersunk woodscrews securing the rear panel of the cabinet. The
M10 bolt securing the midrange driver will now be accessible in a recess in the enclosure rear
panel. Using a 17mm socket, unscrew the bolt and set aside for later re-assembly.
2. Unscrew the eight countersunk screws from the two vertical battens which hold the protective
grille in place. Be careful when removing the grille as it is under tension and may spring
outwards when released. Set the battens, grille and fixing screws aside for later re-assembly.
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3. The midrange horn is secured through the mounting flange with four #10 x 1/12” pan head
wood screws. Unscrew these and lift out the horn and driver assembly.
4. Disconnect the cables, making a not e of the polarity, and carefully l ift the driver clear.
For any other servicing requirements please contact your Turbosound dealer or authorised service
centre.
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APPENDIX A
Technical Specifications
Dimensions 558mm x 409mm x 363mm (23.1” x 16.1” x 14. 3”)
Net weight 30kgs (66lbs)
Components 12”/1” LF/HF dual concentric driver, 6.5” MF driver on a TurboMid
device
Frequency response 75Hz – 20kHz ±4dB (with LMS-D6)
EB-10 M10 shoulder eyebolt
FF-440 Flying strips (2 required per enclosure)
FB-12 Univer sal fly bar assembly
PP-440 Pick-up point adaptor
U-6 Unilock
SC-440 Scaffold clamp
FB-58 Modular fly bar assembly
FS-60 Flying steel
TS-440 Tilt strap
BS-440 Biscuit
FH-440 Flying frame and harness
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APPENDIX C: WARRANTY
Limited Warranty
This Turbosound loudspeaker product is warranted to the original end-user pur chaser and all
subsequent owners for a period of two (2) years from the original date of purchase.
Warranty Coverage
Warranty coverage includes defects in materials and workmanship. It does not include:
♦ damage caused by accident, misuse, abuse, neglect or modification by any person other than
an authorised Turbosound representative,
♦ damage caused by overdriving, use with unsuitable amplifiers or amplifier fail ure,
♦ damage caused by failure to operate the product in accor d ance with the instructions
contained in the user manual,
♦ damage occuring during shipment in transit,
♦ claims based on any misrepresentation by the seller,
♦ pr oducts which do not have the original components as specifi ed in the product engineering
information,
♦ pr oducts on which the serial number has been removed or defaced.
Shipping
Should any fault develop with a component of your Turbosound system, please return the
product, freight pre-paid, in its original packing carton, along with proof of purchase such as the
original bill of sale or receipted invoice, and a description of the suspected fault to Turbosound
Ltd. (Att: Custom er Service), Star Road, Partri dge Green, West Sussex RH13 8RY, England, or your
local authorised Turbosound representative. The product serial number m ust be quoted in all
correspondence relating to the claim. Insurance is recommended, as Turbosound or its
representatives are not liable for loss or damage in transit. Turbosound will pay for return freight
costs should repairs be covered under warranty.
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Incidental and consequential damages
Turbosound's liability is limited to the repair or replacement, at our option, of any defective
product, and shall not be li able for any incidental and consequential damages including, without
limitation, injury to persons or property or loss of use.
Limitation of implied warranties
All implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose,
are limited in duration to the length of this warranty.
This warranty is in addit ion to, and in no way detracts from, your statutory rights as a consumer.
No other warranty is expressed or implied.
Please record your purchase information below for future reference:
Dealer Name ......................................................................................................................